style icon - emma stone

Emma Stone’s transformation from the sweet and innocent girl that moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career to Hollywood’s latest it girl it incredible. She is one of few people that can pull off being a blonde, brunette and a redhead. She’s even got Andrew Garfield on her arm. Things can’t get any better for Emma Stone. I’m not sure she can put a foot wrong.

 

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item of the week - earrings

Recently I have had a bit of an obsession with earrings. Etsy has become a new favourite of mine because you can buy so many unique and good quality pairs of there! There are so many cute studs and dangly earrings that can tie an outfit together that I thought I would share some of my favourites.

1. Deer Studs - $4.74 - https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/94711435/cute-small-deer-post-stud-earrings?ref=br_feed_30&br_feed_tlp=jewelry

2. Eiffel Towers Studs - $15.19 - https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/156337308/gold-silver-pink-gold-dainty-eiffel?ref=br_feed_41&br_feed_tlp=jewelry

3. Mint and wood studs - $14.24 - https://www.etsy.com/listing/114466594/mint-green-wood-post-button-earrings?ref=br_feed_32&br_feed_tlp=jewelry

4. Bar earrings - $16.62 - https://www.etsy.com/nz/listing/187781213/minimalist-gold-brass-bars-line-sterling?ref=related-1

5. Arrow studs - $15.19 - https://www.etsy.com/listing/115831002/gold-pink-gold-arrow-studs-earrings?ref=sr_gallery_13&ga_search_query=arrow+stud+earring&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery

6. Silver Disk Earrings - £3.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jewellery-and-hair-accessories/silver-filigree-disc-hoop-earrings-_308397892

7. Aztec drop earrings - £4.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jewellery-and-hair-accessories/black-and-red-aztec-diamond-drop-earrings_301332399

8. Constellations ear pin – made to order - https://www.etsy.com/listing/157353300/constellation-ear-pin-silver-earrings

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style icon - emma watson

In the past 5 years since Emma Watson finished filming the Harry Potter series, she has gone through a huge change in her fashion choices. She made dramatic choices like cutting her hair into that cut pixie cut and wearing bold red lipsticks on the red carpet. She has become a Hollywood star, only emphasised by her appearance at the Oscars this year. She is the same age as me and possibly because of this and the fact that we are both from the south of England has meant that in recent years she has become my biggest fashion icon. I draw so much inspiration from her outfit choices, both casual and red carpet. So much so that when I had my MAC tutorial recently I took in a couple of pictures of her recently red carpet appearances so that I could try and get a couple of lipsticks like the ones she has worn. Here is some of my favourite red carpet outfits from the past few years which show her evolution into a star and also why she is my biggest fashion icon. 

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trends - aztec fashion

A few years ago clothing and accessories with Aztec patterns became oh so fashionable. I presumed it would be a trend that died out quickly despite the beautiful patterns, amazing colours and the feeling of being in a foreign place every time I wore an item of clothing with an Aztec print on. A few years later I still love Aztec prints. These are some of my favourite high street items this season. 

1. Dress - $78.69 - http://www.asos.com/Band-of-Gypsies/Band-of-Gypsies-Smock-Dress-in-Bright-Aztec-Print/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3768032&SearchQuery=aztec&Rf-700=1000&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=-1&clr=Pinkmulti

2. Skirt - £12.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/skirts/cameo-rose-black-aztec-waist-maxi-skirt_302446401

3. Bandeau - $

4. Duffle Backpack - $69.95 - http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Duffle-Backpack-In-Aztec-And-Seed-Beads/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3833957&SearchQuery=aztec&Rf-700=1000&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=-1&clr=Multi

5. Triangle Earrings - £3.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jewellery-and-hair-accessories/gold-and-green-enamel-aztec-triangle-earrings_301250293

6. Bangles - £5.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jewellery-and-hair-accessories/red-and-gold-aztec-print-bangles_299786409

7. Shoes - £8.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/shoe-gallery/view-all-shoes/black-aztec-tape-trim-espadrilles-_300801501

8. Cape - $54.65 - http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-Aztec-Fringe-Woven-Cape/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=3759518&SearchQuery=aztec&Rf-700=1000&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=204&sort=-1&clr=Multi

9. Jumpsuit - $

10. Necklace - £5.99 - http://www.newlook.com/shop/womens/jewellery-and-hair-accessories/gold-cut-out-aztec-segment-necklace_306630493

Sorry for the mix between $ and £ that’s what you get when you try and blog in one country but you are from another…

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work wear

Sometimes it can be difficult to balance out chic and fashionable with the business attire dress code that most people in office jobs have to wear to work. I have just recently started a new job in insurance and was told that I had to wear business attire to work. So I went on a hunt for fashionable business clothes. This is what I wore to work this week.

Monday

On Monday I wore a black skirt with thick tights, (got to stay warm) and a white high necked shirt. I paired this with a statement necklace to make it a bit more chic and pined my hair back with bobby pins. If your makeup rule is a bit relaxed at work then you could wear red lipstick too.

Tuesday

On Tuesday I went for straight black trousers and an oversized blue crop top. I went for simple silver jewellery which went with the colours a bit better and painted my nails white for the summer look.

Wednesday

On Wednesday I paired my black trousers with a stripey tshirt and burgundy cardigan to keep me warm in the office. I paired this with my silver jewellery and let my hair loose so it had natural curls.

