Wonder Woman: 2011

Fashion feast at the Meta Gala

A whole host of stars turned out for this years Costume Institute Benefit Gala on Monday and, boy, do we have style envy! This year the Gala was held to commemorate the late Alexander McQueen and is the most talked about fashion event of the year so red carpet expectations were high and our fave A-listers didn’t disappoint.

A number of stars wore Alexander McQueen in honour of the British designer. Naomi Cambell wore a white tassled Sarah Burton couture creation while Sarah Jessica Parker did Carrie proud in a floor length sequinned nude number, also by McQueen. Also following suit in the metallic nude was a blooming Jessica Alba in Ralph Lauren, Iman in a Stella McCartney jumpsuit and the stunning Chanel poster-girl Blake Lively championing the fashion house on the arm of Mr Karl Lagerfield.

Following this seasons colour blocking trend was Rosie Huntington-Whitley in strawberry pink silk, the sexy Eva Mendes in midnight blue Stella McCartney and Zoe Saldana in sunny Calvin Klein. Perhaps the most surprising choice of the night was Ginnifer Goodwin who opted for an emerald green cutout dress by Topshop Unique, snubbing the haute couture most favoured by the stars.

Zoe Saldana in Calvin Klein and Ginnifer Goodwin in Topshop Unique

The Queen of S&M, Rihanna, wore a seemingly demure black lace one-sleeved gown but upon turning around showed off a side-less dress simply held together with skin coloured mesh. Teamed with her signature fiery red hair pulled into a fish tail, we think Rihanna looked fierce!

Not everyone got it right, however. Fergie turned up in and ivory lace fishtail Marchesa gown that swamped her petite figure. Christina Ricci looked like she was going to the Addams Family reunion in her spider web inspired Zac Posen creation and Christina Hendricks, who usually gets it spot on, was in a wet look long sleeved tonal brown Carolina Hererra dress.

Wonder Woman's Best Dressed Award goes to...Blake Lively

Blake looked stunning in her Chanel metallic nude creation cementing her style icon status. Blake manages to look ultra stylish and sexy while looking sophisticated.

And our Worst Dressed goes to...Christina Hendricks

We're quite disappointed with Christina's choice. She knows how to dress for her figure and usually looks fabulous in bright figure hugging dresses to show off her wonderful curves but this dress just drowns her shape. The colour is wrong for her, the rust tones in the dress clashes with her vibrant red hair. We're hoping this is a one off and she will back to her glamorous self next time!

Big Brother star Imogen Thomas is the latest celebrity to be involved with the controversial super-injunction by the courts. It was revealed that Imogen had an affair with a married Premiership footballer with children for six months. She appeared on This Morning and spoke to Philip Schofield and Ruth Langford of how she felt she had been “thrown to the lions” because she “didn’t have £50,000 to get an injunction”. She said: “I had no intention of speaking about the man-I just wish my name was protected, it has been such a horrible experience for me.”

There is a increasing trend for rich celebrities, especially footballers to simply throw down the cash so they can then keep their dirty laundry in the laundry bin. Last year, John Terry was granted a super-injunction amidst claims he's had an affair with teammate Wayne Bridge's ex-girlfriend, it was lifted a week later and covered in depth by the British press. Many journalists have argued this goes against our freedom of the press, that celebrities should expect to have their lives printed on the front page of the Daily Mail and The Sun because their occupation means they are public property, so to speak. Even Andrew Marr, a highly experienced and well respected journalist admitted to undertaking a super-injunction.

On the one hand, super-injunctions help to protect the victims of a scandal. The wives and children of celebrities who have strayed. But is it for the best they live in blissful ignorance while their cheating husband gets away with it?

What about women like Imogen? Many women would say she made her bed and now she must lie in it (excuse the pun) but surely she doesn’t deserve to be abused via Twitter and Facebook because, let’s face it, we all make mistakes when we fall for someone and get swept off our feet by a rich man (happens to us all the time). Of course, if Imogen had no plans to discuss her private life why did she go on daytime television to discuss it with millions of viewers? Imogen will certainly bounce back, she will earn enough from magazine interviews and photo-shoots to compensate for the distress caused and the exposure will mean opportunities for similar work in the future. I’m A Celebrity perhaps, or bikini shots in FHM magazine.

