The 90s are back...

Pop music, tie-dye, the bob hairstyle. Brace yourself's, the 90s is back with a vengeance. 

If, like myself, you have fond memories of the 90s running around in jelly shoes and always sporting a crop top, you will be glad to know that 90s fashion has made its way back onto the runways and consequently our high street shops.
It only seems like yesterday minutes since the 80s revival but the decades have moved on and everything 90s is raring to take centre stage. It was the decade with trends collected from the 80s and inspiration from the 60's and fashion icons of the decade included Princess Diana, Rachel from Friends (Jennifer Aniston), Kylie, and how can we forget the Spice Girls.
Recently designers such as Phillip Limm, Diane Von Furstenburg and Stella McCartney have all waved a flag of recognition to the 90s with their new collections including key pieces such as dungarees, acid coloured crop tops, floaty florals and bright prints. Here's a refresher of 90s key fashion pieces, then and now...


 1. Dungaree's
 Then...

And now...

Those overalls that were everywhere in the 90s are now being sported by trend-setters everywhere. Whether they are light washed, long and baggy like the original look or have a floral/tailored twist on them, this look is fastly becoming a firm key piece for spring/summer 2013. Topshop, ASOS and River Island are just some of the stores that have been stocking them. What's different now is the array of styles being worn, not just traditional denim. Think less Enimem slim shady and more chic-Alexa Chung style and you're on the right tracks.

2. Crop Tops
Then...

And now...

Think back to crop tops and you're sure to picture the like of Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera baring their midrifs in risque performances. This time, they're everywhere, and for a second time round have become a  firm favourite for fashion lovers. This time, designers have styles them in bright colours, polo necks and short sleeves. One of the favourite ways to wear them right now is with a high waisted skirt, or, if you're going all out, dungarees of course. Ab's are back!

3. Tie-Dye and Brights
Then...

And now...

Acid neons and pyscodelic prints were crazy popular back in the decade. It was the era of raves and clashing bright prints adorned with peace signs and smiley faces. The 90s rave scene developed its own fashion; tie-dye, glow sticks, whistles, and any form of bright clashing clothing was seen as the norm and in thing to wear. Brights and especially tie-dyes are back on the scene, albeit with a slightly more modern twist that the original look two decades ago. If going head to toe scares you, try a bright tie-dye tshirt with a plain skirt or trousers to avoid being to in your face. 

On the runways?

These new trends have been seen swarming all over the run-way and have a permanent place in the spring summer 13' looks books. Although fashion editors are Henry Holland has created a collection harking back to the decade. He told the observer that "The spring-summer '13 show harked back to 90s dressing, and the dungaree was an essential part of the decade." Another fashion outlet channeling the 90s is online store ASOS.Head of womens wear buying Rachel Morgan told the Guardian, "All dungarees are performing well as ASOS this season. From soft, tailored, jersey styles through to casual denims, we can't get enough of them."
The 90s trends were on display at New York Fashion week, and an array of celebs were sporting crop tops, mini denim shorts and florals and music festival Coachella in LA recently.
A multitude of trends have been emerging from the decade, whether it be sports-lux, neon raver, double denim or the grunge look; it seems we are relieving the trend from our youth but with a slightly more modern twist.

So how would you wear the 90's style? Is it going too far?

Fashion designer and Next sales assistant Rachel Marshall, 25, said she wouldn't go all out, "I'd definitely try dungarees, and I love crop tops, but only with something high waisted, I couldn't bare to show off my whole midriff." 
She also said how the 90s are influencing not just fashion but music and art too, "I keep seeing it everywhere, on the run ways in the shops. Celebs also seem to be loving it. I first noticed it on Cheryl Cole in her call my name video, she was channeling a lot of 'The fresh prince of bel-air."
Noticing the shops filling up will 90s pieces she said Topshop and ASOS have hit the spot on their collections, "I've already picked up one of ASOS' cute floral short dungarees and I have my eye on some bright cropped t-shirts from Topshop, I think they would look great with a midi skirt and sandals for summer."

