Style File: Fashion Abroad

Following from all the many flamboyant events that the fashion industry indulgies in but 1000 times a year, trends got me thinking MIA....especially how some trends transcend international borders, while others are self contained.

Here in London, UK, bold colours, head-to-toe pastels, stripes, and ladylike silhouettes are on the forefront of fashion.

What are the major trends in your country or hometown?

So to kick of this new week on a foremost fashion foot....snap a photo of an outfit that exemplifies your local trends and upload/submit it to this post (bellow! )
I am forever intregued and can’t wait to see your photos!

Happy Working!

Saskia XO

Friday Favourites!

Happy Friday everyone! Can you believe that we are already more than a week into March? Time flies doesn’t it? Anyway, these are a few of my favourite things from the past week. Let me know what you think about them in the comments below…


Favourite Trick:





Favourite Way to Recall a Memory:





Favourite Laugh:





Favourite Quote:



Favourite Hair Style:





Favourite Thought:







Have an amazing weekend!

Saskia XO

The Beauty Department's First Bday!

Can you believe that the one, the only www.thebeautydepartment.com is about to celebrate their very first birthday?! It's unimaginally crazy that the website, which has had so much success has only been open to viewers for merely 365 days :O


So in honour of turning the big OH ONE, they really wanted to figure out a way to celebrate with us lovelies since we’ve made TBD feel like such a success ;) As their audience is so vast with languages also, this is what they came up with:


" On April 19th (their birthday) we’re going to select 5 winners at random who will be invited + scheduled in for a DAY OF VIRTUAL BEAUTY SCHOOL with us via Skype! We’re going to put you and + a friend of your choice through hair, makeup + manicure class with us! This will be your chance to learn, ask questions, discuss your hair/makeup/skin issues, and hopefully learn to conquer any beauty battles you might have. Got a pretty picture of a hairstyle you’ve always wanted to learn? That can be covered too! "

YES! Your eyes have not decieved you....

 Here’s how you enter:

1. Follow TBD on Twitter or Like TBD on Facebook
2. Email them four things: your name, your friend’s name, a valid return email address, and your physical address for verification purposes. Send your entry to CC@thebeautydepartment.com
3. And....cross your fingers!

It is reported that once their randommly selected winners are chosen and verified (as either TBD facebook fans or twitter followers), they will be contacted via email, asked to download Skype for free, and scheduled in for a class.


Good luck friends! I can’t wait to see who wins!! Let the battlet begin.......NOW!


P.S. For complete contest rules and regulations, click HERE!


Saskia XO

What Really goes on behind the scenes at Fashion Weeks?

A couple weeks ago, Team LC.com took to the streets of NYC for the nation’s biggest fashion extravaganza: New York Fashion Week! Their mission? Spot the best trends in fashion and beauty for Fall 2012 to share with all of us. But, before I show you what styles will be making a splash come fall (we haven’t even hit spring yet people!), I thought it would be fun to show you what happens behind the runway first… Here’s a photo recap leading up to the Hervé Léger by Max Azria fall 2012 ready-to-wear show. (Fun fact: Max Azria is the same brilliant designer behind BCBG!) I hope you like it!


The day before the big runway show, the designer rounds up a few models and their beauty pros to figure out the perfect hair and makeup to accompany the clothing. This is called a “hair and makeup test.”

I can imagine my jaw subconsciously dropping if I had the honour to arrive to the sights of this. The room was filled with statuesque models, an endless sea of beauty products and hair tools as far as the eye could see. Heaven!

Brushes, brushes and more brushes!

During the makeup test, pros try out different hairstyles and makeup looks on a few models. Once a “test look” is complete, the designer comes in and inspects. They either give it the green light or they ask to see more options.

Keep in mind, the hair and makeup that’s agreed upon has to be worn by every model that has been cast to walk in the show. So “the look” has to be versatile.

Each time the pros finish another hair and makeup look, the model goes into “styling” where the designer checks to see if the hair and makeup work with the clothes. (As you can see, no cameras allowed!)

Finally, a hair and makeup look is selected…and I totally love it! The bold brows, barely-there makeup and blunt ponytail look stunning:

And you guys know that I am undoubtedly, a big fan of the fresh-face. It's bang on trend plus transforms the natural face to existing wonders! (look here at LC.com…) 

The next day, it’s time for the show. Before the models hit the runway, they head backstage to get made up and dressed. When the stylists arrived, backstage was buzzing with blow dryers and flat irons while makeup artists worked meticulously on each face. Basically, it must have been fashion mayhem!

And you’d be surprised what you find backstage…such as tables full of hair extensions:

And shoes:

And plenty of ammo for emergencies (I love the “back up” harness, don’t you?):

Finally, once the models are in full hair and makeup, they get dressed and hit the runway!


The final product? Perfection.

Did you check out any of the fall 2012 shows? If so, which one was your favourite?

Saskia XO

PFW: Jean -Paul Gautier- The Rebel Remains

Get all the gossip on the hoedown throwdown of Jean-Paul Gaultier's PFW show: 

He has been in this game for 35 years, national treasure of France, one of the real characters of the fashion industry, forever associated with breton stripe sweaters and always relied upon for a dose of high-octane fun.

• 

Jean Paul Gaultier AW12

Photo by Imaxtree

His show at Paris Fashion Week commands a tightly edited guest list and a stellar model line-up. This time walking with Karlie Kloss and Lindsay Wixson was Andrej Pejic, the perfectly cast face of Gaultier's new men's fragrance, Kokorico.

Autumn winter 2012 gives us the rebel we expect from him: a hybrid vision of 70s and 80s New York with a tin foil stage, a caution yellow invitation and Velvet Underground blaring out from an imagined ghetto-blaster somewhere beyond.

She wears black leather - a lot of it - with button-backed pencil skirts and batwing dresses with elasticated edging, topped with voluminous bright orange blanket coats. Graffiti print is daubed on to tuxedo jackets and skirts, the paintwork dripping towards the waister belts and wedge heels.

Blousons with drawstring hems come in metallic orange - no muted autumnal shades here, thank you very much - and parachute trains flow from velvet spray-on mini-dresses.

With wet-look hair and roots pasted in contrasting colours of black, red and orange, the JPG rebel remains, her spirit undiluted and in a handy bottle size.

For the full collection click here

Saskia XO

The Oscars Best- Dressed List

What did you think about the Academy Awards on Sunday? While I love movies, I always find myself most enthralled with what happens on the red carpet: Fashion! Below is my list of the 10 best-dressed ladies at the awards…

1. Kristin Wiig in J. Mendel

2. Gwyneth Paltrow in Tom Ford

3. Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton

4. Rooney Mara in Givenchy

5. Cameron Diaz in Gucci

6. Bernice Bejo in Elie Saab

7. Milla Jovovich in Elie Saab

8. Octavia Spencer in Tadashi Shoji

9. Kate Mara in Jack Guisso

                                      

10. And last but not least, Miss Piggy!

Who do you think was best dressed? I think my favourite is a tie between Kristin Wiig and Michelle Williams... 

Saskia XO

Friday Favourites!

Yes bloggers....rejoice because it's friday! I hope that you have all had an incredible week! As usual here is just a flavour on the lowdown of my past week; neutral pastel tones and warmth of the beginning of Spring.


Favourite Fantasy Room:





Favourite Quote:

Favourite momentum to best interpret English Literature:




 Favourite Gift:

Favourite Nail Paint:

Favourite childhood occurance:

TGIF! What are your favourites from the past week?

Saskia XO