Showing posts with label AW15. Show all posts

The Little Red Blogger: The Interview, Part Two!

If you haven’t checked out The Little Red Blogger then what on earth are you doing with your life?

whatta babe!


My gorgeous gal-pal is not only one of my biggest inspirations in life, but in style and fashion too. WATCH THIS SPACE. She’ll have her own label and more followers than Bec Judd in the next two years, just watch!
She did a little interview with me late last year which you can check out here, and I recently got to turn the tables on her

so nice, you see her twice x

Sparrow: When and why did you start blogging?
The Little Red Blogger: I started at the beginning of the year, mostly because I have an unhealthy obsession with clothes and fashion and pretty things and needed an outlet. I'm studying full time so am on a student budget so wanted to share my experience of being a broke-ass fashionista with people. I know there's more of us out there!

Sparrow: Where do you draw inspo from? Life? Work?
TLRB: All of the above. I'm so inspired by people on the streets for fashion. People watching is one of my favourite past-times. I love seeing how people dress and how they put outfits together. I blog about everything though, and usually whatever is in my heart at the time (how hooey does that sound?!) but if I'm on struggle street I'll write about it, if I cook a mean dinner I'll write about it, if I'm having a bad hair day I'll write about it. Blogging is a great outlet for that!

Sparrow: Your top three designers?
TLRB: Oh my gahd how does one choose? There's so many! I'm going to cheat and give you six. Top three Aussie designers are Toni Matecevski, Dion Lee and a tie between Ellery and Josh Goot and top three international are Jean Paul Gautier, Alexander McQueen and Yohji Yomamoto. Ok, that's actually seven but that was a tough question…

Alexander McQueen 2015
Dion Lee 2015
Ellery 2015
Jean Paul Gautier 2015
Josh Goot 2015
Yohji Yomamoto
Toni Matecevski

Sparrow: Haha, revenge is sweet! So what do you love most about fashion?
TLRB: I love that it can be interpreted in so many ways. There no right or wrong, there's no rules. What you wear can literally change your entire mood, and I love that! Rachel Zoe once said “Style is a way of saying who you are without having to speak”, and I find that to be so true.



Sparrow: I agree, absolutely. So then, what do you think about mainstream, fast fashion chains finishing at size sixteen? Do you think it limits women and their style choices?
TLRB: Absolutely it does. I think times are definitely changing though and there are more and more brands waking up to the fact that the average Aussie babe doesn't always fall into the sample size category and a lot of brands are starting to realise that they're missing out on a huge market there. There are some great brands like Basque and Bib (available at Myer) that to do beautiful and fashion forward pieces for curvy girls. Online stores like Asos are great too because they show the clothes on a body so it makes buying online without trying it on a little less scary.

Sparrow: On that note, you’re petite and lovely – is shopping ever frustrating for you? Pants too long, nightmare jeans?
TLRB: Always! I'm barely 5'3" so everything I buy is too long. Even midi skirts are maxi's on me. Luckily I'm pretty handy on a sewing machine! But I have learned to always try before I buy and even if I absolutely LOVE the piece, if it doesn't fit and look flattering then I'll leave it behind. And then cry. Or console myself with a new pair of shoes.. Even though I'm quite petite I'm also pear shaped so I have trouble finding jeans that fit my thighs and waist which can be super frustrating. I've found Forever New jeans are the best for that.











Sparrow: Heels – how do you make them work?
TLRB: Oh man I would sleep in heels if I could. I love them! I always put gel cushions in my heels, no matter the occasion so I can last in them all day or night. It makes a world of difference! I think pointed toe heel with a pair of jeans and a tee is SO sexy, but I can't go past a statement heel. Anything in a crazy colour, crazy embellishments, straps, buckles, whatever. If I could have a closet full of Sophia Webster and Nicholas Kirkwood heels I would be one happy lady!

Sophia Webster
Nicholas Kirkwood











Sparrow: You’re currently studying at fashion school – what’s that like?
TLRB: Intense to say the least. I think the biggest misconception people have about fashion school is that "It's just fashion, it must be easy." It's not. Really, really, not. The contact hours are pretty standard, twenty one hours a week in second year, but the homework expectation is about the same amount of non-contact hours. While you work and intern and try and have some sort of life on the side. Yup. Sure. Easy. They make it tough because the industry is tough and competition is fierce so they want you to be prepared. I really love it though. I love being constantly challenged and being able to be creative and being able to do something I'm passionate about. I feel very lucky for that. Even if I am a walking zombie for lack of sleep all the time. Coffee becomes your best friend at fashion school.

