advice | vogueandmacarons

FASHION BASICS-THE CHAIN BAG

The chain bag has always been a statement piece of a woman’s wardrobe. The pioneer who introduced it to the fashion world was none other but the amazing Coco Chanel, who was looking for an alternative, more comfortable way of carrying her bag. This resulted in the creation of the most iconic chain bag, the Chanel 2.55. In my opinion, it is the ultimate elegant bag. It is simple and comfortable, yet classy. Not every look needs to be loud; I always believed that elegance equals minimalism. A flap bag, in a quilted diamond pattern with a double chain strap, can complete any look. Even when you’re wearing a pair of jeans and a jumper or a sweatshirt, carrying a chain a bag will make you look more put together and more elegant. It simply has the power of transformation. Another thing I love about this bag, is that you can dress it up and down. It is very versatile. You can carry it in the daytime but also at night, as the perfect company of a lovely dress and a pair of sexy heels. The bag’s success and popularity have turned it into a symbol of power, femininity and class.

However, we all know that this bag doesn’t come cheap; it actually worths thousands of dollars. Even though this is a price many are willing and able to afford, there are many others – me among them – who can’t or don’t want to. However, a beautiful chain strap bag is a key piece for many looks and should be part of any wardrobe. If you long for a gorgeous chain bag but at an affordable price, do not worry; there are many quite similar alternatives at a much lower price. My personal favorite that I have, I love, have and I aspire to get in many other colors, is from Moschino. I love that Love Moschino quilted bag with a chain strap. It really reminds me of the Chanel one. It doesn’t have the number of pockets the Chanel has, but it has enough space for all the necessary items I always carry with me. It is light, stylish, simple, convenient and much more affordable. I have received so many compliments on mine!

Another, more affordable, beautiful chain bag is the ZARA Chain City bag. It is a beautiful black bag with a heavy chain detail and strap. It is very elegant but with some edge. It is much cheaper from both the Chanel and the Love Moschino ones, but it doesn’t have bad quality. I actually am really fond of Zara’s bags. I like its how stylish and modern its designs are plus some timeless pieces it has every year. The City bag is exactly that; a timeless stylish yet classy bag. And at a great price!

Lastly, another even more affordable alternative, would be the ASOS Quilted Lock Cross body bag. It is very similar to the Chanel 2.55, with the quilted design and the chain strap. Very minimal without any details, it stays true to the effortless and simple Chanel style. Plus, it is the cheapest alternative of the three, which is great. Who says that you can be stylish, classy and on trend only if you splurge on it? You can easily recreate the classy and sophisticated Chanel look with this gorgeous bag.

A plain quilted chain strap bag, is an important part of a woman’s wardrobe. It can accompany many outfits, from casual to dressed up ones. It can turn any look into classier and more elegant, without losing the relaxed and effortless vibe. Although the queen of this bag category is the iconic Chanel 2.55, nowadays there are many alternatives of different price ranges. In the end it doesn’t matter how expensive your bag is, but how you carry it. You can always look fabulous and stylish without breaking the bank. Comment down below and share your favorite chain strap bag. Also don’t forget to pop over my Insragram (@blueberrylover) and Twitter (@vickyinlalaland) to say hi!

Till next time take care dolls 😉 xxx

Vicky

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FOUNDATION

Photo credit www.dailymail.co.uk — Photo credit: *www.dailymail.co.uk*

One of the most important elements of my makeup is foundation; it is the base that the whole makeup will be set upon. The foundation turns my face into a blank canvas for me to play with the colors and create something that expresses me. As much as I love my foundation, it took me a while to choose the right one, as it is a quite complicated process (yes it is!) You have to decide how sheer you want it to be, what will be its finish (matte, velvet etc), which form do you prefer (cream, liquid, powder etc), what is better for your skin (water-based or oil-based), and of course the shade that suits you better.