So what about those who can reminisce about the 90s being their childhood? Taking to Twitter, I asked if anyone would be daring enough to try all the 90s trends again; 

@Rachelskett said: "I would wear dunagrees but cute patterned denim ones! Tie die it would depend what colour! Don't think I can pull it off!"

@NaomiKbarker said: "I love the trend! double denim and jelly shoes are my favourite."

So, if you're hitting the shops anytime soon, expect to welcomed by a flurry of brights, crop tops, scrunchies, oversized sweater, dungarees and grunge, and an array of trends that took their inspiration from hip-hop and street wear. As always happens, fashion has taken a full circle and we're back honing our inner 90's kid. Some find it too much, haunted by familiar memories, other are embracing it with open arms.

What do you think? Leave a comment below!

*All pictures hyperlinked to original source

Once you go MAC, do you go back?

It’s that age old beauty dilemma: are the expensive products worth it? There’s a sea of cheaper dupes out there, but is the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ true? As a student, it's impossible to afford all the products on my wish list, so I'm always weighing up where to splash out and where to say no.

Of course, drugstore brands are constantly on the tail of high-end, producing similar products but with such price differences its hard to assume that the quality will be the same. I spoke to a freelance Make-up artist to get the low-down, and compared drug store products with products from the age old favourite, MAC. Here's three everyday staple items; foundation, eyeliner and lipstick...

Foundation

MACMatchmaster SPF 15 Foundation - £25 (shade 1.5)

Brand Description – “New Foundation technology using translucent pigments to enable a fully personalized finish influenced by the subtleties of your own skin's undertone. Moisturizing semi-matte finish. Medium build-able coverage. Line-reducing soft-focus powders.”

After having this product for a little while now I have found it leaves a silky texture to the skin. It is not a product for someone looking for a heavy coverage product, as although it is buildable, for the price of it, it would kill me to have to use double the amount to get the desired coverage. Most MAC face products are separated into two shade categories; NW for pink undertone skin and NC for yellow undertone skin. However match maker only offers 14 single shades which are supposed to adapt to a range of skin tones, but personally I would have preferred a more exact shade.

Rating  - 7/10

BourjoisHealthy Mix Serum - £10.99 (shade 52)

Brand Description - “16 hour radiance booster** Instant anti-fatigue result! Give your skin a boost of radiance with Bourjois’ Healthy Mix Serum Gel foundation with a vitamin-rich fruit therapy formula for an even complexion and an instant anti-fatigue result”

Again, the coverage is not overly heavy, but then it doesn't claim to be. I find this an ideal foundation for day wear as it gives a soft natural coverage, feels fresh on the skin and smells delicious. As a ‘radiance booster’ if you are looking for that 'perfect skin' look then this product possibly isn't for you. However, it gives a dewy, au-natural finish. The packaging unfortunately hasn't stayed intact in the short space I have had it and the shades on offer are limited.

Rating - 8/10

Winner - Bourjois!

Felt tip Eyeliner

MACPenultimate Eyeliner in Rapid Black - £16

Brand Description - “Goes on fluidly, in one steady stroke, to style any fashion of eye line.”

This has simple packaging and an easy to use tip. It is ideal for getting that cat-eye flick and produces a jet black finish. The only downside I found is that it doesn't last incredibly well. It starts to fade after a few hours of wear and if you plan on using every day, be prepared to re-purchase sooner than you’d like.

Rating  - 6.5/10

BourjoisLiner Feature in 11 Noir - £6.99

Brand Description - “Ultra easy application and long lasting effect”

This has the same amount of wear time as the MAC eyeliner, however I found it much easier to apply, as the tip is thicker yet soft. It would be ideal for someone who is not overly great using freehand as a smooth flick is easy to create. Good colour pay off too and a great all-rounder for the price.

Rating - 8.5/10

Winner - Bourjois!

Lipstick

MAC Lipstick -£14 In shade MAC Red

Brand Description –“Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous”

One of MAC's most loved products; their lipsticks come in a range of finishes, textures with a vast choice of shades. Lustre for example gives a light pigmentation whereas amplified gives a highly pigmented, bold colour. All MAC lipsticks also have a lovely vanilla scent, and come in the trademark sleek bullet like packaging. MAC Red gives a glossy vivid red colour that stays put. However at £14 this is fairly pricey for a lipstick.

