A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

Whilst in Brighton on Tuesday, I went along to check out the BIBA and Beyond exhibition at the wonderfully-quirky Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, situated just behind the Royal Pavillion building. The museum is hosting a fascinating retrospective on the designs of Barbara Hulanicki whose iconic work span the last 50-years. She’ll forever be known as the woman who brought affordable fashion to the high-street back in the 60s with the launch and opening of her first shop in West London.

The exhibition centres around an impressive display of vintage BIBA clothing, donated largely by one Angie Smith, better known as “Biba Angie” for her obvious passion for the designer’s creations. From graphic dresses to flared trouser-suits, sharply-tailored coats to cute swimsuits, the display captures the essence of the polish-born designer’s imaginations and brings them back to life with a narrative that tells the story of the brand from conception to current-day.

Barbara’s work, first as a freelance fashion illustrator is documented via a series of drawings and sketches, most notably the one below of Audrey Hepburn.

The accompanying quote sets the tone for the exhibition that pitches the designer (quite rightly) as someone who was acutely aware of how the “real world” worked, she comes across as someone who has never lost touch with what it means to be a dedicated follower of fashion minus the limitless budget of the modern celebrity.

Her feistiness and determination to provide real-world glamour for the archetypal Biba Girl – feminine to the max but with a tough, untouchable edge – reached its peak in the early 70s when Big Biba, a seven-storey department store opened under the moniker “‘the most beautiful store in the world”.

The hallowed Art Deco building on Kensington High Street housed everything the BIBA fan desired, from trendy clothes to designer furniture, from makeup to paints and wallpaper, you could even buy Biba-branded soup and baked beans!

The collection of BIBA cosmetics on display at the exhibition has been loaned to the museum by none other than the wonderful Lisa Eldridge who has a great demonstration on You Tube dedicated to creating the Biba Dolly look as worn by the girls in the shop. BIBA was the first store that let customers try makeup before buying it, leading the way and creating the blueprint that other stores would follow.

The colours are vibrant and richly-pigmented, vampy Clara Bow-esque lips were the order of the day and smokey eyes with plenty of lashes contributed to the finished look.

The packaging featured the dinstinctive black-and-gold logo and delivered practical performance, something that was almost as important as the contents to the modern BIBA shopper.

I’m going to leave you with the rest of my photos from the exhibition, I’m not great at talking about or thinking about fashion and design… but if you have any interest in learning more about a true pioneer and forebearer to the modern high-street, do check out the BIBA and Beyond exhibition at the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery before it closes on the 14th April. Adult tickets are £6, student tickets (with an NUS card) are £4.

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It takes a special kind of lady to rock certain styles – I’m not a special kind of lady, “speshul” maybe…

I’ve been eyeing up some pretty hair jewellery around the interwebs and wondering what it would take for me to take the plunge and invest in a pretty piece.  I think the answer lies somewhere near the bottom of the bottle of Malibu lurking in the fridge.  Yes, I’m uncool enough to still love a bit of Malibu!

Silver Wings ($40.00)  |  Wildfox Daisy Chain (£47.47)  |  Kyoto Moon-Kanzashi Geisha Hair Stick ($40.00)  |  Moustache Ear Cuff (£8.00)

Honestly? I can just imagine getting horribly tangled up in it all the time.  Perhaps it’s a trend better suited to those with effortlessly sleek locks that seemingly never frizz?

Me?  I’d turn my head too quickly and attach myself to a fucking kitchen cupboard.

Do you own and wear any hair jewellery?  Hair bands and combs don’t count – I’m talking proper barnet bling!

Thanks to my pale, cool-toned colouring, I’m usually restricted to white-toned jewellery, gold can look quite brassy against my skin tone.  My wedding ring is a plain, silver band… not the most luxurious of metals but I’m not a fan of white gold and platinum stretched way, way beyond our student budget at the time.

A few evenings ago, I was introduced to Tiffany & Co’s new metal.  Yes, a whole new metal – created specifically to mark the iconic brand’s 175th year.  RUBEDO™ (pronounced roh-bay-doh not roo-bee-doo!) is a beautiful, glowing rose with a warm pink hue which promises to be universally flattering on any skin tone.  And indeed it complemented my colouring very nicely, sitting perfectly between the yellow and white spectrum of the usual jewellery options.

