Wednesday 30 December 2009

New Year's Resolutions

New Year, New You, and all that. Every year we try and make ourselves better people. I've got some definite plans to make myself into a more jolie laide girl this year:



Gotta use all this, remember?




1. Learn how to contour my face. You've seen the before and after pictures on 'slebs. Really, cheekbones can be made not born. And I'm sure I can learn how. Contouring and highlighting have not grabbed my attention before as fun eye colors are much more exciting, but I'm a growing (read aging) woman, I need to learn these things stat.
2. Find my HG foundation. I firmly believe that this is every woman's dream. A choice between looking like having amazing skin all the time versus owning the entire Laboutin collection, I really think that skin would win. Contenders in this epic are Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier, MAC, NARs and any other recommendations. It needs to make my skin look real, but better. Yeah, nothing new there, but right now it's not happening for me. 
3. Bring more of my never-used into my sometimes used category. Yes, I've mad posted about this already. It's a big one. 
4. Tidy my wardrobe and keep it there. Photos of my wardrobe will not be surfacing on this blog, unless it's maybe in the after stage. But let's just say that I have an excess of clothes and no place to put them. The new bag of Rodarte for Target is not helping matters. 
5. Be less impulsive with clothes shopping, especially for trendy pieces. See Rodarte for Target above. But really, I do need to work on this. I've been proud of myself during the last couple of months for not bringing home too many clothes, and for getting everything I buy on sale. I just gotta keep the momentum going. 
6. Buy heels I can wear. Okay, I can try. 
7. When my nail varnish chips, fix it! I am so bad at this, and then they just taunt me!
8. If I want something, check whether I can get it via ebates and save money rather than impulse shopping. Ohmigod, this kills me. I always remember after the fact. Such a pain. Now I am keeping the tab open and trying to shop less anyway. 

My favorite tee and adventures in the dog park


J Crew coat, Madewell T, cords, boots

As I type this, Moose the puppy is completely knocked out fast asleep on his bed. The reason that this is news is that Moose hasn't slept in his bed for over 3 months when he discovered the leaping power in his hind legs that propels him onto couches and beds, which are his preferred napping zones.

Anyway, here's some outfit shots we took on Sunday whilst hanging out in the dog run. We were supposed to be taking more photos but it didn't really end up that way. This is a close up of my awesome boots that Ori got me for Christmas. They are from Madewell, and a cool mix of utilitarian and heels.



This is a shot of my cardigan and you can see a glimpse of my tee. This is my favorite tee at the moment because of the sheerness, the loose fit and the chainmail pocket. Another one from Madewell.


Topshop cardigan, Madewell shirt and cords

Tuesday 29 December 2009

Tuesday Mood Session

It's Tuesday, it's time to see where my head's at!

1. What's my mood?
Very good. My husband is happily entertained with basketball on television, Santa was great to me, work is quiet, and the blog is quietly picking up subscribers. Times are good!

2. What am I wearing?
Ha ha, funny story. I started the day wearing a J Crew long shirt and grey leggings. It is soo incredibly cold today, so I had to take the dog for a walk, so I just started putting clothes on top of my "base layer". So, Gap skinny jeans over grey leggings, black sequin tuxedo cardigan from J Crew over shirt, black Uggs, Madewell yellow madras scarf. Make up mostly from Warm & Cozy - my eyes are Chamomile, Expensive Pink (another one to tick off my list), Modellete, A Little Folie, and the darkest brown shade in the Devil May Care Palette, Lips are Warm Me Up and Feeling Dreamy, and skin is Bobbi Brown Moisture Rich Foundation and NARS Gilda Blush.

3. What am I obsessing over?
Getting my blog "out there", the fact that I'm going to Palm Beach in 2 days, and the new China Glaze Up & Away collection that should start shipping next week.

4. How was Christmas?
Lots of fun, despite the fact we are orphans far away from our family. We had Christmas morning at home with lots of presents and a yummy breakfast. Then we took the puppy for a long long walk, and went to our friend's house for dinner. A lovely, calm, relaxed day.

5. What's happening this week?
Palm Beach for New Year is the big story. I'll put up a few scheduled posts to keep my readers happy though. I'll be away for 4 days, but the weather forecast is not looking supreme. :(

6. Go on, admit it, what did you buy last week?
Target for Rodarte arrived, and then kind of sucked (better in photos than real life unfortunately. Or maybe if you are not 5' 8" and of "athletic build") so a lot got sent back. Walked around the sales but bought nothing. I have some returns to Sephora to do so maybe I'll pick up something then... Oh, duh, the Warm & Cozy stuff.

