A/W Trends 2013 - My Run through on trends to look out for This Autumn/Winter

My favorite fashion season is coming back and I am almost exploding with all the outfit possibilities. Various trends will take the foreground. But don't just stick to one trend mix and match (within reason) and you shall look like you just stepped out of LFW. 

Now to give you the trends for A/W season ! 

Punk

Punk will always be a trend that celebrates the tartan, sports the studs & spikes and kicks ass with leather. Designers such as Versace, Givenchy and Holly Fulton have rocked their runways and killed it. 

Versace A/W 2013 

Versace A/W 2013

Versace experimented with shapes and colours. Punk can either be cool and chilled with simple black and white with the addition of chains and patters or it can have splashes of colour which add some essence and zest to the simple black theme. 

This is also seen with  Givenchy and Holly Fulton with pops of red, whether it be on the clothes or hair. 

Givenchy A/W 2013

Holly Fulton 2013

Big jumpers with a classic pencil skirt shape can also help to bring out your inner punk but adds a touch of class, as seen below...

Givenchy A/W 2013

  

Givenchy A/W 2013

Punk is a trend that looks effortless yet fashion forward. Fabrics can be pushed and pulled in many directions. Add as much studs and leather as you want or go wild for PVC and leather.

Denim

Who doesn't like a good pair of jeans or a nice denim jacket or shirt ? Distressed, acid wash, ripped or sharp anyone ? 

You just can't go wrong with a bit of denim. My only tip would be to make sure you get the right size (and if that means you have to go up do it ! denim can sometimes look ill fitting if worn wrong).

Anyway...

Denim can be doubled up or a statement piece can be used to jazz up an outfit of your choice. Stars such as Rihanna double up on the denim but accessorize with simple things such as a nude pump, big sunnies or baseball cap. You could also go for bright accessories such as a neon clutch or you could simply buy an embellished denim piece or DIY. Buying badges that can be stitched or pinned on. Denim was rocked on the runways of DKNY and Ashish... see for yourself...

DKNY A/W 2013

DKNY A/W 2013

Ashish A/W 2013

Denim can dressed up or down, just make sure the denim is a perfect fit.

Over-sized Coats

Oh how I do love my big coat in the winter time. The breeze shall not get to my skin. Big coats are a fashion statement themselves. chuck one of those babies on with a pair of jeans and some heels and your good to go. Or maybe some converses (everyone loves those right ? ). 

Seeing as we come in all shapes and sizes, coats have to do the same., Whether you want a mannish,military,cocoon, big fur (Faux of course) or a gorgeous biker, there will always be something to suit you. 

Designers such as Celine, Carven and Stella McCartney showed the world how to rock an over-sized coat on their runways...

Stella McCartney A/W 2013

Celine A/W 2013

Carven A/W 2013

Whether you are curvy or boyish shaped there will always be a style to suit you. Bright or royal colours will help to bring life to those gloomy winter days and nights, they will bring the POP and fun you want for your winter wardrobe. Depending on what accessories you team these with will depict what style and mood your going for. Heels will give an air of elegance and class while a pair of converse or vans will give you a laid back look and feel. A nice satchel or messenger bag is the perfect thing to team with an over-sized coat, as you've already got the big statement from the coat. So in other words, Don't over do it. Sometimes less is definitely more. 

These are just some of the trends I have spotted and noticed as this great fashion season is coming up. I shall be updating as the weeks go by. 

Until then Stay Tuned Dolls...

Leah x

Summer Evening Make Up

Even though summer is still here and is all about the brights, sometimes its nice to tone the lips and eyes down and have a chic, simple and effortless moment. Nude make up can give you a sultry look which can capture those dusky summertime evenings and leave you looking flawless. Adding pops of bronze to the cheeks and under the bottom eye lashes help to bring a vibrant feel to the look and tie in well with rays of the sun. 

Checkout my Video on my take of this nude vibe... 

Leah x

Hot/Bubble Gum Pinks + Pinky Nudes - Making them Complement Brown Skin

There are pink lipsticks out there, however finding the right colour and tone to complement Brown skin is the toughest thing in the world...

The Three Pinks I own are all from MAC and go by the names of Mehr, Snob and Candy Yum Yum. 

(Left to Right) MAC's Mehr (Matte), Snob (Satin) and Candy Yum Yum (Matte) 

Mehr is a really nice pinky nude lipstick, its kind of like a "your lip colur but better". I fell in love with Mehr and as an everyday lipstick it really is my favourite choice. 

Snob is more of a pastel pink lipstic and is a Satin. Its is a lovely colour but I never wear it straight and I will tell you why further down. 

Candy Yum Yum is a POP bubblegum pink. Its very in your face and bright. I do love it and it is also a matte (which is a bouns for me as I love my mattes). 

NOW, Let me Tell you how I make these look beautiful and compliment Brown Skin...

With Mehr, I use it straight on the lip but there is a technique as to how I put it on. 

I use either a lip brush or just gently smooth the colour into my top and bottom lip. 

The reason why ? 

This colour is quite nudey and beige/pinky colour and seeing as I wanted it as an everyday lipstick I didn't want it to be really powerful. I also feel that it looks really very understated and would suit ALL SHADES of Brown Skin really well. This colour can also be dressed up with dramatic eyes. 

With Snob and Candy Yum Yum I use lip pencils either as a base or just to line the lips (however I create a thick line). I use various Lip Pencils from Three different companies which are MAC, NYX and Bobbi Brown. 

MAC Lip Pencils - (Left To Right) Cork, Nightmoth, Half Red 

Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil - Chocolate

NYX Lip Pencils - (Left To Right) - Purple Rain,Espresso,Plum

I do this simply because I feel that lip pencils help these colours to become more "universal" and able them to completely suit Brown Skin. 

Now this is my own personal opinion - COLOURS LIKE SNOB AND CANDY YUM YUM SHOULD NOT BE WORN WITHOUT LIP PENCILS ON BROWN SKIN (Unless you are of a light brown complexion) ! 

I feel this because I think these colours will make your lips look too big (y'know us black girls have lucious lips) or it just makes Brown Skinned Females look silly. 

Put your own Twist on Things !!! 

Deep Purple or Plum Lip pencils like NYX - Plum and MAC - Nightmoth deepen the colours and give blue undertones (Which help the teeth to look white). This gives the colours a more sultry effect and will help these colours to suit dark skin tones as well as light. You can line them or colour them in depending on the effect you want. 

Nudey/Pink or Magenta Lip Pencils like NYX - Purple Rain or MAC - Half Red will deepen the colour slightly but still keeps the POP which you probably liked frmo the start. Lip pencil colours like these will make the brightness of the lipstick compliment Brown Skin and they will help to tone the colour down to a certain extent. So if you still want that POP definetly go for these. 

Brown Lip Pencils like NYX - Espresso, Bobbi Brown - Chocolate and MAC - Cork will deepen the colours but will add a more, what I like to call "everyday effect". You'll have the impact of the brown tones which will suit and compliment your skin and will make the colours look really nice. This may take away some of the POP that they have but it will look really classy and professional.

But the effect the Lip Pencils have will depend on how you put them on, as in if you line your lip (whether the line is thick or thin) or if you fill in your entire lip with the pencil then the colour will change but still keep some of its contents. 

HOWEVER !

ALWAYS USE LIP PENCILS WITH PINKS THAT MAY BE PASTEL, BRIGHT NUDEY OR BUBBLEGUM POP ! 

(I don't want you guys looking like clowns now) 

Leah x