I Want It All

The French fashion house Lanvin has decided to launch its first range of men and women’s sunglasses next month which will be sold exclusively at Harvey Nichols. Fabricated with leather, horn and crystal the creative director of Lanvin Alber Elbaz has created a stylish range of glasses which as described aptly by Vogue “combine Lanvin’s couture sensibilities with retro touches.”

Round women's sunglasses £265

Horn women's sunglasses £300

Jewelled women's sunglasses £419

Men's sunglasses £235

Becky x

As regular followers of IWIA know, I’m obsessed with quirky and fun jewellery. I completely buy into the vintage looking trend flooding the jewellery racks of high street stores. Soooo, it comes as no surprise that this is yet another post about some cool jewellery I’ve come across.

Archimedes brooch £29.50, La Renarde Ring £34, Shelley Necklace,£29.50

It has all the makings of an on-trend statement jewellery line, animal pieces- check; throwback to the 60s- check; quirky and unusual-check; filled with 100%natural Lip Balm-errrrr yeh.

Secret compartments are always cool!

That’s right, all these pieces have a secret compartment that open up to reveal a pot of 100% natural and handmade lip balm from beauty expert Andrea Garland. With a mouth watering mix of Shea Butter, Grapefruit, Lime and Lavender- the lip balm are just as pleasing as the jewellery containing them. Best of all, when you run out-you can order refills. The catch is, starting at £26 onwards, the pieces don’t come cheap but may make an original Christmas present. At least you know with one, you’ll never forget your lip balm again!

xxRennyxx

It’s been quite a busy week fashion wise. There are still tons of reviews to do in my make-up series along with trying to catch up with New York fashion week which coincides with me starting a new job. The update on IWIA has therefore been on the backburner for a while. So yes, I do admit, I am a bit late on this but I just had to put up pics from London’s Fashion Night Out which once again did not disappoint.

Mulberry gave guests a very generous goody bag with some rather unusual things inside but also some Clarins skincare products worth quite a bit!

I started the night off rather early at Mulberry who were very generous with the drinks as I collected black Mojito after black Mojito. The very English brand put on a very English theme with waiters in tailcoats and wellies while guests were being served miniature toad in holes (I very ungraciously scoffed many of these). Mulberry pushed the boat with foxes, fortune tellers (see below), nail artists but it got crowded pretty quickly and we made our way out with a lovely mulberry goody bag in hand (what I’m meant to do with a fox mask though, I’m still not sure).

Mulberry had many little treats to entertain guests including a fashion fortune teller.

We then headed off to Coach but were waaaay to early to catch Gwyneth (we’re on first name terms now, no biggie). I will say this though, pre Gwyneth, Coach was BORING. A disinterested DJ played while the barman tried to convince me that a large wine glass was a champagne glass (if there’s one thing I know, its my beverage glasses). We stayed no longer than 15 minutes before heading off to Smythson who again were so generous with the champagne and their mini cupcakes. It wasn’t even 8 yet and I was already feeling lightheaded.

Russell & Bromley definitely know how to throw a party, with a strange cocktail called ‘White Mist’ (twas disgusting, trust me) and their canapés including mini lobster parcels, it was shaping up to be an incredible night.

He's making my drink which is on the far bottom right. Looking back, I wish I had stuck to the champagne

However, FNO cannot be FNO for I Want It All without a visit to Burberry, our Mecca. Last year, me and Ini dribbled over the aviators, this year they stank the place out with their new well publicised fragrance Body. As always, the champagne was flowing, a cool indie band (The Heartbreaks) was entertaining guests and everyone tried on a piece of clothing they couldn’t possibly afford. The fashionable crowd at New Bond Street grew into a mass as nigh time descended with stores winding down.

The Heartbreaks at Burberry

Hermes kooky bangle bowling truck.

Hermes had a particularly fun and curious Bangle Bowling stall and as the alcohol ran out and people found their way home, the idea started not so long ago by Vogue to mark the start of show season now feels like tradition just as loved as Fashion week itself.

xxRennyxx

Following on from my review of ELF foundation and concealer earlier, my search for good facial make up products for darker skinned people continues. This post will focus on a new range I have recently discovered...KeroMask.

