Testing the Trends - Lipstick Eeeeverywhere

Hello, 'tis I and I'm back to put another trend to the test! This time I'm going to be experimenting with a look that's been happening on the catwalk for a while and is just beginning to creep its way into the mainstream; using one product/colour all over, as lipstick, blush and eyeshadow, to create a fresh and flushed look.

Lipstick/blush combos have been around for a while now but somehow they have managed to start sneaky sneaking up onto the eyelids as well. With brown toned lipsticks and blush/berry eyeshadows becoming ever more popular, however, it's actually not too hard to see how this strange merging has happened. We've all seen those memes about 30 minute long beauty tutorials that use 20+ products, all in the name of getting that perfect 'natural' make-up - perhaps one product everywhere is the answer?

Well, we're about to find out kids. I am going to attempt to create this look for myself using lipstick alone. I've seen a number of articles offering this as a top 'beauty hack' so I'm very intrigued to see what I will actually look like with lipstick smeared all over my face (on purpose this time and not as a result of a drunk tongue-sandwich at my first-year winter ball).

The Inspiration

The 'Everything Stick' at Topshop

Full on flush at Vivienne Westwood

Kat Dennings rocking some subtle all-over colour 

...aaand not so subtle at Anthony Vacarello

The Test

I went for this lipstick by Kiko as it's a nice browny-pinky-brick sort of shade that I thought would work well across my whole face. I simply applied my base as usual, smudged the lipstick with my finger across my lids, cheeks and finally my lips and then finished off with a lick of mascara. Here are the results...

The Verdict

I have to say I actually really like it. The pictures aren't the best quality but IRL i feel like a kind of glowy, soft, Botticelli chick. Plus this took me all of five minutes! So it may not be the most polished look but for a quick, fresh, everyday spring look I'm pretty sold, plus if you wanted you could easily ramp this up with liner, highlight and brows (I can only apologise for mine) and make it into more of a full-on make-up a-la Kat Dennings in the photo above. I think all in all I'm just impressed I don't look like I have pink-eye and would definitely recommend playing around with this trend at home!

Hope you liked, see you next time...

Daisy

Testing the Trends - Blue Eye Make-up

Almost every day it seems there's a magazine or style blog shouting about the hottest/must-have/brand spanking new trend. I'm all for new trends, they keep things interesting, however there's not much use knowing about the hot trend for fur covered mules or rainbow coloured body stockings if wearing them makes you feel like the worlds biggest tit.

That's why here at Wildflowers we're putting trends to the test to see if any of the high-fashion frippery can actually translate into a wearable look and the first thing we're tackling: blue eye make-up. While the highstreet is going mad for the 70s this A/W, this one's a trend straight out of every bad 80s music video ever that I have been noticing popping up everywhere. Be it shadow, liner or mascara blue has been allll over the eyes of some dead trendy individuals so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I have to admit, from about year 7 to 9 I was a frequent user of blue eyeliner and mascara (at the same time), so those awkward tween memories did not fill me with confidence about this one! However, after getting some inspiration from the catwalks and some top YouTubers I decided maybe I could manage to rock this eye make-up throwback after all. Here goes nothing...

Blue Eyed Babies...

Subtle mascara at Mary Katrantzou SS '16

Full on glamour from YouTuber Kathleenlights

Some subtle shimmery under-eye action

A sexy blue cat-eye

Bella Hadid bringing the drama in Glamour magazine

... and my attempt...

Well, what do you think?! As unsure as I was I actually really love the blue vibe! Paired with a simple face/lip I think this is a look I can definitely see myself wearing on an everyday basis and makes a very welcome change from the brown/neutral smokey eye that everyone has been after for the past four years or so. I feel like it brings out the blue in my usually fairly grey eyes and adds just the right amount of Cyndi Lauper fabulous-ness to my otherwise normal face. In a world obsessed with kardashian kontour I am totally rooting for blue eyes to bring some fun back into our make-up bags! 

Love,

Daisy 

Eyeshadows used: Urban Decay Radium, Gunmetal & Money

Man Shirts, Short Skirts - Raiding my Boyfriends Wardrobe

Yes, that was a Shania Twain reference and I am not ashamed of it! I'm pretty sure all girls reading this who currently have a man in their lives/beds, will have either a t-shirt or a hoody that they have adopted for relaxing in - I don't know why, but there is nothing more comfortable than an oversize mans t-shirt, amiright?

