Winter skin S.O.S sorted with LUSH!

With this unusual bleak October weather upon us, I think you could say Winter is here. No one likes to admit we’re in winter, well at least I don’t. It has that little air of sadness to it, as we say “bye- bye” to the Summer sunshine.

Winter can be great too however; it gives you the chance to rock the latest knit wear (knitwear galore in the shops at the moment) and keeps your hair in place with the crisp cold air.

Yet, there is one little thing that needs extra attention in the Winter that isn’t so easy to cover up and keep warm: your skin! Yes, you can keep your body warm with lots of layers but your face bears the brunt of winter as it is on show all the time!

The cold weather can be really harsh on your skin causing drying, rawness and as a result; breakouts. Some might argue that their skin is better in winter but the truth is, your skin takes the most looking after in winter; and let’s face it, it’s worth looking after your skin since it has to last you the rest of your life.

So when I was scouting around for some extra special skincare treats recently, I looked to Lush.
For those of you that are unfamiliar with Lush, it is a freshly handmade cosmetics and soap shop. All the ingredients in their products are fresh and organic, putting those harsh chemicals that are in usual skincare products to one side. The smell as soon as you enter the shop is enough to fill your senses with delight.

I invested in the “Ultrabland” facial wash. It has a waxy consistency due to its almond oil and beeswax extract ingredients but also contains rose water, Honey and Iris extract. For the best results, you rub it onto a dry face and wipe it off with warm water and cotton wool. It leaves your skin feeling soft and nourished and it even removes all eye makeup too! Powerful yet gentle.

Another product that can help your skin through the winter and offer it some T.L.C is a face pack. These simply put all the goodness back into your skin and draw out impurities. Once again, I thought I would try a Lush face pack, since they are made with completely fresh ingredients and the contents of each one is geared towards your skin type and specific needs.

A good one for winter is the “Catastrophe cosmetic” face mask. It’s packed full of blueberries, which contain antioxidants to fight against impurities and calming agents to soothe the skin. It also contains camomile – another calming agent that will soothe skin in the cold winter weather.

For a glowing complexion – even in the winter – invest in a good exfoliator and moisturiser – Lush’s “Dream cream” is divine and can be used on the body and face. Also have a look at their “Brazened honey” exfoliator. Couple this with a good, hearty moisturiser to prevent your skin from drying in the cold weather.

So if you are looking for kind skincare and loving ingredients this winter go to Lush, your skin will thank you for it later!

Miss V x

Photography and styling in above picture by Miss V copyright.

La Nuit de la Mode- C'était Formidable!

Last night, I had the grand privilege of going to the “La Nuit de la Mode” event to celebrate the end of London Fashion week. Fashion week is always an exciting time but with this event being in such a fantastic venue and location- Molton House on South Molton street; I knew I was in for a treat.

The show, set up by Natalie Robinson, founder of the highly successful Style Icon website, showcased several outstanding collections: Nicolina and Epoque to name but a few provided me with a wonderful sight to see. Endzone Image makeup artists were also at the event doing a fantastic job, even giving free makeovers!

As soon as I entered Molton House, I got a taste of the lavish environment and electric atmosphere through the pink spotlighted stairs that led down to the main showcase. All around me were mirrors, sophisticated cornered seating areas and warm lighting. The room had a slight disco feel to it, it was the perfect venue for such an occasion bringing both glamour and relaxation to the evening.

In no time at all, I was sipping bubbly champagne with the MRH team and I was excited to see what the Style Icon crafted fashion show had in store.

Whilst I was there, I caught up with Natalie, the lady who set up the fantastic event. As well as being the founder of Style Icon, Natalie is also an “A” list celeb stylist. With this in mind, I wanted to find out who her style icons are, she told me: “I love Gywneth Paltrow’s style because she is edgy and elegant at the same time and Audrey Hepburn because she’s classic.”

Natalie (see Natalie and I in the image to the right) has undoubtedly had many styling accomplishments so far but the one that beats the rest was when she found a dress for a celebrity (who wishes to remain anonymous) for the Oscars. Natalie concurs: “This lady was physically impaired but I found her a dress that fitted her like a glove, she felt confident and looked fantastic in it. That to me is really satisfying”.

After an interesting interview with the lovely Natalie, I moved on to meet the dynamic duo: Semone Ballin and Melanie Leonard. These two makeup artists from Endzone Image fascinated me when they told me how they got their big break on their own, without contacts, through sheer determination. I found this highly inspiring.