What do you think about the super-injunction debate? Should it be used to protect families of people involved in a scandal? Should there be more protection in place for ‘the other woman?’ Does it make a mockery of freedom of the press? Perhaps you’re just nosy and want to know what really goes on in celeb land...Wonder Woman wants to know your thoughts. Please leave your comments below. WW

Watch Imogen's interview on This Morning:

The most talked about day of the decade finally came on Friday when Kate Middleton married her real life Prince. The world waited with baited breath to finally see the wedding dress and for the designer to be revealed.

Kate chose to wave the flag for England and honour the late Alexander McQueen by choosing Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Kate-now known Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge-looked absolutely breathtaking as she made her last steps down the Abbey’s red carpet as a single woman.

The dress was a long sleeved lace over a strapless full-flowing skirt accompanied by an ivory tulle veil and 2.7 metre train. Speculation had been abuzz, since the engagement was announced in November, as to who might design the most famous dress since Diana’s own wedding dress in 1981.

Sarah Burton lead the pack as the bookies favourite but Kate went to great lengths to ensure her great reveal was a surprise to the world. The dress was stitched together in seperate sections and not even the seamstresses were allowed to see the full design or reveal to anybody that they had been approached to work on it, the Daily Mail reported. The lacework was carried out at the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace but even then embroiderers did not know the identity of the Princess bride they were working for.

We think the undercover operations paid off, as Kate’s secret remained unknown until her big day and the iconic moment when she stepped from her Rolls Royce. Her dress was classic and timeless with a modern, youthful twist as would be expected from a McQueen creation, and suited Kate perfectly. Fashionistas around the world applauded and went wild for the dress that has now made history.

...And Kate wasn't the only Middleton in the spotlight on her wedding day. Maid-of-Honour and Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, drew lots of buzz from internet forums and blogs for her figure hugging dress also designed by Sarah Burton. There is even a Facebook page dedicated to 'Pippa Middleton's Ass.' Wonder Woman thinks Pippa achieved the most difficult of tasks: she looked amazing without upstaging the bride, and for that we applaud her. It's probably the reason she has now been named 'Britain's most eligible batchelorette,' but sorry lads Pippa is taken. WW

Watch the video below for wedding highlights:

New cancer genes discovered "like finding gold"

Breast cancer researchers have found three new genes linked to the the most common form of breast cancer. The breakthrough has been described as like “finding gold in Trafalgar Square” by Dr Anita Dunbier, lead author of the study.

The discovery means that scientists, from the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research in London, could develop new ways of diagnosing and treating the cancer which is responsible for 36,000 cases a year. One gene found causes the growth of cancerous tumours.

The study took place over five years and scientists studied 104 patients who have what is known as oestrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, which is to blame for 12,000 deaths a year. It is named so because oestrogen feeds and fuels tumours by attaching onto proteins on the surface of cancer cells known as receptors. Existing treatments work by cutting off the oestrogen supply.

However, tumours often become resistant to treatment, leading to the cancer to return after surgery. The discovery of these new genes means that new treatments can be developed when current ones fail.

Excitingly, new treatments could be available as soon as in the next five years.

It’s amazing what the power of nature can do. Just by adding a couple of these super foods to your diet you can boost your health, your happiness and energy supply . Here’s Wonder Woman’s list of top super foods and the secret ways they can give your body a natural makeover.

Blueberrys

Blueberries have ultra high levels of anthocyanin, an anti-oxidant which helps protect against cancer causing free radicals. The blueberries absorb all these radicals from our oxygen so when they, ahem, exit our bodies they take their free radicals with them decreasing our chance of developing cancer in later life. Sprinkle a handful on your cereal each morning for a yummy twist on your morning breakfast.

