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Quote Of The Day



"Zest is the secret of all beauty. There is no beauty that is attractive without zest."- Christian Dior. 

Beauty Tip Of The Day

"Apply eyeshadow primer over the lid before sweeping a light dusting of eyeshadow over the top and heavy winged eyeliner to get the oh-so-in sixties look." 

Italian Town Bans Mini Skirts!

Dolce & Gabbana S/S 2011


The major of the Italian town of Castellammare di Stabilia has banned mini skirts, after complaining of the falling levels of decency. Bobbio's vote was won last night preventing women from wearing "very short" apparel; and women refusing to adhere to the new law will face a fine of £265. According to the Guardian, police officers will target women wearing mini skirts or skirts that don't fully cover their underwear, and also women displaying "too much cleavage". But the bans don't stop there. This is only one of 41 new laws by the major - the others include a ban on lying on benches, climbing in trees and swearing in the streets!
We don't know how the Italian fashionistas will like the ban, especially since Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana has unveiled their latest Sping/Summer collection and we're seeing a lot of mini skirts!

First Pics Of Jennifer Lopez & Her Twins Gucci Adverts!

We reported in an earlier post that Jennifer Lopez and her twins Max & Emme were to do a photoshoot for Gucci's brand new childrenswear campaign, and shortly after, we have the first pics! Showing, J-Lo looking gorgeously tanned with her twins on the beach. Featuring the the iconic Gucci teddy bear, the range features clothes, accessories and footwear for children aged 0-8, and is set to launch on 20th November - coinciding with International Children's Day. All Gucci flagship stores will launch the range with special children's parties - how sweet!  What's more, Gucci has announced that they will be making a new donation to UNICEF's Schools For Africa to tie in with the event.



We cannot get over the aviators on Jennifer's son, how cute are they? - Simply adorable! As Instyle.com said it - Gucci-gucci-goo!


Couture Brand Love ♥

Our favourite label du jour is none other than - Markus Lupfer! We are loving his design for Fall 2010, and wanna get our hands on every single one of these gorgeous pieces: -

 


                                                        
   
Buy online at - Markus Lupfer

Quote Of The Day



"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone." - Audrey Hepburn 


Today Is Officially LBD Day!

It's official - today is LBD - Little Black Dress day. So what does this mean, well basically it's a hint date for all us women who want to slim down ahead of Christmas and fit into our little black dresses. So why today you may ask, well because today marks the last chance to start the 'six weeks of sensible slimming' needed to drop a dress size in time - according to the Atkins diet company. "Many people leave it too late and go on a crash diet in December" says Lindy Byrne, of Atkins. This is counter-productive, she says, as any weight you have lost is likely to go straight back on the moment you tuck into party food. As we all may well know, the Atkins is a high protein - low carbohydrate dieting plan with celebrity fans such as Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, and many more. But the Atkins has always come under much criticism from nutritionist worldwide, claiming the diet regime is simply too unbalanced. 
Well we say, whether you're trying to lose weight or just maintain, the healthy option is always the best! Roll on the six weeks of dieting! Grr!

Beauty Tip Of The Day

"I spray perfume on the back of my neck. I don't know if it's when you go in to hug someone but everyone always comments on it no matter what perfume I have on - whether it's my favourite Stella McCartney or a $3 bottle from the drugstore." - Jessica Szohr aka Vannesa in Gossip Girl.

Now you too can have Lady Gaga's bow hairpiece!

Ever since Lady Gaga wore that famous massive bow hairpiece in the Poker Face video, hairpieces have been becoming bigger, bolder and sassier. Now a new range of clip on hairpieces by brand Hersheson, means that you too can get in on the action without dying, cutting, damaging or simply spending a bomb on your hair! Yay! From highlights to extensions, pink colour add-ons, Hersheson is certainly a label to watch. We, personally love the bow head piece, which comes in two sizes - large and small, and also in 5 different colours. Couture Diaries verdict: an instant change and party look sans the scissors and expense - simply bow-tastic! (we couldn't help it!)
Available from ASOS here - Hersheson@ASOS


Red Lips Wrong & Right - Cameron Diaz vs. Penelope Cruz

Keeping in the theme of red lips, we have two perfect examples of getting it wrong and getting it right. Below, Cameron Diaz & Penelope Cruz both wear red lipstick, but we think whereas Penelope got it bang on trend, Cameron really missed the mark. As we said in our previous post, tons of blusher is a no-no and that is what precisely kills Cameron's look, making her look pale and ghost-like instead of giving her that rosy flush. We also think that with her blue eyes, sticking to just mascara with red lips would have been a better option.

