Sunny Sunday

Hello dear readers! 

Happy New Year!! Hope you had a great ending to 2012 and wishing you all the best for 2013! Can't believe I haven't written a post in 2 months, I guess I have a new resolution to make for this year - find time to blog. It's shameful to be lacking something I love doing, but being it my last scholastic year at uni I have no other choice but to focus on my studies. Hopefully, this year everything will change and I will surely have more time and commitment to my blog- let's hope for the best! 

Moving on today's post, I decided to open the new year with an outfit post. My first official outfit post if I might add. My boyfriend and I spent an afternoon at Ramla and Marsalforn last Sunday. It was such a beautiful day, I couldn't resist staying indoors and I had to find an excuse to take pictures! So here is what I wore last Sunday. Nothing over the top, casual and comfortable- my kind of style. 

    Parka Jacket, Jeans - New Look; Bag, Snood-H&M; Top-Zara;Sunglasses-Asos

Best Wishes!

Winter Wishlist: Outerwear

Hi readers!

Now that winter is approaching, I have recently been eyeing jackets and coats in stores, which all embrace the top trends for the season. Check below for my top 5 lust-worthy outerwear pieces on my winter wishlist! 

Winter Wishlist: Outerwear by katia featuring a double breasted trench coat

1. The Parka : It's all about the army trend this season. Camo jackets and Parkas represent this trend and in my opinion it is a must have jacket for everyday. It is great for layering and goes with everything since it is a neutral colour. Parkas are everywhere in stores, I actually found one at Zara which I've been eyeing for a while and I'm hoping to get it. Which is why it is at the top of my list!

2. Tweed /Boucle: The Chanel inspired tweed blazers are not typically my style, but this time I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and want to invest in one. I love how they make you look classy, feminine and mature in a sort of way. The one shown above is actually an edgy take on the classic tweed blazer, which is in fact my absolute favourite.

3. Peplum:  It is everywhere. Skirts, tops dresses and now on coats and jackets. I think you can never go wrong with peplum. It suites every body type and gives a feminine touch to a simple outfit. A peplum blazer would be an updated version of the basic black blazer. Simple or fancy, this style fits every outfit.

4. Contrast Sleeve Trench: The classic trench coat without a doubt is a must have piece that you can carry on for years and would never fade in fashion. But this season, the contrast sleeve is very much in trend. Meaning, the sleeve is a different material than the rest of the jacket- most commonly leather. I love how just a touch of leather gives an edge to a basic trench coat. And I also love the contrasting colours black and tan. Love!

5. Navy Duffle Coat: The duffle coat is another classic clothing item which has been on trend for years. I have been wanting a navy duffle coat for ages! I just love the way it looks for those rainy cold days when you feel like not putting so much effort on what to wear but still looking oh-so fashionable. Pair it up with knee high leather boots, chunky scarf and leather bag- so chic!

P.S You can now get a 20% discount at http://www.motelrocks.com by entering at checkout the discount code katia. 

What is your winter wishlist?

Kloset Transition: Fall Prints

Hello Readers, 

Time for a Kloset Transition! Believe it or not, it's time to ditch summer clothing and start hunting for new items for fall. To me, fall gives me the desire to start fresh and discover new trends for the season to incorporate into my closet. As many of you already know, Autumn/Winter 2012 collections are all about the textures, the details, and not to mention the prints. 

Prints are the highlight of this season. Somehow, if you mix up all the designer's collections together, you'd probably notice the distinction of prints from different eras. From Baroque to Modern to the all time classic prints. 

Baroque 

-Dolce & Gabbana A/W 2012-

-Balmain A/W 2012-

Dolce & Gabbana blew everyone away with their collection. They take us back to the 17th and 18th century, with the use of intricate detail, bold floral prints and embellishments. D&G outdid themselves, and included every single detail in which Baroque embodies- the tapestry, the lace & the gold embroidery. Balmain also embodied Baroque, however with a slightly modern twist. Instead of showing off detail from head to toe, Balmain presented the Baroque trend on a more wearable side. Baroque details are only showed as statement pieces- either an embellished top, a detailed jacket or trousers and keeping the rest simple and basic. 

