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Welp. With less than two weeks to go until the holiday zero hour, I haven't really had a moment to even think about how I'm going to approach things this year. As much as I'm a person who doesn't spend a lot of time thinking or worrying about holiday gifts, I confess to absolutely loving putting together gift guides and wish lists. To me there is something really luxurious about curating collections and organising all of the shiny, pretty things the fashion/fantasy part of your brain is tickled by. So in the spirit of the season (and shiny pretty things), I'm sharing my 2022 gift lists from LTK with you. If you're unfamiliar, LTK is a shopping app and blogger affiliate program that enables you to create clickable content. I have been with them a long time, well over a decade now, but until recently I only really used select features that I felt worked within my niche. This last few months I have discovered that, much to my delight, they have streamlined their platform considerably since I originally was invited to join, and they've made it much more accessible for the customer. As a free shopping and inspiration platform, this newest permutation of LTK is simply fantastic. It isn't social media per se (although one can certainly link to social media from it), so as a shopper you aren't sharing your finds with the world or automatically signed up for a community you didn't choose. Nobody sees the things you are browsing, and you aren't obligated to interact with anyone. LTK has simply evolved into a tool that provides personal style inspiration from real human beings and helps you locate the things you see online that speak to you. As a blogger who deals a lot in one of a kind secondhand and vintage merch, I appreciate the direction that they've taken with this platform, as I find it is more inclusive for those of us who most of the time deal mainly in vintage, handmade, and secondhand picks. The platform is invaluable in helping me source similar items for you if something I am showcasing is out of production or one of a kind. So if you have ever found yourself curious about a piece you see online and you aren't using the LTK app, go check it out! And please give me, and any of the millions of other creators you'll encounter that might speak to you, a follow! Having said all that, these gift guides all contain mostly new things that are available right now, this holiday season. Many of these shops are USA-based, but most (bit not all) offer international shipping. To make the most of these gift guides, hover over the individual gift items for more info, or click the button below each guide to see the whole capsule collection on LTK. A word to those of us in the UK enduring the ongoing postal strikes that are happening throughout the country; things we order online may or may not make it to us in time for the holiday, but I'm taking the approach that this year we are experiencing the "extended dance version" of the holidays (and then some). I sort of like the idea of a gift arriving in February when you least expect it. A little something to look forward to as the winter months seemingly drag on endlessly. If you want to learn more about the different ways you can use LTK to shop and get inspiration, check out this video by YouTuber Marnie Goldberg. She does an excellent job of highlighting all the most current features. Happy gift shopping, and happy holidays fashionistas! Get Inspired with LTK Gift Shopping Lists

I was in Glasgow last week, and visited some of the high street shops for the first time in a very long time. Being a dedicated vintage and thrift store shopper, It is a rare occasion that I will purchase something off the rack for myself if I can find a more sustainable option, and quite frankly, I quite enjoy the hunt of the thrift. Usually I save engaging in brick and mortar retail for when I am looking for something specific, or I really want to try before I buy, which is easier said than done these days with the state of retail being what it is. I ultimately did not find what I was looking for in the city, but instead I did find my long-dormant sense of enthusiasm for going into a shop and trying-on shiny, colourful, impractically wild clothing just for the sheer fun of it. There is absolute joy to be had in allowing yourself an unstructured afternoon of just grabbing the shiniest, craziest, most impractical pieces that speak to you and trying them on, just because you can. It's a simple exercise; you simply say yes to every piece that you are drawn to. That's it. Trust your initial instincts, and no talking yourself out of it. No "where am I ever going to wear this" or "is this too young for me" self-talk, just go try it on because it's fun. All the times I've ever done this, I've come away having learned something about things that I previously thought weren't for me. And yes... I came away with something I never set out to buy and do not necessarily need. Because it is fun. If like me, you suffer from occasional sartorial impulse control, do what I do and browse mainly the sale items. Below are some highlights from my "accidental sale shopping day of yes", complete with fit notes, and of course product links in case if any of you are interested in trying these items. To link, simply hover over the image on the far right to get the details, or find it in the widget below. Wild Clothing Piece No. 1: A Bright Velvet Jumpsuit Fit Notes: This Brit jumpsuit certainly fit my aim to try on all things fun, impractical, and uplifting. Unfortunately when I tried it on, having pulled it out of a messy sale pile with no guidance, I thought the neckline was supposed to be a halter style and not the keyhole style it is meant to me, and that interpretation altered the fit considerably - not in my favor. I cost me length in the body of the garment, an area where I need all I can get. I think this would have looked pretty cool had I actually tied it correctly, but even so, if you're long waisted and/or tall like me, this one may cause you to feel you have to make a choice between a proper fit in the "crotchal region" and the amount of décolletage you're comfortable showing. But it's a great 70s vibe though, and if you're going out on New Year's Eve...just sayin'. Wild Clothing Piece No. 2: Another Velvet Jumpsuit Fit Notes: I loved this jumpsuit, and I would be lying if I didn't confess to having it sitting in my virtual shopping cart