Cherry Dollface Photo Shoot at Le Keux!

Some people say you should never meet your heroes, WRONG! I'm glad I didn't listen to them, meeting Cherry was one of the best experiences I've had. So forgive me, this post is two years in the making. I'm not entirely sure why it's actually taken me so long.  I've shared these images on my Instagram so it's about time I show them off properly. Cherry Dollface was my gateway into the vintage/pinup scene. I'd always loved it but didn't realise there was a whole world of people out there who lived this life daily, that is until Instagram and Youtube. Since discovering this wonderful world I've met some of the most wonderful women you could imagine, empowering, encouraging and inspiring. It all started for me because I wanted to do my eyebrows in a pinup style and I found Cherry's channel. 

Then I realised she also did videos about how to style your hair, and so the interest grew. I've kept up to date with her videos and posts ever since and I found out she was doing a UK tour and offering photo shoot packages with hair and make up done by her lovely self, I couldn't turn it down so I signed up and patiently waited. 

The shoot took place at Le Keux Vintage Salon in Birmingham, a place I had been wanting to visit for a while actually. They do photo shoots, hair, make up and offer lots of different packages so it's definitely worth a visit. I arrived with a dress I had made especially for this occasion, a leopard and cherry print dress with a huge skirt and underskirt. It was the most complicated dress I've ever made and it was by no means perfect but I loved it. I found the fabric in a little shop in Lyme Regis called Sew-La-Di-Da Vintage and I managed the buy the last of the stock they had of it so I had to make sure I turned it into something fabulous and I feel like I did it justice.

The salon is wonderful and the staff were amazing. Lynsey looked after me and talked me through what would be happening and really put me at ease. Not having done anything like this before I was a bit nervous and really excited to meet Cherry. You could hear her before you could see her, bouncing around and chatting excitedly with the lady she was shooting with before me. Before it was turn I had a little look around at the rooms available to use for shoots. Spoiler - they're all great.

So it was turn, meeting Cherry was lovely, she was so warm and full of fun you instantly felt excited. I hadn't had my make up and hair done professionally a lot so it was a real treat and I had intended to pay a lot of attention so I could replicate it at home. Unfortunately I was too caught up in conversation with Cherry to pay proper attention to all the processes so styling my hair successfully with heat still remains a mystery to me. 

Make up close up (excuse the millions of filters)

I love how she did my make up, I used to always use eyeliner on the bottom of my lids but she didn't and I couldn't believe how big it made my eyes look. She gave me a bright red lip also, I love red lips but never felt too confident with them like I couldn't quite pull them off because my lips were big and I felt I looked like I'd just pushed my face into jam. But then Cherry said something that has forever changed how I feel about my lips, she said I only feel like that because I have big lips, this doesn't mean I can't wear it and basically that my big lips were wonderful. Since then I've worn lipstick almost every day and love when they look big and bold rather than shying away from them. Big lips embraced. Tick.

I have no idea how she did what she did to my hair, she did tell me, and the products she used. But I can never re-create this, it looked perfect. The curls were so silky and defined, and the set held for a couple of days. When I use heat my curls drop in a matter of hours and can use get success from doing wet sets.

A few sneaky dressing room snaps before the shoot began

Suddenly I was ready to get dressed. I really wasn't sure what to expect as I've never looked like this before, but I couldn't have felt more confident and couldn't wait to get started. I had a few sets to shoot in and I wasn't a natural, at all! But soon I felt more at ease and didn't want it to end. Lynsey took the pictures and was great at giving me direction and tips which helped me so much.  It was a wonderful day, I made some great memories which I'm now ready to fully share.

 Ignore the dodgy hem...

Above is probably my favourite 

I feel like this one is perfect for my blog name, I also love how it shows off my dress

If you're thinking of doing a shoot like this but haven't done one before and feel nervous - do it anyway. Give it a try, I see bloggers who do this all the time and I wish I could afford to do it more. I can't recommend Cherry or Le Keux enough.

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Boohoo Plus - Eliza Peplum Skirt Review

Boohoo is a brand I've not considered before, not for any real reason other than sizing. I did know they did a plus size range but I never really checked it now, now I regret everything.

Payday came and I thought I'd have a little trawl through, I was looking for something particular so this made it a little easier. We were celebrating Roald Dahl's 100th birthday soon after and I wanted to go at the Grand High Witch, of course, because it appeals to my dark little heart. So I wanted a witchy pinup skirt.

 And Boohoo Plus delivered! I spotted this gorgeous little number, the black pencil Eliza skirt with a peplum waist made from scuba fabric which was nice and stretchy. There was an exposed silver zip at the back, I love exposed zips so I knew this would be a winner. What I struggle with when it comes to pencil skirts is that they can be baggy at the bottom, I often take mine in so I really get that hour glass shape. This one was perfect, tight with lots of movement and the peplum was dramatic and I felt really confident in it. I can be a bit aware of my stomach so I often wear tops over my pencil skirts, this is the first one I wore the top underneath and I bloody loved it. Best of all? It was on £12....£12!

I decided to give the skirt a test run at the weekend, I had intended to go without tights but my chub rub shorts were visible through and under the skirt so I put on the old faithful black tights.  I teamed the skirt with a black strap top from Primark, I live and die in these and have about ten. They're lycra ones and I feel like they hold me in a bit and I've had them for years without them falling apart. This is pretty unexpected considering they only cost £3 each. 

Then I added one of my favourite cardis from Collectif in a cherry print, you can't get this style any more but all their cardi's are fab so I suggest you check them out. I have it in this style and a dark green velvet one too which will be great for winter. 

