A New Generation of Women’s Travel Guides You will not find a ‘must-see or do’ list of the top tourist attractions in Heather-Stimmler Hall’s naughty travel guides, but you may find an exclusive boutique hotel or a swanky bar etched with some glamorous history in which to have a cool cocktail in. The American-born author helps women travel independently to the sexiest cities on the planet - Paris and New York - with style, grace, and sex appeal. Heather shows you the slicker side of city life; daring lingerie shops, luxurious hotels, sensuous spas, and romantic restaurants are just a small part of the seductive path she leads you on. Although described as ‘naughty’ travel guides, these books are more about discovering your sensuous and adventurous side rather than misbehaving. But when in Paris it is not just all about tempting lingerie and cabarets. There is advice for what to wear from ‘Petite Brigitte’ (an insider Parisienne view), who describes the fashion as an ‘mélange of artless elegance’ which should encompass silk scarves, tailored white shirts, and flattering white jeans in a dark rinse. There are also recommendations for erotic photographers, body art salons, clubs where you can be a dancing diva, and sexy shoe shopping. More than just your regular tourist guide, these suggestive handbooks provide insight to your inner ‘femme fatale’; perhaps provoking you to explore other areas of the city you may not have previously considered or even knew about. The most famous vintage dealer in Paris, Didier Ludot’s shop overlooking the gardens of Palais Royal, will let you discover 1960’s Givenchy dresses and Hermes bags in pristine condition, and when you’re hungry the decadent Laduree ‘salon de the’ serves up the most exquisite pastries in a sumptuous atmosphere. Or get a custom corset made at Cadolle on rue St-Honore. Herminie Cadolle was the inventor of the bra who freed women from the constraints of the corset, then reintroduced it to the fashion world after World War 1. These are just a few of the hidden gems to be discovered in Naughty Paris. More and more women are traveling alone for business and for pleasure, and they have individual, feminine requirements. According to Wanderlust, even married women are traveling more often alone or with girlfriends. Of course the main concern is safety, but there are still many fun adventures to be had. This is where Heather’s recommendations reflect the strong, independent women of today, as it is foremost a lady’s guide, for girls who are ‘no longer girls but who still want to have fun’. On their own terms, of course. Written with a sophisticated flair, there is nothing seedy or vulgar about the recommendations in this guide. The author has done her research and is refreshingly informative with punchy and clear descriptions of what to expect if you do decide to cross that adventurous line; her writing is as seductive as the content. For the woman who is curious but a bit shy, this book will potentially open up new exciting doors of adventure, or provide them with a perfectly indulgent itinerary to follow. Heather provides the best solo-female-friendly places to go where you can feel wildly independent without being harassed. She also suggests the necessary ‘girly weekend’ places to rendezvous with your gal pals, or the best places for intimate dining a deux with your partner. Beautifully designed and photographed, it was named the Best Travel Guidebook of the year in the 2009 Independent Publisher Book Awards, but be aware; there is a racy side to this book if you so choose to read, and it is fascinating. You can take what you want from this guide and leave the rest. Perhaps just reading about it is enough…but as the saying goes; “what happens in Paris, stays in Paris”. Heather Stimmler-Hall is a travel journalist and creator of the blog Secrets of Paris (www.secretsofparis.com). She has also recently released Naughty New York with the help of eight local experts and journalists. All of the major online booksellers carry the Naughty Paris Guide, including Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Borders, and Powell’s, as well as the Kindle edition on Amazon.

- Art direction by James Kershaw - Photographs + Digital Art by studio-e.ca Choosing the correct foundation is crucial for a successful makeup application. An incorrect choice can throw off the entire look. Skin type, colour, tone, the amount of coverage desired and the appropriate fInish all need to be addressed. Cosmetic houses have responded by offering a variety of foundation types, in an wide range of colours. Clinique’s new Stay Matte Oil Free Makeup will be available in 20 shades when it arrives in stores in May, their Even Better Concealer, launching in April, will come in twelve shades. Jane Iredale offers two dozen skin perfecting colour options for their mineral powder Pure Pressed Base. Clarins’ Ever Matte Oil Free Makeup SPF15 was recently introduced into the marketplace with a companion Ever Matte Shine Control Mineral Powder Compact, ideal for those wanting a long wearing shine free finish. The house’s aptly named Instant Light Brush On Perfector imparts a moist, light reflective finish around the dry, delicate and often dark under eye area. It’s never been easier to ensure that all your beauty bases are covered.

Fashion is about evolution redesigning and rediscovering, creating new and revisiting the old. The revival of the 20’s with the Drop waist lines at Etro and Alberta Ferretti and the peblums at Yves saint Laurent shows the remix of the past, present and future of fashion. From Global traveler to Pastel princesses shows the eclectic styles of today and our direction of the fashion for tomorrow Bold Bouquets Florals are back again for spring/summer with more color combinations than ever. Mixing prints like at Dries Van Noten and Antonio Marras, and clashing color at Mary Katrantzou are the way to get your flower fIx this season. Pep Squad In a celebration of the female silhouette more collections than not had peplums involved. Whether soft like Céline, Acne and Yves Saint Laurent, or bold statements like Cushnie et Ochs and Jason Wu, the hips are where it’s at this season. Shine On Shiny fabrics and jewel colors are the loud and proud choice for those looking to make statement this summer. Be it green cellophane trousers like Theysken’s Theory or shimmying satin at Giorgio Armani, you really can’t shine too much. Gatsby Glamour With Baz Luhrmann’s Great Gatsby hitting cinema screens this year, the roaring Twenties is back in vogue. Gucci lead the charge with its deco flapper dresses with Ralph Lauren and Etro close behind. Global Traveller Bottega Veneta was hailed as one of the best collections of the season by editors, but there were plenty of others getting in on the tribal action too Donna Karan, Burberry Prorsum and Etro to name but a few.

As it celebrates its third anniversary, label adidas SLVR continues to successfully reinvent casual and sports fashion in the form of a sleek and elegant collection of men’s and womenswear for Spring/Summer 2012. Under the creative direction of Dirk Schoenberger, the label’s current collection includes a series of minimalist garments where divergent shapes and themes abound to create flattering silhouettes. This is achieved in the contrast between clothes such as wide-legged pleated trousers and tight shirts and jumpers, or by resorting to asymmetrical hem lines contrasting with precise vertical and horizontal stitching. In addition, traditional tailoring is deconstructed by removing sleeves from suit jacket, by exploring the design possibilities of the staple white shirt, or by introducing fastening strips or zips in unexpected parts of a garment.

Photography: Harry Fellows www.harryfellows.com Styling: Cannon at Judy Casey www.judycasey.com Model: Paris at Muse Management Makeup: Chico Mitsui for NARS cosmetic Hair: Kozmo at Bryan Bantry Manicurist: Krysty Williams for Picture Perfect Nails First Assistant: Ijfke Ridgley Styling Assistant: Amber Stolec & Jorge Rublacava Location: Loft 402 www.loft402.com