Melanie told me: “We set up on our own, made our own portfolios without the help of a makeup degree”. Their hard work has clearly paid off, since then they have worked at the MOBO awards, for GMTV’s Lorraine Kelly’s style awards and their latest project Semone divulged, is a “collaboration within the music industry”, where the duo “recently worked on Aggro Santos’ new music video to his song Stamina”. I, for one, can’t wait to see what this looks like! (See image right with Melanie, myself and Semone).

It was then time for the pièce de résistance of the night – the fashion show! The catwalk, being round, with a mirrored pillar in its centre, made for an interesting and unique show. And, the designs that were coming out were even better. The Nicolina shoes were worn with every outfit and added a touch of elegance to each design. I loved the backless dresses on show by Epoque, a lot of them had fine chain detail on the back too, which added an edginess to the glamorous look.

Velvet is obviously very much in this winter, since there was so much of it on the catwalk; especially, the cherry red shade which I adore. Ruffles on fitted shirts were also another trend to spot. However, the “out there” PVC dresses I wasn’t such a fan of. I appreciate the designer’s fearlessness in trying to create something edgy but… I can’t see these designs being worn in real life. I felt that the PVC ruined a perfectly beautiful dress; however, it was something different and interesting to look at.

Overall, the “La Nuit de la Mode” event was fantastic. It was great to meet so many inspiring people and wonderful to see such interesting designs in such a chic location. Top marks for “La Nuit de la Mode” and bravo to Natalie at Style Icon!

Miss V x

An Event to Remember

Events are always fantastic; celebrations with a combination of Fashion and Music, what better? However, it’s a slightly different story when you are working at the event rather than sipping cocktails all night long.

It didn’t’ stop my excitement though upon arrival at the Mandeville Hotel in London, when I was ready to assist at the annual Aruna Seth Designer shoe event. Having been interning at Aruna Seth shoes this summer, I was thrilled to be invited to help out at the event.

As soon as I got through the door of the lavish hotel, it was all hands on deck to prepare for the night’s event. In no time at all, I had obtained a makeshift office out of the exquisite dining room table and chair I was sitting at, as you do. Careful not to move any of the beautifully laid out cutlery arrangements, I hastily edited some business cards.

However, despite some weary looks off the waiters; I soon had to move a few glasses around due to all the stationary and rising pile of Aruna Seth leaflets stacking up- what’s a girl to do?

Then we had the tempting task of packing the goody bags with lots of treats including Olga Berg purses, Make Believe Fake tan, Max Benjamin scented candles and Orly nail varnishes!

Before long, it was time get to changed into something more soiree and pop on some of the Aruna heels- I was thrilled I got to wear the butterfly platform heels! Not only do I love butterflies (sparkly butterflies= even better!) but the shoes just happened to go perfectly with my outfit!

Rocking the LBD, the butterfly platforms and the Aruna Swarovski butterfly brooch, I was all set to go for the event! Black and sparkly silver is always a nice combo...

The event took place in the Mandeville Bar, a perfect venue for such an occasion. Lavish glass doors, magnificent paintings in extravagant frames and the impressive illuminated glass bar. I couldn’t wait for the guests to arrive...

Come seven o clock, I had secured my position by the shoe displays ready for the inquisitive guests. The photographers got a few pictures of the shoes (...and us!) and “Ooo Wee” by Mark Ronson started playing, setting the scene for an exciting night.

I enjoyed chatting to the guests and informing them about the beautiful shoes, especially the ones that I was wearing after people spotting them. However, I can’t deny that I would have liked to be socialising with them all! Yet, it was still an honour to speak to interesting people at the event.

And despite working there that night, I was pleased that people still had the courtesy to shake hands and introduce themselves to me, top points for good manners; especially in the world of fashion as that’s not always the case.

There were a few recognisable faces there too. Apprentice fans would have noticed Raef and Kate Walsh- who is now a 5 News presenter. Imogen Thomas from Big Brother also made an appearance amongst lots of friendly fashion acquaintances.

Undoubtedly there were lots of arty enthusiasts mingling at the event too, since there was also celebrity art by Terry ONeil on display. Marylyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn portraits were just a few of the iconic photographs on show.

It soon became really packed and I was finding it hard to move in between people but I was glad that everyone was clearly enjoying themselves and more importantly, enjoying the shoes!

I did get an urge to be dancing and drinking with everyone; they were playing great music, but I thought it best to maintain a professional attitude!

As the night grew to a successful close, we packed up the shoes and when everything was packed up, I was touched that Aruna gave us each our Swarovski butterfly brooches to keep.

I was also equally elated to take home one of the delicious goody bags! And I was lucky enough to find an Olga Berg black velvet clutch inside mine! This will be perfect for up and coming nights out nights out!

