CELEBRATING CHINESE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL

Tomorrow marks a very important date in the Chinese calender, as we celebrate The Mid-Autumn Festival, aka Moon Festival. You'll notice tomorrow evening the moon will be at it's brightest and fullest!
On this day, many families, friends get together and have a major food fest, which in my opinion is one of my favourite times of the year after Chinese New Year & the Greek Easter & Christmas!
I rarely see people carry pretty paper lanterns out on the street uner the moonlight anymore, but maybe that's a tradition best seen in Hong Kong, China or even Vietnam.

For now, I am grateful to be with family and friends this weekend in London, perhaps the weather will be kind too! Enjoy this gorgeous editorial of Chinese Actress Li Bing Bing in Vogue China's October issue.
don't you just love that first shot?

 Red is a very significant colour in the Chinese culture, symbolizing luck. 

Full shoot via here

Here's the low-down on the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival via Pinterest

The main reason why this celebration tops most annual celebrations - the desserts!!!

The traditional mooncake (below) is the asian dessert to try, although it does require an acquired taste as there's a preserved savoury duck egg yolk inside each cake. I don't think everyone loves the lotus paste or red-bean filling, but I love them, it's a lovely little sweet delicacy.

This one below is a Snow skin mooncakes (aka Ice skin mooncakes) made with glutinous rice on the outside & powdered sugar. This mixture creates a very smooth, velvety texture similar to Japanese mochi, and filled with anything from lotus pasteor even sweet black sesame seed paste - one of my faves!

So loves, what will you be up to? Anything good planned?

Images of mooncakes via Vancouver Observer

Before I sign off, I really wanted to share a lol post by Garance Dore, I don't often read what she has to say, but this post really surprised me especially the Tweeting anecdotes. She has a wonderful sense of humour this one!

Right then, off you go, to infinity & beyond this weekend! Have a good one! Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!

KEEPING SANE, STYLISH & PRACTICAL WHEN IT RAINS

If anything I'm going to sound like a true Brit and have a mini whinge about the weather we're having. It's totally unpredictable. The past week has been nothing short of sporadic wetness, coldness and sometimes sunny moments - although those are mostly eclipsed by the greyness!

I've also been caught off guard with a stinky cold and now cough, but it's nothing a hot toddy 2 nights in a row won't sort out. (For realz!) I had trouble sleeping for the whole weekend and thought I'd go nuts with sleep deprivation from all the coughing. Also, I've noticed my skin cry for extra moisturizing attention too, so thank God for Argan oil and Cocoa Butter...
Ok, I ought to stop going anti-weather and embrace how fun it can be to layer up for the crazy weather, but first a few random shots that I love...and maybe a cuppa Earl Grey and some chocolate digestives.

 Keeping sane on the soggy shores of Britain - Someone with a sense of humour!

 Keeping it stylish! (above images via Pinterest)

(Image below via 3rdlifecrisis.tumblr.com)

 Keeping it bright and happy...

(via Gina Melvin on Pinterest)

 Cheeky brollies! via Pinterest

Contrast piped mac - George - £25 

Moschino Cheap & chic umbrella - £65 at Asos

Doctor Sarah stag bag - £45 - Accessorize  - I will also mention here that the new fall collection of bags are to die for at Accessorize, so many gorgeous pieces to drool over here!

Chinese Laundry 'South Bay' over the knee boot at Nordstrom - £65 approx

Asos Oversized hooded parka - £70

Missoni Umbrella via The Outnet - now £60

Canvas and faux leather shopper - £29.99 H&M

Birdy tall wellies by Fat Face Wellies - £30

What's your rainy day style saviour? For braving the wet and cold, I have a really really old Topshop parka for winter months and also a light weight one for spring in a different colour. If I'm going somewhere more formal I'll definitely opt for a smart mac, it's the best cover up and will hide a multitude of sins, especially if you're on a school run and had something spill down your top/bottoms. 

