The start of Milan Fashion week, Fresh from the catwalk, muted colour palettes and beautiful silhouettes; both undeniable under the name of Alberta Ferretti. What I love about this brand is that you can tell what an Alberta Ferretti style is- full of grace, elegance; fabricated and tailored around the best assets of a woman. I felt inspired by the brand’s Fall 2013; something so simple as wrapping a thin, black ribbon to create the hourglass without being figure hugging. The attention draw the eyes to the waist..which I now like to call the statement waist!

Inspiration: I have a Marc by Marc Jacobs silk top with black neck ribbon tie and Sandro White tee black collar to match it with my leather skater (A line) skirt! Perhaps remove the neck ribbon and wear it as a waist belt! I will be rocking this filtered look.

The flagship store is on Sloane Street, London. RIght next to Tom Ford (that is yet to open) and Salvatore Ferragamo ( well a small Sergio Rossi is there).. You can not be wedged better than these two!

May x

I am not usually an all girly, fluffy, pink pink pink kind of person, but I was very inspired by my co-worker’s nails the other day! She did an amazing DIY nails with nude polish and gold glitter pot varnish! So I came home and rummaged through my nail polish stash and to my surprise; I only have a pink glitter pot! So I guess it is a candy pink day for Barry M and Sally Hansen. It’s very easy to apply; but if you use a tooth pick you will get more control and create less of a mess. Girly or not, I just learnt a way to crete beautiful nails for special ocassions! Accessorized here with Alexander McQueen snake print nude wrap skull bracelet, and featuring my beautiful Folli Follie rose gold clover pendant.

Please follow me @RedVelvetLDN

May x

It was very peaceful, a great place for a scenic stroll. The best time to go is during the weekdays, you feel like the whole garden is for yourself. On the weekends however; people like myself are there taking pictures and messing around trying to look all pretty with the backdrop. This is my second visit to the Pergola Gardens, and I can not wait to come here again in the summer. It is a public garden but tucked away; so you have to know Hampstead well enough to find it.

It was a rather chilly day and it was the perfect excuse to wear my beautiful rabbit fur gilet from Marc by Marc Jacobs; paired with Marc by Marc Jacobs silk top in rose pink. For another layer of warmth; Grey trench from Burberry London and Kurt Geiger Lexi stud wedge trainers.
I hope you get the chance to visit Hampstead, for a stroll, for some shopping and great food. There is a popular and well know crepe cart on the high street, it is so good you would normally queue for half an hour to grab your fresh crepe.

Thanks for visiting,
May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

When I found out that Dior is collaborating with Harrods; I was excited and had to pay a visit to the world’s luxurious department store!! As a sisterly day out we dived into the Dior experience on the fourth floor of Harrods, where they showcased the art, craftmanship, history and beauty of what we all know of the Christian Dior brand.

They also exhibitited beautiful pieces worn by Diana, Princess of Diana, Audrey Hepburn; and the infamous gold dress from the Ja’Dore Dior parfum advert.

THese beautiful dresses are special creations in 2008 and 2011; the backless dress in nude silk chiffon, Belle Epoque gold necklace; and bustier dress with spaghetti straps in ivory silk crepe veiled with ivory tulle, all over gilt metal embroidery. Finally, the master piece of the Miss Dior handbag:

The exhibition drew to an end; educating us the very fine detail of every gown, the inspiration behind each quality piece; the adored Dior handbags and perfumes! We ended our tour by having lunch at the Dior Cafe and luckily, my sister have pre-booked, as not everyone can enjoy the drop in session at the cafe; as it was 100% pre-booked. Price tag was definitely bank breaking; but you can not put a price on experience! While welook beyond the prices; we enjoyed our white tea, canapes and lobster sandwich.

The verdict? It was so tasty! I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with my two sisters, Helen and Kit. This all exclusive event was breath-taking, taking up the whole high street windows for the Dior promotional launch.
I can not wait for another Harrods collaboration.

