the multipassionate: August 2017

Friday 18 August 2017

Back to School Wishlist

As much as I love summer, I can't help getting excited for autumn and back to school season. And even though I've validated all of my uni classes (MA thesis I'm coming for you!!!), I just got a job as a high school teacher, which means I will actually go back to school in a few weeks, except I'll be on the other side of the classroom. With that in mind, I can't stop daydreaming about one of my favorite thing in the world: clothes. Especially since back to school season is, in my mind, always associated with a new Autumn wardrobe addition, whether it's a bag, a pair of boots, or a coat, that adds to the "fresh start" feeling of this time of the year. And if Asos and H&M have been my go-to shopping destinations for summery clothes, I'm currently obsessed with these pieces from La Redoute. I feel that most of these items would be work appropriate (at least in a semi-formal environment) and comfortable, while at the same time allowing me to express myself style wise, which are my biggest concerns when dressing for work.

So here is a little selection of things I'm considering adding to my (work) closet for early Fall and later:

Broderie Anglaise Blouse: I'm totally obsessed with this trend and I can totally see this summery blouse transitioning really nicely into Fall with jeans, a leather jacket and sandals or loafers depending on the weather. Add a long, thick cardigan on top and you've got a cosy Winter outfit.

Cream Pineapple Skirt: How cool is this skirt? And what a cute way to incorporate a fun, playful element into a more formal/work appropriate outfit! I would wear it with a denim shirt, or a plaid shirt, with or without tights and with ankle or knee-high boots. So versatile!

Embellished Sweatshirt: I love embellishments of any kind and this short-sleeved sweatshirt would look super cute with black skinny jeans, trousers or even a midi skirt.

Off-white Lace Skirt: For years I swore by skater skirts, but lately I've been really into pencil skirts as they look more put together and can be very flattering, even on curvy women. I would wear this one with a denim shirt for Fall, or a thick grey jumper for Winter.

White Star Top: Another formal yet "fun" piece that could be worn with practically anything.

Sheer Polka Shirt: Button down are my go to on days when I teach and I'm really tempted to add this one to my collection as it is quite plain, but the dots add an interesting detail and texture.

Denim Shirt Dress: I feel like a denim dress is such a staple and a must-have. However, the ones I own are rather light and summery. This dark-wash one would be perfect all year round and the fact that it's a shirt dress make it work/office appropriate.

Flare Jeans: Every Fall I'm very tempted to get a pair and yet I never do. This year might be the year I start experimenting with jeans style. Who knows...

Maxi Dress: Long dresses are something I associate with Summer and yet Fall collections regularly have beautiful maxi dresses that have a lovely 70s vibe. It might be time to buy one and dust off that wide-brimmed hat that's hanging on my bedroom wall... Maybe not for work though.

Ocre Lace Dress: I'm not sure ocre is the right word to describe it, but this dress screams Autumn and would suit its color scheme perfectly. I'm not sure how I would style it, but I guess I would go for a grey cardigan and a small, colorful "silk" scarf around the neck... And a nice berry lipstick...

Leather Midi Skirt: I love wearing skirts, but I avoid short ones whenever I'm teaching, as I don't want to worry about an unexpected Marilyn moment in front or twenty teenagers. Midi ones are a lot "safer" on that front and look more formal. One of my high school teachers was a great fashion sense and I remember her sporting a leather midi skirt very similar to this one. Edgy and chic: it's on the to-try list!

(Everything from La Redoute)

Thursday 10 August 2017

Tropical Bronzers

By Terry, sun designer, tropical sunset, clarins, Kiko

Bronzers are something that I had never been interested about until very recently. I was always scared of looking orange or unusually tanned since I don't fake tan the rest of my body. But lately I started really enjoying that sun kissed glow that bronzers give. The pretty palm print packaging and embossing might or might not have something to do with my sudden obsession, but I felt the urge to add three products to my collection.

