Women who changed our lives: From make up to spying

Women all over the world celebrated International Women's Day on Saturday, where they united to celebrate the empowerment of us feminine beauties. We can have babies, go to war, run businesses and even make men do the washing up sometimes, now that definitely deserves a celebration.

There are so many women in history who deserve so much recognition for there determination, their spirit and quest for change for the better.

Here are just a small amount of the women who we should have a piece of cake for, any excuse for sponges goodness.

Coco Chanel

This lovely lady was the founder of one of the most luxurious and iconic brands. She liberated women from having to wear a corset, that would squeeze everything and stop them being able to eat thirds of pudding, which is a complete travesty. She began the androgynous casual chic look with long trousers and comfortable shirts, that had never been seen before.

Coco also created the Chanel No.5 fragrance, which is adored by many women across the world, along with the famous Chanel suit, bag and the idea of the little black dress. Thank you Coco for improving our smell, our wardrobe and most of all being able to have as many biscuits as we like, the woman is an empress.

Amelia Earhart

Amelia was the first female pilot to fly across the Atlantic Ocean on her lonesome. She had a spirit for adventure and set many world records and became the 16th woman to be issued a pilot's licence. In 1935, she became the first person to fly from Hawaii to the American mainland. This resulted in her becoming the first person to fly solo anywhere in the Pacific and also the first person to solo both the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean.

She also developed clothes for women pilots, with her first creation being a fashionable flying suit. It had loose trousers, a zipper top and big pockets. So not only was she the Queen of the skies, she was fashionable in doing so.

Margaret Thatcher

Love her or loath her, dear old Maggie was a pioneer. She was the first female prime minister the UK had ever had. In the late 1970s the country was at the brink with strikes, power cuts and a failing economy. She turned the country around with much opposition and wore some amazing outfits in doing so, with some great power suits and pussy bow blouses. She had pretty good taste in handbags too.

Marie Curie

Marie Curie was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in 1903, with her husband Pierre, for their work on radiation. She also won it again in 1911 by herself, after her husband was killed. Not only did she discover new elements, but her and Pierre's work was crucial in the development of x-rays in surgery. Marie faced great opposition from male scientists and did not get the respect from them that she so greatly deserved.

Her work in WW1 saved many lives, equipping ambulances with x-ray equipment and she also held training courses for medical staff and taught them vital new techniques. Marie paid the ultimate price for her work by dying from Leukeamia that was bought on by the exposure to high-energy radiation. She helped save countless lives and still continues to do so.

Katharine Hepburn

Katharine Hepburn was a film star for more then 60 years and was a great inspiration to women.

In the era of glamour, Katharine went against the grade and wore casual clothes. She was very much a tomboy and was very athletic. Her signature look was high-waisted trousers and button-down shirts, making her an early style icon of the androgynous look. Katharine made it acceptable for women to wear trousers on a daily basis.

She appeared on film, stage and television with many varied roles, playing strong-willed woman. Katharine received four Academy Awards for best actress, which is the most an actress has ever won. In 1999 she was named by the American Film Institute as the greatest female star in Hollywood.

I've written about her sassy style in more detail, which you can take a nosey at here.

Helena Rubinstein

Helena Rubinstein was the queen of beauty and advised women on what make up to wear to enhance their look. She opened a beauty salon in Mayfair and launched her own make-up range in 1909. Helena showed women how to use pigments to highlight their features. Word spread and women of all classes flocked to her shop.

She created the first tinted matte face powder and the first blusher. By 1923, Helena was producing more then 70 popular lines of cosmetics, one of them being her famous body slimming creams and had competition from Elizabeth Arden, when the business expanded to America.

She created the world's first waterproof mascara in 1939, her Contour Lift Firming product and her first oil in water emulsion, Lanolin Vitamin Formula. Helena's empire is now owned by L'Oreal and is still loved by many women worldwide.