as we speak while I try and justify it. Long waisted and tall gals, this one will probably work for you because it has adjustable spaghetti straps, so you can put it right where you want it. That said, I did size up to an XL (I wear a US 10, and I'm 5'10"), which is something I always do with jumpsuits on account of my long-waistedness. These are both the available colours, which I had (okay, am having) a hard time choosing which I like more. Wild Clothing Piece No. 3: A Zebra Blazer Fit Notes: This is just an easy, fun, one-and-done statement piece. While this blazer is not particularly good quality and is not lined, the pattern, slight glint to the double knit fabric, and sharp angles are pretty forgiving. This piece has a kind of oversized, 90s vibe about it that spoke to me, and it's definitely the kind of thing you can just throw on and not have to worry about. I'm wearing a medium here. Wild Clothing Piece No. 4: Loud Christmas Sweater Fit Notes: If you're a festive sweater person (sorry Brits, festive jumper person), as high street Christmas attire goes, this one is actually pretty decent quality. It's thick and has a nice sightly oversized, cozy shape to it. It's an acrylic blend, so you can wash it, and even though it literally screams when you enter a room, there's none of the ubiquitous seasonal bling attached, so you don't have to worry about it falling off or getting caught on something if you're going to store the jumper at the end of the season. I am wearing it in medium here. Wild Clothing Piece No. 5: Sequinned One Arm Dress Fit Notes: This dress fits well and is pretty lightweight for a sequin dress. I am generally a fan of sequins, but with this dress the sequins are a lot. If you're looking for something that will really catch the light, this will certainly do that. The ruched waist forgives a multitude of sins and you'll not get lost in the dark. Personally I felt a bit like a baked jacket potato dressed as the Statue of Liberty. I'm not entirely sure that's a bad thing, just maybe not today. Wild Clothing Piece No. 6: Flare Sleeve Print Dress Fit Notes: This knit patterned midi dress with an open back and bell sleeves was absolutely fantastic, so naturally it was the one piece I tried on that not only was the only of its kind in the clearance section on the shop floor, it appears to be completely sold out online. This dress is a perfect example of how trying that thing on that speaks to you and ignoring the little naysaying voice in your head ends up working in your favor. I was drawn to the print of this dress, but initially put it back, telling myself that it was a body conscious fit and just another thing to have to think about if I were wearing it. However, I quickly realized I was breaking my own rules of the day and threw it in the try on pile anyway. I am very glad I did. Of all the things I tried on that afternoon, this one I knew instantly was coming home with me. While I was unable to turn this dress up online, you may still be able to find it on the floor of your local H&M in one of the clearance sections.

Bright post-yuletide blessings to you, astute readers! Let's just jump right in with some over 50 budget skincare talk. If like me, you're anywhere near the vicinity of the 50+ Club, you'll already know that as we get older, skincare plays a more important role than it did in our younger days, when we'd roll in after a 90s night out and faceplant into a pillow coated with Aussie Scrunch Spray residue, our black kohl eyeliner still intact. Yes, I need to do a bit more due diligence these days, to put it mildly. However, I also take issue with marketing that pushes the narrative that the only way to achieve your best, most glowing complexion when you've reached middle age is to spend a fortune on super high-end products. While I certainly do have a list of high end products I'd love to take for a spin (don't we all), these days there are a ton of really good products available both online and in your local drugstore that will help you keep your glow on, and not make you feel like you need to choose between your skincare routine and selling an organ on the dark web to pay for it. Great news for those of us who are budget conscious...and right now, that's pretty much all of us, isn't it? PRODUCT UPDATES 19 JUNE 2023 My Current Over 50 Budget Skincare Rotation Here's a look at some of my favourite budget skincare products from my skincare cabinet of curiosities, with links for any of you who want to give any of these products a whirl. I tend to alternate these products, picking and choosing what feels right on any given day. While I am not being paid by any of these brands for my review of these products, there are a few affiliate links scattered throughout this post. 1. Revolution 5% Caffeine and Hyaluronic Acid Revitalising Under Eye Serum This simple under eye serum is a lightweight formulation that soaks right in to the skin. I use it on freshly showered skin underneath any other products or makeup I might use that day (including a more moisturising eye cream if I need it), and it really does work to help combat any under eye puffiness. I also use it once in a while throughout the day just to refresh the eye area if I feel I need it. This is an absolute steal at £6 ($7.40) at Revolution Beauty (ships internationally). 2. Good Molecules Daily Brightening Serum This is a nice brightening serum that is beta arbutin-based. Unlike many brightening formulas that are niacinamide-based, beta arbutin is gentle on the skin and I don't feel any suggestion of irritation from this serum. What I like best about this serum is that unlike many other serums I've tried, this one does not leave any film behind that then peels off under other products, so I can use this serum as a sneaky layer under another moisturiser or foundation without worrying about turning into that face-peeling guy in that scene from Poltergeist (very GenX reference, I know). This serum is $13.20 on Amazon US (ships to the UK). 3. Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating Treatment This is a simple 10% solution of alpha and beta hydroxy acids in a lightweight, clear serum formulation that leaves my skin soft, supple and exfoliated when I wake up. I like to alternate this product with other overnight products during the week. I feel like this serum really makes my skin into a smooth canvas and leaves it looking and feeling more even and toned. $11.79 on Amazon US (ships to the UK). 