autumn palettes

There are two eyeshadow palettes I’m particularly looking forward to using for autumn, I think you’ll immediately see why.

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The Sleek Sunset palette has those warm, rusty tones I’ve been banging on about for ages, and a great Mediterranean blue (if you want to try that bold pop of blue under the eyes à la the Marc Jacobs show, which I definitely do*). Nicely priced, too. The Dior Earth Tones palette (discontinued now but there are similar ones) is a lovely example of those muddy olive and burgundy tones I like so predictably every time I come across them. Rather staggeringly priced. Beautiful in application, though, quite a sumptuous formulation, and I’m feeling no pangs about it.

I never get tired of browsing great masses of colors, individually or in combination, and deciding which I like best, which I am drawn to the most. I think I will not disclose how long I spent trying to find the Dior palette once it had been chosen. Or once it chose me, as it so often seems.

*Experimentation is salutary.

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If you’re curious, I’ll likely apply them with one or more of these favorite eye brushes.

IMG_7421Top to bottom: Sigma tapered blending brush, MAC 217, bamboo bdellium 785 (best value blender here, and so soft, though the Sigma brushes are well priced, too), Paula Dorf sheer crease brush (current favorite), Sigma E20, essence of Beauty crease brush (from the little drugstore crease duo), e.l.f. contour brush, e.l.f. eye shadow “C” brush (this is such an incredible value*, I think the blush brush is fantastic, too).

*essentially I believe in spending over $10 for a good blending brush (once you use a good one you understand that you aren’t going back to whatever you did before…however you don’t need this many. Only one. Or, for convenience, two, where one stays largely clean throughout the process for additional blending while the other deposits the color. Oh, just go watch Lisa Eldridge, OK?), but not for a flat shading brush.

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All kitted out like this, you’d think I’d wear eyeshadow more often.

I intend to work on that.

x

bikini of the day: the bold bandeau

IMG_4642This is the suit I was wearing in the bandeau/pencil skirt post. This design is by the Finnish brand Marimekko via Anthropologie (thrifted). I am often drawn to bold, rustic stripes in varied widths like the pattern featured here. I find them somehow more approachable than a bold, bright solid, more eye-catching, too; a pattern that invites attentiveness, gives you something to look at. Leave it to the Scandinavians. Also really like brown mixed with pastels. This is reminding me how I want some of those beautiful little Scandinavian-inspired bowls in Anthropologie – the size and style of a small Japanese rice bowl (and in fact made in Japan, evidently. I don’t know why but – usefulness entirely aside, though I do find them useful – I just love dainty porcelain bowls like this), with many different patterns to mix and match. I feel an urge to acquire a random selection that is not unlike what I experienced with the eggcups

This was another instant, effortless, yes-this-is-the-one kind of acquisition, I think largely because of this brilliant color combination + ratio of light tones to dark tones situation.

Doesn’t it seem like one might wear a turban with this suit?

[More on turbans soon…I got some fabric.]

I like hiphugger style bottoms, too. The silhouette they give seems pleasantly sleek and sporty to me, like you ought to be playing beach volleyball (which is probably true), or wearing them with a tank top in one of those Olympic runner get-ups. Sleek is a prominent keyword in my style, I would say. Or, at least, I want it to be.

Hm. I want to go swimming.