Coconuts

Coconut water contains natural electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium and phospherous) which quickly hydrate the body which lowers blood presure, fights cellulite (yay!) and fights heart disease. Coconut oil speeds up metabolism and is proven to reduce body fat and weight. You can buy cartons of coconut water and coconut oil from your local supermarket, or you can buy a whole coconut, crack it open yourself at home and pretend you’re in the Carribbean, but I’ll leave that up to you.

Acai berrys

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding acai berries on the food scene. They are said to be the fruit that holds the most nutritional value over any other. They are jam packed full of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids. They also speed up your metabolism, make you feel fuller for longer and aid water retention. You can buy them as a juice, raw or in capsules as a food supplement.

Chicken, turkey and pork

This might appear to be an obvious one, everyone knows how important protein is in your diet. But what you might not know is how fabulous a high protein diet can make your hair. Hair is made from protein, so by eating high levels of meat and eggs your hair will grow faster and stronger. It is better to choose white meat as it has a lower fat content than red meat. You can also put eggs on your hair as a quick hair mask to inject some protein into your tresses for healthy, shiny hair.

Dark Chocolate

Yes. Really. Chocolate is actually good for you! Like blueberries, dark chocolate is high in anti-oxidants, in fact 7 times more than the number in strawberries. It also includes flavonoids which helps lower blood pressure cholesterol. It also makes you happy (although you didn’t need me to tell you that). It contains serotonin, an anti-depressant and stimulates endorphin production which gives the feeling of pleasure. It is also lower in fat than milk chocolate. The key is to choose a brand of chocolate with the highest possible cocoa solids as these will be of the most benefit while still satisfying your sweet tooth.

Click here for some yummy but healthy recipes. WW

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...you!

There is a phrase that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Yet us women spend hundreds of pounds and hours of our time waxing, dying, painting, brushing to achieve our idea of the ideal beauty. We stress so much about the dress we need to fit into, the photos we’re going to be in that we forget we are beautiful already.

There is constant stress surrounding us in the media, we all strive to look like the celebrities that grace the covers of our favourite magazines, and it is so full of contradictions.

The media constantly stresses the importance of being ‘curvy’. But what does ‘curvy’ mean? Kim Kardashian is celebrated for being a curvy and confident woman, and yet in this months edition of Cosmo she says she’s a British size 8. Cathy Relf wrote in the Guardian last month that “it’s possible for size 10 and curvy to go together-but they generally don’t.” It’s no wonder that a BBC survey revealed that a third of those who are a size 12 believe they are overweight and 51% of young women want cosmetic surgery.

Wonder Woman spoke to a group of guys and girls to compare the different ways that men and women think about beauty. Here is what they said:

Richard Smith, 24, said: “I think women are most beautiful when their eyes sparkle and when they are confident and their personality shines through. I like girls with curves, my girlfriend is always moaning about her weight but I think she’s perfect the way she is, I don’t want her to get too skinny. I still tell her she looks pretty when she’s not wearing any make-up but she never believes me.”

Kerry Harrison, 19, said: “I feel the most beautiful when I’ve got my make up done, my hair done and I’m just about to go out. When I go out, I get dressed up for myself for my own confidence because when you’re surrounded by so many other gorgeous girls it makes you feel rubbish.”

Andy King, 20, said: “I think girls worry too much about the way they look. It’s nice that they make an effort but girls who are comfortable in their own skin is so much sexier than girls who are vain and constantly stress about their looks.”

Grace Thornton, 20, said: “I try to be confident about myself but I’m not going to lie, when I can’t get into my usual size in the fitting room, I want to cry. I like expensive beauty products and I always make sure my hair is straightened and my nails done. That always makes me feel better.”

