My Beauty Shoot With Chiara Aprea

Some of you may remember a previous post I wrote about a photoshoot I did with my very talented friend Chiara Aprea. We did a boudoir themed shoot where I played around with many vintage looks and styles. Sweet and sultry, sexy and seductive, fun and silly... These were all different looks we tried out and I had an absolute blast throughout the whole process. Chiara seriously pushed me out of my comfort zone and I am so happy that she did because she made me see myself in a way that I hadn't previously. I remember my whole time in front of the camera I was eager to learn new poses, try out new things and have fun with it. The entire time Chiara was encouraging, patient and a lot of fun to shoot with. Anyone thinking of trying out something like that you really should, even if no one else ever sees the pictures afterwards. I found the experience liberating, exciting and the end result was a very happy and confident Mayah!

To see some of the pictures click here for the previous post. 

Shortly after we wrapped up the first shoot and I had received some of the images, Chiara reached out to me about a new style package she was introducing. She wanted to do some photos totally based on the face with me as the person to launch it. The beauty package is all about detailed facial expressions and interesting hair and make up. I was seriously excited to hear about this as I tend to wear the same make up everyday and I thought it would be cool to play around more with my face and hair as opposed to my clothes. Chiara wanted to transform me into a modern day geisha and an angry dominatrix; as you can imagine neither of these styles were like anything I had previously tried out and I was excited and intrigued to see what she had in mind for me. 

At first we started with my hair, luckily for me I had some extensions in because this was about to be the biggest hairstyle I had ever sported! A gigantic quiff was swept up in the front of my hair and accompanied by 2 backward fishtail plaits. One or 2 hair flowers were used with some real flowers inserted in places. Layers and layers of eye makeup was then applied to my face pinks, golds, yellows and of course some eyelash extensions. I was then treated to super bright pink lips and a delicate brow. The end result was me as a technicolor modern day geisha.

Selfie fun with Chiara before we started shooting look #1

I really loved these images when I first saw them. I had never even known I could look so nice in such a different character. Playing around with fans, parasols and fun poses is always fun but nothing beats seeing the end result. I had so much fun with this look that I knew changing into an angry dom with a totally different temperament might be somewhat of a challenge. 

I had a total transformation and what's more, I never even took off the make up from the geisha set. With a few additions and tweaks I went from sweet and earthly to a woman with attitude and a total bitch face! I have to say it was fun to be in both roles and I really liked the fact that the two looks were almost polar opposites. 

Selfie fun with Chiara before we started shooting look #2

In the space of about 15-20 minutes I went from being a sweet geisha to a chick with way too much attitude.  My hair was swept up into a tight high pony tail restrained by a black scarf. A dark and metallic smokey eye was accompanied with black and white eye liner and framed with a sharp and squared brow. To finish off Chiara applied a deep purple colour to my lips.

Standing there covered in black pleather clothes and extreme makeup on I was told to just think of something that seriously makes me angry. Channelling my inner diva and going back to my years in the theatre seriously helped me here. Pretending to be raging mad isn't as easy as you would think when you're having such a fun time working with a friend. My aim was to concentrate on my expressions and I seriously hope that the angry bitchy look was achieved. I think I most definitely got it in some of the frames. 

I love working with Chiara each time brings with it a new experience and new challenges. The first shoot really made me push myself by being shot in my lingerie for many looks, a huge confidence boost. This time I had to really focus on my face which was something I hadn't previously done when taking pictures of any kind. 

I already have some ideas in mind for another beauty shoot and I'm very sure Chiara and I will collaborate again sometime in the near future. What can I say, I don't know a single woman out there who doesn't love playing dress up and experimenting with make up. I figure if I'm going to do it I may as well take some cool pictures and have something to look back on.

If any of you have considered doing a shoot of this kind and you live in the UK you really should drop Chiara a message and make your booking. She has a variety of different packages at amazing prices so don't miss out if you're thinking about it. 

