Styling | Alice + Olivia Shannon Maxi skirt

Whilst going through my current fashion wishlist and trying to justify the need to purchase one item in particular — I'd let you know that my talents include professional list maker and unnecessary purchase "justify-er" — I thought about the different ways I could style the aforementioned item.

Maxi skirts: so elegant, yet so comfortable. I'm currently swooning over this little number by Alice + Olivia. The Shannon pleated chiffon maxi skirt is partially lined and has the perfect cut to allow some movement while you walk. It sits in the waist and creates a figure flattering A-line shape. The weightless feel and the bright coral shade make the ideal statement piece for summer.
I'll make the effort to try to find a more budget friendly option. Meanwhile, here are the various combinations it allows would allow.

DAYTIME OUTFIT
Combined with a casual top that has an embroidered neckline (Diane von Furstenberg Acedia embellished crepe top), neutral and/or metallic flat sandals (Saint Laurent leather and metal sandals), a nude "everyday" bag (Zara shopper with braided handles) and a pop of colour on the lips (Rouge Dior lipstick).

IN THE EVENING
For a dressy dinner or a special event, stylize the waist with a clean, neutral belt (Jil Sander wide leather waist belt), a flattering crop top (Zara Studio cropped sleeveless top), a special pair of heels (Jimmy Choo Viper patent-leather pumps) and a statement clutch (Alexander McQueen Long Knuckle patent-leather box clutch). With a matte lipstick, of course — Guerlain Rouge G L'Extrait is fab.

FUN PARTY ATTIRE
An edgy leather top with a clean and structured cut (Jason Wu leather and lace peplum top), that balances the feminine quality of the skirt, paired with metallic features in the jewelry (Lanvin Dedale silver-tone crystal necklace), bag (Christian Louboutin Marquise spiked leather clutch) and shoes (Alexander McQueen woven leather and chain sandals). Complete with a long lasting lip colour, like Hourglass Opaque Rouge liquid lipstick.

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Top picks | Biker jackets

Today's post features the top picks, available now, in the biker jacket category — a.k.a. a peek into my own wishlist.
I absolutely adore biker jackets and feel like myself whenever I'm wearing them, if that makes sense. You know when you're wearing something, just because you followed someone's advice, go out and feel kind of awkward and uncomfortable? And, of course, that's when you bump into someone you haven't seen in years. Hah! I rarely do that now, I just wear what I want, because I dislike the feeling that I'm not transmitting my true image/personality through my outfit.
Last Christmas, I got a pair of lime green gloves with a pink trimming. And they were seriously soft and good quality. But I didn't have anything that would look good with them. Also, I'd probably hide my hands in my coat pockets. So I carried on wearing my bottle green leather-look gloves with cut-outs. Much better.
Or, the time I got a necklace from my work colleagues, and didn't want to hurt their feelings, so I wore it the next day. Not that it wasn't pretty, just wasn't my style. Basically, I felt weird for the whole day because I had it on.

ZARA Biker Leather Jacket With Buckles £169
ZARA Ethnic Jacquard Pattern Zip Jacket £59,99

Anyway, on with the jackets. The first two are from Zara — which isn't a surprise coming from me, is it? The one on the left has a nice quilted effect on the arms and quite a few zips, which I really like. The second one, has more of a spring feeling — softer material, paler shade and a fun print.

Topshop Contrast Lapel Leather Biker Jacket £180
Topshop Quilt Detail Biker Jacket £58

Next, a couple of options from Topshop. The first has a really unique lapel in a contrasting colour. It's ideal to combine with a black outfit, providing a little visual interest. The white jacket has a subtle quilted effect just on the top of the arms and buckles on the waist. Again, the leather-look and some extra zips make me happy.

ASOS HIDE Freja Biker Jacket in Cream £315
ASOS Muubaa Sharp Shouldered Biker Jacket with Zips £389

The final two can be found on ASOS, and these specific models are a bit more pricey than the previous ones. But, take a look on the website and you'll find different price ranges and designs. The first choice is a cream leather jacket with a pretty standard style, when it comes to real biker jackets — zips, pockets and a belt on the waistline. The lighter shade makes it more fresh and versatile to combine with various clothing items. The one on the right comes in a beautiful and rich berry shade, with a zip on the arm — nice detail there — and the perfect length.
Now the difficult part: which one should I go for?