Overall, it was a fantastic event, the shoes went down a treat and I will always have my crystal butterfly as a memento.

Miss V x

Photos: Top right- Aruna and I. Second Right- Goody Bags. Third Right- Kate Walsh, Raef and Aruna (Aruna Seth photos facebook). Bottom Right- Intern girls and I at the Aruna Seth event, Mandeville Hotel, London.

Get Bold with Blue: Nail Art.

I was really grateful to have a lot of positive feedback about my last nails post so I did another one for you guys! This look is not for the faint hearted but if your like me, then no colours are off limits. It's fun to experiment with colour, especially for fancy dress. But, it doesn't matter how you wear them; go bold with blue nails and an LBD or use this look to complete your fancy dress Mermaid outfit. Which ever way, rock these bold blue nails!

Want nails like these? Here's how...

Step one: As usual, make sure hands are clean and dry and moisturised! Moisturising makes such a difference with the way skin looks so it is important, make sure you do it! It doesn't matter which one you use, even Johnson's baby lotion is a perfect moisturiser and it's not costly either.

Step two: Wipe any excess moisture on the nails away as this can sometimes affect the way nail varnish sets and sticks. Then, buff and file the nails to a square oval shape and push back all the cuticles.

Step three: You now have the perfect canvas for nail painting! It is often a good idea with bold colours such as blue to paint on a clear base coat first, to avoid staining your nails. The Rimmel clear nail varnish is a good one to use because it counts as base coat and a shiny top coat too.

Step four: Once the clear nail varnish base coat is dry, you are ready to paint your blue nail varnish on! You can choose whatever shade of blue you want but I went for a bright turquoise by Orly. Paint on two coats, making sure that each coat dries before you paint on another. Once you are satisfied with the coating, proceed to step five!

Step five: Since Blue is such a bold colour to go on the nails, you don't want to over do it, hence why I only added one diamonte to each ring finger as a finishing touch on each hand (see the image above). To attach the diamonte you have two options...

Step six: You can either, add the diamonte carefully whilst the blue nail varnish is still wet and allow it to stick and then allow to dry. Or, you can wait for the nail varnish to be dry to add it and stick the diamonte on with eyelash glue. It does the trick!

Step seven: Once you are happy with the way your diamonte is sparkling on your ring finger (haha get it ;)) and you are sure it is dry and secure; you can paint on a clear top coat on each nail. This top coat also doubly secures the diamonte in place and adds a glossy shine.

And there you have it, pop on a big sparkly ring to make your nails stand out even more and you are good to go!

Photography and Nail art by Miss V (Vivacious V copyright).

Let me know what you think of this look, post a comment below!

Miss V x

How to be fashion savvy this Winter

So I am never normally one for embracing Winter and it may not be the end of Summer just yet. But, for some of us, there are no more hot holidays to be had, there’s certainly no hot weather in England and we’re in that irritating in between seasons stage. So why not get prepared for Winter?

I for one am not a big fan of Winter- its cold, its wet and it means covering up a perfectly good outfit with coats etc. However, any fashion girls or boys out there know that the Autumn/Winter collections are upon us now on the catwalks and this year I’ve got quite excited with all the winter treats to be had!

So I’ve set out a lil’ how to get Winter savvy prep list, starting now for all those people out there like me; that either don’t live abroad in a hot country or that are feeling that summer is gone so why not embrace winter?

TGFF I say (thank god for fashion). We don’t have to be depressed about the end of hot days we can look forward to wearing amazing Winter clothes. I say out with the old and in with the new, get over being miserable about the end of summer and get ready to embrace this new season.

Why be fed up when you can be fashionable!

So here we go...

♥ Invest in a good pair of Jeans. They are an essential for winter and can be worn with nearly everything and for almost every occasion, if worn in the right way. Although its effort finding the right pair, you’ll thank yourself for it come mid winter when you’re warm and looking slick in your perfect pair. Black military style jeans will be big this winter and black, being a neutral, goes with everything.

♥ So what better to go with your jeans than a gorgeous coat? There are so many to choose from this Winter, I’m not sure which one to go for. I would have one of each but to avoid breaking the bank, I think I’ll go with the classic black trench coat.

However, I’m sure it hasn’t escaped all you Fashionista’s attention that the Aviator jacket with the fur (faux fur of course) collar is BIG news this winter.
It’s not my first choice, but I have been known to say that about Harim trousers and eventually gave in to them so who knows. For those of you Aviator jacket fans out there, I spotted a great one in Zara the other day....

