Lipstick of the Week: Cruella (NARS)

Sephora's birthday gift this past month was a good one: two decent-sized NARS lip pencils, one of which, Cruella, I thought I'd showcase for this LOTW. Described as a "passionate scarlet red," it's the perfect shade to wear when you want to toughen up a sweet outfit, and I'm a big fan of its matte finish. At first, I thought it seemed a bit, well, dark (even by my standards) when I applied it, but it wears to a beautiful wine colour after a few hours and didn't need a single touch-up throughout the day. 

The Lowdown on Cruella
Brand: NARS
Product Type: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Shade: "Passionate scarlet red"; deep wine/burgundy
Price Range: $26US / $$
Celebrity Fans: Charli XCX
Vibe: Intense, edgy

Lipstick of the Week: Bolero (NARS)

I recently raided Vicky's lipstick collection and unearthed this little beauty: NARS' Bolero, a lip pencil in a Velvet Matte finish. A light peachy-pink colour (described on the NARS website as "pink cantaloupe"), it's a far cry from my favoured bright/intense shades, but it feels perfect for this time of year -- very springy and fresh. And I love that because it's so soft, I can pair it with a more defined, smoky eye. 

A word of warning, however: it is very drying (even more so than other Velvet Matte pencils I've tried, for some reason), and can easily look cakey/flakey if you haven't exfoliated well beforehand. Also, the swatch on my hand is somewhat misleading; on my lips it's definitely not quite so vibrant a colour.

The Lowdown on Bolero
Brand: NARS
Product Type: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Shade: "Pink Cantaloupe"; light, peachy-pink
Price Range: $26US / $$
Celebrity Fans: Alexa Chung
Vibe: Fresh, playful, retro

Little Things I'm Loving: January

How have you all been enjoying 2015 so far? Although January is without a doubt my least favourite month of the year, this one hasn't been so bad. I'm feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on the New Year (long may my positivity last ;).

Here are five little things that have been brightening the grey days of this past month...


1. I didn't have any intention of buying a new pair of shoes when I wandered into Forever 21 last week...but somehow that's just what I ended up doing! These pointed ankle-strap flats (also available in nude) are pretty much my dream shoe. And they're super comfortable too! I find that most shoes I buy (even flats) require a torturous breaking-in period, but these happily did not.

2. I'd been on the look out for a new highlighter for a while, and NARS' Albatross highlighting blush is exactly what I was searching for: something that I can lightly dust on my cheekbones and nose to give a bit of a luminous glow without being garish.

3. I've always been fascinated by other countries and cultures, so this beautiful book by Lonely Planet -- which gives a one-page low-down on every country in the world, complete with stunning photography -- is right up my alley. 

4. I know there's no real need for a print planner, as anything worth noting, like appointments and the like, can be tapped into a phone in 2 seconds...but I'm a sucker for an aesthetically pleasing product, and Katie Daisy's 2015 Live Simply Planner -- filled with uplifting quotes and gorgeous illustrations -- makes planning ahead that much more fun for me. 

5. Have you guys heard of the app Trivia Crack?! Basically, you play against an opponent to answer a series of questions from six categories -- Art, Science, Sports, Entertainment, Geography (my favourite!), and History. Whoever correctly answers the questions from all categories first wins! It truly is addictive...

Festively Nautical

While I'm fond of the classic nautical-inspired combination of blue, red, and white, there's something just so intrinsically summery about those colours together that it puts me off wearing them this time of year. However, if you exchange the blue and red for navy and burgundy (and add a dash of sparkle somewhere), you've got yourself a look that's decidedly more festive and wintry. And hey, I'm even getting a head start on 2015 with my marsala-coloured jeans ;)

Sequin-collared Breton tee - Banana Republic

Blazer - Dynamite

Coated jeans - H&M

Boots - Steve Madden

Silver cuff bracelet - Forever 21

Nail polish - La Moss by Butter

Lipstick - mix of Rebel (MAC) and Majella (NARS)

Lipstick of the Week: NARS Majella

While I wear many of my lipsticks year-round, there are some that I find lend themselves better to certain times of the year, and NARS' Satin Lip Pencil in Majella is one such shade. A deep, sultry cranberry, it's the perfect colour for colder months -- an ideal accompaniment to the richer hues and heavier fabrics of this season. While it obviously looks great with a more dressed-up evening look, I actually prefer wearing it more casually during the day, with slouchy knits and just a simple slick of mascara. 

