Is it a Dress Code..or is it shaming Women?

I've recently redesigned my blog because I've decided that I would like to make my posts more varied. Fashion will still continue to be the main theme of my blog but I  will hopefully be writing about other things that interest me as well.
Feminism has been a huge focus in the media at the moment and from an early age, girls are encouraged to consider their place in society. Emma Watson's speech promoting gender equality that was delivered to the UN last month has racked up a total of over 5 million views on youtube and social media is bringing to light questions about equality that we have never before considered.
I am particularly interested in the fact that many young girls have started to find Dress Codes insulting and sexist. They argue that women should not be ashamed of their bodies and should not be humiliated and forced to cover themselves up because they are perceived as desirable objects. A group of schoolgirls in New Jersey have launched the social media campaign 'I am more than a distraction' to try and combat this issue and they are not alone in their views. All over the world students have been speaking out against rules regarding strappy tops, short skirts and stomachs showing. Even if you do not agree with these principals, the determination of the teenagers involved is admirable.

 

My first reaction to this argument was that I could  still see the need for a dress code because there has to be some boundaries even though the current ones may be a little extreme. However that led me to consider why we feel the need to cover ourselves up in the first place. Why are we told that our body is something that should be hidden? The answer is that society has lead us believe this and it is difficult for us to now say otherwise without being scorned or shamed by others.
I think the main principal that needs to be considered is 'Does the dress code apply to girls only?' and if this is the case, it should be modified. In reality, dress codes are not put in place to offend, humiliate or favor any one of the sexes, they are put in place to uphold society's view of dignity.

I Woke Up Like This...

Orange lipstick and glittery eye shadow has had it's time and now it's time for a more subtle approach when it comes to makeup. The trick to perfecting a natural glow is to look after your skin which means cleansing and using moisturizer twice a day. Drinking lots of water and eating well is also an essential for keeping your skin looking healthy. With this look, you want it to appear as if you are wearing no makeup at all whilst you are merely wearing the essentials.
Avoid foundation and as an alternative, try a light BB cream and instead of lipstick, use lipbalm to give a slight shine. If you want to wear blusher, keep it minimal and the same goes for mascara (no clumps please). To give your eyes some definition, use a matte brown eyeshadow (see bottom right picture) or use a tiny amount of eyeliner. The trick with the eyeliner is to get it as close to your lash line as possible and to absolutely avoid flicks because that defies the point of 'Natural Makeup'. I would use liquid liner because you can get a really sharp line but it doesn't matter too much if you prefer pencil or gel liner.
I use this makeup routine daily and it doesn't take long. You will find that wearing less foundation will improve your skin and it also feels great to embrace your natural beauty! I hope that this is helpful and that you all have a great week x

  
    

White is the New Black

Never underestimate the power of all white. This season the simple colour is bringing a modern and fresh twist to your look and with the weather improving there's no better way to show off your tan. Whether you fancy a sleek white suit or just a slick of white polish, there is something for everyone to try.

Top Five Trends this Season

1. The Rucksack.
No longer just for school kids, brands like Miu Miu and Burberry have made this practical accessory into a popular style statement. You could try a subtle brown leather or take a more playful approach with a colourful printed rucksack.

    

2. Ripped Jeans.
This trend is super easy because you can just take the scissors to your old jeans (if you are brave enough). The trick is to have just the right amount of rips, you don't want to end up looking like you've been through the shredder.

    

3.Off the shoulder is better.
 At least it is when it comes to dresses and tops this season. Even if it is just a simple white dress like Emma Watson is wearing, the shoulder cutout can make it interesting and elegant.You also get the opportunity to show off your collarbones.

  

4.Crotchet shorts and bralets.
With Summer fast approaching, I am loving this trend and Vanessa Hudgens rocked it at Coachella. It helps if your tanned but unfortunately I look like a snowman.

  

5. The Envelope Skirt.
The asymmetric look of this trend brings a new twist to the classic mini skirt. Usually I would wear something like this for a formal event but the pictures show that you can dress it down as well for a more casual style.

  

What would Tumblr Say?

Hey everyone! I've been busy with exams at the moment but I always manage to squeeze in a few extra hours for Tumblr, blogging and Instagramming (Is that a word??).
Anyway, I would say that about 90% of my fashion inspiration comes from social media sites like Tumblr despite the fact that everyone seems to be permanently living in Summer! However the Tumblr and Instagram famous have been starting to put their own spin on trends with some amazing results so I've decided to make a little list of my favourite new looks.

Tumblr says...


