JULY’12
SUMMER BAKING IDEAS MISSONI FASHION FOCUS
GET REESE WITHERSPOON’S
STYLE
A/W LOOK BOOK
GET A SNEAK PEEK AT OUR NEW STYLES
BLOSSOM WORLD
In This Month’s...
ISSUE JULY 2012
FEATURES NEW ARRIVALS Who’s given birth this month? FASHION FOCUS On Blossom stocked brand Missoni MATERNITY STYLE How to look classic and casual like Reese Witherspoon A/W STYLE UPDATE Take a sneak peek at our new lookbook SWEET TREATS Get creative in the kitchen with our Rainbow Cupcakes HOW TO PICK A BABY NAME Practical advice from Blossom World JUST FOR KIDS Introducing Magic World iPad
Blossom’s
JUNE BUGS THIS MONTH’S
CELEBRITY ARRIVALS
May was a busy month for new celebrity mums such as Jessica Simpson, Alyson Hannigan, Shilpa Shetty and ultra yummy mummy Alessandra Ambrosio. June was an equally eventful month, with some of our ultimate stylecrushes giving birth to our latest little celebrity arrivals. This month congratulate some of our favourite new mamas.
Throughout her pregnancy, Molly Sims has wowed us with her maternity style and enviable wardrobe; owning the red carpet with catwalk inspired dresses that both extenuated and flattered her blooming figure. Although initially expressing concerns about giving birth and breastfeeding, when the big day finally arrived Simms described the birth of her son Brooks Alan Stuber, as ‘the happiest day of her life’. We’ll miss keeping up to date with Molly’s maternity style but couldn’t be happier for the ecstatic actress and the new addition to her family On June 21st, Victoria Secret model Lily Aldridge and King’s of Leon frontman welcomed baby girl Dixie Pearl into the world. Photos of the glamorous couple’s first child have yet be released but we can guarantee that with her combination of gorgeously cool genes, Dixie is already a stunning little style rocker. Here in the Blossom office we are religious followers of US TV drama Grey’s Anatomy so were delighted to hear that in June Jessica Capshaw (who plays Arizona Robbins) and Christopher Gavigan would be expecting their third child. Although 35-year-old Capshaw had only just given birth 14 months ago to her second child, on June 20th the the actress and her husband welcomed Poppi James into their lives. Not only did we admire Capshaw’s chic maternity style during her pregnancy but the fact that she had to act an entire Grey’s Antomy series hiding her ever-growing bump as directors couldn’t write the pregnancy into the script! June’s first celebrity baby arrival was second child of TV broadcaster Chris Evans and his wife Natasha Shishmanian. Despite the smooth birth of Eli Alfred Michael’s birth on June 1st, Evans himself experienced some drama during the labour when he had to rush back to London via helicopter as his wife went into hospital as soon as the presenter had arrived at Hay Festival where he was set to report for BBC Radio 2. We’re hoping that baby Eli grows up with his father’s cheeky sense of humour. Soon after Eli’s birth Evans tweeted, “Eli Alfred Michael Evans says hi ! Can’t wait to join you all out there… It’s gonna be one hell of a weekend !! Pint!”
Fashion
Blossom
Missoni represents a unique style in ready-to-wear knit classics, most notable for their signature geometric patterns in kaleidoscopic colours. What started off as a tiny workshop belonging to a newly-wed couple has fast become the leading global trend-setter for knitwear. The label was born in 1953 when founders Tai and Rosita started producing their signature crocheted knits. In the late sixties the brand shot to fame with their first collection and the company was later credited for the resurgance in the popularity of knitwear in the boho chic period of the seventies. The Missoni’s are famous for bringing a striking sense of imagination to their creations, separating and lifting them from the old-fashioned connotations of traditional hand knitted items Now under the creative leadership of the couple’s daughter Angela, Missoni continue to grow in the luxury market whilst still keeping their strong visual identity. Here at Blossom we’re excited to exclusively reveal a new style from M Missoni that will be in-store as of this month.