Thursday

On Thursday I decided to go for a dress and went for my favourite black maxi dress. I wore this with a black cardigan, but a blazer would look just as good and wore my statement necklace and a tan belt with it.

Casual Friday 

Friday in my office and many others is known as casual Friday. Its kind of a dress down day, but I try not to go too dressed down. So this week I opted for my light jeans and a cream top tucked in, with my pink and purple pumps but paired it with my blazer to dress it up a little. I would also wear this outfit on a night out but with red lipstick.

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mac makeup tutorial

Over the past few years there have been makeup trends that I have been dying to try but somehow I’ve just never got the hang of it. The smokey eye, the bright red lip, liquid eyeliner with the flick, all trends for some reason look amazing on my favourite stars but I just can’t replicate that look. Recently I have also been considering a career in makeup artistry, but I can’t commit to going back to study at the moment. So I booked myself into one of the makeup tutorials at the MAC counter at my local department store so that I could learn how to do things like the smokey eye and finally find a lipstick colour that doesn’t make me look washed out in photos but also so that I could learn some techniques and use these when applying makeup to other people. Volunteers anyone?

I wasn’t brave enough to go in there fresh faced in the morning with all my blemishes showing so I put my foundation on, only to take it all off when I got there. The girl who did my makeup, Grace, was lovely. She listened to me, asked what my skin was like and after putting on moisturiser she applied MAC BB Cream. This was the first time I have used BB Cream after hearing great things about it and I wasn’t disappointed. It was light and covered my face well, giving me the perfect amount of coverage. After this she applied concealer to my blemishes and under my eyes, (I had particularly big bags under my eyes that day). Then she showed me how to apply bronzer to my upper cheek bones and temples and then blusher on my cheeks. Next she came over with an eyebrow pencil. I’ve always thought of eyebrow pencils as one of those things that girls use if they shave their eyebrows off and draw them back on again, resulting in extremely fake looking eyebrows. I was very sceptical about it but once she had filled in my brows I was shocked at the difference. I wasn’t sure I liked it. I’ve spent 24 years of my life being an eyebrow pencil sceptic and here someone was showing me what my eyebrows look like when they are complete. It kind of made me look like my eyebrows were shaping my eyes a bit more.

Next she moved onto my eyes and showed me how to create the classic smokey eye look with more neutral colours that were suitable for work. First a lighter colour in the inner corner of my eye then a medium colour from the middle of my eye and swept outwards and then blended into the first colour and then lastly the darkest of the three shades sweeped round the eyelid in a kind of C shape. And the best part is is that this technique can be applied to any colour, so at the weekend I will try it with greys and blacks to create the ultimate smokey eye look. Then she moved on to show me how to do liquid eyeliner, saying that you should do it in a dashed line along your lid from the middle outwards and then the middle inwards and if you want that flick at the end, aim for your temple and then connect it up to the rest of the eyeliner. She insisted that the technique for applying mascara is all the same though.

Lastly we were onto lipsticks! Yay! I actually showed her a few pictures of Emma Watson from her red carpet appearances over the last few months for award season and the premieres for Noah because I love the colours that she has used and how they look so natural on here. So Grace hooked me up with some colours just like the ones that she has worn. Finally some Fix+ spray to set my look. See below for my final looks, with both different lipsticks. The great thing about this tutorial was that it cost $150 but all of that money was redeemable on products, so I splashed out and treated myself to both the lipsticks (because I couldn’t choose), the blusher and the Fix+ Spray. I learnt so much in this tutorial and I am very grateful to have learnt so much that I can use on a day to day basis and apply to others before I can study to become a makeup artist. I am still an eyebrow pencil sceptic though. 

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oscar fashion

With the awards season well and truly over, it’s time to look back at some of my favourite outfits from the past few months.

1.                  Emma Watson

It will be no surprise to some of you that Emma Watson has been my absolute favourite this year. From her amazing Dior Couture dress-trouser combo at the Golden Globes through to the black Vera Wang dress she wore to the Oscars. Emma Watson has proved that she is no longer Hermione Granger in the last few years with roles in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) and more recently Noah (2014). I love the combination of the red lipstick and the loose updo she wore to the Oscars.

2.                  Lupita Nyong’o

This year was Lupita’s debut appearance at the Golden Globes and Oscars after being nominated for best supporting actress for her role in 12 Years A Slave (2013). She pulled out all the stops in her beautiful pale blue Oscar dress by Prada and accessorised with gold bangles, earings and hairband. The simple red Ralph Lauren dress that she wore to the Golden Globes suits her perfectly.

 

3.                  Cate Blanchett

It almost surprises me that after all these years attending the awards ceremonies Cate Blanchett still pulls off the most amazing dresses year after year. This year she went for lace at the Golden Globes with her Armani Couture dress and a beautiful nude, crystal embellished Armani Privé dress at the Oscars. She looked glamorous and sophisticated in both dresses.

4.                  Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence can do no wrong. She has now put herself firmly on the map after being nominated at the Oscars and Golden Globes for Winters Bone (2009), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and now American Hustle (2013). I’m not crazy about the white Dior dress she wore to the Golden Globes but she totally makes up for it with her stunning red Oscars dress by Dior. We won’t mention the red carpet trip though.  

5.                  Sandra Bullock

Again I am not crazy about Sandra Bullock’s Golden Globe dress by Prabal Gurung but hey, you’ve got to bring some colour to the red carpet once in a while. On the other hand she looked elegant and beautiful in the navy Alexander McQueen dress she wore to the Oscars. 

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