Let TEAM HFM! help you with finding out all the best things to do in December. Whether you're looking to book the hottest restaurant in London, download the coolest new tracks or shop for the ultimate December lust-have in time for Christmas, we've got the perfect checklist for you. Ready to take some notes?
The fashion collaboration to discover in December
British accessories brand Radley has teamed up with Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, to introduce Radley X Dogs Trust – a collection of backpacks, bum bags, cross-bodies, totes and purses. Eight of the trust’s adorable fury girls and boys including Freddie the cocker spaniel, Moose the greyhound and Rosie the Labrador cross, had their turn in front of the camera. Radley will donate 10 per cent of each item sold to Dogs Trust, which helped 15,000 dogs in its 20 rehoming centres in the UK and one in Dublin, last year.
Just remember: A Dog is For Life, Not Just For Christmas…
The Radley X Dogs Trust collection costs from £12 - £99 and launches in-store and on radley.co.uk on Giving Tuesday – 3rd December.
The ad campaign to swoon over in December
Jennifer Lopez has been snapped up by Coach, the luxury fashion label, to front its upcoming campaigns for its shoes, accessories and ready-to-wear collections. Here's a little tease of the Spring 2020 campaign, photographed by Ben Rosser and featuring the singer/actress/catwalk start/phenomenon rocking a chic belted trench coat.
"I’m so excited for this collaboration with Coach," JLo said in a statement. "It is a timeless brand that I’ve always been a fan of and the upcoming collection really speaks to my personal style — an uptown downtown mix."
Shop Coach's trench coat on uk.coach.com now.
The sample sale to get your credit card out for in December
Fancy some Oscar de la Renta hanging in your wardrobe? Perhaps you're getting married and would like to have a little look at what's on offer. The sample sale will feature luxury ladieswear and children's wear, ready to wear, bridalwear, bags, shoes, and jewellery with up to 80 per cent off RRP.
The details:
Tuesday 3 December - 12pm to 8pm
Wednesday 4 December - 8am to 8pm
Thursday 5 December - 8am to 8pm
Last entry will be 30 minutes before the sale closes.
Address: 26 South Molton Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 5LF (closest tube station is Bond Street).
What we'll be scouring second hand for in December - watch out eBay!
We're searching '80s puff sleeve dresses' to try and find a one-of-a-kind on eBay. Need.
The band to download on Spotify in December
Scouse trio The Mysterines are our latest obsession! The Wirral ladies have kept a relatively low profile, but have created a buzz thanks to their catchy songs and supporting Miles Kane and The Vryll Society.
Download The Mysterines on Spotify now.
The TV show to binge watch in December
We'll be watching all the Gavin & Stacey episodes ahead of the Christmas special taking place on Christmas Day. James Corden recently opened up about the upcoming show to Radio Times, admitting that he and Ruth Jones were forced to rewrite it. "We’d written about 40 pages, and we sat and we read it – and we both went, 'This just isn’t good enough,' he explained. "It doesn’t feel like the show. It doesn’t feel like it’s right... We just stopped for the day. I think Ruth went out with [her husband] David, and I sort of just moped around here. Then all of us had dinner, and we agreed at the very least to talk about what might be wrong with it."
Watch the Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special on BBC One at 8.30pm on Christmas Day.
Our first stop when it's payday!
We'll be heading straight to Russell & Bromley's brand-new Covent Garden store located at 107 Long Acre in Covent Garden. This new location is a prime West End shopping destination and has an extensive collection of the brand’s luxurious, Italian-made shoes and handbags.
What's at the top of our December wish list? The hot pink Snaggle loafers, priced at £245.
The movie to watch at the cinema in December
Last Christmas follows down-on-her-luck Kate (Emilia Clarke), a shop assistant working at a year-round Christmas shop. Disappointing her family, her friends and her boss with her behaviour and attitude, everything changes when she bumps into the handsome Tom, played by Henry Golding, who "walks into her life and starts to see through so many of Kate's barriers." The official synopsis reads: "As London transforms into the most wonderful time of the year, nothing should work for these two. But sometimes, you gotta let the snow fall where it may, you gotta listen to your heart."
Last Christmas is now playing in most cinemas.
The Christmas jumper we'll be wearing on Christmas Jumper Day on 13 December
This is an online exclusive at Tu at Sainsbury's, and we love how chic it is. The Christmas knits are selling like crazy so don't wait around if this £13.50 Fair Isle jumper is top of your wish list.
The new beauty product to get excited about in December
Christmas is a time for puckering up, so can we suggest a new lip product to try? How about the new Clarins Lip Milky Mousse! Priced at £19, this is a new and innovative whipped texture which lightly dresses lips leaving them feeling fresh with a hint of tint. Oh, and a special shout out to the lip-hugging velour cushion applicator, leaving a satin finish and a peachy smooth effect that nourishes and smooths lips thanks to the addition of peach milk.
Available 29 December 2019 exclusively at Clarins and Debenhams.
We're getting involved with...
