Style is where the heart is.

NEW BLOG!

2011-07-11T15:45:00.000+01:00

I have moved to a new blog so it would mean a lot to me if you could follow it!

http://www.okayland.blogspot.com
http://www.okayland.blogspot.com
http://www.okayland.blogspot.com
http://www.okayland.blogspot.com
http://www.okayland.blogspot.com
http://www.okayland.blogspot.com
http://www.okayland.blogspot.com

It's a mishmash of fashion, personal and beauty blog posts. I found it hard to govern this blog and my personal one so I combined them both in my new blog. (link above)
It has weekly features such as Wednesday Want, Designer Thursday, Friday Find, Shopping Saturday & Sunday Summary. Monday & Tuesday can be absolutely anything though so it's not like I'm sticking to a strict strict regime of what I can post.
I hope you see this, and I hope you follow my new blog, it'd mean a lot to me

- Kayla xoxo

120 beautify palette

2011-06-07T17:18:00.000+01:00

My mum woke me up this morning with a package, it was my 120 beautify eye shadow palette!
On a scale of 1-10 on the chuffed metre, I was about a 20. It was meant to arrive on Thursday/Friday morning, it's a Tuesday so naturally I was a bit excited about receiving this item. It was packaged very well in a black box which listed the ingredients (as well as possible reactions that the ingredients could entail) in silver on the back. Wrapped around the box was a piece of paper with the company logo, my order details and the company contact information. Inside the palette was encased with a sleeve of bubble wrap to prevent damage on the way to my home! The palette consists of 120 eye shadow colours showcased on two trays which are removable from the black casing which gives it a sleek yet practical view. Each tray was covered in plastic to prevent the powder getting everywhere in the palette which I think is a very good idea who wants to open a palette with powder all over the place right?

The top tray consists of more muted wearable colours such as neutrals, pinks, red, blues, greens, purples and black which are cleverly organised into colour groups, darker colours on the right and lighter colours on the left. The second tray consists of more vibrant colours such as yellows, oranges, greens, blues and two tone shadows, again colour grouped. Underneath the second tray is a red ribbon to lift the tray out of the black outer casing. I might swap the trays over so the wearable colours are at the bottom as i find it difficult to lift it out of the packaging to get to the lower layer however the ribbon would lift both trays so I'm undecided at this moment.

I haven't used the product as of yet but i will be using it very soon. So i can submit a full review of the product including pictures of the palette and swatches of the powder on the back of my hand!

ENJOY!

what will kayla be wearing this summer

2011-06-04T00:27:00.000+01:00

ever since june hit, where i live has picked up in the weather. it's been so hot these past 3 days, i have literally been wearing shorts and lightweight t-shirts + still be sweating my guts up. due to this sudden heat change that's taken place, i have been influenced to make a summer essentials blog post.

my first essential has to be cooling mist, it will probably be the most useful item you can possess during these warm months as no matter how much liquid you consume it can never seem to cool you down a satisfactory amount, but a quick spritz of this over the face and you will feel instantly cool. i have seen many major brands release this poduct, evian being one of them but personally i go for the cheaper drugstore brand as they all do the same job in the end. i use beauty formulas.

sunglasses are the next important thing, protecting your eyes from the sun is very important as it could have life changing consequences but just because you have to wear them means you have to look cheap or trashy. there are plenty of stores that sell sunglasses at reasonable prices which look cute, summery and girly. the majority of my collection are from either primark or peacocks. for the summer months i love floral prints because it reflects the season but that's just a personal preference that differs entirely on the person.

a variety of shorts is always good as you will probably wear these more than you would skirts due to the fact their more practical for hanging out with friends, going to the beach and other daily activities. every high street or online retailer sell them in a variety of materials so experiment! prints, plains, denims, cottons, neutral, bright. the possibilities are endless. topshop have a good selection of quality shorts.

gladiator sandals come in so many different colours, styles and prices. they have embellishments, dimantes, decals... you name it, it probably has been applied to a gladiator somewhere in some way or another. they're a more comfortable alternative to flip-flops, how many times have you put on a pair of flip-flops and got blisters in between your toes? there are so many more styles of gladiator sandals than there are flip-flops and you don't have to suffer to wear them! here's a variety of different gladiator sandals available:

crochet seems to be all over the high street right now, so a cover-up is exactly what you need when the nights start cooling the air. although it's cold you don't want anything too heavy weighing you down! so this is the perfect thing to just throw on to keep your arms away from the chill. neutral colours are best to tie in with any outfit.

colours that i feel suit this season best right now have to be coral, baby blue, mint green, pastel yellow, black and pink.

Myth busters - Dry skin

2011-05-09T23:09:00.001+01:00

I know for a fact that a lot of people suffer from dry skin, me being one of them having being diagnosed with eczema for a year (my aunty and my mum are also suffering from this). I did some research on the subject to see if there was a maybe a 'cure' or something that can control it at the very least.

The remedies/cures I want to obtain are going to be natural, not beauty products you can buy from the shop but household products you can easily get your hands on without any trouble, I used this website to help me with my post: http://www.natural-homeremedies.com/homeremedies_dryskin.