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

Paris fashion week is still rather fresh in my mind and gave London, New York, Milan a run for their money. Right now, I am all in on metallics, leather pants, black nails and intense shadow makeup. I was very inspired by Balmain’s RTW fall 13 show; with hourglass silhouettes, harsh exaggerations around the hips and shoulders with a tight bondage belt cinching the waist line. The attention to detail paid off with intricate embellishments which you now see being filtered through to high street stores like Topshop and Zara.

It doesn’t stop there, the big guns such as Selfridges are prepared for the heavy metal trend and here I have pulled out a selection of accessories and beauty ranges to complete the look.

I absolutely adore Saint Laurent Paloma suede sandals, I would definitely pair this bad boy with Stella’s Fallabella bag in a heartbeat.

Call me crazy but something about Miley eye flash stick on art! Wacky but so cool. You can wear with or without makeup and just wack on some mascara to enhance those eyes! Bronze seems to be the new orange.. at least the classy way.

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

It’s Good Friday and aren’t we ecstatic to enjoy a 4 day weekend ☺. It is also a perfect opportunity to blog and today’s post is dedicated to my favourite shades of nude nail polishes. After raiding through a draw full of nail polishes; I couldn’t’ decide which shade of nude to go for! Decisions decisions. My top 5 from left to right are:

Mac, Barry M, Chamon, Estee Lauder and Dior.

What better way to enjoy Good Friday and upcoming Easter and wear all 5 shades of nude.
In my opinion, nude nail polishes are great for making your fingers look slender and longer. I must say, the brush on Dior applies much better; you have better control in applying because it has a flat brush, rather than your standard round brush.

Here are the final results; my favourite are definitely Estee Lauder and Dior; the colour blends very well against my skin tone.

I hope you have enjoyed my nail post..Easter egg inspired please drop a comment, would love to know what youthink. P.s. follow me @redvelvetlondon

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

I had the pleasure to be invited to my lovely friend’s wedding; going way back to University days at Royal Holloway. Only her who would have her reception at the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London. Dress code was black tie or national dress and a wedding like this; I knew I had to go all out and glam up. So my choice of hair and makeup: As usual; by day I have straight hair; by night I let loose with the curls. I have been using the same curling wand for 5 years by Jose Eber. It’s definitely the best I have ever used and it doesn’t burn your hair either so it’s all good. I got mine from Selfridges 5 years ago, and I bought another pair a month ago from Harrods (thicker wand for longer hair). They were £100 back then, and even til now; only £5 have been knocked off.. so they are a true classic.

So I have begged my sister to lend me her beautiful Jenny Packham dress and we agreed that she will slaughter me if it gets ruined. Dress done! To match the makeup, I have gone for Mac for dramatic fine lines, and smokey lilac eyes from Shu Uemura. I have used Shu Uemura for years now; I think they have a great texture and palette for Oriental skin and eyes. They have a soft pressed powder, and hints of shimmer to give that little bit of sparkle. To go with the eyes; I am so tempted to have a bright pink lipstick; but it is a sophisticated evening so I have gone for pink Yves Saint Laurent lip stick with Lancome juicy gloss. My lips are quite thick so nude pink is probably best.

Next I had a dilemma! Accessories!! Now, before you assume and think if I am a rich snob because I have posted up designer goodies.. no I am not rich, nor am I a snob. I just like to spend my hard earned money on nice things and go a little hungry for a few days to afford it:)
Decisions decisions, Lanvin or Chanel?? Both so beautiful and have waited for occasions like this to wear them! Which one shall I debut? Whilst I was still deciding; time was running out (2 hours in!) and I had to get my nails done. I went for my sister’s Dior pink nail polish, and did a little princess DIY with pink glitter varnish on the crowns. Cute huh? Hair done. Make up done. Nails done. Ahhh the jewellery… ok I have gone for Chanel! You can not say no to Chanel.. Lanvin can wait. I decided to go minimalistic with the bling, as they say.. if you are going to a glam place; less is definitely more! One thing I am quite disapointed about is that I haven’t thought it through with my shoes… so I am wearing strappy nude shoes that are so ugly; it will be hidden underneath my floor length dress anyway. So here is the look and what do you think?

