Current Feather Trend

Feathers executed in the right way, can really add a bit of luxury to any outfit and alot of the current trends remind me of the movie stars from the 40's and 50's who often wore feather-adorned dresses or feather accessories.  There's a somewhat 'showgirl' feel to this trend and you could imagine the likes of Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe shimmy-ing around in alot of the designs.  I guess this is not a trend for people who don't like to stand out in a crowd, because there's something about the feather trend that says "look at me"! I just wanted to go through my thoughts on the trend and some of my favourite translations of it on the high street.

I think if you are going to take a foray into this current trend, you need to consider that the feathers will add alot of detail to your look so you may have to tone down the accessories.  A feather skirt is best paired with a fitted, plainer top to balance out your shape because it will add bulk to your lower half.  If you wore anything too flouncy or floaty on top then you would just end up looking alot bigger than you actually are.  I think that any feathers concentrated on the bust area would be a mistake for bigger chested girls as it will instantly draw attention and make your chest look even bigger! Dresses that concentrate the feathers on the bottom half would be a much better option like this gorgeous tunic dress from Next which almost has a retro 'flapper' feel to it.  I love the contrast of soft feathers with a harder, edgy shoe...

Another stunning dress that flirts with the feather trend is a new dress from Monsoon which is strapless and fitted at the top, but flows down to wispy feathers at the hem.  I love the delicate grey colour and intricate embellishments...so pretty! This would be an incredible dress for the festive season because it gives a nod to the trend without looking over the top.  It would be great for curvy girls as it would skim over the body and also great for pear shapes who want to disguise wider hips/thighs....

If you like a bit of glitz then this number from Lipsy would be great for the party season because it spells full on glamour to me.  This would especially great on girl's with a smaller frame as it would accentuate the chest by adding bulk with heavy embellishment, show off slim arms and add a little bit of bulk to the hip area and add some curves to your sillouette...

I think this dress from Warehouse is a fantastic way to wear feathers in a really subtle way.  The pencil shape of the dress would be really flattering on most figures and the feather detail on the front would camouflage your tummy is you are self conscious about that part of your body.  Given all the detail on the dress, I think it would be best to stick to more simple accessories so as not to overpower the whole look...

If you are a little bit scared of this trend and are not confident enough to go to town on the look, then you can always add accents to your outfit.  This soft nude feather bag from Next is incredibly delicate and would add a bit of glamour to your usual going out attire...

So what do you think of this trend? Love it or hate it?

Leopard Craze, Cable Knit !!!

Yu is the one who suggested that we should do a Leopard theme girls' night out and we DID!!!!!


Three of us opted for a leopard bottom half...while Ann and Pei choose leopard upper half!! ^^

(Left to right)Cathy: Both bag n' peep-toe heels from Balenciaga
Nicole Richie necklace


Me: Mango big cable off-shoulder sweater
Vintage loop sleeve cardigan
doodle print Skirt 
Gray Leopard tights
Designer Elfi Altendofer Vintage beads earrings + yarn wrapped loop earrings 
Alaia golden lace up sandal 
Chanel 09' cruise matte white reissue 227 


Yu: Dolce & Gabbana leopard polyester sweatpants w/ cuffs
YSL suede peep-toe sandal heels
Nicole Richie necklace



I have 2 ear piercing holes for each ear so I put on two earrings: one bead and one loop for each ear. 
To make them look like ONE in front!!! ^O^



Say "smile" ~



Got legs n' killer heels?



Balenciaga heels and that leopard leggings together paired to be a perfection. 



I probably should update my "autumn coat" post w/ this cape as well. 


Pei found the green/gray cape at Therapy store which priced at $150 ... fabulous for the price and for the look!! (courtesy pic. which means that's Cape isn't mine.)



Where does my cable look stem from?


Ah~~ 



How cozy the look is, eh?!


Hope you had fun w/ our leopard looks!!




Have fun. 
xoxo Rachel 

FOTD, OOTD & A Couple Of Reviews

I went out last night with my bestie, Pamela and it was the perfect excuse to wear my new ASOS dress!  I am so happy with this dress because it the most gorgeous colour and it's so flattering.  Sorry the pics aren't the greatest quality but they were kinda rushed. 

I wanted to cinch the waist to give me a bit more shape and this nude belt seemed like the perfect option.  It's one I got ages ago from Next in their sale, it's been so handy because it goes with everything in my wardrobe!

I love this bag I got from Coast a couple of years ago, it's so unique and I've never seen anything like it since.  It's almost art deco style and the only downside is that it's really small so you can only fit the bare essentials in there.  I hope I can keep it in good enough shape so I have it forever!  Sorry about my freakishly long, thin fingers! My mum said the doctors and nurses all commented on them when I was born!ha ha.  The nail polish I'm wearing is YSL La Lacque in no.42, a really rich deep purple...love it! I feel really sophisticated wearing this polish because the colour feels 'grown up'.