Dry skin is caused by lack of natural oils being produced by the oil glands in the skin.
Causes of dry skin include:

Environmental factors (lack of humidity, cold, excess make-up, sun exposure, harsh soaps and pollution)
Nutrient deficiency (deficiency of Vitamin E, A and B)
Skin problems like eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis
Less natural oil from oil glands

On the website along with the causes, there is a wide list of supposed things that will help or prevent this condition. So over the course of the next few weeks, I'm going to try a few of them to see what works and what doesn't.

Wash face in olive oil or sunflower oil every night
Soaking face in warm water for 10 minutes
Mash a ripe banana and apply to the face and neck

First I will try these three to see if they do what they say on the tin.

NOTE: for test 1, you will need to decanter a small amount of the oil into a small travel shower gel bottle to prevent spillage, also don't touch your face as it'll be very greasy from the oil

Shwmae Newport!

2011-05-09T22:31:00.000+01:00

On Saturday, me and my parents left my home town at 6am to travel 3 hours on the train to Newport. why you ask? I'm leaving for university in just over 1 year and wanted to check the place I could potentially be studying at in a year or so. Hearing about it, I was like "It's Newport, nothing special right?" WRONG!
It's one of the most amazing places I have ever laid eyes on, the architecture is amazing. The success rate is sky high, the town is buzzing, and the university itself is mind-blowing. As soon as I walked up the long path towards the clock tower that engulfs the main entrance, I knew I was in love. It's everything I have ever wanted.

Just going to shove in some pictures that I borrowed from google, to show you the vibe and maybe you might get the same vibe I got when I came across it.

The bottom picture is the place I'd be studying in the majority of the time if I was to be accepted into this dream.

the modern day ballerina

2011-04-26T12:40:00.004+01:00

Giles Summer/Spring 2010 and 2011

casual sunday

2011-04-24T14:35:00.000+01:00

shirt - peacocks

tank top - select

cami - primark

jeans - primark

The time I threw something together and it worked

2011-02-22T22:57:00.000+00:00

Tank top - Primark

Crop top - Primark

Cardigan - Primark

Belt - Primark

Leggings - New Look

Boots - Ebay

Clock necklace - Dorothy Perkins

Tooth necklace - Select

I'm extremely sorry about the sound. It will get better I promise!

-Kayla

Nyx Strawerry Milk is my new love

2011-02-22T22:31:00.000+00:00

So I ordered a nyx lipstick because I thought the Mac one I wanted was to pricey for what I could afford so I snapped this one from an ebay make-up store that only sells brand new goods for a small £5.60 which I was excited about as it's hard to find this brand in Britain. So I was incredibly estatic.

In photos it looks like a bright bubblegum pink but on the lips it looks more like a pale shimmering pink, however if you wanted to achieve this bright bubblegum pink you could build up the colour to make it darker and more vibrant.

It glides effortlessly across the lips on application and has a matte looking finishing. However if lips are dry, they'll need be prepared with vaseline/lip scrubs as the lipstick tends to go flaky if applied to dry lips!

(Not good at reviews as you can guess)

- Kayla
Pictures coming soon!

London Fashion Week.. live?

2011-02-20T16:22:00.000+00:00

Earlier I was browsing through google and found a link for a range of fashion shows. Turns out that these weren't ordinary runway shows, these were the live LFW videos that were being streamed from the venue itself.
http://www.lelalondon.com/2011/02/watch-london-fashion-week-fw-2011-live/

I love it, in between shows it tells you what show is coming up next and how long it's going to be until it starts however i've figured out that the show starts 15 minutes after the stated time but this is to get everyone inside the venue and such. So just check it out, you won't regret it!
-Kayla

Grecian dress

2011-02-17T09:11:00.002+00:00

the dress that I designed and can make in college in a few weeks time!
P.S thank you to the second years for putting the bow on my mannequin :)

update; i am no longer making this dress, i will put pictures of what i'm actually making soon

Primark clothing haul

2011-02-14T09:49:00.001+00:00

On Saturday Swansea was the place to be, me + my friend Stacey decided to go up there to see our friends Jake + Jesse, we mainly saw Jake who didn't object to being pulled around a variety of girly clothes shops which I respect him for! All of the items I bought were from the known bargain store 'Primark' although at one point I did nearly purchase a dress/top from Topshop which was on sale!

Crop top
I am in love with this top, it's a grey/silver colour and feels almost silky even though it's made from polyester and elastane! It's extremely lightweight, has a luxurious fall to it and blends in to almost any outfit effortlessly. The top can be very misleading as when you sit down it looks like a full length top until you stand up, depending on height it will fall to different points of the stomach, for me it finishes just above where my jeans begin. It can be worn in any season with the correct styling which made it a must-have buy for me!
£5.00

Lace top
In one of my previous articles (S/S 2011) I briefly mentioned that lace was in style, well I bagged myself a lace top from Primark. It may be approximately 4 sizes to big, but i did this deliberately as I love the slouchy kind of style that you ca achieve by buying clothes a few sizes to big, anyone who feels like it can d this, you don't have to listen to these 'fashion rules' because think about it, is there really any? Normally lace is considered to be white or another neutral colour however this time round it can be any colour AND any pattern possible as long as there's only one lace item in the outfit. The top i bagged was a navy lace floaty top with gating just around the front of the neckline and ruffles down the racer cut back!
£6.00

