Messing with my life

Miu Miu keeps messing with my life. 

#BoFVOICES STELLA MCCARTNEY

Business of Fashion or BoF, as it's better known, it's a daily resource for fashion creatives, it has replaced Vogue as the Bible. If you want to be up-to-date in all fashion matters you have to check BoF and all their amaizing content, I recommend that you explore their free online learning courses, but this post is about something else, BoFs Youtube Channel. 

I've recently discovered it and I've become addicted. One of my favorite videos is the Stella McCartney interview for the launch of #BoFVOICES, I thought I knew the philosohy behind Stella's brand but their vision is much more complex then a simple leather ban. It's about the future, the evolution of fashion and the exploration of the paths that the industry has to take in order to survive.

 Check out the video!

For more on STELLA MCCARTNEYs sustainability commitment visit her website

"We take responsibility for operating a business and maintaining a supply chain the respects the planet as well as the people and animals on it."

"We will probably never be perfect, but you can rest assured that we are always trying."

"We think that being modern means considering the future, not just the future of design, but also the future of the planet."

Same thing every year...

Stores are darker and brighter from all the LBD and sequins that invaded the racks. I'm searching for the best option for NYE, since I'll be in a warmer weather all the velvets I love have to be put away... I'm also trying to stay away from black but I've told you before that I'm a recovering blackaholic.

Jenna Earle for Elle Canada

December 2015

Too faced goodies

Are you in need of ideias for Christmas gifts? Well, I can help.  These Too Faced miniature products can be the best present for a friend or for a secret santa gift (girls only, or not...). The products are a little bigger then sample size so you have the sufficient amount of product that allows you to really play with them.

I've wanted to try these Melted Lipsticks for a while but I didin't want to risk spending almost 30€ and not liking them, I'm always afraid of lip products that say "long wear" because that usually means that they will be very drying to my lips. When I saw they had a mini Melted Lipstick for just 10€, and it came with the cutest little "Polly Pocket-like" blush, I took the chance and it payed off, they are really good.

If you want to try out the "Better Than Sex" mascara they also have a mini version that comes with a mini matte "Chocolate Soleil" powder.

Oral obsession

Well Winter is coming (cough, cough) and I feel the need for lipstick. The cold months make me become addicted to lip products because my lips get so dry that is really uncomnfortable to not wear anything. 

These are some colours that I'm leaning towards for this season, I selected a few lipsticks and lip glosses with different finishes (matte, satin, glossy) so that you can achieve multiple looks with the same color. 

You can find some of these brands in Sephora and others online, you can check swatches from these colors online so that you know what you're getting.

\ Click on the names to find out where you can buy the brands that are not available in Portugal /

KIKO Ultra Glossy Stylo in  813 Apple Blossoms 

TOO FACED Melted Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Chihuahua

RIMMEL London London Lasting finish Lipstick by Kate in 08

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Liquid Lipstick in Pure Hollywood

MAC Lipstick Satin Finish in Rebel

ANASTASIA BEVERLY HILLS Liquid Lipstick in Vintage

KIKO Unlimited Stylo in pearly orchid

L´ÓREAL Rouge Caresse in 203 Rock n' Mauve

MAC Lipstick Matte Finish in Please Me

NIX Butter Gloss in Vanilla Cream Pie

TOO FACED Melted Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Peony

CHANEL Rouge Coco Ultra Hydrating lip Color in Catherine

RIMMEL London London Lasting finish Lipstick by Kate in 01

TOO FACED Melted Long Wear Lipstick in Melted Strawberry

YSL Rouge pur Couture Satin Radience lipstick in Le Rouge

MAC Lipstick Retro Matte Finish in Ruby Woo

 MARC JACOBS Beauty Kiss Pop in Pop

SEPHORA Cream Lip Stain in Blackberry Sorbet

CLINIQUE Pop Lip Colour in Berry Pop

KIKO Rebel Romantic Intensely Lavish Lipstick in 06 Melodious Wine

Getting older means...

Zoeva "Classic Brush Set"

You value functionality over beautiful rose golden things...

This is how you know you're getting older, when you decide to get the classic brush set because even though it's the dullest (black and silver ugh...) it's the one that has the best brushes from the brand and the ones that I actually need. This decision breaks my heart because I've dreamed about the rose golden brushes for a long time but that set has brushes that are completly useless to me and the world in general, I dare say.

The highlight from this set, for me, is the 105 Luxe Highlight Brush, it's so difficult to find a good brush that distributes your highlighter in the right place, they are either too big or too small and this brush has the perfect size to hit just the top of your cheeks but it's not so small that would create just a line of highlight. The other brushes are also really good and you will find that you won't need any other brushes for your daily make-up. 

 

 Face:

 
105 Luxe Highlight: Apply highlighter
125 Stippling: Airbrushed finish application of foundation
128 Cream Cheek: Apply and blend cream and powder blush
142 Concealer Buffer: Apply and blend concealer 

Eyes:

 
227 Luxe Soft Definer: Softly blend and smooth eyeshadow
228 Luxe Crease: Blending and shading eyeshadow in the crease
230 Luxe Pencil: Precise shading and smoothing edges
317 Wing Liner: Detailed eyeliner strokes and a perfect wing

O Porto

Gigi Hadid and Domhnall Gleeson photographed by Mario Testino in a special city - OPorto, for uS Vogue.