Although the classic rule is either to do up the eyes or lips - and never both, like we said before, don't be afraid to experiment and sometimes, done right, you can pull of the eyeliner & red lips look a la Miss Cruz. We think she looks gorgeous and that all her makeup ticks the right boxes - the shade of red beautifully flatters her warm skin tone and surprisingly, the heavy, smoky liner simply compliments her whole look. Thumbs up from us!



How To Wear Red Lips


This Fall, red lips are big news, as seen on most, if not all the fashion runways, including Dolce & Gabbana, Aigner & Donna Karan. So how to wear them best? Here are a few tips to get you started:-

1.The most important tip of all is to find the right colour for you and with red, that can be tricky. Don't be afraid to experiment, with brands doing a wide range of reds to suit every complexion. We particularly like Revlon's Really Red & MAC's classic Russian Red. If your complexion is pink, then plum based reds will suit you perfectly, while yellow skin tones will benefit from brown based warmer reds, according to makeup artist Jemma Kidd in Harper's Bazaar.



2.When using red lipstick, you want to go light on the makeup for the rest of your face. Adding tons of blusher will make a clown face - not a sophisticated look. Instead opt for light eye makeup, set the face with good coverage face powder, and use subtle dustings of soft blush.

3. The most important rule of all? - Know what suits you and what doesn't. Every person has their own individual style, and I personally don't believe there is any one hard rule in makeup or fashion. Most makeup artists blend different shades to get the perfect colour and so can you. Mix and match and experiment and you may find shades suit you that you never thought to try! Remember, makeup is supposed to be fun!







Islands Of The World Fashion Week

The award-winning Islands of the World Fashion Week is back with it's third edition in the gorgeous settings of The Bahamas! Wowie wouldn't we love to get to that fashion show?

"The stage is set for a truly international meeting of cultures in the fashion world in this the International Year of the Rapprochement of Cultures as designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The “mosaic of cultures” takes on poignant significance this year as we draw attention to the phoenix rising out of the ashes of the devastation of the island-nation of Haiti, the on-going relief efforts and rebuilding initiatives for a sustainable Haiti with the production of Fashion Cares for Haiti: The Relief Benefit Fashion Show" as according to the fashion show's website islandsfashionweek.com

Previous winners of their Humanitarian Designer Award include Kenneth Cole and H&M.

The three-day event will take place November 11–13 at the British Colonial Hilton, Nassau, The Bahamas. Just think, after all the fun of the fashion show, you can laze around in the gorgeous climes of the Bahamas...

Islands Fashion Week Official Website


Read the Greatest Classic Books Free Online!

Mr Darcy stole every girl's heart in Pride & Prejudice, Jane Eyre inspired us to be strong and Emma taught us not to meddle! So how is it, after centuries have passed, we still can't get enough of these gorgeous classics? Every single one of Jane Austen's books are on my bookshelf, not to mention Charlotte Bronte, Wilkie Collins and Daphne du Maurier. They are my favourite pastime on a rainy day. But, even so, I was so surprised when I learnt that you can read all these books and more, from all the classic authors for free, yep - free! Readprint.com is the savvy website that will enable all us classic books lovers to delve into the hearts of these books all from the comfort of our laptop; and while nothing beats a mug of hot chocolate and book in hand, sometimes you just cannot lug all your favourite classics with you wherever you go. Readprint has made it easy for us to pick and choose whichever book we would like to read, and with a special 'reading mode' too! We thank you readprint, as in the words of Jane Austen in Pride & Prejudice " I declare after all, there is no enjoyment like reading!"
Click here to indulge in your favourite classics - Readprint.com

Beauty Tip Of The Day





"Red lips tend to bleed, so fill in lips with lip liner first" - Ashunta Sheriff (makeup artist) - Harper's Bazaar.

Quote Of The Day


"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." - Coco Chanel  

Play Fashion Sudoku!

Now that we've already let you in on the benefits of playing sudoku - we've found a fun and truly fashiontastic one to play! Warning: only for true fashionistas! Click here to play: Shopdoku

Burn Calories Without Exercising? Yes Please!

