Shoe Rehab

It's long been known I have an obsession with shoes.  However, about a year ago I decided to bite the bullet and get rid of all shoes I don't actually wear.   I owned near on 100 pair of shoes and I managed to cut them down to between 40 and 50 pairs.  A real achievement and a realisation that a museum of shoes was not the best use of my wardrobe.

I no longer feel like I NEED to own every gorgeous pair of shoes I see but I am starting to worry.  Recently all I see are beautiful shoes that I feel I MUST own ... I HAVE to own ... my life will be INCOMPLETE if I don't own them.

I know this is completely irrational but also realise that I have to satiate this shoe craving but I must be sensible about it.  This means NOT buying every single pair of shoes I see ... therefore I have to pick carefully and maybe a little practically.

Platforms seem to be the style du jour in keeping with the Seventies inspired designs for S/S 2011.  I'll take Studio 54 and Casino chic thank you very much ... however, I will endeavour to avoid the lure of the Miu Miu's and YSL's I lust after and be appeased with High Street offerings.

River Island £74.99

River Island £74.99

River Island £64.99

River Island £84.99

Topshop £65

Topshop £70

River Island £69.99

Ooft that's a lot of River Island and Topshop going on there, I need to do a bit more browsing before making any decisions.  Any other shoe recommendations out there?

x

Grand Central - what I wore ... and MUFE HD thoughts

If you have read my previous post you will know I attended the launch party for the Grand Central Hotel this week.

It was a mid week affair and I had to quickly dash home to get changed before heading to the hotel.  Now, with a launch party like this there is no dress code stated ... I had no idea if it was as fancy as black tie or if it was simply smart casual.  I decided to go with smart casual basically because I had very little time to spruce myself up in between finishing work and arriving at the event.

It turned out many people had pulled out all the stops with their outfits with evening gowns strutting by me through the corridors but likewise many business people attending had obviously come straight from the office so in the end I think I struck a nice balance. 

I wore my River Island cropped leather trousers, Zara leopard print shoes, black Mango tee, Mango fitted blazer, my worn to death H&M faux fur stole and my everyday Balenciaga bag. 

Rabbit caught in the headlights!

It was a really comfortable choice but looking at this photo, something isn't quite right.  My face looks grey ... or even greige.  Looking back I thought that my make up brushes were to blame - they are long overdue a good wash - but I think the real culprit is my foundation. 

I decided to go for a change in  my foundation that evening and went with MUFE HD Foundation in shade 125.  I know this is a much loved foundation by beauty bloggers and I have always been quite partial to it myself.  Everything starts off well with this foundation, the packaging is sleek and comes with a pump which I think should be a must have for all foundations going forward.  However, I normally notice after a few hours wear I start to look really tired and my skin starts to look almost saggy as if my foundation is slipping off my face.  For this reason I tend to only wear it when I know I won't be out long enough for it to start looking tired. 

I now feel that maybe this foundation isn't worth the hype or the price seeing as I can only get a few hours decent wear out of it.  When first applied my skin looks lovely - it offers medium coverage which easily builds to full coverage if desired, it also gives a dewy effect without necessarily requiring a powder or blotting. 

One of the selling points about this foundation is that it is supposed to photograph well.  For me, this photo is evidence that I (personally) do not photograph well wearing it.  My skin looks washed out to the point of dull and I look like I have done 6 rounds with Tyson and need a week long kip.  I can even see that my eyeshadow and blush don't seem to sit well layered over it.

MUFE HD isn't the only foundation I have found that photographs badly on me, so too does Revlon Photoready - again a foundation whose selling point is that you photograph well in it.  Estee Lauder Double Wear also doesn't photograph well for me but is a foundation I adore ...and I just make sure I avoid camera's when wearing it ;)

At the moment I think I will stick to my Rituals foundation if I think I may face the camera lens but I am keen to investigate other foundations that work well in photographs?

What do you recommend?

x

You're the boss, applesauce ...

Its nearly day 10 of my flu and I'm only just starting to feel better! I can't wait to get back some kind of normality, get out and about, book some gym classes and just feel like a functioning human being again. I haven't even seen 2011 yet apart from through a window.

Since I still haven't been feeling 100% I have been going for easy casual outfits that are comfy to lounge about it. It's actually felt great to be out of pyjamas for a change.