Below are some street style pictures embodying the autumn trends. Florals are also very in this season, but keeping the dark bold colours which we all associate with fall and winter. To me this type of floral print is also associated with Baroque, since the print looks like part of a 17th century painting. 

-Street Style (floral prints)-

In order to incorporate baroque in your own closet, I looked up some clothing items from on-line retail stores so that everyone can embrace the baroque trend without looking too costumey.

1.Lace 

2.Tapestry

3.Bold Dark Floral Brints

4.Baroque Prints

Untitled #2 by zzzzz-168 featuring short shorts

H M lace dress
hm.com

Miss selfridge
missselfridge.com

Lace blouse
newlook.com

Short shorts
topshop.com

Miss selfridge
missselfridge.com

H M printed legging
hm.com

ASOS lace up booties
asos.com

pansy clutch
uk.accessorize.com

Modern: Geometric and Digital Prints

-Kenzo, Prada, Miu Miu A/W 2012-

-Mulberry, Temperly London, Christopher Kane A/W 2012-

From the 17th century back to the 21st century, delivering aspired modern collection with digital and geometric prints. It is all about  symmetry and colours which both embody the modern trend. These prints can be worn either as a staple piece or mix and match with different patterns. Below are also some clothing items at affordable prices that can be found in stores which also incorporate the geometric and digital prints. 

Untitled #1 by zzzzz-168 featuring printed shirts

Paprika bodycon dress
rarelondon.com

Vero moda
houseoffraser.co.uk

Club L peplum shirt
republic.co.uk

H M printed shirt
hm.com

River island
riverisland.com

H m
hm.com

Classic

-Michael Kors A/W 2012-

-Christian Dior, House of Hollad, Pucci- 

Even though trends change, designers still feature the classic prints in their collection. 1. Hound's tooth  2. Tartan or plaid 3. Polka Dots 4. Stripes, all remain key prints which never fade in fashion, and have been around throughout several years. Every girl should have at least one of these classic prints in their fall wardrobe. Check out these great pieces which you can easily find in stores featuring New Look and River Island. 

Untitled #159 by katia featuring river island

Polka dot top
indressme.com

River island
riverisland.com

Yumi
houseoffraser.co.uk

River island
riverisland.com

Houndstooth shorts
newlook.com

Black 2 in 1 Houndstooth Peplum Dress
newlook.com

River Island Girls Blue Denim And Tartan Shirt Dress
riverisland.com



Keep an eye for another Kloset Transition post!


x

July Favourites: Beauty and Fashion

It's time for my favourites for the month of July! 

I've tried out a lot of new and already owned products throughout this month, which I have been using religiously and have practically become my monthly favourties. Needless to say, fashion favourites must also be mentioned, since I have certain clothing items which I have constantly been reaching  to throughout the month of July.

Beauty Favourites

❤

Perfume-

 I have rediscovered my Chanel perfumes on my vanity this month, and I have been using these two perfumes practically everyday. I find these two scents transition from day to night, and they are the perfect scents for the summer. The Chanel Madmoiselle has a very floral, girly scent and it is very appropriate for either day or night (You can actually notice that this is by far my favourite out of the two- I almost emptied the bottle! - NO!!). However, the Chanel No.5 has the strongest scent, and I preferred wearing it for the night time. 

Hair and Skin-

Gliss Leave in Conditioner Spray- Humidity and hot weather tend to leave the hair dry and brittle, even more so if you love going to the beach like I do. My hair always becomes very dry at the ends during the summer months so I needed some kind of leave in conditioner to soften the hair as well as strengthen it. I started using Gliss hair repair leave in conditioner for dry ends. I spray it on my damp hair and comb it through. It actually does work and I did notice the difference, so I am using it every time I wash my hair, and I can say that it is now part of my haircare routine.

Tresemme Hairspray Superioir Hold- Best Hairspray I have ever used. Humidity resistant and holds the hair in place while leaving it manageable and not extremely stiff that looks like your hair is glued. Believe me I've been there, done that  with other hair sprays. I use this whenever I curl my hair, and it does actually hold the curls in place  for a decent number of hours.