You can find here on Facebook here. 

Animal Magic! A Junarose Review

Hey everyone I hope all is well. I'm sorry that things have been quiet here on the blog recently. I have been snowed under at work and I had a lot to take care of before I could get back to posting. The good news is that there are a lot of new and fun trends to talk about this season. I have some new looks to share with you all and we're about to approach the winter holiday season. 

I was recently at a blogger event for one of my favourite brands Junarose. The event was in conjunction with MSSVG and showcased some of their amazing new lines, set to be with us next spring. At the event we were lucky enough to pick an item from their current collection to review. As soon as I saw the gorgeous animal print jacket I new that was the item I wanted to try the most.

I make no secret about the things I really like in fashion and I have to admit I am forming a bit of an obsession with animal prints. I have skirts, tops, lingerie and now this gorgeous jacket! When it comes to the cold months of the year I usually feel uncomfortable weather-wise. Mountains of layers are required to keep the cold at bay and the constant fight against the wind and the rain is never fun. For me the most important thing when it comes to my winter wardrobe are my coats. Usually practicality and comfort give way to style which is why I was so excited to try this thick and puffy jacket which encompasses the practicalities and comfort I need with my sense of style. I picked this one up in a XXL. Depending on how big your waist and breasts are you may need to be careful when selecting a size for this one. The jacket tappers in slightly around the waist to accent the curves we have there. In my case I usually have to size up with any clothing items which need to be zipped or button fastened because of my bust size.

The season tends to present us with loads of dark colours and prints so to be able to add a splash of colour and style into the mix only makes for cool winter looks. 

I have to say I really like the feel of this coat on. The lining is thin which makes wearing sweaters and stuff quite comfortable for a jacket of this shape. I also like the fact that it is really warm when on; so if you're one of the people who doesn't like to wear thick layers in the winter this would be one that you will enjoy wearing with tees and other lighter items. Despite being a fairly puffy jacket it's not heavy in weight at all and makes for a really comfortable wear. 

Even though this jacket has an animal print on it; the colours are rich and more subtle than some of the other animal print jackets and coats on the market. I really like the fact that for a bold print it doesn't look too jazzy or bright. I should also mention that I have recently worn this in the rain and it doesn't drink in the rain water like some of my previous coats have. No one wants to have to wear a coat or jacket that gets heavy and water logged in the rain. The pockets are also fairly deep and have snap button detail for security. 

With this outfit I decided to put the jacket with a cold shoulder dress by Boohoo size 24. I like dresses like these to hang loosely on my frame because of the neck detail and length. I think that items like this can be really unflattering on my frame if they are too fitted as they hang loose in areas and cling too much in the breast and stomach areas. I paired this dress with a simple pair of black trousers and my Legroom boots from Fashionworld. 

I thought I would keep the accessories to a minimum and so I wore my black and pink lightning bolt necklace, my trademark hoop earrings and simple black bag. As the weather is getting colder my hair scarves will most definitely be making many appearances in my looks. I love them as an accessory because they are a great way to keep warm and hide the odd bad hair day!

I'd like to take a moment to give a shout-out to Dale Grimshaw. I may not have met him but when we stumbled across his gorgeous artwork it made for a really fun background for these outfit pictures. What a talent! 

For those of you who like this jacket and would like to try it out or even try out a different style from Junarose then click here. 

Remember what ever you where, feel fabulous in it and where it with a smile!

Winter Warmers With A Twist!

It's official the weather has changed! For some the sight of clouds in the sky and the constant stream of umbrellas floating by is extremely depressing. I'll be totally honest here I am no fan of cold weather; short of having an excuse to indulge in warm hot chocolate and marshmallows it's most definitely not my thing! 