I felt killer in this outfit, I can't wait for summer to go away now so I can rock it a bit more often, I'm not also on the hunt for some more peplum's! 

 

Oh and I also thought I'd play with my hair (excuse the offensive bobby pin).

Until next time. 

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Oil Slick Hair, My Dream To Be A Disney Villain

I've had red hair for years now, about 5 I think. And I love it, I really do. But I've always dreamt of something darker, something more...Ursula or Maleficent and maybe even a bit of Hades creeping in. 

To be really honest I've always wanted blue hair but haven't dared bleach it to achieve this dream. I did however notice that the ends of my hair were getting very light, light enough to colour blue? Why not! I caved and bought some 'midnight blue' from Directions and boldly whacked it on hoping for maybe a bit of ombre? And what did I get? DISNEY VILLAIN OMBRE THAT'S WHAT!

I did panic slightly when I blow dryed it as it looked like a dark storm, blue and black and murky. Once I'd washed it once more what I was then left with was, oil slick hair, perfect for any evil character. 

In the sun it was beautiful, stunning blue at the bottom and streaking throughout the red which now had streaks of purple and almost looked iridescent like those purple/red/green cars you see around. 

I decided to pin curl it and this was the best decision I made. It brought the blue higher up and more visible and you could really see all of the colours working together. So in love with this hair. 

Long term, will I keep it? Not sure, I think blue will be harder to maintain than the red but I just really wanted to try it out. The blue will stay in a little longer but I may colour it again with the red which I think will make the overall end colour really stunning.

Stay tuned!

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Christmas Eve in Lindy Bop - Review

It's been ages since I posted, will do better this year! I thought I'd do some more outfit posts, and I'll start with my favourite outfit of the festive season. As we're Norwegian, we mainly celebrate on Christmas Eve with a huge meal consisting mainly of meat, a huge rib of pork, meatballs and various kinds of sausage which is a tad perversely shaped...don't ask. 

 

We also like to dress up for this meal as it's really special and what's the first thing you'd pick to wear? Maybe something that you could eat loads in (thinking of Joey in Friends with his thanksgiving turkey eating pants), something with a full skirt that fans out hiding the after belly of food? NAH!

 

I knew you'd want to see the meat in all it's glory... no sniggering

I felt brave and ordered something I've never ordered before, a figure-hugging wrap dress from Lindy Bop, the 'Sadie' dress. I wasn't sure how this would suit me but slapping on the control shorts I gave it a go and I bloody loved it. Bright green leopard print may not sound like something you'd wear to Christmas Eve dinner but it's actually really lovely and I felt amazing in it. I really hope they release more styles.

The fabric is nice and heavy so it falls nicely and gave me a great shape I wore it again on new years eve but my hair wasn't nearly as good hence so pictures! It gathers and ties up at the side which I love as I'm not sure how I'd feel in a tight wiggle dress without this little disguising feature but you never know, I might brave it next time. 

Great news is that Lindy Bop has a sale on, you can get it now for £20.99. 

PS. Not an endorsed post, I just love it so much. 

I also thought I did a pretty good hair and make up job! All using Makeup Revolution, their Ultra Brow Palette is the best and give me the brows of my dreams and their contour trio palette works a treat though I don't think that's online anymore. I did a wet set on my hair the night before to get the pincurls perfect for the day!

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THE BEST WEEKEND EVER AT DISNEYLAND!

OK shouty caps over. This past weekend I spent the weekend in Disneyland Paris and my brother's dance group were performing there. I decided to get the Eurostar down which was fantastic and so quick I would definitely do it again. I did almost not make it after not being able to locate my passport at 11.30pm.. the mothership was not impressed after we turned the house upside down. Luckily it was lurking in my Figaro under my drivers seat so made it after all! So off to London I headed complete with my home made Mickey and Minnie Mouse circle skirt, which did get a lot of attention the whole way with the commuters, hey guys!

The train pulled up right outside Disney so I met my dad, stepmum and little brother there and we quickly headed back to the hotel (which was western themed yay!) to dump the bags and get ready for the park. The very first thing that I did was to pick up a pair of Minnie Mouse ears, I already had the skirt so had to commit right?

 

We didn't get to do too much the first day with dance stuff going on so we walked around for a bit and went and had some dinner and cocktails. Turns out we were all sharing a room, dad and stepmum in the double bed and me and my little brother in the bunk beds.... I'm 27. BUT WHO CARES BECAUSE WE WERE AT DISNEY LAND! And we were all so tired both nights we just died as soon as we got in. We did however get to see one of the parades, loved it! MAGICAL!!

 This boy cannot pull a normal face

 Cocktails and Kinder Joy mmmmm

The next day we were up early and it was time for another outfit. This time I channeled my inner Ariel and I couldn't have been more excited. Again another home made skirt. Though it turns out that a foily skirt in 30 degree heat is not the one. I teamed this with a purple top, obviously. I also had some Ursula ears loaned to me by my friend Emily and I bought an Erstwilder mermaid brooch especially for the event. To top it all off I finally used my Skinnydip mermaid bag that I bought in topshop. The kids in the park loved the outfit but I had to change halfway through to the pineapple dress which was much cooler. 

I loved rides, big kid. Space Mountain in my favourite so that was my first hit. 

My little brother does not share this passion so I didn't make him go on anything horrible we did all the nice rides. It was amazing to see his dance group perform too they filled the house and Disney said they were the best group they'd seen so that was fantastic! He was really chuffed.

 We stayed for the fireworks on the last night even though we were all knackered but it was so worth it and was so stunning. Up early the next day for early train home and was back home by midday, sore, tired and feeling like I'd been hardcoring it at a festival. So worth it and so want to go back!

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