4. Superdrug Optimum Vitamin C Moisturiser (discontinued) I bought this moisturizer at a time when I had run out of daily moisturiser and needed something on the quick. I am partial to vitamin C products because I like the glow they impart. This moisturizer has both vitamin C and niacinimide in it, and it does impart a very subtle glow to my skin. However, this formula is very lightweight, and I find that a lot of the time, I need to add my ceramide moisturiser on top to get enough lasting hydration. However, I would not hesitate to purchase this again - at £7.49 for 50 ml, it's a handy bargain product, and nice to have in the arsenal. Another plus - the packaging is actually appropriate for a product that boasts ingredients that can destabilize when exposed to oxygen and light. I'm always shocked at how many brands are selling us creams in jars that claim to have ingredients in them (like retinols and vitamin C) that oxidize and destabilize when air and light is introduced. Superdrug products are UK and Ireland only (sorry fellow Americans). UPDATE JUNE 19: I think the Derma-E Vitamin C Renewing Moisturizer is actually a better product than the Superdrug, and available in the USA! 5. Superdrug Optimum Retinol Serum This product definitely got my attention the very first time I used it. The formula is lightweight but moisturising, layers well under moisturizer, and after just one night (yes, I use this one at night) my skin felt softer and looked more even and bright. In addition to 0.4% retinyl palmitate, this serum also boasts brightening niacinimide, as well as skin-calming herbs green seaweed, tulsi, and lady's thistle. This is a very elegant product for the £7.49 price tag, and I will be repurchasing this one when I run out (UK and Ireland only). UPDATE JUNE 19: You can't go wrong with this 1% retinol serum in squalane from The Ordinary. Again, with 20/20 hindsight, this is the much better product. 6. The Ordinary Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2% Serum This is a more intense vitamin C and alpha arbutin brightening serum. This formula is a water-free direct vitamin C pigment corrector that goes on with a bit of an oily finish, but eventually soaks into the skin. I use it as a part of my nighttime rotation. This formula has the potential to be a bit more irritating, so those with sensitive skin may need to build up to it. I quite like this serum, and find that it's a real workhorse that lasts quite a while. To that end, it is actually sort of challenging for me to use this product within the 6 month time frame that The Ordinary gives it before the ingredients begin to destabilize. However, The $12 price tag is an absolute bargain for something that is this potent, and better yet, it ships internationally. 7. The Ordinary Niacinimide 10% +Zinc 1% Serum This is another brightening serum from The Ordinary, this time with a very high concentration of niacinimide in a water-based formulation. This is my second bottle of this niacinimide serum, and I really like the effects I get from it when I use it regularly. This serum however does leave a film on the skin, and like it directs you on the product page you have to apply it to clean skin, then "seal" it with some sort of moisturizer. I only use this at night, because I find that depending on what you might use over this serum, it does have a tendency to peel a bit, although it may be my heavy-handedness that causes this. This serum definitely brightens, enhances glow, and for me even helps heal any breakouts threatening to erupt. This serum is $12 and ships internationally. 8. No 7 Hydra Luminous Water Surge Gel This is a great hyaluronic acid moisturiser with a bit of staying power and an elegant, highly absorptive formula. This gel cream doesn't leave a film and leaves my skin soft and supple. It does have scent in it, so those who are sensitive may find it too much. Normally, No. 7 product lines do offer many fragrance free options, but unfortunately I did not see a fragrance-free option for this particular product on their website. Another downside to this product is the jar packaging, meaning you either have to dip your fingers in the product (repeatedly, for however long it takes you to use up the jar), or use some sort of clean implement to scoop out the product (annoying). However, if you are not fragrance sensitive and want a good hyaluronic acid moisturiser that will absorb quickly, leave your skin soft, and work well under makeup, this is a good one. $17.99 / £14.95 (Ships to US & UK) 9. Revolution Skincare Ceremides Moisture Lotion This is one of my absolute favourite bargain workhorse products. This ceramide lotion is lightweight but moisturising, fragrance free, and has a zillion different uses. I have a large bottle of this lotion both at my house in Scotland and another in Florida, and I use it on my entire face, neck, chest, under eyes...pretty much anywhere. Ceremides are an important player in the natural protective barrier of your skin, and also play well with other ingredients, so this lotion is an excellent pairing with just about anything you see fit to pair it with. I often use this throughout the day if I need a refresh as well as in my pre-makeup skincare routine. £9 / $10.80 at Revolution Beauty.

Back in the early pandemic days (around 2020) when 90s era trends started popping-up absoutely everywhere in the fashion world, I figured it would play out like most fashion trends. I figured we'd get a season or two out of it then move on, our attention having been captured by the next shiny thing to cross our paths. Yet here we are a full three years later, and every style season seems to lead with more 90s era trends. I was just entering my 20s in the 90s, so I am absolutely thrilled by the increasingly evergreen nature of this trend; it feels like having your youth preserved in a sartorial pickle jar for all eternity. As a card-carrying member of the mid to late 1990s Seattle GenX Angst Brigade, I never fully let go of a lot of this stuff to begin with, and I continue to stock a prolific amount of it in my online shops. Trust me when I tell you that nobody is more thrilled than I am at the enduring nature of 1990s Version 2.0. Want to get the look (again?) This time around we're even more spoiled for choice than we were in the actual 1990s, but when you strip 90s looks right down to brass tacks, key themes emerge. Here are three tried and true, easy to wear classic 90s pieces you can add to your