I really love the dress I am wearing; it is softly gathered on my non existent bust areaand accentuates my waist. THe dress is silk so it is very delicate, but the fabric flatters my curves. One problem though, it creases easily and badly! There goes me, steaming every half hour! I even brought the mini steamer with me to the venue just incase!! SO enough chit chat; I hope you enjoy my pictures through my lense and how breathe – taking the venue was.

Thank you for taking the time to read my wedding post, a lovely night at the Museum..not quite like the film; but we sure did have a party; with some Bhangra and Harlem shaking. Who knew we could de-tour the museum during the intervals.

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

Oh the sun came out to play today; it was a calling for Spring which is long overdue. It was only 2 days ago we have been experiencing a snowy blizzard here in London..crazy! My sister and I decided to stroll along our local park in North London and get some lovely fresh air and soak in some sunshine. I was suppose to go to Korea this month and visit my brother Ken; also an expat blogger (amazing photograph I’m jealous) called Seoul State of Mind and he took some amazing pictures of the Cherry Blossoms in Korea that only lasts for one week.
Here my sister is clearly enjoying watching the crazy ducks flying around and bringing back the army jacket trend back.

I absolutely adore cherry blossoms, they are beautiful and reminds me of Japan a lot.

On a casual Saturday, I kept my makeup very light.. Jane Iredale press powder and Mac gel liner, and teamed it up with a ponytail. I bought these amazing cropped printed trousers from Primark for £14! Who would have thought. This could have easily been sold in Topshop and Miss Selfridge for £35, so I snapped up all the colours! I teamed it up with my white Sandro shirt which has a cute black collar line, and Zara boyfriend denim shirt. Off course, my Kurt Geiger Lexi beige trainers came to play with my Balenciaga black City bag I got from Harrods, and Aztec rose gold necklace from Forever 21.

So that’s half my weekend; I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my sister Kit Lee tomorrow at Columbia Road… flower market time!

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

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So I have been internet window shopping again and have found my 3 favourite dresses I would love to have in my wardrobe!! I know I have been blogging a lot of high fashion stuff; but I do love my high street. Designer bags, shoes, clothes, accessories are just cheeky luxuries I can afford now and again and where I can make sacrifices.
I must say, Zara is my favourite brand to shop in; closely followed by Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins (I love our UK stores).
Here are my favourite 3 pieces for April that’s in the high street right now and am on the mission to get my hands on all 3.

When I first saw this Dorothy Perkins cream stud playsuit, I thought it was a dress but in fact it’s a clever playsuit that is so cute and sophisticated. Even better, when I saw the back..it has a gorgeous exposed zip line which I love! So I have paired this with Dorothy Perkins open toe ankle boot which is gorgeous. I would say invest high street in clothes; and bling it up with designers..that’s how I rock the streets of London. From what I’ve seen, every girl seems to have a Michael Kors or a Marc by Marc Jacobs watch. They sit around £250 but they are a fashion must have. Also, Philip Lim this year is his year for bloggers, I call this the fashion blogger’s bag. Every high end fashion blogger is rocking a Philip Lim! I always say, less is more, choose wisely between beauty and accessories. You will never see someone who is trendy that rocks hard on the blings with full face makeup.

Next up is this cute little number from Miss Selfridges. It’s called the Pocket Pinafore Dress with PU pockets. I remember seeing something similar 4 months ago in Zara and I hestitated whether to get it. But I am glad this piece came out in Miss Selfridge. I work in an environment where it is laid back and can wear smart casual, but I do love a dress up so this is perfect! It is smart, and has a demure sexy edge, perfect for work and drinks after hours

Once again, Rebecca Minkoff seems to be the brand that every high fashion blogger has too! They are mid market prices and are very identifiable. I love nude and I am glad to see Rebecca bring out her nude range (last season were a little too Christmassy). To break out the look, I love a good ol’ McQueen scarf that’s not too obvious and heavy with the skulls, but visible up close. I also came across this beautiful mother of pearl Armani ladies watch which is lovely. Armani seems to have a great range for men and so I am surprised to see this number in Harrods.

