Vintage Tan Corset Waist Belt

How's this for a blast in the past? Was umming and ahhhing over this vintage belt at the op shop. Was I brazen enough to wear this wide asymmetrical '80s belt?

Admittedly it is cheap-looking but meh, it's only $3 AUD. The belt is in good condition but the metal hook has oxidised. I actually like it tarnished because it makes it look aged.

Bought it to co-ordinate with my turquoise Yeojin Bae minidress. While taking modelling shots, the theme song to Jem was stuck in my head. Do you remember Jem and the Holograms cartoon? I totally loved that show while growing up!

"Exciting adventures, fashion and fame...Jem! Jem is my name!"

My Attempt At Lookbook.nu

Came across a brilliant site called Lookbook. It's an online collaboration of fashion styles from around the world. You need to be invited to contribute but I still like to check it everyday to get inspiration.

Remember this dress I bought for $8.90 AUD? I wore it for my birthday dinner so this is like a commemorative photo for my 30th.

The pic was taken in my brother's room because of the abundance of sunlight. I used the self timer on my ancient Canon IXUS 330. Although it's accidently overexposed, I think it conveyed the mood perfectly. 

NYX Girls Nail Polish - Amazonia

No, no, no!!!

I adore the colour in the bottle, but HATE how it looks on my nails. I wonder if anyone can pull off this colour without looking like a witch?

Amazonia is a metallic peacock blue with a lime green shimmer. It's a gorgeous aqua but I can't shake off the feeling that there is something wrong with my fingers.

Due to it's "wicked" colour, I will reserve it for toes only.

Yeojin Bae Turquoise Embroidered Tunic

Found this mini dress for sale on the Vogue Forum. Defying my better judgement to save cash, I met the seller in the city today.

The seller Way Existential had a wardrobe clean out. I was'nt around when Aussie designer Yeojin Bae launched her Target range in 2007. I finally now own a piece from the collection.

The puffed sleeves protect my upper arms from the sun and works with layering in winter. Turquoise is for co-ordinating with my pale magenta Balenciaga Day bag and snakeskin heels (pictured). It is a understated cotton dress and the main detail is on the hem and ends of the belt with embroidery.

The dress is in excellent condition, cleaned and pressed for $25 AUD. In fact, it does'nt look like it's been worn before. I'm glad to have missed to frenzy of it's store launch and instead purchased from a lovely fellow Voguette and Blogger.

Here' s a stock photo of the dress.

Primark Jungle Floral Print Dress

This strapless jersey dress was one of the first things I bought after I moved to London. Branded "Atmosphere", it was from Primark-the store where you feel like a millionaire because high fashion is dirt cheap. 

Found this on a clearance rack. It was £8 reduced to £1. What a bargain!

Unfortunately I only got to wear it once thanks to the crummy climate. Layered it over a tight long sleeved top but couldn't pull off the look. I took it back to Sydney where it would get more use.

Pulled it out today but it fitted terribly. The upper band scrunches over and the dress falls so I'm constantly hiking it up. It was practically unwearable, which is annoying because I liked the black and purple print. Suddenly had an idea which would save the dress from the charity bin.

I shortened the waist ties and turned them into shoulder straps. (If you know how to sew in a straight line, this is really easy to do.) I hemmed the waist straps which were still long enough to tie a bow at the back.  Now the dress fits better than ever!

Very pleased with the rescue operation. 

Cotton On Emerald Sundress with Pockets

I bought this on Ebay for $13 AUD including postage. It took me ages to receive it and I lost interest by the time it arrived. (And bought two dresses while waiting.)

The dress is pretty cute with the pleated pockets. The fabric is 100% jersey cotton but it's flimsy. It's too big on me so I had to alter it. As I was unpicking stitches, the fabric frayed underneath. Not worth the price but oh well, I'm on a shopping ban now.

Got another dress to pick up in two days time and that will be all the dresses I'll be buying this summer!

