Monthly Archives: June 2010

Jun21

Designer duo Basso & Brooke are set to launch a printed interiors range.

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Designer duo Basso & Brooke are set to launch a printed interiors range.

The designer duo Basso & Brooke have announced that they will be launching an exciting new printed interiors collection. The pair who can usually be found dressing the likes of the renowned singer Beyonce and also the stylish Michelle Obama, have this season taken a step in different direction. The pair has in fact designed a series of innovative digital prints; these aesthetically pleasing prints have been applied to an assortment of specially made furniture and home commodities.

The designers have stated that the world of interiors is something that has always interested them and one direction they have always intended to follow. The introduction of interiors to the designer’s current line has made them very much a lifestyle brand. They were initially classed as a print label so therefore this expansion of the brand seems a natural route to follow, there designs can be printed onto any surface, whether this is a dress, skirt, bedspread or chair.

The prints were inspired by Turning Leaf wine and feature vibrant, multi-coloured leaf art work. Although Basso & Brooke didn’t design the furniture they had a huge input in the style of furniture used in the collection. The pair have stated that the pieces in the range are very much influenced by a mixture of both tradition and technology, which is why they opted for hand-carved French furniture in an extremely traditional style. By adding digital prints and hi-pop wood embellishments means there is also an element of contemporary in their designs

The next projects the pair have in mind are said to include a hotel suite or restaurant interior, enthusing a variety of digital imagery into either.

The collection will be featured at The Shop at Bluebird on the King’s Road in London and will be available to purchase throughout the summer season!

Jun18

Jazz Domino Holly proves she is this season’s mistress of stitch.

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Jazz Domino Holly proves she is this season’s mistress of stitch.

As well as being the founder of Britain’s coolest branch of W1 – the Shoreditch Sisters, Jazz Domino Holly is also the daughter of the rather renowned Clash singer Joe Strummer. This particular girl is also living proof that it is in fact really hip to craft

Jazz has reportedly stated that one of the first things a girl should do as soon as she catches the crafting bug is to start a sewing stash, this should consist of retro buttons which are often found on vintage market stalls and spools of vintage threads, these can be picked up at charity shops along with other must have embellishments.

Having these items in stock will don’t only enable you to begin projects at any time but will also encourage you to do so. The good thing about this particular past time is it isn’t at all expensive, you can always pick up end of roll fabrics for next to nothing and almost everyone has unwanted garments and fabrics lying around the house which are perfect for such projects.

Sewing essentials include needles in an assortment of sizes, fabric scissors that are able to cut through many materials at ease, a stitch unpicker for any mistakes made or alternatively taking apart unwanted pieces, sewing scissors which will allow you to cut through threads, dress makers pins made out of steel and all the fabrics, buttons, tassels and ribbons which allow you to create a truly unique piece.

Are you looking for some new stylish furniture for your bedroom? Click here for Bedstar.co.uk and browse their great collection of beds, mattresses and furniture online.

Jun16

Festival fashion for 2010.

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Festival fashion for 2010.

The Isle of Wight Festival took place just this weekend and was the first festival of this season to hit Britain and showcased an array of trends and styles; the various styles seen are certainly set to stay strong for the summer.

The high street fashion chain, H&M sent their style scouts on a mission in order to reveal the chicest fashionistas present and in turn some of this season’s most sought after looks. The fashionable finds were then directed to the weekends most chilled out space; this was the H&M lounge. Stylish festival goers were invited to spend the whole day in the lounge, gaining insight knowledge on this season’s top tips and statement looks for all of this year’s festivals.

A few trends stood out this year, one such style being that headscarves have in fact been brought back. This is the perfect festival accessory as it not only looks uber stylish. But a pretty print scarf in a hot hue will hide untidy locks and also keep your hair dry when the heavens decide to open.

The supermodel Kate Moss confirmed this year’s next big trend in the shape of tiny cut-off denim shorts. These appeared in an array of styles, popular pairs seemed to be those that were fraying at the hem and also embellished with detail. Some of the styles on show even revealed a little bit of the pocket bags peeping through. If the super short low waisted style isn’t for you then opt for the vintage look and team a high-waisted pair of shorts with a corset, cape and knee-high biker boots.

Despite this season’s festival attire steering away from the much loved boho looks of last year, there was still an element of Sienna Miller-esque style in indication. This appeared in the shape of fringe detailing on everything from bags and dresses to jackets and capes jackets.
Hunters wellies were all the rage as per usual but this year biker boots were also an equally popular choice. These appeared in a range of styles including ankle length, studded, lace-up and knee-high and looked perfect teamed with pretty print dresses or statement tiny floral shorts.

Jun16

Maxfactor make-up secrets.

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Maxfactor make-up secrets.

The make-up brand Max Factor have issued a series of tips which will aid you in creating bright and wide awake eyes that scream look at me! The A-list renowned Make up artist, Caroline Barnes has revealed a series of make up secrets, which will in turn give your complexion an n injection of that much needed and extremely flattering colour. The new Max Factor Colour Effect Range is the perfect summer essential that offers a variety of intense shades in the shape of eye shadows, mascaras, lip glosses and liquid eye liners. All of these products offer a fresh take on colour with shades that are perfect for this season.