It seems the only people that care the most about the way us ladies look is, well, us. Maybe that’s the most important thing, we want to look our best for our own piece of mind rather than anybody else’s. The main thing is to be confident and content with the person you are, and if you feel you need a slick of lipgloss to help you on your way then great but in the wise words of Christina Aguilera “You are beautiful,” go on sing it from the top of your voice, sometimes that’s all you need. WW

Click play below to listen to some Wonder Women readers have their say:

What makes women beautiful? by wonder-woman-6

There is nothing in this world like the feeling of being in a hair salon. Woman of all ages come together under one roof for one purpose-making life better for our hair. We go in, we get a complimentary cappuccino (or glass of wine), we talk about hair, we talk about our holidays, we get a divine head massage and we leave walking on air. We have been revived, just like a makeover montage in a movie.

Or at least we hoped so. Finally, you’re snapped out of movie land when the stylist brings you the mirror and you look like a toddler has been at you with the scissors and/or hair dye and you want to burst into tears. Every woman has at least one moment in her life when she suddenly realises that no hairdressers are not doctors of the beauty world. So what do you do then?

Lucy Parsons, a Travel Management student, had this same experience. “I was so excited to get my hair cut because it had been annoying me for ages, but when I looked in the mirror it was awful, the hairdresser had cut it so short and given me this ridiculous fringe. I looked like such a mess, it took ages for it to grow out.”

Tracey Barham, a hairdresser who has run her own business for 30 years, has some advice if you’ve had the same problem: “Unfortunately the only thing you can do it let it grow but that’s the good thing, hair does grow back quite quickly. While you wait for that to happen, you can always put your hair up, use pretty headbands or hair slides to hide the mistakes.”

Grace Thornton, an air hostess, had a nightmare with the bleach. “I’ve always had highlights put in my hair and never had a problem. I changed to a different hairdresser and I thought it was fine until a few days later when my hair started to break off and fall out. It was devastating, I just wanted to sit and cry!”

Over-bleaching is a common problem, one that Tracey sees all the time. “There is nothing you can do to completely repair damaged hair, apart from cutting it off. You can however, lessen the damage by using good quality hair treatments to moisturise the dry hair and prevent further breakage. Hair is made of protein so use anything with protein in; you can even make your own hair mask out of eggs and mayonnaise to help with porous hair. You should also refrain from using any other harsh chemicals until it’s in better condition.”

Another problem that often occurs in the hairdressing chair is hair turning green after colouring. Kimberley Young, a trainee teacher, has long suffered from her hair turning an greeny hue. “I once had my hair coloured and when I’d left the hairdressers it just went green and it still happens now, it’s really gross.”

Hair turns green often after coloured blonde hair comes into contact with chlorine, this is because the chemicals oxidise together which is what makes hair change colour. Tracey has a brilliant tip for this: “Squirt some tomato ketchup onto your hair, cover with cling film and leave for half an hour, when you wash it off your hair should be back to it’s normal shade of blonde. Also if it goes orange you can buy purple shampoo which neutralises the brassy tones.”

If you have a hair nightmare at the hands of a hairdresser you do have rights. They are providing a service and if you are not happy with the service they provide, by law they must give you a refund. Hairdressers do not actually have to have any formal training before opening a salon, so before you go somewhere new it is advisable to have a free consultation before hand and check out their credentials. If they don’t have the qualifications, you might end up in a hair horror movie which might not have a happy ending. For more information visit consumerline.org. WW

Graeme's Ab Circuits

Complete the following body weight circuit with absolutely NO rest in between exercises

1. 45-degree lunges (instead of stepping straight out in front, step out and to the side at a 45-degree angle, push off your heel back to start position and alternate) x 15 reps per leg

2. Jumping jacks x 50 reps (fast as you can go, full range of motion)

3. Push-ups x 12 reps (if you can’t do regular push-ups, do them off your knees until you get stronger)

4. Lying hip extensions x 20 reps

5. Burpees x 10 reps

6. Squat jumps x 12 reps (explode through the jump; don’t sacrifice form on the lowering phase)

7. Plank x 30 secs (keep back flat, abs tight, body weight is on forearms and toes only)

8. High knees x 30 secs (as fast as you can go, bringing knees up as high as possible)

—> This is one circuit. Rest 90 secs and repeat 1-3 times, depending on your fitness level.