Suite 62 Boutique Gypsy Chiffon Strapless Dress

I had to run an errand in Parramatta today and dropped into an op shop on the main street. As always, I don't NEED anything but why not?

Currently habouring an un-frugal desire to collect dresses. Always need to have one which I have'nt worn before for a special occasion. 

Luckily I found this beauty on the racks. Brand new and swing tag intact. The RRP of this dress was $60, so it was a steal for $8.90! 

The satin belt is removable so you can change belts or even forego wearing one. I love how the chiffon fabric floats over the lining. The gypsy print is striking with the cobalt blue, brown and cream combination. Does'nt make me look pregnant either-a bonus! 

YSL Touche Eclat - Radiant Touch

Touche Eclat No 3 taken in natural light

Touche Eclat No 3 with flash

Hailed as a miracle product for those plagued with dark undereye circles, I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. I've now come to the age where sleep no longer has an affect on my dark circles so it's time to "shed some light" on the matter!

I was in Debenhams in London when I first tried this product. There were two colours and they both looked too pale on my hand. I did'nt bother about trying it around my eyes. The sales assistant put it on my friend's and she looked like she was wearing chalk!

Almost gave up on it until I found out that there was a third darker colour. Found it cheap on Ebay from the UK. After shipping, a full sized tube was $35 AUD. It retails for $75 AUD in the department stores and they don't stock the third colour.

Firstly I'm impressed with the slick gold compact brush pen.

The product is easy to dispense. Just press the button on the end and apply with the brush. As an ex-makeup artist, I don't agree with this design in terms of hygiene because the brush carries bacteria and it's difficult to clean. However as a normal person, the packaging is a fantastic convenience!

Bear in mind, this is not a concealer. It has very light coverage and if anything it's a highlighter.

Almost thought I bought a dud. After 15 frantic clicks of the button, a glob popped from the brush. The product has the consistency of liquid foundation and was very easy to blend. You still need to use your fingers to perfect it though.

Proud to say that I'm now a follower. Touche Eclat is indeed a miracle product because it makes you look like you've slept 10 hours and to an extent, makes you look younger too. It's an apricot colour but it illuminates and banishes the dark areas. No 3 was the perfect tone for my tanned skin.

Only a tiny bit is needed to cover the inner corners of my eyes. I've read that you can apply it under your brow bone to make eyes stand out too.

It easily solves the tired look and dark circles so this is a Holy Grail. Will be keeping this handy at all times!

If you're concerned about shelling out alot for a little (as a full sized product is 2.5ml), definatley scout around Ebay. You should find it cheaper than half the retail price. For those with medium to tanned skins, I don't know why No 3 is not at most departments stores so you might be taking a gamble if you can't test it. Since the consistency is light, it will easily blend into your skintone. I think it's worth taking the chance!

Jurlique Warehouse Sale

Although most of the good stuff was gone by the time I got to the sale, I still managed to pick up a few bargains. The company is trying to get rid of it's old packaging and the products are still fresh as the ones in store. I bought:

Face Wash Cream $15 (RRP $25)

Foaming Facial Cleanser $20 (RRP $40)

Baby's Gentle Shampoo and Baby Wash $5 (Equivalent RRP $12)

Came especially for the Face Wash Cream (now called Daily Exfoliating Cream). It's is a HG! It a beautifully scented a non grainy exfoliator. This infallibly makes my skin smooth and glowing. 

The Foaming Facial Cleanser (now called Purifying Foaming Cleanser) is another HG. I can't wait to finish my cleansers so I can try new products but I always go back to this one. Smells like lavender essential oil. Cleans thoroughly and my skin never feels taut afterwards. 

Bought the Baby's Gentle Shampoo and Baby Wash because I need a shampoo without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. SLS has been linked with hairloss according to this article. You can get cheaper SLS-free shampoos but this smells as terrific as the Foaming Facial Cleanser so I was sold!