 Sparrow: End game, where do you see career in fashion heading? Owning your own brand? CEO of Chanel? Chief editor of Vogue?
TLRB: All of the above of course. I'm basically Grace Coddington. (It's all in the hair, ha.) In all seriousness the end game is to have a career making beautiful things, whatever that entails. I've always thought the best thing in the world would be to be walking down the street somewhere and see a girl wearing one of my designs. I couldn't think of a better feeling. I love painting and drawing too so would happily do that for a living if someone will pay me for it!

Sparrow: How important do you think beauty is to fashion? Do runway shows need hair and make-up for looks to work?
TLRB: Oh it's so important! Your beauty look is the icing on the cake. Even if it's simple and you wear it the same every day (like yours truly because I'm so lazy) it finishes off your look and, like fashion, makeup and a good blow-dry can literally change your entire mood! For runway fashion the beauty look gets just about as much love and time and research as the fashion itself. It completely changes the look and feel of a show. And a lot of the time the beauty look of a runway show is the first thing to become mainstream because it's easy and much more economical to recreate. Hello Chanel smoky eyes and black headbands!


 Sparrow: What’s your favourite make-up brand? Or do you mix and match?TLRB: I mix and match and tend to try new brands especially for foundation. Australis is definitley my go-to brand for bronzer and powder but for liquid foundation I love Nars and MAC. And for lippy it's usually Revlon, MAC or Sportsgirl.

 Sparrow: Ok, you did it to me, so it’s payback time – I’m ditching you on one of the nicer desert islands and because I’m nice you can take a whooping FIVE products with you. And a copy of Elle magazine.
TLRB: Haha thanks, you babe! Ok I would take my Lucas Paw Paw ointment because I can't live without it, Sukin Eye Treatment, Olay moisturizer with SPF 30+ (so important for us pasty white redheads!), my favourite perfume Hot Couture by Givenchy and.. my phone? I know it's not a beauty product but I'm going to need a way to blog about how you abandoned me on a desert island.

Sparrow: Good luck getting bars out there! Speaking of, does YouTube ever factor into your styling or beauty routines? Do you have a favourite YouTuber?
TLRB: In all honestly I never go on YouTube. Ridiculous, I know! The few times I have though I've found its very easy to find some incredible beauty bloggers and I find it a great platform for that. I have noticed there a very few fashion bloggers on there. Maybe I need to change that? Still waiting for a BeautyByASparrow YouTube, just quietly…
not everyone can make me ugly laugh like this

Sparrow: Ok, ok! Point taken haha! (and yes you should missy!)
 What’s the best thing about Melbourne?
TLRB: Where do I start? The coffee, the shopping, the architecture, the people, the fashion. There's always something to do, always a new store to find, always new designers popping up and good coffee on every corner. What more do you need?


Sparrow: What’s your favourite beauty treat? A mani-pedi? A face mask?
TLRB: I love a good mani-pedi but you can't go past a good facial. Especially when they throw in a face and scalp massage. Heaven.

 Sparrow: Finally, what’s your go-to beauty look for a night out?
TLRB: Usually it's a smokey eye with browns and golds and a peachy-nude lip and I'll throw some messy waves in my hair. Although if I'm pressed for time it'll be liquid eyeliner and a red lip, a lá Amy Winehouse. You know, without the beehive hair and druggy boyfriend…

I feel you girl, I feel you. Thank you so much, my lovely little red blogger, and I can’t wait to see your next big move in the fashion game!
Pleeeeeaaaaasssee head on over and subscribe to her blog, and follow her on Instagram @thelittleredblogger <3

Until next time little birds,
Tweet tweet xx

Easy like Sunday Morning...

Good morning my little birds!

I know, I'm blogging on a Sunday, it's unheard of, but it's my first one off in about... Well, too long to even try and count! 

It's gotten me thinking about all the Sunday things that I love, and that I've missed as the seasons have melted from autumn to a very wintry winter here in Melbs.