Anyhoos, I have major issues with weather situations that are simply wet and cold. I swear in an alternative universe I'm a wee kitty cat...;)

FASHION WEEK FABULOUSNESS, INVITES & FW PLAYLISTS

Well hello cupcakes! I know, I know... it's been a fashion forever since I last posted in blogosphere. Sorry for going all m.i.a on you, it wasn't intentional, I just a few things I must attend to whilst being in London.
For what it's worth, I've slowly been catching up on all things fabulous and the latest happenings in Fashion Week, here's just some of my favourite things - Style, Fashion Week Invitations - I love papery goods with pretty designs and awesome graphics, and lastly a good Playlist that'll have you tapping you feet. Yup, I've listed some of the finest Fashion Week music playlists and tunes, so enjoy little lovelies! 

Fashion heavyweight, Taylor Tomasi Hill, looking supremely stylish in this black ensemble.

Oh ADR, you're such a cheek! Gotta love her!

 images above via Tommy Ton for Style.com here

A sack load of invitations prior to Fashion Week is probably enough to drive the postman nutso, but still, who doesn't love a beautiful, creative work of art in the form of an invitation? I love all of these, some of them are from the past, but they're still fantastic - notice the Willy Wonka one from Stella McCartney? Fab, no?

I just love the Burberry Prosum pop up invite and the Kenzo pop up one below from 2009.

invite images via Refinery29,  POQ Studio, Interbang and Anothermag.com

I love making new discoveries in blogosphere, this is one of them, a site dedicated to music and playlists from the runway: Fashionsoundtrack.com, here's their NYFW playlist/soundtracks.

There are loads of playlists to be discovered and brilliant new tunes to add to your ipod/itunes playlist.Many designers have added theirs to spotify.

Some of my other faves include:
Zac Posen: 
 
Etta James – "A Sunday Kind Of Love"

New York Philharmonic & Zubin Mehta – "Love Is Here To Stay"

Nancy Wilson – "(You Don't Know) How Glad I Am"

Gene Krupa and His Orchestra & Anita O'Day – "Skylark"

George Gershwin – "Someone To Watch Over Me"

Ella Fitzgerald – "Moonlight Serenade"

Charlotte Ronson:

Chairlift – "Sidewalk Safari"

Hudson Mohawke – "Ooops (Oh My)"

Friends – "I'm His Girl"

Arcade Fire – "Sprawl II (Soulwax Remix)"

MNDR – "Feed Me Diamonds"

Haim – "Forever"

Skyscrapers – "Samantha Ronson & The Undertakers"

Florence + The Machine – "Spectrum (Say My Name) (Calvin Harris Remix)"

Sandie Shaw – "(There's) Always Something There To Remind Me"

Haim – "Go Slow"

Rebecca Minkoff:

Tennis – "Marathon"

Jay-Z – "Dirt Off Your Shoulder"

Twin Shadow – "The One"

Lana Del Ray – "Blue Jeans"

Tennis – "Marathon"

Yelle – "Qui Est Cette Fille"

Tanlines – "All Of Me"

Tennis – "High Road"

 

More playlists via TeenVogue, here.

I hope you have a terrific sunday and wildy fun week ahead! καλή εβδομάδα!

x.o.x.o

JUST LOVIN' IT

Two of my fave necklaces du jour, an old Accessorize chain with snake head and vintage looking glass sparkles via Zara.

Bonjour loves! As you may have gathered via Twitter I've crossed the pond and am currently enjoying a bit of time out with family and friends back in London.
I'm super excited about my friends wedding tomorrow and am seriously looking forward to going to the fun fair tonight too! I'll just make sure I don't eat too much before I go on the rides! ;)

I've had a busy couple of days since arriving and there's nothing like a warm welcome back than an awesome dinner party hosted by close friends. I had such a blast and I always love raiding my friends wardrobes when I get back and eyeing up the newness... I am just loving this leather peplum top with zip down the back, teamed with navy skinnies and wait for it... a pair of leopard print Louboutins!

There's only one gal whose shoe closet is more enviable than Kim Kardashian's and that's my gal J - former Shoe Buyer for Tophop from the "I Want This Job" series. I must do a part deux with her since she has moved on up big time, now in the role of Accessories, Jewellery and Footwear Buyer! She also gets to work with a fashion legend too, but I won't spill the beans just yet! 

 Mmmm, yummy, bruschetta...

So many beautiful photographs and framed images fill the home, but I found one wall and this particular frame that I fell in love with. I really do have a soft spot for butterflies... I just love the colours and their beauty.