Tank top
Time to stock up on basic wardrobe staples, after searching the store for these I finally found them stacked neatly on a shelf on the far wall, originally i was going to pick up one but when i saw the cut had been altered and there was a bigger range of colours, i had to grab 2! I opted for a tan and a white top as these are both neutral colours and that is the main colour scheme for these coming months, also thy will go with anything at anytime. (extra bonus!) When i previously bought a tank top the straps were quite thick and the neckline was rounded and halfway between the neck and the bust however, this time round the straps were quite thin and the neckline was wider and just above where the bust starts but high enough not to show too much!
£2.00 each

Skinny jeans
Lighter colours is what i need this summer and skinny jeans is my staple, it's the only style jeans i wear, i know i should branch out but for now i'm comfortable in what i know so i'll stick to it for awhile. The wash is a mixture of stonewash and indigo wash as the bottoms are so dark yet around the thigh area it's extremely light, where it's faded. Of course they did this as a deliberate feature but this will happened to jeans overtime anyway! The pocket has an embroidered detailing on the back in a white and tan thread kind of what you'd see on cowboy jeans back in the Wild West. I grabbed the super skinny edition, as jeans that hug my leg is what i love because although my legs are extremely thin and look like chicken legs i do love showing them off.
£8.00

Bikini
As i'm spending 95% of my time at the beach this summer, i needed a show stopping bikini to make me stand out from the crowd. I discovered a tropical print bikini set for a bargain price, which i instantly fell in love with! Okay, this made me go slightly over budget but i knew i wouldn't regret it so the guilt has yet to set in and i don't think it's coming anytime soon. The print is a gorgeous combination of bright blues, purples, pinks and oranges that give it an exotic vibe, and is decorated with a bold black palm tree. I love palm trees they're so calming and remind me of tropical far off places that i escape to in my mind. Unlike other bikinis that i've purchased during the last 2 years, this one is a clip up back not a tie up back, this will save a lot of hassle when it comes to doing it up by myself, although i may need some help with the tie up halter neck feature.
£8.00

Double ring
As i'e said before finding rings is difficult for me because of my thin fingers but i figured why not give Primark rings a shot! I'm glad i did. This one fit like a perfectly made glove! It's a double ring that covers two fingers at the same time. It's a gold piece with the word 'love' in capital italics! The 'O' has been manipulated into a heart encrusted with dimantes to give it a bit more bling.
£1.50

- Kayla

crop tops can be dressed up for winter

2011-02-14T09:09:00.001+00:00

Another rainy day in Wales, no surprises here then, yet i'm still determined to wear a crop top I purchased over the weekend. See Primark haul! I'm fully aware the weather is still not warm enough to bare all underneath this ensemble so i paired it with a few simple essentials that will do the job of keeping me warm.

Pair this with a thin jumper a thicker hoodie and a mac coat and you're set to go!

Crop top - Primark

Tank top - Primark

Jeans - Primark

Uggs - Tesco

Necklaces - Dorothy Perkins + Select

- Kayla

Should i become a snob or buy some strawberry milk?

2011-02-09T17:52:00.002+00:00

I love, love, love the look of Mac lipsticks but at the moment buying them is almost impossible when my only form of income is £30 a week from my college and with that i have to pay for my monthly contract, buy birthday presents and buy clothes. So as i have make-up that will help me through, it isn't exactly at the top of my buy now list!

So considering the Mac lipstick i want is aproximately £13.50 i've been forced to look for a cheaper dupe which I have found in the form of NYX which may be an American brand, but do ship to the UK and including shipping is almost half the price of Mac so who's winning in my books right now? NYX!

Originally I was looking for a dupe of Mac 'Snob' but now after flicking through the extensive shades of NYX lipsticks I am really drawn to NYX 'Strawberry milk' which is a slightly darker shade to 'Snob' but still has that light, sweet vibe around it.

After reading through various reviews regarding these two similar lip products, it has helped me to decide which one is of better quality because just the fact of being a nice colour isn't enough to sell extensive amounts.

Snob: Satin formula, Pigmented, Opaque, In between matte and a cremesheen formula, Not suitable for dry/flaky lips, Doesn't last long

Strawberry Milk: Creamy, Dries on lips, Matte stain effect, Affordable, Glides on lips, Moisturising, Pigmented

- Kayla

when i failed at fishtail braids and felt like a student.

2011-02-09T17:23:00.002+00:00

Today was warm yet pretty humid so i needed to be covered up but not in thick fabrics that will make me overheat, i'm lucky i made this decision as when i got to my classroom the windows were open due to the radiators which had overheated overnight and were now almost impossible to turn off without a member of the college's technical team.