For best results the eye shadows should be applied to eyes with pre groomed eye brows. The Max Effect Dip In Eye Shadow in Ultra Violet should then be swept across the top lids and smeared all the way up into the socket. You should however avoid extending the eye colour into the outer corners. This particular shadow is priced at £5.99 and can be purchased from beauty counters nationwide

The next shade to apply in order to create those perfect peepers is to apply the Max Effect Trio in Queen Bee, which is priced at £6.49 and can again be obtained from a variety of beauty counters nationwide. The intense green shade should be blended under the lashes in order to create a soft and subtle effect.

To finish off the eyes add a lashing of Max Factor Lash Extension Effect Mascara, which costs a total of £10.99, one coating will define the lashes boasting statement eyes. Add a slick of pretty pink lip-gloss and you are good to go!

Jun16

The infamous bag designer Lulu Guiness reveals yet another uber stylish collection

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The infamous bag designer Lulu Guiness reveals yet another uber stylish collection

The infamous bag designer Lulu Guinness has only recently revealed an exciting new collection; this time around her creations take inspiration from the Sixties era and also the model Peggy Moffit. The designer has stated she plans to expand her current empire revealing what style truly resembles the Lulu Guinness girl.

The new line is strongly inspired by Peggy Moffit’s eye make-up as she believes the process of applying make-up to be an important ritual for many women. In order to create the new and exciting collection of bags Guinness reportedly got her hands on a variety of 50’s and 60’s style make-up and took ideas and inspiration from the various popular colour palettes of the era. This inspiration can be seen running strongly through her designs, with creations focusing very much on the heavy dramatic lashes. Both the Eyelash tote and the Stripey Bow Wanda Bag offer charm elegance and style whilst echoing the 50’s and 60’s perfectly.

For this season Lulu has increased the quality of the fabrics used in that they are becoming even more luxurious. This particular collection oozes an instinctive style and exceptional look, which Lulu states echoes the model Peggy down to a tee, as each piece in the line pays close attention to the trademark graphic make up she wore regularly. The designer already has an impressive fan list; Helena Bonham Carter is just such fan who is said to adore the range.

Lulu Guiness has said that the women she sees carrying her creations ooze strength, intelligence, individuality and a certain quirky characteristic and of course they are extremely stylish.

The London-based designer has also suggested plans to launch a luggage collection, the foundations for this are said to already be in the running and will follow in suit with the rest of the collections style and look, which is both sophisticated as well as contemporary in appearance

Jun14

How to achieve the perfect brows.

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How to achieve the perfect brows.

In order to frame and lift your face you need to create the perfect brows, to do this you should first pluck your eyebrows using a pair of good tweezers. For best results this procedure should be completed just after a bath or a shower, as the skin is at it softest then.

Firstly tweeze away the stray hairs between and underneath the brows. If you are shaping your eyebrows for the first time then a good tip is to use a stencil as a guide. Begin by choosing a natural shaped stencil, and then secondly shade over the stencil. The final step is to pluck away any stray hairs that don’t appear in line with the stencil. The brand Shavata has some great eyebrow shapers on the market; these are available from most beauty counters and can be obtained for a price of £12.

You can use either a powder or a pencil to shade the brows, for best results this should be two shades lighter than your natural brow colour. Brow pencils are best for creating a defined and definite shape whilst brow powders are more suitable for creating a softer style. Powders are especially useful if you have brows which have areas that are quite sparse. When choosing a brow pencil, opt for one that is firm and not waxy in consistency and for best results always keep the product sharpened.

You should apply the pencil or powder-using feather like strokes; this should be completed using a quick action. When opting for powder be sure to purchase an angled brow brush. The cosmetic brand Illamasqua offer brow brushes from £15.50 and are a very popular choice as they easily create the illusion of a shapely brow that is extended in length and appears more defined.

To finish the look apply a translucent powder to the brow, this should be brushed over the eye brows lightly and will in turn aid in keeping the colour to stay put.

Jun11

Haute Couture goes blue and takes inspiration from this year’s hit movie Avatar.

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Haute Couture goes blue and takes inspiration from this year’s hit movie Avatar.

It’s a normal occurrence for Haute Couture to delve into the world of fantasy and most of the attire is truly innovative and extraordinary in style, which is why it comes as no surprise to see the beauty inspirations follow in the same footsteps.

Jean Paul Gaultier and Valentino are two of the designers who showcased exactly this and turned to the movie Avatar for inspiration. The make-up looks revealed at this season’s catwalks went to the utmost extremes, with a mixture of yellows, blues, greens and contemporary metallic blues. These shades and styles were used by the renowned make up artist Tom Pecheux who styled the models faces backstage at John Paul Gaultier and these colours and hues were seen adorning both the eyes and lips of the girls.