During the day the Mr. & I went for a long walk with my folks to Richmond Park, the largest of 8 Royal Parks, this little snippet is from Pembroke Lodge. We also got to see plenty of deer running wild or just chilling by the roads, hence the super slow speed limit. I miss this place dearly as I remember dragging my sledge out during winter and sliding down the slopes like a crazy kid.

 Mr. Squirrel saying hello!

Sundown at the lock over the River Thames... gorgeous isn't it?

I hope you've all had a good working week, now enjoy the weekend darlings & London Fashion Week!

x.o.x.o

BECAUSE IT'S (A FASHIONABLE) MONDAY...

I love this shot, so much vibrancy, prints, colour... Love Anna's simple white mini dress with accents of  turquoise, Elena Perminova's cool edgy outfit (far left) & Miroslava's awesome sense of style via Style.com (Tommy Ton for RTW SS13)

Hello darlings! How was your weekend? Were you glued to all the NYFW coverage, who were you most excited about? I've managed to watch a few online already and loved the runway soundtack for Rebecca Minkoff (as well as the turquoise and coral eye makeup), Jason Wu's gorgeous & super sexy collection, Nicholas K to Kate Spades fun & girly show.
Did you watch the amazing Paralympics Closing Ceremony? Major surprise newsflash of the year for me was hearing about Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds secret wedding.
Oh and have you seen just how mind blowingly amazing Kate Hudson is in the GLEE video? Yowsers, does she look good, the mash up of Gaga & JLo is kinda interesting! Wonder what Sarah Jessica Parker will bring to the show too.

Well, it was a corker of a weekend to say the least! 

Since blogosphere is likely to be overflowing with copious amounts of Fashion Week round-ups, I thought I'd leave you with some inspirational quotes from some of fashions finest legendary talents & share a little SS13 Designer doodles with y'all! Enjoy!

Fashion Quotes all via here

Left: Oscar de la Renta & "Crystalline." — Whitney Port
Lots of gorgeous photography, designer illustrations and random image inspiration for Designers SS13 rtw collections via WWD. There are three parts; part one, part two & part 3.

Left:"Contemporary Surrealism." — Michelle Smith, Milly, "Timeless influence." — Carolina Herrera & "Metamorphosis: The spring 2013 collection acknowledges the prophetic symbolism of the Luna Moth to exhort the evolution and transformation of an ever-intuitive Bibhu woman." — Bibhu Mohapatra.
Other than style.com, or Vogue for the latest catwalk shows, I absolutely love ShowStudio.com

for their coverage too, especially the live panel discussion about Victoria Beckham's new collection a little about the woman herself. Very interesting indeed. The panel consists of the fabulous Lou Stoppard, Colin McDowell, Camilla Morton and Fred Butler.

I hope you have a super stylish week loves!

καλή εβδομάδα!

THIS WEEKEND... NYFW, MAKEUP BRUSH CLEANING, CHILLING & THEN SOME

Daeja Fallas surf shoot via Blog Free People

This weekend... 
Fantasizing about chilling out, the idea of sneaking a last weekend by the sea would be simply divine. It would mean immersing myself in The Great Gatsby again which I started reading a few weeks ago.

via someecards.com

I'm constantly amazed at what technology has to offer, but seriously, it's 2012 and what, still no automatic fold button? I hate doing the laundry plus I need to getting packing for a wedding weekend in England next week! So very excited!

I haven't been wearing much make-up over the summer, just a touch of smudged eyeliner (from my eyeshadow pot), concealer where needed and lipgloss, but it's high time I did my ritual of cleaning my make up brushes! Keep 'em free from bacteria loves, plus they'll last longer if you look after them! Found some brilliant tips from The Beauty Department here. I tend to use an anti bacterial soap but find that shampoo keeps the bristles and condition in much better shape.

If I get a chance you'll find me oogling over live streaming of NYFW via here . Alternatively, Grazia magazine has live streaming catwalk shows via this video link here.

I just love this photo, it's sheer joy! I could look at this again and again. Made me chuckle too. via 9gag.com

Have a wonderful weekend lovelies!
Καλό Σαββατοκύριακο!

MAKE UP ILLUSIONS: FACE CONTOURING, SCULPTING & PRIMING

Kim Kardashian makeup free on left, still gorgeous looking and perfectly made up with trademark falsies (lashes) and a narrower looking nose. 

images via Zimbio & Style Bistro

Morning all and welcome to the new week! Did you have a good weekend loves? I had a lovely, rare day at the beach with mr. Perseus and I could have turned into a prune after spending all the hours in the sea...

