Monthly Archives

July 2012

July 31, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Fashion

Fashion Dipped in Metal

Image Source: lefashionimage.blogspot.com

Fashion Dipped in Metal……..

Many designers have taken to dipping their beautiful creations in liquid metal for Spring/Summer 2012/13, creating a wonderful mix of structured and floaty metallic masterpieces.

The great thing about metallics is that its a versatile trend that can be glammed up or dressed down. For a more casual look, this can be achieved by simply teaming a pair of jeans, a plain white t-shirt and blazer with a metallic clutch or metallic shoes. For a more glam look, a metallic dress teamed with a beautiful pair of nude heals achieves an effortless edgy look.

These are my key tips to wearing metallics without getting lost in a sea of metal:

  • Keep accessories to a minimum. Since metallics pack a significant punch all on their own, there’s no need to go overboard with accessories.
  • Pair your metallics with neutrals
  • Wear 1 metallic piece at a time

My current obsession is rose gold (Michael Kors Baguette-Bezel Rose Gold Watch – you shall be mine!!!!) so Im in heaven amongst the metallic trend that’s currently hitting the runways.  A few fab metallic finds:

Links to featured fashion brands:

boohoo: www.boohoo.com

Ruby: www.rubynz.com

TheIconic: www.theiconic.com.au

Wild Pair: www.wildpair.co.nz

CottonOn: www.CottonOn.com

 

Ange x

Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle Blogger
www.gurlinterrupted.com

July 25, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Fashion

Beautiful Teardrops

 

Will You Be Going Crazy For Paisley? Paisley, the classic heritage print, is making its way back into the limelight in 2012! The twisted teardrop, named after a town in Scotland (the town of Paisley), hit the fashion scene when it first made its debut in the late 60′s/early 70′s. There was a resurgence of paisley again in the late 80′s early 90′s; and 2012 is set to be the biggest comeback yet, with paisley hitting runways around the globe!

 

Sourced: macaroonsandcupcakes.com Love it or hate it (I personally love paisley) there will be no avoiding this print-astic pattern as it swirls its way into spring. The great thing about fashion in 2012 is there really are no ‘rules’.  If you’re feeling bold and confident you can mix your paisley with another fab print like stripes or polka dots. Who says you can’t combine your prints?!  If you tend to lean towards a safer option, combine your paisley with a single coloured piece of clothing, or just add a dash of paisley to your wardrobe with a simple accessory such as a scarf, or if you’re lucky enough to find them in paisley, a pair of shoes.

Below are a few of my key paisley picks.  Keep an eye out in-store and online for your key paisley picks for Spring/Summer 2012 and leave a comment below to let me know where you’ve discovered your ‘paisley fashion fav’!

Ange x

Shirt Dress from boohoo.com

Ombre Paisley Pinafore Dress from Top Shop

Paisley Print Naomi Relaxed Trousers from boohoo.com

Scroll Kaftan from ukaccessories.com

Karen Walker Dress – Sea Monsters Collection

July 23, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Beauty

FINDATION

 

As I was browsing through www.nzgirl.co.nz the other day I came across a fantastic article aptly named FINDATION.  As soon as I read about a website that can match your current foundation to numerous brands, solely based on foundations that you already own and know are the right shade for your skin tone, I was hooked and had to find out more!

www.findation.com is GENIUS!!

I cannot count the number of times I have been frustrated by buying the wrong colour foundation.  Sure, in the tiny mirrors and bad lighting of a store, its easy to be fooled into thinking you have the right shade of foundation, but head my warning – you will never get the correct foundation match in unnatural lighting, ever!  There have been many occasions where I’ve tried foundation on my jaw line, nose, back of hand, wrist, cheek (need I go on – basically I looked ridiculous in several streaks of colour), thought I’d chosen the correct shade and then hit the natural light of day only to realise that it is in no way, shape or form, the right colour at all!

Then there’s the brands that you’d love to buy, but can only get online and thus have no idea what shade to even start to contemplate as your match as you can’t colour swatch foundation online now can you?!  StrawberryNet has an amazing array of foundation brands that you can’t normally get your hands on in NZ and at incredibly affordable prices, however, it’s not exactly saving money when you buy a foundation that is completely the wrong colour for you with.  Enter…….. www.findation.com.