Looking at the collection in person, the new RUBEDO™ metal looks to be a little pinker than standard rose gold, perhaps a touch cooler, with more brilliance than I expected and a little less creaminess – if that makes any sense at all.  Each piece from the RUBEDO™ metal collection made in this, the brand’s anniversary year, carries the signature of its founder Charles Lewis Tiffany.

I tried on a couple of pieces, the Tiffany 1837™ wide ring in RUBEDO™ metal (£505) and the Tiffany 1837™ cuff in RUBEDO™ metal (£3,050) – funny story, I couldn’t get the cuff off after I’d tried it on.  And by funny, I mean so embarrassing I wanted to die.  My wrist did the best impression of a sharpei puppy as I tried to wrangle it off.  “Oh sorry!  It won’t come off so I’ll just have to take it home with me”.  Can you imagine?

Anyway, you’ll be pleased to hear that prices for the collection start at a slightly less bank-breaking £160 for the Tiffany 1837 Bar pendant in RUBEDO™ metal but if we’re going to play my favourite ‘price is no object’ game, the most lustworthy piece, in my opinion, is the exquisite Tiffany 1837™ interlocking circles bracelet.

Which is your favourite piece from the new RUBEDO™ metal collection?

Back in the depths of December, a group of bloggers were treated to a fashion show from Fusion@London – an organisation which aims to unite students from across the capital whilst raising funds to support Cancer Research UK.

image credit: Fusion@London (www.fusionatlondon.co.uk) Giovanni Barsanti

Next month, on the 25th and 26^th of February Fusion@London will launch their first gala, which promises to be an inspiring combination of fashion, music and dance to be held at the Troxy, Limehouse.  The show has been designed by a creative committee who work alongside professional and student choreographers and designers to bring the show to life.

There is a real buzz and passion around the event, as evidenced by our sneak peek at the fashion show last month.

image credit: Fusion@London (www.fusionatlondon.co.uk) Giovanni Barsanti

The dresses were flowing, the laughter was infectious and the glamour a-plenty thanks to some surprisingly edgy looks from mineral makeup gurus Sheer Cover.  All in all, the main event promises to be a spectacular occassion and all for a good cause!

Tickets are available online now from the Fusion@London website.

Whoo?  Whooga!

Whooga are widely considered to be one of the fastest-growing Ugg boot brands – thanks in no small part to their competitive pricing and quality materials.  I took delivery of a pair of their (now discontinued) weave style Ugg boots a couple of months ago.  I have to say that I’m not a massive fan of Ugg styling in general and I was curious to see if my sensibilities would fare better with a weave style boot and whether or not these boots would actually live up to some of the hype surrounding them from independent reviewers.

Delivery

Firstly, the brand need to work on some packaging issues.  My box arrived so badly tattered that I couldn’t store the boots in them.  If I had been giving them as a gift, they would have been an instant return for this reason.  I have read other reports of Whooga boots arriving in bashed packaging and of course, Royal Mail need to take some blame for this but I believe that a double layer of bubble-wrap would go a long way to protecting the corners of the box against this problem.

On the flip-side, I can’t fault the speed of delivery and we all know that when we buy something online, we want it like, yesterday!

First Impressions

When you first take them out of the box, they have a distinctive smell of glue.  It’s really a little off-putting and ultimately, it makes them smell quite cheap.  Chinese factory cheap.  You know what I’m saying.

Leave them in a place to air for a couple of days and this smell thankfully disperses.

A thorough inspection of all the seams, joins and nooks and crannies reveals no obvious manufacturing flaws, everything is in sound condition and neatly stitched/glued/constructed.

I have an EU size 40 and I’m a UK 6.5 – these are sadly slightly too big.  Definitely go for a size down.  No arguments.

Breaking Them In

As a virgin Ugg boot wearer, I really wasn’t sure how I would fare with these on my feet.  They are indecently snug and haven’t left my feet since the weather changed for the colder on Saturday but I will be buying a pair of quality sheepskin insoles to put in them because I feel the foot-bed is a little hard.  This may also help solve the sizing issue.