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From the backstage | Marc Jacobs Fall 2013

Marc Jacobs closed out New York Fashion Week, with an amazing show in sepia-tinted lights. This effect made the clothes appear black and white. So, to go with that, François Nars chose a neutral toned make-up, to look like "a black and white photograph".
I love the inspiration for this look: an edgy girl with a touch of rock. All it takes is some smudged black eyes, for me to fall for the look. To go along with that, a strong brow (swoon), lots of mascara and a matte face. There was no shine at all, but at the last minute they applied some grease, to give a worn-in, sweaty look. You can choose to skip that, of course.
It's an easy look to recreate with products that most people already have. To start off, we'll conceal any imperfections — I'd use MAC Select Moisturecover concealer in NC35, because my skin is very dry at the moment. To powder the skin, you can use any loose powder, like the Chanel Natural Finish Loose Powder (mine is in 40 Doré). At this point, there's no shine on the face, but it remains natural looking.
Now, for the fun part: let's start with the brows. With the use of an eyeshadow (and a slanted brush) or a powdery brow pencil, define and fill in the brows, thickening them — to the point where they still look (quite) natural.
Take a soft black pencil and line the eyes — top and bottom — then smudge with a small eye brush, like the 219 from MAC. Optional: layer black eyeshadow with a soft brush, giving more staying power and preventing creases.
Line the inside of the eyes with a white or nude pencil, making them appear bigger and more awake. I like the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Liner in Nude. It's a really nice shade to wear on the waterline. Finish the eyes with a few coats of mascara. You can guess from the previous posts, that I'd use the Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara or the Benefit They're Real.
The cheeks and lips are left pretty bare in the show, but for someone who likes wearing something, I recommend using a neutral blush to contour (MAC Powder Blush in Harmony) and a tinted lipbalm (Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Whole Lotta Honey or Mega Melon). Done!

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TV | Four reasons to love "The Carrie Diaries"

Today's post is a bit more random, but hear (read?) me out. Since The Carrie Diaries is a prequel to Sex and the City, of course it has to do with fashion — the show's costume designer is Eric Daman. Need I say more? So, here we go:

Generation
Being born in the late 1980s, means I haven't really experienced living in that decade, so I always wondered what it would be like — and if it is anything like the show, I want to transport myself through time, right now!
I know a lot of people aren't fans of the '80s and it's aesthetic, but I actually adore it all. So this is like candy to my eyes.

Styling
This point is obvious. The bold graphic prints, colourful mixes, the use of velvet... I mean, it's just fearless, really. You couldn't pull off Larissa's outfits now-a-days — at least not without a sideways glance, but who cares, really? The good thing is you see a lot of pieces that you can get in high street shops, like Topshop.
It seems like every item is special, with a nice detail or a cute print. Even the jewellery — it's all about statement pieces! And everything feels so authentic and not stereotypical at all.
The same bold colours and textures are used in their make-up looks, with strong eyes and strong lips. Blue shadow and pink lips never looked so good together. Not to mention, the graphic eyeliner, my personal fave.
Of course, with those brows, AnnaSophia Robb could pull off any look. They're just perfect.
Oh, and I need to state this: the Carrie bag is awesome.

Music
Remember that Gossip Girl episode, when Lily ran off to find her older sister, back in the '80s? That episode was awesome. And the MUSIC! I love 1980s music, so I get excited and can't stop myself from dancing everytime I watch a preview... This show has the absolute best OST ever.

Opportunities
Today it seems almost impossible to find an awesome job in a magazine — especially when you're still in high school. And especially when we're talking about Interview magazine. In Manhattan.
This is pretty much what I imagined my life would be like, when I was younger and full of hope. A cool job in the fashion industry (in Manhattan) and, later on, a closet full of Manolos. A girl can dream...
Not to mention that on the first day of school, the new Kydd (see what I did there?...) who is the cutest guy ever, in the history of high schools, likes you.
Of course, there are a lot of downsides to Carrie's life, but unfortunately, those are more realistic.

So go on and start watching the show, if you haven't already. It will replace the GG-shaped hole in your TV heart. Not convinced yet? It's about a blonde girl who's the center of the attention, with a cute brunette friend that looks like Blair. Only they switched heights. And the sense of responsibility.

THE CARRIE DIARIES  |  Pictured: AnnaSophia Robb as Carrie Bradshaw  |  Photo Credit: Nino Munoz/The CW  |  © 2012 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Wishlist #2 | Stripes

Today I'm posting another wishlist. This time, it's fashion related and focuses on a single trend – stripes.
As you can probably guess, I am a fan of stripes.

The first two, are a Striped Jacked and a Striped Skirt from Zara. You can get them in stores or online here and here, respectively.

Next, from ASOS, I have my eyes on this Vest in Stripe Print and these "Elgin" Skinny Jeans. You can get them online here and here.

Last, but not least, while browsing in Topshop, I found the "Raglan" navy and white Stripe Top by Wal G and the Geo Stripe Sweat Dress. Find them in stores or online here and here.

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