Saturday, 26 February 2011

Mini-break in the sun: Finally, a chance to wear my new clothes

I write this as fine rain and a grey sky put a dampener on my weekend. Spring can't come quick enough but next weekend I should get a four day taster of warmer, drier weather because I am taking the bf to visit my grandparents in sunny Spain. (Fingers crossed it doesn't rain!)

This long weekend away from dreary Britain will give me a chance to give some of my new season pieces and airing. I can't wait to wear my floaty floral New Look dress with gladiator sandals (www.newlook.com)
and my Zara Breton striped top (www.zara.com) with River Island stone coloured belted shorts.(www.riverisland.com) I'm fed up with trousers and jeans and need to feel the wind on my legs. Better get cracking with the Venus and Fake Bake because my legs are still in hibernation.
Everything will be accessorized with classic Ray Ban aviators. (www.ray-ban.com)

For a nice meal out over there I'm thinking of teaming my New Look peasant dress with some knee-high socks and cute pumps or heels.
The travel outfit is likely to be my slim fit khaki trousers with pockets from H&M (www.hm.com) paired with a good old white T-shirt, cardi and white low converse. No Girl should be without these classic and comfortable trainers/sneakers. (www.converse.com)

After months of miserable weather it will be so nice to get away, get some sun and wear some decent clothes!

Sunday, 13 February 2011

Inbetween season fashion

What's a girl to wear when the wind is blowing your hair over your eyes and the cold makes you want to go home and have a nice cuppa but the shops are full of floral dresses, tailored shorts and nautical tops?
It's that difficult transitional time of year when the weather really does not reflect what we want to wear.
So how to we deal with this other than patiently staying in our chunky knits waiting for the sun to come out and wind to die down?

Well, an ideal opportunity to showcase the latest trends are on nights out as bars and clubs are usually very warm. You will need to throw a faux fur coat over your outfit whilst travelling and queuing outside to keep the chills at bay but once your there this can be left in the cloakroom or on the back of a chair and you're ready to party.

Bright coloured dresses can be worn now with black opaque tights and floral dresses can be worn in the same way or teamed with over the knee socks to keep your legs warm and toasty.
Or embrace the colour blocking trend with bright coloured jeans paired with a top in a contrasting colour.
One of my favourite looks is black leggings or leather trousers with a sheer, feminine shirt and heels. Perfect for this time of year.

For daytime stripy tops can be worn with jeans, a chunky cardigan and converse, brogues or ankle boots. Another alternative is to wear your warm cardi with a floral dress and tights.
Inbetween dressing can be tricky but before we know it Spring will be upon us and we can wear all the new trends how they should be worn... without a coat.

Wednesday, 2 February 2011

Beauty basics

Every girl has her failsafe beauty products that she can't live without. I have way too many but that's all part of the fun of being a girl. Firstly, lets talk make-up.
My daily routine involves at least 6 steps. The basics are eyecream, concealer, bronzing powder, mascara, eyebrow gel and blusher. Items like eyeshadow and lipgloss are added some days but not everyday.

Firstly I apply Bobbi Brown hydrating eye cream as a base for my concealer. The concealer I use is by Amazing cosmetics and its called Amazing concealer. It's the only one I've used that conceals my dark circles. (Try Ebay or QVC for a small tube which goes a long way) Next, I brighten up my pasty face with a large sweep of Maybelline Dream SunGlow Bronzing pressed powder in Bronze. After that I define my eyes with black mascara. My favourites are Benefit Bad Gal lash, L'Oreal volume million lashes and Max Factor False lash effect mascara. Finally I tame my eyebrows with Shavata brow tamer and blush the apples of my cheeks with Bourjois blush or Benefit Dallas. Bobbi brown shimmer brick has some flattering tones that look great worn as eyeshadow. For nights out I add dark eyeshadow, false eyelashes and lipgloss.

My favourite perfume has to be Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf. It's so light and feminine and I can't get enough of it.  It also comes in a stylish, grenade shaped bottle.
When it comes to shampoo you can't go wrong with some of the cheaper brands. I'll dabble in posh shampoos but I always go back to head and shoulders as it makes my hair feel really clean and not at all greasy. Kerastase hair conditioning treatments always leave my hair feeling like silk but Aussie 3 minute miracle is just as good and smells delicious.

As for cleansing, toning and moisturising; I don't do it nearly as often as I should but I always remove my make-up before bed

Brightening up winter workwear

Winter work fashion can be dull, dull, dull. Thick jumper, socks and wool trousers anyone?
These items can look chic but it's annoying when all your best clothes have to be hidden under winter layers.
If your workplace itself is pretty warm like mine you can get away with wearing a smart but elegant pussybow blouse with slim leg trousers and a chunky knit thrown over the top.

But what if you want to get away from winter looks and dip your toe into the new season trends?
Until the sun comes out the best way to do this is by adding bright coloured accessories or knitwear.
Add a pop of colour with a bright scarf, bag or even nail varnish. One colleague was working coral talons last week, proving its never to early to start on the summer make-up.
I'm noticing a trend in the office where I work for bright coloured cardigans in colours such as hot pink and turquoise. These vibrant cover-ups will brighten up any dull work outfit. Try Zara & H&M for colourful cardis.

You can also wear Spring's romantic trend now for work now by incorporating floaty, feminine dresses and blouses into your working wardrobe. Throw a chunky knit over them and you're good to go.

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