Rosa Sparks

Rosa was an African- American civil rights activist who was known as "the First Lady of civil rights" and "the mother of the freedom movement". In 1995 Rosa refused to give up her seat in the 'coloured section' for a white person, because the white section was full. She was arrested and fined for violating a city ordinance. Her defiance became known as the Montogomery Bus Boycott and she became an international icon against racial segregation.

She was an inspiration to people who wanted freedom and gave them hope. Her work contributed to the end of legal segregation, that laced the way for equality.

Billie Holiday

Billie was a beautiful Jazz singer and songwriter. Her mix of vocals and jazz instruments, started a trend for mixing them both and "changed the art of American pop vocals forever". She was known for her popular songs such as 'Lady in Satin' and 'Crazy He Calls Me'. Billy has been entered into the Grammy's Hall of Fame and has won several awards for her beautiful voice. Billy is known as the greatest ever female jazz singer.

Marie Stopes

In 1918 Marie wrote her first book 'Married Love', which was highly condemned due to its sensitive subject of a couples intimate relationship. It was very popular with the public though, it was the Fifty Shades of Grey of the time, expect without the whips and chains. She received hundreds of letters from women asking relationship and family planning advice and as a result, she opened the first family planning clinic in the UK in 1921. It offered a free service to married women that was never availble before and provided women with a choice.

She set up several more clinics around the country that still provide help for women today. The organisation also help women from Ireland to receive an abortion, as it is heavily restricted there. They believe women have a right to a choice and support them whatever decision they make.

Audrey Hepburn

With her iconic dainty features and talent, Audrey is one of the world's best known actresses. She is famous for the films Sabrina, Roman Holiday and who can forget Breakfast at Tiffany's. She became a UNICEF Ambassador and travelled to third world countries, and set a trend for other stars. So not only was she a beautiful actress, she was devoted to helping people, plus she looked amazing in a little black dress too

Florence Nightingale

With her main accessory being a lamp on her nightly rounds, she quickly became known as 'The Lady With the Lamp”. Florence nursed wounded soldiers during the Crimean War and saved many lives, with her insistence on clean conditions. So next time you go to the hospital and there's a hot male nurse for you to drool at, thank old Florence.

The Suffragettes

The Suffragettes were a group of women who believed in equal rights for women and campaigned relentlessly for women to be able to vote in elections and have their say. They were so dedicated to the cause they risked their lives and their freedom. After 15 years of campaigning, women over 30 were granted the right to vote and stand as candidates in the 1918 General Election. This was a huge turning point in the history of women becoming equal as men, so thank them next time when you have a vote at work, even if it is over who makes the tea.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor

With an impressive jewellery collection which you can see here and gorgeous gowns, Elizabeth is one of the most well known actresses and star icons. She was well known for her glamorous lifestyle, natural beauty and who can forget those violet eyes. With films like Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Cleopatra making her famous, everyone was interested in her. She was married eight times and twice to Richard Burton who she appeared with her in 11 films, that girl must have really loved wedding cake.

Elizabeth campaigned for HIV and AIDS programmes after her beloved friend Rock Hudson died and set up her own foundation, raising $270 million for charity and providing much needed help to victims.

Special Operations Executive

During World War Two there was an organisation set up that was involved in top secret missions, such as espionage, sabotage and to gain vital information. There were 55 female agents, including Violette Szabo, Pearl Witherington, Eileen Nearne, Nancy Wake, Odette Hallowes and one of the longest serving British agents, Nancy Granville.

These women risked their lives on a daily basis and some were even killed when their cover was blown. These brave women did some great work and found out vital information to help us win the war. The Gestapo learned not to mess with these beauties, these ladies meant business.

The Queen

She has been the head of the country and the colonies for more then 87 years now. She has done some great work for charity and our little island. Everyone's favourite grandmother's style has evolved over the years and she has worn some amazing outfits which I've written about before, all worn with her trusty bag. Plus she has a pretty impressive collection of hats too.

Are there any ladies that you think can kick some arse and have made an impact to our lives in someway?

All of these women mentioned have impacted our lives in some way and we should all be grateful for the risks they took, the work they have done and the barriers they broke. Besides, who could live without waterproof mascara? The Panda look really isn't that great.