1. Brunch

OHMYGOD FOOD. I love food, and breakfast foods in particular. Eggs, bacon, avocado, I'm all over that like Hollandaise sauce. 
When your working day starts at ten though, you miss out on that opportune brunch bracket and then by the time you eat again (because you HAVE to have breakfast before work!) it's well and truly lunch time and if you try to order poached eggs or muesli people look at you strangely. Also brunch is SUCH a social thing, that doing it alone would feel unnatural.
Now that I've reclaimed my Sundays you can be sure my Insta feed will be flooded with the stuff of food envy dreams!

2. Converse Chucks

If I could wear my Converse Chucks to work I would literally never take them off. They're so comfy, they're so cute, and they perfectly walk that casual/cool line that I so often struggle with. Weekends and sneakers were made for each other, like Nutella and strawberries. Teamed with denim, cute skirts, chunky knits, thick coats and scarves, they work with everything and make Sunday feel like Sunday, to me at least.

3. Exercise

I live near one of the most gorgeous rivers in Melbourne, the Maribyrnong river. It's a great little 4km walk that's scenic, pretty, and just generally a nice thing to do. Driving past all the morning walkers with their dogs and their bright work out gear has made me so jealous, so I can't wait to get out there soon and have a walk with my mum, or maybe some girlfriends! 
(And the best bit? THERE'S A BRUNCH PLACE AT THE END OF THE WALK!)

Cute workout gear that I want to steal

4. Bed

You have no idea how much you love your bed until you have to drag yourself from it, at six-thirty on a Sunday, and walk across FREEZING bathroom tiles to get ready for the day.
More than anything (even more than brunch) I've missed having a lie-in, in my beautiful, cosy bed, and not having to jump up and out and start being busy. I mean yeah, you can sleep in on other days you have off, but there's something about Sundays. I think it's waking up knowing that the rest of the world, and the rest of the city, is just as relaxed and easy-going as you. Knowing that everyone else is also waking up, and going 'Ah!' is sort of nice. The Sunday papers always have better lift-outs, coffee tastes better, Sundays in bed are just better than other days.

5. Cleaning & Tidying


I know, I know, I was just going on about the amazingness of laziness on Sundays, but I love a good spring clean! Folding and putting away nice, clean laundry, washing your sheets and drying them outside, so they smell like sunshine when you crawl in that night, re-arranging knick-knacks and my bedside table... All the things that I don't get time to do during the week, that make me feel a little more organised and in control of my life. I'm also a fan of all things pretty, so getting into my room and making everything perfect gives me all the warm and fuzzies.
And if I get a chance to re-arrange my make-up bags and storage? THAT'S SERIOUSLY THE BEST
#goals

6. The beach

"But it's winter!"
And...?

I love the beach, regardless of the weather. Any chance I get to be by water, I take. The same way I love walking near the Maribyrnong, walking on the beach is one of my all-time favourite things, especially at the end of a hectic week. There's something about sea air that makes me feel immediately better, no matter what's going on in my life. Sundays and sand just make sense, right?


7. Shopping


Ok, so I've never had a Blair-style splurge, but Sunday shopping is the best kind of shopping, It's more wandering and occasionally spending money than actual shopping. I love going to Puckle Street and Chapel Street in Melbourne, popping in and out of the little boutiques, the big brands, and the DFO's. I love taking time to look at different pieces, feel inspired, and pick and choose what I want. Like brunch, it's a social thing - spending an afternoon with my mum, or one of my close friends, aimlessly looking at everything from clothing to candles, is a luxury to me. 


8. Markets
Image: houseofhumble.com

Since I was little, my mum and I would get ready and go, every second Sunday of the month, to Flemington market, to look at lovely crafts, clever innovations, fresh flowers, fruits and vegetables, and to eat mini-Dutch pancakes with lemon and icing sugar. The boy started taking me to Daylesford markets about two years ago, and again, beautiful, handmade crafts and soaps, fresh produce, and unique things you can't find anywhere else. And donuts. 
There's something about Sunday markets that I absolutely adore. It could just be the mini-Dutch pancakes talking, but I love the idea of shopping local and organic. The best Pink Lady apples I've ever eaten came from a farmer at Flemington market. Wandering around in the sun, picking up trinkets and no-where-else-one-of-a-kind things, and apples, is my idea of a perfect Sunday. 



