Princesses - Get Ready To Party!

When my son was little I refused to get sucked into ‘boys toys’ and ‘girls toys’. So he had trains and lego and a kitchen and a buggy and musical instruments and dressing up clothes and a work bench and an ironing board and nothing was ever off limits – except toy guns. And then when he was four he made a gun from lego and played bang bang. I was devastated. Meanwhile, whenever no-one was looking, my niece would pin him down and colour in his face in order to make him ‘look pretty’. He was a real life Girl’s World for (super bossy!) Megan.

I learned a big lesson watching these two grow up side-by-side and realised that when it comes to playing and growing up, some little girls want to be princesses and some little boys want to roll around and rough and tumble.  Why wouldn’t they? Sitting in front of my Nana’s dressing table and trotting up and down Tarry Row in her heels was one of my favourite ways to spend a weekend – you would often see me out back with my Grandad, planting tatties wearing a string of my Nana’s pearls.  I am a feminist – I also love a manicure, adore a new pair of shoes and if I could go shopping in town wearing a ballgown every day, I would!

So when I heard about Little Lia and Olive, a princess salon for little girls I knew I had to go along and find out what it was all about!

Nadia Cunningham of Lia and Olive is just about the most girly girl you will ever meet.  She runs her own business from Algo Business Centre and has two of her own little girls, aged 7 and 9.  She loves the colour pink, lots of sparkles and a big ol’ helping of glam!  Over the past year she has noticed more and more that mums are bringing their little girls in for a mini-manicure treat and morning at the salon.  And of course, ballet tutus and tiaras have always taken pride of place a girly girl’s dressing up box.

It was after Olivia spent a day at the Mac Makeup Counter enjoying a little girl’s makeover that all of these things came together in one glorious idea and Little Lia and Olive was born. Based in Algo Business Centre, the room has been transformed into a pink princess palace with beauty stations, a nail bar, dressing-up and plenty of space to play and enjoy their day.

I was invited along for the opening day and it was wonderful to see so many little girls running around in their tutus, feather boas and sparkles, squealing with delight.   They really were having a ball and with Nadia as the big princess, the fun was flowing all day long! 

The idea is that your own little girl can book a Princess Party for up to six of her friends and enjoy two hours of fun and pampering.  Nadia recommends that girls are at least four and is happy to welcome in princesses up to teenage years! (I also have it on good authority that Mums, Grannies and Aunties can pop over to the main salon and enjoy a little pamper time while the girls play!)

There's a great range of parties starting at £15 per princess and these run up to a full-on, ultimate princess party for £50 a head where each girl gets their own tutu!  Download the Princess Party price list and planner here.

With her own girls beginning to grow up, Nadia was always searching for unusual clothes and while on the look-out for extra special tutus to make her princess parties complete, she came across the gorgeous Angel Face range. Never one to miss an opportunity, she bought the full range and will stocking it at the Princess Salon! She’d love you to drop by and have a browse with, or without, your little one (with two girls she knows sometimes it’s easier to these things alone!)

Click over to Little Lia and Olive Directory Listing here on Small City, Big Personality.