It’s so simple and from my experience with Findation, pretty damn accurate!  You basically enter the site, it asks you to input 3 or 4 brands you have used or are using currently (even including BB Creams) that you are happy with.  It will then bring up all the varieties within that brand along with all the shades within that tier and you hit the ‘Find My Matches’ button.  In about 2 seconds you are presented with an amazing array of all the foundation brands and shades that match you skin tone without even leaving your computer (or entering a badly lit store)!

Head along and check it out.  I loved it and thought you might too

Ange x

 

 

 

 

July 17, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Beauty

Sigma – Make Me Classy

Make-up brushes are THE essential tool for makeup artists, but in my opinion, they’re an essential tool for ANYONE wanting to properly apply their makeup.  So I thought I would share my favourite brushes with you!!  It can be quite daunting knowing which brushes to choose and which brushes are worth spending your hard-earned cash on.   For me personally, I am a HUGE fan of the US brand – Sigma; and although I’m often heard stating “I have MAC pumping through my veins” (I stand by that statement by the way), I have to say that in all honesty Sigma really do have equally good brushes at a fraction of the price  (that being said, I will never part with the infamous MAC217).

When looking to buy my first set of ‘professional makeup brushes’ I found it was just too expensive for me to purchase all the brushes I wanted in the MAC range (at NZ$40-$50 per eye-shading brush, this can be a little unobtainable for most people).  So after weeks of trawling the net and ’email quizzing’ friends in the industry overseas, I decided to give Sigma brushes a go; and I havent looked back since.

SO, WHAT ARE MY FAV BRUSHES……… the Sigma ‘Make Me Classy’ Essential Kit. 12 brushes in total that come in a uber cool brush case that protects your brushes from being damaged when you are travelling (this particular set comes with case) and converts into 2 brush holders when you’re at home or have reached your destination.

Whilst I realise that NZ$136 may sound like a lot of money, trust me, for a set of professional brushes, it’s actually not too bad at all. (shipping from the US to NZ costs an additional $17).

The brushes included are:

E05 – Eye Liner: Create smooth and even lines. Use with gel or liquid liners.
E30 – Pencil: Soften and smoke out lines. Soften pencil liners along the top and bottom lash lines, add shadow to line the eyes, or use to highlight inner corner of eyes.
E40 – Tapered Blending: Soft blended crease. Using just the tips to apply color, sweep back and forth through the crease for a diffused and blended finish.
E55 – Eye Shading: Even application of color. Place color across the whole lid for an even and strong application of product.
E60 – Large Shader: Uniformly cover the whole lid with product. Apply cream shadow base or cream shadow for quick and even coverage.
E65 – Small Angle: Create precise lining. Moves fluidly and easily across the upper and lower lash lines. Use with gel, cream or powder liners.
E70 – Medium Angled Shading: Soft application of color. Use for brow highlighting or to blend the crease.
F30 – Large Powder: Even powder application. Uniform blending of powder products onto the face and body.
F40 – Large Angled Contour: Subtle cheek application. Use the angle to softly contour the cheekbone. Can also be used to apply blush.
F50 – Duo Fibre: Creates an airbrushed effect onto the skin. Can be used with powder, liquid or cream products.
F60 – Foundation: Smooth foundation application. Apply liquid or cream products such as foundation and primer.
F70 – Concealer: Conceal small areas. Conceal the hardest to reach areas such as around the nose and eyes.
You can also choose from a range of super cute colours, such as the Mrs Bunny kit (there’s even a Mr Bunny Kit), Make Me Crazy Kit, plus a load more colours.

 

So head along and check it out www.sigmabeauty.com – however, this link comes with a warning – you will be tempted by many eye shadow palettes and a heap of cool accessories!!
Ange xx
PS:  There’s also a code which you can use to get 10% off your purchase, just enter: AP2012 when going through the ‘checkout’ (valid till July 31).
July 11, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Beauty

Smoke Signals from Urban Decay

I’m SUPER excited to write this blog because, A) its makeup and, well, I’m obsessed; and B) I get to write the words (which of course makes it real, that’s the rules right?  Say it out loud/write it down, its real!).  I digress…….”Urban Decay have released a NEW PALETTE!!”  Not just any palette, no it’s not NAKED3 , because let’s be honest, NAKED2 was a little underwhelming and felt a bit like it was just 1 hue away from the original NAKED palette.