7. Even after all that, are you planning on buying anything this week?
Nope, not really. China Glaze next week. And All Races is coming out, so I'll get excited for that.

How was your Christmas? Got plans for New Year? Score anything in the sales? Leave it in the comments, I'll be sure to check it out!

Christmas Present Haul Post

Santa, aka my lovely husband, was very good to me this year. I got some great gifts like Frye boots, amazing, amazing books, and he made a stocking trip into Sephora. This, to me, was the cutest ever. He took a list I had sent him, handed it to a girl, and then she found everything for him in 10 minutes. So sweet! And she managed to throw in an awesome surprise!!






So, what's the haul:

  • Fresh! Sugar Cubes. Oh, I'm so mad excited about these!!! Plus they were completely unexpected. Recently, I've been thinking I want to take more baths (I do shower, really), but haven't had anything nice or fun to throw in. I was debating heading to Lush! for their bath bombs, but these look uh-mazing. Fresh! are one of my favorite brands, but a wee bit pricey for me, so what a treat!
  • Clinique Black Honey Almost Lipstick. Remember about 10 years ago this was THE lipstick to wear. Well, I gots me to thinking about 6 months ago that I wanted to try it again, and I couldn't find it anywhere. I put it on the list, and wow - thar she be! (I don't know why that came out as pirate speak). I think I may have to dedicate a whole post to it later. 
  • NARS Dolce Vita Lipstick. Karen at Make Up and Beauty Blog posted about this a couple of weeks ago, so I decided it was a must have. I do love it, but weirdly, if you want to know what color my lips are, they are exactly the same. No difference when I put it on. Is that a good thing? Can't quite decide yet.
  • NARS Lip Velvet Matte Pencil in Cruella. I heart these pencils so bad. I actually asked for Dragon Red, but it was sold out, and she said it was exactly the same. They aren't. Dragon Red is more blushy berry red, this is a cooler, bluer, stronger red. I've tried it once, I think I like it. Plus, lovely husband lost the receipt so I think I'm stuck with it. 
  • Philosophy Bath & Shower Gel in Caramel Apple. I heard these were good, but at $16 they seemed pricey. Then I saw the size of the bottle. Hey ho! I wouldn't necessarily have picked this scent, but do you know what? I love it. Awesomeness. 
  • Sephora Powder Brush. I actually asked for a blusher brush. I'm going to try and exchange it. That's kind of annoying that the girl got the wrong brush to be honest. They are different! 
  • Essie Lollipop. What a gorgeous bright red! Maybe my pedicure color for West Palm Beach. 
Did Santa bring you any nice presents for Christmas?

Nails of the Week: China Glaze Short and Sassy


For Christmas Day this year I ended up wearing China Glaze's Short and Sassy from their Retro Diva collection. It's a nice, slightly cool dark dark red with just a hint of shimmer. In the bottle, it looks similar to Thunderbird which I posted about a couple of weeks ago, but this is darker. I put this on on Christmas day with no base coat (I know! I promise, next nail varnish haul I do I'll put it in the shopping basket!), and China Glaze's quick dry coating. It has not lasted very well, and I have chips which you can actually see on yesterday's picture. Hmm, 3-4 days wear. Anyways, a pretty color, definitely one I'll be repeating.

I'm heading to West Palm Beach for New Year's, so a great chance to wear summer bright colors instead! :)

Monday 28 December 2009

Carey Mulligan in Vogue Looks Like a Cheeky Angel

I first started to pay attention to Carey Mulligan when An Education was released. She got a lot of press, and seemed to be genuinely intriguing. Her screen presence in An Education was literally mesmerizing. You could not take your eyes off her extremely expressive face. When I came across this spread in the January issue of Vogue (apart from Carey, completely disappointing. I could actually write a whole post on why the January 2010 Vogue is an embarrassment to Anna Wintour and Conde Nast, starting with that terrible cover), it was like a little ray of joy and light in an otherwise disappointing read. Anyway, these pictures display the fabulous quixotic nature of her beautiful, timeless face, how she is always and never herself. This shoot is a gorgeous display of fashion and art, and I love how Carey has thrown herself into it, rather than, as so many young female actresses are wont to do, staying safe and pretty. Love love love.


 

Ps. That hat! Those nude lips! 

