Nail Lacquer: The Blues..

'Why Don't You Love Me'. It's a video I am going to keep coming back to. Why? Because it's Beyonce's one video where the styling in every scene appeals to me, and having spent the past month doing nothing but try to find myself (how corny?) my style, watching films, reading, reflecting, and thinking of my future career in fashion, there's elements of this video that has really "inspired" me in terms of work and personal style.

But that's a post for another day.

This video (the above still inparticular) has now made me a)develop a thing for statement rings, and b)fall back in love with nail lacquer.


Growing up, I remember watching my mum paint her nails in the evening, and do all kinds of fancy art on her finger and toe nails. I also remember the rings of polish she used to get on her thumb and finger tips from where she would use them to cover up the bottle of polish because she said the air would dry it out. She still does it now, and I still laugh at her. She's probably right, I just find it th level of concentration she gives it humourous.

I digress.

Having been out of the loop with the Nail Lacquer game, my quest for the perfect blue came to halt as I limited my search to brands found in Superdrug and boots. Having now done my research, I've now come up with the perfect 5:

1 Chanel-Nouvelle Vague // 2 China Glaze-For Audrey // 3 Essie-Greenport // 4 OPI-What's With The Cattitude // 5 0RLY-Gumdrop
Whilst I'm pretty sure Mrs Carter-Knowles is wearing the Chanel shade, I have got my eye on the ORLY and OPI shades.

Who's That Girl

Charlotte Kemp Muhl... absolutely gorgeous!

Topshop A/W 2010-11 Lookbook

Dark Nouveau

Out Of The Wild

The Outsiders

So I'm sat here feeling incredibly hot with the world's most pointless fan that insists on blowing hot air my way looking at these pictures from Topshop's autumn winter lookbook and suddenly I can't wait for A/W.

You know a collection's good when you begin to long for the season you couldn't wait to say goodbye to.

I'm especially loving their 'Where the Wild Things are' inspired-Out of the Wild and Chloe-esque The Outsiders collections and whilst I probably wont be buying a lot of these from Topshop as they're prices continue to creep up unneccesarily I'm sure I'll find a purse friendly alternative somewhere else.

Mens Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2011: Dolce & Gabbana

3 reason's why I look forward to Dolce & Gabbana show:
*The models...
*The models have a bit of colour on them, are muscular, and beefy {see: real men}. Other designer's take note, and stop sending malnourished, anaemic looking male models down the catwalk please.
*I love the fact that Domenico and Stefano make a point of sending my beloved David Gandy down in pants/trunk/something minimal every season...

I love the collection too, it had a 'summer holiday in Sardinia' feel, and I can't wait to see what their womenswear collection is going to look like now.

Mens Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2011: Burberry

I'm still waiting for Christopher Bailey to dissapoint me. I wondered how Bailey was going to top his flight jacket inspired collection but he has done it again, and managed to throw a twist in there as well (Leather trenches next spring fellas?). How he manages to make the Trench coat new every season amazes me, but then I guess that is a sign of a true designer

World Class

Why Fatima Siad came 3rd and not 1st in ANTM Cycle10 will forever be a mystery to me. She will always be one of my favourite ANTM contestants.

Introducing Rox

Picture source: Vogue It
I haven't done a music post in a while but I'm so in love with Rox Tataei's music I just had to bring it back again.

I've been reading(in magazine, newspapers etc...) about Rox for roughly around a year now, but I hadn't heard her music-or so I thought. Unbeknownst to me, the song that I just could not get out of my head 'No Going Back' just so happened to be by Rox.

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Instyle X Kaya Scodelario

I came across Kaya Scodelario's spread for Instyle magazine, and was intruiged by how Stylist Amanda Bellan managed to incorporate "Effy's" style into this cutesy pin-up style. One of the areas I want to venture into is styling, and I now unconciously find myself analysing editorial spreads looking at how the model, the clothes, the theme etc... interlink with one another to create a feature that stands out amongst other features.
I guess if you want to be good at something, you've got to study it.

I Told You I've Forgotten How To Blog!

So let me start by telling you what I've been up to.
I've been clearing out the crap hole that it my room, because I need to redecorate (remember those "what I wore today posts I said I was going to do" from last year? Well I don't think you's appreciate clutter in the background). Infact I'm supossed to be clearing it up now but I'm exhausted and the dust is slowly killing me so I'm taking a break even though I know my dad will give me hell tomorrow when he realises that the space he needs to battle with an Ikea flat pack hasn't been created. I've spent the last 2 weeks thinking about what I want to do with my life. Knowing that that's it for me now-no more university, it's really hit me (and my bank account)that I need to stop dithering about, start doing things and start making mula.

When you hit 21, sooner or later it dawns on you that you're not getting any younger, therefore I plan on experimenting with my style which I should have in my teens (omg I'm not a teenager anymore)and I will be wearing things (clothes, hair and make up) now that I probably won't be able to get away with in my 30's/40's etc... even though I plan on looking MILF-like during my forties a la Lisa Raye McCoy and Stacey Dash.

Kaygee from Kaygee Beauty and her fountain of knowledge has got me all inspired to try something new with my make-up.
This is what my make up bag looks like:


But this is all I use:
Can I just add that:-Mayebelline Falsies mascara is the sh*t (for now until I try out L'Oreal Million lashes mascara).

Boring insn't it?
Well I've been taking baby steps and I'm trying bold colour on my nails instead of pinks nudes, bright pink blush and lip colour instead of gloss. Now I know black girls dont blush but I don't care. I think it's fun to add a bit of colour as long as I don't end up looking like Bobo the clown. I also discovered that red looks so frikkin' good on me but I'm scared that it makes me look like my mum-not that there's anything wrong with that because my mum looks really good, but i'm just scared it will make me look older.

Can I just mention how in love I am with Benefits "eye Bright"?

I don't think I use it the way I am supossed to (I mean I do line my inner lower lid) but also after putting on all my make up, I line under my eyes, blend it in and walah, I look awake. So thank you Glamour magazine for the freebie Go and grab your copy whilst you still can!

I think I've got a shopping addiction. Seriously. I spending like I'm still receiving student loan money.
H&M(please excuse the creases)
H&M
Asos(I'm still obsessed with Alexander Wang's SS'10 collection)

Rihanna Does Elle Magazine

I can't wait to get this issue! I normally wait for my friend in Deptford market to come with his back dated magazines for only £1 each... but this can't wait. Must cop. Will cop.

Tumblr Hype

I thought I told you guys already, but I realised that I haven't... I'm on tumblr now. Of course I'm still going to have this blog, but I come across more inspiration images than my laptop can hack so I now post them on Tumblr.
Strut{t} Mode Tumblr
...or click the image above

Editorial: Numero #114 "La mauvaise éducation"

Photography: Greg KadelModel: Mirande Kerr