Dolly Mixture - High Neck Dress from R édition at La Redoute

The second I put on this pretty High Neck Dress from R édition at La Redoute, I felt like a 60s dolly. I love everything about it from the neckline to the fluted sleeves, the length to how cute it makes my VBO look!

Rebel Rebel - Maybelline Color Sensational Vivid Matte Liquid Lipstick in Rebel Red

As someone who wears their hair down fairly frequently, matte lipsticks are my make-up bff! I've recently found myself drawn more and more to the liquid variety, and have tried out several drug store brands to see what they can offer. Of the few I've recently tested, this bright red offering from Maybelline was hands down my favourite!

Addicted To Love (and monochrome)

I know, I know - shock, horror, it's me in yet another pair of trousers! Who is this person, and where have all her floral and polka dots gone? She's still there someone, and without a doubt will be back on the blog shortly, but for now I'm really enjoying playing around with my wardrobe and just having fun.

With this look, I felt part way between a chubby rock star and bad ass biker babe which is probably as far away from my usual bumper bangs and hair flowers as you can get! I loved pairing the high waisted jeans with a white shirt, and simply unbuttoned and tied it up to give it more of a cropped finish.

Shirt: Simply Be

Jeans: HM+

Biker Jacket: HM+ (Old season)

Sandals: George (Old season)

The only thing I'll say is that I needed to size up with both the blouse and the jeans (two sizes in the jeans, in fact!) If you're smaller in the bust than I am, your normal size will probably be fine but if you've got a lot up front, size up to avoid the dreaded gape of doom!

I really like this outfit, and it was put together very much with my friend Chattermonkey in mind. It's the right balance of smart vs casual for me to go and meet clients and has definitely made me want to continue to further push through my self imposed style limitations.

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

Follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Paint The Town Red - Sleek Pout Paint Lip Stain in Pin Up

It really doesn't matter that I have a drawer filled with approximately 100 million variants of red lipstick - show me a blue based red which I haven't tried before, and I will be all over it like nutella on a pancake stack.

That was my exact reaction when I came across the Pin Up shade of Pout Paint from Sleek Make-up. It kept coming up in conversation as a fantastic dupe for the Lime Crime Velveteens and OCC Lip Tar, but at a fraction of the price. Plus I loved the idea behind the Pout Paints and their excellent concept of mixing the range together to create your own personalised shade.

When used alone, Pin Up is a fantastic cherry red shade. The texture is thick without being gloopy, and dries to a lovely satin finish without making your lips feel cracked. It's not one to put on in a hurry though. Coming in a literal paint tube, the mixture needs to be applied with care, a lip brush and a steady hand. The formula applies semi-sheer and can be built up to a strong, solid colour for the perfect pout. Whilst you'll need to be careful when eating and drinking, the stain is generally long lasting but it is best to apply over lip primer and lip pencil for the most resilient finish.

My favourite feature of the Pout Paints is that they are designed to be used with other shades in their range. In addition to a variety of pinks and peaches, an orange, blue and white are available to mix things up. The orange warms your shade, the blue will darken and take your retro red to a dark plum with the white allowing you to lighten up your chosen mix. You simply apply basic colour theory to a paint palette, and create your own stunning lip shade to suit your mood. And with the tubes coming in at under £5, you don't have to melt your credit card to build up a collection of shades.

Having fallen in love with the pigment packed paint tubes, I am now absolutely desperate to get my hands on the rest of the range - especially the blue shade for that film noir finish. Whilst they're not the sort of product you can slap on and go, they are something which any make-up lover should have in their cosmetics arsenal as they are incredibly adaptable and lots of fun to play with.

Until next time,

Diana xx

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Paint The Town Red - Sleek Pout Paint Lip Stain in Pin Up

It really doesn't matter that I have a drawer filled with approximately 100 million variants of red lipstick - show me a blue based red which I haven't tried before, and I will be all over it like nutella on a pancake stack.

That was my exact reaction when I came across the Pin Up shade of Pout Paint from Sleek Make-up. It kept coming up in conversation as a fantastic dupe for the Lime Crime Velveteens and OCC Lip Tar, but at a fraction of the price. Plus I loved the idea behind the Pout Paints and their excellent concept of mixing the range together to create your own personalised shade.

When used alone, Pin Up is a fantastic cherry red shade. The texture is thick without being gloopy, and dries to a lovely satin finish without making your lips feel cracked. It's not one to put on in a hurry though. Coming in a literal paint tube, the mixture needs to be applied with care, a lip brush and a steady hand. The formula applies semi-sheer and can be built up to a strong, solid colour for the perfect pout. Whilst you'll need to be careful when eating and drinking, the stain is generally long lasting but it is best to apply over lip primer and lip pencil for the most resilient finish.

My favourite feature of the Pout Paints is that they are designed to be used with other shades in their range. In addition to a variety of pinks and peaches, an orange, blue and white are available to mix things up. The orange warms your shade, the blue will darken and take your retro red to a dark plum with the white allowing you to lighten up your chosen mix. You simply apply basic colour theory to a paint palette, and create your own stunning lip shade to suit your mood. And with the tubes coming in at under £5, you don't have to melt your credit card to build up a collection of shades.

Having fallen in love with the pigment packed paint tubes, I am now absolutely desperate to get my hands on the rest of the range - especially the blue shade for that film noir finish. Whilst they're not the sort of product you can slap on and go, they are something which any make-up lover should have in their cosmetics arsenal as they are incredibly adaptable and lots of fun to play with.

Until next time,

Diana xx

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Great Big Kiss - Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet, A Liquid Lipstick in Grand Cru (Shade 8)

I'm an utter sucker for red lipstick, so was really intrigued when I started to hear great things about the long lasting liquid versions. The Rouge Edition Velvet range from Bourjois was the one which seemed to stand out the most amongst the high street ranges, and with it's promise of a non-drying matte finish, I couldn't wait to try it out.

I choose a lovely dark burgundy red with a pink tint called Grand Cru (Shade 8), and the first thing I noticed was it didn't need a lip liner to stop it from bleeding. The slanted applicator applied a strong, opaque swipe of colour across my lips which felt soft and light-weight, and didn't leave my lips feeling dry at all. The wand also gave you the precision needed to paint the liquid on, which dries quickly to a velvet-matte finish.

But the best thing about the lipstick? It doesn't budge or fade at all throughout the day. Unlike traditional reds where you need to set them over lip liner and blot with powder for durability, the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet stayed put throughout, even when eating and drinking. The only downside is that it can flake off if your lips are dry, but a little exfoliation will sort that problem right out.

In terms of high street ranges, this is the best product I've come across in a long time. There are eight colours in the range, all of which are bold variants of red and pink. They are perfect for the festive season, taking you from office water cooler to office Christmas party without the need for a touch-up!

Until next time,

Diana xx

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Bloglovin and Facebook.
www.fashionlovesphotos.com

(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)