Well there you have it, little birds, my favourite Sunday things. Stay tuned for what's on my face on these lazy Sundays. 
I hope you all enjoy a sleep-in, some brunch, and most importantly some time in the gorgeous winter sunshine with your favourite people.

Until next time,
Tweet tweet xx

Grow baby, grow!


Hello my little birds!
So I've started a process that I want to blog about and share with you, simply because in my own research and YouTubing I haven't found a clear, billboard like, HUGE sign saying "YES THIS WORKS" or "NO IT DOESN'T". I've only really found "SORT-OFs" and "FOR ME, YES". 

It's called the Inversion Method and I'll admit, when I first read about it I was a little sceptical, and scared. Oil? In my hair? But oil make grease? Greasy hair bad? How...? Then I watched this little clip on YouTube by Evin Yalcin and heard that you actually don't have to use oil, but you can rely on your hair's natural oils instead. I find my hair can get quite greasy on its own, so the idea of putting more oil in there isn't very appealing. 
Essentially you flip your hair upside down, looking down, and give yourself a scalp massage for four minutes. At first I was a bit half-hearted, I mean, standing with your head almost between your legs rubbing your head isn't a daily activity, you know? But then I remembered something about myself -
I LIKE MASSAGES. 

So even if this method doesn't end up working for me, I'm getting a lovely mini-massage each night, and I'm ok with that! 


The reason I want to grow my hair out is two fold. For starters, at the moment it doesn't feel entirely healthy - my ends are splitting, I know I've done too much in terms of colour and bleach to it this year already, and it's just a bit of a hot mess to deal with.
Also, I'll admit, I haven't totally gotten over my love, my obsession... the chocolate brown hair.
I mean the gloss, the depth, the shine, how healthy it looks.... ah!
I already know, however, that I can't do another thing to my hair colour-wise until it's healthy again, and I was considering lobbing it all off, but that won't really repair any of the damage I've done. Also, I don't want short hair! As much as I adore a bob/lob, I know they don't really work for me. I'd feel silly chopping it all off since I've been growing it since August last year. 

 
On the left is my hair circa 2013, when it was still mostly blonde and the longest I can remember it being. On the right is my lob from August 2014. I did love my lob, and at the time it was exactly the style I needed, but it's taken a long time to grow out.

I've been looking up home remedies and other solutions for growing long, beautiful hair, and I've discovered three main themes.

1) OILS & PRODUCTS
2) FOOD
3) WATER

OILS & PRODUCTS
Obviously everything you put on your hair will affect it, its growth, and its strength and condition. I've spoken in the past about using John Frieda products to protect my colour, but I haven't been taking good enough care of my scalp. That's right folks, dandruff. Ick, I know, but it has to be said, and it's one of the main downsides to colouring your hair - a dry, flaky scalp will often ensue. Whilst various shampoos, including caffeine and coconut milk shampoos, are suggested for stimulating growth, I feel I need to get my dandruff situation under control first. Which leads us to oils! Aside from the inversion method, all of my favourite YouTubers rave about coconut oil and its benefits for your hair. Recently Kayley Melissa spoke about using coconut oil as a scalp treatment for conditioner, and said that it was far more effective than any other shampoo she'd used. Other top rated oils include Argon Moroccan oil, jojoba oil, rosemary oil, olive oil, and other essential oils too.

FOOD
You are what you eat, and to get healthy, beautiful hair, as well as healthy, beautiful skin and internal organs (woo! internal organs!), a diet full of rich, nutritious foods and proteins is highly recommended. Eggs, avocado, fish, fresh fruits, and vegetables, are all vital to growing strong hair. I'll admit, my diet is in desperate need of an overhaul (one too many coffees and cakes I'm afraid), so I've already been moving to these changes anyway for my own health. Now as an added bonus, I'll have beautiful hair to boot! A lot of beauty bloggers and YouTubers also recommend taking a multivitamin or hair supplement to boost growth, but I want to try adjusting my diet first before I start adding in any sort of extra pills or potions.

