And your pointe is?

This is from a postcard that's currently on the wall in my bedroom. It's called Les Pointes and is by Isabel Munoz. I've been obsessed with it for ages; it's such a simple, beautiful image and I love how freakishly pointy the ballerina's feet are. In addition, it contributes in a small way to my demented obsession with tulle (like a nicotine patch...). What I really like about it though is that I can't work out which way up it's meant to be, and apparently nobody else can either; when I looked it up on Google, various websites were selling copies of it but some had it this way, as if it's a ballerina standing on her tippy tippy tip toes, while others had it upside down, as if she's just chilling out in a lovely, tulle-y way.

Whichever way round you look at it, it's magical :)

See? Magical.

*Dramatic sigh*

I just love her -

"Fiddle Dee Dee!"

I want this to be the basis for my life - eating barbecue, surrounded by doting admirers and wearing a ridiculous hat.

This is going to be very long...

So I basically got a bit carried away when deciding on my favourite collections from NYFW and have ended up with a stupid amount of pictures. But hey, what's blogging for if not posting photographs of beautiful people wearing beautiful things?!

What I find so amazing about Fashion Week is that it never gets old or boring. I always expect that eventually, the designers are just going to run out of ideas and send their models down the runway naked, carrying signs that say "sorry, there is nothing left - we're done." Fortunately, this never happens; fashion is constantly evolving and designers continue, season after season, to be inspired by anything and everything. I imagine that the thought process of a designer goes something like this - "hmmm Fall RTW...what shall we do? Ummm...oooh! Look at that pigeon outside! Hmmm...I'm thinking pigeons, I'm thinking feathers, I'm thinking the splatter effect that bird poo has...yes yes! I've got it!" And thus a collection consisting of grey feathers, bat wing tops and paint splashed jeans is formed (if, next season I see this look on the catwalk, I am SO going to track down the designer and demand royalties...)

Anyway, from what I've read on other blogs which have reviewed NYFW, one of the most popular shows was Rodarte and understandably so. Apparently taking their inspiration from Frankenstein, the Mulleavy sisters presented a collection that made me think "urban warrior", with jackets, dresses and skirts seemingly covered in bits and pieces of...well...anything. I imagine that the Mulleavys are a bit like magpies building a nest, wanting to include as many pretty, shiny, soft and fluffy things as possible. The Frankenstein reference was very clear, with the chopped up, pieced together clothing and those killer leather boots, which looked all bind-y and constricting - ladies, you have my approval!

Although it's called Ready-to-Wear, a lot of the stuff you see on the catwalks is only really 'ready' to be worn by people like Roisin Murphy or Lady Gaga, and quite frankly, I'm neither of those people, so it was nice to see some shows that featured strong, yet simple pieces. ADAM, a designer I'd not really come across before, featured a collection of straight-forward outerwear and then some colourful, sparkly pieces. Hardly life-changing stuff but I could actually see real people wearing his designs, rather than just the filthy rich and quirky...

Miss Sixty is a label I've not paid attention to in a long time as I've always seen it as trying a bit too hard and coming off as trashy. I was, therefore, pleasantly surprised by this collection, which looked like it might have been inspired by the type of people you'd see coming out of a biker bar at 3 in the morning. With lashings of leather and acid washed denim, the models looked trashy yet fabulous - like Mimi from RENT.

How many photos of Sasha can you find in this post?

Badgley Mischka went for straight-up, smart glamour, but in a minimalist way. There was a lot of simple black pieces, with a few brighter colours thrown in for good measure. What I like about this label is the clever twists they put on an otherwise typical garment, for example, there were several LBDs where fabric had been draped or gathered to create something unusual. There was also something very "liquid" about the collection, with dresses made in the most fluid, silky fabrics imaginable. When I first looked at that blue dress, I thought 'mermaids'.

I think it's safe to say that Derek Lam is no animal lover. His collection featured fur, leather, suede and possibly snakeskin (though I can't tell, what do those gloves look like to you?) by the bucketful. Even so, I have to say, this was one of my favourites. Despite using an almost completely neutral pallet of camel, baige, grey and cream, the pieces were dramatic and sexy. I LOVE that dress on Gracie Carvalho!

When I first looked at Oscar de la Renta's collection, I wasn't overly impressed, not because it wasn't beautiful, but because it all seemed a bit samey. Then I got to the dresses and silently scolded myself for ever doubting him. Apparently all this talk of recession and the economy and all that boring stuff doesn't worry our Oscar; like Derek Lam, he made use of fur, but also went crazy for embellishment and fancy, fancy accessories. Silhouettes were mainly kept sleek, with cinched in waists and narrow skirts. (how stunning is that black, off the shoulder dress?!) He also provided us with a much needed injection of colour, with dresses in jewel-bright shades of red, cerise and yellow.