Second Hand Rose

XxxX

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Two birthdays for two special people: WARNING: Contains cute cat overload!

I've been wanting to start blogging again for months, but the weeks quickly turned into months. I had things I wanted to write about, but didn't know what to start with as my first post back. I figured the end of February was a little too late, to talk about Christmas, even though it was full of amazing food. I really want to get back into blogging and writing frequently, so unluckily for you, you may be hearing more from me and my ever growing shoe collection.

 

So why not dip my toe in the blogging water again, with a post about two of the loves of my life. Let's start with the very furry one that is, my cat Jasper. Now I'm sure this will make me sound like a crazy cat lady who is obsessed with their cat, but the little furry monkey is so incredibly adorable, it's difficult not to fall in love with him!

 

Anyone that doesn't love Jasper is banished from the household and we have all agreed that we couldn't go out with someone who didn't love the big ball of fluff. While this may make us seem incredibly weird, he is a huge part of our lives and part of our family. Plus he acts like he owns the house and we are his staff, so it would be pretty difficult to be in this house without falling under his spell.

 

Last week Jasper turned 22. We don't know the exact date he was born, as we got him from another family, who had sadly misplaced his birth certificate. We know he was born in 1992 though, so we celebrate his birthday on the day he came into our lives. He got several presents, many extra cuddles and enjoyed a lovely meal and is very fond of his new bow tie.

Jasper made our house his home when he was 15, when my Dad took pity on him as he would have gone to the cats home otherwise. There didn't seem much hope for a 15 year old cat, with two teeth and smelly breath, so my soppy father rescued him, so he could have a home for a couple of years. We thought this would be two years if we were lucky, but seven years later Jasper is still very much alive and is incredibly healthy for any cat, let alone a cat his age.

 

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He has a very slight heart murmur and arthritis in his hip, which seems to suddenly flare up when he needs to walk up the stairs, but is absolutely fine when he races down the stairs for food or sprints in from the garden on two paws, because he is scared of the wind.

Jasper has us all wrapped around his little paw and he knows it. His day consists of being fed far too much human food, sleeping on someone's bed, having lots of cuddles and being groomed several times. He has a grooming pose and calls for us, just so he can have some attention. He gets upset if he is in a room by himself and cries until you go and sit with him and cuddle him, what ever you're doing doesn't matter.

 

I could talk about our baby forever, but then I definitely will deserve the term crazy cat lady.

 

Now my other love of my life had a birthday last week as well, although he is slightly less furry. That is my dear Daddy Second Hand Rose. I am incredibly close to my dear young Daddy and spend a lot of time with him. He can always put a smile on my face, regardless of the situation and is one of the funniest people there is.

 

He is always there for me and when he was working always managed to be home early to spend time with us and has provided us all with amazing starts in life. Along with my Mum he is a tower of strength and has always been there for me when I've needed him the most.

We have a lot in common and have the same logical mind and sense of humour. We like to play cards together and he has recently started to teach me to play Bridge. We watch a lot of comedy and are always quoting lines from our beloved programmes. I do think my Dad has spent far too much time in a house full of women and a non masculine cat though, as he loves The Millionaire Matchmaker and is amazing at painting nails and dyeing hair.

 

So happy birthday to two of my favourite men. I feel incredibly lucky to have you in my life and if you weren't here, I definitely wouldn't smile half as much, or have anyone to give me a manicure either.

 

 

Second Hand Rose

XxxX

 

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A plea to sponsor the lovely Kathy B: Cuffed for Cancer

My amazing love of my life blogger Kathy B, who I will happily marry one day and make as many cakes for as she can eat, is raising money for an incredibly worthy cause. On the 18th November her and a friend are going to be handcuffed together for a whole 24 hours, to raise money for the Tuesday O'Hara fund, which help support young adults, while they are fighting Leukeamia and other horrible cancers.

 

The cause is very close to Kathy's heart as her dear friend Emily has been diagnosed with Leukeamia for the second time in just a few years. I remember when Kathy first tweeted that her friend had been diagnosed and I was upset to hear that Emily had been diagnosed again. Kathy wrote an incredibly moving letter on her blog to her friend, which proves even more how much of an amazing and beautiful person Kathy is.

