Make Do And Mend

This weekend has been very productive for me.

On Saturday I ran all the errands I've been promising myself I'll do for the past few weeks.
I took my Grandmother's white gold, diamond and emerald ring (which I wear all the time) to get polished and cleaned. I really want to preserve it's beauty as it really does mean alot to me, other than that, it is a lovely piece to wear and has become something people recognise me by.

I also took a pair of black, suede, knee-high, heeled boots to be re-heeled. As you probably know by now, I am a great believer of repairing quality, investment items, rather than buying cheaply and throwing something away when it breaks/rips. The new generation of throw-away fashion is really not something I would promote. However, for the fashionistas on a budget, it is certainly a bit of a revelation.

Especially in times of recession , I think it's important to look what you already have in your wardrobe, discover retro or vintage items that you haven't worn in years and take the damaged items to the seamstress. Don't just disregard them as ''has beens'' or not worth fixing, they are! You just need to make the effort to do it. You never know, you might find something that you haven't seen in years and realise that it's now current and really wearable. You might not need to spend so much on clothes this winter. Music to your ears, no? With Christmas imminent we can all benefit from tightening our purse strings.

I also bought a plain black, stretch, mini-skirt from Zara. It fits really well and will go with so many things. (No, still no blazer...) It's really simple but I think it's going to be very useful this winter and then continue on into spring. I plan to wear it with t-shirts and cardigans or jumpers, with tights and flats or my newly heeled boots. It can be dressed up or down so I can see it becoming a new favourite. (Photos to follow later today)

So that was just a quick update on my fashion antics this weekend. I am still working on my portfolio to send to University so hopefully when it's complete I will post some photos from it. Also, I'm working on an article called ''5 minutes with 5 fashion designers'' in which I will interviews five recent fashion graduates. Watch this space on that one! I'm hoping to post the article on here too so that'll be up by the end of the week. Also, in the coming fortnight I plan to post a Christmas gift blog to help give you ideas on what to give people this year.

Lots of things going on on Maria's Ga Ga at the moment so remember to check back every couple of days!

Lots of Loveness,
Maria
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Party Make-Up - Inspired by the Catwalk

Maria's Ga Ga puts the fashion to the side for a moment and does beauty!

My first beauty blog post - hope you like it!

I've been inspired by this season catwalks and thought I'd share with you the make-up looks they were channeling so you can experiment with them this party season.

The Big Five

Chanel - Pale faced with only a hint of pink on cheeks and lips (to avoid from looking like a zombie!), lashings of mascara - top and bottom, black eyeliner on only the bottom eye lids and outer corners and some glitter or diamontes if you're feeling daring enough.

Chloe - Bronzed skin with highlighted cheek bones, brown, shimmery eye shadow smudged around the eye and extended towards the hairline, dark brown eyeliner to define the eyes and a flick of mascara to top it off!

Louis Vuitton - Simple face with a flick of black eye liner and lots of mascara (team with a Joan Collins-style hair do if you dare!)


DSquared2 - A bit messier than the rest, smudge black and grey metalic eye shadow around the whole of the eye and add some black kohl eyeliner to define.

Balmain - Pale (but flawless -if you are a model -for the rest of us, concealer and highlighter work wonders! I particularly recommend Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat but for the recessionistas out there, L'oreal Touche Magique is great too. A soft, skin tone colour eye shadow swiped around the eyes and mascara wiggled into the lash roots.

Let me know if any of you try them out and what you think of them!

Loveness,
Maria

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PS/ Don't forget the Vaseline! My beauty secret that does absolutely everything!

Parisian Chic

I was reading an article in a fashion magazine earlier today, and came accross this designer - Isabel Marant. She is a fashion designer from Paris who is quintessentially Parisian in style. Her label has been around for 15 years but she has been kept a secret by the French - until now.

Have you ever wondered how the gorgeous women of Paris manage to look effortlessly chic and preened? Well Isabel Marant is (or was!) their secret.

Her pieces really fit into the fashions at the moment, and I think this is why people have started to take notice. Her style is very recognisable with tailored jackets, fitted skirts and simple lines but every collection she brings up to date with different prints, fabrics and details.

One reason that makes her so desirable is that you can't buy her collections just anywhere (They are only available at Liberty and Start London in England). Also, the fact that the clothes are great fitting and can slot into your current wardrobe easily. These aren't complicated garments, just elegantly beautiful.