—> Include 3-5 cardio workouts each week

For a video of all the moves in the routine go here.

We’ve all been there. January we sign up to the local gym full of optimism to get rid of our post-Christmas muffin top, May rolls around, we’ve been to the gym three times to flirt with the hottie at reception and we’ve still got that muffin top. Not quite the Jessica Alba bod we were hoping for. But that’s where Wonder Woman can help. We are going to turn you into a, errr...Wonder Woman before you can say “Bikini!”

Sometimes the gym just seems too far away, filled with too many overly fit tanned bodies, taking too much of your hard earned cocktail money. That’s ok because you don’t always need expensive gym equipment to burn off those calories, there are a lot of exercise tips that you can do in your own home. Wonder Woman got Graeme Sosna on the case. Graeme has been a personal trainer at Horsham Golf and Fitness Club for over five years and he is now going to train you to get you toned and fit and flab free. Here are his top tips:

1. Jogging
Jogging is brilliant for working your heart rate and burning those calories. It tones your legs, your abs and your arms. It might sound scary if you’re not a fitness fan but Graeme says it doesn’t have to be. “You can start off slow, for example you can begin by running one minute and walking one minute and repeating seven times. Then the next week you can do two minutes running and 90 seconds walking and build it up until you can run for 15 minutes or half an hour straight. The important thing is to listen to your body, you should be able to hold a conversation as you run and if you feel pain stop.” We found a brilliant beginners timetable at Runners World to get you started, to view click here. Now whack on the iPod full blast and get running!

2. Ab Circuits
Ab circuits are great for working your inner six pack, they don’t take much time out of our schedule and they are fun and easy to do too! “One circuit takes just 10 minutes to complete and you can do as much or as little as you want. You should do a mixture of lunges, star jumps and press ups to really work all your ab muscles.” Click here to view Graeme’s ab plan. Another one of his top tips is to name your workout after your fave celeb. For example you could call it the ‘Megan Fox Plan’ or the ‘Katy Perry Plan’ then every time you go to do it your celeb can be your inspiration to get started.

3. Running up and down the stairs
Now this is a tough one but it is so worth it. It tones your thighs, your calves and your bum and burns more calories than jogging and cycling. Graeme has a great way to make this fun, “See how many times you can run up and down the stairs in 60 seconds, then each time see if you can beat your score, for example if you do it seven times, next time aim for eight. Do this several times a day and you will definitely see a difference in a week of two.”

4. Get walking
One of life’s simplest exercise routines you can do everyday around your daily routine. Graeme says, “Walking actually burns around 200 calories per hour. Get a step monitor and see how many steps you do a day aim for around 10,000 steps. You could get adventurous and discover hidden footpaths and breathtaking views, especially if you walk uphills.”

Watch Wonder Woman's how to guide below:

Do you spend your lunch hour scouring the beauty counters in Boots for the next “It” colour? Do you spend your evenings perfecting the DIY manicure? Do you feel like your outfit isn’t complete without a slick of colour at your fingertips?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you are part of a new movement taking the nation by storm. That is the Nail Polish Boom.

According to a survey by Mintel, nail polish sales have grown at twice the rate of any other cosmetic over the last five years.

In 2008, sales grew by 23% to £93 million. In 2010, sales reached an all time high of £132 million, despite the recession.

It seems that women are pouring into the shops in search of a new shade of nail polish rather than buying a new pair of platform heels or a new floral playsuit.

The difference is that you can buy a bottle of nail polish for as little as a few pounds, rather than splashing the cash and spending £30 on a new going out top. Even just spending £2 helps us acheive a new look and lets us leave the shop, bag swinging, rosy cheeked and on that fuzzy high of a recent purchase. Win for our self esteem and an even bigger win for our bank balance.

The study also found that 30% of women feel more confident with groomed nails and 75% of men and women feel that bitten of chipped nails are offputting.

