30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 08 A photo of you getting fashion wrong

Hello lovelies.  Ok, to today's challenge is a funny one, because as much as I want to believe that I never got fashion wrong.....I think we all did, right? lol!  So come along and read about my journey in fashion and just how wrong I got it haha.

Sadly, I have no photos of me getting fashion wrong (they do exist tho). I did find this photo today so I wanted to share it with you all.  It actually shows the contrary haha, I think I was getting fashion quite right from the beginning (thanks to my mom) lol

 

Red shoes were hot back then as they are now haha

Ok ..... so here goes my embarassing tale of how I got fashion wrong :)

FASHION FAUX PAS #1

It all started when I was 11 years old.

I got a hold of a bottle of sun-in, do you guys remember that? It was a spray that supposedly made your hair lighter.  It sure did, a light shade of orange.

FASHION FAUX PAS #2

Then at the age of 12, I started to wear penny loafer with an actual penny in them, as I was heavily influenced by my preppy brother's friends, preppy kids at my church, and the emergence of GAP.

Yep, penny loafers - good old copper brown penny loafers (vomits)

FASHION FAUX PAS #3

I then rebelled against the preppy me, and I started to dye my hair lighter and lighter until it was wrecked and almost blonde.  Yep, I was blonde before all these kawaii girls who now all dye their hair all shades of brown and blonde haha.  So as I was saying...my rebellion began. 

I started to get heavily influenced by yo mtv raps reruns, MTV, BET, and the emergence of r&b groups.  I wore really baggy jeans, chinos, sparkingly white reeboks, tight tight tight tops (when I wasn't wearing huge cross colour t-shirts), huge gold earrings (hey still wear those lol) dark lip pencil that outlined my lips with a nude lipsticks on top (of course I never blended), and I wore my hair in a tight ass bun most of the days.  Yep the 90's were full in effect, and I rocked it like there was no tomorrow. TOTAL FAIL! lol

FASHION FAUX PAS #4

Then when I turned 16, I decided i would dress like a slut. lol!!!! My skirts got shorter for some reason, my heels got higher, and I seriously should not have been allowed out the house.  There is no reason to ever let someone see your knickers girls! NEVER hahaha.  Of course my parents didn't know I dressed like this, I changed once I got to school.  Not a good look.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

I finally got some sense around 17-18, when Ibegan to dress like a normal person as I started to get internships and work.  I also noticed all the fashion designers (thanks to all the hip hop videos that were huge walking advertisements).  My eyes opened and I never looked back.

So are you guys done shaking your head and laughing at me? Share with your fashion faux pas :)

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 07 Favourite item of clothing

I could have easily shown you all my comfy t-shirt that I sleep in most nights, which DH always teases me about because it's an old faded Public Enemy t-shirt that says "Fight the Power" on it :),  but that wouldn't have been exciting in terms of a beauty challenge right? So.... I have something so much better - 100 times better really.  This is my favourite item of clothing due to it's snug and comfy fit, amazing craftsmanship, and the hint of couture.

Introducing my Alexander Mcqueen black jersey dress.

 

Stock photo from zappos.com

It's hard to photograph, because the material is actually jersey, and therefore loses it's shape when it's not worn, but it's amazing how that changes once you put it on.  This is what I mean by excellent craftsmanship. Despite being made of a jersey material, the dress is very soft, and takes on the shape as you see in the stock photo.  I love how it gives me an instant waistline, and how the sleeves are slightly puffy.  This is my LBD, and I will wear it for many years to come.


Please come and share with me your favourite item of clothing :)

NOTD: Modern Tribal Nail Art

I'll be very honest with you all, this was not intentional.  I actually had a design in mind, then I f *cked up and basically got annoyed and started making slashes on my nails LOL!  Then this design appeared, and I actually liked it.  Total fluke really, but when I showed my friend she told me it looked like a modern tribal, so thanks Lulu, you described this very accurately :)

So I hope you enjoy even though I took it late last night with instagram (I told you I'm loving instagram)

Base: RBL Stormy

Design created using Models own pen

 

This is a more accurate depiction of the RBL's Stormy :)

Total Mess? or Controlled Chaos?