I love this neat little beauty trick, you may have heard about contouring, sculpting and highlighting already, but when putting the combinations to use, can totally transform your face shape enhancing your features and make you look drop-dead gorgeous.

Face contouring technique. But when the highlighter is a little too excessive, it can look like the shot above right when the light/flash from cameras are too harsh & strong.

Whilst I am Kim Kardashianed-out & have had enough of the siblings (sorry KK fans), one thing I have found is that she knows how to look striking at every photo-op and every red-carpet, using make up to the best of her advantage.
Kim's make up artist Mario Dedivanovic has got this skill down to a t, by highlighting & accentuating the high points on her face whilst depressing some of the low/hollow points resulting in faking a perfectly sculpted face.
Think of it like David Beckhams sensational abs in a major campaign - instead of Photoshop, I think a little makeup trickery might have helped too, using a darker shade of matte foundation to create faux indentations where none might have previously existed!

Makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic via Kim Kardashian Celebuzz

Always start with a moisturized face, apply primer & foundation of your choice so you're starting with a completely even surface.Depending on your skin tone/shades contouring can be applied differently to make the most of your features, make your face appear thinner or even give you cheekbones to die for. This step-by-step Contouring kit from Smashbox will make this technique easy, unless you already have the basics - highlighter & concealer both one to two shades lighter than skintone, bronzer & blusher.

If you have lighter/paler skintone contouring is your preferred technique, working with bronzers/slightly darker shade of foundation.
If you have darker skintone, it would make sense to highlight the high points on your face as you've already got the colour base for the low points - I picked this trick up in the video below!

As per the illustration above, the sides of the nose are contoured to make the nose appear more narrow/smaller. A highlighter can also be used along the bridge of the nose too - I know that was one of Naomi Campbells personal faves.

******

UPDATE: 5.09.2012

Um, has Kim Kardashian been reading my blog? The Daily Mail just posted this Twitter image of Kim Kardashian and a load of concealer & contouring on her cheek area! I know, it does look weird but the results are just striking!

 via Daily Mail/Kim Kardashian Twitter

I wouldn't leave you high and dry without a great info tutorial video! :) Check it out below!

via Goss MakeUpArtist on Youtube
Now that's what I call make up trickery and creating an illusion!
 

Kate Beckinsale at MOCA 2009 & Blake Lively & Salma Hayek at perfume launch, Venice 2012

via Style Bistro 

Kate Beckinsale's makeup is perfect - you can see where the highlighter has been swept on the cheekbone and directly underneath a sweep of blusher in the hollow area of the cheek - all blended softly so there are no obvious streaks! On the right Blake Lively was recently seen in Venice looking every inch the super star, with highlighter just underneath her eyes, sweeping upwards to the side of the temples and blusher on the apples of her cheeks. Take a closer peek at the side profile of their make up!

Because it's Monday... Now, onto the totally wacky-doodle... Primers! Only Kim could tweet a photo of her mid-make up with crazy yellow lines drawn all over her face. It looks like a child went wild with Crayola Crayons, but this infact was celebrity MakeUp Artist Mary Phillips little trick for disguising dark circles underneath the eye and even out Kim's skintone.

via Dailymail and SmashBox Primers available here or Sephora.

Colour corrective primers are brilliant for concealing a multitude of sins, evening out skin imperfections and also helps give your foundation extra staying power.

Nearly most highlighting creams have yellow tint which help reflect light, making the skin appear more vibrant, allowing the face to glow.

GREEN primers: Best for covering up rosacea/redness/spots, evening out skintone.

LILAC/PURPLE primer: Best for adding life to dull skintones

LIGHT PINK/PEACH primer: Best for concealing under eye circles, age spots, freckles. Also great for medium to dark skin as it provides a natural glow.

NB: The blue looking bottle by SmashBox is actually a Photo-finish Hydrating foundation primer, although I have heard the MakeUp Forever Microperfecting primer in blue #5 does help with redness & also evens out the skintone via amazon.

Have any of you tried sculpting or contouring techniques? Or do you just stick with good old bronzer and highlighter?

Wishing you a super awesome week loves!

x.o.x.o