How to... do make-up for glasses wearers

If you wear glasses you will have, no doubt, felt a little unsure about how much make-up is too much make-up when it is magnified. About six months ago I joined the rest of the glasses wearing population and donned my first pair of prescription glasses. I'd always thought glasses were pretty cool but when faced with choosing one pair that I'd have to wear every day, I faced a masive challenge. But not quite as big a problem as when I sat down to do my make-up the next morning. I've always liked to make eyes the focus of my make-up but now they are the focus as my glasses frame them:

This photo shows the glasses but not really the make-up -
I can't find any better ones - sorry!

After half a year of wearing my glasses and doing my make-up every day, I thought I'd share with you my top tips for making your eyes centre of attention for the right reasons:

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How to... wear flared jeans

This morning a new pair of bootcut jeans arrived in the post from asos.com - a recent spur-of-the-moment purchase that I'd forgotten I'd even made (got to stop doing that!). But then the inevitable question hit me: how will I wear my new purchase? So I turned to a few flare-lovers and good ol' Polyvore for some inspiration:

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How to... fake tan

How to avoid fake tan hands!

I am a wuss when it comes to fake tanning. You should know this already, if you saw my Beauty Review at the weekend of Boots' Soltan Self Tan Body Lotion. But if not, I'll tell you a story and then you really will understand! (If you read the Beauty Review already, you can skip this part!!) Boots recently – I say recently, it was at least a month ago now – sent me their Soltan Self Tan Body Lotion to try out and it has stayed on my dressing table ever since – taunting me as I complain about my white white legs each morning. So I eventually decided it was time to suck it up and try out the tan. What was the worst that could happen? If I ended up with streaky legs, I’d just have to wear trousers for the next week. I’d get over it. I mean, you didn’t think I’d actually get up the guts to self tan my whole body?! Well, you can find out what happened by reading the Beauty Review. This isn't it. This is a "How to".

Of course, being the internet geek that I am, I turned to google for the top tips when fake tanning and here, I present my recommended reading:

• Marie Claire’s 10 of the Best Fake Tan Tips;
• Boots’ How to Fake Tan Like a Pro;
• The Daily Mail’s Fake Tan Commandments;
• Looking Fab at Any Age’s A Professional’s Guide to using Fake Tan at Home;
• Handbag.com’s The fake tan commandments;
• Top Tips for Faking It by Really Ree, over at her fabulous new blog for Hello! Magazine.

And now for what I have learned over the years:

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How to: A Masterclass in Re-Mixing by the Duchess of Cambridge

Kate Middleton is clearly a fan of re-mixing* her wardrobe too and used her trip to Canada as the perfect opportunity to demonstrate her expertise and ease with which she seemingly effortlessly dons the same pair of jeans or the same pair of shoes for the third, fourth or even fifth appearance of the trip. This really is capsule packing at its most glamorous!

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How to Blog: write a fashion blog / be a better fashion blogger (part 1)

I wrote a post a few months ago entitled “how to Blog: commenting”, I had intended to write a mini series of posts but holidays and life got in the way and a second post, let alone a third or fourth, failed to materialise. Now though, I feel it might be time to revisit the idea. This post should really be the first in the series, I suppose, as it is more of an introductory post, both to the series and as a guide for new bloggers.

Source

There are many different styles that a fashion blog might take and this post is by no means exhaustive – far from it. But this post does serve as a starting point for anyone out there who is hoping to start a fashion blog.

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How to... pack your toiletries bag for your hand baggage

As the cost of flights and add-ons continue to increase - what happened to return flights for £30? Including my checked-in bag?! - more and more of us try to avoid at least some of these costs but trying to fit everything for a fortnight away into a carry-on bag. Add to this, restrictions on the amount of liquids you can carry in your hand baggage and packing becomes even more problematic! So I decided to share my tips for packing your toiletries in this restricted world in which we travel:

• Invest in minis. Asda is my favourite place to head for mini toiletries as they offer any 4 for £3! You'll find shampoos, conditioners, shower gels, deodorants, face wash, and even dry shampoo.
• Be realistic about what you will use. Your daily beauty routine might involve cleansing and toning and moisturising and scrubbing and whatever else you do, but do you really need to keep this up while you're on holiday?
• Buy products that are multi-purpose. Even at home, I swear by face wipes but for holidays they provide the best multi-purpose product - they cleanse and tone and remove all forms of make-up - and best of all, aren't included in your liquids limit! Another multi-purpose product that I use whilst on holiday (and that I carry in my handbag too) is Nivea Soft which can be used for face, hands and body.
• Like face wipes, nail polish remover pads do the same job and yet aren't included in your liquids limit. If you're unsure which ones to get, I'd recommend these by Quickies.
• If you're travelling with friends, what products can you share? Maybe one person can bring shampoo and another conditioner and another still, shower gel?
• If all else fails, there aren't many holiday destinations where you wouldn't be able to buy anything you can't fit in.
• I would also suggest that you put everything into one of the regulation clear bags before you put it into your toiletries bag, so that it is easier to take out when you get to security.

Of course, it is not only toiletries which are included in your liquids limit but also your make-up:

• Minerals make-up is the obvious choice for travelling as they won't be included.
• If you don't want to buy additional make-up only for those occasions you travel, I try to decant foundation/tinted moisturiser into a small container for my holidays.
• I also look out for free gifts from my favouriet make-up brands (like Boots No 7) and keep the mini mascaras and lip glosses specifically for my hand baggage.

What are your top tips for carrying your toiletries in your hand baggage?