Capes are also oh so in this Winter and I’ve got my eye out for one of these too!

♥ Get a Haircut! Hair can get dry and brittle in the cold, just as it can by the end of the summer from all the heat, chlorine and sea water. So now, in this seasonal transition period, it’s the perfect time to cut off any split/dead ends and start a fresh. A deep conditioner wouldn't go a miss either. Then by Winter, it will be in better condition, not worse and you can start as you mean to go on.

♥ “Apple bottom jeans, Boots with the fur!” Ok Flo-rida, apple bottom jeans not necessarily, but boots with the fur? YES: Massive this winter! I already have my pair lined up and have been swooning over them for a while now. New Look is kindly looking after them for me until my student loan comes through and boy I cannot wait!

The key pair of boots this season are platform, leather and chunky, with bigs buckles and straps. However, to suit the lavish Aviator jacket trend, these boots have a little folding over of fur (again faux fur) at the top (see above right image). They are like little santa boots, but fashionable! I predict these will be everywhere by mid winter, you just have to find the right pair!

I’m also debating on whether to venture into the biker boots territory. These boots are scary and kind of ugly, but cool at the same time? Yes, it's possible. They can look very good with the right thing, not to mention they are practical and winter weather worthy! So I may just keep my eye out for a pair of them, they are growing on me, I think more people will be willing to try them out this year.

Oh, I almost forgot, velvet boots are looking cute this winter, especially the cherry red ones, also from New Look; see what I mean about too many to choose from?

♥ Finally, invest in a good lipstick. A moisturising one is the best in winter to keep your lips looking luscious, but colour wise, I think you have an excuse to wear a berry coloured one! It’s easier to get away with darker colours in winter, make-up wise, so why not give it a go? Not to mention, your lips look sultry and fruity at the same time! If not berry, go for red, always looks sophisticated, just watch the lipstick on the teeth scenario.

So I hope this has swept your winter blues away and got you excited for the new season, yes its autumn first, but Winter is the one to look out for! Happy clothes hunting...

Miss V x

Dance Extravaganza- Step Up 3D!

Ok since I’ve been raving about Step Up 3D ever since it came out, I feel it’s only fair to get it out of my system one last time and give it a lil’ review on my blog!

I love dancing and all the Step Up films so I was excited to see that the 3rd one was out and in 3D too!

Normally I’m not really a fan of the 3D films, anyone else get the weird eye feeling when you’re watching them? I think the last 3D film I went to see was UP and we all ended up taking our glasses off by the middle of the film because we couldn’t hack the 3D.....

However, this film is not like that, if there was any film to go see in 3D- it’s this film; it really makes the dancing come to life, especially when they jump out in front of you!

I confess I’ve seen the film three times, with different people, but I agreed to go with each lot of people again willingly because I loved it so much!

This film from the Step Up saga takes on from Step Up 2 the Streets, directed by Jon Chu, featuring mainly street dancing. So if you’re a hip hop/ RnB lover like me then you are in for a treat music- wise. The soundtrack features great songs to dance to such as T-pain- Take your shirt off, Wale feat Lady Gaga- Chillin’ and Flo-rida and David Guetta’s recent hit- Club can’t handle me.

So the music really grabs your attention but it’s the dancing that is unbelievably amazing! I am always hoping to see something new and inspiring since there are so many street dance movies nowadays with the “I believe we can do it” storyline and similar choreography.

Step up 3d however, set in New York, definitely brings something new to the table. I was literally amazed by the dancing and astonishingly, I did get that feel good feeling when I walked out of the cinema- no word of a lie. Believe me, I’m not a fan of cheesy films as my friends will tell you so I seldom say things like that.

The story features the usual boy meets girl, boy and girl fall in love mixed with a few complications in between and a bit of “I believe in us” spirit; but unlike the other films, the focus didn’t seem to be on the relationship. I am glad to say the focus of the film is on the fierce dancing- it’s so good you can’t take your eyes off it.

Although “Luke” the lead character (Rick Malambri) provided us with a good show and eye candy a plenty, he didn’t really dance a lot in the film apart from in the impressive tango scene.

I would have to say “Mouse” (Adam. G. Sevani) was the star of the show, especially in the water scene in the battle of Gwai. He has a Michael Jackson-esque style of dancing and he was truly outstanding in the film.

Having said that, “Kid Darkness” (Daniel Campos, a.k.a Cloud) even gave “Mouse” a run for his money. Although, he was part of the House of Samurai, (the rival team against the good team: the Pirates) it can’t be denied that he was by far the best dancer in the whole film. He definitely grabs people’s attention in the opening mini dance off scene against Mouse with all his flips, incredible strength and speed.