The J Crew Catalogue Makes Me Want To Be Smiley in the Snow

It is fair to say that I am completely obsessed with the J Crew catalog. When I grow up, that's where I want to live, apart from all the models are already much younger than me. Jenna Lyons and her amazingly stylish team have an amazing knack of putting it all together in a way that makes me just swoon every time. Then what happens is that I order everything online during one of their 25% off everything sales (oh, how I love those sales), and strangely, it doesn't look quite the same on me. Part of that is not being a gorgeous skinny model, but part of it is that if I put on 17 different tanks, cardigans, sweaters and belts, I look like a crazy granny wearing everything she owns at once, rather than an uber stylish sleek fashion chick. And that's before I add a touch of the unexpected, which in the pictures below is a climbing rope belt and a lot of Sorel Caribou boots. This year's holiday catalog was shot in Chile and just looks amazing. Here's a couple of my favorite shots.
All clothing J Crew. Most should still be available online. 




 
 

Out of everything pictured here, I own the Sobel boots and socks, I have a very similar sequin top from Topshop, and I nearly bought the red coat today ($100 rather than $248!!!), but for some reason I balked. Crazy me. Odds are I'm going to go back and see if they still have it tomorrow morning.
 

Puppy Shot of the Day


Moose the puppy has very set routines, and one of them is to spend 10am until 12noon sleeping on the bed. Yes, we are bad puppy parents who let our wee dog sleep on beds. Yesterday with all the confusion of people being actually home during the morning, somehow Moose got into the bed while we were making it.

Sunday 27 December 2009

Warm & Cozy EOTD

My second eyes look for the blog. This look used shadows from the MAC Warm & Cozy Collection.






All MAC unless stated:

  • Paint Pot in Bare Canvas
  • Chamomile
  • Modelette
  • Mulled Cider
  • Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Bourbon
  • Covergirl Lash Blast



I used Bare Canvas all over the lid as a base, and then covered the lid with Chamomile. Next I used Modelette on the crease, and Mulled Cider to darken the outer crease and lid. I used Chamomile as a highlight. On the lower lid, I used Bourbon to line the lower eyeline and waterline. I also used Modelette shadow on the lower lashline as well. I finished off with Covergirl LashBlast in Black.

Oh, and just as a side note, I also got my eyebrows did on the same day, so they are much tidier now, and far less of an embarrassment.

    My Ohmigod I Have Too Much Stuff This is Embarassing Post

    You know, this blog isn't just about rampant consumerism. I mean, everyone knows that in these hard times, making do with what you have is where it's at. And let's face it, a lot of us have too much and no idea what to do with it, and I am definitely included in that. Looking through my closet and in my makeup drawers, I can spot more than a few things that deserve more love that I have given them in the past. But maybe, just maybe, this blog can help me reconnect with hidden treasures and introduce some new favorites into my current rotation. And you know I can always use a little help in this, so here's a quick view of some of the purchased and never used stuff I have in my makeup drawer:

    NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk
    NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Black Bean
    NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Gold

    NYX Glitter Liner in Silver
    NYX Glitter Liner in Blue
    NYX Glitter Liner in Candy

    MAC E/S in Swimming
    MAC E/S in Mythology
    MAC E/S in Expensive Pink
    MAC E/S in Off the Page
    MAC E/S in Crest the Wave
    MAC L/S in Creme De Nude
    MAC L/S in Myth
    MAC Pigment in Cocomotion
    MAC Pigment in Brash and Bold
    MAC Pigment in Mutiny

    MAC E/S in Samoa
    MAC E/S in Shale
    NYX Jumbo Glitter Pencil in Gold
    NYX Jumbo Glitter Pencil in Blue
    MAC E/S in Sweet Lust
    MAC E/S in Copperplate
    MAC E/S in Passionate
    U/D Book of Shadows Vol II
    MAC E/S in Twinks
    MAC E/S in Freshwater
    MAC E/S in Strike a Pose
    MAC Eye Palette in Sorceress
    MAC Eye Palette in Mystic Cool
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Lust
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Ransom
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Electric
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Binge
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Rockstar
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Stash
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Covet
    U/D 24/7 Pencil in Graffiti
    MAC Paint Pot in Artifact
    Stila Smudge Pot in Kitten
    Stila Smudge Pot in Violet
    Stila Smudget Pot in Starry Night
    NYX Glitter in Silver
    NYX Glitter in Gold
    NYX Glitter in Apple
    NYX Glitter in Hot Pink
    NYX Pigment in Nude Pearl
    NYX Pigment in Pearl
    NYX Glitter in Blue
    Rimmel L/S Coral in Gold
    MAC L/S Impassioned
    NARS Matte Lip Velvet Pencil in Belle De Jour
    MAC Dazzleglass Creme in Creme Allure
    MAC Dazzleglass Creme in Totally Fab
    MAC Dazzleglass Creme in Perfectly Unordinary
    Stila Lip Glaze in Apricot
    Stila Lip Glaze in Starfruit
    Stila Lip Glaze in Apricot
    MAC Lipglass in Elle
    MAC Lustreglass in Wonderstruck
    MAC Lipglass in Beaute
    MAC Lipglass in Totally It
    MAC Lustreglass in Morning Glory
    MAC Lustreglass in Pinkerat
    MAC Lipglass in Silly Girl
    MAC Lustreglass in Ensign
    MAC Lipglass in Cruise Control
    MAC E/S in Cranberry