I actually chose to wear my wedding shoes from Faith because a) I love them and b) their neutral colour went perfectly with the dress and added a bit of glitz.  I'm such a magpie when it comes to clothes and shoes...any embellishment and I go nuts for it!  Thankfully the heel on these isn't massive so my feet were still in tact after a night of dancing!

Here's the makeup I wore last night.  I went for a subtle smokey eye, glowy skin with a really natural lip.

Face: Virgin Vie Skin Dew mixed with moisturiser

Lancome La Base Pro as a primer

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation in Fresco

Bobbi Brown Corrector in Light to Medium Bisque under eyes

Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation in Medium used as a concealer

Benefit Hello Flawless Powder in Honey (light dusting to set makeup)

Dior Matte Sunshine Bronzer in Honey Matte all over face

Sleek Contour Kit to define cheekbones

Benefit Coralista

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Beige on cheekbones on down nose

Eyes: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Shadow Creme in Silver Star as a base

Korres Eyeshadow in White all over lid (pale silver shade)

Mac e/s in Print in crease and drawn out past outer corners and slightly under the eyes

Mac e/s in Vanilla on browbone

palest shade in Sleek Bad Girl palette used as a highlight in inner corners

Estee Lauder Double Wear Eyeliner pencil in Onyx along top lashline

Mac e/s in Carbon to tidy up eyeliner

Lancome Cils Booster to help volumise lashes

Lancome Hypnose Drama Mascara in Black

Lips: GOSH Darling Lipstick

Dior Addict Ultra Gloss in 236 (Satin Peach)

I just wanted to give a couple of products I used a special mention for their downright fab-ness!

Bobbi Brown Corrector is a fantastic product for anyone who suffers from darkness under their eyes, whether it's hereditary or from lack of sleep.  It's pinky salmon tone cancels out any blue/purple tones under the eye and I like to use it as a base, then apply my usual concealer over the top. 

If you do this in very thin layers then you will have bright eyes in no time!  I find the tried and tested 'triangle' technique works best for me.  Click here to read my previous post on how to deal with dark under eye circles. 

The Bobbi Brown Corrector has a really creamy consistency which means it doesn't dry out the delicate skin on your eye area.  It never creases on my eyes and I attribute this to applying it in a very thin layer as said before.  It lasts all day with no need for touch ups and it has become an everyday staple in my makeup routine.

I look like a proper dumb blonde in the above photo! It made me laugh because I have really vacant expression! ha ha.

My search for the perfect bronzer has come to an end with the incredible Dior Bronze Matte Sunshine Bronzer in Honey Matte.  This bronzer is EVERYTHING you could ever wish for.  It has a matte formula that looks super natural on the skin (essential for that subtle winter glow), it lasts all day, the powder itself is really smooth and incredibly blendable, it has an SPF20 and the packaging is gorgeous!

I much prefer matte bronzers for the daytime, especially in winter because the light is so much more stark and 'white' in the colder months so you want something that will work with your skin and not just sit on top.  This bronzer really works with your skintone and gives you a glow, rather than looking you're wearing a bronzing product.

It feels comfortable and moisturising on the skin and never ever looks powdery.  You get alot of product for your money and given the high quality of the bronzer, it's definitely worth paying extra for this one.  If you prefer a bit of shimmer in your bronzer, Dior also do a version that would appeal to you.  I know I will repurchase this product repeatedly because it's so reliable and always creates the look I want with minimal effort.  I love the fact that it enables you to just swipe your face quickly with a big powder brush and go!

It truly deserves holy grail status!

There's always been something that draws me to highlighters, they excite me like no other makeup product, they look beautiful and they are like a magical tool to transform your skin from dull to radiant in 5 seconds.  I have always heard loads of things about the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks and it's one of those products you see repeatedly featured in magazine beauty sections.  Everyone seems to go crazy over any new limited edition Shimmer Bricks.  I have been using and loving my Dior Shimmer Powder in Amber Diamond that I bought a few months back but curiosity got the better of me (fellow makeup lemmings will understand this!).

However, because Dior Amber Diamond is a more peachy toned highlighter, it's always nice to have another variation and this Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Beige is a great way to get that really polished look but with more gold tones.   The product itself looks beautiful in the pan...

And when you swatch it, you can then see why so many people go nuts over it, because it has the prettiest iridescent gold glow that reflects light beautifully.  I got excited after swatching this because if it looks this great in a swatch, just imagine how good it will look on your face!

I always find that highlighter is essential if you want to create sculpted cheekbones, I like to place the product on the highest part of my cheeks so it catches the light.  I avoid the apples of my cheeks as this can make you look too shiny.  The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is definitely SLIGHTLY more shimmery than the Dior powder and is more obvious once applied.  But as long as you use a light hand and place the product in the right areas, it can really awaken your face and give you a healthy glow. 

The Shimmer Brick is slightly more powdery than the Dior one and it does shed more when the brush comes into contact with it.  So my only warning about this product would be to dab the brush in it rather than swirling it around as that may create a mess!  Overall I love this highlighter and it definitely comes in the top three I have ever used, together with the Dior Shimmer Powder and Benefit's liquid highlighter High Beam.