Urban Decay have released……….. SMOKED

Yes I have MAC Cosmetics pumping through my veins, however, I do adore Urban Decay just as much and in particular, my Urban Decay NAKED palette.  The trusty NAKED palette is the first thing I pack when travelling (heck it’s the ONLY palette I need to pack) and the first thing I reach for when I have little time to spend on my makeup but still want to create a simple smokey daytime eye in record time!  So when UD announce they are releasing a new palette (released in the US/UK this week), with new colours inc. jewel toned hues no less, I’m excited!!

So, what does the  Urban Decay SMOKED palette have to say for itself:

SMOKED

EYESHADOW PALETTE

This is the smoky eye done the UD way: a true range of shades (Neutral mattes! Shimmering jewel tones!) for a range of smokey looks.

We’re giving you everything you need to create the perfect smoky eye, Urban Decay style. Zipped inside this sleek, mirrored case are ten decadent shades (five are exclusive), including neutral mattes and shimmering jewel tones for a range of smoky looks. Sure, you can create a smoky eye with a range of gray and black shades. But what about a touch of purple, blue or bronze? The Smoked Palette lets you keep things simple… or get a little more creative. (TIP: If you need a basic daytime look, stick to the range of matte neutrals. Throw the palette in your bag, and add some smoke as you leave the office.)

Our secret smoky eye weapon? A blacker-than-black matte pencil. Included with the Smoked Palette is a full-size 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Perversion, AND a travel-size Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Also included is a beautifully illustrated, step-by-step guide to 12 smoky eye looks, written by Urban Decay founder Wende Zomnir. Both smoky-eye pros and shadow newbies will benefit from this detailed guide to looks from “iconic” to “smoldering” to “reality star”.

A “non Urban Decay Marketing speak” breakdown of each colour:

Kinky (a new soft ivory peach with a matte finish), Freestyle (a new light pantyhose nude with a matte finish), Mushroom (a repromoted warm gray with a shimmery finish – LOVE!!), Backdoor (I shall resist the urge to make a joke here……a new true dark brown with a matte finish), Blackout (a repromoted blackest black with a matte finish), Barlust (a new dark golden brown with a metallic finish), Rockstar (a repromoted deep aubergine with a shimmery finish), Evidence (a repromoted deep navy blue with a shimmery finish), Loaded (a repromoted deep emerald shimmer with a metallic base), Asphalt (a new deep gunmetal with silver micro glitter and a metallic base) and Perversion (a repromoted matte carbon black).

So , excited yet?  I am!!  Now to just get this bad boy in my hot lil hands.  Well its on its way as I type this blog (thank you Nat – you little PR Guru – and fabulous makeup buying friend – you).  I will be sure to blog swatches and give a full review the moment this palette arrives!

RRP around NZ$90 

 

July 10, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Fashion

The Colour Wheel

colorwheel2

The Colour Wheel – this is as much of a wardrobe staple as the LBD, only, BRIGHTER!!

So, I don’t know about you guys, but me, I hear this sentence a lot when I’m out shopping……”I love this colour but it really won’t go with anything in my wardrobe” (maybe you’ve even said it yourself?!). Or, “this colour top/pants/skirt is gorgeous, buuuut, I’ll just buy it in black because black goes with everything”.  Enter, the Colour Wheel…..

This is a quick and easy guide to ALWAYS knowing what colours to team together and which ‘colour opposites’ attract!  To get started here are some easy steps to using the Colour Wheel. These combinations are the perfect ‘colour partners’ on the wheel:

1. Colours that form a 90 degree right angle with each other. e.g. green & orange; violet-red & blue; red-orange & yellow.

2. Colours that are directly next to each other. e.g. green & blue-green; yellow & orange-yellow; violet & blue-violet (basically, any colour directly next to each other goes, clockwise or anti-clockwise).

3. Colours that form a ‘T’  e.g. orange, blue & violet-red; yellow, violet & blue-green (you get the picture).

4. Colours directly across from each other. e.g. orange & blue; red & green; orange-yellow & blue-violet.

5. Colours that form an ‘X’  e.g. yellow-green, blue, orange, violet-red or orange, blue, violet, yellow.

Given brown is a neutral, rest assured it will go with pretty much any colour on the Colour Wheel.  As will black and white.

