Chunky Knits for Winter

It's been a little while since I have last posted so thought I would post about one of my favorite trends right now. Down here in New Zealand, its freezing and we are coming into the coldest time of the year which can only mean one thing: wrapping up warm!

On of my favorite trends is chunky knits (I especially love a chunky cable knit) in lighter colours for winter. Check out these cute trends below.

#knits #fashion #winterfashion #lightcolours #warmclothes #womensfashion 

Fashion & Beauty Hacks

There are a few handy tips & tricks I have picked up over the years so thought I would write a list of my top 10 fashion & beauty hacks. Enjoy!

10) Clean your shoes. Not everyone can afford designer shoes, the simple fact is that people will notice if your shoes are covered in dirt  & it can give the impression that your untidy. Give your shoes a good clean and polish if you can.

9) Pick one day handbag that is in a neutral tone for all your day ware. Make sure it's not too over-sized so you don't end up filling it up with junk you don't need to carry around. Having a handbag in a neutral colour means it will not only go with most of the items in your wardrobe but it can also easily take you from one season to the other. An example of  this is the bag I recently picked up at H&M.

(Bag from www.Hm.com)

8) NEVER let your bra straps be visible. If you don't have a bra with straps that can be crossed over, use a paper clip & hook your bra straps together in the middle of your back, hiding them from view.

7) Paint your nails. The price of one bottle of decent nail polish is about the price of one manicure, so it makes sense to buy a bottle in a shade you love and do it yourself. If your unsure go for the classics - red or nude. Pretty painted nails will always make you look and feel more put together.

6) If your running short on cash and can't decide on buying either a decent body lotion or body wash, invest in the body lotion as it stays on your skins for hours where as body wash goes down the drain as you use it.

5) Eye make up: Good mascara is noticeable, even more so is that bad or cheap mascara is noticeable & no one wants their eyelashes clumped or drying out and at risk of snapping off. Many brands now offer  a 'Extra Black' shade and for some this may even mean you may not even need to use eyeliner anymore .Always be aware of the types of products you are putting on or around your eyes, don't use old mascara either.

4) Don't share make up brushes. EVER. Bacteria can easily spread in make up and borrowing other peoples brushes will put you at risk of developing an infection, if you have forgotten your eye make up brush its better to use a cotton bud or the tip of your finger, just remember to wash your hands before & after.

3) Sometimes less is more. One peace of classic jewelry will look more expensive then lots of cheap items.

2) A good scarf can improve almost any outfit during Autumn / Winter / Spring. It's all about texture and print, think soft luxury fabrics and wearable colours, that take you from day to night.

1) The best eye make up remover I have ever used is Baby Oil. A tiny drop or two onto a cotton bud takes off ALL your eye make up, I'm talking day time mascara to smokey eye "I've been partying into the wee hours and now need to get all this make up off" type eye make up. It's gentle on your skin, lasts a long time as you only need a drop or two each time & its extremely affordable.

Wearing Socks with Ballet Flats

I recently bought my first pair of Nude Ballet Flats, and I love them. They are a great alternative to black for the cooler months...shortly afterwards I realized you cannot wear black opaque tights with nude colored shoes.
With the weather cooling down, wearing flats without socks is not always an option, there was one question was on my mind...Can I wear socks with my ballet flats?

After some googling trying to find out what others thought, I decided to try my new shoes on with a pair of light grey sparkly thin socks. I really liked the match and wore them to work today matched with a mocha colored skater skirt, white single and nude colored scarf. Wearing socks also made breaking in my new shoes less painful which was an added bonus, along with keeping my feet a little warmer. I also had a few compliments throughout the day too.

If your wondering about this too, my suggestion is to try match colors you like and just make sure your socks are not too thick, wearing socks with flats can be do-able in winter with a skirt.Make sure you pick something you feel comfortable in.Here's the photo of what my shoes looked like (there is a silver sparkle woven into the socks, a little hard to see), I suggest mixing and matching different styles until you find something you like.

#SocksWithFlats #BalletFlats #NudeWinter 

Autumn: Leather Skirts

I have always liked leather skirts, there is just something about wearing one that makes you feel special and a little bit of a rebel at the same time! With Autumn here, a leather skirt is the perfect peace to transform you from day to night, with the added bonus of the heaver material keeping you that little bit warmer. There are so many styles available from skater to pencil, just find the perfect fit for you - although leather stretches a little when warn so make sure you try before you buy. Below are some of great leather skirts being styled, as well as a picture of myself wearing my pencil leather skirt.