Vest - Peacocks

Denim shirt - Tesco

Skirt - Ebay

Tights - Boots

Shoes - Primark

Earrings - Peacocks

Necklace - Dorothy Perkins

I kept my make-up to a minimal because i didn't want the humid air to wear it down/smudge it during the course of the day. Last night i decided to paint my nails for the first time in a few months, I wasn't completely satisfied with the outcome as i thought it would have been brighter and more pearly instead of a sheen with gold and pink undertones shining through. I attempted a fishtail braid like Cheryl Cole wore on the previous season of the xfactor, of course I failed miserably! So as a quick simple alternative I brushed my hair to the side and clipped it at e bak with bobby pins, then left the rest loose.

Foundation - Natural collection

Powder - Natural collection

Nail varnish - Colour trend

Lip Balm - Claire's

- Kayla

my spring inspirations

2011-02-08T21:28:00.002+00:00

Looking at the pictures above i'm sure you can tell what i'm going to be wanting in my wardrobe this spring. I love the style of all these outfits, although a few of them aren't what i usually would wear, but this year is all about trying new, daring things for me.

slouchy cardigans and jumpers
flowy tops
skinny jeans
ankle boots
body-con skirts
a-line skirts
leggings
plain heels
sandals

here are a handful of items that i would probably buy for this new season:

http://www.peacocks.co.uk/product/index.jsp?productId=4609611

http://www.peacocks.co.uk/product/index.jsp?productId=4597981&prodFindSrc=paramNav

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=whatsnew_app_tops&ProductID=2062097339

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=whatsnew_app_tops&ProductID=2058636511

http://www.forever21.com/UK/Product/Product.aspx?BR=f21&Category=whatsnew_app_bottoms&ProductID=2000005794

http://www.riverisland.com/Online/women/skirts--shorts/skirts/white-skater-skirt-601123

http://www.riverisland.com/Online/women/trousers--leggings/leggings--joggers/beige-print-leggings-599633

http://www.selectfashion.co.uk/footwear/s033-3201-05_nude.html

- Kayla

Gok Wan? don't mind if i do!

2011-02-07T15:19:00.000+00:00

One thing i forgot to mention in previous posts is that i've been planning to go to cardiff to meet the legendary stylist Gok Wan. So on Friday, i did just that! I would definitely recommend going to any of his clothes roadshows it was so amazing.

I left my house at 06:40am to get to the train station by 07:00am, this got me to cardiff at 10:00am, fortunately the tiredness didn't kick in until about 10:00pm which by this time i was already well on my way home. Yes it was a long journey, was it worth it? most definetly, easily one of the best days of my life. Gok is a top guy, so genuine and just downright nice.

Tune into channel 4 at 8:00pm on Tuesday 8th March 2011 to catch the Cardiff edition of Gok's clothes roadshow!

How to wash your make-up brushes!

2011-02-02T20:56:00.000+00:00

If we don't wash our make-up brushes on a regular basis they begin to harbour germs that will get applied on to our skin which could do a lot of unseen damage. So it's very important that we keep them clean and as germ free as possible! So here's how i clean my make-up brushes:

You will need
Make-up brushes
Towel
Baby shampoo

Step 1.
Run the bristles under moderately warm running water.

Step 2.
Apply the baby shampoo onto the bristles and gently massage in until it creates a light lather. Personally i recommend Johnsons baby shampoo but any baby shampoo is good.

Step 3.
Rinse the bristles under the warm running water, you will notice that the water will be tinted from old make-up leaving the brush.

Step 4.
Rinse until there is no colour leaving the brush.

Step 5.
Leave on a towel to air dry, turning them over every few hours.

I learnt this on ehow, I love the tutorials on there, they're amazing!
-Kayla.

Oh snap!

2011-02-02T20:45:00.000+00:00

After doing some research. I have just realised that Paris fashion week S/S 2011 had finished just days before this blog was created. I was pretty gutted because Paris fashion week is THE event to be seen at, if you're chosen to go to Paris fashion week by a senior editor, that's an honour. So i thought i'd blog a little coverage on what i missed. I must admit, most of these designers I have never heard of until now, but after flicking through them i knew they were worth writing about.

Adam

While flicking through the photos of this collection on the ELLE website my jaw literally dropped, everything was so beautifully made, the detail was perfectly done and the colour combinations for each outfit must've been thought about for a very long time. Subtle colours which a splash of shocking red was all this collection needed to get along. As i said on my previous article Spring/Summer 2011 capri pants were in, 2 of the models strutting up and down the runway were wearing neutral capri pants. I have a feeling they will be making their way into my wardrobe this season, i'm just in love with them. As well as that there were also a lot of blazers and waistcoats cascading onto the catwalk, it really gave the pieces a more conservative edge showing that you don't have to be going to a party to look good you could also be in town doing the weekly shop or even going to work. Sheer fabric was taking over the runway in the form of, you guessed it, maxi dresses and skirts in floaty cream and white fabrics. The balance between the floaty and tailored pieces in this collection were a must!

Alexander Wang

White is the staple for this collection even though other pastels seep through, but white is nonetheless the staple colour. The sheer maxi dress and skirt trend reoccurred here but in a more angelic, elegant form. The shoes were too die for! Tan lace-up wedges and boots? YES! They go with everything. Trousers. Maxi dresses. Midi dresses. Capri pants. Jumpsuits. Everything. New summer shoe of mine, maybe? I love how all the outfits just floated or glided down the runway so delicately. There was a lot more variety of coverup in this collection than there was in Adam, more long sleeved shirts, jumpers, waistcoats etc. One that really caught my eye was this see through mint green jumper, i love how it's cinched in at the waist, on one side! It looks kind of futuristic as well as looking cool and comfortable for the forthcoming season.

