Bay Area Fashionista

Spring 2014 fashion trends: full skirts

Full skirts were in full swing on the runways for spring/summer 2014/2015 in New York, Paris, Milan and London. This girlish skirt style hearkens back to a time of high ponytails, Ed Sullivan and drive-in burger joints. Designers favored full skirts not as part of a 1950’s/1960’s resurgence rather, they modernized the retro style and brought it right into 2014; no saddle shoes required.

That’s right! The full skirt, midi-length, has taken on a modern look for the spring/summer 2014/2015 season. Although the style is being shown in classic fabrics, neutral hues and pastel shades, the way full skirts are being worn is thoroughly fresh. It is all about how you style a full skirt for 2014.

Full skirts are being shown with crop tops, crisp shirts and body-conscious sweaters for the spring/summer 2014/2015 season. Although body-conscious sweaters are reminiscent of the 1950’s, they do not necessarily evoke a vintage vibe due to the color combinations and patterns designers have chosen for spring.

When you think of crop tops from the 1980’s, you may think of “Fame” style off-the-shoulder crops tops or loose fitting tops with a lot of movement. The crop tops being paired with full skirts for spring/summer 2014/2015 are form fitting and do not offer a lot of movement. In many cases they are made from the same fabric as their matching full skirt! Matchy-matchy!

Full skirts can be worn dressy with structured satchels and pointed toe pumps or dressed down for a casual look. For a weekend ensemble, full skirts are being shown with flat sandals, heeled sandals, mini-satchels and soft clutches. This is not your Mother’s or Grandmother’s full skirt outfit!

I found a few fabulous full skirts, both dressy and casual, around the web and assembled them into the shopping widget below. I hope you love them! Happy shopping, and stay fabulous 😉

Lancome Visionnaire Blur review

On March 1, 2014 Sephora launched Lancome’s new “Visionnaire Blur” cream. This extraordinary innovation from Lancome minimizes or “blurs” all those imperfections on one’s face which can add age to skin. One minute after application, Lancome’s “Visionnaire Blur” minimizes fine lines, discolorations and large pores. These are all problems I have with my skin!

I was fortunate enough to receive a sample of Lancome’s “Visionnaire Blur” for review from Sephora in mid-February. Over the past couple of weeks I have been able to put Lancome’s “Visionnaire Blur” to the test. After all, I have sun damaged skin, so it can be pretty tough to minimize anything on my face without concealer and foundation!

I was thrilled when I tested Lancome’s “Visionnaire Blur” because my fine lines seemed less visible and my uneven skin tone appeared to have been covered up; it was almost as if I had put on a light layer of concealer! I have large pores in my t-zone, those were still visible but did not seem AS visible as usual. I did my usual skin care routine which involves washing my face and applying face cream with SPF 30. After I applied my face cream, I used Lancome’s “Visionnaire Blur” and I could see the results right away. Love that!

Lancome has also come out with an eye cream in their “Visionnaire” line which I definitely need to get my hands on to try!

Lancome’s “Visionnaire Blur” starts at $55 and can be found online at Sephora.

Dolce & Gabbana Fall 2014 runway: get the beauty look

Dolce & Gabbana sent their fall/winter 2014/2015 collection down the Milan Fashion Week runway last week and left Fashionistas everywhere coveting not only their fine apparel, beautiful handbags and fabulous shoes for the upcoming cool weather season; but they left everyone gasping at the beautiful beauty looks on the models.

The models donned a natural and simple beauty look for the fall/winter 2014/2015 season on Dolce & Gabbana’s Milan Fashion Week runway. In contrast to the designing duo’s complex apparel, the beauty looks were clean and fresh; exactly how we love to wear make-up here in the San Francisco Bay Area!

Thankfully, Dolce & Gabbana has provided us with their runway inspiration; and make-up artist Pat McGrath’s step-by-step instructions as well as a product list (bottom of article), in order to help us get the beauty look from the runway at home! Love that!

*The following text was written by, and provided by, Dolce & Gabbana:

At the AW 14/15 Ready to Wear show in Milan, Dolce&Gabbana presented a fairy tale collection: Enchanted Sicily. The Designers’ inspiration of magic was brought to life backstage by Pat McGrath, brand Creative Advisor Dolce&Gabbana Make Up.

To complement The Designers’ vision, Pat created a makeup look evoking a feeling of ‘enchanted beauty’. To achieve a flawless base with an even skin tone Pat applied Perfect Luminous Liquid Foundation using the Foundation Brush. She started by creating an even base with one shade, blending it from the central point of the face outward until the product flowed seamlessly to the hairline and jaw. Then Pat applied a paler tone around the eyes and on forehead, nose, cheeks and chin to achieve an illuminated finish. Finally, Pat then contoured the face by applying a light touch of Blush in Nude on the apples of the cheeks.

Turning her attention to the eyes, Pat applied the light shades of the Eyeshadow Quad in Desert all over the eyelid, followed by the new Perfect Mono – Cream Eye Colour, the latest innovative mono eyeshadow from Dolce&Gabbana Make Up, set to arrive on counter at the end of June. This creamy shadow, which is easy to apply either with the tips of the fingers or with a brush, added further intensity and drama with a velvety, powdery finish. Pat used Perfect Mono in Cocoa in the crease of the eyes for further depth and mixed the shades Innocence and Gold Dust to highlight the eyelids.

To contour the eyes, Pat defined the upper and bottom lash lines by applying the Eyeliner in Black, drawing from the center to the outer corner. Along the top of the upper lash line, she drew a softly defined line of Intense Liquid Eyeliner in Black Intense to perfect the eye. Underneath, Pat outlined the bottom lashes once again using the Eyeliner in Black. The Eyeliner in Nude was then used to illuminate the inner corner of the eye.

On the upper lashes, layers of Intenseyes Mascara in Black Intense were applied, with Passioneyes Mascara in Terra applied to the bottom lashes for a volumised and curled lash look – the combination of the two mascaras made for a beautifully fresh and wide eyed finish.

The eyebrows are a key element of the ‘enchanted beauty’ look for the AW 14/15 collection. Pat used the new Brow Liner in Soft Brown to draw and feather the brows, filling in the colour using the nib of the pencil, and then brushing outwards to the end of the brow. Eyebrows are beautifully constructed, with a natural finish.

On the lips, Pat used the new Classic Cream Lipstick in Honey applied with the fingertips for a sophisticated nude effect. Then a hint of Perfect Luminous Concealer was used to even out the lips and illuminate, before a final touch of Sheer Shine Gloss in Acqua was applied to the centre of the lips.

As a very final touch, Pat applied a light dust of the Pressed Powder.

To complement the look Pat chose the Nail Lacquer in Nude for a natural and elegant finish.