Education, Education, Education.

So, I finally watched An Education the other day (such a great film) and I've just been dreaming about the fashion / beauty / general aesthetics of it since:

Image Source: Sony Classics

I want to pretend to be French again and run away to Paris, dwelling in French jazz bars, hair pinned up, mouth red, pallor porcelain, feet adorned with an elegant heel, frame draped with refulgent jacquard dresses.

Paris, je t'aime; je vais revenir bientôt, je te promets.

Pretty patchwork.

I seldom wear jeans, but this skinny Asos pair, £30, could break me of that habit:

Image Source: Asos

Properly skinny (I hate all these skinny jeans that come up baggy), in a delicate spring shade, and individualised with patchwork detailing  -  so desirable.

Win an Urban Outfitters goodybag.

If you're a fan of Urban Outfitters and have committed a seriously heinous fashion faux pas (let's face it, who hasn't?), then enter yourselves into the competition run by blogger The Very Simon G in a collaboration with the brand for a chance to win one of two goodybags up for grabs. There's one boy bag and one girl bag and each are worth £200. Simply email pictures or a description of your worst fashion faux pas by the end of March to the following address: theverysimong@hotmail.co.uk

Sex and the City, anyone?

If you can't wait till May for your next Sex and the City fix, purchase a pair of fold-up pumps, £45, from online retailer Redfoot in one of the four designs inspired by Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda respectively.

As an aspiring journalist who frequently buys Vogue instead of dinner and has her very own Mr Big, I have naturally ordered a Carrie pair:

 Image Source: Redfoot

On an unrelated note, come pay day, I plan to purchase these Topshop leggings, £18  -  delightfully nude, romantically rouched, these would be a perfect spring / summer '10 staple:

 Image Source: Topshop

Style suggestion: Team with a white or neutral tunic and Doc Martens or clogs for daytime; pair with a nude lace body, embellished shrug / cropped jacket, and pretty pumps (e.g. the above Carrie pair) for sweet summer nights.

Recent skincare additions.

Just thought that I'd share two excellent products that I have recently included in my skincare regime:

1. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm  -  All Skin Types, 125ml, £19.

This product is perfect for the efficient removal of stubborn make-up, including long-wearing foundation, sunscreen and waterproof mascara, rendering this product a necessity for summer beauty. Use as a pre-cleanser.

Directions: Take a large pea-sized amount on one finger, rub with another finger so that the balm begins to melt into a silky fluid oil, then sweep and massage all over the face; remove with either a cotton pad or warm water. Follow-up with your usual cleanser.

Image Source: Clinique

2. Lancôme Exfoliance Clarté  -  For Normal and Combination Skin, 100ml, £26.50.

This gel-based product consists of white wax micro-beads, ultra-fine grains, and pineapple and papaya extract. The result is a gentle yet thoroughly effective exfoliator that smells wonderful and leaves skin radiant.

Directions: After cleansing, massage onto wet skin using gentle circular motions. Rinse off with warm water followed by a splash a of cold to tighten pores. Finish with your usual toner and moisturiser. Use once or twice per week.

Image Source: Lancôme

Latest lust-have.

If anybody feels the urge to buy me a present any time soon, please look no further than these truly beautiful and utterly mesmerising Alexander McQueen digital jellyfish-print leggings, £375:

Image Source: Net-a-Porter

If my size is still available in a month's time, I'm so buying these with the next student loan instalment  -  I'll just live off cereal and miso soup for a few weeks, no big deal.

The clog.

Since its rebirth via the spring / summer '10 Chanel runway, the clog has been causing contention in the fashion world.

Image Source: Chanel

For some, the mere mention of the shoe instantly conjures Dutch milkmaid / '60s hippie connotations, while others simply find the shoe downright ugly.

Personally, however, I find the shoe evokes a certain charm: the innocent simplicity of the materials (sylvan wood and leather) and palette (earthy tones) appeals during a period of recession, yet sex appeal can still be attained when worn properly  -  I'll be wearing mine in the summer with tanned dewy legs, tiny denim shorts and an oversized white shirt. As for which particular pair I'll be wearing, it's got to be this beautifully-made yet reasonably-priced pair from Jones Bootmaker, £65 (also available in taupe):

 Image Source: Jones Bootmaker

Nail-biting solution.