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Highlight Activator Shampoo and Conditioner- FYI- I am not blonde, but it is a highlight activating spray, therefore I wanted it to actually enhance and lighten up my highlights which is why I chose the Sheer Blonde version and not the Brunette. I am not saying that it actually gives you highlights but, it does enhance them. In addition, whenever I washed my hair with this product I did notice that it actually feels softer and looks shinier. Definitely my favourite shampoo and conditioner of the month.

Nivea Sun Carotene Lotion-Definitely not related to the other products mentioned above but definitely worth mentioning especially during the summer months. I shouldn't be encouraging anyone to expose themselves to the sun, but lets face it it is always nice to get yourself a sunkissed tan. This product really helped my skin look tanner and I think it prevents from peeling skin also after long time exposed to the sun. I used to always have skin peeling after I went a day at the beach even if I put sunblock. However when I used this product nothing happened which I am so relieved about, since peeled skin does not look appealing at all. I use this exactly after I apply my sunblock, since this product does not contain SPF, therefore it is still important to apply some kind of prevention. But I found that it does help giving you a bronzed summery look instead of looking like a lobster!

Nail Polishes-

My favourite nailpolishes and top 3 favourite colours were:

Rimmel London - How do you Lilac?

Catrice- Salmon and Garfunkel

Rimmel London - Coralicious

Nailene Miracle Maker- as the name implies, this nail polish does make miracles. It is a clear varnish which helps the nail grow within 7 days. I usually apply it as a top coat after I painted my nails and it works wonders!

Elf Make-up Mist & Set: I use this before I apply my make up and after to set it all in place. I found it very useful especially throughout this hot and humid month, when my make-up pretty much smudges all the time. This product did prevent from smudging and actually held my make-up all in place.

Rimmel Volume Accelerator Mascara : I love trying out different mascaras, actually every time I finish one I do not purchase the same one and search for something different. This month I changed to this mascara and it is my favourite so far. The brush is very thick which helps the lashes looking long and voluminous but still looking natural.

Fashion Favourites

❤

Strappy beige Wedges :H&M- My favourite pair of wedges, not only stylish but oh-so comfortable. I have been almost  wearing these wedges every weekend. They are so comfortable to walk in and they match with everything! They have been my go-to wedges of the month and will probably still be by the end of the summer.

Peplum top from New Look: I adore this top and I have been wearing it quite a few times, always pairing it with something different. You can pair it with a body-con skirt or high waisted shorts, or you can even tuck it in a flowy skirt giving the impression that it looks like a simple top. It is so easy to dress it up and dress it down, it is such a versatile piece.

Buckle Bracelet from Accessorize: May sound silly, but it is one of my favourite pieces of jewellery at the moment. It looks like a dupe of one of Henri Bendel's buckle bracelet, it looks very similar and it is worth the fraction of its price! I love stacking it up with other bracelets and watches. I pretty much wear it every day.

Shorts: I can never have enough shorts. They are so easy to wear, you can simply throw on your favourite patterened shorts and a basic top and you're good to go. My top 4 favourites are the highwaisted striped blue form Pull and Bear, Lace shorts form Promod, Striped red shorts from Miss Selfridge, and Lace denim shorts which I actually did myself and loved the way they turned out!

Hope you enjoyed today's post! Let me know your favourites!

xoxo

Review: Marc Anthony Easy Lites Instant Highlighting Spray

Dear readers, 

Remember my Ombre post? Well now I can say I finally found a solution to my long-awaited decision. A couple of months ago I came across a demo featuring Marc Anthony Easy Lites Hairspray. I was amazed by the demonstration of this new product, it is an innovation which I am sure hardly anyone has ever seen. It is a highlighting spray, all that needs to be done it to just spray on a strand of your hair and flat iron on the same strand around 5 to 7 times and you get instant highlights as a result. As soon as I watched this demo I knew I had to have it, the only problem was I couldn't find it anywhere to ship to Malta. However I recently came across a seller on ebay, and I didn't even think it twice, I bought it immediately. 