Another designer really embracing colour was Matthew Williamson, whose show featured prints aplenty and lots and lots of very bright shades of blue and turquoise (lovely). Obviously not a lover of wallflowers, Williamson was all about rich detail; dresses were made of the most incredible mosaic and tribal printed fabric, while accessories included zebra print shoes, gem stone bib necklaces and chunky fur stoles.

Another of my favourites was Anna Sui, who basically went mental. Her collection can only be described as "Gothic-Victoriana meets Woodstock meets 1920s flappers meets the countryside". In addition to all the black lace, high Victorian collars and brooches, Sui used bright paisley and floral prints in purples, blues and oranges, as well as loads of feathered headwear, patterned tights and a selection of leather biker boots and embroidered suede ones. AMAZING!

Competing with Sui for the award for most outrageous headwear, was Diane Von Furtsenberg, whose main concern is clearly that people wrap up warm this Fall. Describing the collection as "nomad", Von Furstenberg sent her models down the runway in an array of colours and prints. Layering was the key here, with massive cardigans, thick leggings, chunky socks under strappy heels and of course, hats.

My two absolute favourite shows were Zac Posen and Marchesa - I'll admit it, I'm a girlie girl at heart. Posen did Victoriana with 1940s structure and lots of shimmery, shiny fabric. As I mentioned in my last post, I adore the jewelled tights and, paired with the ribbon tie shoes, they remind me of a high fashion ballerina. Another fan of embellishment, Posen's designs sparkled with sequins galore and everything was kept super feminine with billowing sleeves and plenty of ruffles.

And finally, Marchesa. Ah, Marchesa. It was just...magical! Designer Georgina Chapman said she wanted to create a fantasy feel to the whole collection, and she definitely succeeded. With a selection of feathers, smokey tulle and ribbons, the dresses were fairytale without being too fairytale - the shapes were unusual to say the least and the colours were either very pale or very dark. The overall effect was dreamlike and ethereal and reminded me of the Childlike Empress from The Neverending Story.

So there you have it - my picks from New York. The incredible thing is that this is just a handful of the shows and if I had days to spare, I'd write about so many more! Unfortunately there is just no time because London Fashion Week is happening right now! RIGHT NOW!

Oh dear...

(all photographs from style.com)

If you say my eyes are beautiful, it's because they're looking at you...

So New York Fashion Week has been happening, which means I've been loitering around style.com far more than I would usually allow. Hopefully I'll be able to gather my thoughts enough to write something a bit more substantial about the whole shebang, but at the moment I'm in such a state of joy and sheer, awe-inspired wonder that all I can really say is - "Oh but the pretty things! THE PRETTY THINGS!!!"

Mr and Mrs Posen, I know it's not normally 'done', but I would like to ask for your son Zac's hand in marriage please. By way of a dowry I request nothing but a pair of those bejewelled tights. Good.

For now, I must leave you with this picture of Sasha Pivovarova from the Anna Sui show,

a) Because Sasha Pivovarova's name is both silly and cool
b) Because Sasha Pivovarova is beautiful
c) Because Sasha Pivovarova looks like Cameron Diaz's rebellious (and kind of filthy) younger sister
and d) Because that's a good hat

image from style.com

Things that make you go "ooooh"

So yesterday I was looking at photographs from the BAFTAs, and fell in love with Freida Pinto's dress -

It's an Oscar De La Renta creation and apparently he made it for her himself after she visited him in his studio in New York. Jealous? Me? Nah...

It must be my inner princess that takes hold when I see dresses like this; soft, muted pastels and all those romantic layers - it makes me want to grow my hair really long, braid it with flowers and then frolic in slow motion through a field, before being carried off by a prince on a white horse. It brought to mind perhaps the most beautiful princess-y layered dress of them all - the Versace Seafoam gown that Carrie wore in the final episode of Sex And The City. Ah, that dress!!! There's just something magical and ethereal about all those layers; it's so incredibly feminine and soft and floaty. If I had a dress like that I would have to surround myself with only soft and beautiful things and eat fairy cakes with pink icing and have little children throw petals at me all day long. That's what I'd do.

I was in this frame of mind for a while so decided to channel my thoughts of loveliness and tulle and layers and joy into some Polyvore sets;

Princess Leia Layer...

Tulle-y, Madly, Deeply

It is a life goal of mine to one day wear the Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci gown in the first picture (bottom left) - how stunning is that!?

Change is good.

