Wednesday 27 February 2013

Chic Low Rolled Updo Tutorial

Looking for a hairstyle that just oozes effortless chic? A 'do that's a bit romantic, super lovely, and easy peasy to achieve? 

The low rolled updo is a gorgeous twisted style that softly gathers the hair at the nape of the neck, making for a look that can be worn with dainty flowers during the day, or with a beautiful dress at night. Plus, if you're stuck at the mirror thinking, what am I going to do with my hair today?! this is the perfect five minute style that really does go with anything.

Thank you to the beautiful Ally for being my model in this tutorial <3


Taken By Surprise Tutorial: Chic Low Rolled Updo


What you will need:
- A hairbrush (mine is a Tangle Teezer)
- A few bobby pins
- A hair tie
- Hairspray

1. Start with day old hair so you have some texture to work with that will help keep this style in place. If your hair is freshly washed, you can spritz in some dry shampoo or a volumising powder and massage it into your roots.

2. Give your hair a good brush so it's smooth and tangle free.

3. With your hair tie, gather your hair into a low, loose ponytail that sits at the nape of your neck. Gently pull some pieces of hair from around your face out to frame your face and to keep the look soft and relaxed.


4. Just above the hair tie, split the hair into two sections, creating a space. Then taking the ponytail, loop it up and through the hole.

5. Repeat the previous step, and it should look like you have a small bun.

6. Spritz a bit of hairspray onto your bobby pins which will give them more grip and help prevent them from slipping out of your hair.

7. Pull the bun apart slightly so the hair is evenly distributed. Pin into place, making sure to pin the remaining loose end of the ponytail into the twist.



And we're done!




If you have any hairstyle tutorial requests, let me know in the comments below and I'll see what I can do!
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Saturday 23 February 2013

Melbourne Vintage Clearance Sale & Haul

I love turning pre-loved fashion and to-be-loved fashion. Flicking through rack to rack, rummaging in boxes and boxes of previously owned threads is like fashion cat nip to me. Let me say right here how thankful I am to everyone who has ever donated, given away or sold their old things, because if they hadn't, I might never have got my style seeking mitts on them! 

Plus, being a university student with a limited (more like close to non-existent) moolah, I love heading to a good market to pick up some bargain buys. Today I headed to the Melbourne Vintage Clearance Centre sale at Kingston City Hall for a big dose of vintage fashion. 

With clothes, bags and shoes all between $5 - $30, my wallet was grinning at me and nodding enthusiastically whenever I picked up something pretty. Which is unusual, because it normally frowns at me and shouts, "LADY, SAVE YO FUNDS!"

Below are the snaps (and my purchases!) from event, and be sure to check out the Vintage Clearance Sale on Facebook for details on when it comes to town next.

$15 dresses. I nearly fainted!
It was just like Boxing Day - people EVERYWHERE, clothes all over the place and you definitely had to keep a grip on your things in case you dropped it and someone else fell in love with it too!
The most beautiful sequin tops, dresses and blazers - I wanted to sparkle so badly but none of it was in my size :(
Leather boots all in tip top condition! You could literally talk a walk in someone else's shoes...
I loved this dress, but after trying it on (in a corner behind a dress rack, mind you!) I realised that it was just that bit too big for me :( I left it behind, and I hope it now has a happy home.

So what vintage goodies did I take home?

I felt crazy buying this because it's still the middle of a hot summer, but I just couldn't leave it behind! I could see it becoming a favourite cosy throw-on for winter days at uni, and how beautiful is the bead work??
This photo doesn't really do this top justice, but it's basically a long-sleeve slim fit top, knitted using gold thread. It's exactly my size and I'll be tucking this cutie into all of my high-waisted bottoms.

This dress is actually more purpley-blue in real life, and it goes in at the waist. I'm planning to snip off the sleeves, and wear it with combat boots and a skinny belt.
I have been on the hunt for a pair of heeled clogs and a pair of flats, so having found neither over the last few shopping trips, I was so happy to find this pair that was a lovely mix of the two styles! AND IN MY SIZE #bestfeelingeverrrrrr


And this is what it all looks like together!
(Not the dress, obviously!)

Sorry about the terrible lighting that weirdly made my olive legs super white!!
For those wondering, my shorts are from Mink Pink.

What's the best (prices and range) market that you've ever been to? I love suggestions, so please let me know in the comments below!
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Thursday 21 February 2013

February Shopping Haul

How is everyone going? For today's post, I have a little haul to share! One of my gorgeous best friends and I went shopping the other day and I picked up a few pretty new purchases which I thought I would share with you all! 