The knitted weave styling is more to my taste and I feel works far better with dresses than the usual Ugg style but I won’t elaborate too much on this, seeing as they’re sadly no longer available to purchase.  I will say however that these really hug my calves beautifully (when pulled up) with no sagging or over-stretching and I feel that this is testament to the quality of the manufacturing.

Ultimately, get your sizing right and I believe that for the price, these Ugg boots from Whooga would be difficult to beat.  Other than a slightly hard foot-bed and a bashed box, I can’t actually pick fault with them – they feel well-supported and solidly-constructed with quality, authentic materials.

Ugg Boots by Whooga are available to buy online from www.whooga-boots.co.uk – prices start from £75.00

* press sample

…sensible in this cold weather?  Or just plain funny lookin’

I like to pretend that I’m a completely free-thinking, non-judgemental and generally super-cool human being.  I’m not, but on the bigot scale I’m definitely not setting off any alarm bells either.

Which is why I don’t know why I can’t get my head around the idea of men wearing tights without giggling about it like an 11 year old.

I think it’s the feet.  If they were a bit more legging-y I could probably contain my giggles.

I love how he’s pointing his toes… mind, he’s probably got better legs than me.

Would you be cool as a cucumber if your man whipped off his trousers to reveal a pair of Charnos 20 deniers?

I think I could possibly handle it… I reckon it’s one of those things that you’d get used to once the novelty had worn off…

…that is until he asked to borrow my clear nail polish to fix a run in his stockings. *dies*

Tightsplease.co.uk have launched a selection of man-sized tights perfect for blokes to layer underneath when the cold weather bites.  You can check out the selection online.

Toning is something I’m pretty concerned with at the moment.  A very low calorie diet will do more than simply burn fat… there’s a certain amount of muscle wastage taking place aswell.  An unwanted side effect shall we say.

To combat this, one needs to exercise.  It’s no good sitting on your (slowly disappearing) bum sipping at your shakes and waiting for the body of your dreams.  As with any diet, that’s only half the story.

FitFlop are a household name and I’ll be honest with you… I’ve never been interested.  I remember when they first came out to great critical acclaim and mile long waiting lists… not for me.  I can’t wear toeposts and we don’t exactly enjoy a tropical climate do we?  But then they introduced the shoes and even better?  The boots!

Now we’re talking!

I was sent a pair of their Chocolate Mukluk boots to put to the test and I was really intrigued to discover whether I would feel any benefits just by changing my footwear!

Sturdy and well-constructed were my first thoughts when I pulled them out of the box.  I was also insanely relieved that the unmistakable Microwobbleboard™ wasn’t as ridiculously obvious as I thought it might have been.  There’s nothing about these that screams comical.  I find them fairly subtle and the styling lends itself kindly to that familiar shaped sole.

About that sole… check out the all weather grips on these.  I’m not likely to land on my backside this winter!

I’m not exaggerating when I say that putting my feet in these is like stepping into a pair of clouds.  I’m not an UGG owner so this whole sheepskin boot thing is quite new to me.  The FitFlop Mukluks get top marks for comfort.

But to ensure comfort… you need to pay close attention to sizing.  FitFlops come in whole sizes… there are no halves here.  I’m a textbook UK 6.5 with a high instep and normal width feet.  I did a bit of reading on the Boots website and found that the general consensus was “if in doubt, go a size up”.  I figured that I’d be mostly wearing these with thick socks so I went for a UK7 and I’m really pleased I did.  They make a great fit for me.

Do I need sea-sickness tablets when going for a walk round the park?  No… the effect is subtle in the way it transfers to your body.  You can feel a slight difference in your step but it’s not enough to draw your attention to it… it’s not something you have to think about.

The technology is really interesting and I recommend you take a quick look at the demonstration here.

My feet and ankles feel supported in the FitFlop Mukluks, something that is an absolute no compromise in any shoe I wear and thanks to those thick soles and sheepskin uppers… I’m staying super toasty too!

So finally… how about the toning… the posture… the workout without working up a sweat?