Level of coverage

The first thing you have to consider before choosing your foundation, is how sheer you want it to be. You can go for high, medium or sheer coverage. The level of coverage is usually based on what do you want to cover on your face: blemishes, acne, scarring etc. The bigger the issue the higher coverage you should seek. Since I have fairly alright skin, I opt to go for a sheer coverage, as I don’t like my foundation to feel heavy on my skin. Therefore, I prefer a light foundation that basically evens out my skin tone. My personal advice, would be to go for the lighter you can as foundation will always weigh on the skin. If you don’t have a major issue you wish to cover up, go for medium coverage or even sheer.

Finish

The foundation finish could be matte, pearl/luminous or velvet. It is your choice of how you wish your face to look. I prefer my skin either matte or luminous, however, luminous finish looks better on younger skin than older which looks better matte. Also I don’t go for too luminous and shiny foundations, as I don’t like my combination skin to look oily and sweaty after a few hours.

Liquid, powder or cream?

As if picking the right foundation wasn’t hard enough already, there is a variety of forms that makes the choice even harder. Powder foundations (Too Faced Cocoa Powder Foundation is amazing) are usually light and have a velvet finish. They could also be full coverage (Studio Fix by Mac). Many of them contain minerals, which are perfect for oily skin with breakouts. Liquid foundations vary from medium to full coverage and are ideal for combination or dry skin. The cream foundations (Extra Repair Foundation by Bobbi Brown) are usually full coverage and perfect for dry skin like the liquid ones. After assessing your skin and what it needs, it is not that hard to decide which type will work better for you. I love liquid foundations for my combination skin and sometimes powder ones for a light coverage.

Water-based or Oil-based?

Now this is something quite tricky that you have to ask about on the makeup artists before picking your foundation. Water-based foundations give a more sheer and natural look, which is perfect for pretty much everyone who has fairly nice skin that needs some extra boost. The oil-based foundations are better for dry skin as dry skin lacks of moisture which the foundations replenish. I absolutely love Maestro Fusion foundation by Armani which is water-based and it has the softest and most velvety finish ever. One day it shall be mine!

Shade

Last but not least is the choice of the proper shade that matches your skin perfectly. In order to find the right shade you must try it on your collarbone or neck and not your actual face as we do want the shade to match our neck skin tone so we won’t be two toned! Also, you need to try the foundation on your skin on natural and not artificial light for the truest result. If your skin has a pink undertone then you need a cool tone shade and if it has a yellow undertone then you need a warm tone shade. If you have both then you need a neutral shade. So based on your undertone, you pick either a cool, warm or neutral foundation which then you try on your neck under natural light. That way you will find the best shade for your skin.

Tips for applying the foundation

You can apply your foundation with a brush, a sponge or your hands. I don’t prefer using my hands as I feel they make my skin dirty. Therefore, I use either a sponge or a brush. I love using both depending on the finish I like to get or the time I have in my hands. Using a beauty sponge gives a more matte and natural finish whereas a brush does not blend as much and sometimes you can see the bristle marks on your skin. However, a brush the most appropriate for powder foundations. While using a brush with a liquid foundation, you should pat/press it on the skin instead of wiping or brushing it on. On the other hand, when you apply powder foundation, you should load the brush, tap the excess product off, and then apply it on your face from outside working your way inwards in circular motions.

Choosing the right foundation is usually a complicated process that raises a lot of questions; “Does this color make me too dark or too light?” or “Does it make my face look oily or too dry?”. Following the steps mentioned above, will make the whole process easier and fun! Don’t forget to ask for help from the makeup artists but always trust your own opinion. Makeup is supposed to make you feel and look better without hiding your real self! I hope my tips will be helpful for you guys! Please comment below and share your on tips and advice on how to choose and apply the foundation. Also don’t forget to follow me on Instagram (Blueberrylover) and Twitter (Vickyinlalaland).

Till next time take care dolls 😉 xxx

Vicky