BLOSSOM WORLD’S
Missoni Fashion Focus This knitted shift dress in three exquisite colours is the perfect addition to any a/w wardrobe and will take you through those tricky trans-seasonal periods. A Missoni piece is perennial and is designed to be mixed with a particular season’s trends and colours whilst in itself remaining above sartorial drift, making this dress the perfect investment piece this season. Designed to be worn at both work and play, this dress encapsulates the heart of Missoni – a modern and wearable garment with a vintage twist.
LOOK
Get the
REESE WITHERSPOON Maternity Style EMPRIRE LINE DRESSES FLATTER BUMPS
BLOSSOM SEYCHELLES DRESS £175
Since the news broke that she’s expecting her third child, Reese Witherspoon has flaunted her growing baby bump with a casual-meets-classic style. The 36-year old actress has kept her cool during her pregnancy, opting for wearable and comfortable maternity looks. Having kept relatively quiet about her pregnancy until last month, Reese is now embracing being a mum-to-be with an enviable maternity style. Casual day dresses with oversized sunglasses, chic ballet flats, and stylish handbags are Reese’s hallmarks for day looks, but she ups-the-ante by dressing her bump in glam evening dresses for the red carpet. Empire lined frocks are perfect for flattering beourgoning bumps, and Reese is often spotted sporting this shape. Get the look with this Seychelles Maternity Dress.
Fashion
Blossom
As sad as we are to say admit that summer is almost over (did it really start?), we’re extremely excited to bring you a first look at what’s in store for our AW12 maternity collection. Starting from mid July we’ll be releasing spectacular garments and accessories from our favourite designers, top brands and in-house line.
A/W Fashion Update
Next season’s hot picks will include the likes of M Missoni, See by Chloe, Amira Haroon, Paulina, Attesa, Peaks of London, Mother’s En Vogue and many, many more designer names. Our designer denim bar has been updated to ensure you find your perfect-fit jean from all your favourite denim brands such as True Religion, Citizens of Humanity, James Jeans, Paige Union and 7 for all Mankind. Blossom’s upcoming collection, designed by our buyer-extraordinaire Luella, re-imagines our best-selling basic pieces with seasonal trends; creating a stunning combination of comfort, luxury and style. In addition to introducing the hottest textures and fabrics to hit the catwalk, Blossom’s AW12 collection also focuses on warm autumnal palette of mochas, teal and deep plum to keep your wardrobe cutting-egdge and on trend. Bringing high fashion to maternity, Blossom promises to be your one-stop shop this season. Take a sneak peak of our AW12 lookbook!
Sweet Treats
Rainbow
C A K E S
Throwing a kid’s party this month or fancy making some creative bites for your little ones? These Rainbow Cupcakes are not only deceptively simple to make but have that wow factor that we promise will bring about summer smiles.
Makes: 16 Total time: 25 mins Ingredients: White cake mix* Food coloring (red, blue, green, and yellow) Cupcake cases Whipped cream (optional) Smarties/Sprinkles for decoration (optional) * If you have plenty of time we suggest you make your own cupcakes from scratch as there’s nothing better than home bakes. For a basic vanilla cupcake recipe ‘good to know’ also provide an easy to follow recipe that your kids will be more than able to join in with! http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/340648/Basic-cupcake-recipe Method 1. Prepare your white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among six small bowls. Dye each bowl of batter a rainbow color. Please see below for food colouring amounts: Food colouring amounts: Purple = 9 red and 6 blue drops Blue = 12 drops blue Green = 12 drops green Yellow = 12 drops yellow Orange = 12 yellow and 4 red drops Red = 18 drops red 2. Line your muffin/cupcake tray with the cupcake cases.. Evenly distribute the purple batter among the cups, then the blue, and so on. As you go, gently
spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath. 3. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions. Before serving, remove the paper wrapping, and if you like, top each cupcake with a whipped-cream cloud. Get your kids involved by getting them to add colourful decorations such as smarties or sugar sprinkles!
How To
NAME Your Child?
