Classic Redhead Beauty

Just thought I would jump on that Oscars bandwagon and write about my favourite redhead of the moment, Jessica Chastain. Her Oscars look was a modern take on the ultimate classic glamour look, and boy did she work it well!

 

Her look is so classically beautiful, with nothing too over the top or overstated. The general make up is focused on natural, glowing, effortless beauty which flatters her natural features. She has wonderful skin which looks to me to have a pearl effect peachy blush on, perhaps MAC Springsheen to contour and gently add a slight glow. She is clearly wearing false eyelashes to add definition to her eyes. It also looks like she has a shimmery cream eyeshadow in the inner corner of her eye. This brightens the socket and is probably a shade similar to MAC Phloof! She probably has some brown eyeshadow through the socket to add definition and then a tiny bit of eyeliner which slightly bends out at the outer corner. Her lipstick is a classic red slowly worked into the lips to create a deep stain rather than a heavier matte finish.

 

Who wore your favourite look?

 

Hannah xx

 

 

 

 

 

eBay!

As my wardrobe is gradually being taken over with more and more vintage style clothes, my older, more 'mainstream' clothes were being pushed further and further to the back. So I have decided to have a right good clear out.

It is one of those monotonous tasks that I really wish I had the motivation to do more often. My friends tell me of their incredible profits from selling what can only be described as tat...but one man's rubbish is another man's treasure! So I have finally got on the bandwagon...

Here is a selection of some of my favourite pieces I am woefully selling

 

Please check out the rest! Here is a link to My eBay

 

Hannah xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh I Do Like to be Beside the Seaside!

A glorious day in Brighton today meant it only necessary for a long stroll along the sea. The fine weather really gets everyone out and about, and it is so lovely to see everyone making the most of it! All that sunshine could only call for some photos...

We also decided to visit the Brighton Tattoo Convention. Held at the Hilton Metropole, there were absolutely loads of stalls featuring tattooists from all over the world! Plenty of eye candy too, with lots of bearded and tattooed men walking round, as well as lots of vintage ladies! I had a sneaky look at the beautiful dresses on the Oh My Honey! stall and a chat to the lovely ladies on the Brighton Belles WI stand. I think I may go! It all sounds very exciting, with events such a guest speakers, cake decorating and much more. It would be a brilliant way to meet some more people. I would love to hear if any of you lovely readers go?

I hope you had a lovely weekend!

 

Hannah xxx

Specs Appeal

Don't these wondeful ladies look fantastic?!

 

Every time I walk down Gardener Street in Brighton's North Lanes, I always take a wistful look into Brompton's Of Brighton. Its fantastic, colourful array of beautiful eyewear cries out to me.

 

I am supposed to wear glasses for work (damn computers) and so I am trying to scrape around for some pennies to go towards a fantastic, fifites inspired pair.

 

I adore the classy look that these glasses give, and especially when teamed with some lipstick and a vintage hairstyle. I love looking at images of our favourite vintage icons in their specs.

 

Lots of love,

Hannah xxx

Gradually Introducing Vintage into Your Wardrobe

Whilst I may be considered relatively new to vintage fashion, I understand the difficulty of desparately wanting to introduce it into your wardrobe, but not quite knowing where to begin! Two of my previous posts, which are both guides to vintage fashion (and can be found here and here), introduce you to the general eras that inspire and influence my wardrobe, and detail what I particularly look for when in a vintage shop. Now comes the hard part; how to introduce it into your wardrobe!

So where did I begin?! Well, it all starts with confidence, and so I naturally deviated towards an area that I feel most comfortable with...make up! You Tube tutuorials, by my favourites Lisa Eldridge and Tanya Burr, helped to improve my general make up application techniques. I also got the chance to follow some of their more classic look tutorials. Lisa is an avid vintage fan, she herself collects vintage make up! So as you can imagine, her videos are both informative and great guides. This then gave me the confidence that I looked the part and so I delved into hair tutorials, particularly from The Cherry Dollface. If you click the You Tube icon (or click here!) on the top right of this page, it will take you to my channel. You can find that my most practised and trusted videos are in the 'Likes' category!

I then began to naturally deviate into slightly more vintage inspired clothing. The High Street is a known quantity and does some excellent vintage reproduction clothing! Some of my favourite dresses are High Street reproductions! I particularly love some of these...

 

Vine Border Sun Dress - Topshop - £38

(I really want this! Imagine in summer with a petticoat and red lipstick!)
 

Blush Pointelle Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins - £16

 

 

 

Blue Chelsea Girl Floral Print Shirt Dress - River Island - £25

(adore this too!)

 

Eeeeek, I am so very tempted by these now! 