    Okay, that is officially the most embarassing list of stuff I've ever seen. I'm mortified. I cannot believe I'm going to post this. I would like to clarify that the majority of the lipglosses from MAC are from the holiday sets which are smaller in size. So are the Stila Lip Glazes and Smudge Pots. 




    So, I'm going to try and make sure that I include at least a couple of these items in a look or someway in the coming months, and post about it here. I'm sure I can do the same for my wardrobe too. 


    Does anyone else have this problem too? Please admit embarassing stash problems here!

    Saturday 26 December 2009

    Saturday Surfing Round Up

    Oops, I nearly missed the schedule on this one with all the Christmas festivities. Anyways, here's some highlights from the wunderweb:

    Warm & Cozy Haul

    I hauled from the MAC Warm & Cozy collection online a couple of days ago, so I've had these for a couple of days now, but with Christmas fun and games I haven't had a chance to post online. I adore neutrals, and am slowly building up a collection of them, particularly from MAC. A whole collection of yummy warm neutrals was super exciting for me, and when I got my little paws on my package the other day, I had very high expectations. Sadly, for me, this collection didn't totally live up to those expectations.





    From left to right, Mulled Cider, Modelette, and Chamomile

    Mulled Cider is a satin, although it looks and feels more like a matte. Although I liked the warm brown-ness (I wanted to write brownie-ness there, but that would be whole other connotations!), I felt it was easily dupable. Sure enough, I looked through my not too extensive neutrals collection, and found that A Little Folie was pretty close, although it haad a touch more plum to it. I have to admit that I'm not super good at remembering to use A Little Folie, but maybe this collection will bring me back to it, as it doesn't feel like Mulled Cider is worth keeping.

     
    Modelette is also a satin, and looks and feels like one as well. I like it a lot; it is a pretty tan or light brown that I see being really useful in daytime neutrals. It is not super pigmented, so needs some work to build up color.
    Chamomile is a surprising winner. I am not really into highlight colors (I really have just three at the moment - Vanilla, Shroom, and Ricepaper), but Chamomile has won me over. Again, it is a satin, and has a nice smooth feel. It is also pretty pigmented - more so that Modelette actually.

    Siss and Warm Me Up
    From the lip side, I picked up 3 glosses - 2N, 3N, and Feeling Dreamy, and 2 lipsticks - Siss, and Warm Me Up.
    Warm Me Up is an Amplified finish, and a pretty rose pink color. I love it. It is a great neutral pink, and strangely, I couldn't find anything else in my collection that matched it. Siss is a mid-brown or tan glaze. Seen those words before? That's right, I think Siss is pretty much the same color as Modelette eye shadow. Weird, huh? Normally I adore glaze finishes because of the sheerness and the sheen, but Siss is actually pretty strong. It also is suprisingly cool-toned on my face, and doesn't do anything for me at all. Not a winner.



    Siss, Warm Me Up
    Of the 3 glosses, 2 were rereleases, 2N and 3N. Normally, I look out for re-releases as I'm a MAC newbie and if a product was so good they're going to do it twice, it must be worth paying attention to.


    From l-r: 2N, Feeling Dreamy, 3N
    2N is a warm, creamy neutral beige. It is a pretty color, very wearable, and there is no shimmer. I liked this color, but didn't find anything too amazing about it. I already have some great neutral lipglasses (C Thru, Underage, Poetic License), and didn't feel that this one really added anything to my collection.
    3N is a gorgeous, warm, browny color, with a hint of shimmer. I loved this color, and could definitely see me wearing this on a regular basis, especially at work.
    Feeling Dreamy is very similar with 2N, but with a hint of shimmer. Weirdly, I usually don't like shimmery glosses, but preferred Feeling Dreamy to 2N. I felt like the shimmer added a bit of a kick to it.