Lastly, this casual cut out dress from Zara is a winner for me. The last time I remembered wearing a cut out shoulder outfit 5 years ago and absolutely loved it. Zara continues to win me over. Though I can not wear it for work; but definitely in the summer with the matching heels from Zara that looks like Tom Ford, they are so flattering. The colour and texture is rather rock chick, and so a Balenciaga clutch and Givenchy chain bracelet should do the trick.

I love all 3 and can not choose either or, so I must get on the high street and hunt them down! Debit card? check! Money in the bank? I don’t know but who cares! Wish me Luck.

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blogger

It is a beautiful Sunday and it is finally 20 degrees!! I am hanging out at home in my T, the mood is great and it is definitely time for a beauty post. I have used a number of body lotions over the years and Origins is my favourite to date. I was given this for Christmas and I absolutely adore grapefruit and sweet smelling creams (Body Shop had a grapefruit body butter which was yummy!). The cream is quite thick and oily, but the smell lingers on very gently. Although 15 minutes in, I can still feel the moisture so it does take time for it to soak in. My skin is quite dry and I don’t moisturize often so I like to think a thick moisturising cream would help do the job.

Half an hour in, it leaves your skin feeling soft, smooth, moisturised and smelling lovely if you do want a good whiff. The best time to apply is definitely after a nice hot bath. The only drawside with tubs and thick creams is that it takes a while to moisturize your whole body…you can end up moisturizing forever!

I do recommend this souffle if you love natural skincare, sweet smelling and intense moisturizing stuff!

Happy moisturising

May x

UK Fashion and Beauty Blog

I love having sisters, we share (STOLE) so much clothes, accessories, makeup and bags from each other. I am not a huge fan of Chanel nail polishes (as my first experience with the Dragon red is that it chips really quickly) but it is so hard to say NO to Chanel. What better way than to keep your Chanel polishes in a Bottega Sunglasses case! Decisions decisions…what colour should I go for today?? It was either White Satin or the Jade Rose! I have tried many nude colours lately so I am intrigued to go pearl white. Before I get started, I had to get rid of the chipped tack on my nails. I absolutely love the Incoco nail polish remover pot..you dip your hand in the finger sponge, wriggle around and wallah…varnish gone! So simple and you just top up the nail varnish remover fluid every time it dries up.

After the first coat, it is pretty much transparent and can still see my hideous nails. Second coat in; the colour is looking good..but I knew I could squeeze in a third coat! The thing with Chanel is that it doesn’t dry as fast, and so I had to wait for about 10 minutes (between each coat). I am loving the turnout and I have completed it with Sally Hansen fast dry top coat to give that lovely polished shine.

Have you tried White Satin? Or perhaps a colour you have tried you want to recommend

May x

It has been a beautiful weekend once again in London, I am loving the sunshine.

I am trying to get in the habit of exfoliating my face and body regularly to get that beautiful, rejuvenating soft skin we all want. Exfoliating can leave your skin extremely dry and so it is so important for me to moisturize, moisturize and moisturize! Last thing you need, is a flakey dry skin. I would love to share with you a body butter I am using at the moment.

 I am sad to say that my Origins body soufflé have run out, and is time to try new body butters. Luckily, I had one waiting for me and it is a gift from a friend of mine- Sanctuary Spa body butter. It isn’t fruity like Origins body Souffle, it has a hint of sweetness; very refreshing and the smell reminds me of Crème de la Mar which is a good sign! It has a great consistency, not too thick but soaks in quick into the skin. Same as the Origins, it is deep moisturizing however.. I do have to apply again after 10 minutes (perhaps my skin is too dry oops). 

I love the lingering smell! I think with body butters; if you love the smell you will spend quality time moisturizing and take good care of your skin daily after a nice hot bath!

Is there a body butter you are using at the moment? What would you recommend to try?