Okay, so I've always had a problem with my nails in that I bite them terribly (in addition to all the surrounding skin, cuticles, etc.). I've tried Stop'n Grow to no avail as well as painting my tiny talons pretty colours for aesthetic motivation, only to chomp off all the polish imminently.

However, I may have managed to cure this addiction of mine once and for all. You see, two days ago, I managed to secure myself a bottle of Chanel Le Vernis in "Particulière" (bought at face value, may I add), otherwise known as the "it" polish of the season, following in the footsteps of last season's "Jade". 48 hours later and I have bitten neither a nail nor a fleck of polish (think of the cost-factor implicit in the incessant re-application)  -  understand that I have previously never lasted more than about an hour.

There is never a single cure for addiction; everyone must find their own personal method. For me, as a fashion and beauty junkie, I guess it took something elusive and exclusive to quit my habit. All may go downhill tomorrow, but I'm hoping that I will soon be blessed with non-mangled nails that are enjoyed by so many already.

PS: Happy Mothers' Day, people!

Dakota's all grown up!

For some reason, I've always had a soft spot for Dakota Fanning ever since I saw her in that Friends episode; she's just always seemed extremely mature and intelligent for her age. However, despite the many years that have passed since Friends / War of the Worlds, I still seemed to believe she was no more than about 10 years-old until I saw this month's issue of Italian Vogue. Now 16 years-old, this girl seems to be the new Emma Watson  -  from child star to total chic:

 

 

Images Source: Italian Vogue

Don't you just love those bold eyebrows and that mermaid plait?

RIP Alexander McQueen.

Yesterday, the news broke of the tragic death of Alexander McQueen. Having won the British Designer of the Year Award four times in addition to being awarded a CBE, McQueen had already accomplished so much in his life; however, at only 40 years-old, he still had so much more to achieve. The way he revolutionised fashion  -  from low-slung jeans to alien shoes  -  will never be forgotten. Moreover, the spectacular theatrical elements of McQueen's shows in addition to his penchant for the animal kingdom in all its violent beauty will remain imprinted into the hearts of fashionistas everywhere.

RIP Lee; you were truly amazing.

 Image Source: BBC

Would it be so wrong...

... To spend £62 on tights? Head says yes but heart says no for this pair from Bebaroque, covered in a beautiful rose / leaf print and smothered with crystals:

Image Source: Bebaroque

Foundation success.

Due to my pale complexion, finding the right shade of foundation can often seem like an impossible task. When I discovered Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation in Alabaster, I thought I had found my perfect colour match, which, in truth, I had. However, the product was terrible in terms of staying power  -  after an hour, the product had clearly started to displace, even when worn with both primer and powder.

So, the other day, I decided it was time to start searching for a foundation that was pale enough for my fair skin and that stayed on all day. This is when I came across Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makup in 1C1 Shell. 

Image Source: Estée Lauder

It looks natural and has medium to full coverage (plus you can always mix with moisturiser for a more sheer look); most importantly, however, it's pale enough for my porcelain pallor and still looks good several hours later. Overall, I thoroughly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a foundation in a pale shade and / or staying power. 

NB: Do make sure you moisturise properly before using this product  -  it needs something to help it glide on smoothly, plus it dries rather quickly and doesn't budge once it does.

Bargain of the week.

So, I was walking back from a meeting with a tutor when I spotted a pair of tall black Knightsbridge Ugg boots in the Oxfam window, in my size, in a perfectly decent condition, and priced at only £39.99  -  RRP: £225! As an Ugg fan (I already own the short classic chocolate boots and a Love From Australia pair), I had to buy them, no?