Be Honest, I have thick skin :p xxxx

100 Blog Follower Giveaway - Win a Max Factor nail polish in Fantasy Fire (Clarins 230 dupe)

I love celebrating the small milestones of this blog with all my old and new followers.  It's just a small way for me to show my appreciation for those who come back to read the nonsense that I write on here hehe.  So as a way of marking 100 blog followers, I am giving away a very sought after polish.

The Prize

Max Factor's Fantasy Fire

Blog Giveaway Nitty Gritty:

* Open Worldwide :)

I know that I wasn't able to open up my Christmas giveaway to all my International readers, so I decided to offer something up for grabs that wasn't available overseas, so come and enter & spread the word xx

 

I'm using rafflecopter for the first time, so please bare with me, if there are any issues, please do not hesitate to email me asap at tokkiandoliver (at)gmail(dot)com.

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 06 Favourite makeup brand

This is quite an easy one for me.  Hands down, I am a slave to Chanel.  

I don't know what it is about the sleek black packaging with that iconic double C's, that just makes my heart patter just a little bit faster.  Initially it was the lipsticks that drew me into Chanel.  I still remember it like yesterday.  I was 18 years old (1998), just got my first job as a waitress during college.  I was broke as a joke lol.  I had $50 left to spend and instead of buying books, clothes, or junk food at 3am, I took my broke student behind to the closest Chanel counter.  I can still remember what I bought as well. It was Chanel lipstick in vamp and a product that is no longer made...it was a thick jumbo pencil that could be used for your eyes, lips, and cheeks and boy did I use it on everything haha.  My love for Chanel was always there, despite never having the funds for it.

But as the years progressed, I really learned to appreciate more than just their colour range.  Their face makeup has really got a grip on me now.  Their foundations, powders, concealers have worked really well for me, and although they are quite expensive, I've found them worth the extra splurging.  

There is just nothing like holding a Chanel compact, is there?  I will be honest and say that I have used better eye shadows than Chanel, but there is just something about that logo that really has me hypnotized, and always has me coming back for more.

Then this past fall/winter collection really won my heart.  There wasn't one thing about this collection that didn't have my interest.  It was the iridescent richness that captured my mood in forms of magnificant colours!

 

If I could only continue buying one brand, Chanel would definitely be the one.  They never fall me, and every season they always stand in the forefront of the fashion forward and bang on trend colours.  

So for all those reasons, Chanel is hands down my favourite makeup brand.

What's yours????

My first Youtube video

So I finally did it. I have started my youtube channel, and put up my first video.  Be nice, I'm completely and utterly embarassed at my inability to put together sentences hahaha (and my deep voice lol Yes my head cold hasn't gone away yet).  For those who wanted to see a better close up of my makeup storage and collection, here is a short video for you all.

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 5 An Outfit That Is Totally You

Ok so today, my blogger is acting all funky on me, so I really hope this post turns out the way I want it too.  Today's challenge was to pick an outfit that was totally me.  Well, I went online and basically selected my ideal outfit with no regards to money.  Yes, I'm playing a bit of fantasy role playing, but it was so fun.  This is 100% me.  If I won the lotto, these are the pieces I would go purchase and you'd see me strutting down the street in.  I freaking LOVE this outfit, and I love how simple yet modern this is.  I can't begin to tell you how much I love monochromatic clothes, with a love for chunky 80's influenced gold jewelry.  I'm also in love with black wedges at the moment, and of course I had to feature the Alexander Wang rococo bag that I dream of owning one day.

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 4 Your Favourite Foundation

Day 4 of the 30 Day Beauty Challenge is....
what is my Favourite Foundation?

This is an easy as pie question...none other than Bare Minerals Foundation (original) in Medium Beige.  The easy application, great coverage, and versatility, makes this by far my most reached for foundation currently.

I don't know if liking bare minerals makes me into an old woman or not lol.  I got teased recently that only middle aged women wear this (which I think is total nonsense lol), but I don't care.  I love my Bare Minerals!  It's one of those foundations that you don't have to devote too much time too.  Other foundations can leave streaks and can cake, but with bare minerals, it just attaches itself to your skin and gives you this healthy glow while covering up blemishes and scars (and boy do I have plenty of scars).  if you don't like the glow, they also came out with a matte version, but I prefer the original.

