The secret to intense lips by Garance Dore!

Reflections and escape

I'm now at a time in my life where I will be reflecting a lot and deciding what to do next.
We all need time for reflection and to tend to ourselves.  Travelling and discovering new things also can help to nurture the soul.

Miu Miu -It's getting late

From http://www.miumiu.com/en/wtales/4

In the translucent LA dusk we discover four women living very different lives. The camera follows each as they wind down their working days, their four stories weaving together as each prepares for their evening.

Shot by Iranian-American screenwriter and director, Massy Tadjedin, with a stellar international cast, Aubrey Plaza, Gemma Arterton, Patricia Clarkson and Rinko Kikuchi, culminating in a gripping cameo performance by rising songstress, Zola Jesus.

“We make our faces, our suits, our selves just a little more ready for wherever it is we’re going. Fashion is never just the clothes. It’s our mood, our excitement for something, our expectations, our attitudes, our outlooks. Managing those is often what getting ready is all about and that’s what our short tries to capture.” Massy Tadjedin

The four women quietly take part in their private acts of preparation, but the transformation is also psychological, as they take stock of the day and mentally prepare for the evening ahead.

It’s Getting Late is the fourth film in Miu Miu’s series of short films, the Women’s Tales, by leading female directors, Zoe Cassavetes, Lucrecia Martel and Giada Colagrande. Each film explores the feminine love affair with Miu Miu through the lens of their diverse sensibilities.

Caroline Issa in exotic orange

Images from The Snapshots site.

Something new

I am leaving my job soon after nearly four and a half years. I hope the next steps in my life will be productive and happier.  Sometimes with work one can become too attached, like a contagious relationship, at the end of the day working for an organisation can drain you, it is ideal to follow your passions and dreams, that is what you will think about late in life, did I achieve them & if not did I even try & if not why not?

Inspiration Bright Orange and pastel nude pink- Brazilian wow factor

What a fantastic combination - after seeing Yasmin Sewell and Caroline Issa wearing bright orange blazers I realised that it would suit my colouring, I have dark hair and brown skin.  I particularly like this outfit mix, dainty nude pink embroidered dress with a hit of exotic orange- Inspiration!   Image is from The shop at Bluebird place website which is currently hosting a pop up shop for amazing Brazilian designers.

My favourite childhood book- a necklace of raindrops by Joan Aiken and illustrated by Jan Pienkowski

Der liebling necklaces

Recently I have fallen in love with necklaces. I particularly like these fabric and diamante necklaces by der liebling as they are beautiful but not blingy, unique and can brighten up a simple outfit.

You can find out more by visiting Banu Kent's website  http://der-liebling.net/ which has details on where you can buy and also if you want to get in touch.

Beauty regime & inner beauty

Previously I lamented how badly I look after myself and how my life has turned sour...

My first step was to improve my skin, my sister told me my skin looks stressed & this is bad as I am 30 and it will go downhill from now.

Recently I bought a sample pack of Clarins daily energisers - Cleansing gel, Wake-up booster and daily energizing cream, plus Clarins beauty flash balm.

They are amazing and made my skin look radiant,I will be buying this range in the near future.

However I still looked tired and this is an underlying health issue.  I need to exercise and make new friends and do things that make me happy.

— Charles Bukowski, nobody but you

"nobody can save you but
yourself.
you will be put again and again
into nearly impossible
situations.
they will attempt again and again
through subterfuge, guise and
force
to make you submit, quit and/or die quietly
inside.
nobody can save you but
yourself
and it will be easy enough to fail
so very easily
but don’t, don’t, don’t.
just watch them.
listen to them.
do you want to be like that?
a faceless, mindless, heartless
being?
do you want to experience
death before death?
nobody can save you but
yourself
and you’re worth saving.
it’s a war not easily won
but if anything is worth winning then
this is it.
think about it.
think about saving your self.
"

Nostalgia and moving on.....

Why do we often look at the past with rose tinted lenses?
Recently I have been listening to Lana Del Rey's songs and most of them use "instagrammy"/nostalgic/vintage effect videos, when I recently visited the first university I graduated from (in 2004) my memories seemed instagrammed and nostalgic. I'm glad I studied at university,  I learnt a lot and enjoyed the main subjects... but it wasn't an easy time for me...
Maybe one tends to wipe off the painful experiences quickly with time, maybe it's a human trait place less emphasis on bad times &  to move on....

I'm in love.....Barbara Bela dresses

Not like the others - photo by Irene Suchocki