All Babes are Wolves

Saturday, September 5, 2015

What's new Pussycat? Pussy Bows 2015

Georgine dress, FGR

Recently I had a fancy event to go to. Given I don't get out much (I'm mostly home with a baby and a toddler), am carrying an annoying extra 5kg and am now post 40, I had to have a good think about what to wear. Gone are the days I could throw on anything, and I think you do need to be age appropriate. But frumpy or boring is definitely not on the menu! Almost immediately a look came to mind - my old signature faithful pencil skirt, and a new fave item - a shirt. I'd historically relegated shirts to "work wear" - with the exception of a good old grungy plaid shirt. But I'm loving fitted shirts right now, especially with jeans or a pencil skirt. But how to dress up a pencil skirt & shirt to elevate from work wear to an event outfit? My idea was to use a pussy bow. A chic yet sexy secretary look, not showing much skin but using some good tailoring, heels, a dramatic winged eye and strong lip to glam up the whole affair.

Gucci Fall 2015

Now I searched high and low for a pussy bow shirt, and could not find a thing! Plus my limited budget doesn't allow a look at Net-a-Porter. I loved the pussy bow styles Emilio Pucci and Hedi Slimane at Saint Laurent were doing a few years ago. Saint Laurent always seem to have a fabulous pussy bow shirt in their collection.

Kate

I ended up getting this fabulous sheer Storm shirt. I had the shirt tailored to cinch in the sides and two darts put in the back to make it more fitting. I couldn't find a tie or scarf to work with, so I ended up buying a metre of chiffon and literally ripped off two strips to fashion my own raw edged pussy bow. One metre was too short, so one length went around my neck, the other was the bow, tied over the knot. I was very happy with the result! I love these recent rock n roll pussy bow celeb looks, below.

Kate

Alexa Chung

Kate Moss for Gucci 2014

Laura Bailey

Daisy Lowe

I've been meaning to check out Gucci's new designer's latest show, Fall 2015. And what do I belatedly see? Pussy bows galore! Then perusing more Fall and Spring shows and the latest editorials online, I see pussy bow shirts everywhere, from Roberto Cavalli and Emilio Pucci to Chanel and of course Saint Laurent. I'm loving it! No longer the bastion of your 70's school ma'am, I have long loved a pussy bow to add a bit of sass to a suited look. Leave your top buttons undone and gaping open for a sexy décolletage baring peephole. Let the ties hang loose for casual rock chick chic. Fashion into a tie for an androgynous look. Do a big plump bow for a dash of drama. Check some of my faves in the latest collections and editorials below.

Roberto Cavalli Pre Fall 2015

Roberto Cavalli Fall 2015

Daphne Groeneveld for Vogue Russia, August 2015

Bottega Veneta Fall 2015

Chanel Fall 2015

Orla Keily Fall 2015

Emilio Pucci Fall 2015

DSqaured2 Fall 2015

Gucci dress, Glamour August 2015

Alexa Chung, Harper's Bazaar August UK 2015, AG Jeans shirt

Chanel dress, Tatler UK, August 2015

Gucci Fall 2015

Gucci Campaign Fall 2015

Gucci Resort 2016

Georgine dress, FGR

Armani dress, Tatler UK September 2015

Cavalli, ELLE Germany, September 2015

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Another smokey eye nude look

Antonia Prebble as Rita West, Westside

The gorgeous Antonia Prebble plays Rita West in Westside, the Outrageous Fortune prequel (a brilliant Kiwi show, whose cast includes Banshee's Antony Starr and Ugly Betty's Grant Bowler). As you know, I loooove a smokey eye and nude lip look! Rita is my latest beauty inspo. This article outlines how to get Rita's look. "Maya Bailey, hair and makeup designer for Westside says she wanted Rita's look to reflect her character - "very sensual, strong minded and a little dark"." It's all about the blunt fringe and the eyes for me.

"EYES

This is the real powerhouse of Rita's look, and what grabbed our attention in the first place.

Wanting to keep it as clean and sharp as the rest of the look, Bailey started with the same concealer she used on Prebble's cheeks as a base. You could also use a cream eyeshadow in a shade close to your skintone - work with what you have.

She then worked gold and bronze eyeshadows across the upper lid, focussing right down by the lashline. We used a mix of Chopper and Half Baked from Urban Decay's Naked 2 pallete (AUD$75.20 from Beauty Bay), but anything along those lines will work. That's another thing we love about this look - it doesn't rely on any products we didn't already have an equivalent of. Good stuff.

For Rita's signature cat eye, Bailey started with a liquid liner on the top lash line, extended out into a wing. We love Stila's Stay All Day pen liner (AUD$24.60 from Beauty Bay), but stick with what you know here. Getting a pair of clean, reasonably symmetrical eyeliner flicks is hard enough without getting your head around a new product.

LIPS

Bailey says she imagined Rita had formed her makeup identity in the late 60s, which means a nude lip for sure. In keeping with the limited colour pallette, you want to go for a creamy lipstick that works on you.

If you don't already have a favourite, try Maybelline's Colour Sensational nudes. They're $21.99 at Farmers, and they have a good colour range, so you'll be able to find one that doesn't wash you out like a nude lip sometimes can.

With that all done, tease your hair, chuck on a mini skirt, and try to convince your hairdresser to cut you a blunt fringe (ours refused). You're now ready to bury some gold in the backyard, dob the neighbour in for selling pot and support your partner through a prison sentence. Perfect."