FOTD: Riviera

This was the look I went for with my Paris print dress. I think it's late 50s/early 60s in inspiration. The lipcolour is a Gloss Stick in Ablaze, part of Topshop's new summer collection. MAC used to do a similar product called the Slimshine, which was glossy, sheer and ultra-moisturising but they stupidly discontinued them so I'm glad Topshop have taken up the idea (though there are only two and limited edition!) This looks like a red hot coral in the tube but on is such a lovely creamy pinky-coral, a colour I've never worn before but am now really taken with. (The other colour is a gorgeous creamy plummy pink colour). The packaging is a bit on the cheap side but the colours really aren't.

What I wore:

Base:
MAC Moisturecover Select concealer

Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Shu Uemura Pressed Eyeshadow in P Green 450 on lid and lower lashline
Bourjois Ombres a Paupieres shadow in Noir Emeraude in crease
17 black liquid liner
Maybelline Colossal mascara

Face:
Shu Uemura blush in P Red 19D
MAC Brow in Spiked

Lips: 
Topshop Gloss Stick in Ablaze

MOTD: Riviera

Here are the accessories I paired with the Paris print dress, together with my tan ballet flats and tan belt.

These are my absolute-favourite earrings, a humble pair of studs from Topshop. I would be heartbroken if I lost one of these. I just love the delicate colours and the size is just right. They seem to go with and uplift every outfit.

I got these coral beads when I was on holiday. I usually favour little charm necklaces but every now again I love a graduated beaded necklace, they are so feminine and old-fashioned.

I had to add a brooch to stop the neckline gaping, so I picked this one my best friend bought me, which picks out the green in the print.

Paris print dress in stock at ASOS

Those of you who wanted to get hold of this dress (I know there are some!), it is now back in stock in all sizes at ASOS. If you were hesitating before, don't do so again!
Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

OOTD: Riviera

I've been saving outing my River Island Paris print dress for a truly beautiful spring day, and Friday's glorious 18C sunshine was the day I had been waiting for (and more). I had some initial reservations about this dress - the boxy high sleeveless neckline, whether it was just too much volume and fabric for small stumpy me. Suffice to say, actually wearing this dress silenced all those concerns. I just love it.

I'm sure fashion magazines would insist that it is essential to pair heels (possibly "skyscraper" or "killer" varieties) with a dress like this, particularly for anyone not blessed with coltish model limbs. But despite being 5ft0 and with nothing "coltish" about me, I prefer this dress with my lovely tan leather Primark flats (£12! yes, £12!) It's simpler and fresher this way.

I actually love the neckline. It suits the dress and doesn't look as boxy as I feared. My narrow shoulders means it gapes a little and I have to pin it with a brooch, but though I originally thought I was going to get the neckline tailored into a scoop neck, it is now staying just as it is. The volume of the skirt is perfect too, and the length just right for the style. It helps to belt it if you're as small as me, though, and gives definition. Though it's months away I think I'll be wearing this for my birthday this year. I can't think of a dress coming along that'll better it. The print, colours, style, all are perfect. I'd never thought I'd say that about a dress from River Island (well not since I was 17!)

My delight in wearing this dress is patent from the photographs. I had to delete a lot of photographs because I just looked like such an irritatingly smug rabbit in them. I also indulged in a few ANTM-style jumping shots. If ever you queried why this blog's got the title it has, jumping definitely brings out the rabbit in my features! Though the weather's cooler now, I've overjoyed that spring has finally sprung.

Dress, River Island, pistachio cardigan, Topshop, brown belt, Dorothy Perkins, black tights, BHS, tan leather flats, Primark, red coral beads, holiday, heart enamel earrings, Topshop.

A-boinging:

In the style of the essays I have to mark, compare and contrast the above with the following:

There's a match of the day and a face of the day coming up!

NARS Lipgloss Friday: Turkish Delight

So we've come to the end of the NARS Lipgloss Fridays. And I do believe I've saved the best until last. Turkish Delight is Kim Kardashian's favourite gloss. I've always considered her to be on the darker end of the medium skintone spectrum but I'm obviously a lot darker, and her lips must be a lot less pigmented than mine. Because this is what it looks like on me:

Epic NARS lipgloss fail. I feel like I'm wearing the glue we used to use at primary school, which is not the greatest look. I'm not sure if this is at all salvable in any way, perhaps if I went for a fancy-dress 60s look with almost bleached lips and very dark eyes. I've tried that before though, and I'm not really a fan. Anyway, it's one I got in my Crazy Heart set, and thankfully I love the other four so much I don't mind that this one's a bit of a dud on me. It's a good illustration of how lip colours can look so very different depending on your natural lipshade. Not something every sales assistant on counters bears in mind (I have a lot of dud lipsticks that attest to that!)

I've enjoyed doing a Friday series - so am trying to think up another, though I don't have as many products of any one brand as my NARS glosses. Dear readers, are there any particular Friday feature you'd like to see?

Decisions, decisions...

Which one? by nazneen372 featuring leather handbags

Leather handbag
$110 - topshop.com

Leather handbag
65 GBP - oasis-stores.com

Leather handbag
$170 - topshop.com

Leather Bags - Tocka Aires in Tan Leather from Clarks Shoes
50 GBP - clarks.co.uk

I find tan cross body bags go with almost everything, but my present one has come to the end of its life (leather looks great as it ages, but this has gone beyond that state... it's hobo in the original sense!) Which of these do you like best?

NARS Lipgloss Friday: Orgasm

This is the penultimate NARS Lipgloss Friday - yup, we're coming to the end of my collection (finally!) I think this needs a lipliner or dark smokey eyes or summat to look good on me, it's a bit pale for my pigmented lips. It's a pretty peach with gold shimmer that'd look lovely most people - just not me, like this!

p.s. apologies for being quiet of late - I am having a rather hectic time of it at the moment and also have a wretched cold brought on by epic commuting...

FOTD: Psychedlic Chiffon

I just adore my Urban Decay Book of Shadows III (the packaging less so than the shadows, but I'm seeking to rectify that at some point!) And one of my favourite colours from it is the vibrant purple shade, Psychedelic Sister. As most of you may guess by now, purple is my favourite colour, but decent purple shadows are actually few and far between. They're often sheer, powdery, blue or cheap ultraviolet affairs. This most definitely is not!

It's awesome layered heavily for a smokey look, and usually I opt for vibrant over sheered out eye looks. But this colour I also love to wear ultra-sheer. It's very, very pretty this way.

I paired it this time with red cheeks and a sheer red gloss because I was wearing my bargain Oasis dress, but it looks even nicer with pink cheeks.

Base:
MAC Moisturecover Select concealer

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Psychedelic Sister shadow from Book of Shadows Vol. III blended out on top lid and bottom lashline
17 black liquid liner (brush style)
Maybelline Colossal mascara

Face:
MAC MSF in Dark
Shu Uemura Glow On Blush in P Red 19D
MAC Brow in Spiked

Lips: 
NARS Misbehave lipgloss

NARS Lipgloss Friday: Easy Lover

I'm sorry to post so briefly this week, but it's been another hectic one. But here's a belated NARS Lipgloss Friday (it is still Friday for another 2hrs 51 minutes!) - a very pretty sheer hot pink gloss.  It is sheer but the colour is buildable - I've wacked on a couple of layers here to get a deeper pink. I love to wear these kinds of glosses with aqua eyes - a very fresh, girly look.