How to... pack a capsule wardrobe for your holidays

I already told you that I basically lived in my Gap vest, H&M denim cut-offs and Havaianas for the whole of the three days we were in Valencia, but did you believe me? Well, if not, here is the proof. Yes, it is a different colour Gap vest but it is pretty much the same one. This is how I pack a capsule wardrobe for my holidays!!

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How to... Dress on holiday in Ibiza

I know that when my girlfriends and I first booked our little sojourn to the party isle many of us had a little panic over what to pack and turned to the internet for assistance. Now that I have been, I thought I would add my own little bit of wisdom to the pile:

Girls on the beach by Cafe Mambo - photo taken by my friend.

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How to... COLOUR BLOCK

Last month I was contacted by Claire of Filofax regarding a “blogger style off” to celebrate the launch of the brand new Filofax Apex, the personal organiser that aims to “put the fun into fashion”. Each of the bloggers involved chose one out of the four colour combinations and use the organiser as inspiration for our outfit. 

My choice of the pink and blue Filofax soon seemed a little ambitious when trying to put an outfit together but I didn’t let that put me off! Instead I decided to pull together a couple of mood boards.

The first is filled with the colours and confirmed that the combination is in fact everywhere and, in addition, a pretty summery combo too:

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How to Blog: Commenting

Source

This was going to be just one post but it seems that I got a little carried away and think I'll have to extend it into a mini series which will attempt to tell you a little of how to blog. Hope you enjoy it - and find it useful.


A big part of being a blogger, for me, is visiting and reading other blogs and participating in the blogging community which, by virtue, means that commenting is an integral part of this process:



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How To... Make Social Media Work For You

This is my first ever "techie" post, so please bear with me and let me know what you think! (Just, please, don't be too brutal.)

Last weekend I signed up to HootSuite and thought that now would be the perfect opportunity to explain how I make Twitter work for me and for my blog:


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How to... Dress as a guest for a (Royal) Wedding

This post is a part of the Royal Wedding series, featuring on here during April.



Source


Wedding season is nearly upon us - that time of year when, for those of a certain age, wedding invitations seems to fall through the letterbox on an almost daily basis! And this year's wedding season plays host to the wedding of the year: the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton. If you are anything like me, you will come out in a cold sweat every time you receive a wedding invitation arrives: WHAT DO I WEAR?!

This wedding season, I am coming to your rescue. (This post comes as a follow-up to last summer's post.)

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How To... Tie A Head Scarf The Liberty Way

Ever wanted to know the "right" way to tie a head scarf? You have? Well, how lucky that I found this fabulous "How To" video tutorial from Liberty London to show you! And, if you haven't, well take a look anyway because it might just provide a little inspiration!

If you check back later for today's 30 for 30 challenge outfit, you'll see that this has a little relevance!!

If you want more inspiration for your (Liberty) scarves, check out their YouTube channel.

Do you have any scarf inspiration you'd like to share? How do you wear your scarves?

How to... make a pearl cluster pony band

When I spotted this Pearl Cluster Pony Band on the French Connection website I was upset when it was sold out. So I thought I'd try and make one for myself:

I took a plain pony band, a pair of pliers some jewellery wires and faux pearls (from an old faux pearl necklace):

And voilà:

What do you think?

How to... Grow out your pixie crop



Sources (clockwise from top left): #1; #2; #3; #4; #5; and #6.

The pixie cut seems to have the cut for celebrities wanting to make an impact on the red carpet this year - and for a good few years now. Two years ago I decided to take the plunge (for the second time in less than a decade) to go for the chop. And - for the second time in less than a decade - I hated it. But growing out a pixie crop is far harder than it seems. If you are a celebrity, chances are you will have the help of hair extensions as you grow out your short style. But as a mere mortal, what can you do?

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How to... pack for a mini break

Before heading off to Paris last October I posted about my approach to a capsule wardrobe. I did manage it – to a certain extent that time. This weekend I am off on a mini break to Glasgow for three nights – it was my present to the boyf for Christmas! Gvien that I am currently undertaking the 30 for 30 challenge, I have been thinking about a capsule wardrobe for my trip. This time the emphasis is on making as many outfits out of as a small a number of pieces of clothing as is possible which will thereby leave me enough room for extras, like straighteners and toiletries. This also ties in, of course, with the Friend Friday posts which discussed the idea of pre-planning outfits, so with this in mind, I have had a go at pre-planning the outfits for my weekend away:

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How to… have the closet you want without spending a fortune



Source

I have another fabulous blog to draw your attention to that aims to show you how to dress with a limited budget and to pay off your debts whilst you do it! Meet Grace of Money Smart Fashion. Her recent post The Best Way To Save Money On Clothes got me thinking about the ways I save money when shopping for something new for my wardrobe:


Carrie's closet in SATC 2


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How to... make your own printed tee: Part 1

When I saw this tutorial at She's got a passion for fashion which shows you how to print a t-shirt (t-shirt above), I knew I had to have a go. It seemed so simple and much better than the t-shirt inkjet paper I had thought of using previously.

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How to... Choose a present for the man in your life:

Source

This post is a part of Men's Style Month on Sugar and Spice.

Buying present for a man if the bane of many a woman's life. Clothes don't seem to have the same sort of appeal that they do to another woman and men don't really tend to "accessorise". Top of most men's wish lists is the latest gadget which more often than not is somewhat more than we had budgeted for. So, what do you buy?

Here are my five top tips to a stress-free present buying experience:

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How to... Wear a Tux (as a woman!)

This post is a part of Men's Style Month on Sugar and Spice.


Source

The tux seems to be the fashion forward look of choice for red carpet events. Here are my tips for rocking a tux as a woman:

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