Carmen Marc Valvo

This collection is definitely more of a red carpet/social event kind of collection, it mainly consists of elegant dresses although there are some cute coverups for say a beach get together. The midi dresses give off a Jackie O vibe, very chic and put together without looking too stylized. Again the fabrics are either sheer or very silky, however a handful have a very textured surface which makes you want to go up to them and touch it. The palette is very soft tones, such as light greys, creams, whites, and black with flashes of navy. The simplicity of these gowns are sure to catch the paparazzis eye at the next red carpet event with their flowing nature and delicate detailing.

Charlotte Ronson

I know we're ALWAYS told "don't wear socks with sandals, it doesn't go." When there's a rule, there's an exception and Charlotte Ronson is the exception. The whole style looks effortlessly boho, yet it incorporates the trends of the season. Again we're finding sheer maxi dresses & skirts but there is a modern twist to it. Socks are everywhere on the catwalk at this show, even with this cute cami and skirt combo paired with some lace up boots. I have a feeling i'll be trying this look out during the next few weeks when spring starts to warm up the air. I'm shocked to see that even though this is a S/S collection, there's a lot of the winter elements sticking around like woolen hats, gym sweaters, hooded sweaters and socks, nevertheless this looks like a new sort of trend that could work.

Custo Barcelona

Taking a break from collections full of neutral colours, here's a collection exploding with colour! it concentrates on the 1970's revival happening in the fashion industry with playsuits, wide leg trousers, and tunic tops leading the way. It's safe to say that this collection is far from subtle but somehow has been designed to work together in harmony with the others. Tassels and oversized tops are the main 2 factors in this collection, but these tassels aren't just tassels, they're a mixture of the classic threads and feathers. What a twist! At the moment i'm seeing a lot of skirts made from feathers, i'm seeing them online, in the shops, on the red carpet, in magazines and on the catwalk, i can't seem to get away from them, although this is a purchase i'm going to have to miss they look amazing on other people. Unfortunately they're just my kind of style. Sorry.

Derek Lam

Who said denim & denim doesn't go? you obviously haven't seen the new Dereck Lam collection which consists of mainly denim combos and white pieces. One dress really caught my eye as it reflects the grecian kind of style that i have been concentrating for the past few weeks, the dress is a simple white sheer fabric with a subtle pattern but the sandals REALLY make the outfit pop! In this collection it's either the outfit or the shoes that are the main focal point, never both, I like this because although this can be viewed as 'boring' it gives you an item to concentrate on and another to glaze over. If both were focal points the outfits would just be overloaded and just look over the top tacky.

I can't finish this article to it's full extent because ELLE changed their layout on that page so i can no longer find it, however i feel that the shows that i have written about already were the best of Paris fashion week 2011.

Here's a small calendar for the upcoming fashion weeks:
Montreal Fashion Week; 7th -10th February
New York Fashion Week; 10th - 17th February
London Scoop International Fashion Show; 13th - 15th February
London Fashion Week; 18th - 23rd February
Washington D.C. Fashion Week; 21st - 27th February
Milan Fashion Week; 23rd February - 1st March
Paris Fashion Week; 1st - 9th March
Los Angeles Fashion Week; 15th - 18th March
Tokyo Fashion Week; 18th - 25th March
Sydney Fashion Week; 2nd - 6th May
Milan Fashion Week; 18th - 22nd June
Paris Fashion Week; 23rd - 26th June
Paris Fashion Week; 4th - 7th July
Miami Fashion Week; 15th - 19th July
Milan Fashion Week; 21st - 27th September
Paris Fashion Week; 27th September - 5th October

Just some dates to put in the good ol' diary! ;)

-Kayla.

Modern architecture

2011-02-01T15:30:00.000+00:00

In my fashion course we're studying the topic of architecture, sound weird for fashion? well inspiration is all around you waiting to be found. At first i was the same as you, thinking what are they on about, architecture means nothing to fashion.. etc etc but after looking into it, it does! The number of outcomes are endless. So i'll be doing a few blog posts on architecture which i will then be cooperating into my college project to produce a final garment of my choice.

Modern architecture
Although it sounds like present day architecture with the name modern in the title but actually it started in the late nineteenth century when architects started to rebel against the norm of architectural traditions however it didn't become popular until after WWII. The main goal for this movement was function over form.

It started in Chicago when they were able to rebuild Chicago school after the Great Chicago fire in 1871, the main architects that fueled the movement where William Le Baron Jenney, Louis Henry Sullivan, Martin Roche, William Holabird, and Daniel Hudson Burnham. Later they were joined by John William Root, these 6 men designed foundations for strong solid structures of skyscrapers and other buildings. All unnecessary detail was eliminated from the designs making it seem more of a social matter/driven by technological and engineering developments.