 

I applied the product on clean hair, sectioned it into four parts and sprayed on random strands of each section on  the bottom part of my hair for an ombre effect. After the section is sprayed and flat ironed, it is supposed to leave a shade lighter than your natural hair and it actually does! I was very impressed by the results. Don't expect a dramatic change, but it does actually give very natural looking highlights. The whole concept about this product is to highlight your hair easily at the comfort of your home, and how can anyone go wrong with that? It was the easiest method to dye my hair and I have to owe it all to Marc Anthony! 

❤ Pros: 

- Easily done within minutes

- You can spray more than once to lighten the strand of hair. 

- This spray is applicable to all natural or colour treated hair blondes, redheads and brunettes

- Affordable 

❤Cons: 

- It may damage your hair. Well if you are using a flat iron it will damage your hair. And let's face it, dying your hair is damaging enough especially if bleach is used, so luckily this is not as damaging as bleach. Since you have to flat iron as soon as you spray the product, there might be a hissing sound as you flat iron since the heat passes over the product until fully dry, however it is normal to to see the steam as described in the instructions. According to the box description it contains Chamomile Flower and Fruit Blend extracts which leaves the hair healthy and full of shine. 

- I don't think it is suitable for people who have very curly hair and do not straighten it very often. However I don't think it should stop you from trying it since you can still flat iron it just to highlight your hair. 

- Highlight shade might vary according to the colour of your hair especially on dark or textured hair. 

❤ Tips: 

For shades of light brown, dark blonde and lighter hair colours a recommendation is to spray evenly the product after shampooing and conditioning the hair and blow dry. For a maximum lightening result spray and flat iron when styling. 

And here are the results: 

The highlights actually came out even blonder than expected, AND it looks even blonder in natural light. Do give it a try especially for those who would like to try out ombre like I did! In just 2 easy steps you can create sunkissed highlights within minutes.I am definitely giving this product a thumbs up! 

What's in My Make-Up Bag?

Hi Everyone! 

Finally I'm back to the blogging world! This month I did some new make-up purchases for the summer and now I have a revamped make-up bag! So I decided give you dear readers a peek inside my make-up bag and show you my favourite make-up products I reach for in my day to day routine. 

♥Make-up case: I bought my make-up case over a year ago from Peacocks. I adore it not only because of the floral print, but it is the perfect size and perfect material for carrying make-up. I bought it on sale together with a travel case, I am not sure if  they still have the same one but I'm sure you can find a similar type of make-up case anywhere. I think a plastic make-up case is best if you want to avoid it from getting dirty. I used to change my make up cases every few months since they all ended up filthy and stained. However, I had this one over a year ago and it still looks brand new. Plus, it is very spacious and it is the perfect size for travelling. 

So, What 's in my make-up bag?

♥  Face: 

Foundation - First and foremost is liquid foundation. Since I do not have the perfect complexion of skin, I find the need to use some sort of liquid foundation to cover up areas which I am not too keen on showing, and mainly to give an even complexion. The type of foundations I like to use are light to medium coverage, since through past experience using other foundations, it is what I find best to give the right amount of coverage as well as looking natural. My favourite type of foundation is the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Font de teint Gel in number 52. I love this foundation so far, it gives out an even complexion without it feeling heavy or cakey. It actually feels like having no make-up on and it also has a fruity scent which is not so familiar in foundations. It might be a bit pricey for some, but when it comes to foundation I believe you pay what you get, so it is better to invest at least on a good foundation.  I love it, and it is the perfect foundation for the summer. 

Concealer- Rimmel Match Perfection Concealer and highlighter in soft beige. I generally apply some concealer under my eyes and also on certain spots which I want to cover. I purchased this product for the second time which I do not normally do unless it is something I really like. Most importantly, it really matches well with the foundation. 

Powder-  Elf Mineral Sheer booster. It is a translucent powder and I use just a very small amount using a powder brush just to set all the foundation on my face. It does the job pretty much, and it is actually very affordable. 