     From l-r: 2N, Feeling Dreamy, 3N


    There is a fourth gloss - Light That Fire - that I didn't pick up because I normally don't love corals, but seeing the swatches around the internet, I feel like I might be interested. I also didn't pick up the shadesticks, because I have no idea how they would fit into my collection, but I'm now debating picking up Nurture which is a pink champagne. Plus, I skipped the blushes, because they looked supershimmery, which isn't really my thing.

    I've also done a quick look with these colors that I'll be posting later this week.

    What about you - what did you think of this collection? Live up to your expectations or a blah skip?

    Etsy Find of the Week: Blue Amazonite Ring

    This week's Etsy Find is a beautiful ring from Sparklethots. I love the pale blue color and the daintiness of the flower ring. It is made to order so comes in any ring size. I think it would look great with some tougher silver rings on other fingers. It is just $24.60. Oh, and if you do click through to check it out, make sure you also look at these lovely bow rings too.


    Cheapie of the Week: Burts Bees Lip Balm





    I am not above wandering the drugstore aisles looking for a quick fix. I know that price does not always mean quality either. In this series I'll bring you an awesome find that won't hurt your wallet.


    This week, it's lipbalm from one of my favorite brands, Burt's Bees, which costs just $2.99. The lipbalm comes in a number of flavors, including my favorites pomegranate and honey, and is made 100% natural ingredients. The ingredients list is reassuringly recognisable, with beeswax, sunflower seed oil, coconut oil and honey featuring in my Honey one. The Honey flavor is clear, and the Pomegranate has a yummy red tint. 


    The last three lipbalms I have used have been Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment, Philosophy The Kiss, and MAC Tinted Lip Conditioner. Burt's Bees Lip Balm is more than equal to these. Actually, while Philosophy's The Kiss is a great balm in terms of moisture, as soon as it gets cold it is impossible to push out of the container, which is a total pain as cold weather is really when you need lip balm. Fresh's Sugar Lip Treatment is lovely, and provides a great cold weather balm as it's quite rich. Burt's Bees Lip Balm provides good moisture, doesn't take a huge amount of time to sink in, and has a lovely, lovely scent. Plus, at that price point, I have about 5, one for each of my handbags, one in the bathroom, and one in the office. No chapping for me, thanks! 

    Have you used Burt's Bees? Or maybe there's another lip balm you are crazy about? Let me know in the comments and I'll check it out!

    Wednesday 23 December 2009

    First Ever EOTD

    Yep, I'm a little nervous putting this up, but I figured what the hell, I don't have too many people reading right now, and I can only get better, right?


    I put this together on Saturday. I was actually inspired by Karen over at Make Up and Beauty Blog, who had featured something similar a year ago on her blog. Karen is super talented, so obviously hers is way better than mine, but I'm glad I put this together.



    I'm still working on how to take photos and get the light right. Oh, and please ignore my crazy eyebrows. I'm getting them done tomorrow!



    So really, you can see my makeup when I open my eye, really. Darn photography.

    Anyways, what did I use? Everything is MAC unless otherwise stated.

    • Paint in Bare Canvas
    • Smoke and Diamonds Eye Shadow
    • Cocomotion Pigment
    • Handwritten Eye Shadow
    • Deep Secret Eye Shadow (from Mystic Cool Eye Palette)
    • Ricepaper Eye Shadow
    • Stila Smudge Pot in Black
    • Covergirl Lashblast Length in Black.

    As a base, I always use MAC Paint in Bare Canvas. That stuff does not move! I have Urban Decay Primer Potion, but I haven't tried it yet.

    Then, I used MAC Smoke and Diamonds sheerly all over the lid, gradually building up color, and going a little way into the crease.

    Next step was to take MAC Pigment in Cocomotion and lightly brush it over the crease and outer lid of my eye. If I was doing this again, I think I would use a little more. I blended a lot to make the colors merge together nicely.

    I wanted to darken the outer lid a little more, so I used MAC Handwritten on the outer third, and then finally the dark blue shade from the MAC Mystic Cool Holiday Eye Palette.

    To highlight I used MAC Ricepaper.

    I then used Stila's Smudge Pot in Black and an eyeliner brush to draw a line on my upper lid, and the lower one as well. Before the lower one totally dried, I smudge it out a little at the corner.

    Mascara away and you're good to go. 

    My husband was crazy for this look. He loves something sophisticated and not too trendy or out there, and thought this was absolutely awesome. Definitely one I'll be repeating again soon.


