We all know that make up is a life saver. Our indispensable tool to cover up blemishes and conceal our dark shadows – the result of too many nights with too little sleep. Having a naturally young looking face for my age I love how a bit of cover up and sweep of mascara can make me look and feel my age. I think that is what is most important looking your age and not trying to be any younger or older than you are. I have noticed however the increasing numbers of girls who slap on layers of make up in an attempt I assume to look older when really they are spoiling the enjoyment of not NEEDING it.
I have met many girls who on first impressions I assume to be the same age as myself, but I soon discover, as on one occasion recently, that a girl is only 16 when she wears enough foundation and eye make up to be at least 20. Unable to hide my surprise at this girls actual age I said how much older she looked and she happily replied with ‘oh thank you!’ But was my remark a compliment? While it may be flattering to appear older than you are, the problem soon escalates to acting like you are older. With the rise of teenage celebrities having a huge influence on the lives of younger generations I am not surprised that so many girls feel the pressure to keep up. On top of that I don’t know if magazines like Miss Vogue or Teen Vogue encourage this speedy transition from child to adult or just simply nurture it?
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I have been following The Sartorialist for years but have just recently found Garance Dore’s blog (wife of Scott Schuman ) and can safely say it has become a daily ritual to check for her latest updates. Her blog offers such a scrumptious offering of beauty, fashion, lifestyle and culture to ensure you are glued to the screen for hours. Her article ‘Complex’ , posted a couple of days ago, I found so true with my own experiences that I thought I would explore it a bit more – looking at complexes triggered by friends. It just so happens that I watched an episode of Sex and the City today (Season 3 Episode 3 to be precise) that touched on just this problem. Do we compare ourselves so much to our friends that not only do we adopt their insecurities but make even more of our own?
My own complex began when I started comparing myself to other girls and seeing what they had and I wanted – which I think (hope) is the same for many girls. When you’re young you will do anything to ensure you have the same as the majority of your classmates. For me this was 1. at least one item of clothing from Abercrombie & Fitch 2. a bag from Paul’s Boutique (just shameful that one) and 3. which I escaped just in time – the Mulberry Bag. These are all very innocent fetishisms just as recognisable in boys as they are in girls – except they all have to have the latest PS3..or PS4 game not a bag! Now much older I will do anything to avoid being the same as anyone else, it horrifies me that some girls still seek the security of having what everyone else has. I think this is what can be so misleading about fashion trends, rather than being a copycat why not take the trend and add an original twist of your own?
There is a more worrying complex that is heavily influenced by friends and in my experience it is the BODY. I have always had a fairly lean figure not boyish but not overly curvy either. I know now what is bad for it and what I have to do to keep it the way it is. As a young teenager I had no body issues until friends started comparing themselves to me and I to them. One of my close friends wanted larger boobs, being a similar size to her at the time I didn’t really understand it, because I was perfectly happy. This same friend also wanted as little hair as possible on her body and to be tanned not just in the summer season. Soon her fetishes became mine and only over the last two years have I begun to ignore what everyone else wants. I spent a whole week in Zakynthos, Greece, and I am proud to say I left the same colour as when I arrived. No premature wrinkles for me thanks ladies! It is in the summer when we become most insecure. As girls we compare the size of our thighs and waists while secretly noting who looks best in their bikini. We can do as much exercise as we can manage and eat as healthily as we want to be who we want, but it is very likely that by the end of it all there will be another fetish for another complex to deal with.
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The feminine suit was pinpointed as a clear trend for this season, so I guess it is not surprising that there have been a number of celebrities on the style pages showcasing their androgynous but chic tailored single breasted jackets. We saw Cara Delevingne and friend Suki Waterhouse both wearing Burberry suits in metallic blue and burgundy to celebrate the BAFTAS and the start of LFW. They looked great I thought! The colours keep the girls looking young but sophisticated and looked effortlessly stylish.
Suki Waterhouse and Cara Delevingne
Next Angelina Jolie wore her Saint Laurent suit on the red carpet to the BAFTA awards, accompanied by Brad also in his suit. The suit being SL of course looked absolutely stunning but I felt all together it was a bit too try hard. On top of that standing next to a man all night who is also in a suit does not create the same romantic coupling as it usually does when the woman wears a gorgeous gown. Saying that however I’m sure she must have felt wonderfully empowered and clearly was confident enough to be unique. On the daily mail femail pages..which I find myself on almost everyday, I saw this picture of Emma Watson wearing this suit to a chat show in NYC – I think this look really suits her – the perfect proportions and court heel.
It just so happens I was watching Sex and the City 2 the other day with some friends and we all agreed that Sarah JP looks gorgeous in her maid of honour suit – it just really suited her. Just as it suits all of the women above. That got me thinking is the famous trouser suit, that we have Yves Saint Laurent to thank for, really only suited to a petite figure, or, when well tailored can be anyone’s best friend? I own neither a suit jacket or trousers, and cannot afford to yet, but I would definitely save to invest in one that will suit me and my body. (Sorry about all the suit puns!)