The other reason why I choose Bare minerals out of all the other foundations is because it is the most versatile for me.  When I lived in D.C., I wore a liquid foundation (forgot which one now so many years ago), then when I moved to Miami I had to change my foundation completely.  Liquid foundation ran right off of my face in that humid climate, and that is when I found bare minerals.  Even when I was sweating like  a pig, it stayed on me.  Now that I'm in England with the colder temperature, bare minerals works for me too.  It's just really really versatile and I'm so very happy with it.  So happy that I use it very sparingly as bare minerals costs a lot more here in the UK than in the states. 

Sorry I don't have a FOTD for you, because frankly I look a hot mess from this cold, but I did do a quick google search and there were tons of FOTD's and the ladies look wonderful with their nicely covered glowing skin, so check it out.

GOOGLE SEARCH FOR BARE MINERALS

You can buy bare minerals foundation at department stores and online as well for £24 (basically double what it costs in the US hmph!)

What's your favourite foundation lovelies?

A Special Franken Polish for A Special Friend

I do like to dabble in a little bit of frankening.  Sometimes it's a complete fail and sometimes it's ok, but I always hope for the best, especially when you franken a polish for someone else.  It's very nerve racking.  You just hope that they aren't completely appalled by it.  So I did just that! - I took my chances, made a polish and sent it to my friend in the states.  I know I wanted to make her a polish that was based on her love for brown polish, but with something extra hidden in there. Just like the polish, the more I get to know my friend, the more that I find such interesting things hidden under the layers.  So, I wanted to make a polish that embodied the same qualities as her.

Please check out her page and also with a photo of the franken polish that I made her.

I love Brown Nail Polish Blog

Photo from I Love Brown Nail Polish

Link to Franken Polish

Her blog frequently features so many awesome nail polishes (way more than mine), so hop on over and take a peek at her blog and tell her Tokki & Oliver sent you xxx

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 3 Your Hairstyle

Disclaimer: I am heavily medicated on nyquil and fighting this nasty cold.  Having said that, I am not responsible for any weird nonsense that might be posted in today's post.  :)

So shall we begin? lol

Day 3 and I am here to show you my hairstyle.
You don't want to see my hair today, because I'm a hot mess from this nasty bug.  Luckily a few days ago when I was doing my FOTD, there was photo  that I didn't use that actually shows you my hairstyle. 

Here's the history regarding my love/hate relationship with my hair.  Well, about 3 years ago, I decided that I was going to stop dying my hair.  I had all the colours of the rainbow when I was young, and I could start to feel the effects on my hair texture.  So last February, I cut my hair really short into a bob, and since then have been playing around with it.  I am now doing an asymmetric bob that is longer on the left side, and super short in the back.

I have a round face, so I'm always looking for my hair to frame my face to make it appear slimmer.  I don't think it works, but it's technically suppose too lol.

I'm one of those girls that don't fuss much with the hair.  At age 18-20, I use to wear extensions, but now I honestly just can't bother.  I just want my hair to be healthy, shiny, and easy to work with.  It is very black right now, my natural colour is actually a dark brown, but I dye it black because I love that stark blue black colour.

 

I would show you guys the back but honestly, the last girl who cut it cut it way too freaking short that I'm really not happy with the way the back looks, once it grows out I'll feel happier, but right now I hate it a bit :/  but I don't cry over spilled milk...hair grows back so I dried my tears pretty quickly.  I honestly just wish I could find a hair style here in Ipswich that I like :(  (any recommendations?)

Sorry I couldn't show you all angles of my hair, but I'm feeling so ill right now and need to go and lay down.  What a waste of a day really? I got no work done, and I'm just feeling bleh.  I hope I feel better tomorrow with another installment of the 30 day beauty challenge.  See you tomorrow xx

My New Makeup Storage - Clear Cube and Muji dupes

Do you guys remember a couple of weeks ago that I was telling you about buying some acrylic paper sorter trays from Homebase for the price of just one small Muji?  Well, can I highly recommend NOT going through Homebase now, just buy it directly from Rymans.  The customer service was horrendous.  I ordered 2 sets, and only one arrived.  We tried emailing customer service with no luck.  After 3 emails and a slow response back, they finally agreed to ship the 2nd unit out.  It took forever for me to get what I paid for, and they are only like 5 miles away.  Unbelievable.  Anyways, they finally came.  So for those who see this set, I highly recommend just going to Rymans and picking these up. 

