Going For Gold

We all may still be mourning the end of the 2012 Olympics but I am still finding excuses to go for GOLD! Add a bit of golden pizzaz to your everyday ensembles to create winning looks in time for the party season ahead.



The Bag
Zara always manages to sneak in those little gems into the collection that look far more expensive than they really are - And amen to that! This gorgeous golden box clutch is a great party piece and as its a box, does one need to count in as another bag and have a disapproving face from one's partner?!(hell no) '£39.99 you say?' - yes please!

The Rings
I do love a bit of bling and especially over-sized 'in your face' rings. There is nothing wrong with wearing a bunch of rings at any given time - do not let anyone tell you different. These rings from River Island are a perfect combo of gold bling to jazz up your hands for Christmas. The top two are £6 each and the 'claw' ring is £5 - bargains!

The Polish

Deborah Lippmann has a fabulous nail polish collection to cater for all seasons. This colour is a show-stopping glitter gold that will compliment any outfit. Wear with a black ensemble to make the glitter really stand out. This nail polish is available from www.beautybay.com and is on sale for £14.40.

The Watch

So is the Michael Kors watch craze over yet? I am so over everyone having the same chunky gold watch which is why I went on a search to find an alternative gold watch that is just as gorgeous and here's what I found...The Nixon 'Camden Chronograph' watch. This watch is not only totally fierce in its appearance but you can even go swimming in it - take THAT Michael Kors. Also available in black or silver, this watch add class and glamour, creating a confident you! At £375, you may want to put this on your Christmas list.

The Shimmer
For £31, Laura Mercier Shimmer bloc in 'golden' gives your skin a natural, healthy looking glow. Well, we could certainly all do with a bit of that considering the weather and at this price, is a much cheaper alternative to a holiday! So if your happy to 'fake' your glow, go get your shimmer bloc from Selfridges before the store closes tomorrow night and get 10% off with their current promotion.

FOR YOUR 10-20% OFF VOUCHER FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW.
http://www.selfridges.com/en/StaticPage/ChristmasComesEarlyhttp://www.selfridges.com/en/StaticPage/ChristmasComesEarly


  

The Lady Is A Vamp - Twilight Inspired Beauty Essentials

'Cause the lady is a vamp, she's a vixen not a tramp

She's a da da da da da da

Come on fellas, place your bets, 'cause you ain't seen nothing yet

She's the talk of the town, she's the best, yes' (Spice Girls)

Yesterday, I devoted over 6 hours of my day watching Twilight movies (Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1 and Breaking Dawn Part 2). This is not something I would normally do on my weekends but felt compelled to as I had booked tickets to see the new film last night and hadn't seen the previous two! Much to my amazement, the films were watchable and the latter ones were, dare I say it, actually rather enjoyable. The films got me thinking about the how vampire-esque beauty products are totally on trend for this Winter and look super hot with leather, velvet, fur and lace fabrics - all of which there is an abundance of in every shop, in-store and online. 

The lipstick
I rarely leave the house without a lipstick or lipgloss, rain or shine. Sometimes I find dark colours a little too much for my complexion but am always willing to give products a go. I am a huge fan of the MAC Sheen Supreme lipstick but their Pro Longwear Lipcream really is unbeatable and literally lasts the whole day. My favourite Winter colours  for the Sheen Supreme (£14.50) are 'Quite The Thing' (a deep plum) and 'Good To Be Bad' (a deep burgundy). If you fancy something a little lense intense, 'Full Speed' is a gorgeous pink that compliments any skin tone.

Sheen Surpreme

Quite The Thing

  

Good To Be Bad

Full Speed

The Pro Longwear is slightly more expensive but still very reasonable at £16.50 and comes in 19 shades. My favourites for Winter are Faithfully Yours (a blackened purple), Perpetual Flame (a gorgeous cranberry red) and Goes and Goes (a bluey violet).

Pro Longwear

Faithfully Yours

Perpetual Flame

Goes And Goes

The Nail Polish
Often people find lipstick a little garish, especially shades of the darker variety, so nail polish is really a perfect way of expressing your inner vamp without drawing too much attention. My favourite colours of polish for this Winter are Navy & Red, both of which can match any colour and therefore, compliment any outfit.

Top Three Navy Blues...

OPI - YOGA TA GET THIS BLUE £11

MAVALA - DEEP BLUE £3.50

CHINA GLAZE - UP ALL NIGHT £6.95

Top Three Red's...

ESSIE - AFTER SEX £8.50

NICOLE BY OPI - SEALED WITH A KRIS £9

OPI -MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW £11

The eyeliner and mascara

Eyeliner and mascara are key to creating a seductive vampy look but can be worn normally everyday just as much without looking to full on. I am quite particular about my eyeliner - it has to be liquid and it has to have an 'easy to apply' brush. For the past two or three years I have stuck to Rimmel and alternated between their glam eyes liquid eyeliner (£5.29) and their exaggerated liquid eyeliner (£5.29). These eyelines have never given me any difficulty in applying and last the whole day. 

