Morning y'all...

As autumn is drawing in and some days are both cold and warm, it has been tough dressing for the occassion.  It is too warm to wear chunky knitwear but too cold not to cover up somewhere along the line.

So the questions arises:  What do you wear?  My answer:  The Denim Shirt!

It is so versatile and can be dressed both up and down.  It really works as a great classic piece in your wardrobe, and will continue being worn well into winter, layered with other chunky knits and jackets.

So here is two great ideas for your denim shirt:

Denim shirts looks great with jeans (coloured, black, blue, white), maxi skirts, midi skirts, mini skirts and shorts.  Not only that but denim shirts come in various colours again - so mix it up.

It is all about being playful and having fun.  The cuffs can be turned up on your denim shirt to show off those amazing bracelets you've been collecting.

Let me know your favourite way of wearing your denim shirt.
xoxo,
Angelique

Recipe: S'mores Fudge

Hello beauties,

This friday I fancied a change, and thought I'd share one of my recipes that I found online.  The darkness is drawing in quicker in the evenings and mornings are really dark when I'm getting up.  It is also getting MUCH chillier, which means we've had to put the heater on for a couple of hours to take the chill off.  And not only that but my favourite new TV programme is back on, called Wartime Farm.  It's basically all about how farmers lived during the 1930's and 1940's when the Second World War was in full sing.  The historians that recreate the stories have also covered Victorian and Edwardian Farms.  But back to what I'm posting about.

Fudge to me means Autumn. It means cool weather and brisk afternoon walks in the leave strewn streets. It reminds me of the holidays and giving out gifts of homemade candies to the neighbors and friends. …obviously I have a serious case of Autumn Fever. It’s bad, really bad.

I've already planned my Autumn/Winter wardrobe and what I'll need to be wearing, what I'll be doing during Halloween, where I'll go for Guy Fawkes AND how I can make Christmas time extra special.

While I may consider fudge to be an Autumn favorite, this S’mores Fudge could not be any more perfect for chilly weekends. It is a great make ahead dessert that combines all of my favorite flavours of Summer. It takes under 15 minutes of actual work from you and will impress your guests who don’t know how easy it really was….that’s a win-win in my book!

S'mores Fudge

Yield: 16 pieces of fudge

Ingredients:

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 graham crackers, chopped (plus a few crushed for top)
1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full boil, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and pour in semisweet chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Gently fold in graham crackers and pour into prepared pan.
Top with mini marshmallows and some crushed graham cracker. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours, or until firm.



If you are living in the Northern Hemisphere, I hope that you can keep warm and cuddly.  For those lucky enough to live in the Southern Hemisphere, I hope you enjoy the warmth creeping in.  I'm personally loving the cooler weather, especially because I can legitmately drink Hot Chocolate without looking silly!

Have a fantastic weekend!

xoxo,
Angelique

My top picks for new autumn makeup

Generally, I take pride in my ability to not be sucked into buying makeup just because of a pretty package. After all, just because your mascara comes in a fancy gold tube doesn't mean it won't flake off by lunch time!

When I saw the new NARS Andy Warhol collection, however, all that went out the window. The line is filled with lip glosses in all shades of red and pink, jewel-toned nail polishes, and bold shadow pencils, but I especially have my heart set on the six gorgeous eyeshadow palettes. Printed with an image of the pop artist's face and one of his most famous series, Flowers, these shadows are sure to add a little extra creative inspiration to your makeup application! Besides, I already know I love NARS products, so there's barely any risk in buying based on beautiful packaging alone. Unfortunately there is no release date for the NARS Andy Warhol collection as yet (but sign up for further information), but we're all hoping it will be released just in time to change up your beauty routine for the winter! (The U.S have a set release date of 1 October).

Speaking of a new cool-weather look, one of the trends I'm dying to rock this autumn is deep purple lipstick! Rapper Azealia Banks' new M.A.C lipstick, "Yung Rapunxel", has just the right amount of reddish undertones to keep the color glam, not vampire-ish. You don't have to wait quite as long for this fab collab — it hits stores September 5!

What products are you looking forward to for autumn/winter 2012?

xoxo,

Angelique

Autumn Trend Report

Autumn is definitely one of those seasons that I find to be beautiful.  This years fashion and beauty trends for Autumn has outdone itself.  Here is a list of those trends that I'm loving right now:

Lip noir

"Lip noir is our take on film noir," says Pat, global creative design director for Max Factor. Take a cue from the likes of Gucci, Viktor + Rolf and Yohji Yamamoto and channel your 1940s femme fatale. Although a full-bodied, patent pout might seem like it's only for the bravest beauty followers, it's definitely not a look to dismiss. Nail the look by blending a lighter lip shade on to the centre of your bottom lip to create the illusion of depth and dimension. Keep the rest of your look muted - let your lips do the talking.

The new age

Need something a little more pared down? Meet the look of modern minimalism: earthy hues juxtaposed with flesh-tones, creating a complexion that's both delicate and contoured. Models at Valentino, Dior and Louis Vuitton all championed the look. Pat says: "We were sculpting the face to create height and depth, adding contours and highlights around the eyes and cheeks - the result was beautifully minimal." Enhancing your bone structure is key to wearing this look well; practice using matte blushers and nude eyeshadows for contouring.

Undone chic

This season sees a more relaxed approach to glamour; give your hair a break from intense heat styling with this softened, unstructured look as seen at Burberry Prorsum, Lacoste and Markus Lupfer. "We've seen a lot of simplified hair," says Bumble and bumble stylist Neil Moodie, who created the look at Burberry Prorsum, by applying Prep and Thickening Hairspray to the roots and using a diffuser to encourage natural-looking texture and movement. Keep this look in your arsenal of foolproof styles; you can't go wrong with off-duty model chic.