I had a bit of a nightmare trying to photograph this look too hence the crazy posing and blurred shots. My camera is so awful but if things go to plan I hould have a new one by the end of the month. I am looking to buy a DSLR but also need a new digital compacy ... oh, and a new laptop but one piece of technology at a time, eh? Any camera recommendations would be greatly appreciated though.
My best 'ard boy impression ;)
Top from Boy London at Urban Outfitters. This was a present from my husband knowing my love for Warhol's work. The snood was to help comfort my sore throat (which has absolutely killed all week) and is from a store called Dom in Berlin. Dom is a quirky interiors store but also has some jewellery and occasionally some items of clothing. The leather trousers are River Island and are surprisingly comfy. Jewellery was just a few bracelets and rings thrown on from what I could find lying around.
Make up was pretty simple since this is probably the first time in over a week I have applied any. Some Rituals foundation with Nars Laguna Bronzer and Orgasm blush and a slick of frambroise juicy tube was enough. I made myself look half alive with a flick of Shu Uemura liner and mascara.

My hair is still 'ombre'd' in these pics and I am supposed to be getting it redone at the weekend however I have had a change of heart and may go for an all over dye again ... I just can't decide. I just don't see any hairstyles or colours that really appeal to me at the moment.

Do you have any hair suggestions I could consider?

x

There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow

New Year was brought in at a friends club night - Compact Disco at the Black Sparrow. Great night, great tunes, great company ... and a very very sore head and poor memory the next day.

As one of the many changes I would like to make to my blog this year ... Outfit posts are one of the main things I want to introduce. What better way to start than to show you my New Year get up. In keeping with a bird theme I went for full on feathers ... and of course as mentioned in a previous post ... my love for leather is still going strong. Feather and Leather. Nice ring to it.
Feather cape: ASOS; Black Boob tube: Topshop; Leather trousers: River Island; Moc Croc bag: Mango; Wedge heels: New Look

I went with the comfiest shoes I could find as it was a night of dancing, fun and frolics ... normally I would have gone for a long skinny heel with these trousers.
Accessories were kept low key as the feather cape was the statement piece of the outfit.
Bauble bracelet: Mango; Friendship bracelet: Links of London; Rolex: FAKE; Bling Ring: Marc Jacobs

Make up was quite bronzed using Illamasqua powdered metal in Erzule on cheeks and eyes. I used MACs Deep Truth (gorgeous dark blue/navy) underneath the eye and lined with Shu Uemura painting liner in night blue, using the Kimberley Walsh festival lashes by eyelure to finish off (I cut off the end feathers from the lashes to suit).

Lips were simply glossed using Estee Lauder extravagant ruby. I used Mac's sun moon and stars as a blush and cream colour base in Pearl to highlight the inner corner of the eye.

My finished look was statement while remaining comfortable enough for a night of fun twinkling my toes on the dancefloor.

How did everyone else spend Hogmanay?

x

Leather Up!

The last time I wore leather that didn't come in the form of a jacket, shoes or bag was about 10 years ago. I had a gorgeous knee length leather skirt that subsequently got kicked to the kerb one day when I felt it looked a little dated.

Truth is I wish I had kept it. Leather like denim is a classic and always comes back around every so many seasons.

With the recent re-popularity of leather, I decided to invest in a few pieces to keep me looking spruced up through the winter months. The thing about it this time round is that it can be worn casual giving a quirky edge to your look. Years ago daytime leather would have been left to Cher and ladies of the night but by todays standard it is tres chic!

In the last month, I have purchased short length leather trousers from River Island, An faux leather a-line mini skirt from Miss Selfridge and a gorgeous tan faux leather dress with cap sleeves from H&M. Next on my list is leather shorts - I have spied a great pair in Topshop but think I will wait for the January sales.

What better excuse for some stye inspiration photos - hopefully I can wear my it as well as some of these stylistas...

I like to wear my leather skirt with shoe boots and tights although as soon as the temperature becomes a bit more reasonable I will be going bare legged with my leather. I prefer stiletto style heels or a round toed platform with my leather trousers.

The best thing about leather that you may not have necessarily assumed is that it is so flattering ... as long as you purchase the correct and size and shape for your body.

Are you buying into the leather trend? Cher or Chic?

x