Blush- Essence souffle' touch blush in Frozen Strawberry. Oh my gosh I cannot rave enough about this blush. I did not expect such great quality from essence but this is amazing. It has a creamy consistency, and you just apply it with your fingertips and blend it out on your cheeks. It lasts almost all day and the colour might look dark but it actually is very blend-able and looks like a very light pink-ish shade. Perfect especially for the summer if you want your blush to last all day!

♥ Eyes: 

I do not normally wear eye shadow every day, but whenever I feel like applying some when I'm out or when I'm on a rush, these are the ones that I reach out to mostly.

Primer- Elf Eyelid Primer. I normally apply it before applying eye shadow just to make it stay longer. 

Eye shadow- Elf Cream eyeshadow in Natural Glow; Catrice Made to Stay in Lord of Blings; Elf  Eyliner & Shadow stick in brown/basic, and Revlon colour stay eyeshadow in Neutral khakis. 

As you can see, I always end up using neutral colours. I normally like to add some gold cream shadow and add a nude colour blended to the crease for a day look. Or instead of nude adding a dark brown colour and blend it to the crease for a natural smokey eye. 

Liner: L'Oreal Perfect Slim Eyeliner.  I find this the best liner if you want to achieve the perfect slim winged eye on your upper lid. This is normally the look I go for the most, since I have stopped applying eyeliner on my lower lid. It always used to end up looking smudged, plus it made my eyes look smaller. So I found the best way to apply a winged out line. An alternative to the L'oreal pen liner, I also love using the Maybeline Studio lasting Drama Gel Liner. I find that the gel liner lasts longer than the L'oreal and I normally wear it on a night out.

Mascara: Rimmel Day to Night Glam Eyes.  My favourite mascara so far. I am that kind of person that I cannot live without mascara. If I had to choose anything from my make-up bag which I cannot live without has to be it. I just find it amazing how just applying some mascara it instantly widens the eye and pulls the look all together.

♥ Brushes: 


My everyday brushes I reach out for. 


Body shop blush brush- I mainly use it to apply powder foundation to set all the make-up. 


Elf Stipple Brush- I use this to apply my liquid foundation. I find this brush the best way to apply foundation compared to a sponge or your fingers. It leaves an airbrush effect and evenly distributes all the foundation in place. 


Elf Professional Eye-crease brush- I use it to blend eyeshadow towards the crease. Very affordable brush and great quality. I suggest if you want to buy make up brushes Elf is the best place to get them! 


Elf Angled Eyliner Brush- I use this to apply the gel eyeliner and gives the best result in achieving a winged line. 

♥ Lips:


My favourite part! I recently bought 4 new lipsticks and I am honestly obsessed with them. These are the 4 main lipsticks I reach out to the most for every day and they are the perfect colours for the summer. 


Revlon Lip Butters- Finally after all these months searching, they are finally available in Malta. I managed to get 2 for now, but I am surely adding more colours to the bunch! I got the colours in Creme Brulee which is a nude pinkish colour, and Strawberry Shortcake. I absolutely love them! They have a creamy consistency and they are similar to a tinted lip balm. I was undecided about whether to review them, but I figured that so many people were mentioning this product there are tons of reviews out there you most probably have already heard of! 


Revlon Coral Berry Lipstick-  My go-to lipstick of the month! The perfect coral colour and perfect for the summer. 


Maybeline Coloursnesational Intense Pink-   A light pink coloured lipstick, perfect for everyday. 

Essence XXL Shine lipgloss in Sparkling Papaya- It is my every day lipgloss. I normally wear it on its own during the day. But I am actually loving it wearing it on top of the Coral Berry Liptstick from Revlon. They are a match made in heaven!

Elf Lip Stain in Bombshell- Nude lipstain/lipgloss perfect colour for every day !

Revlon Pink Crystals Lipgloss-  This is another lipgloss which I reach out to the most. These 3 lipglosses are my favourite 3 which I normally shift from one to the other according to my mood and what I prefer to wear on the particular day.

So now you know all curious ladies what I have in my make-up bag. I pretty much keep it simple and neutral on the face, and change up the colours on my lips. All items are all affordable and great quality in my opinion so be sure to check out the products if you like them. Let me know what are your favourite make-up products from your make-up bag!