Get Made up for Spring/Summer 2012

Makeup for 2012

Makeup artists played with a mix of old and new for spring 2012. Futuristic glittery eye accents, timeless natural tones and indelible smoky shadows and liners done in fresh ways.

Makeup took on an elegant, romantic so expect to see flirty lavender lids, light blue and silver shadows under well-defined, thick brows, with eyes that look natural, and soft flushed cheeks in pinkish hues, and pink gloss on the lips.

Lipstick’s most iconic colour was reinvented this season, proving that there are endless ways to wear a dramatic red, it’s a great time to go for rouge for Spring/Summer 2012, the fresh face look introduced in the autumn will return and the soft rose colour blends in beautifully on all skin tones, especially when paired with a similarly toned blush as a natural look currently holds the main trends.

Reflective washes of white silver sparked up the eyes and brow bones and a rich touch of shimmery metallic gold and soft pastel yellows were swept across the lids making the eyes the focus with neutral skin and lips on the. Eyes will be lined with pastel shades of green, lavender, silver and soft baby blues as seen on the autumn runways, just a soft dusting of eye shadow, very little, if any, mascara, softer eyebrows, rosy, flushed cheeks and pink gloss was used for a natural, no-makeup look.

The sheer foundations and tinted moisturizers are perfect for rising temperatures. With eyeliner the familiar flick of liner returned to the outer corners of eyes but this time fashioned with inventive, even playful, variations. The nude face wasn’t entirely nude — vivid bursts of colour created a pretty, painterly effect that opened up the eyes and added warmth to the skin.

While some looks are merely meant to be admired others are equally creative and wearable. Designers went into the dollhouse this season. Whether curled or feathery, the precise lashes imitated the fixed fringe seen on painted, blinking eyelids.

                                              Celebrities and their makeup look

That’s Fair Isle….

Fair Isle Knitwear for 2011/12

A hand-knit Fair Isle knit lends a chic Nordic touch to every sweater, hat, gloves and anything else you can knit. Inspired by the classic Nordic patterns, Fair Isle sweaters have unquestionable style. A traditional knit that gets its name from a tiny island north of Scotland where the technique was first developed. 

We're used to seeing them après ski and in woodsy winter towns, but this season they're officially fashionable. A Fair Isle is the “it” pattern of the season for everything knit, meaning sweaters in particular. They combine the advantages of a cozy thickness, work-to-weekend versatility and an on-trend attitude. This season is all about bold, statement knitwear —think Christmas jumper and you can’t go far wrong.  Top of the knit picks is Fair Isle, a heritage style that suits everybody, from the traditionalist to the modern style maven.

Autumn Winter 2011/12 is crammed with inspirational new textures, colours and colour effects.  This winter, fashion trends have taken the classic women's cardigan and added a number of modern twists. The Fair Isle knitwear trend   for example, is an great  wardrobe staple that can be a statement over a simple t-shirt  and is right back in bold designs and colours,  vibrant Russian reds, pinks and clarets that were a big trend on the catwalks, we're talking Fair Isle sweaters. 

In winter 2011/12 a Nordic-inspired pattern details a slouchy cardigan, a mock neck sweater, a tunic, a collar sweater etc. Fair Isle had a major moment on the winter 2011 runways at Rag & Bone, and Max Mara, and the likes of D&G, Vivienne Westwood and Gucci didn’t hold back with this bold style and spiced up, the often bland area of knitwear, with these Nordic patterns, consisting of stars, diamond shapes, snowflakes, reindeers etc. It was an interesting trend that became popular with the masses as the high street labels followed with ranges of Fair Isle Knitwear.

The bold patterned style spread across a wide range of clothing, including cardigans, jumpers, sweaters, jackets, gilets, hats, gloves, socks and scarves. Missoni is pretty much king when it comes to all things knitted. This collection was a triumph in wool.

Take a leaf from the Missoni book and experiment with patterns and textures. This Autumn/Winter 2011 season designer knitwear is a highly sought after commodity, offering practicality and style is equal measure. The Chunky roll necks, however, give that deep winter feel, when the cold does set in; you can combine them with parkas, duffel’s and many other big winter coats.

One way to sport knitwear during the cold months is to layer a cardigan, over a simple jersey top and wear under a puffa jacket with jeans and your favourite trainers for a casual look. So experiment with patterns and textures when choosing knitwear.

Here is just some of our fabulous Fair Isle Sweaters...

Women's Vintage Brown Winter Jumper

Women's Dark Green Fleece Lined Chunky Knit Cardigan

Men's Vintage Burgundy Snowflake Jumper

Men's Vintage Blue & Cream Reindeer Jumper

 Celebrities and their Fair Isle Sweaters