CHANEL HAUTE COTURE INSPIRED MAKE UP

YOU CAN ALSO USE A PALE LIP COLOUR IF A BOLD COLOUR IS TOO MUCH. :)

MAC KIRSCH ON THE LIPS

FROM THE TEAR DUCTS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE LID YOU WILL SEE YELLOW. FROM THE MIDDLE TO END OF THE LID, THERE IS VIOLET. I USED RED FOR THE CREASE AND APPLE GREEN FOR THE BROW BONE.

I LINED THE INNER LOWER LASH LINE WITH AQUA SHADOW AND THE REMAINING HALF WITH COBALT BLUE. I LINED THE WATER LINE WITH A WHITE KOHL PENCIL, APPLIED FALSE LASHES AS WELL.
I KEPT MY BROWS LIGHT WITH BENEFIT BROW ZINGS IN LIGHT.

I UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT HAVE PALE SKIN. FOR THIS LOOK I USED BENEFIT'S SOME KIND OF GORGEOUS, MAC STUDIO FINISH CONCEALER AND ELF HIGH DEFINITION POWDER. SKIPPED THE BLUSH.

THE INSPIRATION. PALE, MATTE SKIN, CONTOURED CHEEKS, LIGHT, DRAWN ON BROWS AND BOLD LIPS AS SEEN AT THE CHANEL COUTURE SHOW.

As I was looking at the recently concluded Haute Couture Shows in Paris, I could not help but be inspired by the colourful make up used at the Chanel Show.

Normally, for Summer, we would use bronzers, tinted moisturisers and leave the eyes with barely any colour, so, this look is quite interesting with splashes of colour and a bold lip and honestly, I think its wearable too!

WARDROBE MUST HAVES - THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Simple. Classic.... The LBD. Thank you Jean Patou and Coco Chanel.

LBD from H&M. Belt from New Look.

No, this red shoe aint lost.... Decided to play up my LBD with these girl red pumps from My Strawberry Shop

Very corporate yet girly - dress from Zara

80's style - big shoulders. Dress from SPLASH

Short and balloon from My Cabinet Room

Simple... just the way I like it. Dress from Zara.

In knit form from Zara Basics

In pleather - dress from Forever 21.

The LBD takes on a different shape - shirred and body hugging

Let me start this series of posts with something that has rescued me from Wardrobe Blah- blah dom time and again.... THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS. However, before I actually do, why don’t we take a trip down memory lane and see how this Wardrobe Staple came to be.

The Little Black Dress or LBD as we know it has been synonymous to none other than Coco Chanel but did you know that Jean Patou (more famous for the JOY perfume – thanks Grand ma and Tita Tess for wearing this while I was growing up) was also responsible for this versatile closet staple in the 20’s?

According my research the cut and silhouette was largely influenced by Monsieur Patou, however, the colour was pure Chanel. Come to think of it only a designer as bold as Chanel can come up with a dress fit for high society in a colour that used to be reserved for maid servants.

Chanel debuted her now famous long sleeved black crepe dress in 1926 and Vogue claimed it to be the uniform for ‘all women with taste.’

Although the LBD is supposed to be simple in cut so that it can be wearable irrespective of the season, so many designers have reinvented it using different fabrics, embellishments etc. My personal favourites are the ones which has an extremely simple cut, and a modest hemline.

The photos that I have included in this post are also found in several of my older posts and it only goes to how many times the LBD has rescued me J

THE SECRET WORLD OF HAUTE COUTURE

Not Couture unfortunately but love my dress from Sandy Uy just the same :)

With Ms. Kinmonth.

Aqua seems to be the colour of the night :)

This is the Spring Brights Look in action. LANCOME sponsored the event.

The genuis behind the ever evolving House of Chanel, Mr. Karl Lagerfeld

Last Thursday I had the privilege of watching a documentary by Ms. Margy Kinmonth about the Secret World of Haute Couture sponsored by D- Seven Motion Pictures. Please check them out at http://www.d-seven.com/.