What if we told you that you could burn an average of 90 calories an hour just by sitting in your chair? Too good to be true you may say, but according to research by mental agility experts, applying your mind to puzzles and quizzes will do just that!!
Tim Forrester, from brain training website cannyminds.com, said giving the brain a workout burns calories in the same way that giving the body a workout does. "Our brains require 0.1 calories every minute simply to survive,'" he told The Telegraph. 'When we do something challenging such as a puzzle or a quiz we burn through 1.5 calories every minute."
 Eight-time World Memory Champion Dominic O'Brien agrees, adding that brains need exercise just as much as bodies. 'Just as you need to continually exercise your body to stay fit and healthy you also need to exercise your brain and memory to remain mentally agile,'  he said. 
We think all this news is great because we love sudoku. So does that mean we can nibble on a Kit Kat at the same time and not feel guilty? We're heading to Smith's to get our Sudoku book as you read...

Celebs & Their Dolce & Gabbana Miss Sicily Bags.

We told you how much we love the Miss Sicily bag in a previous post, but it seems we're not the only ones. The celebs have all been coveting the bag, and here are a few pics to show:-

Fergie, Black Eyed Peas, Miss Sicily 1
Fergie, Miss Sicily 2
Eva Mendes, Miss Sicily

Madonna, Miss Sicily
Sarah Jessica Parker, Miss Sicily
Kylie Minogue, Miss Sicily


 
Victoria Beckham, Miss Sicily

Quote Of The Day



"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical." - Sophia Loren.





Tip Of The Day



On wearing heels: "I would like to say that I don't dislike women that don't wear heels - people often think I prefer women in heels but it isn't true," says Blahnik. "But if you do feel unsure, the best way to practice is by walking on the balls on your feet in a swimming pool or on the beach. The motion is the same." - Manolo Blahnik. 

Quote Of The Day


"As we drive along this road called life, occasionally a gal will find herself a little lost. And when that happens I guess she has to let go of the coulda, shoulda, woulda, buckle up and just keep going." Carrie Bradshaw.











Jennifer Lopez & Her Twins New Faces Of Gucci

News fresh in - Jennifer Lopez and her twins, Max & Emme, are to be the new faces of Gucci's childrenswear campaign.  The trio have shot adverts on Malibu's beach in July, featuring shots of the famous actress and her 2-yr old twins by the water in head to toe Gucci clothes & accessories.  According to WWD.com , Gucci will make a donation to UNICEF and the Maribel Foundation  - the charity founded by J-Lo and her sister to raise money for healthcare for women worldwide. We're sure the campaign will be gorgeous but in the meantime we want J-Lo's birkin!



Meet Manolo Blahnik tonight!!

Manolo's new book, £24.95


The world renowned shoe designer will be at London's Liberty store tonight for a special book signing of his new book - Manolo's New Shoes. The signing will take place at the store's World of Manolo space on the ground floor between 6pm - 8pm, 21st Oct 2010, so get your skates on girls, or should that be your Manolo's? 

First Preview Of Lanvin For H&M!!








Ok ladies brace yourselves for the first picture of a sneek preview of Lanvin's collection for H&M!! We can't wait till the 23rd November for the actual collection itself, but we can lust over a hint of what's to come...all ruffles and tailored cuts, ooo j'adore 






             

Beauty Tip Of The Day





"To make a round face appear slimmer and more elongated, use an oval-headed cheek brush to apply a matte bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks. Think of a tadpole shape - the ‘head’ in the hollow under the apple of the cheek, the ‘tail’ blending to nothing towards the hairline. " Jemma Kid - Makeup Artist 

Quote Of The Day


"Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn" Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) - Gone With the Wind 

We heart MAC's Disney Collaboration - Venomous Villains!





After months of waiting, and thinking it might just all be rumours, MAC finally launched their latest limited edition Disney collection - Venomous Villains. By the collection's title, you'd be right in thinking no Mickey or Minnie or bows and frills, but instead dark, dark villains. It's certainly a twist, and we love it!

The four villains each have their own collection of unique products and colours. Here's a summary of each character and our fave product from each:-



Dr Facilier
Dr. Facilier, the voodoo witchdoctor from The Princess and the Frog. Created in 2009. Nothing is sacred to this dandy who has stolen moves from the King of Pop and a hairdo from the Godfather of Soul.

Cruella De Vil
Cruella De Vil of 101 Dalmatians. Animated by Disney in 1961. A Dalmatian dominatrix. Famed for her cheekbones, dramatic entrances and trails of absinthe-coloured smoke.




Evil Queen
The vain Evil Queen from Snow White. Unleashed by Disney in 1937. Jean Harlow eyebrows. Joan Crawford's face. She set the standard for glamorous depravity and made us all glad we don't have a mirror that talks back.






 Maleficent
Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. Brought to life in 1959. Toxic green skin. A darkly diabolical horned beauty with Hepburn eyebrows. She's the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil".





For more info and to see the gorgeous full collection, visit MAC online - MAC Cosmetics Online