I've come to a decision. A decision that will affect all of us and hopefully make the world a better place. I thought long and hard about it last night. I cried a bit, I got angry, I talked it out with my Beanie Babies and they gave me some sound advice for which I will be eternally grateful, and now, finally, I have made up my mind that...

"Go on, tell them, you know it's the right thing to do..." says the Beanie Baby Council.

....the name of the blog must change.

Now don't be upset; "Alice Bands, Mary Janes and the bits in between", was good, but let's be honest it was just a bit too long, and it was about as catchy as a flaming cheetah (you ever tried to catch one of those? Not catchy at all...).

So from now on, the name is simply "The Little Curly Girl", as that's already the URL address anyway, and I figured it was easier to remember.

This does, however, mean that I need a new picture. I was originally thinking about a kind of collage-type thing of black and white pictures of me wearing different kinds of headwear and pulling stupid faces, but I've gone off that idea now.

I'm leaning towards a drawing, rather than a photo, maybe some kind of cartoon involving a little girl with curly hair, in a fashion-related scenario? I'm open to suggestions anyway - watch this space.

Yes?

....No.

I am so sick of people taking their insecurities out on me...

So yesterday I opened up my makeup bag and talked about all of the products I use on a day to day basis. Riveting stuff, I'm sure you'll agree...

Today I'm going to show you the guilty secret I mentioned...the thing that takes up nearly all the space in two other makeup bags...dun dun DUN...eyeshadow.

I've always had a bit of a thing for eye makeup. When it comes to a choice between a dramatic lip or a dramatic eye, the eye wins every time. Perhaps this is because, in the theatre world, stage makeup tends to focus around the eyes. When I first got involved with drama at uni, there were two final year girls who always used to do the most incredible eye makeup for whenever they were performing on stage. Of course, when I tried to do the same thing it'd look a bit of a mess and I'd be bordering on drag queen territory, but still, the fascination has remained firmly in place (it's the little kid in me still wanting to just stick my fingers in everything...). Stage makeup is what got me into wearing liquid eyeliner; I bought some to wear in a show once and then just got into the habit of using it every day; I like how it makes your eyelashes look thicker and gives your eyes more definition.

The beauty of eye makeup is that there's just so much variety; so many products for me to get my grubby little mitts on and smear all over my eyelids. Here's a photo of some of my favourites...

Back row, going left to right; H&M Decadent Glitter Eyes Pallette, Blisslids in Choco-lot, Prestige Eyeshadow in Ink, Lancome Colour Focus Eyeshadow in Madame Butterfly, Suqqu Eyeshadow in Sorairo (an unusual make I've not heard of - this came in a beauty hamper I won last year) Middle row; Collection 2000 Dazzle Me! Loose Pigments in Lustrous, Spellbound, Bewitch, Tinkerbell and Mystery, Glo Minerals Eyeshadow in Blue Suede, Lancome Colour Focus Pallette. Front Row; Natural Collection Duo Eyeshadows in Plum/Blossom and Mocha/Latte and Natural Collection Eyeshadow in Aqua Shimmer.

As you can see, I'm a huge fan of loose pigment, namely the Collection 2000 Dazzle Me! range. The beauty of this product is that it lasts for AGES and there is a huge range of colours available. It's got impressive staying power too, I mean obviously, we're not talking MAC quality but it's still pretty good and the colours are really vibrant. The very bright turquoise one (Spellbound) is my favourite and looks lovely when used as a liner on the outer corner of the lower lash line.
I tend to stick to just one or two colours normally; as I mentioned yesterday, the Bobbi Brown shimmer brick, which is just a simple selection of golds and browns, is my eyeshadow of choice, because the colours are pretty and I know they suit me. I'll sometimes try something new out, such as a smokey eye or a bit of bright colour, but I generally go for a light, shimmery colour on the eyelid with a slick of eyeliner over the top.

One of my current subscriptions on youtube is panacea81, an absolutely brilliant youtuber who has actually achieved fame for her countless tutorials on exciting eye makeup looks, some of which she's created herself and some are very accurate copies of looks worn by celebrities in films and music videos etc. I would urge anyone to check out her channel because she's simply marvellous!

Anyway, that's enough rambling for one night. Two posts in one day?! What's the world coming to?

I'm off to watch the last few minutes of the Liverpool vs Everton match...it's kind of a big deal for us scouse-types...

Blazin' Saddles...

I am officially OBSESSED with the Topshop Boyfriend Blazer. I first wrote about it in October and it's still in stock, taunting me in it's preppy-ness. They've now added several other variations to the current collection and this grey, double breasted number is just divine.
Made a little set on Polyvore - I'm really enjoying riding boots at the moment too, so this is a kind of gentlemanly, equestrian type look;

Just...lovely...

I'm still in my dressing gown.