Examples of modern buildings include New York rockefellers centre (1940), lovell house (1929) and taliesin west (1938-59) among many others.

William Le Baron Jenney - (25th September 1832 - 15th June 1907)
Family of shipowners
Served as an engineering officer in the civil war
Practised with architecture by designing a swiss chalet with an open plan before Frank Lloyd thought of it
father of skyscrapers

here are some designs inspired by the modern movement:

the sketch on the left was inspired by a 1940's home window and the one on the right was influenced by New York's rockefeller centre.

- Kayla.

OOTD

2011-02-01T00:02:00.001+00:00

My outfit today was quite casual because I wasn't doing anything that required any detail or anything. I just wanted to be comfy and wear clothes that i could move easily in. So this is what i wore:

I took my bangs and brushed them up into my hair, I then took 3 bobby pins and popped them into place making sure no flyaway hairs could escape.

I applied a white base shadow to my eyelid and used it to highlight my tear duct and under the eye. I then went over the inner third of my eye with a light dust of gold, and a dark bronze to the outer two thirds of the eye to give it dimension.

My tank top is a white basic tank top from atmosphere in Primark. I love it because it goes with everything in my wardrobe and gives each outfit a new lease of life.

My jeans are from Hollister and are the Indigo skinny stretch jeans. They're super comfy and are a god quality so will last a very long time, although they're expensive i know they last for a long time. So in the long run they're an investment.

These shoes went perfect with this casual yet ensemble as they were practical and easy to walk in. I got them from QS a while back and have been a major staple in my wardrobe ever since. The shoes have a vintage embroidered pattern over them although you can't see this in the picture.

This cropped zip up sweater was a sportier alternative to a cardigan but not as heavyweight as a hoodie. I like how it shows off the tank top without it being the main focus of the outfit. I can't remember where I got this as it's been a few years.

Although it's cold outside it was one of the warmer days this season so i didn't need a heavy coat making me unnecessarily overheat, so instead of a coat i opted for this cotton blazer. When i bought it i started to dislike it but lately it's been growing on me so i thought i may aswell start wearing it now before winter ends as i may not fit into it next weekend.

Here's my pink religious bracelet, i never take this off unless i'm going in the shower. I have another 2, a brown one and a green one. My boyfriend has the brown one, and i have the pink and green one. I got this in a pack of 2 in Accessorize last May went i went on holiday with my dance school in Minehead.

Finally here's my bag that i wore with it, a metallic leopard print bag which i got from river island. It fits everything i need in it and even though it looks small.It has loads of hidden pockets which i love.

- Kayla.

Hair dye disaster!

2011-01-31T14:26:00.001+00:00

Have you ever dyed your hair and it turned out not how you wanted? I have. The dye took to my hair better than expected turning it jet black instead of the deep chocolate brown i was after, it wasn't put my head in a plastic bag never go outside bad but it just made me look pale and washed out. After looking online i found a quick easy fix to speed up the fading process.

This is going to sound like the most unusual and weird hair fix in the world but i can assure you that it works because i have used it on my own hair. So don't worry.

You will need:

Lemon washing up liquid

Bicarbonate soda

3-4 eggs

Vinegar

Bowl

Fine tooth comb

Step 1.

Mix the lemon washing up liquid and bicarb together until it creates a gloopy green mixture

Step 2.

Wet your whole head then pat with a towel to get rid of excess drippage

Step 3.

With a fine tooth comb, comb the mixture through your wet hair. Make sure you cover the whole head. You may need someone to help you.

Step 4.

Wash off the mixture

Step 5.

Instead of using shampoo, use vinegar to soak up the excess mixture. Wash this off.

Step 6.

Break 3-4 eggs over your head (you may need someone's help) and lather into the scalp. Wash off as well.

Step 7.

You then just towel dry your hair as you would after a shower.

Step 8.

This will have to be repeated once a fortnight or once a month depending on how much you want your hair to fade.

As i said, yes this method is strange, but from first hand experience i know it works.

- Kayla.

Spring/Summer 2011

2011-01-30T16:14:00.000+00:00

Spring is fast approaching, so I figured why not check out what's in this season. So I logged onto this website called fashionising, which is basically my online bible. I'm on there all the time reading up about what's in, what's out etc. but although I spend all this time on there, it hasn't crossed my mind to check what's coming up in the trends this year. Here's a quck guide on what your investments should be to keep you on trend for S/S 2011.

Sheer maxi dresses and skirts

This trend is new yet old. Last year Maxi dresses + skirts were the in trend and this year, that doesn't change, however the materials do. This year they're going sheer. The sheer fabric makes it very cheeky and quite sexy while the length balances it out with a very demure touch. Maxi dresses give your look a little bit of a romantic spark because it outlines your silhouette and letting your imagination do the rest instead of showing off your body to it's full extent. Celebrities such as Ashley Tisdale, and Rihanna are already sporting the trend. As I am one the petite women of the world I find it difficult to find a maxi dress or skirt that doesn't make me look smaller than I really am so in all honesty i'm looking froward to this summer challenge of finding a maxi dress because I feel that it must somehow be in my wardrobe this season.