Do the math

I find myself returnig to one particular look every season and I think this will be my Formula Winter for this year. A knit sweater (skinny, chunky and everything in between), a cool belt and a great pair of jeans. Let the shoes, bag or silk scarf make the statement. I want to be dressed in five minutes and I want to be warm.

The death of artistry?

I picked up the December issue ofVogue Portugal and I was immediatly grabbed by the Editorial note from Paula Mateus, editor-in-chief. She talks about the latest news about the exodus of criative directors Albert Elbaz (Lanvin) and Raf Simmons (Christian Dior).
The motive for these unexpected exits? The fast fast pace of fashion nowadays. This made me think about the fast, fast pace of life in general, wich I'm absolutly feeling in the past six months, but let's return to fashion. What I felt was really ironic was the use of the expression "fast fashion" alongside the name of two of the most revered fashion houses and their respective designers.

Raf Simmons talked about this subject in a recent interview he gave System Magazine, before he anounced his departure from his two year job at Dior. Well, what Raf says is baffling, he talks about the difficult crative timings he has during the season, he says:

 "Tokyo was also done in three weeks. Actually everything is done in three weeks, maximum five. And when I think back to the first couture show for Dior, in July 2012, I was concerned because we only had eight weeks."

If you watched the amazing documentary "Dior and I" then you saw the struggle of developing ideas and concepts for a collection and producing the clothes in a such a tight schedule. Now Raf tell us that those 8 weeks were actually the longest he had to develop his ideas for Dior, we can see how this was a recipe for disaster.

This fast pace burns out criativity, destroyes the potential of these talented designers and it will eventually kill the soul of these fashion houses. We shouldn't strangle the potential of these brilliant minds, give them space, give them time and we'll have magic. This fleeting pace only works for true "fast fashion" brands where, most of the times, numbers surpasse the concern for originality, vision, and artistry. If the historic fashion houses are using the same method as these major fashion distribution groups, that are all about profits, then how can you preserve the artistry? I hope they find a way.

These are a few of my favorite things...

The definitive wishlist for this Christmas and for my Birthday! There seems to be a pink theme but it was totally random.

Dress and shoes    /    Zara

Book   /    Love X Style X Life by Garance Doré

Perfume    /    Valentino Donna

Bag    /    The Classics collection by Bimba Y Lola

Shoes    /    Nike Roshe One Knit Jacquard

Brushes    /    Rose Golen Luxury Set Brushes by Zoeva

Bag    /    Metropolis Caramello from Furla

Palette    /    Ambient Lighting Edit Palette from Hourglass

Hysteria X H&M

There is a reason why you didn't see me talking about this BALMAIN X H&M craziness, I sensed that something like this would happen and the truth is that I'm over these collaborations.

Last year I experienced in first hand how unglamorous and truly pathetic this type of hysteria can be with the ALEXANDER X H&M collection. Let's get something clear, I LOVE BALMAIN and owning their iconic leather jacket is on my fashion bucket list for a long time, so I'm not complaining just because I didn't love this collaboration, I'm just having problems with these launches and the madness around them.

When these luxury brands work with H&M the consumer of fast fashion gets access to a world of glamour, status and exclusivity that is normaly out of their reach so it's understandable that the demand for these items is so massive. The problem arises when the frenzy around these collections gets so uncontrollable that all the glamour goes down the drain in the moment the doors open on launch day. People sleeping on the streets, running like zombies were after them, knocking hangers and pulling clothes, websites crashing and infuriated customers that couldn't get their hands on a single item from the exclusive collection, this is not cool - I repeat - NOT COOL.

If you go trough all of this to buy a dress and a t-shirt, or a pair of heels, where is the status associated with the french house of BALMAIN? I'll tell you, on the floor, just like your dignity. I, for once, value the whole experience of acquiring a special item, it stays with me and I remember it when I wear it. I don't want to remember how I knocked some girl to get the last Small size of that tailored blazer, or how I crawled on the floor to pick up that 400€ dress that fell out of the hanger with the frenzy.

When it comes to luxury it's not just about the design, the qualities of the clothes/accessories, it's about the experience you have from the moment you enter the store to the moment that you leave it with that beautiful bag that you regard as piece of estate.

I loved this collection, it was one of the best so far in terms of quality and design, although there was nothing new just just an adaptation of statements pieces from Rousteings BALMAIN, so you had good return for you money but there are somethings that we shouldn't do for fashion... unless it's Miu Miu then I'm all in.

12/12

BERSHKA

I need this in my life, a reddish faux fur coat is essencial to survive winter night-outs in style.

Is there a "black-rehab" outhere?

Shirts, Knit vest, Boots, Jumpsuit from ZARA

Lipstick - "dark side" from M.A.C

Bronzer from CHANEL

The past couple of weeks my purchases have all been black dark grey. They should send me to the "black-rehab" but I'll problably end up going back to black, get it?

Cover

Harper's Bazaar Spain

November 2015

Aymeline Valade by Thomas Whiteside

I had to buy this month's HB, there is something about this cover I love. She has the most feminine pant suit on but she looks just as tough as if she had on a black leather suit.