 

When you have a serious illness, some people around you don't know how to deal with it and act like you're a zombie. It really does show you who your true friends are, who treat you exactly the same as before and it means so much that they are there for you and supporting you. Luckily for Emily, she has Kathy to help her fight like hell against this nasty illness, with a smile on her face and a tummy full of chocolate.

 

The Tuesday O'Hara fund was set up after Tuesday lost her four year battle with Leukeamia in 2007 aged 21. Tuesday's parents set up a charity in their beautiful daughters honour to support other families and sufferers. Their aim is to raise funds to help cancer sufferers under financial hardship and their families and friends, in any way they can.

Their ultimate aim, is to raise enough money to facilitate the Pevensey Ward/ Proposed adolescent unit located in Eastbourne District General Hospital, with equipment that will make young people between eighteen and thirty stay in hospital as comfortable and homely as possible. You don't need Terry Wogan in a spotty suit to tell you that it's a worthy cause.

Cuffed for Cancer takes place between 18th-24th November, which Kathy and her friend are taking part in. Please please please donate some money to this incredibly worthy cause, even if it just a small amount. You can do this here. As Tesco say, every little helps. None of us know when we are going to need the support of charities like this, for our loved ones and even ourselves. When battling an illness it can make people feel so alone, so any help from people that know and understand what you're going through is greatly appreciated.

Plus if you donate some money, tweet about the cause or share it on your blog, I'll happily give you a big squeeze and some homemade cupcakes.

Now that is an offer surely no one can refuse.

Second Hand Rose

XxxX

 

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Dita Von Teese Von Follies: Not a pair of Granny pants in sight

Now if you have read my blog for a long time, you will know that along with me being obsessed with Rock Hudson and being very fond of eating pickled onions, whilst having a bubble bath, I have quite a big girl crush on the delectable Dita Von Teese.

 

I wrote ages ago about the clothing line that she bought out two years ago, but now Dita has added, to her very gorgeous Von Follies lingerie range with a new collection.

 

The AW13 Sheer Witchery collection is inspired by Halloween, but you won't be seeing a white sheet with holes in anytime soon. The collection has vampish black lace overlayed on nude satin and sheer mesh sections on the bra cups. Corsets, bras, thongs, briefs, slips and garter belts are available, so you can add some va va voom to your underwear draw.

Dita is obsessed with lingerie and has been collecting pieces since she was 16. Her collection has been very popular and was even included in Paris Fashion Week, with models from Alexis Mabille's show wearing one of her fabulous bras, lucky models.

The collection is exclusive to Asos and Debenhams, with prices ranging from £9 in the sale to £70 for an amazing lace corset, more reasons for me to exploit my bank card.

Dita designed her range so that women of all shapes and sizes could feel amazing about themselves. When her range was first unveiled last year she had a runway of her pieces in Australia, which included very beautiful and healthy models of different sizes looking amazing. The range is available in sizes UK8-16 and from an A to E cup, I've fallen in love with the woman even more.

Dita says that "Every woman should have a really great set of lingerie, especially in black" Now even me with my monkey pyjamas, can channel my inner Dita for a day, but ever so slightly less elegantly.

Second Hand Rose

XxxX

 

 

 

 

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Cakes, Writing and a hunky man in a pink apron

I was meaning to blog last week about Fashion month, but I have had four deadlines for Vintage Life recently, as I have been writing two articles for the November issue and ones for Christmas. Nothing like writing about pigs in blankets to get you into the Christmas spirit. I fancy watching one of those awful Christmassy movies now with actors you've never heard of, that even Jasper would refuse to watch with me. If it doesn't have Bradley Cooper in, he's not interested.

 

If you have read one of my latest posts about Mr. Boyfriend staying over, I am thrilled to announce that I did not burn the house down whilst cooking him a romantic-ish meal. Although I will admit, that a washing up bowl and a plate was harmed in the process (oops, the parents don't know about that one yet).