So KeroMask describe themselves as an “unrivalled camouflage make up range” for all skin types and good for hiding imperfections, acne, blah blah blah. Their big focus is their camouflage cream which they use all the usual beauty adjectives to describe. They say its “water proof, smudge proof and heat resistant” and like you are probably doing right now, I scoffed at this description. However something caught my eye, their Camouflage Cream comes in 24 shades. Yes, that’s right. TWENTY FOUR. Even MAC’s Studio Sculpt Foundation has only 22 shades. With that amount of choice available, I had to test it out.

Now because there are 24 shades (jaw still dropping), Keromask have smartly put a tester kit up for sale. At £2.99, you can get one of these and decide which one matches your skin tone. The sample kits also come in three variations for light, medium and dark skin tones. In my opinion, it beats going down to your nearest department store and letting some random counter girl plaster your face while she condescends your choice of mascara and tuts when you refuse to buy a product that makes you look like a drag queen.

The Camouflage Cream isn’t cheap at £15 but compared to other bespoke foundations, it isn’t ridiculously expensive. It comes in a compact bottle that twists up to reveal its nozzle for easy application and will look nice on any dressing table. I chose Medium number 13 which was a perfect fit for my skin tone.

As the camouflage cream is specifically aimed at hiding blemishes, skin imperfections, acne etc, it is of course very heavy. They are not kidding when they say ‘Camouflage’. This cream is complete coverage and even though they suggest just using a tiny bit for everyday use, I still found it incredibly thick on my skin. It is great for a glam night out, hiding dark circles under your eyes or covering up that newly discovered spot or blemish. Also even though it is full coverage, it isn’t sticky or clammy and feels good on application. It would make a wonderful base for other make up as well and even with its coverage, I never felt like it was clogging up my pores.

Keromask suggest using their Rich Finishing Powders for a natural finish on the look. There is less variety of this product, coming in only four tones but as they are meant to be used with the creams, the medium tone blended well into my skin.

I found the finishing powders to be the real gem. Their translucent finish and light touch make them perfect for everyday touch ups and they really felt amazing on the skin. I loved, loved, loved this product and I think that they could better the application of ANY foundation. I also found that it made not just the foundation set properly but made other make up like blushers last a lot longer on my face. At £15.99, they don’t come cheap but it is extremely worth it and I would recommend it to anyone.

xxRennyxx

Now we don’t regularly do make up posts on here as we don’t claim to be skincare gurus but there are somethings that just need to be shared. If you are like me, dark skinned , then finding a foundation or concealer is an absolute BITCH. I can never find one that’s my correct tone and when I do find one that is close enough, I can never be sure that Boots or Superdrug will have it in stock next time I visit.

Since I’ve been using makeup, it has been a case of mixing, matching and making do which frankly I am now bored of. Most make up brands have only one staple tone for EVERY girl that has a little bit of colour to her skin typically named ‘Walnut’ or ‘Terracotta’ (sigh)

Soooo, like most people lately, I’ve resorted to buying my make up online. At least there’s a never ending stock of tones and options to choose from. Also, if you are dark skinned, you don’t have to stick to only MAC products to get a wide selection of tones for your skin colour. Therefore I will do a series of posts reviewing different products on the market for darker skin.

So for my first trial, I decided to see what ELF could come up with. Over here at IWIA, we have championed ELF from the beginning especially loving their eye, lip and nail products for ridiculously cheap prices. However, I have been a bit apprehensive about trying their foundations and concealers because we’ve all seen what bad foundation can do a girl’s face. AND IT AIN'T PRETTY

However I tried their Flawless Finish Foundation in Caramel and was pleasantly surprised. It feels very light on the fingers but manages to give quite good coverage which is what I’m after. Also the Caramel tone blended perfectly with my skin and there are still two more tones darker than the Caramel giving much more choice for black and Asian girls. Also for £6.50, it is incredibly affordable yet doesn’t give off a cheap matte look like some cheaper foundations. The bottle is also really compact and the nozzle makes application very mess free. It is also one of the few foundations I've used that actually smell nice!

HOWEVER, the catch is, it is quite Oily. Now, if like me, you have very dry skin and moisturiser never leaves your handbag, then this isn’t too much of a worry. I do think, however, that other skin types may suffer and it doesn’t feel like the nicest foundation for your pores. Rubbing it on my hand, it definitely felt oily and if you are concerned about your skin, I’d say not to take the risk.

