There’s no escaping the mega-scarf trend. Mega, that is in size and popularity since most of the celebrity fraternity are now wrapping themselves in one. For us the German label Codello pretty much works it way across the entire range of styles, which is how it should be since anything from printed silk to an all-enveloping oblong of linen are right for this trend.
How to wear them? Tiffany Forbat (top) of the fashion blog Quarterstylecrisis wears her Lovestretch scarf with a sleek and soft leather jacket – a great combination for Spring when we’re still beating of the chills. Just double an oblong scarf and thread the ends through the loop and pull. Silky oblongs and oversized squares are best tied loosely at the neck, ideal for an open shirt, another of the looks to explore (coming up in Lovestretch Looks).
MiH does a cool take on the look with it’s oversized wraps in cotton and linen. For a real seasonal overlap its indigo shawl – with jean-style top-stitching – combines the magic of our favourite navy colour with a casual, distressed vibe all in a big and versatile piece.
Find Lovestretch now at Fashiolista.com, a fashion-watcher’s dream come true, and win a fabulous Metalicus catsuit and Zatchels bag. Basically, you sign up for a ‘Love’ button and then you simply press it whenever you see a fashion or beauty must-have whenever you’re on the internet. It alerts other Fahiolistas to fabulous things and you can build your own hit list for the season and beyond (you can add as many pieces as you like). We’re going slightly nuts with this one – it’s a race to have the best looking shopping list.
Featured in this week’s Style mag, Zatchels is finding a wider audience. Why do we love them too? Handmade from the finest quality, durable leather, Zatchels specializes in traditional English bags, including the barrel bag and the classic school satchel, and makes them fun again.
If you know this blog, you’ll know we’re always keen to mention what’s going on at Zest – and this time, we’re the news. This month check out the latest yoga style, including our super-stretchy Language tank and delicious Wellicious yoga pants. Stay tuned for more press news Lovestretchers.
If you are looking for a quick pick me up on a grey chilly morning, a bright red pout may do the job. Red lips were all over the S/S 12 catwalks so you will be bang on trend as well. If that sounds too scary for a Monday morning, don’t panic. There are lots great tips to help you find the right colour and a couple of modern ways to apply it.
Not all reds are the same and your skin tone will dictate the best one for you. If you already have red undertones to your skin, choose a red with a blue base. To brighten older skins go for an orangey red while a brick red will suit dark complexions. But the best way to tell is have a go and try out different shades. The right lipstick color has the power to make your skin, eyes, hair, complexion and everything else look brighter and more alive. Conversely, if the color is wrong you could look duller or drained.
Next look at the texture of the lipstick. You could opt for a sheer formula or if you are feeling more adventurous go for a dense, highly pigmented one. One of my favourites is from the Lipstick Queen herself, Poppy King. Her ranges of ‘Saints’ and ‘Sinners’ are identical colours but the Saints are sheer, with only 10% pigment, while the Sinners are more opaque with 90% pigment. Why not sample a Saint red and then when you are feeling more brave move onto the Sinner version?
To apply your chosen lipstick, try something a little different. Instead of slicking it on straight, try using your finger to dap the colour into place by pushing it onto the lip. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but just keep going until you’re left with a soft, stained effect; like you’ve been eating berries. You can use the same product on your cheeks, still using your fingers. This will give your complexion a subtle glow.
If you’re after a perfect lip, use a brush and always use a lipliner if you have small lines around your mouth (and who hasn’t), otherwise the colour will bleed. It is important to match the colour perfectly or you may end up with a cartoon mouth. If you can’t find one, I’ve found an amazing lipliner, by the fabulous Lipstick Queen, which is invisible. It is not as strange as it sounds (although Mr Love despaired when he caught me buying invisible make-up!).
This little piece of kit will go with all your lipsticks and perfect your lip look. Silicone based, it creates a defined edge and prevents the colour bleeding, perfect. If you are going out in the evening and want to add more glamour just top your colour with a clear lip gloss and you are ready to go.
All products mentioned here can be found at SpaceNK in store or online. If you have any beauty questions you can email me here at beauty@suzielove.co.uk. Photography by Lisa Stirling at www.lisastirling.com.
So you’re off to a yoga retreat and you need to take a recessionista’s approach to your clothing budget. The first place to look is the Lovestretch sale page – it’s packed with basics and gorgeous feature pieces that wouldn’t look out of place in the ritziest resort.
Planning begins with your colour choices. The better you coordinate your palette, the easier it will be to put together a series of looks. A Language top combines the LA look (splashy print, relaxed shape) with fabrics that can be worn for practice or for an evening in the bar. Wellicious always comes up with chic, unusual colours and uses them on superior yoga wear with a full collection of options, from leggings to tops.