wardrobe right now with literally no fuss. You can click on the photos of individual pieces for more information. Easy 1990s Style Pieces for 2023 Chunky Loafers In any piece written about 1990s era style, there are two iconic items you simply must include if you are to be taken seriously; the chunky loafer and the Delia's catalog. Lucky for me, this is a homework assignment in which I can easily combine my efforts. This page from a late 90s Delia's catalog is emblematic not only of the chunky footwear of the era, but also of how we used to shop in the time when e-commerce was still a baby. Basically, the Delia's catalog is now a historical document of sorts, and when you compare it to the photograph below of chunky loafers that are available online in this very moment of 2023, it is clear that the Delia's catalog is a historical document that still retains its sartorial significance. In the years since the expansion of internet e-commerce sites, we have been blessed with more style options that we ever could have imagined when we sat at our kitchen tables paging through the Delia's catalog. Nowadays the "chunkiness factor" of a loafer offers options ranging from subtle to extreme, so you can choose a degree of chunkiness that suits your evolved 2023 tastes. Relaxed Jeans Ladies, I think we can all finally take a collective deep breath, and I mean that quite literally. It seems that 90s-era relaxed fit jeans are at long last edging-out skinny jeans in the fashion world, and I can't say that I'm sorry about it. Undoubtedly skinnies will always have a place tucked neatly inside my tall boots, but I can't help but feel a newfound enthusiasm (not to mention relief) for finally having a new silhouette to wear on the daily that doesn't pose the threat of needing a standing prescription for yeast infection meds. I've taken to wearing thrifted flat front mens jeans when I want that sort of 90s, masculine silhouette without the Mom jean waistline (I loathe ultra high waists on me), but if wearing preloved mens jeans isn't your vibe, there are plenty of other style options out there right now. A Statement Leather Jacket or Blazer In the 80s and 90s, leather jackets became quite the thing. They were marketed to us as a perfect blend of luxury and coolness. If on any given day, you left the house without your obligatory leather jacket over whatever you had on, it left you feeling off balance and beige. I remember a 90s Seattle roommate of mine who was gifted this oversized insulated Wilsons leather jacket with a hood (!?) by a guy she had just started dating, and whom she was still sort of unsure about. I remember watching the poor guy struggling up our front stairs with this massive heavy black leather jacket (she was a petite flower) and thinking to myself "whoa dude...a leather jacket...that's like, serious. You're really putting yourself out there!" At the time I wasn't sure if the gift of this jacket was good or bad, it was just...a lot. To this day when I'm thrifting and I see one of those massive, ridiculously heavy 90s era leather jackets with a hood, I think of that poor guy, whose inability to read the room cost him the price of that gigantic jacket, as well as his heart. This time, the similarities of the offerings between the 90s and now are striking. If you're lucky enough to still have some 90s leather pieces in your cache, nows the time to roll them out!

Okay, technically it's four easy pieces if you're gonna count the earrings (which to be fair, are awesome), but however you want to count it, I love how much easier things get when the weather warms up and the sun comes out. It's easier to get dressed, it's easier to pack a suitcase for a trip and have leftover space...there are a lot fewer moving parts involved when you don't have to factor-in inclement weather and insulating layers. That said, the challenge with warm weather dressing lies in taking a lot less clothing and cultivating something interesting without all the opportunities for layering and chunky textures and heavy denim and funky tights and any other thing that even thinking about in summer makes you break into an immediate sweat. Cultivating an easy and simple summertime look is all about finding what I like to think of as a good base piece, and building from there. Once you've got your base piece sussed, add a minimal number of accessories that have character without being overly fussy, et voilà. A Sleeveless Sweatshirt Dress This little sweatshirt dress from Zara is my chosen base piece, borrowed from my eBay shop. It's a perfect casual summer piece for creating a simple summer look that is completely fuss-free. It's soft and insanely comfortable (like, pajama comfortable) but lightweight enough to wear in the warmer weather. You can dress it up or down by simply changing-out accessories and footwear. The dress has just enough shape to look intentional, but it's a soft and casual enough fabric to have a dressed-down vibe that is essentially a blank slate. A Pair of Cool Sneakers I had originally reached for a pair of heeled sandals to go with this dress, but caught myself; this was intended to be a casual, knocking-around town look, and heels are really the last thing I'm reaching for if I'm trying to achieve a casual summer vibe. Hence the Converse sneakers. An Athletics-Inspired Bag & Star Hoop Earrings to Complete Your Simple Summertime Look GenX, who amongst us would have thought that we would all be enthusiastically wearing "fanny packs" again? Certainly not me, but such is the way with the fashion boomerang; it always eventually comes back around. The hip bag pictured is vintage, but made by Herschel who make the most amazing backpacks and other chic utilitarian bags (and who are incidentally not paying me to say this but seriously, go look at their offerings- you're going to want all of their bags). You can still buy very similar hip bags on their website. The earrings (let's call them piece number 3.5) are a pair I found on a sale rack at TJ Maxx. I just had to have them. They are essentially dressed-up hoops and are part urban vibe, part glam, and they just sort of ooze fun. We should all be always looking for opportunities make things more fun, right? Find this post and others on the following blogger link-ups: Away from the Blue, Amy's Creative Pursuits