Nevertheless, I liked this product. Would I want to use everyday?? Probably Not. For £6.50 though, I do think if you have dry skin like mine, it’s worth a try.

Also from ELF are these Complete Coverage Concealer pads. These are great as their compact size and mirror make them a good handbag essential for any touch ups during the day and they are small enough to fit your clutch on a night out. The different tones on each pad are very much an advantage as I’m yet to meet any girl whose face is just one tone or one complexion.

For £3.50, they are also an absolute bargain and I would really recommend buying them even if not as your main concealer but as an handbag staple.

In the next post, i will be reviewing the new range by KeroMask London.

xxRennyxx

You know that feeling of annoyance you get when you have got the perfect dress on, with the loveliest shoes, and all you need is a bullet wound to complete your look.  You ask yourself :‘Why the hell don’t they make jewellery that makes me look like a murder victim’.... No? Me neither. Well apparently, there are those who do. And finally... for that (very) niche market, Kali Arulpragasam – the elder sister of singer Mathangi  Arulpragasam, aka MIA- is on hand to help them get over their lack of criminal accessories.

Oh Yes, Kali Arulpragasm’s label Super Fertile has released a jewellery collection entitled ‘Murder’ which includes bullet-wound shaped necklaces and earrings that make you look like you’ve been knifed. Delightful I’m sure you would agree.

Now you can’t accuse Super Fertile for not being different but controversial design aside, I don’t think the jewellery is particularly attractive. Even if I wasn’t told they were meant to look like bullet wounds and throat-slashes, as statement jewellery pieces, they are just a bit ....tacky.

However, I’m sure the fashion world will lap it up as ingenious, I’ll stick to my pretty pieces instead.

xxRennyxx

The high street mega stores have been getting us all excited for the colder parts of the year with the release of some mouth-watering Autumn/Winter 2011 collections. The collection that has surprisingly caught our eye though is none other than budget fashionistas’ favourite- PRIMARNI. The images released below suggest that I along many others will spend a lot of time frantically searching rails to get our hands on these gems.

Beautiful red coat £35- YES YES YES Sickly patent bag £7 NO NO NO

As ever, Primark has been taken inspiration from the catwalk and created some bank account friendly pieces that even the big spenders among us will crave. I am loving the 60s style mini skirts and shift dresses but the 70s flares and colour blocking pieces as well as those comfy knits send this collection to another level (we’ll forgive them the odd tacky patent clutch bag).

Mustard Pussy-Bow Blouse, £10, Wool Pencil Skirt, £14, Pink Tights, £2, Loafers, £16

Roll-Neck, £8, Peg Leg Trousers, £14, Wedge Ankle Boots, £20 ( Primark bring out their own version of the uber popular wedge boot)

Cable Knit Cardigan, £12, Knitted Midi Skirt, £12

Limited Edition Jumpsuit £23, Snake skin heels £18

Limited Edition Satin Maxi £23, Suedette Colour-Block Clutch £5 (I MUST HAVE THESE), Suedette Court Shoe £18

Limited Edition Peterpan Dress, £23, Crossbody Bag, £5, Loafers, £16

And my favourite look from the collection..

Check Jacket, £35, Cable Knit Jumper, £14, Tailored Trousers, £14, Socks, £2, Loafers, £16

All these looks and more should be available from September onwards and I for one am looking forward to it.

xxRennyxx

As Renny has recently pointed out, the rise of the insanely high but unquestionably beautiful platform shoe is undeniable. Amongst celebrities Christian Louboutin seems to be the most guilty of supplying these incredible shoes that I personally could only admire from a distance but never walk in. However even he has outdone himself in designing this pair of silk, Swarovski-encrusted, 8 inch, red soled heels!

These ballet-inspired heels with no hidden platform to speak of, make the ones Beyonce was featured wearing on Renny's blog post seem easy to wear in comparison! Admittedly these are not really the kindof heels we will be seeing celebrities walking around in (although you never know) as they were designed specifically to raise funds for the English National Ballet.

Louboutin quite rightly (but rather funnily) stated "I could not help being inspired by English National Ballet...after all isn't the classical ballet slipper the ultimate heel?...The heels which makes dancers closer than any other woman to the sky, closer to heaven." The French designer's passion for heels is undoubtedly remarkable. I bet these shoes will make a fortune for the English National Ballet fund.

 xxx Becky xxx