In this post however I will be attempting to create wearable outfits using my boyfriend Hayden's clothes and hopefully show that menswear is not just for sleeping in!

The inspiration for this post came from a video by my hero/icon/QUEEEN Jen Im of the YouTube channel Clothesencounters. I will link her video at the bottom.

T-shirts

A good way to ease yourself in to wearing boy-clothes is a simple t-shirt. Here I've tried to do two looks, one for day and one for night, to show the versatility of a mans t-shirt.

Haydens: T-shirt  - ASOS
Mine: Skirt - H&M, Boots - Forever21, Choker - a £1 shop!

Wearing a mans graphic T-shirt for a night out is easier than you think - just squeeze into a tight skirt to suck in your wobbly bits, get on some stilt level boots and own it (whatever that means! :P).

Hayden's: T-shirt - Topman
Mine: Skirt - New Look, Shoes - New Look, Belt - Primark, Furry Thing - Bik Bok

For a more casual look I just took this stripey number and again tucked it into a skirt and added my favourite furry thing. You could wear shorts, jeans, wear it under a dress - the sky is the limit for you and your baggy T. 

Trousers

Now, you might think with Hayden coming in at 6ft and me at a significantly more minuscule 5ft 5in then trousers would be a total no-go. However, my freakishly dis-proportioned limbs (seriously my torso is tiny -  I blame it entirely for my shortness) mean that Hayden's trousers are a remarkably good fit! Obviously this won't be the case for everyone but if it is then I would definitely say go for it. Real men's jeans are far more comfy than women's 'boyfriend fit' jeans, and you don't need to bother buying them! 

Hayden's: Trousers - Topman
Mine: Top - American Apparel, Shoes - Primark, Bag - Accessorize, Belt - Primark

Apologies for the blurry face in these pictures, not sure what happened, but at least you can see the trousers! I'm a huge fan of tartan so I absolutely love these and they demonstrate how 'boyfriend trousers' can work just as well as jeans.

Hayden's: Jeans - Topman
Mine: Blouse - Next, Shoes - Primark, Tassel Thing - Vintage (Grandma's)

Aaaaand here they are, the real boyfriend jeans. I've girlied them up here with a flowy blouse and some slinky heels.

Outerwear

Lastly I'm tackling jumpers and shirts - things that can work brilliantly for keeping cozy and looking smart. Again I've gone for a casual and a more dressy look to really show off the versatility your man's threads can have. 

Hayden's: Shirt - Next
Mine: Trousers - Topshop, Bralet - eBay, Boots - New Look, Bag - Primark

Here I've gone for a sort of un-done tailored look, using a crisp suit shirt over these tapered leg trousers and lacy bralet and finished off with boots - pairing masculine items with something a bit sexier to make a (hopefully) classy evening ensemble.

Haydens's: Jumper - New Look
Mine: Shorts - Charity Shop, Boots - River Island, Hat - H&M

This is easily the most casual look I made but it is still perfectly acceptable for venturing out in public! I pretty much lived in this jumper for the last few (stressful) weeks of uni and after this treatment as a veritable comfort blanket it is still one of my absolute favourite things to borrow.

Hope you enjoyed my boyfriend-borrowed outfits! Why not instantly double your wardrobe and get borrowing yourself? 

Lots of lurrve, 

Daisy.

Jen's Video:

Basics, Bitch

Huzzah, tis Daisy here with somethin' stylish. My style is generally always fairly busy - I love bright colours, patterns, bold accessories and lots of jewels, so it will come as no surprise that I don't really shop for what the fashion community had dubbed 'basics' or 'wardrobe staples'. If I'm out shopping, in charity shops or highstreet stores or independent shops, I will always gravitated towards the boldest and most unusual pieces - usually with a 60s/70s vibe. However, recently I have had my head turned somewhat by the really simple items that I would usually have ignored.

These garments can be found almost anywhere that sells clothing, from high end to cheap as chips which is one of the things that makes them great. Another is that they will never look dated or old-fashioned, they belong to a magical collection of garments that never go out of style, year on year and most likely never will. You can wear them all together to create cool-looking chic and timeless looks (that really look like you've put in a lot of effort when you haven't) or you can do what I mostly do and mix them in with your big fun pieces to make them a little more wearable - sometimes rainbow floral dungarees just don't go with mustard yellow bat-wing tops!

