Stash pics

As I still haven't done any swatches (very much my bad, although I have been really busy with uni work) I thought I'd post some swatch pics. These are fairly old in that my stash has grown considerably since these were taken although in actuality they were shot less than 6 months ago. And I guess they weren't really 'stash' pics as they were just of a portion of goodies I'd recently bought. But, enough of the rambling, here are the pics!





Most of my goodies are 'drug store' brands rather than high end, with the exception of my Benefit makeup collection from when I worked there, and various mineral samples from Fyrinnae, Mad Minerals, Pure Luxe and Taylor Made Minerals. I have yet to find an NYX product that I don't like and I'm looking forward to placing my first Cherry Culture order to try out some more brands.
As many ladies in the UK will know, we have far fewer of these cheaper brand than you do in the US, and even our cheapest options (Miss Sporty, Rimmel, etc etc) aren't as cheap as the wide variety of brands you will find on the other side of the pond. All I can say is, praise be for the exchange rate and lovely online stores like Cherry Culture who don't charge a fortune and a half for shipping (My Divas Closet - take note!!)
xxx

The New Max Factor

Having seen the new MAXFactor Vivid Impact mascara previewed in one of my magazines, I decided to hop over to the US version of the MAXFactor site to take a look.
Wowee.
I seriously hope that the UK arm of the brand will be revamped to come in-line with the American version as I am really liking this new look and product line.
MAXFactor 2000 Calorie has been one of my favourite mascaras since time began so I can't wait to try their new coloured mascaras too, and I'm impressed by the fun colours in their eyeshadow, even if I do already have enough shadows to open my own store...

Open Toes

I know I promised some swatches, and I can confirm they'll be coming soon. Today, in fact, just as soon as my camera battery is charged.
So I thought I'd take the time to wax lyrical about one of my other passions - shoes!

I was so excited when I saw these pictures from Dior's spring/summer 08 couture show (courtesy of Style.com). I love shoes. I especially love coloured shoes, crazy shows, platform shoes.. and Galliano at Dior certainly fitted that bill. True, I'm very suprised no-one fell over (remember Naomi Campbell and those Vivienne Westwood babies?), but they look amazing.
Just as amazing were Diane Kruger's shoes as she went to watch the show at Paris Fashion Week:

Now I have to admit that without the aid of IMDB.com I don't have a clue who Diane Kruger is, but you have to love those shoes. Teaming something like those with a plain black outfit is without a doubt the way to wear them. When you've got a pattern as dominating as animal print the key is definitely less is more. Full marks to Diane for these. Reminds me of a gorgeous pair of Louis Vuitton balmoral knock-offs that I had in white leopard print that I (incredibly sadly) had to sell on for being too small. My heart still bleeds for those shoes...

The start of another new week :)
I go to uni 3 days a week studying fashion styling from 9-4 but I have to get in at 8.30 to get a parking space, which gives me perfect time to blog.
Unfortunately it also means that I won't be able to do any picture posts until Wednesday evening as I don't have my camera cable with me - d'oh! I do have some planned though - a review of some H&M (Hennes) make-up that I bought, plus a review of Benefit makeup too. I used to work for Benefit cosmetics and so I have a sneaky peak review of the new Thrrrob blusher. Well, sneaky for the UK anyway, as I know all the US ladies have it released there already!
Anyway, lectures start in... 7 minutes!.. so ciao for now kittykats!
xx

Keeping Up With The Jordans

I originally wrote this blog post in around 2003 when studying fashion promotion 'up North'. I'm glad to say that my attitude to fashion has changed somewhat, and I am no longer just jeans-and-t-shirt girl (oh, how age and experience can infinitely improve your confidence), although I still stand by a lot of what I wrote at the time :)

I am beginning to rue the day that I ever signed up for a fashion course, and it’s not because I'm sick of hearing the phrase 'in the Industry'. (Although the next person who says it will likely be garrotted with the pages of their copy of Vogue).
At first I found it rather amusing (alright, I admit it, hilarious) that there were people in the world who would come into a 9am lecture dressed for a night’s clubbing, not because they hadn’t been to bed the night before, but because they chose to. Now, however, the sight of these minor fashionistas is beginning to grate on my fragile little psyche. I feel like Chardonnay Pascoe to their Victoria Beckham; a cable-knit jumper adrift amongst the sea of their infinitely superior cashmere sweaters.
The first few weeks were alright, spent laughing to myself about the disastrous pairing of distressed denim micro-minis with the inclement climate of Northern England in October, but gradually, subtly, their plastic perfection stirred up an unnatural envy in my heart.
I tried to console myself that their 1200 kilowatt sunbed tans would leave them with skin the texture of mock-croc PVC by the age of 30, whilst simultaneously reaching for the Fake Bake with my other hand, reassured by its claims to be the false tan of choice for the likes of Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez.
It probably doesn’t help that I’m actually only marginally interested in fashion. Don’t get me wrong, I like clothes, and I’m not, by general standards, an unfashionable person, but frankly I couldn’t give a toss what Gucci’s direction for spring/summer 2008 will be, or if Kurdistan is the designers’ latest inspiration hot-spot.
I have attempted the occasional foray into the purchase of more ‘high fashion’ items, but the pink, Manholo Blahnik-style ‘J-Lo’ boots are likely to be forever consigned to the back of the cupboard (seeing as they are now somewhat passé, and the one time I wore them out with the obligatory pleated denim mini, I felt like such a wanker I left the bar early and hobbled home to soak my feet in a lavender foot bath). We won’t even mention the velour hoodie and trackpants, or the irrational, and thankfully unfulfilled, desire for a trilby hat and 80s sweater dress.
And so every week I feel resigned to being the jeans-and-t-shirt girl, silently coveting their seemingly effortlessly-constructed outfits, and their Daddy-bought-me-these perfectly bleached teeth. Even the girl I previously derisively nicknamed ‘Jordan’, thanks to her designer rats tail hair, ample cleavage and slight trout pout, has become a source of envy. Depair set in since I realised that her knees were even podgier than mine, yet she could still pull off the flat-soled, slouchy boots that are so trendy, but that somehow manage to morph into suede wellingtons when translated to my size eight shoe.
Intelligence tells me that, one day, I will look back on this time and realise that, no, the latest Seven jeans cannot buy you happiness (unless, of course, you are the head of the corporation, perhaps), and swanning into a lecture looking like you just stepped out of London Fashion Week will not cure world hunger.
Unfortunately this is unlikely to curb my embarrassment should anyone ever find out that I still buy most of my trousers from the children’s department of a well known high street chain just to save on the VAT. Still, I keep hope alive with the thought that they're probably all far to engrossed in their own little worlds to be interested in me. Either that, or that they really can't see too well through their Christina Aguilera blue-tinted contact lenses.

Hi!

Wooo. Well, this is my first post, so welcome to Kitty's Kloset :) Yes, a terrible name I know, but inspiration didn't exactly strike me as I opened this account I'm afraid. Kitty L'Amour is my (pseudo)name, and anything sparkly is my game.
I've been inspired by all the lovely blogs out there such as Nessasary Makeup to start my own, and I hope you'll enjoy.
It's going to be a bit of a mix - as I'm a make-up artist and aspiring stylist there'll be lots of bits on the wonder that is fashion and beauty, as well as some random fashion and lifestyle journalism. Anyway, I hope you love it!
Kitty xxx