The Fashion Princess Read Free

the huge bathroom – she absolutely loved staying in hotels because everything was so luxurious. Lily Ann Peach from the Beehive Beauty Salon had given her lavender bubble bath,orange-zest body scrub, rose-water moisturizer and safflower lip balm, but Poppy was determined to try out the amazing-looking products supplied by the hotel. She pinned her hair up on top of her head as she set about getting ready for her first day at New York Fashion Week.

    After washing and trying out all the potions, then brushing her hair, Poppy decided to wear pink pedal-pushers, with a pretty white cotton top covered in silver stars. She finished her outfit off with silver ankle-strap sandals, complete with a matching shoulder bag. She put her long blonde hair in bunches, with pink poppy baubles securing each bunch, sprayed herself liberally with the gorgeous hotel perfume, Fleur, then flicked throughthe programme again as she waited for Saffron to get ready.
    Saffron was taking absolutely ages in the bathroom, and what a surprise Poppy got when she emerged.
    â€œI’m ready! What do you think of my new look?” asked Saffron, with a twirl.
    Poppy was lost for words, which was most unlike her. Saffron usually dressed so beautifully and simply in jewel-coloured cottons and linens with an ethnic, natural twist, but today she was dressed like a gothic bride from a scary movie. She was wearing an ankle-length black dress, a grey top hat and fingerless lace gloves. She had applied very heavy dark eye make-up and plum-coloured lipstick. Her hair was back-combed into a high bouffant and sprayed with so much hairspray even a hurricane wouldn’t move it. The hat sat at ajaunty angle on top of the candyfloss hair confection. Poppy thought her cousin had gone completely mad.
    â€œI’ve copied one of the looks from one of Bryony’s magazines and the dress is a sample she lent me. She dropped it by last night after you’d gone to sleep. Don’t you like it?” asked Saffron.

    â€œUm, it does look very . . . um . . . interesting and . . . um . . . different, Saffron, but you don’t look like you any more,” said Poppy, being as truthful as she could without hurting Saffron’s feelings.
    â€œOh dear, don’t I suit it then? I just wanted a change, with us being in New York and everything. I thought my look was getting a bit, you know, boring, especially after seeing all the glamorous people on the plane and here at the hotel,” replied Saffron in a rather subdued voice.
    Poppy was worried that her older cousin might cry.
    â€œBut Saffron, everyone wants to dress just like you. All my friends think you’re the most glamorous and pretty person they’ve ever met. You always look lovely in your clothes. You don’tneed to copy people from magazines.”
    â€œI suppose you’re right, Poppy,” sighed Saffron. “I just got a bit swept up in the excitement of it all. Will you help me pick out another outfit?’
    â€œYes please,” Poppy smiled and headed over to Saffron’s bulging wardrobe.
    While Saffron went to wash out the hairspray and scrub off the make-up, Poppy laid out a turquoise tiered mini-dress with a short pink jacket and gem-studded sandals for her. She was sure her cousin would look her usual gorgeous self.
    When Saffron was finally ready, they went down to the lobby to meet the others before heading over to the fashion shows. Poppy was a bit surprised that Orlando was coming along too. She thought he would prefer the hotel sports club. He hadn’t really dressedup for the occasion and Poppy couldn’t imagine that he was into fashion at all. He was wearing army-green combat shorts, a black rock-band T-shirt and trainers. He had his bag over his shoulder, which Poppy thought was bound to be full of snails, spiders, worms, frogs and all sorts of foul things. Berry, on the other hand, looked magnificent. She was wearing a navy and white striped