As someone who looks at fashion as an artform more than anything else watching this documentary made my resolve even firmer. Watching the artisans in the ateliers sow each bead in exquisite fabric and press feathers farmed in South Africa with so much care made me view these designers as modern day Picassos or Renoits.

The film, which took 6 months to finish also gave us a sneak peak into the world of the chicest women I have ever seen! Its not just about the fact that these women own pieces made for them by the top fashion houses rather its about their appreciation for the entire creation. The importance they put on the fabric, the stitching, the buttons. They don't see the coat as just a coat or an evening gown as just as an evening gown. They see it as wearing a piece of art.

The documentary is supposed to be about the exclusive 200 club. A club composed of women from all over the world who adore Haute Couture, the women who have front row seats to the Couture shows in Paris, those who have head seamstresses of the fashion houses fly on a private jet for a private fitting for. Though the movie was about that I cant help but focus on the art of making a couture piece and I applaud Ms. Kinmonth for be able to show that in her documentary.

The fact that the documentary filmed mostly in the City of Paris made me thoroughly enjoy watching the film :)

There used to be a lot of fashion houses who participate in the Couture Shows, however, now its just a handful, makes you think that Haute Couture is a dying industry, however, with this club still around, we can expect to see more pieces of art made to fit the woman's body

I WANT,I NEED, I GOT TO HAVE IT FOR AUTUMN/WINTER - ROCKIN' CHANEL

The Look with all the elements

The Look

Not in my usual Prada sunnies, traded it for some street style aviators.

When going for accessories and they have the emblem of the brand, opt for something small like these earrings.

When I mentioned to Ria (proud owner of My Strawberry Shop) that I was going to write a blog about Chanel, she happily gave me these earrings and I cant be happier! Thankkkkk you sooo much!

Nothing says Chanel more that a quilted bag :)

The Chanel inspired coat from MANGO, updated with multiple zips

Lady meets rocker. Pearls and studs look great together.

Buckle Up with these boots! This is, by the way, another purchase for this season that I absolutely did not regret! Thanks to My Strawberry Shop!

I am a very sensible shopper, meaning I do not need to shop every weekend. On top of that I think I am very practical. :) However, every season, I find myself lusting after some pieces and though I try to be rational and say that it is a need, most often than not it falls into the third category of purchases, which is, 'I GOT TO HAVE IT!' Thankfully, these irrational purchases (?) finds so much longevity in my closet and can be styled in sooooo many different ways.

My first take on 'I need, I want, I got to have it for Autumn and Winter' is this uber fab jacket that I got from MANGO. It resonates the charm of Chanel at 1/4 of its price! Chanel is synonymous for luxury and what better way to update this jacket than by putting in some elements fit for strutting this classic in the street :)

TRES JOLIE!

FILL IN WITH A SEMI FROST GOLD LIPSTICK, REFLECTS LIGHT GIVING YOUR LIPS A POUTY EFFECT.

LINE YOUR LIPS WITH A NUDE PENCIL

A LITTLE DEFINITION ON THE CREASE BUT CONCENTRATE THE CONTOURING ON THE OUTER V OF THE EYE TO ELONGATE IT AND GIVE IT A CAT'S EYE LOOK

* USING THE 219 MAC BRUSH, SMUDGE THE PENCIL FROM THE OUTER V TO THE CREASE. BLEND. BLEND BLEND

TOO FACED SMOKEY EYE PALETTE AT WORK

*APPLY THE MAC SOFT OCHRE PAINT POT ALL OVER THE LIP TO MAKE THE SHADOW LAST LONGER.

* APPLY THE VANILLA COLOURED EYE SHADOW FROM THE LASH BED TO THE BROW BONE.

* APPLY THE FELINE PENCIL ON THE LASH BED. MAKE SURE THOUGH THAT YOU APPLY IT THINLY FROM THE TEAR DUCTS AND WING IT TOWARDS THE END OF THE EYE.