The high fashion house Valentino opted for whimsical pastel blues which were swept across the tops of the models faces, which in turn created the illusion of a blindfold like effect and really echoed the dreamlike fantasy world that Haute Couture strongly resembles. This blindfold was painted on the eyes of models that had extremely pale complexions in order to create a statement contrast; it was as if the girls had stepped off the set of James Cameron’s Avatar and onto the runway.

Jun11

Couture gets colourful and showcased an array of fantasy shades and hues for s/s 2010.

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Couture gets colourful and showcased an array of fantasy shades and hues for s/s 2010.

It seems that it was a competition to see who could the loudest colour arrangements at this season’s Haute Couture shows. The predominant beauty theme paid strong attention to fantasyland style indications, these ranged in style from Aztec to Avatar looks. In terms of colour, hues and shades were revealed to be extremely playful with an almost ‘wonderland’ feel. High fashion house Armani revealed a series of delicate soft pastels, whilst Chanel went for statement neon coral lips. John Paul Gaultier opted for pretty rainbow eyes where as Dior went in a different direction and worked the block colours. High fashion house Valentino went for a more statement look and created a series of unique make-up masks.

Even the hair styles showcased changing levels of colour introductions running through the various model’s locks. Alexis Mabille revealed half-hair wigs whilst Chanel’s extreme larger-than-life hair bows showcased hues of grey and pretty girly pastel extensions were all the rage at Valentino.

The combinations of colours revealed at the Haute Couture shows included statement shiny and radiant navy eyes teamed with hot fiery red lips at Givenchy, these shades in fact revealed a more contemporary look when paired together than they would when worn separately. This season is certainly suggesting that we shouldn’t be afraid to experiment with different hues and shades of colour.

Jun11

A purple haze washes this season’s catwalks.

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A purple haze washes this season’s catwalks.

A purple haze has proven to be extremely popular when regarding the spring and summer catwalk trends, a lilac colour scheme has descended into the world of fashion, proving this particular shade to be the most popular of the pastel hues.

It wasn’t only the clothes that echoed this purple trend however, an assortment of washed-out violet extensions also appeared running through the locks of various models, resembling a definite edgy surfer style. This was a hot look at Proenza Schouler where as Dior opted for high impact and bold lavender shades on the eye lids, this was teamed with contrasting strong statement intense red lips.

Dick Page at Michael Kors or layered up the metallic mauve on both the eyes and lips for a really ‘look at me’ look. Judging by the most recent catwalk shows, one thing is certainly definite, violet hues are hot for summer.

If you are a little scared of layering the look, then take inspiration from the models at Versace, the designer showcased an array of subtle yet pretty pastel styles, this style was created by the make up artist to the stars, Pat McGrath washed a subtle hint of lilac over the eye lids, this continuation of colour travelled all the way up to the brow bone and was finished with a slick of the same coloured liner along the upper lash line for that added wow factor. The rest of the face was in keeping with the spring make-up palette and was kept natural and bronzed in order to achieve that glowing and radiant sun kissed look.

Another way to add an injection of lilac colour into your look is to apply a perfect purple shade to the nails; good brands to try include Essie’s Lilacism which can be obtained for a total of £9 or alternatively Revlon’s Lilac Pastelle, which is available for a cost of £6.

Jun11

Take the lead in the world of fashion with 2010’s spring and summer hair extension trends.

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Take the lead in the world of fashion with 2010’s spring and summer hair extension trends.

This summer is certainly suggesting you make the most of your hair and by that we mean adding an injection of volume and oomph to your locks! In order to add this extra surge of energy, hairdressers and salon stylists, both backstage and in the industry are using hair extensions in extremely inventive and unique ways. This will in turn create the illusion of hair that has miraculously grown in size and volume. This new structure should be undetectable; hair extensions should both add height and maximise the appearance of your locks, just like a primer makes the most of the benefits of other make-up.

Michael john have created a new innovation in terms of hair care, entitled the Foundation Blow Dry, which is priced at £200 and can be purchased from the salon on 25 Albemarle Street in W1. The process involves attaching a total of 25 extensions to the lower layers of hair, which in turn will create a great volume boost that will grant hair with the foundation it needs to house ruffled summer waves.

Another salon that offers some serious show-stopping style is the brand Hari’s Hair & Beauty, who have launched their Glamour Red-Carpet Hair Booking. This particular treatment is priced at £150 and the prestigious salon can be found on 305 Brompton Road SW3. The process involves using semi-permanent hair extensions where the glue lasts for up to four days. This particular treatment will create the illusion of a statement full-bodied up-do that will be perfect for an evening out or alternatively any summer party’s you may have planned.

Another brand goes by the name of Inanch’s Holiday Hair extensions; these are obtainable for a cost starting at £200. The salon is situated on 220 Great Portland Street, again in W1. These extensions offer perfect surfer style and are able to withstand elements such as sea salt, oils and even chlorine and will stay looking in tip top condition for up to three months.