Like everyone else, I've been enjoying a pared-down pandemic beauty routine. Not that I really have a huge routine to begin with, but somehow even my minimalist ways seem too "done" for our current situation. This week I realized that nowadays, I only wear mascara when I have to go somewhere (which is basically to work and back), and I didn't even catch the fact that I no longer own a proper eyeliner pencil until I needed to make an audition video a few weeks ago. I still haven't gotten around to ordering a new one (I went with my last pair of 3/4 length false lashes instead, which worked quite well, actually). That said, I want to be very clear that I haven't completely jettisoned makeup, beauty routines, or fun little bells and whistles like the occasional fake lashes or a midnight inky-blue pedicure (my current toe status). No, I'm not throwing it all away...I'm just using everything I have now. Literally everything. Every bar of soap, every tube of lotion, I use everything until it's gone, and not just because not to do so means a trip to the store. Really, I think that focusing on our habits as modern humans is The Great Cosmic Lesson of this whole pandemic, for those who are willing to shut up, sit still for a minute and listen. The Universe is telling us in no uncertain terms that we need to change the way we live; from the way we treat the Earth as a resource to be exploited instead of a habitat to be preserved and honored, to our endless consumptive, toilet paper-hoarding consumerism. We cannot continue to exploit our world and each other like it is something we are owed. We need to become better stewards of our world, and of each other. To apply this, which all seems very high-concept, to one's beauty routine is actually pretty easy. Most of us have endless little tubes and jars of stuff lying around in our caches. Use them. You will be shocked at how much play you can get out of these things. It's a small thing that can have a big impact. During the last few months, I've completely stopped buying shower gel or pump-style hand soap in favor of bar soap. There simply is no need for all those plastic bottles, there are tons of soap choices on the market to suit your needs, and the bar variety lasts so much longer and literally leaves no trace once it's gone. That's the sort of stuff I'm talking about. Adjustments that are small, but because they're easy, will eventually lead to real change in the way you approach your own personal consumption. That said, in all my assessing and using and emptying-out of various products in my cache, a few have stood out. These are the quiet, stalwart products that are just somehow always there, at the back of the cabinet, ready to go, and they never let me down. They last a long time, they travel fairly well (not exactly a problem at the moment), and most importantly, they work. DHC Deep Cleansing Oil (US) / UK While I still usually lazily use bar soap when I'm in the shower, this DHC oil cleanser is remarkably effective at getting makeup off and leaving your face squeaky-clean without tightness. I use it at the end of the day when I wash my face, or before getting into the shower if I'm not feeling too lazy. It's not the cheapest, nor is it the most expensive, but one single pump is all you need. No fragrance other than the natural oils it is created with, and it does not leave your skin greasy or clogged. It's simple, effective, and it works. Marcelle City 24H Anti Pollution Day & Night Emulsion US & UK I know I've spoken about this lotion before back on the old platform, so I'm not going to repeat myself with a review of how it makes my skin feel and whatnot, which you can read in the archive if you like. What I will say is that when I'm looking to get ready in a pinch, and just need to put something on my face to give it a bit of moisture, this is my go-to. I'm on my third (fourth?) tube now. Supposedly it protects against environmental assaults, including blue light, and moisturizes for 24 hours. I've not actually put either of those claims through any serious or rigorous testing, because I don't really feel I need to. This lotion has a really nice finish that doubles as a primer, and it sort of blurs your pores. It's great for the fine lines in the undereye area, and I often use it to get my eyes ready for concealer...which reminds me... Becca Undereye Brightening Corrector This is one of the best brightening concealers I've used. I'd been dithering about with those wand-style "brightening" concealers like Touche Eclat, L'oreal Magi-Lumi, and Revlon Photoready, but I always found that they were thin (which I initially liked for spreadability and a natural finish) and didn't last. This concealer has managed to combine the moisturizing spreadability of the thinner-consistency wand concealers with the more opaque coverage of the cremes, and the result is a long-lasting, brightened look. This product also comes with its own setting powder, which I also happened to purchase at the time, and I think it is worth the investment. You need just a tiny amount, and the powder is milled so finely if never sinks into my fine lines. The concealer lasts all day, or all night if I'm on night shift. This product, in addition to the setting powder, also has a moisturizing base product that they sell to go on before the concealer and powder, but I just use my own moisturizer to achieve the same effect. I can wear this without any other makeup and it looks natural! This is certainly not an inexpensive concealer (however, it lasts and lasts), but once you try it you'll likely never go back. Not Your Mother's Blonde Moment Leave-In Conditioner (US) / UK Yes, it's true I'm not blonde, but I have gone through a few bottles of this stuff now, and I love it. It has a bit of a violet tint to it to prevent yellowing of blonde and silver hair, and it leaves my coarse, wavy hair really silky. I pretty much always need to put a leave-in product in my hair, even after an intensive conditioner, and this one is easy to get in there, smells lovely, and really keeps things tamed, even when I'm in the Florida heat (at least, that's how I remember it...goodness knows when we'll get to get back there again.) I find that when I have a bottle of this on hand, it really doesn't matter so much which shampoo or conditioner I use. I feel like this is one of my "safety net" products; it will always get my hair back to a manageable standard, no matter what I may have done or what products I've been experimenting with. That works pretty well when you've decided to use-up all of your aforementioned little trial-sized bottles in your beauty cache.