Image Source: Ugg

Some of you may deplore of such a monstrosity, complaining about how mainstream / fugly the Ugg boot is or some such. However, the fact is I really don't care. These boots are ridiculously comfy, dispel any numbness brought about by icy stone pavements, and yet must have some aesthetic appeal, considering that they're hardly on the same level as the hideous yet tactilely pleasing (or so I hear) Crocs. Besides, if they're good enough for supermodel, Miranda Kerr, girlfriend of Orlando Bloom, then they're good enough for me:

The romance.

This Topshop nude lace crop top, £25, is a beautiful addition to anyone's spring / summer wardrobe:

Image Source: Topshop

Wear over an opaque body for an on-trend daytime look. Alternatively, layer over a nude lace body, like this one below from American Apparel, £32, for an ostensibly innocent yet seductive night-time look:

Image Source: American Apparel

Ohhh.

The latest forbidden fruit:

Image Source: British Vogue, February 2010

These spindly stilettos are customised by Philip Treacy for Valentino and scream tortured fashion fairytale. Black lace, black satin, black crystals; insanely desirable; made for sublime stomping.

Christmas 2009 fashion shoot.

Back in December 2009, I was lucky enough to partake in the big Christmas shoot for the fashion pages of my university's student newspaper, Student Direct. The theme was 1950s American winter prom with a touch of modernity. Some of the photographs I was in are below (excuse the quality, no digital copies of the photographs and no scanner):

Model: Myself.

Clothes: Metallic teal mini dress: American Apparel, £44; white ballerina skirt: Urban Outfitters, £35; black headband with bow and veil: Urban Outfitters, £12.

Model: Myself.

Clothes: Pink hip flask: Urban Outfitters, £10; headbands: stylist's own.  

Models: Myself, Bernard Fanning, Kat Scott and Phie McKenzie.

Clothes: Renewal ballerina dress (worn as a top): Urban Outfitters, £59.99; lilac ballerina skirt: Urban Outfitters, £35; purple sequin bag: French Connection, £32; black headband: as before.

Photographer: India Dobson

For vampire fangirls.

A certain beauty brand  -  indeed, one product in particular  -  currently excites me. Ellis Faas, a make-up artist who has specialised previously in special effects (think bruises, wounds, blood, etc.), has established her own eponymous line of cosmetics. The stand-out product has to be Ellis Lips in Ellis Red; the colour is exactly blood-red and therefore suits all skin tones, considering that there is only one shade of human blood.

Image Source: Ellis Faas

Moreover, there are three types of finishes to choose from: Creamy (traditional lipstick), Milky (a tinted lip balm) and Glazed (a strongly pigmented lipgloss). Ellis Faas cosmetics will be available exclusively at Liberty from 1st February 2010. If you can't get yourself down to London, you can always order online.

 Image Source: Ellis Faas

A fresh scent for a fresh year.

For an energising scent to start the new year with a sparkle, look no further than Chanel's Chance Eau Fraîche, £44 for 50ml at Boots:

Image Source: Chanel

The product information reads: "The unexpected floral bursts with a lightness and zest as notes of citrus, water hyacinth and jasmine absolute are highlighted and energised with woody notes of amber of patchouli and fresh vetiver." Refreshing and feminine, this perfume is perfect for all spring / summer occasions.

Plastic fantastic.

Inexplicably, I adore the transparent plastic handbag offerings from Prada and Fendi for s/s '10:

Image Source: Prada

 

Image Source: Fendi

Perhaps not the safest of arm candy options, but who really cares when danger looks this good?

Latest indulgence.

Just thought I'd share a recent purchase of mine with the fashion world:

Snapped these up in the Russell and Bromley sale. There was only pair left, which just happened to be in my size; it would have been wrong not to buy them, surely? The gold, bronze, rose and lime palette renders the shoes a delightful accompaniment to this season's neutrals. Moreover, the chocolate leather subverts the girlishness of the bows, resulting in a pair of sequinned pumps with attitude. Oh, and they go brilliantly with this Topshop dress, £35, that I shall be purchasing as soon as the student loan comes in:

Image Source: Topshop

Wear with tights, boots and a pashmina during the chilly stages of spring, then switch to bare legs and pumps once summer hits.