TRES JOLIE!

I have always been a fan of Ms. Jolie and her beauty is not just the reason as to why I am a follower of hers. People say that she had a dodgy past and she is not ashamed of it. She took ownership of her mistakes, grew up and now is a UN ambassador and a mother to beautiful children.

Her choices in clothes, red carpet or just going around town are simple, making you notice her great skin, beautiful cat like eyes and of course That legendary lips :)

The technique that I used for this look is perfect for women who have close set eyes, rounded eyes as it elongates it,

MAKE UP USED: FACE

INGLOT AMC Foundation
INGLOT AMC Powder
MAC Studiosculpt Concealer
MAC Creme Blush in Uncommon
Make Up Forever Sculpting Kit

MAKE UP USED: BROWS
Benefit Brow Zings in Medium
Mikyajy Brow Gel

MAKE UP USED: EYES
MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
Too Faced Eye Shadow Palette in Smokey Eyes
MAC Feline Pencil
Rimmel Glam Eyes Mascara

MAKE UP USED: LIPS
Chanel Precision Lip Liner in Desert
Chanel Lipstick in Baby Gold

EVERYDAY IS A DATE WITH DESTINY

With Red Lips

Au Natural Look

Lip Products - Smashbox Beauty A Go Go Palette, L'Occitance Shea Butter Lip Balm, Laura Mercier Lip Velvet in Cassis, MAC Lipstick in Taupe, MAC Lip pencil in Magenta and Brick

Eye Products - Smash Box Beauty A Go Go Palette, Body Shop Brow Pencil, Benefit Brow Zings in Medium, MAC Paint Pot in Soft Ochre, Rimmel Glam Eyes, Shu Lash Curler

Face Products - Make Up Forever High Definition Base, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, MAC Creme Blush in UnCommon, IGLOT AMC Powder, INGLOT Correcteur Illuminant, Make Up Forever Sculpting Kit, L'Occitance Mattifying Papers

Moi sans Maquillage

“I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.”
- COCO CHANEL

This will perhaps be my most revealing blog, EVER. Revealing because it talks about my daily make up routine, therefore you will see a photo of me sans maquillage!!!

I hope that this will encourage more women out there to try putting on make up, its nothing to be feared, really, you are meant to enjoy it. Just go to any make up counter, don't those vibrant eye shadow colours just cheer you up? It works for me. hehehe. Also, if it does not look good on you.... again, its just make up, just wipe it off.

Whenever I put on make up on other people and like what I said during the Faces Workshop, I always look at the beautiful features in their faces and highlight that. You will be surprised that some women do not even realise that some of them have got long lashes, its just its straight and drops down or that they have nice cheekbones.

As a Make Up Artist and Stylist, its not just my job to put on make up on models but it has sort of become my thrust to make all of the women that I meet see exactly what I see in all of them .... BEAUTY.

Clear as a bell

The Chanel "Naked" bag"

I guess designers are hoping this clear thing catches on because now clear pvc and lucite are popping up on high end retailers' shelves. Karl Lagerfield created a sensation with his "Naked" bag at the Chanel shows and other designers have caught the transparency bug, from brands like Dolce & Gabbana, Manolo and Fendi. Some fashionistas who are willing to pay for the high end bags and shoes say that it's easier for them to find things in the totes because of the clear looks and it's also a symbol of having up to the minute trends in high style.


Manolo Blahnik lucite sandal $585 at Neiman Marcus



Giovanna Furlanetta plastic and leather bag $450


Stuart Weitzman jellystone clear jelly (remember these?!) $115


Lambertson Truex clear tote $445 at Saks


Donna Karan 864914 $494 at Zappo's

I spoke to one of the buyers in our handbag department and she thinks that this style is a flash in the pan and won't be around for long. I will not be participating in this trend, my sister used to work at Dillard's and they had to carry plastic purses to be "checked" before they left the store. This is what these reminds me of.