I wore this Self Portrait Azaelea dress at a recent wedding and loved it! It’s the perfect dress for any event or any semi-formal occasion for that matter. It was a typical Irish day, cold but dry so I was glad to have this vintage faux fur cape for warmth. I absolutely love it and will wear it for years. 

Self Portrait dresses are well made, this particular style is timeless and I've no doubt that I could wear it in ten years. What makes this midi dress so great is the construction. The bodice is well structured and provides an elegant shape to the mid-section. The thick, nude lining runs almost the length of the dress and it really gives an impressive cage effect to the skirt.

My Zara shoes were a recent purchase , they remind me so much of these Gianvito Rossi Leather and PVC pumps  which I love!

After Great Lengths

L-Natural Hair Before
R- Natural Hair After

After 24 weeks of having Great Lengths extensions in my hair, I couldn't wait to get them removed! At this stage, the bonds become 'matted' from sleeping on one particular side and I found that they started to itch. The feel of the bonds in my hair became uncomfortable after a while also.

In saying that, I think GL extensions are fantastic quality and I could have easily kept them in for another 2 months. This is because I looked after them and maintenance is key for their upkeep.  Brushing is an essential part to keeping your locks looking luscious and it involves a bit of work. Brushing it in layers while hitting all the roots twice a day is a requirement. If you don't brush them regularly, I found that they looked matted and certainly don't shine like my natural hair. 

PROS

1. There was no damage to my hair, yes, it felt thinner and so much shorter than i remember but that was because i was used to having lots and lots of extra hair! Another reason was Post-Partum, it is completely natural to lose hair 3-6 months after giving birth. It might explain why my hair looks so much finer in the 'after' image.

2. They hold curls better than natural hair meaning styling is very easy. I never used a styling product on them either.

3. Getting GL hair extensions is very quick, 2.5 hrs to be exact.

4. Added volume, length and thickness without looking fake. 

CONS

Apart from the obvious cost of the hair extensions which can range from 600-1200 euro depending on quantity / salon / stylists etc, there are other 'hidden' costs.....

1. You must use a sulphate-free shampoo to cleanse- The GL shampoo and conditioner retail at about 28 euro each. I used a Kerastase Sulphate-Free shampoo and conditioner. You can't let your hair dry naturally which I hated! 

2. The GL brush can retail at 35-50 euro.

3. You will need to revisit your salon, where the stylist will use a specially formulated Great Lengths removal gel. When applied this gel gently breaks down the bond and with the removal tool, the extensionist is able to slide the bond down your own hair with no damage. The removal of the bonds start at 75 euro. 

4. Hair can be matted, itchy and the bonds can start to feel uncomfortable after a few months as the natural hair grows. 

5. I lost approximately 15 bonds in total as well as shedding, just like your natural hair would shed.

6. Say goodbye to getting a salon to blow-dry your hair! Most salons e.g., PeterMark , have strict policies that they will not wash / colour etc any hair extensions. This was a huge con for me. 

7. While you can colour you hair, It's not easy finding a salon to do it. For me, I only ever get a T-bar so the bonds weren't affected but those that get their hair coloured may need to consider this. 


Overall, the experience was really positive and none of my hairs were hurt in the process. If you have the cash and the will to invest in some hair extensions, I couldn’t recommend Great Lengths more highly!

Have you tried GL extensions?

If you're Olivia Palermo, half of Fashion Week is about what you're wearing. Every appearance she makes in the front row, running around between shows, and throughout the week at parties and private dinners, we're watching to see how she's staying stylish — and warm — and taking notes every step of the way. 

Take a page from Olivia's Fashion Week play book right here — it might just give you inspiration to last all season.

Olivia bundled up in a MaxMara coat, Black Orchid denim, and a pair of Tabitha Simmonsbooties between shows. She topped the look off with Dior sunglasses.

Olivia outfitted flares with a striped blazer for a '70s moment outside the Tommy Hilfiger show.

For Carolina Herrera, Olivia wore the designer head to toe, save for a pair of Christian Louboutin boots.

For Rachel Zoe's presentation, Olivia topped a printed dress with a furry vest.

While out on day three, Olivia bundled up but stayed sleek in leather pants and black booties.

On Saturday night, Olivia made a front-row appearance — and nearly coordinated with Rachel Zoe — at Altuzarra's Fall show.

Olivia and her husband, Johannes, showed off their chic outerwear at the Monclerpresentation.

The style star kept it understated in flared jeans and a Tibi coat at the Tibi Fall show.

For Rebecca Minkoff's show, Olivia styled an all-black outfit with plenty of details.

Olivia arrived at her collection launch party looking every bit the chic designer.

The style pro accessorized her Nordstrom dress with a luxe-boho feel.

It may only be the second week of February but I already have a new foundation that it a strong contender for my foundation of the year. The Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation is the newest addition to the Les Beiges range. When Chanel come out with a foundation , you just know it's going to be beautiful and worth all the hype. 

The frosted glass style bottle packaging is beautiful and looks so pretty on my dressing table!