May x

UK Fashion & Beauty Blogger

It is finally Friday! Time to get out of our work wear and dress our personality! I visited the Butterfly Park with my best friend in St Albans, north of London. I have never been to St Albans so to my surprise, I love the area. It’s rather quaint with all its original Tudor features! It is a beautiful and recommended place to spend quality time with your family and soak in the Great British Countryside (ish). To make the most of the beautiful sunshine, I whipped out my Marc by Marc Jacobs Natasha crossbody. It is one of the bestselling pieces and is always sold out in every colour! If you are a Marc Jacobs fan you will know what I am talking about. It is so easy to wear with this clever zip line around the flap..genius. Here in London, it’s flat out £310 … I remember last year they were £290. It has been so popular and demanding the prices have gone up. I was super duper excited to wear it as it isn’t a colour I would wear during the winter. With Fluro bag I matched it with Fluro knitted jumper from Forever 21 and woodwork trousers and boots from Bershka. I love these trousers and admittedly, after watching Cheryl Cole’s music video to Call My Name..I wanted a pair of trousers just like that (and that neon yellow crop top!!)

Sometimes I think it’s a bit much to dress head to toe in designer and I love to mix match high street and high fashion, makes me appreciate the best of both worlds.

The Waffle House was the biggest highlight for me and everyone must try the Avocado and Houmous Savoury Waffle with sweet chilli sauce. It is amazing, I have tasted nothing like this. Their Latte milkshake was to die for too. It will always be busy so be prepared to queue for at least 20 minutes. Looking at the waffle now is making me salivate!

I hope you all enjoy your weekend.

May x

I love mini nail polishes; they are fun and who needs large size bottles anyway. I got these lil cuties from Hong Kong, a known beauty store called Sa Sa. I have worn these for many years..when I say many years I am talking 3 years here and they are still polishing fine. What I love about the so called summer season here; it means I have beautiful flowers growing in my back garden. Few snips later it gave me an inspiration to blog about these come-back colours!

My favourite is the metallic finish; the colour is warm and fast drying. As I have had it for a few years; the shine does fade; so it is important to top coat the varnish for longer lasting nails and anti-chipping.

Sometimes; going back to your old collection of polishes are your treasured gems!

May x

We all know that it is no secret for my obsession with Incoco nail stick on varnishes. Just in case you aren’t aware of Incoco, they are 100% nail polish..you stick on, file away and removes exactly the same with a polish remover. Summer graced us this weekend with a lil bit of sunshine and my day event was strawberry picking up in North London where you can pick your own fruit. Exciting times! I know strawberry picking can be laborous and stressful under the heat; but recreationally it is good fun; you pick your fruit..you eat it..and you don’t pay for it it just goes in your tummy.

I can not stress enough how easy it is to apply Incoco, and today I have chosen Inococo’s Lush Blush.

Luckily, I have a matching Mac lipstick to go with my Lush Blush nails and I am very sure you know this Mac colour Impassioned. It is one of the best selling pink colours and I love it. Incoco is stocked in Harrods and that is where I get my supplies from. It is a girly shade, but hey we are young once and we have forever to be old.. so be bold

May x

As I was browsing in Boots, I was interested in finding something to detox my face. I apply makeup every day and so I can feel that my skin is clogging up dirt, opening up pores, experiencing dry skin and the odd spot! I came across a sample range of masks offering at 99p each and this is perfect to test out a mask before commiting to buy the full pot! Spa days can be pricey unless you make a day of it and go for the experience, but all I wanted was a simple face pampering. Paid my 99p sample pack and dived straight in to test it out. I have heard of Mudd clay mask before, it is meant for deep cleansing and so hopefully I can feel the effects. A lot of people tend to apply a face mask with their hands but the best trick is to use a large (makeup) brush. It evenly applies the clay and maximises coverage. It gives me a refreshing sensation; very cooling and smooth to apply.

As I waited for the mask to dry, I get the feeling of wanting a lil scratch on the face. After 15 minutes; I looked like a she hulk (according to Seoul State of Mind) or lady shrek (according to Ms QT). It is very easy to remove the dried face mask as it is to apply and immediately, I can feel how soft my skin is. I feel like my skin has purified the nastiness from my skin, but that’s not all; my face looks clearer and smoother too.

There is no harm in trying a range of masks to suit you and the best way to go about them is buy trying out samples. I guess it is a 99p well spent.