I’m in two minds.  I think they’re quite possibly the most well supported, comfortable boot I’ve ever worn.  My high instep feels comfort it has never experienced and they definitely encourage a better posture whilst walking.  I thought that I would find walking in these harder than normal boots.  I thought I’d be aching in all kinds of places after 5 minutes in these and this was something I welcomed the idea of as I equated aching with toned thighs and bums!

In fact… I’m not getting any discomfort or burn and if anything, the FitFlop Mukluks are allowing me to walk further than usual (and I’m a big walker anyway) as they’re reducing the lower back pain that I get in normal walking shoes.

These aren’t quite the results I expected… but hell, I’m delighted!  Not only that but if I can walk longer… I’m toning more efficiently anyway right?!

So whilst I can’t tell you that my bum is now able to crack walnuts, I can totally tell you to consider a pair of these if you suffer from any hip or back pain when walking.  They’re a marvel.

Hugely impressed with my FitFlop Mukluks.

FitFlop Mukluk boots are priced at £135 and come in a range of colours.  You can buy them online here.

Have you tried FitFlops before?  What are your thoughts on them?

It’s 2.30am and I was just about to head to bed when I quickly logged onto ASOS to check out the ankle boots (as you do).  When horror upon horrors, my eyes alighted upon these.  I can’t call anyone at this indecent hour… so you’re gonna have to humour me and nod your head in all the right places instead.

Skechers Hyperto Shape Up Boots, apparently.

It’s that wonky bouncy seesaw sole innit, the one where you either get buns of steel or need to take a Stugeron before you go for a walk round the park.

I’m pretty tolerant of fashion, I don’t give a chuff what you wear… I only get a bit ranty when I see larger ladies with it all hanging out at the midriff.   Tunic tops have been my wardrobe staple for the last 12years.  Get acquainted with them.

But these… these… moonboots.

Wait, let me show you…

Really?

I mean… really, really?  You’d pay £110 to look like you’ve been drawn by a 3 year old?

I hear on the grapevine that Skechers are planning on making some Hyperto Shape Up Gloves next.

I’m off to have nightmares of giant footwear.  Sleep tight!

Dollipops wants to offer my lovely readers a 15% discount off your orders.

I’ve already shared my appreciation for the retro Jackie necklace, but I’m also particularly coveting:

1. Je T’aime (£5.99) – Silver plated chain with frosted heart charm and cute Eiffel tower pendant.

2. Black Leaf (£7.99) – Beautiful leaf hair slide, with sequin and bead detailing.

3. Monochrome Buttons (£3.99) – Set of two cute monochrome button grips.

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To get 15% off all orders online at Dollipops, enter the exclusive code LIPGLOSSIPING at checkout.

I shamelessly stole this post from the fabulous LionLovingTiger, go check out her blog if you haven’t done so already!

About a year ago I went for an eye test as I realised that I couldn’t read the Sky EPG without squinting.  The optician told me that my eyesight had deteriorated a little and that I wasn’t to drive without sorting myself out with some contacts.  “Contacts, schmontacts” said I, and off I skipped to find myself the baddest face furniture I could lay my grubby little hands on!

I’ve always loved glasses (strange girl that I am) but when my eyesight was 20:20, I could never bring myself to buy a set of frames to put blank lenses in… I’m not quite twattish enough for that kind of nonsense.  So I was actually pretty excited to be buying some specs!

My first pair (and probably still my faves) are these Missoni lovelies.  I think I paid around £50 in the sale for the frames.

My next purchase was lust at first sight, I’d tried these on a few times…loved them, but winced everytime I looked at the price tag – then they became like “SO last season” and disappeared from the shops…. fast forward a few months and I found a girl selling her old pair on eBay.  I very nearly peed myself with excitement when the auction ended and they were mine!

My most recent pair are a Ted Baker offering.  Lurve these, but I haven’t got round to ordering lenses for them yet as I’m still too busy loving my Missoni and Chanels and there’s only so many opportunities to wear them considering I only really need them for driving.

Group Photo!

Thanks for indulging me in my shameless showing off of my lovely glasses!  Anyone else sporting gorgeous eyewear?  Show me/Tell me!