As you began to build up your repertoire and wardrobe, the hardest part can be finding where to wear it all! It can be quite unnerving to suddenly step out in full vintage attire in front of people that are used to seeing you in 'normal' clothes. I personally found it much easier to make some of my bigger statements in front of those people I am very comfortable with, such as my boyfriend, family and closest friends. Personally, I began to introduce my new look when visiting particular events, such as a Vintage Fair. I found that these events gave me the opportunity to wear vintage, as I knew that I wouldn't stand out from the crowd too much. On a night out, I would wear my usual dresses, but sneak a vintage handbag or accessories in there to spice it up! It grew from there and I began to find the confidence to invest my money into more original vintage items.

I really hope you have found this post insightful and I would absolutely love to hear how you went about introducing vintage into your wardrobe, or even if this has inspired you to make the move to the vintage side!

Have a wonderful Wednesday,

 

Hannah xxx

Cold Cream

Following on my my earlier post, Some New Skincare, I thought it would be nice to let you all know how it is going, and let you know about my most recent purchase!

 

Purchased from Boots for around £2.50, Cold Cream has made a massive difference to my skincare routine. I begin of an evening by cleansing my face using the Korres Chamomile Soap. This removes every trace of make up, and a quick wipe over of Witch Hazel afterwards makes sure that no residue is left on the skin. I have really noticed a difference in my skin from even using these two products. My skin is noticeably calmer, with less red angry spots and even feels calmer if that's possible! It is also much smoother to the touch.

 

I then begin with the Cold Cream. I take a mint imperial (yum!) sized dollop on the back of my hand, and gradually apply it to my face as if it is a moisturiser, softly rubbing it into the skin. When I feel enough is on (you will be able to tell), run a sink full of water as hot as you can bear, and use a steaming muslin cloth to wipe the cold cream from your face. It is very important to use a new cloth every 2-3 washes! I then finish off by gently patting my face dry, another quick wipe of witch hazel and a small dollop of moisturiser if you feel necessary.

 

Whilst this is quite a long routine, I feel that is is first of all very kind to my skin, and secondly, doing the job! My inital concerns about using soap to cleanse my face are no longer necessary due to the moisturising properties of the Cold Cream. The soap removes my make up very easily, meaning that the cold cream is left to purely cleanse my skin, without pushing a days worth of make up into my pores!

 

Whats more, it also comes in such a darling little pot! What more is to love?! I would love to know if you have tried any of these products, and what you think! Or, if you can recommend any others!

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend,

 

Hannah xxx

A Guide to Vintage Shopping...Part 2!

Following on from my original A Guide to Vintage Shopping (found here!), I thought it would be nice to explain what it is that I look for myself when hunting for some fabulous finds! I briefly touched upon my preferences for daytime/eveningwear, but would love to dig a little deeper as it has taken an awfully long time for me to really get my vintage 'eye' in. Obviously everyone prefers their own take on vintage glamour, however I just thought it would be nice to explain what I look for in particular.

The simple recipe to success is understanding your body shape. Any clothing choices can all lead on from there! I am quite small and curvy, so choose to have most of my clothes emphasize my smallest part, my waist. I would say every single outfit I wear comes in at the waist, so much so, that if I wear a more straight fitting outfit, it feels completely horrible! I have a little stomach (that I am trying to get rid of!) and so prefer something that skims over this. I also have a larger bust, so prefer clothing that allows for this and is not too tight around that area.

Knowledge of the body acts as the perfect base upon which to build your outfit. Knowing my shape means that I can then make well (I hope) informed choices for outfits that flatter and enhance the body. Most of my vintage clothing choices are very much the same shape, however look different by how I accessorise them or the print and material.

The key feature that I look out for in all dresses is the emphasized waist. I am also conscious of the length, preferring styles at least knee length; not just to please my Dad, but to keep a classy and 'true' vintage look. Remember that the fifties were still very conservative, and the forties even more so! I also look out for a quality material, you can tell this by having a good feel! You know you have hit the jackpot if the dress is lined too. I assess how much skin will be on show, for example, on styles with a halterneck or low neckline I prefer a longer length as no to show too much flesh.

There are two main styles that I generally go for. The more fitted styles, such as the Dollydagger Dita and Collectif Dolores seen below, are super flattering styles for all shapes. They are both centered around the waist, and finer details such as ruching and poofy sleeves exaggerate curves to the maximum for a wonderfully curvy look. I am also a lover of the more Swing and 1940s influenced shapes that flow over the hips, such as this Heyday Mary 1940s Dress. The swish when you walk feels super glamourous, but everything is held together by the emphasis on the waist. I adore the sleeves on this style, which cover any disliked areas and make it suitable for day or night.