#Leatherskirts #fashion #Leather #skirts

What to Wear Between Seasons

Here in the Southern Hemisphere just like the Northern, we are now starting to transition between seasons, only here we are moving from Summer to Autumn. Changing season's is always an interesting and at tricky time to know what to wear. There are a few tips and tricks I have discovered along the way, and Lauren Conrad's recent article sums this up perfectly. Even though she is talking about moving from Winter to Spring, I think her tips are relevant for this side of the world too. Check out her March Fashion Tips on what to wear during transition from one season to another.

Flash Tattoos

I have recently discovered these amazing Flash Tattoos that come in a range of creative metallic designs. Flash tattoos are temporary and can last up to 4 days if looked after properly. They are inspired by jewelry and come in a range of pretty designs. They are the perfect way to add a little extra to your summer party out fit. Check out these examples below.

See www.flashtat.com

#FlashTattoos #GoldTattoos #Women #Fashion #Jewelry #summer 

How to Curl Your Hair

I'm a girl with naturally straight, fine hair so attempting to curl it with any kind of hair tool has always been very time consuming and difficult. However the consistent photos of celebs walking around with their free flowing full head of curls kept me trying to achieve this 'hair dream'. (Think: Lauren Conrad's loose curls or Blake Lively's beachy waves)

Today I brought a new hair straightener, as after almost 10 years my trusty old GHD straightener had finally died.  There are now quite a few good straighteners on the market, I decided to try something new and buy a Sleek Finish straightener by John Frieda. The ceramic titanium coated plates are a little longer then on my old GHD and the round shaped ends makes it a lot easier to create curls. The other great thing about this straightener is that you can change the temperature on a small LCD screen, starting from 185 degrees celsius to a maximum of  235 Degrees celsius (max 455 degress fahrenheit) in just 15 seconds. It also comes with auto shut off encase you forget to turn it off. 

I'm happy to report that I successfully and easily created curls with this straightener, if I have learnt anything, it's that persistence and practise makes perfect....that and watching YouTube 'How to' videos & lots of hairspray! 

Grammy Awards 2015 Fashion

Its Awards Season, which means red carpet fashion! The Grammys have just finished up for 2015, below are my pics for best dressed: Gwen Stefani wearing a Atelier Versace jumpsuit & Taylor Swift wearing a beautiful iridescent turquoise dress by Eli Saab.

#GrammysAwards #Grammys2015 #TaylorSwift #GwenStefani #GrammyFashion #RedCarpet 

Midi Skirts: Vintage & Ladylike

Midi skirts - skirts that sit at the waist and are calf length, have been around for awhile now and are available in a variety of styles and fabrics. The great thing about this style of skirt is that with the drawn in waistline, and longer hem it is flattering to every body type by emphasizing a women's natural curves - think 1950's silhouettes.

My favorite are these feminine examples below - although you can get more fitted styles too. Different fabrics and patterns can effect the way these skirts sit or look so best to try before you buy.

#midiskirts #midi #skirts #womensfashion #fashion #howtowearmidiskirts 

Review: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel - combination oily to oily

I've tried a few different face moisturisers over the last few years, but have always had the same problem: they are too strong and cause my skin to become oily and break out.

After getting a few different professional opinions, I decided to try Clinique as I have found some of their other products gentle in the past. I was recommended their Dramatically Different Moistursing Gel - "combination oily to oily skin". Although my skin is sensitive I wouldn't say it's overly oily on a daily basis, more that I have combination skin (T-Zone).

I've been using this product for around 6 months now, every morning (as a make-up base) & night (before bed) and am happy to say it hasn't caused my skin to break out or react at all. It's a very light weight gentle gel formula, and you only need a couple of pumps to refresh and hydrate your skin. This also means that the bottle lasts a long time! (added bonus).

If you have sensitive skin and are looking for a refreshing daily moisturiser, I would recommend this product. I order this from StrawberryNet every few months, their site is easy to use (plus free shipping!) and with every order you place you receive a loyalty discount. 

#cliniquereview #cliniquemoisturiserreview #moisturiser #clinique

Summer Hats

Summer hats are good for so many reasons; protecting your skin on a hot sunny day, keeping your hair under control in the humidity plus adding a little something extra to your summer outfit. Check out these examples below, suitable for formal summer celebration or a day at the beach.

#summerhats #fashion #womensfasion #summerfashion #hats

Summer Shorts

This summer it's all about colorful shorts! There are so many patterns and prints available and they are perfect for a sunny day at the beach or a summer festival. My favorite are these boho inspired ones below. 

 #festivalshorts #bohoshorts #summershorts #summerfashion #womensfashion #fashion