Lace
Lace has held on to it's place in the trends for multiple seasons yet we're still not sick of it. It has different meanings to different people, to me lace is beautiful with a delicate aurora. It's a timeless material that will be used for years to come. This season the trend has been given a romantic edge, neutral lace dresses will be taking the high street by storm. Too much lace will make the look trashy so stick to one piece at a time. Kristen Stewart is one of the celebrities that has given lace a modern romantic twist.

Tassels
Looking through fashion websites lately, I have been bombarded by the site of tassels! Tassel bags. Tassel skirts. Tassel dresses. You get the drift. Tassels was once a form of art that signified luxury, this season, they're bigger, brighter and more voluminous than they ever have been. Also now they're not just being made from strands of fabric. Now feathers are being used as tassels too which has given the trend an edgier look. I love the feather idea being used as tassels, it's such a fun way to revamp a trend. Emilio Pucci, Louis Vuitton and Roberto Cavalli made tassels the main focus point, showcasing tops made from tassels, and tassels cascading from bags.

Capri pants
Although capri pants have JUST come into season, I have been wanting a pair since I saw Vanessa Hudgens sporting them in High School Musical 2, pretty sad right? They just looked so comfy, so summery and really sweet. This trend is an opposite to one of the other trends around right now, wide leg trousers. I love how all capri pants are a skinny cut without clinging to every curve, it gives women more confidence to bare a bit more skin in the know it won't advertise their "flaws" to the outside world. They come in a range of outrageous colours but the majority seen on the catwalk are subtle colours such as white, cream, grey, slight gold, or khaki.

Tail hem dresses

For awhile celebrities like Selena Gomez have been gracing the red carpet wearing tail hem dresses, they've also been on the high street for quite awhile too. I recently purchased a charcoal tail hem dress from Topshop, which I adore but I am yet to find a way to wear it without looking like an old granny. This trend comes in a range of lengths which causes a balance between mini to midi or midi to maxi, either way if the front is shorter than the back it doesn't really matter which length you choose it's still right on trend.

Stripes
S/S 2011 has held on to the traditional trend of traditional pattern and given it a modern twist. This pattern turns a blank canvas into a work of art even though there are numerous variations of it. Stripes are quite a powerful pattern because it can give an outfit architectural complexity and a very definite structure. For a basic guide on how to wear this pattern this season skimming through the amazing collections of Besoni, Marc Jacobs, Moschino, Prada, Paul & Joe, Jean Paul Gaultier, Isabel Myrant and Matthew Ames. Although each design is unusual and different they're all beautiful.

Playsuits/Jumpsuits

Want the comfort of your sweats whilst still looking fashionable? then this trend is for you! Playsuits + jumpsuits are for all height ranges, even the petite girls + women out there, you can just pair some heels or wedges to give that extra sophisticated height to your figure. However if you already have the height covered then a pair of sandals will do the trick. I love how this outfit used to be associated with the likes of clowns and babies but has somehow evolved into a prima-trend and are now socially accepted as a wardrobe staple. I adore this purple jumpsuit from Diane von Furstenberg, the simplicity of it is all it needs to make it pop as the colour is already bright + beautiful. I haven't seen many celebrities wearing this trend however I found a gorgeous image of Jennifer Lopez wearing an embellished halterneck jumpsuit.

Crop tops
The 70's era may be ruling the runway and shops, the 80's have managed to jump in to the trend list in the form of crop tops. Personally I don't recommend anyone spending a ridiculous amount of money on this trend because we all know it won't be around for a long time like some trends we've seen and is only for the younger women of the world, (only for 23 and under). However this is a fun trend and is meant for experimentation so get working with those accessories girls! I'm going to be honest, i'm not a major fan of crop tops and feel that there a vast majority that look very trashy and look like they come straight from the fame era. With the right styling, a crop top can look very chic and stylish. I guess this trend is based more on personal preferences than catwalk trends. If you're confident enough to bare your midriff then I encourage you strongly to do so as crop tops look very cute with hot pants over a bikini at the beach or with capri pants around town. For those who aren't as confident as those lucky few you DON'T need to avoid this revival, you could pair it with a simple tank top to cover the midriff but have the modern style of the crop top. Cheryl Cole works this subtle crop top with sophistication and class.

Hope you enjoyed,
- Kayla

Grecian flashback

2011-01-30T01:52:00.000+00:00

Lately I have been slowly but definitely falling in love with the Grecian/Romanesque style that comes around every so often, even though it isn't on trend this S/S 2011 it will blend in without looking too out of place due to the sheer fabrics that the dresses tend to be made of. Although Grecian isn't on trend, sheer fabrics are for sure. I even bought a bracelet earlier that reflects this trend (can be seen on the previous post), shockingly what made me fall in love with this trend was contemporary architecture, which I then incorporated into the design which reminded me of Grecian fashion and i've just kept falling.

On Thursday in college, my course started an introduction to pattern cutting and me + my partner for this exercise picked the most complex design you can ever think of to pattern cut. This was our first time pattern cutting for garments as we have only ever made patterns for bags, which is completely different as you don't have model measurements and darts to worry about.
The design me + Leah chose to follow was a grecian style dress with a gathering detail throughout as the main focus detail. This meant we had to cut out separate panels where we needed to gather it, we added at least 5 darts overall to make it cling to the body and had to make several alterations to get it the way we wanted.