 

L-R: Collectif Dolores, Heyday Mary 1940s Dress and Dollydagger Dita in Black Cherry

I have recently purchased quite a lot of skirts as I adore the chic look they give! I look out for a feature that conceals my stomach whilst also showing off my figure. Generally a clever print or textured material can do this, or a feature in the making of the garment such as pleats, darts or ruching on the hips. On my shopping list is a circle skirt, as these can flow out wonderfully, whilst also making the waist look tiny.

Late 1940s and 1950s fashion centered around the ability to accessorise. Their previous wartime budgets were beginning to increase, and great enjoyment could be taken from matching your hat, bag and gloves. I particularly love the thin leather belts, they are slightly more subtle than the thicker ones, and give a more vintage look. They can also be worn with more! The secret to any quality handbag is to take a peek inside. A classy interior reveals all you need to know about a handbag...it is one classy bag and one should buy it asap!

However, the main trick to looking fabulous in your vintage wares truly comes from within. Genuine excitement to wear your new finds will add an extra dollop of sparkle to your outfit, and you will be sailing down the street believing yourself to be Rita Hayworth herself (or is that just me?!). An outfit that fits correctly will not only look great, but feel fantastic and the beauty of vintage is that it is designed to flatter the body. Some styles nowadays are more focused on looking like the latest celebrity, or fitting in with the latest trends, but vintage style has stayed true to itself for decades and you can't go wrong with that!

Happy Shopping,

 

Hannah xxx

Some New Skincare

As a beauty product addict, it is safe to say that I have tried every spot busting, radiance enhancing, 'miracle product' out there. Jazzy labels that tap into your emotions and promise to solve it all, often results in impulse purchases and disappointment down the line.

 

My skin really isn't perfect and leaves a lot to be desired. Dry patches that turn into an oily, shiny face, redness and pigmentation or just those annoying spots under the surface, I've got it all! A few years ago I finally decided to really research and get to the bottom of my skin problems and learnt some useful tips.

 

It is clear that my skin is Dry/Combination and quite a Sensitive soul. It is very quick to flare up in annoyance to a looming spot, which results in a fair bit of swelling and redness. The vicious circle has began, and I have to do everything in my power to leave it be...no picking or squeezing! This is where some products come in handy. After a fair bit of research a few years ago, I decided to take things back to basics and looked for very natural products with soothing properties. At the time, I had been using a Clarins toner for Dry/Sensitive skin (I would have thought this to be fine), however its chemical ingredients completely stripped my skin of its natural oils and resulted in a humungous breakout. £20something pounds down, and covered in angry spots, I learnt that natural oils are good! I am sure for less sensitive skin, this product may work a treat, however it taught me a big lesson about the importance of natural ingredients. I follow a cleanse, tone and moisturise routine and so decided to get Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser, Origins Dr Weil Mega Mushroom Toner and Neals Yard Frankincense Hydrating Moisturiser.

 

For the past two years, I have happily stuck to this routine. However, the January blues have hit my purse strings hard and conveniently the toner and cleanser ran out! So I decided to research some more budget friendly skincare solutions.

 

The benefits of plain old soap have been known for years (our vintage heroes would have always used it!), however I have always steered well clear due to the fact that normal soap makes my skin feel incredibly dry and tight. A little bit of research revealed a Korres soap that is made up of Chamomile and Almond Oil. Chamomile has been used for hundreds of years for its soothing benefits, and Almond Oil is highly recommended by Liz Earle herself for its enriching benefits. I picked it up in Waitrose for £5 and absolutely love the results! One wash removes every single trace of makeup and even my MAC Pro Longwear eyeliner! I am not left with that tight feeling at all, so very impressed!

 

 

 

As for Toner, I have really taken it back to basics. My previous toner was around £22, and I have found one for £1.50! It is very simple...just plain old Witch Hazel! You want to buy it in its purest form, just in a glass bottle over the counter at Boots, Superdrug etc. I know that my Nan absolutely swears by Witch Hazel, as you can use it on anything at all! It can be gargled, clear infections, applied to bruising... the list goes on! It has fantastic healing properties and can reduce pores. A simple wipe over my skin with this after cleansing is refreshing and instantly soothes my skin. I also don't stop stroking my face afterwards as it feels incredibly smooth!

 

 

 

Only time can tell whether this will work, but I will keep you updated. I also would love to try some Cold Cream, so that is on my shopping list. I have decided to make the most of my Saturday off work, and turn today into Skincare Saturday! I will be posting on Twitter and Facebook throughout the day with some skincare tips and would love to hear any of yours!

 

Have a great weekend,

 

Hannah xxx