    Tuesday 22 December 2009

    Tuesday Mood Session

    The weekly "where I'm at right now"

    1. What's my mood?
    Pretty darn good. Had a good day at work, then went to the cool new burger place Bill's for dinner. Came home to find packages from MAC (Warm & Cozy!!) and drugstore.com. Two days until Christmas is fantastic too.

    2. What am I wearing?
    Always Skinny Gap Jeans over tights (hey, it's cold!), a J Crew tissue turtleneck and a J Crew grey shell top with tissue down the front. Not fashion forward, but not hideous. Shoes today have been a mixture of Sorel Caribou boots, hiking boots, and J Crew flats, depending on what I was doing.

    3. What am I obsessing over?
    Christmas, so Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark, my Whole Foods order (first time I've ordered a Christmas dinner!!), the fact I have to find or make stockings over the next 48hrs. Oh, and my MAC order sitting next door that I'll take pictures of tomorrow in the light, and how much I love some of the new collections planned between now and April.

    4. How was my weekend?
    Feels a long time ago, but it was great. Very couply. Husband and I went Christmas shopping on Saturday in the snow, got a great pair of boots and discovered my new Starbucks obsession - Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha. Kind of like Peppermint Bark in a cup.

    5. What's happening this week?
    Duh, Christmas. As we are orphans far, far away from our family, we have been invited to a friends for the big day. On Christmas Eve we're going to look at the Barneys, Saks, Bergdorf Windows, then have a Christmas dinner at home in the evening.

    6. Go on, admit it, what did you buy last week?
    Target for Rodarte is winging it's way toward me. I used my $20 voucher at drugstore.com to get a back up Philosophy Miracle Worker kit, some covergirl lipstains (post coming up soon!), MAC Love Lace Kohl Power Pencils in Raven and Sense of Style, and various things from MAC Warm & Cozy. Last week I said that I wasn't planning on buying anything, but that didn't account for the Rodarte collection, which had to be done. I'm fully expecting to return at least 3 pieces though.

    7. Even after all that, are you planning on buying anything this week?
    Champagne, for Christmas. That's probably it.

    How about you? Make any big purchases? Looking forward to Christmas?

    7,

    Nails of the Week: China Glaze Ruby Pumps



    Who can resist something red and sparkly at this time of year? This gorgeous shiner is China Glaze's Ruby Pumps, and I reckon just about every girl needs this in her polish arsenal. The camera didn't capture just how pretty the glitter is in this polish. I don't even really like reds that much, and really don't like glitter, and yet this makes me smile. I am super lazy about polish, so there is no base coat and only China Glaze's quick drying top coat. I put it on on Saturday, and there is only minimal chipping at the top of the nail which is barely noticeable. Really pleased about the strength and staying power of this one, but most importantly, the lovely shiny glittery redness of it all!

    Monday 21 December 2009

    Clothing I Wore Holes In

    I did a round up of my year's favorite make-up and beauty products here. It would be unfair not to apply the same amount of love and attention to my wardrobe, which has its equal share of success stories. 



    1. Topshop Grey Short Sleeved Blazer
    This is quite frankly the best thing in my closet. The cut is gorgeous - fitted, but slightly boxy on the shoulders and cropped on the sleeve to make the perfect shrunken boy blazer look. I picked this up in March, and I last wore it on Saturday night. During the day it's been perfect over ripped denim shorts, baggy faded boyfriend jeans, and cutesy floral dresses. At night, I use it to dress down my leather jeans, or to tone down a sequinned t shirt.








    2. Slouchy Worn In Work Boots from Gap
    These were such a random impulse purchase, and ohmigoodness they have definitely earned their place in my wardrobe hall of fame. Perfectly worn in and slouchy, these add the perfect androgynous rock girl touch to all outfits - skirts, shorts, the works, come rain or shine. The slouchiness makes them supremely flattering even on my less than slender calves. They look even better with chunky legwarmers worn poking out the top like extra thick socks. I'm really looking forward to rocking them with some of the Rodarte for Target dresses for that perfect girly meet grunge look.