But before we get into it, I have a question for all of my DIY fashionista readers - one of my dresses is a tad too big for me (see below) and I'm looking to take it in. But because it has sequins on it, it's proving a bit of a challenge. Does anyone have any tips? Let me know in the comments!

Sequin Shift Dress - Sportsgirl ($20.95 down from $159.95!!)
I've had my eye on this dress for a while, but the hefty price tag always told little-uni-student-me to walk away. So when I found this dress sitting on the sale rack for $30, on a day where ALL SALE ITEMS WERE AN ADDITIONAL 30% off, you could say I flipped out! Even though it's a size too big for me - I know I always say never fall in love with sale items if they're not your size, but never turn down a sequin dress that's $20, ever - I still bought it, because being a shift dress, it's meant to hang off the body. I can't get over how gorgeous it is, it's like a sequin sun!!


Angel Biba Cherry Blossom Tea Dress $45
This brand is actually a favourite of my friend whom I went shopping with, and I see why! I adore the tea dress cut because it cinches in at the waist and it super ladylike, plus being a huge fan of Japanese culture, I love the sakura print. I don't normally wear much white or pink, so this dress is a nice deviation from my usual outfits.



TheBalm Schwing Liquid Eyeliner - David Jones ($19.95)
My favourite liquid liner (Lancome's Artliner) just ran out, so I was in need of a new one to take its place. With Lancome being a bit exxy, I was open to trying something with a friendlier price tag, and the packaging of this TheBalm liner was too cute to resist! It helps that the liner itself is also really good too!

TheBalm Eyeshadow Brush - David Jones ($13.95)
DJs was hosting a promotion where if you spent over a certain amount (I think it was $34?) on TheBalm products, you would receive a free full size product of their Time Balm face primer. So I treated myself to a new eyeshadow brush (my old one has a flat end, so I'm glad I have a nice fluffy blending one now).

TheBalm Time Balm Primer - David Jones (Free with promotion, but RRP $34.95)
After trying this in the store, I was happy to fork out the extra cash for a new eyeshadow brush (above) to get this baby for free. It's super velvety on the skin, and I'm really excited to try it out!

In other news, I go back to uni in just over a week and need to upgrade my school bag. For the last two years I've been using this adorable mixed pastel coloured backpack from General Pants Co., but it's starting to show its age and unfortunately, there's no such thing as anti-aging cream for bags.

I have since found two replacements online that I both like AND will fit my 17'' Macbook, but I can't decide! Help me choose? :)

Asos Floral Weave Backpack $79.90
Topman Heritage Shape Backpack £30
Which backpack should I choose? Let me know in the comments below!
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Sunday 17 February 2013

My Lipstick Collection & Swatches!

I'm not going to lie, I'm a lipstick lover. I seem to always have at least three lippies in my bag (who knows when you'll need to make the switch from daytime pink lips to elegant evening red?) and I know that a good 'ol slick of colour will do the trick to freshen up my makeup whenever I'm strapped for time. Beauty confession: embarrassingly, it's such a struggle to go shopping without bringing at least one new lip colour home with me...

You could say I'm a bit obsessed, but what can I say, I love a pretty pout!

But having lipstick habits like these mean my collection is always growing, so I thought for this post I would share the rainbow that is my lipstick collection, so for all of you looking for an update for their makeup bag, read on!

I've ordered the photos from nudes to pinks to reds to dark reds :)

Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick - 111 Kiss of Life (Semi-matte)
This lippy is such a pretty light peach colour, and is a semi matte, so somewhere in between a matte and a creme lipstick. This shade is yet to be released in Australia, but keep your eyes peeled because it should be out in the next month or so.


Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick - 113 Rosetto (Matte)
Part of Kate Moss' signature collection, this shade has been out for a few months now and is a nice nude pink/brown. This would also look stunning as a cheek stain on those with lighter skin - not me unfortunately! 


Candy Doll Lipstick - 1A (Creme)
This was given to me as a present from one of my best friends in Japan, and it is such a cute Harajuku-esque pink! It's a strawberry milk sort of pink which is a tad light for my medium-tone complexion, but it's an adorable shade which I wear when I want to look like, well, a candy doll!


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Beauty Queen (Creme)
I bought this when I was looking for my perfect pink lippy, and it was just a biiiiiiiiit too light for me personally. I prefer semi-matte to matte finishes, so this was a bit sheer, but it's perfect for using as a cheek stain.