There she is again...disappointed at some perceived slight... making a scene...wanting to talk to the manager...phone cameras at the ready everyone...we've got a live one. If we've learned anything about our fellow human beings this last handful of years, it's that we're an impatient lot. As a society we've sort of lost our ability to work slowly at something, chipping away at it a little at a time while enjoying the journey, sound in the knowledge that the end result will be in service to some larger goal, whether that goal be for personal gain or for the greater good. We want everything at our disposal immediately, we want it right out of the box, delivered to our doorstep, ready to be of immediate service to whatever agenda we have. The fashion industry, specifically the fast fashion industry, is really no different in this respect. Fast fashion really reflects back to us quite accurately our impatient society, and perhaps now that so much of our experience with fashion has moved online, this phenomemon is likely going to grow legs. Mind you they will be long, impossibly slender legs that can rock a pair of white skinny jeans without a care in the world, but legs nonetheless. When we rush through life expecting this constant level of stimulation and immediacy, impatient to hit the next set of objectives that we're so sure is going to once and for all make our lives work, we miss a lot. We miss engaging in process. Ask anyone who has achieved a level of mastery at what he or she does about process, and you're not likely to get a one word, or even a one sentence answer. Process can be a months, even years-long affair in some cases. And you grow to enjoy it nearly as much as the end result. As a society of consumers, a vast majority of us no longer look at something like cultivating a wardrobe, or even just simply shopping for something as a process. We simply buy, discard, and buy some more. We may say we love to shop, but what really mean is that we love to consume. These past weeks I have been putting the finishing touches on the re-launch of one of my Etsy shops, and it has really got me thinking about marketing, consumption, and more specifically, the concept of hanger appeal. While obviously hanger appeal is an important and effective marketing tool, these days it seems to be strategically employed in the same manner as the placement of sugary supermarket cereals; placed on low shelves so that the eyes of children may feast upon them while their parents shop, inspiring spectacular meltdowns and rushed, desperate purchases. Fast fashion is literally the Fruit Loops and Cap'n Crunch of the sartorial world. It's a quick fix that may very well leave you feeling low after a very short time. It's that same instant gratification followed by a crash cycle by which we seem to live these days - the only thing that's different is the timeline. However it may seem, I'm not here to bash the fashion industry, or what we've become as a society (okay, maybe just a little on that last one). However, this week made me realize that after a lifetime of dedicated (okay, fine...compulsive) thrifting and sifting through pre-loved and vintage clothing, I've found that much to my delight, I have a process. In fact, not only do I have a process, I have a regular, systematic process I regularly employ when confronted with any piece of clothing that I'm contemplating. I might be drawn to a piece because of its hanger appeal, or perhaps because of its complete lack of it. Either way, my process is the same; I ask myself three important questions, and it helps me separate the hidden treasures from the dross. The Process of Looking Beyond Hanger Appeal: Three Revealing Questions Question One: Does this garment have good bones? Just like those annoying DIY homebuyer shows where the potential buyers are so distracted by a single bad wallpaper job they completely miss the pristine oak parquet floors they're standing on, it's important to take a moment and assess the fundamentals of how something is actually put together before we let the shiny stuff distract us. The most unappealing, rumpled garment lying at the bottom of a flea market bin might actually be a hidden treasure of bias-cut silk and reinforced seams, while that tempting brand new thing in the high street window display may be but a stringy rayon ghost of the runway garment it was inspired by. Using aforementioned Etsy shop as an example, this Vintage 90s Fashion Bug skirt is a great specimen of a quiet, under-achieving garment with good bones (and a 90s fast fashion item, no less!) This skirt was just a rumpled, moss green pile of ultrasuede ennui when I first encountered it. But upon closer inspection, I realized it was actually a solid, well put-together garment . Reinforced seams, a sturdy fabric with some longevity and give, and a classic, clean design - all it needed was some imagination, minimal care, and a bit of styling to bring it to life! Question Two: What is this garment made out of? Question two really is the natural progression after question one. Once you've assessed the foundational soundness of a garment, look at the fabric. I'm not some purist who is here to tell you that there is only merit in natural fabrics. Quite the opposite in fact. Many natural fiber garments give up the ghost long before their synthetic and partly-synthetic counterparts. However, you have to think of the long game; consider how much fussing about is going to be required to launder it (washing by hand, hanging dry, ironing, dry cleaning...), and whether or not you're willing to engage in these things in the first place. Many modern rayon garments simply never look the same after one washing. Many vintage ones will last an eternity. When a garment was made, the weight and hand of the fabric, the content of that fabric...it all matters. Take this Vintage 70s Montgomery Ward Dress. I know, right? Montgomery Ward. A pioneering force of retail catalog sales, yet not a name you hear any more. This dress is distinctly 70s, but the fabric honestly looks as fresh as the day it was made. It's a synthetic polyester fabric, does not wrinkle (a miracle with a pleated skirt), and is a stunning shade and pattern. And like the author, it's at least 40 years old. Probably pushing fifty. Question Three: Is this really what I'm looking for, or is it just instantly gratifying? This is a question I ask myself a lot while I'm shopping, whether I'm in a thrift store, online, or in a high end boutique. Often, we are drawn to things that are exactly like other things we already have. This actually is fine when you're trying to stock a shop full of items with your distinct "look", but perhaps less so when trying to build a wardrobe. I will often gravitate towards things that are duplicates of something already in my closet, or things that look amazing with the turquoise earrings I happen to be wearing that day...you know how it goes. A garment often will look good in the moment, but serve no other purpose other than to create additional clutter. To circumvent this very common trap, If said garment in question has passed muster on questions one and two, I will address question three simply by simply acknowledging the instant gratification aspect of a piece (the first step is admitting you have an addiction, right?), then challenging myself to find another way to use the garment. Take for instance this 90s era Red Gingham Button Front Dress. It really sort of ticks all of the items off of my Three Questions list: good bones, made of a heavy-weight natural, durable cotton, and a garment that has at least two uses that I can think of right out of the gate. And all of that with little to no hanger appeal. So that's it. If it seems like a long walk for a short drink of water, I can assure you, it's not. In fact, these three questions have sort of become second nature to me, and have prevented me from both throwing my money away and wishing I'd snapped-up that interesting piece that I left behind. So I highly encourage you to come up with a process. Use mine, change it, tailor it, or start from scratch and make your own. We are all here because we enjoy fashion, and cultivating your own process enables you to see beyond the myth of someone else's art-directed hanger appeal.