Having been sure I had seen him somewhere before, it turns out he is the dancer out of Shakira’s “Did it again” video as well as being one of Madonna’s backing dancers. I’ve got no doubt he is going to go far in the world of dance and I look forward to seeing more!

Also guys, keep a look out for the Robot man, his slow motion movements make him a believable robot and the Fred Astaire style dance scene with” Mouse” and his best friend Camille (Alyson Stoner) is really cute and pleasing to watch.

So all in all, the 3D effects are great and separate this film from the others. The storyline keeps you watching and the dancing is awe-inspiring. If you haven’t all ready seen it, go see it and if you have- go see it again! It’ made me want to dance again, so I’m off to find my nearest dance studio!

God or Hip Hop star? Egos gone too far!

So I have always been a massive fan of Hip Hop and RnB music, It’s my favourite type of music and amazing to dance to. You should know this before I start because it’s not my usual style to go and question the music I like.

But I have to question, who exactly do Jay- Z and Kanye West think they are? I love their music, but it appears that they are comparing themselves more and more to being as powerful as God at the moment. I mean seriously, who do they think they are?

Whether you are religious or not everyone knows the difference between a god and a human. It appears their egos have gone wayyy beyond sky high since they came to fame. There are others like them who have had the same success, but their heads aren’t inflated like theirs; so why are they putting themselves on a pedestal like this?

Well, we all know Kanye has always been renowned for his modesty (more like lack of-!) but it seems like the sudden surge of arrogance being emitted from them has come from their music and in particular, music videos recently.

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed a trend in not just Mr West’s and Jay –Z’s music videos, but Rihanna’s as well; where they feature a dark, sinister side to their videos.

I mean it’s pretty clear Rihanna’s changed her image with her dark , edgy dominatrix style and she pulls it off, it’s powerful, so her videos go with her new image. However, I’ve noticed a definite similarity in Kanye Wests, and Jay-Z’s as well.

Now, what are these trends? Well if u take the video for Run this town as an example featuring Jay- Z, Kanye West and Rihanna, its almost this dark “cult” beginning, with people in balaclavas (including Rihanna). Even Jay-Z is rocking a “snood” (Hooded scarf worn by men), again, going with the intimidating/fierce look- whatever your take on it is.

The people in the video are chanting at the beginning of the video before Rihanna starts singing and waving flamed torches in the air. And up on the stage of course leading them all is none other than Rihanna, Jay Z and Kanye west. It’s not the usual kind of music video you get, some might call it aggressive but others may call it fierce from a fashion perspective.

Either way, I love that song and the video. I think it was very clever and powerful art direction. So maybe that’s just it, is it all about power? Or are they all really part of this alleged cult?

However, then I noticed a definite dark side to Jay-Z’s video “On to the next one”. It was giving him a different image too, something we haven’t seen before with Jay-Z. Yet some might say there could be more to it than that. It doesn’t take a genius to know that there is a LOT of symbolisation in that video, all of which is strange and pretty dark.

In between his rapping, there are flashing images of Damien Hurst’s crystal skull with a blood-like substance coming out of it. There are also flashes of crucifixes, black angel wings, bullets and a ram’s skull; which has featured in Kanye West’s power video and in Rihanna’s Rockstar video.

If you are interested in all this symbolisation then you might want to take a look at someone else’s take on the king of hip hop’s “On to the next one” video. I came across it when I YouTubed the music video and he’s either completely crazy or he knows what he’s talking about. It’s kind of scary how he can explain all the symbolisation though! Follow the link- http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjVxA5eZs_U

It was Kanye West’s new Power video that provoked me to write about all this though. Again, great art direction, but it’s clear he’s posing as some sort of God with alternative angels with the ram horns coming out of their heads, falling around him.

Are there hidden meanings here that we are supposed to pick up on? It’s almost like they are comparing themselves to God or worse, the Anti god. I’m not saying they are, I’m saying are they?

Whatever it is, these Hip Hop n RnB stars are definitely trying to send a message and I think its working. They are trying to portray their power, ok we get it, but are they going too far? People that are interested in subliminal messages will have a field day with these videos and even with their lyrics.

Alternatively, they are being very clever and trying to provoke controversy that revolves around them and ultimately more people talking about them resulting in more success on a bigger level.

At the end of the day, they are powerful people in the world, but they are not the be all and end all just because they are in the music industry. Beyonce kick your man into action to be more humble like you!

See what I mean in Jay- Z's On to the next one video:http://http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=WM1RChZk1EU