Here's a little bit of tumblr eye-candy to convince you...

These clothes don't shout, but whisper and yet still manage to make you look the bomb. Now I'm not all the way converted but this little collection of items is definitely enough for me for the time being! Without further rambling lets get into my recent purchases and top wardrobe essentials!  


(Okay I lied, there's a bit more rambling) I have a rant I need to get off my chest and it address's the term 'basic bitch'. I've used it in my title because I like puns but when used as an insult it pisses me off - I absolutely hate hearing women describing other women as 'basic bitches'. Sure I'm not obsessed with Starbucks, Ugg boots and Lush bath bombs but that doesn't make me any better or cooler than people who are. I really enjoy candles and videos of cute animals - does that make me basic?! Can people not like or be passionate about anything anymore? Enthusiasm is not lame and neither is liking things that are popular or 'mainstream' (hate that word too)! Okay, I'm finished.

On with the clothes....

A plain white t-shirt

Charity Shop

This is the most basic and classic of them all. You literally cannot go wrong. I got mine from a charity shop, but its originally from Primark - double cheap! I don't need to say much about this one - we'll let the t-shirt speak for itself.

A good pair of jeans

Topshop

The other half of the perfect couple - the white tee and jeans! Whatever shape takes your fancy a good quality pair of jeans are a must, something I'm only just realising after I spent about four years without any. These are the 'Jamie' pair from Topshop and they are very comfy, I'm also a big fan of what they do for my bum.

A black V-neck

Miss Selfridge

Another classic t-shirt that you can sling on any day of the week and look good. The v-neck seems to add an extra air of cool - I don't know why but I have the idea in my head that cool girls wear v-necks, like they're somehow so much edgier than round! Whats very nice about this one is it has a deep V at the front and the back, showing off some subtly sexy upper back action as well as the boobies at the front - saucy.

A long sleeved crop-top

H&M

I have been totally amazed by the amount of things this top goes with, its almost always in my washing basket because as soon as its clean I wear it again. Its soft, baggy and so easy to just fling on with a jazzy pair of bottoms when I can't be arsed to put an outfit together.

A flared mini-skirt

Charity Shop

Everyone loves a good mini and what could be better than Wimbledon white. You think I'm joking but this is an actual tennis skirt I picked up in a charity shop a few month before they became all the rage and American Apparel started selling them for fifty quid a pop. Flared skirts are really flattering and feminine and show of a healthy amount of leginess in the warmer months. 

A furry waistcoat thing

Bik Bok

Almost any outfit can be elevated to Kate Moss levels of cool rock bohemia with one of these little babies. This transformative power means I have to stop myself from wearing this every day and limit myself to around twice a week. I bought this in London while I was doing my year 10 work experience, proving exactly how much mileage these furry friends have in them.

A proper ladies handbag 

Accessorize

Its taken me 20 years but I finally have a nice, proper handbag. I was never attracted to this sort of structured bag until I spotted this one just before Christmas and fell in love. Its my new baby! It has the power to make all sorts of outfits look more put-together and chic which helps with my tendancy to dress like a five year old/hippy.

A black polo neck

Primark

Polo neck, turtle neck, roll neck - whatever you want to call them, I used to hate them with a passion so strong I thought they were the ugliest things to ever grace the earth. I used to half-joke that they were banned in our house and if my mum so much as caught a whiff of one I would give her a death stare to rival Medusa. However, after their come-back last year I am totally converted, the ban has been lifted and I'm hungry for more! They are surprisingly versatile and insanely chic-looking - I can't get enough. I do however have to pair them with something high-waisted otherwise I end up looking busty in all the wrong ways.

A wooly cardigan

H&M

Another item I cast aside in my foolish youth was the humble cardie. I thought they were dowdy and boring - oh how wrong I was. What I love about this one is that it is long and flowy, giving it the bohemian edge that I love so much and it is amazing for layering as well as on it own. Cardigan - you are a star and I'm sorry I ever doubted you. 

Well thats it from me! Have a lovely weekend,

Daisy.