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Rosie Posie (Matte)
This is a nice orangey pink which is definitely punchy to wear! It's great for summer and goes well with my outfits when I wear pastels.


 Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Pretty Please (Semi-matte)
I've raved about this shade before, it's my PERFECT nude shade! I wear this day-to-day and it suits whatever outfit I'm wearing. Plus it isn't a true matte so it doesn't dry out my lips, and the stay-power is pretty good, I generally get a few hours wear out of it.


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Fruit Tingle (Matte)
I really REALLY wanted to love this colour, but unfortunately it's way too bright for me. I love the look of orange lip colours, but this particular shade just didn't suit me, it's halfway between a neon and a pastel. But it looks stunning on one of my friends - she's blonde and fair-skinned and it suits her really well.


Innoxa Summer Matte Collection - Watermelon (Matte)
This is another punchy orange/pink shade, but I find the Innoxa lipsticks tend to be a bit "painty". I can't apply it straight from the bullet, instead I have to build up the colour from a stain to full using my finger tip. 


Dior Addict - 687 Rose Perspective
My mum normally wears these deep rose shades, and bought this one by mistake when buying her staple lipstick. So I got it instead, and I generally wear it when I want to look more "mature". It's a brown/rose pink, and adds a bit of old school charm to my makeup.


Innoxa Lovely Lips Lipstick - Pink Peony
This lippy actually has a little story behind it! I was going to a Barbie-themed party last year and wanted the perfect "Barbie Pink". So I tweeted the editor and beauty editor of Girlfriend Magazine and LC the beauty ed suggested Pink Peony. And she was totally right - this pink just screams Barbie and was perfect for the party!


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Sweet Valentine (Semi-matte)
This is one of my go-to brights, it's such a gorgeous deep hot pink and it has really great staying power. I wear it on those days that I want to add a bit of oomph to my look, and this lippy does just that!


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Fashion Addict (Glitter Matte)
This lippy has tiny flecks of glitter through it, and it's the only one I own with that shimmery effect. It gives off a bit of an 80s vibe, but sometimes you want a bit of retro flair ;)


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Berrylicious (Matte)
Another one of my favourites, this colour is more to the purple end of the scale than pink. I find that purple toned lip colours suit me the best, and while this is a statement colour, I can still get away with it during the day! It doesn't need touch ups either - the matte finish clings to my lips pretty well and I find it stays pretty much all day without reapplying.


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Juicy Watermelon (Matte)
This looks like a simple red on camera, but it's slightly pink toned. It's great for days where you want to wear red lipstick but true red is a bit too much. Its really easy to wear this colour, and it suits most skin tones - a few of my friends have this shade and it suits them just as well as it does me, and we all look really different haha


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Almost Famous (Matte)
This is the newest addition to my collection, and I've been wearing it almost everyday since I bought it! It's an orange-toned red, and is not as loud as a true red, so it's easy to wear. I've been wearing a red flower crown around lately, and this has been my matchy matchy lip colour to go with it :)


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Bombshell (Matte)
Every girl needs a statement red lipstick, and this is a great one! I've recommended this to so many people and they all adore it. It suits all skin tones, plus it makes your teeth look whiter! This shade was released almost two years ago, and it's still in stores at Sportsgirl, THAT'S how popular it is!


 Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick - 111 Kiss of Life (Semi-matte)
This shade isn't out yet either (but will be soon!) and it's a nice deep pinky red. The semi-matte finish means it glides on, and it smells SO GOOD. Plus how cute is the case? 


Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter - 040 Red Velvet
SO MANY people have raved about the lip butters by Revlon, and I see why! They're really easy to wear, not as high maintenance as a lipstick, and have really good colour pay-off. This shade is also really good as a cheek stain - love versatility!


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Night Owl (Matte - but really it's more of a creme)
This is one of my favourite lip colours - purple red! It's definitely not a matte like it says on the case, but that's fine with me. The colour is SO GORGEOUS and if I can't decide what colour to wear at night, I always go back to this one.


Sportsgirl Pout About It! Lip Colour - Dark Angel (Matte)
Colours like this definitely look daunting because they are so dark, but I love a good dark lippy and this one would be perfect for creating a vampy lip. This particular shade is really matte however, I usually pop a plum coloured gloss over the top so the effect isn't as harsh and 90s goth-looking.



What is your go-to lip colour? Do you prefer matte or glossy finish lips? Let me know in the comments below!
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