The SA matched me to shade N° 30 which is a great match for my winter skin tone and of course the added bonus of a SPF 25 makes it more of a daytime base. There are nine shades in the range available.

The texture is more like a cream than a liquid , which i love and it blends like a dream. Some have likened it to an instagram filter and I have to agree! It makes skin look flawless. 

This base sits between the Vitalumiere Aqua and Perfection Lumiére in terms of finish but it reminds me of a daytime version of the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation , which I love. It lasts a good 8 hours untouched. Winner.

It's light to medium coverage depending on how you apply it so you can adapt it for day to night. It is so easy to build up without looking like you've caked it on.

A dreamy purchase I must say!

€44 for 30ml

Every so often the fashion collaboration stars align and you get a collection so good, so perfect, that you wonder what your closets were like before it arrived. Such is the case with Olivia Palermo’s latest project with in-house Nordstrom label Chelsea28.

On February 8, the entrepreneur, model, style icon, and designer will release a 32-piece collection that ranges from a bold pajama set in a poppy floral print to a tailored denim jumpsuit you won’t want to take off.

How did you find time to design a full collection? What’s your secret to juggling it all?

Olivia Time management! I’m working 24 hours a day, but I’m passionate about it. It’s what makes me wake up in the morning with a big smile on my face. I spend the first half of my day dealing with Europe because of the time difference. Then in the evening my website gets my undivided attention.

Did you fit the clothes on yourself?
OP: Absolutely. I test-drove the collection around Nordstrom’s offices to make sure everything looked good in motion.

Where did you look for inspiration?
OP: I was feeling 1970s, with a touch of French. I drew on the classic Breton stripe, vintage Hermès scarves, and stylish Parisian girls.

Your personal wardrobe is to die for. How would you style a piece like the suede trench vest [pictured below]?
OP: I love the idea of layering it. I’d wear it as a dress with a chunky turtleneck under it, and thigh-high boots or pumps.

And what would you wear on a date with your husband [Johannes Huebl]?
OP: The nice thing about Johannes is, he likes me casual. I mean, he also likes me dressed up. I guess he likes me no matter what! [Laughs.] But I think the blue-and-white outfit [left] feels so fresh for a date. I would style it with a wrap belt and sandals. 

OK, so real talk: How do you manage to look so put together all the time?
OP: My mom instilled in me at a young age how important it is to be properly dressed when you leave the house, no matter the time of day. Even if it’s 4:30 A.M. and you’re heading to the airport, you want to look and feel your best. Obviously everyone has their down days, but—

Wait, you? Do you ever just want to put on sweatpants? 
OP: No. If I do, it’s only for the gym.

In your case, your off-duty look might wind up in the pages of a magazine. Does that bother you?
OP: I don’t look at paparazzi photos. And most of my friends don’t want to be photographed, so they walk four feet to the side. If you see a photo of me laughing, that’s why—because my friends don’t want to walk with me.

Did you always know you wanted to work in fashion?
OP: Growing up, I wanted to be a sports commentator. Then my aunt [who worked at New York City auction house Doyle] introduced me to the fashion industry, and everything sort of fell into place. 

Next came a reality-TV show and then a job with Diane von Furstenberg. Did you ever feel that, because of your background as a reality-TV star, you weren’t taken seriously by the fashion industry? 
OP: No. I’ve always had the mentality of: work hard, get to bed early, focus—and let your work speak for itself.

"[The collection is for] a younger age group, so I think it was really important that I started by building a foundation. And because we are doing this for spring, fall, and holiday, I thought it was important to build throughout the collections. I call them lifewear pieces."

"That was really what I wanted for this collection: keeping it youthful."

"We're still in winter when the collection hits stores, and the temperature is kind of in between, so I really wanted the girls to be able to wear pieces now because that's how the girl shops—she wants something immediately—so really trying to have this well edited and think about that."

"When I was growing up, [I studied] in Paris, and I think there was a bit of European influence that just always stuck with me. So I don't think I necessarily realised when we started to work on the collection, but there is a bit of a French feel to it."

"Most of the pieces are relatively structured, but there's still a little bit of movement in it. I think it gives it that feminine touch."

  

"For the pajama set, we took a vintage print and played with the colours and blew it up a bit. [We also did a] paisley. I was thinking very '70s feel, kind of old-school Pucci."

"We really focused on elevating the denim."

"Proportions are extremely important. For girls on the go who are not always in heels (to be realistic, you change), I wanted things that you can wear with flats and then slip a pair of heels on, so that was the idea between picking out a lot of midi pieces."

"The fabric [is what makes a piece of clothing look expensive]. … The one thing I'm a super stickler for is quality. If it's not great quality, then I'm not interested."

-SHOP THIS POST-

Can you believe it's already February?! Here is the best Valentines inspired gift guide! Happy Friday!

What To Wear //

I spotted this bardot top and mustard coat in the Zara new collection and fell in love! The Joni Topshop skinny jeans are a wardrobe staple- I sized up as they are very small fitting.
River Island's new shoe collection is great starting with these moleskin pumps. Even though it's grey outside, don't be afraid to wear brights!