Blinded by the Bright

This dress doesn't elicit many compliments (actually, it's the opposite: anyone who comments on it says something to the effect that it's blinding them), but to be honest, I'm willing to overlook the retinal damage of passersby for the sheer fun of wearing it. I'd had my eye on this little neon number since it first hit stores a few months ago, and snatched one up when it went on sale not too long afterwards (I've noticed that new stuff at J. Crew ends up in the sale section pretty swiftly, and at really substantial mark-downs, too). It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but lace is my thing (seriously, like 80% of my wardrobe has some kind of lace touch), and I love fluorescents, so it was a no-brainer. 

Dress - J. Crew

Shoes - Steve Madden

Clip-on earrings - Aldo

Lipstick - Schiap, NARS

Floral Farewell

Well, first of all, let me apologize for the bad quality of these photos -- I guess having a photo shoot at night wasn't the greatest idea. The darkness just seems to creep up so quickly these evenings! I always have slightly mixed feelings this time of year (and I say slightly because fall is my favourite season), but there's something about summer coming to a close that's bittersweet. And for me, it always ensues a slight panic as I try to cram in as many wears of my bright, summer-only clothes -- like this skirt -- before packing them away for 6 months.

Shirt - Forever 21

Skirt - Banana Republic

Bag - Kate Spade

Ring - Aldo

Tights - DIM

Shoes - J. Crew

Lipstick - Schiap, NARS

Little Black Summer Dress

I've been trying to wean myself off wearing too much black (because, to be honest, it has a tendency to wash me out), but when I saw this dress on sale at J. Crew for 65% off the sale price (!!!), I just couldn't resist. Combining eyelet and a trumpet-flare hem--two of my favourite style features--it was a winning combination. While I'm planning on getting as many wears out of it as I can while the weather is warm, I think it will transition well into autumn--I'll exchange bare legs for tights and hot pink lipstick for berry.

Do you have a favourite LBD? Or do you think it's one those "closet essentials" that's a bit overrated?! Let me know in the comments!

Dress - J. Crew

Patent flats - J. Crew

Rings - Aldo and Topshop

Sunglasses - Aldo

Black nail polish - Licorice, Essie

Lipstick - Schiap, NARS

Lipstick of the Week: NARS Schiap

Today I'm featuring one of my favourite lipsticks of all time: Schiap by NARS. Pronounced "skap," and named for the Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli (whose signature colour was hot pink), it's a beautiful blue-based, semi-matte pink. While it's certainly bright, I find it's actually a pretty wearable colour. It seems to go with most of my clothes (I especially love it with navy and grey), and the blue tones make teeth look nice and white. 

While they are on the pricy side, the quality of NARS lipsticks is fantastic--they're definitely a worthy investment. I've had this one for a few years now and it's still going strong!

Are you a fan of Schiap? Or of hot pink lipstick in general? Let me know in the comments!

A Teal Tale

Teal is a colour I rarely gravitate towards when it comes to clothes (for no good reason other than being put off by the Aer Lingus vibe the shade evokes). But after happening upon this little dress in Vicky's wardrobe, I began to see the appeal of this most versatile hue, which pairs beautifully with gold jewellery, hot pink lipstick, and lilac nail polish (or so I choose to believe!)

Teal dress - Forever 21

Gold spiky necklace - River Island

Owl ring - Aldo Accessories

Black tights - Express

Black heels - my Fergalicious Louboutins

Lipstick - "Schiap" by NARS

Nail polish - "Lilacism" by Essie