Twisted up

It's rare that elegance crosses paths with practicality, but this updo, as seen at Donna Karan and Valentino, is the perfect combination of the two. At Valentino the style was neat, slick and restricted, while Donna Karan's models sported a side "victory roll" in a throwback to the patriotic post-war trend. To achieve a uniform twist that stays in place, give your locks a bit of grip by using dry shampoo as a primer. Gently coil your hair and pin into place, tucking the ends in. Mist with a glossy hairspray to finish.

Dress up

Vintage vixens will love this next bit of style inspiration, as seen at Moschino C&C and Clements Ribeiro. Created by Sam McKnight, Pantene Pro-V's global stylist ambassador, the voluminous updos were inspired by the "first taste of sophistication" of youthful homecoming queens of the 1940s and 50s. His weapon of choice for creating the look? Hairspray. Blow-dry hair upwards and back before dividing into sections and misting with hairspray. Backcomb and soften the look by creating a long, side fringe.

Pop art

Girly goes graphic in this nod to kitsch, comic-book art. Sharply-winged liner in vibrant cobalt adorned models' eyes at Anna Sui in New York while, over in France, Lanvin's illustration-inspired collection led Pat McGrath to create a "pen-and-ink sketch look" with calligraphic, jet-black eyeliner, teamed with a fresh complexion.

Let me know which look you love the most...

xoxo,
Angelique

Hottest Fall Nail Polish Colors

The Chinese zodiac calendar may say we're in the Year of the Dragon ... but we're actually in the Year of the Nail Polish. According to market research, nail polish sales are up a jaw-dropping 70 percent this year -- and I'm not complaining. When it comes to all things polish, I can't get enough.

So naturally, I'm super excited for all the new fall 2012 nail polish colors. With a boatload of shades to choose from, I reached out to celebrity makeup artists to narrow things down and get their top picks for the hottest new shades of the season. What separates the good from the gorgeous? "A great fall nail polish will stand out, but still blend effortlessly into your wardrobe," says celebrity makeup artist Marissa Nemes.

From deep wine reds to stormy metallic grays, there's a little something for everyone on the list. Even just the names of these nail polishes ("Gobsmacked," "Suspicious," "Miss Fancy Pants") has me itching to try 'em all ... the only tough part will be choosing which one to wear first.

Glittery Charcoal

The Shade: Butter London in Gobsmacked, £9

Why It's Hot: I love the sound of this name, 'Gobsmacked,' and its shade is equally fabulous. Metallic polishes are going to be huge for fall, especially this is sexy, sparkly, asphalt color.

Burnt Orange

The Shade: OPI in Deutsch You Want Me Baby, £11

Why It's Hot: This fiery orange is such a quintessential fall color. It reminds me of leaves changing and carving pumpkins.

Bright Magenta

The Shade: Pop Beauty in Magenta Muse, £6.50

Why It's Hot: It's a shimmery, magenta shade that is the ultimate glam girl color. It reminds me of Kim Kardashian -- hair done, makeup done ... all done up.

Navy Blue

The Shade: OPI in Unfor-greta-bly Blue, £11

Why It's Hot: This is a very dark navy blue that looks like the ocean at night. But it has some shimmer to it, so the color really pops against every type of skin tone.

Light Mauve

The Shade: Essie in Miss Fancy Pants, £7.50

Why It's Hot: This pretty shade is mauve-ish ... not quite lavender, but getting there. It's edgy with a soft innocence. Like McQueen meets Vera Wang.

Sparkly Sage Green

The Shade: Butter London in Trustafarian, £12

Why It's Hot: This is a brilliant blend of holographic gold and sage green. The artist in me loves its subtle edge, and the beauty expert in me loves the sophisticated balance it creates.

Creamy Gray

The Shade: Julep in Annette, £7

Why It's Hot: I'm obsessed with this creamy dove gray color. It's a great seasonal transition shade -- neutral, but completely chic.

Deep Wine Red

The Shade: Chanel in Suspicious, £17.50

Why It's Hot: This powerful shade of deep magenta will compliment your fall wardrobe that's full of colors like black, gray, and plum. It looks so pretty when paired with rose gold jewelry.

Shimmery Lavender

The Shade: Essie in Nothing Else Metals, £5.95

Why It's Hot: You can still wear lavender even in the fall, and this shade has a gorgeous metallic sheen. It brings out the little girl in me

Caramel Brown

The Shade: Sheswai Lacquer in Rootsy, £12

Why It's Hot: This is a really unusual, beautiful shade of caramel. It reminds me of toasted pumpkin seeds.

Eggplant Purple

The Shade: Tom Ford in Dominatrix, £25

Why It's Hot: A bold jewel tone looks fantastic for fall. I love this purple-y eggplant color ... so pretty, and very royal.

Forest Green

The Shade: Zoya in Noot, £10.50

Why It's Hot: This forest-y shade is a rich, deep green with just the right amount of gray. It goes on very opaque and paints like a dream.

Granite Gray

The Shade: OPI in Nein! Nein! Nein! OK, Fine, £11

Why It's Hot: This is a flat, dark granite that has a hint of forest green after you put on the second coat. It's a rich, deep color, but it's not too dark or vampy, so it still falls into that neutral, 'goes-with-everything' category.














This is a great selection of autumn/winter nail polishes or as American's say 'Fall', which is actually quite apt as the leaves start falling in autumn.  I love this time of year and think that nail polish should celebrate the beauty of the season.

xoxo,
Angelique