Ok enough bitching, let me show you guys my new makeup storage.  I'm so thrilled.  I do love the look of acrylic makeup storage, but I frankly can't afford the Muji or the Clear Cube prices, so I searched and searched.  I realised the problem was that I wasn't thinking outside the box.  If you search for key words like "acrylic makeup storage" or "makeup storage", you will get nothing but overpriced and very small storage solutions.  If you are like me, you have more makeup than you need and basically you'll have to invest in several "makeup" storage units to fit your collection.  So I just searched for "acrylic" storage, and found that a lot of office supply stores had larger storage units.  Perfect for my collection.  I am loving this and had to share.  Although my love is beaten out by the oncoming cold/flu.  I'm feeling so tired right now, even as I write this, my bed is calling for me, so please don't mind the instagram photos.  It's just for you guys to get a glimpse of what my organisation set up is.  I hope when the weather picks up and the sun decides to grace us, I'll get some prettier photos for you all.

The inner ocd gal that was screaming at me to get a proper set up is now satisfied.  I love how I can see everything, and how streamlined everything looks.  So enjoy!

 

 

2 new units and on the side are Muji storage units, see how small Muji is?

Just one unit which is 3 drawers

Eye products

More eye products

blushes and highlighters

lippies

Pigments, depots and more eye products

Face stuff :)

I know I don't have as much stuff as many of you out there, and my goal is to try to keep it to 2 units, I may expand to 3 if necessary, but now at least I know I can grab another unit for an affordable price and they stack up quite nicely.

I'd love to see your storage organisation, please share below :) xx

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 02 Favourite bag that you own

Welcome to Day 2 of my 30 Day Beauty Challenge!

What is my favourite bag? hmmmm...There are a lot of bags in my collection that on any given day could be my favourite bag, but by far the one bag that I will love until I am old and grey is my Chanel jumbo caviar flap with gold hardware.  There is a huge story and even a pact with DH that comes with this bag, but I won't bore you with it.  It's the heavy weight champion of all my other bags, and it doesn't get to see the light of day much, but she's never forgotten.

 

Please excuse the old lady cabinet photo, but it just ridiculous how dark it is today, so I went to the best lit part of the house (mother in law's room).  Yes, you heard that right. 

I live with my in laws (feel sorry for me yet? lol).

So this is my favourite bag.  I either get tons of compliments or tons of haters eyeing me.  Either way, this is the best present ever given to me by DH.  He definitely understood how important Fashion was to me.  I feel like I should tell you a bit more about this bag, but truthfully...it sells itself.  It's a classic piece that's ageless and basically anyone with any style can carry it.  I love the firm construction, and the durability of this bag and of course it's hot as sh*t! :)

Please come and share with me your favourite bag as well!

30 Day Beauty Challenge: Day 1 You with Makeup On

I'm always trying to find ways to interact a bit more with my readers, so when I came across this fun challenge from  The Creation of Beauty if Art
I decided to give it a go.  I also wanted to have a scheduled posts, at least for the next month as I will be adjusting to having 2 jobs.

So come along with me for the next month and find out more about me.

30 DAY BEAUTY CHALLENGE

Day 01 — You with makeup on

Day 02 — Favourite bag that you own

Day 03 — Your hairstyle

Day 04 — Favourite foundation

Day 05 — An outfit that is totally you

Day 06 — Favourite makeup brand

Day 07 — Favourite item of clothing

Day 08 — A photo of you getting fashion wrong

Day 09 — Favourite pair of shoes

Day 10 — Current fashion/style you like

Day 11 — Bag you want to have

Day 12 — Favourite colour of clothing

Day 13 — Photo of your fashion/style icon

Day 14 — Photo of a hairstyle/haircut you'd like to have

Day 15 — Your favourite piece of jewellery

Day 16 — A celebrity whose fashion you don't like

Day 17 — Fashion Pieces on your to-buy list

Day 18 — Favourite beauty expert

Day 19 — Favourite look from a beauty expert

Day 20 — Favourite mascara

Day 21 — Favourite lipstick

Day 22 — Beauty tips for a big night out

Day 23 — Best bargain makeup item

Day 24 — Favourite new beauty product

Day 25 — Beauty regime

Day 26 — An Item from your wish list

Day 27 — Favourite skincare product

Day 28 — Top beauty item you can't live without

Day 29 — Photo of a makeup look you would
love to try out

Day 30 — Favourite nail polish

If you are going to do this challenge as well, please leave a comment so I can follow you too :)
So to kick off the 30 Day Beauty Challenge,

Day 01 — You with makeup on  
I usually do a more intense eye makeup with nude lips, but today I did the opposite.  I wanted to do something that would brighten up my face as it was really a miserable and gloomy day outside. 