WATER
Water. Water, water, water. Seriously. The human body can't do jack without it. It's important for fostering hair growth as well as cell renewal and all those other lovely things our bodies do for us to you know, keep us alive. The human body is 70% water! It's so important to hydrate, and being exposed to fake air and heavy indoor heating has really taken its toll on not just my hair, but my skin and general health as well. A good tip I find is to keep a bottle of water with/near me at all times. Even just watching TV, working, or blogging, if I have water near me, I'll drink it without even thinking about it. Before you know it you'll have downed your 8 glasses (or 2 litres) without even realising!
Tea is also a good way to get water into your system, and a great idea for winter time when drinking cold water is super unappealing.

So here we are - I've been using the Inversion Method for three days now (it's Monday), so I'll be back on the blog this Saturday to give you my results. An inch to four inches in a week? My hopes aren't high, little birds, but I am a bit of an optimist. Make sure you're following beautybyasparrow on Instagram for updates and inspo!

Until next time,
Tweet twee xx

Max Made Masterclass (or the time I dorked out like a pro)

Surprise! My last post I mentioned a surprise and here it is -

On Friday night I was lucky enough to attend the Max Made Masterclass at Sportsgirl, Bourke Street!



I arrived good and early, and like the major dork I am, took a seat in the front row. Sportsgirl staff were handing out sparkling water and I was so excited to find a pen and notebook in my bag. I'm a huge nerd so by the end of the masterclass I had about twelve pages of notes and sketches that I'm going to share with you all! 

Waiting for Max to come out and start teaching!

Max came out with his stunning model, and I was so excited to hear we would be learning how to master the Folk Rock look, the gold smoked eye. 
Gift Bag Goodies + the Bold in Gold cheat card 

My first impressions of Max were that he was tall - very tall - and I could immediately pick him as a make-up artist. The on trend ripped denim, shiny black t-shirt, cool loafers and healthy tan, as well as the confidence - this was someone who knew his craft and OWNED it! 

The products used for this look included the Metallic Eyes Bronze edition palette , the Bronze Me jumbo bronzer, the Get Cheeky blush palette in Pyramid Rose, the Blink Big fibre lash mascara (which I've previously blogged/raved about!), the Draw the Line liner, the Pencil it In Brow Pencil (which y'all know I've been loving since 2013) and the Duchess lipstick (which I got in my goodie bag! Yay!).

Max picked three gorgeous girls who also had the look replicated by a team of three make-up artists whilst Max was talking and teaching. I was sitting quite close to them, and I can tell you each girl had a different skin tone and hair colour, and this look was incredible on all three of them!

 
Max the Master at work

One of the most important features of this look were the brows. Max gave some great tips on how to master the bold brow, and if you can follow my little diagram you'll see what I mean:
I tried these tricks last night for my brows and THEY WORKED. Essentially you take your pencil and line it up vertically with your nostril - that's point 1. You then position your pencil diagonally from your nostril, and that's where you make your arch, point 2. Then, you take your pencil to the very, very outside of your nostril, and make point 3, and join the dots - voilà! Perfect brows!


More diagrams of How To...

Max also taught us the technique of trunking, where the mascara wand is used to create "roots" in the lashes before applying your usual two coats. I did try this technique last night but I think I need more practice, as I just ended up with a big clumpy mess that I hurriedly had to fix before leaving. 

Just to give you an idea of how AWESOME this guy is, HE TOOK MY MODEL PHOTO FOR ME! 
(which was lucky because I was actually WAY too short to even get anywhere close to her face for a photo)

Then the class was over! Everyone rushed up for photos, and then rushed out, and I waited patiently with my little notebook and asked Max what his NUMBER ONE, ABSOLUTE tip for beauty would be, and he said.... 

"Contouring. Contouring gives you structure, it's so, so important. And brows, brows give you the bone structure and frame the eyes, they're so important."

After that I walked away practically squeaking in excitement. I called the Little Red Blogger to thank her (she tagged me on Instagram and I was able to get a spot super quickly!), and was nearly walking out of David Jones when I realised I left my goodie bag back at Sportsgirl! Luckily it was still there and all the staff were really lovely about me being my dorky self. 

And to top off what was seriously one of the most exciting Fridays, the MAN HIMSELF liked and commented on my Insta post! 

Don't mind me, just over here freaking out...

OH and that's another thing! Beauty By a Sparrow now has an official Instagram! So for updates, daily thoughts and photos, follow me @beautybyasparrow 

Until next time my little birds,
Tweet tweet xx


P.S. I met a lovely blogger, from Melbourne Fashion Journal at the masterclass, so check them out for their take on the evening! 