Rating - 9.5/10

BarryM Lip Paint - £4.49 in Shade 121

Brand Description –“Barry M Lip Paints are available in a shade to suit every mood and taste from softly shimmering pastels to vibrant and bright colours.”

This product does the job for the price tag, and gives a good colour pay off. It won’t last all day, but for £4.49 who would expect it to anyway? For a cheaper brand the shade selection is also quite varied, and the packaging it simple and sleek.

Rating - 6/10

Winner - MAC!

Save and Splurge...

There’s definitely a reason why MAC is loved by make-up artists and beauty guru’s alike. Each aspect of the products have clearly been though about such as the packaging and scent, not just the finish. Yet, for some one on a budget, is it necessary to splash out?
I spoke to Leanne Tucker, a free-lance make-up artist who has previously worked for MAC and NARS and asked how high end brands differ. "I think it's the consistency of products and the good quality finish. The ingredients really do make a difference but in turn cost that bit extra."
She said her favourite product is MAC's prolong wear foundation as she found it adapts to her skin well. "I usually like a good skin coverage so go with a brand that I know will last. The overall finish prolong wear gives is just how I like my make-up to look." She also say's Chanel VitaLumiere Aqua is a great quality product, "It just give's such a lovely coverage and feels so fresh on your skin. Obviously it a much more pricey product though."

So, what about where to splurge and where to save?

Foundation is definitely worth the price tag as cheaper products are more likely to cause break outs on sensitive skin as the products aren’t always as well tested. "The more expensive brands have a much wider range of shades to adapt to your skin. However I know some people can get overwhelmed by the extensive colour range on offer," said Leanne.

I asked her about which products to purchase from drugstore, she confirmed that products with a shorter life-span such as mascara and eyeliner can work just as well from cheaper brands; "I've found the variety is really good and gives you a chance to sample different kinds and types."

After testing out different products myself, I will definitely be sticking with my mantra to use a mix of drugstore and high end create the best make-up collection and give you a wider variety of products to create different looks with. 
On a student budget? Leanne also agreed there are an abundance of products on offer that won’t break the break, so don’t be fooled into thinking you have to go and spend your entire loan on expensive cosmetics. "You can a professional look with most products if you know how to use them. Don't be afraid to try a variety to find your own personal preference."

Do you pay the price for high end make-up or think more affordable products are equally as good quality?

Leave a comment below.

Nail of the day

I'm loving monochrome at the moment, and these black tipped nails are what I'm wearing right now. Easy, simple yet quite classic. I have gel nails so these were done at the salon, but just as super easy to replicate at home. Ah how nice nails can make you feel so much better!

It's snow fun

It's beginning to look a lot like christ.... oh wait, its January, and the fluffy white heavens have been well and truly opened here in the UK the past week. Damn, where was the festive atmosphere in December? Nevertheless as per usual the UK has struggled to come to terms with the weather. Why is it we seem to come to a hault when in snows? Crazy Aye. I for one still love the snow, albeit I've gone past the stage of wanting to go out for hours and play in it making endless snow angels and snow igloos pretending me and my friends lived in the Arctic (anyone else do that when they were little?!). So I settled for walk in the park right near to us with my mum on afternoon to take in the cold frosty air. Personally I love seeing snow pictures so here's a few I snapped whilst donning my wellies.

It really was so picturesque, and helped dejumble my mumbled brain for a short amount of time. And it also gave me a chance to wear my trusty £3 Primark bobble hat I've been living in, who says cosy has to be expensive. Hats off to anyone who had to brave the roads, I was lucky and got to stay in surrounded by my uni books/procrastinating with YouTube videos. Hope everyone stayed safe! Now let's hope it melts soon and we don't have to skate everywhere...