 

Foundation:  Bourjois Healthy Mix

Concealer: Dior Diorskin concealer

Eyeliner: MAC powerpoint in blacktrack

Mascara:  Christian Dior New Look 

Blush:  Christian Dior dentelle face powder

Lips: Armani lipstick #400

 

Reiss Spring Summer 2012 Womenswear Collection Preview

Reiss SS 2012 Press release with Photos

Welcome to a very special treat and a look into one of my favourite brands here in England.

"Inspired by 90s minimalism, Reiss SS12 references the clean lines from past Calvin Klein campaigns, and the sex appeal and cut of vintage Jean Paul Gaultier.

Playing with proportions, fabrications and layering ensure that the clean lines of the 90s silhouettes feel fresh and modern. Layering separate items in new lengths creates a distinct softness and heralds a ‘new way of dressing,’ which is both feminine and wearable.

The injection of prints enhances this further, as sheer fabrications are overlaid on bold rainbow graphic prints. Prints of various colours are also pieced together or inserted with sheer panels.

Knitwear ranges from micro textures to chunky stitches, in chalky pastel tones and soft neutrals.

THE DETAILS

A study of PRINTS is evident this season. The journey begins organically with intricately hand drawn florals, which are repeated and distorted to give a more graphic illusion. Hand drawn birds are digitally printed onto smoky backgrounds and insect wings are blown up to become unrecognisable.  

Watery abstracts and stripes feature later for a poolside vibe. Unusual coloured, almost snake-effect textures in print and burnout feel effortless, versatile and easy to wear. Clashing palm prints and botanicals are styled together for a playful juxtaposition.

A PALETTE of irresistible neutral tones is complemented this season with pastel hues of mint and apricot. New depth is added with shades of auburn. Pops of aquamarine and citrus yellow feel fresh when used in prints and burnouts. Whites are layered together in soft sheer and structured fabrics, and then mixed with creams and metallics for a fresh and modern approach."

The following images were hand selected by myself from their official press look book.  These were my favourite amongst the group, and fit my style.  If you see something here that isn't appealing, do not fret...they have an amazing collection of soft hues and delicate looks, but if you know me, you know Tokki & Oliver loves her black and edgy looks :)

 

This collection is out this Friday

WWW.REISSONLINE.COM

Max Factor Fantasy Fire (Clarins 230 Dupe)

My husband laughs at me that we call Clarins 230 "unicorn pee".  So I tried to explain to him how unique the polish was with it's color shifting abilities.  Well needless to say, he just didn't get it lol, but you do right?  If you are love nail polish, you know how special Clarins 230 is.  I just haven't been able to trigger the price points on ebay for a Clarins 230, and although I have no doubt it is worth every penny, I just couldn't do it.

I'm happy to say that the UK girls now have something that is pretty darn close to Clarins 230.  I don't have a bottle so I can't give you comparison pictures, but several other bloggers do and I was convinced that it was a dupe.  I ran out and bought out the stock in Boots lol!

The bottles are a tiny 5ml.  You technically need 3 bottles to make up the normal bottle size.  At £3.99 a bottle, you are looking at roughly £12.  That's not "too" bad, right? Especially when a bottle of Clarins 230 on ebay.com runs you anywhere from $65+.  So yes, I am quite satisfied and my longing for Clarins 230 has subsided thanks to Max Factor.

THIS IS A WARNING:  THIS POST IS VERY VERY PICTURE HEAVY

The colour shifts so much, that I wanted to take as many pictures as possible.  They aren't the best, but you will get an idea about the different dimensions of the polish.  I'm running out next week to pick up more for a friend, and I hope the stock is available.

I wore 3 coats of Fantasy Fire over one coat of Illamasqua Baptiste

 

 

 

 

 

 

At night with flash

 I hope you guys enjoy it, as much as I am enjoying it right now.

Happy Saturday to all the lovelies out there xx