#GivingTuesday! Digital App Kindred and Just Giving have joined forces to challenge the nation to take part in #GivingTuesday, a campaign which encourages consumers to make charitable decisions over the high spending season. Prince Harry and Meghan urged their Instagram followers to give back and engage in Giving Tuesday. Want another reason, 100 percent of all Kindred’s proceeds on every single purchase made during #GivingTuesday (via the Kindred app) will be donated to a charity of the users choice, charities include UNICEF, Cancer Research UK, Great Ormond Street Hospital and Macmillan to name a few.
The beauty hotspot to know about for December
If you're in London, be sure to head to AFTERBeauty in Piccadilly. The beauty haven has been described as a Sephora for the UK and we couldn't agree more. We'll be heading here for all our beauty needs! From manicures to pedicures, facials, massages and our K-beauty buys.
AFTERBeauty is open at 189 Piccadilly, London.
The new candle we promise not to save for best
NARS introduces the Tiare Candle - an amazing scent which includes fresh Tiare blossoms, verdant lime, sweet coconut, and rich vanilla steeped in the aura of Francois Nars’ Motu Tane island hideaway. The decadent blend of essential oils ensures an optimum burn time of 68 hours.
Priced at £34.50, this is exclusive to NARS boutiques and narscosmetics.co.uk.
The party dress to get excited about in December
Oh, how we love French Connection for giving us sequins AND tiger print. The dream combination! The Ebba tiger print sequin dress, £250, has dropped in stores ready for the party season and we'll be rushing out to buy it straight after work.
The nail colour inspo for your December mani
Well, it's a given... December calls for a sparkly manicure! We love this creation from nail artist Hang Nguyen aka Moon (find her on Instagram @thehangedit). She created this look using Orosa nail polishes. The black is Onyx and the glitter polish is called Prism.
The Instagrammable restaurant to (attempt to) book a table at in December
If you happen to find yourself in Mayfair, head to Berkeley Square’s highly anticipated new restaurant, Amazónico. Interior buffs will fawn over the opulent design; from velvet booths to luscious live plants it’s a feast for the eyes as well as a mouth-watering experience. The menu is created by husband and wife duo, Sandro Silva and Marta Seco – two of Madrid’s best-known restauranteurs – and is a fusion of Latin American cuisine, from traditional Brazilian dishes to Peruvian sushi. Perfectly executed dishes include Patagonian Black Hake and lime and yuzu marinated prawns with popped purple corn. Already touted as one of Madrid’s hottest restaurants it’s somewhat of a celebrity magnet across the pond with fans including the Beckhams, Mariah Carey and Alessandra Ambrosio. With its nightly jazz performances and Latin American tunes, it’s the perfect weekend spot to celebrate this festive season.
More information available at Amazonico.
The game changer app to download in December
We don't want to be party poopers, but December is the time when our prosecco guzzling can get out of control, which is why we're downloading the Drinkaware App. This app can make sure you stay on top of your wellness and also your health when it comes to drinking. The app comes with trackers and tools such as the unit & calorie calculator and the alcohol self-assessment tool so you can review your drinking patterns, set goals and become more aware of the units you are consuming. The app can also record the money spent on alcohol - consider yourself warned.
The podcast we're pressing play on in December
If you've not yet listened to Chris Ramsey and his wife Rosie Ramsey's podcast, prepare to LOL all through December and into the new year. Released weekly, this couple's hilarious podcast will have you gripped. Download on Spotify now.
The fragrance to spritz for your Christmas party in December
Introducing... 'The Coveted Duchess Rose Eau de Parfum'. Featuring mandarin, rose and musky wood, it is described as "a not so innocent fresh rose." The perfect festive scent! What's more, it comes in a beautifully crafted bottle - spot the delicate fox face - what's not to love?
The Zara item that's top of our wish list in December
You've seen it all over Instagram - as modelled here by @bubblyaquarius - and you've seen it fly off Zara's virtual rails. Well, rumour has it, the famous two-piece is coming back to Zara in December. We'll be hitting refresh daily.
The infuencer you need to follow in December (if you don't already)
Belfast-based Marianne (aka @SmythSisters) is your newest girl crush. Whether she's wearing Zara, & Other Stories, H&M or Mango, she's forever giving us outfit inspiration. Press follow immediately.
Where to point your phone in December
Head to the beautiful Lancome Eiffel Tower at King's Cross in London for a cheeky snap. It's made from bottles of La Vie Est Belle perfume, and after Christmas, they are all being kindly donated to Look Good Feel Better UK - a confidence-boosting workshop for women, men and young adults undergoing cancer treatment.
The December Lust Have
If you’re on the look-out one piece of jewellery to take you through the party season or you want to add some sparkle to your Christmas wish list - this is for you. A 18 carat gold bracelet by Italian luxury jewellers FOPE. Apart from it’s sheer elegance, here are 3 good reasons to invest.
1.The unique Flex’ it strap (made of dozens of tiny gold springs between each link) means no one-handed struggling to fasten a clasp - just pull it on and go.
2. Gold is forever in fashion, it will never date.
3. It looks great stacked on your wrist and the mixed metal detail (18ct rose gold and white gold) means it will go with all your other jewellery or watches.
Sold?
Eka tiny bracelet £1985. Available in the Bouji newly opened FOPE flagship store on Old Bond Street or selected concessions nationwide at Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths or online at fope.com.
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