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The Miss Vogue magazine is such a good and long awaited idea by the British Vogue team. I remember endlessly flicking through Vogue and never quite finding something for a 16 year old to take inspiration from, I loved the photo shoots and general style tips but that was about it understandably. Now a dedicated Vogue reader, I literally read every article..apart from the ones about gardens and houses – I’m not quite ready for that – I am still on the teen/adult fence so I embrace any magazine with a bit of showbiz and wit mixed with fashion, such as Asos mag. When I glanced at the the April Edition of Miss Vogue my first thought was ‘surely that is not a British magazine?!’ It failed at the first hurdle – I am sorry to say it but the cover is far too ‘Americanized’ and as a result just ..a bit..well tacky and cheesy! Even when flicking through it I found nothing that caught my eye or made me read a full article. After properly taking the time to enjoy it I did however find some great content.
‘Jump to it’ and ‘Wanna be in my gang’ were great for providing a bit of style inspiration and looking at ways to enhance personal style. The Miss Vogue Spotlight and Notebook pages were gorgeous, I love being shown quirky new fashion finds, literary and cultural works and lets not forget looking at this year’s eye candy…currently swooning over Dylan Ryder! Any beauty pages and WellBeing articles are a must and like ‘Mrs’ Vogue deliver to a high standard. One thing I would love is photographic hair tutorials, you know where you can actually see the steps to create the look – Page 101 displays the ‘New Up-Do’, but the head shot is really only the model’s face and not the hairstyle! The ‘Bright Young Things’ page is a wonderful way to promote new and up coming British talent, I only wish I was more talented.
Class of 2014
As much as I enjoyed light heartedly flicking through Miss Vogue I felt the target audience and age range was all over the place. The ‘Fairy Godmother Buys’ promoted gifts ranging from £79 to £1,490, I don’t know about you but I doubt and certainly wouldn’t expect anyone to spend that much on a gift – let alone a Godmother. To make up for this a couple of pages are dedicated to Claire’s Accessories to target a younger (much younger) audience but still…Claire’s?! The ‘Class of 2014′ style pages shown above,based on the theme of ‘Superstardom’, left me nonplussed – each outfit was hideous and what’s the point in that? The magazine is certainly still finding its feet but it is perfect for an easy read and with a little inspiration taken from other teen mags like Asos and Tatler it will soon be a teen hit.
It is that time of year when the blossoming of flowers, the longer days and when the sunshine starts to emerge that fashion’s romantic nature comes to dominate our spring style and so too does the sound of wedding bells. I have never been a bridesmaid and it seems I will have to wait yet another summer to be one while my friends have already started looking for cheap bridesmaid dresses.
Take a look at Milly Bridal Shop
Found these lovely compilations on London Fashion Week Daily site. Some great looks and inspiration for future trends for A/W 2014!
CLICK to ENLARGE.
Just a few details from Milan Fashion Week 2014 – enjoy! (Images: Style.com)
Beauty at Versace
Milan Street Style by Tommy Ton
Susie Lau from Style Bubble front row at Fendi
Tassel Clutch bag at Roberto Cavalli
McQ Alexander McQueen
Western Style at Emilio Pucci
The most talked about show from Milan Fashion Week – Moschino. Can’t say I am much of a fan but it is a very clever collection!
Rather behind on my posts – so sorry! Thought I would share with you some of my favourite street style looks from LFW 2014, many of which showcase the trends for the coming spring/summer season! I think it is always worth while taking the time to look at other people’s style – you never know what inspiration you can gather! I am awful at sticking to key looks that I know work well rather than occasionally mixing up colours and textures to add variety. I love seeing an outfit that I can de-construct and work well into my own wardrobe , this way I can show off a slightly new look without actually buying new clothes – a little creativity goes a long way! I hope you feel inspired by these looks as I was.
Before I do a post about one of my favourite collections from NYFW Autumn/Winter 2014 (which is going to be near impossible to decide on) I thought I would share some of the beauty looks emerging that look simple to replicate, and are actually wearable without people thinking you have taken the trends too literally! These are all very subtle, with soft neutral colours that would actually look lovely for the summer months too. (Images: Style.com)
Diane Von Furstenburg – This is such a lovely clean and simple look. A light dusting of lilac eye shadow and thin coat of mascara only on the top lashes is just so pretty! With a light blush and minimal lip colour this is definitely a beauty look I will be trying.
Jason Wu – Buzzing in the beauty world is this new way of defining the eye by only lining the top of the eye – right within the lash line. Shown here at the Jason Wu show with a coat of mascara only on the top lashes. Try in brown or black for a dramatic effect. Again there is little to no blush or lip colour.
Prabal Gurung – One for the evenings maybe, this look uses a peachy/metallic gold eye shadow. Very little mascara, lip colour or blush but just enough to define the cheeks – this all ensures the eyes are at the focus of attention.
Thakoon – Possible my favourite look out of the four, but one that is the most daring. Eye liner/shadow sweeping across the bottom lash line only and outwards is certainly unique and creates an edgy look. Worth trying I think!
(Image – StyleSaint)
I love the arrival of Autumn/Winter fashion week because the fall season has always been my favourite! All those lovely coats, the furs, hats and jumpers – they are just all so warm and inviting! Though on the whole I would say the collections lack the vitality of Spring/Summer collections , understandably. But then the A/W looks replace florals and lace with metallics and sparkles! Who are you looking forward to seeing? I always love Dolce & Gabbana , Marc Jacobs and Celine collections, so lets hope this season is no different!