The By Terry Sun Designer palette in 3 Tropical Sunset is a thing of beauty, however it is not the most slap-and-dash bronzer of the bunch. The formula is nice and creamy, although a tad powdery. The issue I have with it is regarding the shade range. On the bronzer side of the palette, the only shade I would actually use as a bronzing powder is the top one, which not too warm and works well on my slightly tanned fair skin. The other two are very pink toned and work best as blushers. The actual blushers (on the left side) have a really nice formula and are long lasting, however the two shades are quite hard to wear on their own, so what I do is mix the two together or mix with the earthy tones on the right side. The highlighter is very warm and yellow so I can't use it on my cheeks, but it works as an eyeshadow and so do the three bronzing shades. Overall, it is a very versatile palette that you can use for the face and the eyes (which makes it quite travel-friendly), however I wish the blushers were a bit more wearable and the bronzers a bit less pink so that I could swirl my brush around and apply without worrying about picking the wrong shade.

The Clarins Limited Edition Summer Bronzing and Blush Compact is just as beautiful. It is pigmented and not powdery at all. If I mix the two lightest parts I get the perfect shade for my skin tone and it's really nice to have a matching blush thrown into the mix. Definitely my favorite of the two high end ones.

This Kiko Baked Bronzer was part of their limited edition summer collection, but it looks like they're reissuing it (or at least a very similar product) in their fall collection so you can still get your hands on it. With its marbled look, it is very reminiscent of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers, which I've never tried, but have heard lots of people rave about. It looks really nice on the skin and even though it contains a bit a shimmer, it is not detectable on the skin. I also feel like you're getting a lot of product for a reasonable price, even more so since it is very pigmented and you don't need to use a lot, so it's a winner in my book!

By Terry, Sun Designer Palette, tropical sunset, Clarins, Kiko

Thursday 3 August 2017

Brush Tip Eyeliners

Tattoo liner, eye defining pen, epic ink liner

When it comes to makeup I enjoy change and variety so I don't really have a defined makeup routine with specific products I keep using. However, liquid liner is a step I almost never skip, whether I'm wearing a smoky eye or barely any makeup at all. I find that it suits my face and helps lift and define my eyes. Last Autumn I switched from using a felt tip eyeliner pen (The Stila Stay All Day liner, which I still do love and use) to the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen which is a double ended liner with a brush on one side and a very thin felt tip on the other. This is not a cheap product and I probably won't repurchase it since I've found less expensive, but equally good alternatives, but it did totally convert me to brush tip liners.

Unlike felt tip pens which can grip the lid, brush pens glide smoothly on the lid. It which take a bit of getting use to, but it makes application so much easier. Also, I find that when you apply liner over eyeshadows, felt tips tend to soak up the powder and dry faster, whereas the plastic bristles of brush liners don't. Proof is I've been using my Tom Ford liner regularly for 10 months and it's still performing well. As mentioned, at 70 francs, the Tom Ford liner is very pricey.

There are however cheaper alternatives that are much more affordable, the first one being the infamous Kat Von D Tattoo liner. It is not available in Switzerland yet, but will be this Autumn, as the brand will be sold in the Swiss Sephoras. I don't know at how much it will retail, as Swiss prices tend to be dramatic increased, but it is currently 20 euros in French Sephoras, so much more affordable, for an equivalent quality.

The other even cheaper option is the Nyx Epic Ink Liner, sold 12.90 from Manor. I haven't been using it for more than a month or two, so I can't vouch for its longevity, but precision, intensity and lasting-power wise it is a very good product.

So here are my top three brush tip liners. Have you tried these? What is your favorite liner?

Thanks for reading. XX

Tuesday 1 August 2017

City vs. Festival Look

City vs. Festival Look par catsandlipstick utilisant chaussures à plate-forme

I have a slight obsession with broderie anglaise at the moment. So here's two outfits around this adorable pair of short from H&M that I'm eyeing like crazy: a more boho/festival appropriate look and another, more casual one that would be great for a city break.