A surprise beauty post today! I received a lost packet of mail today from the post office. When I'm back in the UK our Floridian mail gets held, and apparently this RealHer promo sample had arrived for me at some point in July but somehow not gotten delivered with the rest of the mail. So it was a bit like Christmas today. I got some lovely new stuff! You guys might remember RealHer Cosmetics from my previous post that I did about six months ago. If you need a refresher, RealHer is a cruelty-free, paraben-free prestige makeup brand (who are not paying me to say that, btw) built around the message of the empowerment of women. Their mission is to remind all women that we are valuable, worthy and beautiful human beings, and this ethos is reinforced by mantras that are inscribed onto their products. Their products are truly lovely, and after my last post I did for them back in December I went on to send a few pieces from their website to both my mom and sister for Christmas. This particular lovely bundle arrived on my doorstep to announce the launch of their new lip kits. I was thrilled to get this lip kit, even if it was a few weeks behind schedule. RealHer is literally the only company that can convince me to wear a liquid matte long-wearing lip color. I simply do not come out for liquid matte lipsticks for anyone else. Goodness knows I've tried, and I'm pretty sure there's video footage to prove it. Normally I find matte, long-wearing formulas chalky, ageing, and far too drying. They make me constantly aware of their presence. However. RealHer manages to make it feel lightweight, emollient, and for me a little goes a long, long way. I regularly use mine as a base for any number of my lipsticks, and also just slap a bit on when I'm in a hurry and know I'm not gonna have time to play with my lipstick later. This time around, I received the I Can and I Will kit, which is a mauve-based pink. Admittedly, when I first pulled it out I thought it was going to be way too blue-based for my yellowish-tan skin, but as usual, I was wrong. The shade is universally flattering, and the pencil and gloss in the kit translate well to use with just about anything in your existing makeup kit. Also in the package were three shades of the new Definer Brow Pencil. The shade that I chose was the darkest (despite the ever-whitening front half of my hair), called "Eye am Inspiring." Eyebrow makeup is always a little bit tricky for me. Because I have so much silver in the front of my hair, I need a slightly cooler brow pencil, and those can be hard to find. Most pencils turn out to be either too orangey, or too blue-based inky black. The Eye Am Inspiring, while perhaps even slightly warmer than Anastasia brow gel I have been using, actually worked quite well indeed. The pencil is nice and thin, easy to apply, and easy to blend. I daresay I may be a convert. Pencils are infinitely easier to wield than clunky wand brushes. What I am struck by with these products, just as I was last time, is how natural they are when you have them on. You can layer them up easily; but they have a very forgiving, almost watercolor-like quality that creates more of a glow and less of a "painted on" look - exactly what you want when you're not twenty five any more.

You guys. You wanna feel old as dirt for a minute? Look what I found. Ah, yes. The good old days. The days back in the Y2K era when the worst thing you'd see when you turned on the TV or logged-on to your glacial-speed internet was the absolute assault of celebrities in velour Juicy Couture track suits (doesn't that sound good right about now against the backdrop of our constant doom-scroll reality?) And they were always wearing those chunky flip flops or Fila slides, or UGGS, and they always had massive handbags on their arms. Usually a Louis Vuitton Speedy or a Chloé Paddington or some such. Remember that? Did you know that there was (or maybe still is) an exhibit in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London featuring one of these babies? I am not even kidding. One of the things that really lights my fire about running my little Etsy vintage shop is that I get to have little fashion moments like this. When I happened across this Juicy Couture track suit on one of my recent vintage recon missions, I literally yelled "OH MY GAWD, NO EFFING WAY" out loud in the store. Nobody even noticed. It's Florida. This is the state where people pull baby alligators out of their yoga pants and have unsecured uranium bouncing around in the back seat of the car when they get pulled over. You have to work a lot harder than that just yelling loudly down here if you want people to think you're off your nut. So here it is. That's really all I got. Yep, it's a real, no-foolin', purple velour Juicy Couture track suit (this one is clearly a classy, refined one that doesn't have any booty bling), and yes, it is in my shop, should you feel the need to add this fine museum piece (snort) to your collection. I really just wanted you guys to see it, because as you and I both know, fashion is sometimes just freaking hilarious.

I've had a strange, rather standoffish relationship with scarves. It's not the chunky, hand knit, oversized, or even the pashmina varieties of scarf that I'm talking about here - those I feel like I know what to do with. Those an easy pairing with a modern, casual, and now locked-down sartorial life. No, it's those lightweight silky ones - sometimes square sometimes long, those are the ones that have always felt like a step too far into the conservative zone for my sartorial choices. Sure, I'd go for it and wear one every once in a while, but I never really felt like it was clicking. I judged scarves for their presence in the memories I had of the little old ladies I used to see at the grocery store as a child; the ladies who wore scarves and plastic rain bonnets to protect the rollers in their hair. When do they take them out!? I simply wasn't able to see past that visual, and it left me with the notion that scarves were perhaps some sort of gateway drug, culminating in leaving the house in rollers and the subsequent need for plastic rain bonnets. Allow the record to reflect that while I may not have been wrong about rollers, I have been wrong, very wrong in fact, about scarves. Whether this is an actual sartorial epiphany or just the fact that I've now grown old enough to have lost the ability to care about a garment's shady or uncool reputation, I suppose the end result is the same. Most likely this new affinity for scarves comes from the hours I spend curating the vintage shop. I sift through a lot of stuff these days, born of the desire to have a well-rounded edit of stuff that I myself would actually want to wear - my one and only criteria for the things I stock. Let me tell you, if you're ever unlcear about your own personal sartorial identity, stock a shop (or a Pinterest board) full of things that you would want to wear, and stand back. Your style soon becomes evident, in all its quirky glory. But I digress. I think the act of sifting through my stock has pushed me to accept scarves for what they truly are, simple, artful pieces of fabric with about ten thousand uses - and counting.

NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA EYE MAAAAAAAAAAASK! And that ladies and gentleman, is the most efficacious thing about this particular eye mask - the comedic possibilities. As a beauty-delivering device, it left me feeling a bit shortchanged. However, it did prompt me to do another product review post. So. Here it is - some things I've tried these last few weeks that are easy to find when everything's closed, and wont break the bank. This eye mask is another of the the Garnier Moisture Bomb Eye Tissue Masks. This one claims to sport coconut water. I suppose I should back up a minute here and say that like with the other products in this post, I am not being paid to review this mask. That's probably ok, since I would probably have to act like an adult if I were getting paid. This mask is pretty much your standard issue hyaluronic acid tissue mask, it smells faintly of coconut, and is fashioned into some sort of Batman & Robin eye mask that fits nobody, but looks hilarious on everybody. It's also hard to wrangle. Seriously, is it supposed to go under my eyebrows? What is that little perforation for? Am I supposed to tear it apart? Won't it get in my eyes if I try and fit it up under my eyebrows? Apart from delivering some much needed moisture to my undereye area, this mask did little to deliver on its claims to plump up the skin or reduce fine lines. This may be perfectly fine if you're 25. For those of us who are so totally not 25, do not even waste our time by promising a Batman level of efficacy only to a deliver Droopy Dog amount. Not that there's anything wrong with Droopy Dog. Just not when we were promised Batman. This mask's performance may have been underwhelming, but I suppose anything that inspires me to dance around the house singing the Batman theme and taking selfies does have inherent worth. In medicine they'd call that sort of unintentional find an incidental finding. For that, I am giving it a score based purely on comedy, and in no way reflects how it worked on my actual undereye area. Garnier Moisture Bomb Tissue Mask: B- Next up is a happy accident product. As some of you may remember, I am a huge fan of the Anastasia Dipbrow Gel wand for brows. I've written about eyebrow stuff quite a lot, because as it turns out, as you get older, brows matter. I used up my last tube of Anastasia brow gel a while ago, and was sort of dithering about getting more because quite frankly I recently resigned from my day job and I'm on a pretty serious budget. About a week ago, while in the local grocery store, I decided to try the Rimmel Wonderful Brow that was sitting in front of me on the only cosmetic display in the entire shop. Why not? It was £6, it filled a need, and at the very least it would give me something to talk about here on the blog. Guess what? I like it better. Like the Anastasia, it is waterproof once it dries down, so not only is it nice for shaping the brows and filling-in the little gaps, it stays put. The darkest, brunette color was not too warm and orangey for my increasingly silver hair, and it is way, WAY easier to work with once you get used to it. The Anastasia goes on very thick, and dries down rather quickly, so if you make a smudge, you may be committed to a look you did not intend. The Rimmel goes on a lot thinner. Yes, you have to work with it a bit longer to get the coverage even, and it takes a bit longer to dry down, but it is much, MUCH more forgiving if you muck it up. When you do muck it up, it's easy to correct. When applying it, you can use a much firmer press of the wand than you can with the Anastasia, so it's actually a lot easier to control, ergo easier to get a natural look when you aren't wearing a ton of makeup, which I rarely do these days. This Rimmel product also washes off easily at the end of the day with my go to cleanser. Rimmel Wonderful Brow Eyebrow Gel: A- Lastly is another happy(ish) accident (incidental finding) product. Last week I nipped to the drugstore to grab a few things I had run out of, and saw this little red pot sitting in the bargain bin. Behold, the Revlon + Wonder Woman Glow Pot Glossy Face highlighter in the shade Golden Lasso. If you think that perhaps purchasing a superheroine-branded highlighter from the bargain bin at the drugstore might bring you less than stellar results, you would technically not necessarily be wrong. Technically. When you open this highlighter, it looks like a little pot of whipped-up gold, and you cannot wait to dig in. It's when you stick your actual finger into it when things start to take a funny turn. While I was expecting a highlighter with a light texture that dries down to reveal a subtle sheen (you know, like literally every other liquid highlighter), what is actually in the pot is this sticky, tacky....it's pretty much lip gloss. It goes on sticky, and it stays that way. All. Damn. Day. And to be honest, believe it or not, I'm torn by this inexplicably weird texture, because when it's on your skin, a little goes a long way, and it really does look natural and glowy. I genuinely like the way it looks, but cannot stand the formulation. Because again, you're literally smearing lip gloss on your face. But don't take my word for it. Check out some of these reviews. "Basically Vaseline. I could DIY a better highlight." - Mecca S. " Greasy" -V "Gross. This feels heavy and tacky on the skin. Your hair will stick to it. I would only recommend it if you wear your hair up and use it as a lip gloss" -Anon You get the idea. So yeah, it looks nice and natural, and I am actually still using it (albeit sparingly) right now, really just because it's here and nobody is going anywhere right now. Plus at the moment, it's all I've got. I also wear my hair up every day while we're still in a lockdown here in the UK, and I think that's the key to being able to tolerate this product. Im guessing that if i didn't tie my hair back with this product, a stiff breeze would end up sticking all my hair to the sticky lipgloss stuff all over my face. Wonder Woman Liquid Armor Glow Pot: C-

Yes, that's right. I did it. My hair was getting so long in the back and heavy up top it was driving me nuts. So I watched a few videos, and just went for it. Hey, it's just hair, right? Some of the videos I used as a guide: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykkLUsJPdtk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw5HH5z3z4o