I always find that it's hard to wear clothes that are practical and fun this time of the year. In the summer we have the luxury of cute separates, bold colours and fun and fresh prints. In the autumn and winter we are showered in a sea of blacks, greys and blues. Now I have no problem with that as I have a huge selection of black, grey and blue clothes in my wardrobe. The challenge for me is wearing items that have a twist and have some character to them. I tend to go for cute dresses and simple coats, vintage inspired dressed and petticoats and of course warm sweaters. 

Myself and the lovely Hanna decided to go for a walk in the park the other day and seeing as the weather was quite warm and to our luck dry, I was able to be quite playful with my look. 

To my luck I was given this animal print sweater from Zizzi. The sample item will hopefully be in their next collection. I got this in a size M and whilst I love the shape and fit it clings a little to my tummy area. With that in mind I simply had to wear it so I thought I would be creative and wear this leather midi skirt from SimplyBe with it (size 26). Those of you who are familiar with my blog will know that I often wear skirts just under my bust line. My reason for this is the fact that my behind rises a little and if I wear some skirts at the waist line (depending on the cut) they can shift up at the back. It has come to my attention that this is an issue many women face and I simply won't allow it to cause problems for me when selecting my outfits. In some cases this has actually helped me when it comes to wearing cropped tops or pieces that sit a little snug around the belly. 

Feeling comfortable and confident in my clothes is a must for me and that can sometimes be down to the fit, sometimes down to the style of the outfit. I absolutely love animal prints when it comes to clothes and accessories and I have recently been adding more items into my closet, I'll be sure to put together some posts with these items to show you all very soon. The woollen sweater from Zizzi is really light on the skin and it fits really nicely. The black and grey print make this an item that would work with most bottoms such as jeans, high waisted trousers and of course other cuts of skirt. The colours being neutral make this one easy to pair with other separates and jackets also. 

It's always nice when you see a cute dog in the park. 

When you're used to wearing trousers or jeans on a regular basis the convenience of having pockets is a nice and familiar thing, somewhere to have your phone, wallet etc. One of the things I really like about this skirt is the pocket detail on both sides of the skirt. When you don't want to carry a bag with you or you're simply popping out for a few minutes it can be a nice relief to have something to store those smaller items. This skirt is not only a warm and adaptable item it's a practical one too. The central split in the front gives it a nice shape and a little character and I found that it made the item look more flattering on my frame. Unfortunately this is from a previous collection but there may be something similar available online and in a local Simplybe branch. 

I decided that the only accessory I would wear with this outfit would be my favoured hoop earrings. Sometimes you really don't want to have much jewellery on at all and in my case I didn't want any additions to my look so I simply painted my nails for a little colour and slipped on some comfortable plimsolls shoes. The saying can be true, less can be more sometimes. 

Have a look in your wardrobe and see what you have that you can play around with, we may be lucky enough to have a few more nice days before the scarves and gloves are required! 

Remember what ever you where, feel fabulous in it and where it with a smile!

*The Zizzi Top Was A Gifted Item.

Autumn Fun! - An FD Avenue Review

We all have those days when we want to have a fun look that's comfortable, looks cute and suits the weather. Sometimes getting a look that fits all three requirements can be a real challenge, especially when you live in London and have to endure regular random changes in the weather. I have to admit I'm not a fan of that awkward time period when the seasons are in that transitional period. It can be hard to know whether you are coming or going and the tough part is to endure all of that in the right clothes! 

I really believe that if you feel good in the what you're wearing a lot of the other stuff will just fall into place. If you feel good then the awkward and sometimes tough stuff can be that little bit easier to cope with. 

A couple of weeks ago I was rummaging through my wardrobe looking for something with a hint of colour to wear that would be warm enough in the crisp autumn air but still be fun to wear on a weekend afternoon in London. 

Currently there are a lot of fun and funky statement t-shirts on the market many of which include a cute anecdote about selfies or some other social media jargon. I think it's cool that fashion is in keeping with many of the current online statements and trends; making items fun and enjoyable to wear. 

