Going Nude: Nails Edition

Nude nails

In Monday's post, I skimmed over beauty's new trend of the "muted" made up look. I've been messing around with some nude lip colors, and I'm kind of digging it. As a result, I decided to dive all into nudes in this week's mani. I'm wearing 'Yummy Mummy' by Butter London. It's the perfect nude for my skin tone since it's more brownish than pinkish. I absolutely ADORE this color because it reminds me so much of 'All Hail the Queen' which is similar except that it has load of sparkles. I typically go for a little more color on my nails, but this is a refreshing change. It also kind of reminds me of spring which is all I'm looking forward to given this gloomy, snowy, cloudy weather we've been having here in London.

Look out for a post this week on my favorite nude lips!

Stay fab! xx

Rock the Look: Monochrome

From left to right: Diane von Furstenberg, Ralph Lauren, Maison Martin Margiela, Michael Kors, Jason Wu
Photo credit: Style.com

I am a minimalist. I get excited over clean lines and simple silhouettes. Less is more in my humble opinion. The one thing that gets me really excited though is monochromatic palettes. Long before Jay-Z coined the phrase "all black everything", I was wearing skinny, black pants with black tops and pumps to school. I've been experimenting with color over the past year, but at my core, I'm all about black white and maybe a few shades of gray. Spring 2013 is clearly my season as black and white dominated so many runways. The trend is now beginning to hit the high street as winter stocks are being pushed out. I personally won't be buying much of anything since I already own enough black for several people, but I have been eyeing a few striped and checkered skirts.

There is nothing difficult about wearing black and white, but with so many options available I put together a couple looks to provide some inspiration for the trend.

Helmut Lang leather leggings, Diane von Furstenberg silk top, Alexander Wang booties, Oryany Handbag, Isharya earrings

As a nod to Fall 2012 trends, pair a black and white top with leather leggings and oxblood booties for a casual look. 

It is no secret that Diane von Furstenberg is one of my favorite designers. I adore her prints, and her black and whites are no exception. This could easily be paired with a pencil skirt or leather shorts for a great day-to-night look. Zara and H&M carry great looks for less as well.

Marc by Marc Jacobs skirt, Markus Lupfer sequin lip tee, Topshop biker jacket, Christian Louboutin booties, Marc Jacobs bag, Eddie Borgo earrings

Markus Lupfer is quickly becoming one of my favorite quirky designers. I adore the sequin lip and cheeseburger jumpers mainly because they're sequin. I don't think I've ever met sequins that I didn't like. I think this tee gives the skirt a downtown vibe that could easily take this look from day to night. The biker jacket and sky high platform pumps give this look a nice edgy feel. Every girl wants to feel a little bad ass from time to time.

H&M dress, Celine bag, Charlotte Olympia heels, Stella & Dot earrings and bangle

Not only are clothes taking on a minimalist theme, beauty is too. So many designers went for a "muted" made up look, so try a nude lip with this trend. It's going to be hard for me to incorporate more nudes into my beauty regimen, but it's alway fun to try something new. If you're dying for some color, try a bright handbag like the Celine I incorporated into this look. 

Hopefully, one or all of these looks has you inspired to try a little monochrome this season. How will you rock the look? 

Stay fab! xx 

Trend I'm Loving: Studs and Spikes

The studs and spikes trend is HUGE in London. I can barely walk out of my flat without seeing spikes on leather jackets, hats, jewelry, etc. I fell in love with the edgy trend the moment I saw it. I don't know that I'll be customizing all my wardrobe staples with studs at this point, but a couple pairs of pumps would be nice. I adore the Christian Louboutin Pigalle studded pumps, but for now I'll be hunting for the look for less. I've already found a few pairs that I'm loving. Fingers crossed I'll be posting about those finds soon!

Stay fab! xx

Sale Alert: Charlotte Olympia on the Outnet!

The Outnet is Net-A-Porter's outlet site. It's really great for designer steals, so I almost lost it when I got an email about their Charlotte Olympia sale. The only bummer is how little variety they have in sizes. The one pair I would kill for only comes in a 6. Ha! As if I could fit my big toe in a 6. 

Make sure you leave a comment if you score a fab pair of Charlotte Olympias!