    3. Alexander Wang Pocket Tank in Mushroom
    Actually, I don't know what the official color is, but if I were naming it, that's what it would be. This tank is has just the right level of slouch that gives the wearer an air of insouciance.  It does expose a rather large amount of cleavage and is quite loose, so I add an American Apparel bandeau top underneath to protect my dignity. I really love how long the tank is though - it hits my hips and pokes out below anything I wear it under. I've worn it a lot with denim hot pants all summer, and leather pants and my black peg leg trousers in fall. It's made of a rayon blend that makes it super soft as well. I mentioned at the top of this post that these were things I had literally put holes in. Well, I didn't put holes in this shirt, but my little puppy dog dig, when he chewed the bottom of it when I wasn't paying attention. Doh. Although I like to think that it adds to the devil may care downtown girl look.


    4. Denim Hotpants Everywhere
    I am not the first, nor the last person to wear these to death. I have a couple of pairs - some I picked up from Miss Selfridge a couple of years ago which are super big for me but have cut cuffs which are nice and flattering in length. They are hugely too big for me and I can easily pull them off without undoing any buttons, but I can't imagine ever replacing them. My other pair are a pair of second hand destroyed Levis I picked up in Urban Outfitters. They are all ripped and frayed, super short with the pockets poking out the bottom. Yes, every girl has them, but still, they look effortlessly cool. The only downer is that as they are vintage Levis, they are cut ridiculously high waisted, and they are less than ass-flattering. But you know, I can trade that for legs that go on for miles, for clothing that looks awesome dressed up or down (sequins plus denim shorts plus heels plus aforementioned boyfriend blazer = style heaven), and looks just as good with rocking heels or dressed down sandals. Happy happy times.


    5. J Crew Mohair Cardigan
    There are some things that you buy without really thinking about, and then before you know it, they have surged to the top of your wardrobe. My gray mohair cardigan that I got during one of my frequent "25% off everything must buy it all" J Crew hauls that leads me to receive huge boxes in the mail and then have to slink back to my local J Crew and return most of it. I swear they must think I have a weird obsessive late night internet shopping disorder, apart from I am willing to lay money on the fact that I am hardly the only girl who does this. This didn't seem like much when I first picked it up, just a standard gray cardigan, but somehow it just kept being added to all my outfits - suitable for work, snuggly for home, just enough upper east side to make my scrubby ripped up jeans a little less homeless girl chic, just enough homeless girl chic when I used it to dress down pretty dresses. I usually wear it with a skinny brown belt to give it a touch more shape. The best part is probably the three quarter sleeve length. My wrists are my favorite part of me - unlike my ankles they are pretty skinny, so anything three quarters length gets major thumbs up in my book.


    6. Topshop (P)leather Jeans
    Confession: I really wish I had sprung the $150 for the real leather pants when I bought these. Instead, I thought I was going through a passing fad, and would only wear them a couple of times, so should just stick to the fakeys. Oh, how I was wrong. I LOVE these. I don't know why. They are only semi-flattering (when you are off the athletic build rather than a stick thin model that is really the best that you can hope for!), but how much do I love the attitude they give me. Seriously, there is no bigger ego boost than putting these on. You just instantly become rockier, cooler, edgier. Highly recommended, although they must come with heels. Oh, and if you are thinking of getting a pair, I'd suggest looking for ones with pockets on the front to break up the front - much more flattering.

    7. American Apparel Photo T Shirt
    This is a slightly oversized (well, for girls anyway) shirt with a newspaper picture on it. I have no idea about the significance of the photo. For all I know I could be advocating some crazy terrorist activity. But the t shirt fits great, looks cool, and I've worn it with simple preppy shorts, rocking leather jeans, shorts, jeans, everything possible since I got it. There's something about the size of the arms that just makes me love it. Random, I know.


    8. Topshop Red and Blue Checked Shirt 
    This red and blue checked shirt came from Topshop at the start of the year. For the record, I started the year with 2 checked shirts, and finished it with 6. That's a 200% increase for all you math wizards out there. This year was all about the flannel/plaid/check print, bringing out our preppy sides all over. This shirt is a light enough material to be almost sheet, but at least incredibly light to wear, and so I was able to wear it all summer, and in winter with a white tank underneath it. The pattern and colors are lovely and big, and it came with those little hanging things that allow you to keep your shirt sleeves rolled up. They have a name, right?
    al




    So there you have my items that got a whole lotta love this year. Maybe worse for me is the fact that there are heaps of items that just don't get the love they deserve. Next year I'll be working on bringing those to light and trying to get them the true recognition they deserve.

    Puppy Shot of the Day



    Hopefully this brings a smile to your Monday morning. Meet Moose, my 8mth old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel. He had been having a hard time the last couple of days because the snow and ice hurts his wee paws. Oh, and also we gave him a bath right after this picture was taken, so those grey paws are now snowy white. Poor wee baby!! 