So, when you choose an item of clothing in a colour that has you a little baffled as to what you should partner it with, find it on the Colour Wheel and use the steps listed above to find it’s perfect colour combo!

For accessories, team gold toned jewellery with ‘warm’ coloured outfits and silver toned jewellery with ‘cool’ coloured outfits (using the ‘Warm/Cool’ Wheel below).

 

Happy Colour-Combining xx

 

July 8, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Fashion

Redefining Max

Iconic New Zealand fashion brand, Max, has been redefined with the introduction of new CEO, Trisha Whiting; Buying Manager, Liz Mannell and Creative & Marketing Director, Tracy Heaven, who together combine many years of expertise in both New Zealand and abroad in the fashion and apparel industry.

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of attending REDEFINING MAX, the Spring 2012 Launch Event and Runway Show.  Entering the venue, The Sphere in Cross St, immediately I knew I was in for a treat with a grand and enticing entrance, cocktails at the ready and all the who’s who of the NZ Fashion industry eagerly awaiting the big reveal, Redefining Max.  The new era for Max begins with the launch of three spring collections, HACIENDA, IN THE GARDEN and TO CATCH A THIEF.

HACIENDA
The show began with Hacienda.  Hacienda embodies the theatre and power of the flamenco and a Spanish Fiesta with rich combinations of texture and colour.  A stunning mix of intricate lace, peplum detail, daring fringing and to anchor the collections, a signature print exclusively commissioned for Max.

IN THE GARDEN
The second collection down the runway, In The Garden.  In The Garden takes you from Grandad’s garden to the Chelsea Flower Show with a market stall of botanical bouquets and a burst of floral pastels spiked with citrus or warm vegetable brights creating an organic colour feast.  Not for the faint hearted, the floral jacket and floral pant was a standout on the runway as were the fabulous bright ankle grazers and floral drape dresses.  This collection has me yearning for Spring/Summer.

TO CATCH A THIEF
The final collection to hit the runway, To Catch A Thief.  The ultimate in glamour and classic uncomplicated chic!  Think a culmination of a St Tropez sunset promenade along with the classic effortless lines of a true 50’s hollywood starlet.  Everything about this collection oozed hollywood glamour.  The warm pastels with cool neutrals tell the story and lines are simple yet eternally classic with embellishment that is crafted in tonal and textured contrast.  I was immediately drawn in the moment the first model sauntered down the runway channeling Grace Kelly.

A few of my key picks from the runway show (I am simply in lust with the lace bolero – hola!):


All spring collections are accompanied by a gorgeous selection of shoes, handbags and on trend accessories.

I’ve already purchased 2 of my hot picks from the new collections, roll on 27 August when I can get my hands on my ‘must have’ pieces from the To Catch A Thief Collection!

Congratulations Max!! Redefined and Fabulous!!

 

July 6, 2012
Gurlinterrupted
In Beauty

Giving Your Nails a Little Ray of Sunshine……

I love French manicures, but at the moment what I’m loving even more is a French manicure with a pop of colour! To achieve the look I created on my nails, all you need is: a clear base coat, a good neutral/nude polish (I’ve used OPI’s ‘did you Ear about Van Gogh?’ which retails for $24.95), your nail tip colour of choice (I’ve used Santee’s ‘beach yellow’ which was $3 from the 1,2,3 dollar shop), a nice glossy top coat to seal the deal (I’ve used Designer Brand’s ‘top gloss’ which was $6.95) and last but not least – a steady hand (however if you don’t think your hand is quite steady enough you can always buy the french manicure nail strips from a pharmacy and use those until you get comfortable applying freehand).

Step 1: Apply base coat
Step 2: Apply Neutral colour of choice (x3 coats). Allow to fully dry!
Step 3: Apply your ‘tip colour’. Apply using a small amount of polish on end of brush and apply side to side along tip of nail. Allow to fully dry.
Step 4: Finish off with a glossy top coat.

And that’s it, a super simple way to give your nails a little ray of sunshine – much needed in the dreary winter weather of late!! Swap out colours, mix things up, add some glitter polish, but most importantly, just have fun with it!