Stay fab! xx

Big Kiss

It takes a lot for me to abandon my massive hadnbags. I prefer to have my bags double as luggage in most cases. However, when I saw the 'Big Kiss' clutch by Charlotte Olympia I couldn't pass it up. 50% off the original price helped quite a bit as well! I absolutely adore this clutch. It's red lips so naturally we're a match made in fashion heaven. It has a little strap, but I have yet to use it. I like holding this little baby in my hands.

For an evening catch up with my cousin, I wore an oversized jumper with my go to faux leather pants. I'm by no means a sample size, so I didn't think I'd be able to pull off a full leather pant, but after purchasing this affordable option I'm kind of in love with them. This was definitely a lesson for me as it should be for everyone, don't knock it until you try it! If this trend sticks around long enough I might just snatch up a real leather pair. I love these as a chic alternative to jeans.

I've never been a fan of Aldo shoes because they're unreasonably uncomfortable, but I do love these Aldo wedge booties. I can do quite a bit of walking in them without wanting to cut off all my toes which is pretty much my number 1 concern when buying heels to stomp around London in. I'm not sure that I'm completely sold on Aldo at this point, but these will do for now.

I said that I would start playing with lip colors this year, so here we go! I kept my eyes bright and simple and went for a deep plum lip. I am obsessed with the Nars 'Train Bleu' velvet matte pencil. It's really dark, but it looks fantastic on. It's also quite versatile. I've worn it with my 'Dragon Girl' pencil for an ombre look and with glosses to sheer it out a little bit. Last night I wore it with Nars Larger than Life gloss in 'Rouge Tribal'. I loved the look and will definitely be rocking it again soon.

You may have noticed that I got a hair cut. It's a new year, and I got tired of managing chemically relaxed ends and new natural growth. Now it's all gone. I'm still getting used to the look, but I love the lower maintenance!

Sweater: Whistles

Faux Leather Pants: Topshop

Booties: Aldo

Bag: Big Kiss clutch by Charlotte Olympia

Jewelry: Stella & Dot and Tiffany & Co. bracelets and ring, Zodiac watch

What do you think of the new look?

Stay fab! xx

Style Resolutions: What are yours?

It's mid January, and I'm just finishing up my new year's resolutions. I'm late, but I spent all last week trying to overcome jet lag and the end of last year planning a wedding. I'll cut myself a break even if no one else does. 

I set some pretty basic fashion and beauty resolutions this year. I do a pretty decent job of sticking to my goals once I've written them down, so let's see how this goes...

1. Take more fashion risks: experiment with color and prints and play with some different silhouettes.

2. Wash my makeup off every night...even when I'm drunk and exhausted (I realize that at 26 I should already do this, but I'm not perfect!)

3. Organize (and keep it organized!) beauty products so I can use everything instead of what's on top.

4. Quality over quantity - shop less and splurge on more wish list items. Miu Miu glitter flats? Yes please!

5. Experiment with lip colors. I love red, but this year I'm going to play some more with pinks and nudes. I'm already loving MAC snob. 

6. Use eBay for some funky fashion finds! I'm always talking to friends who swear by eBay, but I don't have the patience to use it. We're going to find some fun things this year! I can feel it! 

7. Learn to apply individual lashes. This should be interesting...

These are just a few of the resolutions I have in mind, but who knows how these will evolve as the year goes on. 

Have some style resolutions you want to share? Leave a comment!

Stay fab! xx

Happy New Year!

"It's been a long time, I shouldn't've left you.."

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything, but I'm back! I'll be posting more regularly in 2013, so no planned hiatuses in the near future. I did have good reason to abandon my baby for a while though. I spent the last 3 months of 2012 preparing for my wedding! My hunny and I made it official (again) in front of all of our family and friends December 29, 2012. Our civil ceremony took place on December 29, 2011, so we were doubly happy to celebrate our one year anniversary! (not to mention finally telling everyone we're already married!) 

For those of you who follow me on instagram and twitter, I posted several pictures of what I've been up to over the past couple months. After the wedding I spent a week in Jamaica before coming back to gloomy London. I wasn't exactly excited about coming back after spending so much time with my family and friends, but now that I'm back I've fallen right back into the swing of things. Now that the jet lag has passed, I'm right back to exploring London and sharing it with you all. 

This year you can look forward to more beauty posts and product reviews, London street style as well as my style diary, and lots more posts on travel! I hope that you will continue to read as we move through 2013. I have so much in store for you!

Stay fab! xx