Happy Sunday

Lately, I've found myself in a bit of a motivational rut and letting myself plod along with lack of inspiration. But, its time I grabbed life by the reigns and let my positive self shine through. I woke up this Sunday feeling inspired. I see other people succeed at things, whether its a job, a hobby, a lifestyle choice, and find myself thinking if they can succeed why can't I? Don't get me wrong there's already a long list of things I'm happy to have succeeded at, but I'm excited to make new goals and dreams happen. I may not be the most experienced crayon in the box, or sharpest to the mark but the way I see it, if there's a will there's a way. If that smidgen of zest for something exciting and life changing if there then why shouldn't we let positivity run through us? So this is a bit of inspiration for myself and others looking for achieve things with determination, hard work, and a little sprinkle of love. The World is our oyster, so find the pearl.

2013 here we are...

So, it had been a couple of week since we also toasted our flutes and cheered in the new year, and so far its been quite a positive one for me. Not an immense amount has happened but more than anything I'm feeling quite excited and positive about the year ahead, here's hoping it's a good one!
I've had a few nice events to start of my new year happily. (apologies for the grainy photos, as they were all taken out I had to rely on my phone camera)

It feels like forever ago now but I celebrate New Years Eve with a delicious curry and a couple of glasses of wine with a few friends down the local pub. I've been out the past few years and just find it ridiculously overrated, expensive and a bit of a let down (I always feel really anxious building up to midnight, who knows why?!) is this just me? It was a nice relaxed night and I shall definitely be doing something similar next time. I wore a gold sequined open back top from Asos, which I absolutely love as it combines glitz and comfort.

                                       

I also had my work's staff party to look forward. I only work part time as a waitress when I'm not at Uni but everyone's so lovely and get's on so well so it's really nice to all get together outside of work. We had a meal (Christmas style of course, even though it was January - turkey overload) then all got our dancing shoes on and hit Birmingham. Fun night had by all. I wore a black midi dress from Topshop, such a good buy for only £28!

And finally, more recently I made a weekend trip to visit my chum Lottie in my favourite city,
London. We went to Koko in Camden on friday night which was fun. Really good music, and plenty of dancing, followed by an interesting bus journey home involving guitars and plenty of singing. On Saturday I made Lottie join me in being a tourist before crashing out watching a film on the evening (party animals!) The weekend definitely made me fall in love with London even more, although we definitely annoyed people on our journeys by singing renditions of Queen's bohemian rhapsody out loud. Anyone else sing a song they've got in their head out loud in a very out of tune manner and forget they're in public? No? I may need help.

Just a snippet round up as I always love seeing what other have been upto and seeing a few snaps. What have you been doing in the first couple weeks of New Year?

Lavender locks

Now this is a product I have been road testing for the past for weeks, and I must say, it has been a little life saver for my tresses.

For the life of me, I can't decide what colour I want my hair dyed, and whilst I continue to fret about this, Fudge purple shampoo has been keeping my hair fresh.

 I have bog standard highlighted hair that has a massive tendency to go extremely brassy and dull 4-6 weeks after having my roots done. Unfortunately my student funds don't stretch to me having it done this often - and let's face it my hair would become even more dried out. I love being blonde, but the upkeep is a pain in the...well just a pain!


For a while I used this shampoo, which I was quite disappointing by. It took a good few weeks of use for results to start showing, and even them my hair looked less brightened and more dark/dull, albeit quite ash toned. So I started the hunt for something better and came across Fudge, which had some cracking reviews, and was quite affordable I must say. My Mother actually kindly found me some in a beauty store near us, but plenty of online sites carry it.

         





































Fudge violet toning shampoo 300ML - varying from £8-12

After following simple directions, I have interchanged using it with my regular shampoo, leaving on for 3-5 minutes at a time, and the results are great.

As a WARNING: Do not leave on for too long. You may end up with sections of the hair looking slightly purple tinted, you don't want to look like you copied your grandma and had a blue rinse now do you!
 Taking head of this precaution, if you want an affordable product that will last a while (I've had this for six weeks now and still going strong) and help condition your dry hair as well as restore ash toned brightness, give it a whirl. I haven't looked back, and have even had compliments on my hair looking a good colour. Pah, who needs dye!