Autumn is here! (sort of)

Hello my little birds!

Autumn is here in the city of Melbourne! Well, sort of. In true Melbourne fashion we've had days in the low twenties, high teens, and days almost reaching thirty, followed by thunder storms so vicious trees have been brought down and trains delayed.




At least it's never boring!

In the lead up to autumn and the new A/W season, I've been scouting around and trying to get some inspo for both my wardrobe and beauty looks. Knitwear is BIG this season, and I'm excited for warmer, cosy fabrics. My only criticism is that neutrals, greys and pale, pale pastels seem to be the go this season, and I'd really rather not. Autumn and winter are already such gloomy, dark seasons, I prefer to inject my wardrobe with a hit of colour over a plain basic.

Last year I came across the trick from The Beauty Department last year and I LOVE IT.



Mainly because I hate seeing carefully applied and blended foundation all over the collars of my favourite knits and scarves.
I do have a slight variation, however; at times I'll use a tissue instead of a wash cloth, simply because washing make up out of wash cloths isn't fun either.


I am desperate for some new jeans, and this year a lot of brands are offering not only a great variety, but competitive pricing. the ripped/torn denim look is back in a big way, and whilst I like it on some people I don't know that I'll like it on me - my style is more vintage, retro girly than tough and grunge.

Fashion aside, beauty is looking anything but neutral for the new season.

Once more I need to rave about Sportsgirl beauty. I used some excellent self control and only bought ONE lipstick and ONE nail polish the other week, and I was very impressed haha!
I chose the shade 'Bitten' for the lip, because it's a darker shade than I'd usually go for and it reminds me of red wine, rich stews, and falling leaves.
I cannot for the life of me remember the name of my nail polish, however I've been really into matching my nails and lip shades lately - something about the coordination makes me feel all organised and glamorous!

Here I am wearing both, and I love teaming this rich, plum-wine shade with grey, I feel like it just pops so wonderfully, no matter how dreary it is in the city!




I recently splurged with some generous Myer vouchers from my 21st, and grabbed the Benefit Cosmetics They're Real! gel push-up liner and mascara.

I like the packaging of both the liner and mascara, and they felt very special in my hands. I'd always heard great things about the mascara, and I was lucky enough to see all the "policemen" walking around Myer in the city advertising the liner. Whilst I've loved the mascara and I have found it's plumped up my lashes and made them look very curled and doll-like, the liner I've struggled with.

The tip before use
It should be noted I've never used a gel liner before, so I believe I'm going to need a little more practice before I can really 'get' it. I also found the instructions a little tricky; once you remove the orange stopper the guide said to turn it 'a few times' to get the product up, however I struggled and ended up wasting a tiny bit of product because I turned it that little too much. I've also found one twist per use hasn't worked for me, but maybe that's because I've got such huge googly eyes haha!



This season, aside from sticking to my vintage/retro strengths, I'm going to be experimenting with some different styles and dressing - dare I say it - a bit sexy.
Ripped jeans aside, I can't go past a good skinny jean, especially if it makes the butt look good. I'm also a fan of high waisted jeans - I don't have the figure just yet to pull off tucked-in shirts, but I find the denim and fit of high waisted jeans means they're far, far less lightly to stretch out and slide down.

I've yet to wear this top anywhere but I love it! (Well actually, I DO have somewhere to wear it this Friday, but you'll have to watch this space to find out what that's all about!)
I'm thinking of swapping the black over for the red, but I'm honestly such a fan of the shape that I'd love to have it in every colour of the rainbow!

I've found a pair of boots that I am loving, but saving up for - because Urban Decay launch next week and I think some of my money may coincidentally disappear - that have a LOW heel. Aside from the fact that heels aren't comfortable, I have major calf issues. Yeah, I know. Some people don't like their noses, some don't like their arms, I can't wear heels without my legs cramping up so badly the last time I was 85% I was going to die. Not fun folks, not fun at all.



Autumn/Winter isn't my favourite season, but I'm looking forward to new beauty and fashion trends and adventures, and enjoying everything the beautiful city of Melbourne can offer me this year.

Until next time my little birds,
Tweet tweet xx
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