My favourite Mascara's at the moment are Body Shop's Super Volume Mascara £10 and Lancome's Hypnose Waterproof Mascara (£18.90 from John Lewis). Both are great for adding volume and definition to your eyelashes without the clumps.

So if your keen to update your look this Winter and are willing to give some daring colours a go, with inspiration from Ashley Greene, Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart from the Twilight Saga, get out there and embrace your inner vamp.

FURget The Weather - Wrap Up In Style With Moore And Moore

I am obsessed with fur of the 'faux' variety and particularly with fur collars. In fact, I wear them at least three times a week at the minimum when Winter kicks in. They are my vice in the colder months to enable me to still wear Summer clothes in the Winter without feeling the cold; adding pizzazz to jackets and coats; and adding a touch of glamour to ensembles. Faux fur is one of my favourite fabrics and looks gorgeous teamed with other fabrics such as tweed, leather, boucle, lace and silk. It never really goes out of fashion and can really give oomph to outfits. 

Gucci

Vionnet

Fendi

Autumn Winter 2012 catwalk shows hailed fur in various styles and collaborations (as shown above) so why not take some inspiration and work it into your wardrobe in your own way! 

LOOK NO FURTHER...

http://www.mooreandmooredesign.com/

Moore And Moore have created the most amazing collection of faux fur goodies to make anyone swoon. Designed and manufactured in the UK for the past 30 years, this fantastically British family-run company has produced gorgeous faux faur pieces, fit for any occasion. Moore And Moore pride themselves on attention to detail and exceptional quality and that is exactly what you'll see from their product. The pricing is totally reasonable, making this online shop hard to resist purchases. Deliveries are only £2.95 and free if you spend over £250 and the goods are despatched 3-5 days after purchase. 

From collars to gillets, scarves to bags, boot accessories to cuffs, the list is really endless!! You can even kit out your home in stunning fur throws and cushions. In the run up to Christmas, Moore And Moore offer excellent gifts for all member of the family!

36 DAYS TIL XMAS - GET SHOPPING!!!

I must admit being a little overwhelmed with excitement after seeing the array of produce on the website and took a long time to decide my top ten pieces but here goes...

NOTE: ALL BELOW PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS OTHER FAUX FUR COLOURS AND TEXTURES (I JUST PICKED MY PERSONAL FAVES).

10. SIBERIAN FAUX FUR CUFF - Coming in at number 10 are the gorgeous hand cuff accessories, with my personal favourite being the siberian wolf fur. Do it like Fendi and team these with a top or dress (preferably long-sleeve) or if you're a little more daring, wear one as an arm accessory. At £22.95, these are a steal!

9. JAGUAR FAUX FUR PILLBOX HAT - Do it like Audrey did in Charade and bring style out the pillbox hat this Winter. For £39.95, this hat adds instant 60s glamour at an affordable price. Team with a bold colour wool coat for a chic combination.

8. MOUNTAIN BEAR FAUX FUR CUSHIONS - At £34.95 and available in 4 different sizes (not to mention that you can even machine wash the covers!!); these cushions would add a luxurious feel to any bed or sofa... If anyone has rooms with browns, neutrals or creams, these cushions are ideal.

7. ERMINE FAUX FUR THROW - This beautiful throw for £239.95, not only looks fabulous but is ideal for those Winter cosy nights in. Bring on the Christmas Movies!!

6. MOUNTAIN WOLF FAUX FUR SHRUG - This lovely shrug is perfect for Winter, allowing you to wear sleeveless tops or dresses without feeling a chill. Team with an oversized white or grey vest and black leather trousers to create an outfit Jason Wu would be proud of. At only £89.95, this shrug certainly won't break the bank!

5. MOUNTAIN WOLF FAUX FUR EXMOOR BAG - Oh wow, I love this bag. Is it too much that I'd wear this with the matching shrug too? Coming in at £114.95, this bag is a statement piece that will 'carry' you through well into next year (especially in this country). With leather trims and the option to wear as a hand or shoulder bag, how could you refuse such a beauty?

4. JET FAUX FUR COMFORTER - This product is genius. Totally multifunctional...use on your bed at night and by day, do as Leandra Medine AKA Man Repeller (www.manrepeller.com) would do and wear as an oversized body scarf done up with a vintage brooch! Gucci eat your heart out (for a fraction of the price - £134.95)

3. HONEY FAUX FUR TIPPET SCARF - This scarf reminds me of something my late glamourous Great-Grandmother would have worn with long silk gloves and dripping in pearls. Bring back 20s Great Gatsby glamour for £34.95 with this scarf and team with a felt hat to recreate the fashion from that era (inspiration from Louise Brooks below).

2. HONEY FAUX FUR ASYMMETRIC SCARF - In keeping with the 1920s era and paying homage to all those glamourous, this scarf is another luxurious piece to add to your wardrobe for Winter. Personally I feel it is more functional as an actual scarf as opposed to out outfit accessory. It can be worn to the side or crossed at the front and simply speaks for itself... At £34.95, you needn't bother with rummaging through vintage shops.

