Christmas Decor: Part 1

Christmas is nearly here! One favourite holidays of the year and this year I will be spending it at home in England. Last year was spent in Hong Kong  and it was such an eye opener for me. To kick start the festive celebrations I have been doing some DIY decorating. Nearly everything here is vintage and recycled...   Let's all try to Planet Earth Friendly this Christmas! This year I seem to have gone for a rather masculine, rustic and tonal style for some reason...but so far I'm liking it! Let the Christmas count down begin!

Vintage Christmas tree baubles... don't they look delicious?

DIY advent calendar made from vintage tins.

Vintage brooches... per

fect little stocking fillers!

Present for a gentleman in the making

DIY xmas tree... perfect for a those with a smaller home or on a budget! 

Recycled light bulbs as decorations. 

Old crystals, hand made hearts and old lights make an unexpected

excellent festive display...

The most simple way of gift wrapping without wasting too much paper...Let's do our bit for Planet Earth right?

Red Hot Florals

The weather in UK is still falling behind. The trees are still bare, flowers are still sleeping, nature seems to be a little lazy this year. It's already May but the temperature reminds me of winter in Hong Kong. To bring myself a little closer to Summer I decided to bring florals to my clothes. Modelling is my 6ft tall friend Ailsa, the sailor girl with the never ending legs! It also happens to be her Birthday today. Happy Birthday my dear friend of 13 years! You are beautiful inside and out and certainly one of the most wonderfully weird people i know! Please don't ever change yourself for anyone!

Oversize Retro Hairstyle!

It's the weekend and time to play! The sun is finally shining through, Spring is fast approaching! This sudden change of weather has inspired me to be a little more playful with my look today. With lazy unwashed hair, what's better than tying it all up in an oversize messy bun. My hair is only a little longer than shoulder length, but i managed to make it look like Bridgette Bardot's beehive with a little help of a comb, hair pins, firm hold hairspray and a 'hair doughnut' made from a pair of old stockings. A video of this finished look will soon follow, but for now, I will enjoy my finished for the rest of the day. A vintage silk scarf tied around the bun, secured with pins finished off the look to perfection. 

I feel rather Pin-Up girl style today actually.... glamorous, kooky and a little over the top...

Ghost in Town Project: Video

This post is totally outdated... it's been sitting in my drafts box for quite some time now. I've finally found the time to finally post it up! Before i left HK my photographer friend and I had a little 'dress up' fun in Sheung Wan. What we basically did was scare the living day out of some poor locals who were enjoying their saturday afternoon. I came dressed from head to toe as a 1940s war girl. The reaction we got was rather humorous. Some seemed scared and others were really interested. My hair and make up was done by my friend Sunny... who completely transformed me! At first i wasn't used to such heavy make up...but like th devoted person i am, i had to stay true to 1940's make up. I loved my fake beauty spot...kinda distracts away from my freckles!

I also put together a real quick video on the transformation process. It's very obvious that this is my first ever home made video. I would lie to you and say i was going for the whole 'vintage' effect... but truth is, making it look old just helped disguise my poor technical skills. Watch this space...practise makes perfect! 

Some photos from Ghost In Town Project. Taken by Mr. Edwin.

A little excuse to dress up!

I just love dressing up so much. Some may call it pointless, but for me, it's a chance to break away from reality and become many different characters. I can be not just one Elle, but many. Any excuse for me to dress differently and i will go all the way! Halloween has become one of my favorite holidays because of that! Just before i came back to UK,  My friend and I decided to play a little dress up in Sheung Wan. Well, i was the only one who actually got dressed up... buy he was lovely and weird enough to accompany me on this little adventure. The dress code was 1940's british war girl and the theme was 'Lost in the city'.  See my next post for some of the photos!

Next time in Hk i am hoping people will join me for a little fun and play a little dress up! Let's revive 'cosplay' in HK!

Testing the Audrey Brow!

Ahhhhh my dear Audrey..... after seeing an animated Audrey in the new Galaxy chocolate adverts, i was inspired to try out her signature eyebrow! Audrey's eyebrows were well known to be full and straight. They framed her pixie face perfectly, bringing out her beautifully deep set eyes. 1950s Audrey had a much thicker, stronger brow... which was  heavily drawn on. In the 1960s, Audrey had a much toned down version of her signature brow. The make up artists for Breakfast at Tiffany's cleverly bought Audrey to a much more modern look by lightening her brows by a few shades and gave them an overall more groomed and sophisticated shape.

This time, I went for 1950s Audrey look. Although my brows might not look too over the top in these photos, in real life, they were so bold and a little comical! If you saw me close up, you would probably laugh since i looked a little like i was starring in a pantomime play. On the plus side, they made look me a bit more youthful right?! No need for surgery my girls... just thicken up your brows for a innocent, young girl look. If you choose to wear these eyebrows... remember to keep the rest of your make up minimal and voila... bold yet innocent, strong yet sweet! 

For the styling, i just put my hair into a high ponytail and added a ribbon for a very girly look. To imitate Audrey's fringe, I side swept the front of my hair for an illusion of a side fringe. White shirt and a sheer red lipstick completes the look.

Pin Me Up Girl

I am fascinated by the glamour of the 1940s pin up girls. Seductive, feminine and ever so alluring. Here is my quick attempt to bring a little glamour back. The signature flick or eyeliner and classic red lip teamed with side parted wavy hair creates the perfect look that is wearable even during the day.

Wearing: Mac eyeshadow in Sparkle Neely, Sparkle. Lipstick: No. 7 Starlet. Eyeliner: Kate. 

Blush by CANCAM. Deep side parting for the hair and simple waves.

My eyebrows aren't usually this arched, but for this look, i had to draw them on with a strong shape and conceal parts to make them fit the era. 

DIY Headpiece. It used to be a sequin cape but i turned it into a rather glamorous turban by stitching it together on top of a head mould and then added on a vintage brooch for

extra detail. 

What do shoes mean to you? The latest fashion accessories? The highest Louboutin Heel? Or something that will help you get from A-Z?

To me, shoes can tell someone's life story. The shoes my Mummy bought me before i could walk. The shoes i took my first step in. The shoes i took my first dance in. The shoes that took me to new places and traveled with me. The shoes that i fell in love in. The shoes that took me through any weather, rain or shine. To the shoes that gave me so many memories... THANK YOU!