    New Collections From Topshop

    I can't help it - I unashamedly adore Topshop. It's pure consistent love, all the time. I grew up with it, we have grown together, and we migrated across the Atlantic at the same time. If only I had undergone similar price inflation while doing so! I could easily spend all of my paycheck there every month, but have to show a measure of restraint, otherwise my lovely husband will literally beat me. Or at least make me give half of my overflowing closet to thrift stores. I'm not sure which would be worse...

    Anyway, Topshop has their new spring collection information online. There are four collections: Parisienne, Saloon, Meadow, and Downtown.

    Parisienne

    This collection looks amazing. In fact, I was about to simply add that whole outfit to my shopping cart. I'm still considering it, but Topshop are supposed to be sending me a whole bunch of vouchers which is the only thing from stopping me!

    Their words are:
    Flirty, feminine and fun, fashion has always been in love with stripes, polka dots and pearls, so get ready to fall head over heels for Parisienne glamour with flouncy dresses, boucled jackets, embroidered tees and playful accessories that have the perfect dose of ladylike cool.

    This looks to be the best collection out of the four. A good amount of tongue in chic fun, wearable but head-turning. Love.

    Saloon

    I love the promo image for this, and think the dress is absolutely amazing to die for. The rest of the collection looks interesting, but I have a feeling that if I go for it wholehearted I might end up looking like a 70s throwback. One to watch, maybe pick up a few key pieces here and there...

    In Topshop's words:

    Give your wardrobe a high-kick with cancan ruffles, saloon inspired frills, broderie anglaise, and delicate cutwork that's fit for a cowgirl. Teamed with indigo denim, beaten up leather and casual canvas, dusty colored tulles and sun-faded prints reflect the warm, heady nights of the Wild West.





    Meadow


    There's always one collection that Topshop puts out a season that I simply don't get, and this is it for me. All the lace and prints in the lookbook will look amazing on super skinny model types, but on my build, I'm running the risk of looking like a weird wedding cake. You never know, maybe I'll see it in store and fall in love...

    Topshop describe it as:

    Take a trip to the English countryside with billowing chiffon, bleached denim and delicate florals that conjure up a summer's day. Toughened up with studded waistcoats, lace-up boots and leather accessories, lace, crochet and intricate embroidery are given a harder edge for spring.

    Okay, I do like the sound of studded waistcoats and leather accessories, so it is entirely possible that I end up checking this out when more pieces are released next year.


    Downtown

    This is Topshop's Alexander Wang collection. And that's not a bad thing. I love it. It's tough, angry, edgy, sort of wearable (I want to get my head around those harem pants, I really do), and so very very New York. It's as if all that time at Broadway/Broome has gone to their heads. It's very sporty, and chunky high heels are a must. Like Parisienne, I'm going to die for this collection.

    Their words:

    Mixing experimental fabrics, futuristic shapes and sporty detailing, Downtown has a luxurious, yet pared down aesthetic. With a laid-back urban edge, slinky harems with hidden zips, bodycon pieces in graphic prints and leggings with power mesh inserts are set to become your future classics.

    Yes, yes they are.


    Sunday 20 December 2009

    Etsy Find of the Week

    I adore looking through Etsy looking for kooky and stylish handmade finds. Pretty much anything you can dream of can be found here, and there is an amazing price range. This week I happened upon this amazing paper plane charm necklace from TheMIX. I love the simplicity of the design, and the price point ($15!) is very decent as well. Shame it won't get here before Christmas as I'd love to find it in my stocking!


    Rodarte for Target Here I Come




    For some reason unknown to me, I woke up at 6.30am this morning. I don't even wake at 6.30 on a weekday, but I'm not going to argue with my body clock when it allows me to go online and score a significant amount of Rodarte for Target. I got a blue tulle skirt, a couple of dresses, including the sequin leopard print, a couple of cardigans, and a lot of tops. The amazing skeleton dress was already sold out, as were the bow belts. I mean, seriously, did people actually wake up at crazy o'clock to get that stuff? I was too sleepy to remember to do the whole ebates click through thing. Man, I keep that thing open as a tab every day and it just taunts me, like an empty piggy bank. I don't have a Target near me, so I have to admit I have no idea how these things are going to size on me. Being 5' 8" and off a more athletic build, I could end up looking like a giant transvestite wrapped in tulle, but I won't know until I've tried it. As soon as it arrives (Christmas Eve!!) I'll be posting photos of me trying it all on, but in the meantime, I've posted taster images from the website.

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