Blossom World is on hand to help... Choosing a name for your little arrival can be one of the most difficult aspects of pregnancy. Perhaps you’ve stumbled on the perfect name. Maybe you and your spouse decided a long time ago. Or maybe you’re like a lot of parents and have been wrestling with the decision for a long time. If you’ve pored over the baby books and are still drawing a blank over naming your child, follow our practical tips on how to solve this difficult dilemma.
In the era of the celebrity, it seems that anything goes when naming your child. Over the past ten years we’ve seen a host of bizarre and wonderful names emerge from celebville. From Romeo and Brooklyn, to Apple and Ivy Blue, it’s important to consider how unique you want your child’s name to be. Remember, fashionable names like Aston might look dated in 50 years, whereas traditional names like John and Mark are unlikely to wane in popularity.If you do want to choose something a little more off-the-wall, try to consider how the name would work through school and later in life. The last thing you want is your carefully crafted name to become a burden to your child. The next step is to make a shortlist of names that you and your partner are considering. Try to keep it as concise as possible to make cutting down to that all important one an easier task. You can find inspiration for names more traditionally in naming books. Our tip is to buy a stack of glossy magazines and pore through the articles highlighting any names that jump out at you. This will help you to clearly establish names that are popular now, and will be a much more enjoyable task than staring at a dull book of names for hours! If you’re struggling, It’s also helpful to make a list of names you and your partner don’t like. Sometimes looking at the polar opposite can give you clarity and help you to establish what you do want Once you’ve settled on a shortlist, the next hurdle is how the first name and surname work together - because if ever there was the potential for disaster it is now. Cross off any names that you feel clash with your surname, and highlight any that work well.
SHOP
It’s then important to consider how the name would be shortened. It’s inevitable that friends and family will want to call your new arrival by a fond nickname. So if you love the name Jonathan but despise the name Jonny, it’s probably wise to look at something different as it’s something you won’t be able to control. Also, make sure the first name and any middle names you’ve decided on work together. Write down different variants of the names you’ve narrowed down on your shortlist, including the middle and surnames and see which looks the best on paper. Speak the full names out loud, and go with what your instincts say sounds the best. Hopefully you’ll have chosen a name which you and your partner love. And remember, when you say you’re pregnant, baby names is the first thing people want to start chatting about. It’s a personal decision and one not to be made lightly, so don’t be discouraged by anyone else’s preferences. You want the name you choose to be meaningful, so make sure it’s comes straight from you and your spouse!
Introducing...
MAGIC TO
OWN Looking for a new and exciting way to keep children occupied this summer? Then treat your children toMagicTown, the latest kiddie craze in iPad apps. MagicTownis the first virtual world based on popular picture book characters. In both the website and iPad app, children visit the big tree and houses in the town to discover stories, explore games and solve tricky puzzles. Fun and interactive, this new and innovative technology will keep little ones occupied on long car journeys and on rainy days in! Readingis a really important exercise that children must develop on a regular basis, as it captures their imagination, sparks their creativity and engages them in critical thinking skills. However, most modern parents find it difficult to grab time every day to sit down and read with their kids. Not only does Magic Town bring families together, inspiring them to share stories, its also a tool that children can use on their own. Tried and tested on Blossom staff’s children, the colourful format and interactivitey will keep them interested for hours. Couple this with the fact that the more children play, the more stories they unlock, this app is a great learning tool that will encourage your children to learn. Max and Izzy areMagicTown guides. They welcome visitors and show them around. They introduce Louis the Storyteller, a wise old lion who has travelled around the world collecting stories. When Louis arrived inMagicTown, he planted his staff in the ground and up sprouted a tree bearing stories. Each time a child visitsMagicTown, Louis presents a new story of the day. It is up to the child to unleash the stories and bringMagicTown to life. The stories and games appear in character-based houses that populate theMagicTown landscape. Available for both iPad and computer users,MagicTownis easy to use for even novice tech users. All users have access to 20 free stories, as well as a new, free story every day. And with a monthly subscription at the reasonable price of £7.99, it seems you can put a price on fun! Visit www.magicworld.com for more information and to subscribe.