I've decided that it's about time I started posting some information about myself as, although I do force my opinions on you pretty much all the time, there's not a great deal of stuff on here about ME. For all you know, I could be a middle-aged dalmation breeder named Dwight living in the Outer Hebrides who writes this blog surrounded by squirmy little puppies and lives in constant fear of the arrival of Cruella DeVille...rest assured, I am NOT that man. But if you are out there, Dwight, drop us a line, we can talk polka dots and drink tea (or any other beverage of your choice, let it be known that I am not one to force hot drinks on my guests!)

Anyway, dalmations and tea aside, today I'm just going to talk about my makeup, because this is my blog and I can do whatever the holy seashells I like.

Ever since I was old enough to sneak upstairs in my nan's house and play with all the makeup my auntie kept in her dressing table, I've been obsessed with the stuff. When I was little I thought that makeup meant bright blue eyeshadow, mascara and pink lipstick (to be fair, it was the late 80s/early 90s so I probably wasn't too off the mark). Fortunately this kind of thing was only for playtime and I was never allowed to actually go out when I was wearing it (otherwise people might have started to believe that my family were actually bringing up the world's youngest drag queen...). When I got to about 11 or 12 I started reading those pre-teen magazines which came with a free crappy lipgloss or hair mascara and my collection of makeup began. My mum was always quite strict about makeup when I was that age, so makeup was very subtle with maybe a bit of clear mascara (basically the most pointless thing in the world) and some tinted lipbalm. Again, looking back, this is probably a good thing as there's nothing worse than seeing frighteningly young girls with a face full of foundation and eyeliner. Although I did also have A LOT of body glitter gel and those little stick on star things that everyone used to wear around the corners of their eyes. Lovely.
When I got a bit older, maybe 14/15, it was fashionable in Liverpool (as it still is...) to be ORANGE and one of my favourite products was a cheap bronzer called Pot of Gold which was incredibly sparkly and left the collar of your school shirt looking filthy. Every evening after school a gang of us would go to the toilets to reapply it all before getting on the bus (just in case we saw...God knows who...) and you could guarantee that the area underneath the mirrors would just be completely covered in a rather ominous-looking brown powder. Ah, those teenage days of bronzer, fake tan and ironed (yes, that's right, actually ironed) hair, how I miss them.

Hopefully nowadays, my makeup style is somewhat more natural, although bronzer is still a main feature in my makeup bag. I don't wear foundation because I don't like how it feels on my skin, although I'm quite intrigued by all this new mineral stuff. So my day to day look is a clean, slightly bronzed face, a natural eye with a line of liquid liner and maybe a bit of light-coloured or shimmery eyeshadow and some lipgloss. Things tend to get a bit more interesting if I'm going out in the night, but we'll talk about that another day.

Anyway...here's a photo of the makeup and tools I use on a daily basis...

From the back; Cath Kidston makeup bag (where I keep everything safe), eyelash curlers (just some cheap ones from Boots), Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick (which I use on my eyes and have had for about 4 years...not sure if that's a good thing or not), an old mascara wand I use to tidy up my eyebrows, Tickled Pink duo blush by Trucco, Tweezerman tweezers, Guerlain Divinora liquid eyeliner, Guerlain Terracotta Bronzer in 02, Guerlain powder brush (which I got in a bronzing set, again YEARS ago), Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner, 17 Ultimate Volume Lip Gloss in Dainty Indigo Pansy, Collection 2000 Kohl Eyeliner in Black, Ruby and Millie Eyeshadow Brush, GOSH Angled Eyeliner Brush, Urban Decay Skyscraper Mascara and of course Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat.

So there you go, that's pretty much what I use on a daily basis; the Touche Eclat, bronzer and mascara are probably my absolute necessities that I'd hate to go without, but I generally do need (or at least, feel that I need) everything else that's there too. As you can see, I've got a fair few fancy products; as I've previously mentioned, I'm a big fan of Guerlain and the YSL Touche Eclat is just brilliant. Yes, they're fairly pricey but I believe that, as with high-class prostitutes and sandwiches (and pretty much everything else in the world that costs money) you get what you pay for. Expensive makeup generally lasts longer and is of a much better quality than cheaper brands, therefore, can be seen as an investment. Plus it's always so pretty...

Even so, there's plenty of cheaper products that still do a great job. The 17 lipgloss is cheap as chips and yet whenever I wear it, I get so many compliments about what a good colour it is. And I know there all sorts of fancy heated eyelash curlers and special comb type things out there, but the ones I've got do the job just fine and probably only cost about £4 so who can complain?

This post is so much longer than I planned - I guess I just like talking about myself.

Tomorrow...a guilty secret...