1. Space buns are not only for the sci-fi geeks. (Miley Cyrus probably had some input here)



















,

2. Bindis are cool. If we were ever in doubt then we were definitely convinced by Coachella.





3. Knee socks are essential, if they have cats on them even better.

 



4. Winged eyeliner is the key to success (Yeah I know the blinking eye gets annoying after a while)

 

5. Chokers are coming back into fashion with the help of Kylie Jenner

6. Like I said, I think everyone on Tumblr permanently lives in Summer so shorts are a must have




7. If you're going to dye your hair then you might as well dye it an obscure colour



8. And finally circular sunglasses are an essential at festivals so go get yourself some!

 

The Outfit says it all...

From Kenzo to Alexander Wang, we've seen slogan tees and crew necks adorn the catwalk and dominate the street style scene. Ok so maybe some can be a bit tacky but choose wisely and you will really stand out from the crowd (in a good way I promise).  There are some great Wildfox pieces if you want something girly for the summer or if you want something cooler then I love the Kenzo and the Brian Litchenberg tees. There is also no need to splash out because you can get some great slogan pieces on the high street as well as from the big name brands. Think Cara Delevingne, House of Holland and shouty catchphrases , sorry for sounding over dramatic but these are wardrobe must haves for the coming season.

Summer Wishlist

I know it's slightly early to start considering Summer but it detracts from the cold weather so here is my summer wishlist!

ASOS CHOKER
NELLY.COM SKIRT
QUIZ TEE
OFFICE JELLY SANDALS
WILDFOX SWIMMING COSTUME
NASTY GAL KIMONO
MANISH ARORA RUCKSACK
TOPSHOP DUNGAREES
NASTY GAL SUNGLASSES  

The Perks and Problems of PVC

So PVC, maybe a few years ago it just seemed like a piece of plastic but today it's an edgy and essential part of the sports luxe trend. Nevertheless, it does have it's pretty obvious downfall;  a lot of the time it is completely see through which can be a bit of a problem unless you are going for a Miley Cyrus stunt. Black PVC can also make you look like your part of the Batman movies and is often more catwoman than catwalk.
However it does look pretty awesome when you get it right so here are some PVC summer essentials that I've spotted...

This amazing Hermes bag is not in stock anymore but you can still get them on Ebay for around £200. The French means 'Souvenir/memory of the 1997 Hermes exhibition' and then says 'A trip to Wonderland'. If you are worried about exposing the entire contents of your bag to the world then you could always wrap your possessions in a scarf first.

I saw this Topshop mac in the shop yesterday and have to say that it looks like the perfect festival essential and a lot better than those plastic ponchos we all buy. It looks really cool and will keep you dry whilst everyone can still see your summery outfit underneath.

Here is a PVC Missguided skirt that is (thankfully) not see through! It still captures the edgy vibe because of it's texture but the pastel blue is reallyyy cute.

This Wildfox makeup bag is really fun because of the bright pink colour and I'm sure that it will add some style to your everyday routine. It's very beachy as well so perfect for summer.

You've heard of the little brown bag but have you heard of the little clear bag? I love it already Bloomingdale's. 

If you fancy splashing out then there's this Burberry Prorsum PVC jacket. It's only for the brave but Cara Delevingne did look awesome in something similar at Burberry SS14.

Last but not least are these two pairs of AMAZING Sophia Webster shoes. They're so quirky and amazing for summer, a must have.

Translating Catwalk Looks into your Everyday Wardrobe

So basically I think that Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan are all geniuses when it comes to creating eye catching pieces for the catwalk but most of the time I would not go about my daily duties wearing catwalk attire (think Chanel head to toe tweed avec blue eyeshadow). I always try to stick to the simple rule,  'Do I feel comfortable in this?' and I also have to remind myself that just because it is designer, doesn't mean it's nice. Sometimes buying an outrageous piece pays off but most of the time it will hang in the wardrobe until I actually pluck up enough courage to wear it. So this is basically a waste of money when I could be incorporating the latest styles into outfits suitable for the everyday. I've been scouring the internet to see if I could find more wearable clothes and accessories that had elements of the 2014 catwalk in them and here's what I found...enjoy!


CHANEL                                                                        ASOS

GUCCI                                                                        NASTY GAL
                


BURBERRY                                                         ASOS
        


VALENTINO                                                      MISSGUIDED
         


CHANEL                                                                 THAKOON
                


MULBERRY                                                               NEW LOOK
          

FENDI                                                                 BANKFASHION.CO.UK