Loveness,

Maria

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Birthday Wishes and the Ultimate Betrayal

So I did it, I bought the UGG's. Oh I know I'm a traitor after vowing never to buy them a couple of years ago but I just couldn't resist it and apart from the fact of my extreme lack of Winter footwear, they are very warm and cosy. And I got them for a snip at £70 off Ebay, the new Bailey Button style, so considering I got them at less than half price (they retail at about £160) I think I did quite well! Still haven't quite got round to buying that blazor though...

It was my 18th birthday this past Saturday and I celebrated over the extended weekend! My boyfriend surprised me last Wednesday by flying over from London for a few days. It was all a big secret - that aparently quite a few people were in on! - and I honestly had no idea. Was a shock to see him walk in my room but the best gift ever.

I had some friends round on Saturday evening for dinner and drinks and recieved some really lovely presents including a Swarovski necklace and bracelet and honey pot from ''Winnie the Pooh''. Also some lovely champagne glasses,Versace perfume, body butter from Sephora and a very sweet personalised charm bracelet. I had alot of fun and it was so lovely to have my family and friends around me to celebrate with.

Well that's enough of my birthday now and let's get down to some fashion.

Our current project at college is to design and make an outfit that would fit into this seasons lines. Naturally, I've designed underwear - to try out ideas for my final collection. I've designed a wire-less bra and knickers. I wanted them to be quick simple, nothing fancy, that one could wear whilst relaxing at home. It's a white cotton top with Broderie Anglais trimming and navy ribbon detail and white cotton knickers with the same trimming, some gathering and a navy ribbon tie on one side. I think it fits in with the nautical colours au jord hui but also the ''prairie girl'' look with the patterns details.

Also! Don't forget to have a look at my video blogs on YouTube -
www.youtube.com/MissVicheraDiaries

Loveness,
Maria
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Pigeons & Peacocks

I just got sent an email saying that my application to be put on the London College of Fashion's magazine 'Pigeons & Peacocks' website has been accepted! I have been put under 'Reader's Blogs' so if you follow this link ->

http://www.fashion.arts.ac.uk/pigeonsandpeacocks/

and scroll down to the bottom (or search 'Maria'), you will see 'Maria's GaGa'!

Check it out!

Loveness,
Maria
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Current Season

Today, we did a shop report for this weeks project at college. A shop report is basically explained as this: you choose a shop or a few shops, go in and look at things, feel things, look at what the prices are like, the type of people shopping there, basically take in as much a mentally possible, and (because copying direct from a shop is illegal) you can't take notes or photos or sketch in a shop. So when you can't absorb any more information you go outside, or hide in the toilets and note down, sketch, do whatever you can to get down on paper what you can remember. It's used by companies and designers to compare competition and generally look at what's happening in fashion.

We spent five hours trawling round all of the shops in the shopping centre, briefly being followed by a security guard and being asked a few times what exactly we were doing.

It was really interesting to visuallise what is really going on at the moment for A/W 09.

The general consensus I got was that sequins, studs and embelishment in general is BIG right now. Nearly nothing didn't have some sort of detail on it. Also, zips, ruffles, frills, lace were repeatedly on show (occasionally even combined in the same garment). All different types of prints - paisley, floral, striped, was very aparent and the military/sailor style is still around. Tailoring is always in fashion and something that fits your body really well will last decades. Talking about fitting well, body-con dresses were everywhere but when you actually get to see real Herve Leger dresses (as I did today in BCBG) nothing from the high street honestly compares. The real deal are stunning and the material feels like it would wrap around your body and give it a hug in all the right places. The colours were generally rich burgundys and greens with different style sleeves (one sleeve, off the shoulder) but in any case, beautiful in their entirity and I wish I could afford one of my own!

The colours au jord hui were deep, earthy reds, greens, browns. Black is always used but purples and emeralds, jewel colours in general were also around.

Accessories are always important but I think because of all the embelishment around at the moment, they have got more eye catching, interesting and more independent as an item in themselves, rather than just an addition to your outfit. People are now picking the bag/necklace/bracelet first, and then choosing the outfit to go with it, rather than it previously been done the other way around.

So I think that's about all for my conclusion of what I found today. I hope you've found it interesting and now are more aware of what your shopping for. Is it a unique, hand-made, embelished piece? Or is it a generic sequined tank top that thousands of girls will be wearing?

I will leave you with that rhetorical question...

Loveness,

Maria

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Going Global

I've now started a Facebook page for all my lovely readers-

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4336128&id=506240408#/group.php?gid=165496631478&v=wall&ref=nf

Please join it so you can keep up to date on all things Ga Ga and spread the word about my blog :)

Loveness,
Maria
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