 

I did rather enjoy trying to be a domestic goddess to be honest and it was nice to know that after work Mr. Boyfriend was coming home to me, god I sound like I'm in one of those trashy Christmas movies, I've watched far too many.

 

While desperately trying not to lose my newly painted nails to the dreaded cleaning products, I made a cake for my parents anniversary. I decided to make a lemon and blackberry sponge, from all the thousands of blackberries that have been collected on one of my family's many foraging trips.

 

I had Mr.Boyfriend as my helper looking very dishy in a bright pink apron if I don't say so myself, peeling and squeezing lemons. I've got use his muscles to my advantage somehow.

 

To cover the cake I used a new technique that I haven't tried before. I made a lavender coloured Swiss buttercream that was lemon flavoured. Unfortunately, my helper had to go at the most vital point of the process, so I had to whisk eight egg whites over a pan of water by myself, that really was a work out and a half.

 

After nearly not being able to use my arms ever again, I had to mix in tiny cubes of butter one at a time, which was certainly a labourious task and difficult when you've just done the most exercise, that you've done in three years.

 

It was going perfectly and then I added the lavender colour along with some lemon juice and both my heart and meringue sank. The stupid thing became this purple dotted slimy mess, any baker knows that this is incredibly frustrating.

 

I thankfully carried on mixing it and the beautiful food mixer worked its magic and the mess suddenly transformed into this beautiful light and fluffy lavender buttercream, my cake fairy godmother was definitely helping me out that day.

 

I filled the cake with the filling and gave it a slight covering, so the decoration would go on easily. I piped the buttercream on the cake, well what was left of it anyway, after I'd eaten a load of it.

I'd never done this technique either, but it was surprisingly easier then it looked or I thought it would be. Don't you just love things that aren't as difficult as they look?

Unsurprisingly I ran out of some buttercream for the centre, so I decorated the top of the cake with red fondant roses that I had made in the evenings, whilst watching Ronnie come back to the square in Eastenders and had Jasper snoring in my ear. I also made around 30 rose petals, which I decorated the board with.

 

I was very happy with my cake and couldn't wait to give it to my mum and dad. I went in with my brother, sister and Jasper to buy them a Fortnum and Mason's Afternoon Tea voucher, which came all wrapped up in a gorgeous box.

 

It's safe to say that Mummy and Daddy Second Hand Rose along with the rest of my family and Mr. Boyfriend were very happy with the cake and it even got Jasper's approval, as he loved the buttercream, this was evident by his slight purple beard after stuffing his face with it.

 

Talking of Jasper, he has gone from strength to strength after his little bug and is back to full health, happily eating everything in sight and lapping up all the attention. He was given liver last week as a treat and then went on strike the next day and wouldn't eat his Gourmet salmon and shrimp food, because he wanted more of the liver, he's a total diva.

 

The latest Vintage Life magazines have come out and I have written all about hats through the decades for Her Vintage. I was very happy to receive the new His Vintage Life, because it's the first issue that an article I've written has featured in the His edition.

I was very excited when Postman Pat put it through my letterbox last Friday, he's such a cool dude. Plus all the hunky men in it did make it an added bonus, especially for Grandma Second Hand Rose who spent a very long time reading it.

I wrote about ways to Impress a Vintage Lady, providing tips on making any man seem like every ladiedream man. It was certainly different to go from writing for girls to boys and I did consider changing my name to Second Hand Roy but finally decided against it, plus it would look a bit odd in the writers section with my picture next to it.

 

I also now have an advert in both of His and Her Vintage Life for my blog, Twitter and eBay which I'm very excited about! Del Boy would be proud.

 

Within the past couple of weeks, I have been learning how to play Bridge. My fabulous teacher a.k.a my Dad has been teaching me, so I can play on a Tuesday with his Bridge babes.

Jasper loves watching us play and is my little helper and I swear he gives me signals. He's practicing his meows, exercising his paws and is making his breath extra smelly as we speak, now that really is a distraction.

 

Second Hand Rose

XxxX

 

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