1. FAUX FUR COLLARS - MOUNTAIN WOLF/SIBERIAN WOLF/JET/TREACLE - I simply couldn't choose one of these because they are ALL so beautiful so I went with my top four (couldn't even narrow down to 3!) for the number 1 winning spot. As mentioned earlier, I am obsessed with faux fur collars. They really do create a whole different vision when added to an outfit, as well as keeping you warm! LOVE all of these colours (perfect shades to match ANY colour combo) and the fact that they are all handmade. For £41.95 each, you'd be mad to not buy at least one. Team with literally anything - the sky is your limit...seriously!

MOUNTAIN WOLF

SIBERIAN WOLF

JET

TREACLE

So there it is - my top ten Moore And Moore pieces for this Winter...hurry up and grab yourself a little piece of faux fur goodness before they sell out in the run up to Christmas!

[The goods are also stocked in Harrods, Heals and Feather & Black]

Jeanius Denim

I have a general obsession with jeans (of the skinny variety), from rinse wash to black, from plain to printed, from super soft to waxy and coated; from light stretch to power stretch - the list goes on and on! This month, I have been searching for the perfect pair of skinnies. 

I was recently amazed by the Topshop Leigh Jeans which are a steal at £38 but after a couple of months wear, the outer seams seem to be splitting - unsure whether a contribution to this is the fact that my trips to the gym are less frequent than usual or whether the make of these jeans is just THAT bad - I'm going with the latter as this makes me feel a lot better.

Topshop Leigh Jeans - £38

Not convinced by the notion that price affects quality, I decided to compare different brands.

After having worked in the denim field in my previous job, I have become quite particular about what I like and what I want from a pair of jeans. I am partial to inconspicuous rivets and metalwear and dislike eyelets, back patches, heavy washing and stiff denim. Double stitching offends my eyes and DO NOT get me started on triple stitching (sorry to all you Salsa Jean fans).

So on my quest for the perfect jeans, I stumbled into Urban Outfitters and spotted a nice pair of Cheap Monday stretch skinnies that on first impressions, got my seal of approval.

Cheap Monday - £49

I tried these jeans on and was hugely disappointed with the fit. These jeans were super skinny at the waist (I LIKE) and bum area (I ALSO LIKE) but they had zero shape at the leg area and were more like a straight leg fit (TOTALLY DISLIKE). To add to my dismay, the back pockets were so big and bulky, they emphasised my ass and made it look ten times bigger (I HATE). I am confused as to who their customer is but if you're lacking in the ass region and want to look a little like Nicki Minaj, go ahead and get yourself a pair of Cheap Monday skinnies - GUARANTEED to give your ass a boost and make it look ten times bigger! 

Moving on to more positive notes, on my quest to find the ULTIMATE skinny jeans I have come across the following winners...

I'd always heard people raving about J Brand so it was no surprise, after my first purchase of these bad boys, I was convinced. However, its not always feasible to spend £200 on jeans every time you need a pair so I have always associated J Brand jeans to be bought when you need a staple pair, e.g. black skinnies. Even so, when brands like Topshop are offering 'what you need' for a fraction of the price, it's often tempting to choose the latter. Having said that, one could always evaluate the cost-per-wear argument to justify purchasing these regularly?

The denim department in Selfridges is a little underwhelming (rather disappointing) if I am being totally honest but nevertheless, there are a few brands that still manage to stand out; one being the lovely J Brand.

Now these jeans really do feel like silk to touch. To me there's nothing quite like a nice pair of jeans that feel good on your skin and these really do just the job. I tried on the 901 Low Rise Super Skinny Legging Jean and fell in love with the feel and look of these jeans (very flattering and an array of colours/shades to choose from). 

J Brand 901

I hate when jeans are too long and gather around the ankle so really loved the fact that the inside leg was shorter than normal and the jeans sat perfectly on ankle level. 

J Brand 901

Sadly, the rise was far too low on the 901s. Whereas once as a teen, I was a fan of the revealing low rise fit; these days, I am partial to a little more coverage. So the mid-rise alternative is the 620 which is just that little bit higher - PERFECT. If you are happy to pay more for your jeans (between £200 and £270) then these would be a sensible and totally justifiable buy.

J Brand 620

The other brand that really stood out for me was Paige denim. Recommended by my friend Hannah, I rushed over to see what all the fuss was about. After trying on a couple of pairs, I now totally understand the hype. These jeans geniunely make your ass look sensational and your whole bottom half atleast a dress size smaller. It is the cleverly crafted design, the slimming seams and pockets and the genius fabrics and shades of denim, combined to make even Kim Kardashian green with envy.

The verdugo jean is Paige's mid rise super stretch ultra skinny jean. Yes, a bit of a mouthful but these are a must try pair. The rise was neither to high nor too low, it was just right. Although less luxurious in feel in comparison to J brand's fabric, the jean really seemed to pull in every orifice that it covered (without discomfort) and have a super slimming effect. I don't tend to believe that you pay more for quality but in this case you really do.  

Paige Verdugo

Paige Verdugo

Paige Verdugo

Priced at a more reasonable £165, with no tacky detailing, understated metal wear and stitch colour and gorgeous washes to choose from; these jeans are definitely MY winner.