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Photos by: StyleSlicker

Mayx

I have been rather lucky in my family to have the biggest volume of hair and have always loved to have it wavy. I have stuck by with Jose Eber for 6 years…with the same curling iron. I thought it would be great to share how much I this curling wand. It is heat generated so it doesn’t burn your hair as much as other curling wands do. Recently, I bought another wand which is bigger and thicker as my hair grew longer. Bigger wand means I will have looser curls and less of a ringlet.

If you do want larger volume hair, layer your curls! I tie up my first half and use a large wand for the bottom layer, and then I move on to the top layer with my smaller Iron fir a tighter wave. It is so important to use heat protection spray, last thing you need is nasty split ends and dry coarse hair so I use Tresemme hair protection products to do the job! Jose Eber is so easy to use and takes me about 20 minutes to do the job! Spritz with firm holding spray, slap on some natural makeup and I am good to go.

I highly recommend Jose Eber and I got mine in Harrods which retails for £100 (6 years later it is still the same price). You just plug it in, switch it on and let it heat for a few minutes. Make sure it is on the heat protected mat, I made the mistake on leaving it on the carpet..curled my hair only to find burnt carpet stuck to my hair (yes which I then had to cut it out). I was a victim 6 years ago strolling into stores and constantly getting approached to get my hair curled, but every time I walk by I am like “I have 2 of those already”.

I hope you have enjoyed my post, it will be great to hear what curling tongs you use and follow me on Facebook <3

Credit to my love sister Styleslicker for taking my pictures.

May x

So I have touched base on a not so pretty beauty regime, but something every human should try!! Have you heard of Biore? They have this amazing product which are pore nose strips and is a blackheads remover which you can see the results immediately. They have been around for a while and first heard of their nose strips few years ago when my sister had a black head issue like all teenage girls. I find them very fascinating and so easy to use. Usually, you can find them in any Pharmacy such as Boots with 10 strips per box. They are quite expensive but you can see what I mean by the results in my pictures and as to how easy it is to apply.

How? Dab cold water around your nose area, stick the strip on your nose and make sure it is well pressed with no air bubbles. Wait for 10 minutes (if the strip still feels soft then leave until the strip hardens like papermache ) then peel! Your pores/blackheads exposed from the nose gets stuck on to the strip which then allows the blackheads to come out from deep into the pore. However, it doesn’t completely remove all your blackheads, but is a regular routine amongst exfoliation etc.

I say get yourself to your local Pharmacy and check them out! I bulk buy and have had them for years when I need them. If you would like to try one, one lucky blogger who comments on my post (chosen for the best comment) can have one and I will send it via post (UK only).

I would love to hear your views and give one lucky reader a Biore nose strip.

Thanks for stopping by and please if you can show support and like my new Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/redvelvetldn or click on the side to Like

Thanks to Kit from StyleSlicker for taking my pictures.

May x

I have probably blogged more about these Incoco nail strips than any other. They are just too easy and lasts for weeks. This week I have decided to try out Incoco Flirt, it is a blush rose pink colour. It is a girly shade, but not cheap tacky girly. Annoyingly, their website is American, I only know that Harrods stock these. As you can see I am an Incoco hoarder and have almost a lifetime of them to wear. By far, I think this is my favourite matt colour from Incoco. I have also learnt that if you apply a top coat (which I use Seche Vite), it reduces the chances of your strips from chipping and peeling. As Incoco is 100% nail polish, we treat them like any varnish as we do and apply the top coat.

During this process, my sister Style Slicker (my photographer) couldn’t help but Instavideo me applying Incoco Flirt:

InstaVideo: Incoco Flirt

Are there any Incoco fans out there like myself? #Incoco

May x

Have you heard that Benefit Cosmetics have opened their makeup to go vending machines in airports? Their stint is the Glam Up & Away in 25 airports in the US providing beauty starved travelers on the go. The vending machine launched in JFK New York City airport and their cotton candy pink buses are surely hard to miss. They have definitely hit the spot for quick pre or post airport fixes. I have seen plenty of these around, Sephora and Elizabeth Arden had the same idea, but Benefit definitely wen all out with the bus theme.

I hope these buses will come to London, I mean we do love our Route Master buses here.

May x