When it come to accessories, pick wisely and you’ll be able to pack lightly and still look like the best dressed person there. A great wrap, a pair of flats and few pieces of jewellery will go a long way. And don’t forget a dress – if you’re spending all day in leggings, it will be a real treat to pull on a fab, simple piece at night.
Now is the time of year when minds turn to the business of repairing the body after its delightful spree through the sweetest, stickiest and stodgiest time of year. For many this will mean picking up their yoga or Pilates practice once again. We’re in the business of bringing together the best in yoga and fitness wear so I thought this might be a timely moment to go through how to choose the best outfits if you’re new to yoga and Pilates or simply looking for a new outfit.
When choosing yoga clothes it’s tempting to go for items that flatter your shape. For instance, wearing baggy clothes to hide bulges. The normal rules of fashion have to be adapted when looking for clothes to exercise in however, since there are practical considerations that must take precedence over how you look. The main aim of yoga wear should be to provide comfort and ease of movement. If you’re constantly checking and readjusting your clothing, you won’t be able to relax and focus on the task in hand, which is vital when practicing yoga.
Many of us avoid wearing tight fitting tops, especially if we have large breasts or a less than flat middle. Wearing loose clothing during yoga could backfire though. Some yoga movements involve inversion and all of them involve some kind of stretching. If your clothes don’t fit snugly they could ride up or even end up over your head! This is likely to be much more embarrassing than a top which shows a few ripples and bulges. A good compromise is a top and leggings of some kind which are fitted enough to stay in place and to allow your Yoga teacher (if you attend a class) to see your movements properly.
It’s worth bearing in mind that boot-leg or flared trousers can disguise poor positioning, which limits your teacher’s ability to provide constructive advice. Making sure that your feet, ankles and knees are visible allows you and your teacher to check your alignment and improve technique. Similarly, it’s difficult to ensure the correct posture if the upper body is shrouded in a large T-shirt that bunches up around the neck every time you bend down. Another important consideration when exercising is underwear.
Again, it’s vital that you wear a bra that keeps you in place, doesn’t ride up and feels comfortable even when stretching or bending. Sports bras are ideal and are available in all shapes, sizes and colors nowadays. It’s about trying different items that make you feel secure and comfortable but allow for a level of visibility. Don’t worry about what you wear for your first few classes. Choosing clothing is an ongoing process, just like Yoga itself. You might find that you settle on a particular outfit or that you like to have a selection of colors and styles to suit your mood. Go for something that you feel confident wearing but remember that it’s unlikely anyone else will even notice what you’re wearing. After all, it’s an exercise class and not a fashion show.
Lovestretch Customer Laura Raux wears a selection of yoga wear from Wellicious and Yogamasti.
It’s great to get a mention in gorgeous mags and Grazia is one of those we really love to be mentioned in. The glossiest weekly has chosen our Atelier zodiac chains for its bumper Christmas issue. Yes, these are presents to covet and there’s no denying that if Santa leaves one of these in your stocking on the 25th, a very popular bloke he would be. And if he doesn’t? A present under the tree labelled, ‘To Me, with lots of love from Me XXX’ achieves the same happy ending.
‘Great expectations’ might make you think of the book by Charles Dickens. But here I’d really like to focus not on our own great expectations and how deep an effect these can have on our mental, emotional, even physical state.
If you’re out with friends tonight and anticipate the moment with the attitude that ‘it’s going to be fantastic’, you have already applied a certain outcome to a future event. One that is subject to a wide array of variables over which you have no control. What if the taxi doesn’t come? What if your friends can’t make it? Disappointment quickly replaces excitement.
If instead we only made a plan without attaching any sentiments to it and stayed in the here and now, it could still be the fantastic night one would hope for. Or it may not be. Whichever, the result is the say but expectations, and emotions, are managed and remain balanced.
One of the essential concepts of Yoga philosophy is non-attachment. It has many facets with expectations an important part of the whole. In this context, expectations are an attachment to a future event or outcome: we are attached to something that has not even happened. In short, we are compromising ourselves if we allow our hopes and expectations to rule our mind and emotions.
If you want to experiment with this concept, you can start on your yoga mat. No matter how deep your forward bends were last time, start afresh every time you step on your mat. Don’t expect your practice to be one thing or another, just practice. You will reap the profits without ever having expected them, all the sweeter for its unexpectedness.
Outfit by Yogamasti.
Congratulations to Tiffany Forbat, the brains behind quarter style crisis, for coming tops in our blogging competition. Our style queen-about-town – seen here wearing her Lovestretch favourites plus her prize, EMU Australia’s luxe shearling waistcoat – is always first with the fashion news and we’re pleased as punch to be right up there with her other favourites. Check out her blog for the best in fashion and beauty… We’ll keep in touch, too.