When I saw this cute tee from Primark with a style that tips it's hat to some of the high fashion brands such as Chanel, I thought it would be a cute addition to my wardrobe. 

In truth I have had this tee for a few months now and I hadn't quite gotten around to wearing it until I received this boyfriend cardigan from FD Avenue. The mustard colour was perfect against the gold tones in the tee and is just the right shade for the autumn season whilst still having some of that summer brightness some of us wish was still here. 

I have many boyfriend cardigans in a variety of colours as they work well with many items and can be that simple burst of colour you want in an outfit. This one from FD Avenue is a comfortable and sleek item with cute pockets on either side. If you want light and simple coverage that adds that little bit of extra warmth this is a really nice option. 

I decided that other than the cardigan and tee combo I would keep everything else really simply with just black and white options. I combined these items with my black pleather skirt from Simplybe, black tights from Primark and my go to black heels. I absolutely love this skirt and it tends to go with pretty much everything I match it with, which is a bonus!

What I like about these items is that all of them can be put together with different outfits.

Versatile items always go well in my wardrobe as I'm a big fan of buying separates. I like the possibilities you get with individual items and the fact that they can work well within a number of different looks. 

I have a pretty big love for shoulder bags and satchels and when I saw this houndstooth print it just had to be mine! The classic print which is readily available pretty much everywhere and on everything at the moment, was more than welcome to work it's way into my closet. As a lover of both vintage and modern styles I find that anything with this print attached can usually work across the two styles and compliment any outfit perfectly. 

Have a play around this season with your style you never know what might just work for you!

*The Cardigan was gifted from FD Avenue.

Remember what ever you where, feel fabulous in it and where it with a smile!

High Waisted Swimming Knickers - An Elomi Review

It seems that even though the weather has changed and the coats and scarves are coming back out, we are still very much talking about swimwear. With every summer that passes fashion critics and consumers all over the world are talking about what makes suitable swim attire. I would think opinions on this matter would vary depending on who you are in conversation with. 

I have seen loads of posts and articles about one piece items, bikinis, tankinis etc all featuring a plethora of different styles and brands, celebrity collections and blogger favourites. A little over a year ago I first heard of lingerie and swimwear brand Elomi. The brand specialising in garments for a fuller figure have a series of gorgeous and simple styles and I have to say when I recently tried out their high waisted swim knickers I was beyond impressed. 

Image Courtesy Of Elomi

Many people buy swimsuits so that they can look super cute on the beach whilst catching some rays. I personally like items that are cute to look at but are practical for me. I really enjoy swimming and when I get near the sea I love take a leisurely dip and really go for it! First and foremost I want to feel comfortable and relaxed when I have a lot of skin on show. As a very busty woman I like to feel supported, lifted and secured in my swimsuit especially as water can make a garment feel heavy and loose. I also like something that is tight and firm against my stomach. 

When I first tried out these high waisted knickers I was amazed by the comfort, flexibility and support. They came just under my bra line, and held me in nicely. Some of my looser, wobbly bits were smoothed out and I really liked the overall look and appearance of the garment. I must state that I have a lot of high waisted spanx and control underwear that I like to wear with more form fitting items especially dresses. As much as I enjoy wearing these I have to say I was shocked to find that these swim knickers gave me a better overall shape and support than most of my shapewear and they actually feel amazing on, even when wet!

I was worried that I would have a little slippage in the back and stomach areas once the garment was wet which would inevitable reveal my back-fat but in truth I NEVER had this issue and felt amazing on the beach when I went away earlier this year. 

For those of you who are wanting to try a fatkini but would consider wearing a bikini top and matching swim knickers these are amazing and I cannot rate them more highly. You can pick these up via the official Elomi website or of course you can check out some other online retailers. I picked my pair up at Brastop for an amazing price so do check them out if you have a holiday coming up or you like to go to your local swimming baths. 

Remember what ever you where, feel fabulous in it and where it with a smile!