YouTube regularly spawns flash-in-the-pan celebrities, but few have managed to build a profitable business out of their exposure. Lauren Luke is a rare exception’the British self-taught make-up guru built such a loyal following with her chatty tips on how to imitate celebrity looks, that she just launched her own line of cosmetics: By Lauren Luke.
In contrast to high-profile make-up artists like Bobbi Brown, Luke has true girl-next-door appeal. The former taxi dispatcher started experimenting with brightly coloured make-up in high school. While selling cosmetics on eBay as a 26-year-old single mom, Luke started making simple, unedited YouTube tutorials for her customers, which have been viewed over 40 million times since she started posting them 18 months ago.
The By Lauren Luke line, sold exclusively through Luke’s website to customers in the US, Canada and Europe, features kits of hand-picked shades. Naturally, each kit comes with a video tutorial on how best to apply ?Fierce Violets?, ?Vintage Glams?, ‘sultry Blues? and ?Luscious Greens?. Luke hopes her customers will do what she does whenever she receives new cosmetics in the mail: ?chew the postman’s hand off with excitement?. From her deft use of social media, to how she generously shares her skills to attract a loyal following, most seasoned entrepreneurs could learn a thing or two from Lauren Luke.
So let’s face facts? colour always takes precedence over other style factors when considering what to buy. If the colour is not flattering, then it’s time to move on. A style is rarely worth giving it a second look unless the colour makes you sparkle. This season there were two major fashion divides on the Spring/Summer 09? catwalks. Some designers were inspired by candy colours and eye-popping brights, while others took a more subdued approach and kept their collections classic in egg-shell and skin colours, aka the nude trend!
BOLD BRIGHTS
Okay, so this concept isn’t exactly a revolutionary trend?we all know by now that when it comes to Summer time, there’s always going to be bright colours in the fashion mix! However, this isn’t a look for the faint-hearted, this year is all about standing out of the crowd, in traffic stopping, colourful ensembles! Follow the fashion masters like Lanvin and pop in tangerine, or sizzle like Halston in electric blue! Other major rainbow brights this season are Fuchsia, Coral, Lime Green and Yellow! If one colour is not enough?try colour blocking with two brights like Cynthia Rowley and Richard Nicholl. One of my favourite shows of the season was Luella’s bright and bubbly collection?with a kaleidoscope of colours to choose from, it was enough to make any girl melt!
So try to influence your wardrobe and be bold like Eva Longoria in orange, or perhaps try bright yellow like Audrina from The Hills, or for a real impact look, be brave and go bright pink like Victoria Beckham and enjoy the spotlight and all the attention that comes with it.
NEUTRAL NUDES
Embrace fashion’s softer side in tones of cafe au lait, fresh from the collections by Stella McCartney, Elie Saab, Rodarte and Prada. Nude is the new black – contrary to popular belief, the nude colour can complement every skin and hair colour and works both as day and night looks! Most ladies with pale skin have stayed away from this colour?but take a leaf from Rachel McAdams and blend with your skin-tone, perhaps spice the outfit up by taking a leaf out of the colour trend and use a bright bag or shoe!
Nude has been seen at every major celeb event this season?from Jennifer Aniston’s shimmering Oscar gown, to Drew Barrymore’s vintage-inspired Alberta Ferretti dream dress and teen sensation Vanessa Hudgens in a micro mini flesh toned dress!
Think nude is just too drab for you??? Why not try a shimmering version like Jennifer and reflect the light, or grab a pair of hot nude shoes?they go with everything and can even make your legs appear longer!
What’s really great about both these colour trends is you can infuse them into your every-day wear?take one element you like, for example bright pink, and find a great top, tone it down with a pair of jeans and maybe a nude clutch and shoes! Fashion should be fun, so experiment with these colour trends and see what suits you? and indulge yourself in Summer Style!
Rachel Bilson is just one of many actresses and singers to dabble in the world of fashion. It has been revealed that Rachel is to have an advice column with InStyle US in their May issue called Ask Rachel (surprise surprise). Rachel is to be given her own page in which readers can ask her for fashion advice. She doesn’t have plans to give up acting just yet but is enjoying learning and being involved in fashion editing and is flattered that people want to ask her about fashion.
Rachel’s first love is vintage clothing and she believes you don’t have to spend a lot to create a great look. She is no stranger to fashion with DKNY unveiling its new range designed by Rachel, Eddie Rose for DKNY Jeans recently, which is said to be made up of mostly black and white pieces.
We’ve pulled together some of Rachel’s different looks – decide for yourself how you rate her style!
Oxfam Restyled, was launched last Thursday in Georges Street. A unique collection of 50 one-off designs created by a team of ten designers exclusively for Oxfam Ireland, which are now on sale to the public ranging in price from €40 to €120.
All the designs are made out of items reclaimed from Oxfam‘s recycling bags and have been reworked and restyled by the individual designers for this limited collection.
As you all know, I?m a big fan of vintage and charity stores – I even did a shoot on ethical fashion with Lili Forberg which was featured in The Times last weekend. But, vintage needs to look modern. A designer consults the archives before adding his own twist and reinventing a trend. To wear vintage or rework it – you must make it modern.
While some of the designs on show were a little make and do, a few showed real promise and I was impressed and excited at the idea that ?re-styling? may become more of a niche market in the future. Tops made from tablecloths, coats made from curtains, dresses made from the dregs of ones wardrobes. It’s hopeful really!
One of the designers, Siobhan Glynn said of working with Oxfam: ?Oxfam Restyle has given me the chance to display my talents whilst demonstrating to the public what can be achieved with old disused clothes. It was challenging searching through the bags of discarded clothes. Though I believe the limiting nature of the raw material lends to the expansion of the imagination – manipulation of the clothes in unusual ways leads to limitless options that can be achieved.
See my top three of the night; Siobhan Glynn (top right), Sinead Kane (above) and Natalie Coleman (top left). More please!
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