However, women in the UK are yet to catch onto having their nails done professionally. Nail bars are still not as popular here as they are in America. The survey found that 45% of women would like to have professional nail treatments but feel the cost puts them off. WW

Here are some more interesting nail polish facts:

94% of nail color is purchased on impulse
Only 25% of women finish their bottle of nail polish before purchasing a new one
53% of consumers leave the store if they can’t find the exact shade they want
60% of consumers use a top coat, and 44% use a nail strengthener
75% of women experience nail problems

Click play below to see how to do a manicure in your own home:

A Dolce and Gabbana dress for £40? Dreams do come true...

Those of you that often lust after the latest designer dresses, but not the price tag, are in for a real treat.

Peacocks has launched a premium collection of pretty summer dresses inspired completely by the latest designer looks swept off the catwalk. The brand is called Peacocks By Design and includes replicas of some of fashion’s most sought after designers.

This floral maxi dress by Dolce and Gabbana (below) is normally retailed at £2835. The Peacocks By Design version is £40.

This pretty green and yellow floaty tea dress by Erdem (below) sells for £1070, but in Peacocks you can buy a similar one for £35.

Head womenswear buyer Antonella Bettley said: “This range is exceptional value. For a low budget price you’re getting fabulous tailoring, with lots of fabric and attention to fashion forward details. There is no need to pay the earth for fabulous design.”

Left: Louis Vuitton, price on request. Right: Peacocks By Design, £38

Designers use the most expensive fabrics and the most skilled seamstresses in creating their work. The detail that goes into their fashions is so intricate and time consuming that dresses can cost thousands of pounds. Peacocks has simply taken these designs as inspiration and produced them in cheaper fabrics using simple stitching techniques, so that they can sell the designs to women all over the UK who have more accommodating bank balances.

Last year, Peacocks also re-created the £9000 Chloe ‘Louise’ bag. Priced at just £10 it sold out within 48 hours.

However, other high street stores have paid the price of copying high end designers in the past.

In 2004 Primark paid £23,000 to settle court claims that they had copied a Monsoon top and butterfly dress and a year later had to withdraw six more lines after Monsoon threatened further legal action.

In 2007, the French fashion house Chloe forced Topshop to destroy 1000 yellow dugaree dresses priced at £35, amidst claims it was a copy of their own £185 design.

The Peacocks By Design debut collection is available now on the Peacocks website and in its flagship stores in sizes 8-18. To browse the collection click here. WW

Left: Jasper Conran, unpriced. Right: Peacocks By Design, £35

Wonder Shoes...

Following WW's story from yesterday, here's my pick of the best faux Louboutin Very Privé peep toe pumps. These black high shine killer five-inchers come complete with the trademarked red soles but are a fifth of the price! At £62 we'll all shimmying down that red carpet in no time. Now excuse me while I grab my plastic...

Peep Toe Varnish Leather Peep Toe Pumps in Black, Manieco, £62.24
Click HERE to shop

Wonder Shoes...

The real star of 2010's Burlesque was not pop diva Christina Aguilera. Nor was it the screen return of the legendary Cher. It was this pair of spectacular white and silver Christian Louboutin peep toes. Yes we quite fancied busting our moves on the Burlesque stage, but more than anything we wanted to dip our toes in sweet foot heaven. Unfortunately, heaven is still several light years away. Ms Aguilera personally requested these custom made shoes for her character Ali, which were based on the originally equally glam, but vampy, "Margot" style which can be bought for £1530. In the meantime we can look and hope that one day we will be able to afford to touch. WW

Wonder Woman

Fashion feast at the Meta Gala

Super-injunctions: right or wrong?

Kate's dress designer finally revealed: It's McQueen!

New cancer genes discovered "like finding gold"

Super foods for a super you

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder...you!

What to do when you fall out with your hairdresser...

Graeme's Ab Circuits

Guide to your very own DIY Gym

Are you a nail polish junkie?

A Dolce and Gabbana dress for £40? Dreams do come true...

Wonder Shoes...

Wonder Shoes...

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