If I choose to ever make this dress out of material, it would have to be made out of chiffon and a lightweight cotton to give it the complete grecian look. However I am aware that chiffon is one of the hardest fabrics to handle and sew. If you sew it the wrong way it's impossible to get it to lie correctly etc. but it is possible to work with as we can see in the fashion industry.

- Kayla

#update#
Here are the photos of the paper dress, sorry that they're in black + white but i couldn't change the settings, my blackberry was having a funny 5 minutes on me (N)

They're not amazing quality because they were taken on a 2mp camera, unluckily that's all i had on me at the time. In future I will be taking them on a 12mp camera to ensure higher quality but until then these will have to do.

Peacocks + Vitamin water

2011-01-29T22:27:00.000+00:00

I have decided to start a kind of fashion/beauty blog alongside my kind of personal day-to-blog so that will include things i've bought, make-up reviews, things i love right now etc. I was inspired to start this by a youtuber called Fleur De Force, her videos are just amazing and need to be watched! Here is the link to her channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/FleurDeForce

Anyway, today me + my best friend went shopping today and as I have hardly any money I was only able to buy a select amount of items but even though that was the case I was overall happy with what i bought. First, we went to Tesco and I bought 2 bottles of vitamin water because I just love the taste of the water because it's basically flavoured water but there's a wider variety of flavours than other brands. They look like this:

The red one is a pomegranate + blueberry flavour and claims to make the skin glow by releasing antioxidants that act against age-accelerating free radicals, protects cells + gives the skin a healthy appearance by renewing it. The clear one is an elderflower + pear flavour and claims to detox the skin by releasing an antioxidant that protects the body cells from free radical damage, tops up vital vitamins, carries nutrients around the body and removes any unnecessary bit from the body. Although I haven't tried the pomegranate + blueberry flavour yet I am so satisfied with the elderflower + pear one, it just tastes so good + after drinking it I feel energised and quite replenished. I got these for £1.80 (for both) from Tesco.

Next we took a trip to Peacocks and I bought some accessory pieces on the sale rack.
This first item I have been wanting since it first came out late spring/early summer last year and have just been in love with it ever since. It's a gold cuff bracelet, the cuff is a kind of battered effect but in a neat way, The detailing of it is very bold, very dramatic. It has a gold circle on the centre of the bracelet and is decorated with pink gems and dimantes. It reminds me a bit of the Egyptian/Greek/Roman era as this is the sort of thing they would have worn. I will probably wear this with a simple dress or maybe shorts and vest combo.

£2.50 from Peacocks

The second thing I bought was as much a statement piece as the bracelet and just screamed for me to buy it, Normally I find it really difficult to find rings to fit my fingers as they are incredibly small, most the time it just takes the biscuit because I see gorgeous rings then find out i can't buy them because they're too big for me even though they are a standard small. However this one fit on my finger with no trouble whatsoever. It would have to be an accessory worn by itself or just with simple earrings and a simple necklace as if it was paired with bracelets or fussy necklaces/earrings it would just overload the outfit and people just wouldn't know where to focus. I love the fact that it's just a massive flower, it catches everyones eye just like it caught my eye while searching the sale rack. Although the design is basic, the scale of it makes up for this factor.

£2.50 from Peacocks

The last item is more delicate than the other two. I just fond it so cute + adorable and knew that it was a must-have buy. It's an item that can be paired with basically a while wardrobe and can be worn through Spring + Summer. I have never seen this ring in the store before so was quite shocked to see it on the sale rack but considering it was the last one, it must've been a very popular piece. It is a simple large 'diamond' completely surrounded by an arrangement of lilac + white flowers with gold detailing. Although statement pieces are dramatic, I find simple pieces very quirky + often subtly bring the whole outfit together as a whole.

£2.00 from Peacocks

In addition to all this amazing stuff, my mum ordered some mouthwash off amazon for me. I am weird when it comes to mouthwash, I can't stand mint. Mint is like my biggest hate after spiders and heights. I can't eat it, the smell doesn't bother me as much but as soon as i taste it we have problems. Th only mouthwash I can find in my local pharmacies are all mint mouthwashes and I can't have them because my eyes water and I begin to gag. So earlier I was like 'well i need to fix this problem' so I went on the amazon website and found a Listerine citrus mouthwash, this seems perfect as I love citrus fruits they are just my favourite things ever. Kind of reminds me of summer. My mum ordered it off her card because I hate not being able to use mouthwash, it frustrates me to the max. It'll be arriving anytime from Tuesday to the following Monday. I will definitely be doing a review on this in case someone else has the same problem as I have and would like to know how to avoid the mint flavour but still have mouthwash. It only cost about £3.80 and the shipping costs were free, meaning there's no difference in price from your local drugstore, which is an extra bonus for mint haters. Here's the link for those that are interested: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Listerine-Antiseptic-Mouthwash-Citrus-500ml/dp/B000KU734G/ref=sr_1_6?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1296326784&sr=1-6

- Kayla