Everything Erin

In the 1960s, Mary Quant put London at the centre of the fashion world's map. As the V&A's previous exhibition proved, the feminine Dior-esque French style ruled the late forties and fifties, but the swinging sixties was a time for bright colours and experimentation - Quant made sure of it.

Exhibitions at the V&A are always truly spectacular. Having looked at a list of their previous exhibitions, I can say that there is at least one or two each year I would have loved to have visited, however their 'Mary Quant' exhibit marked my very first. I was really excited to visit the exhibition as it felt like the perfect crossover between two of my favourite things - history and fashion, to learn more about one of the most influential British designers ever.


The exhibition takes place on two floors, designed to take you on a journey through Quant's illustrious career. Walking into an exhibition full of clothes nearly sixty years old, you would expect them to feel like they belonged in the last century. However, so many of the items featured in the collection felt like they could easily fit in with today's fashion trends - I couldn't believe how similar the zip up pinafore on the right was to items I have recently seen in H&M.


What also struck me about Mary Quant's designs is her immense use of colour. There's some real autumnal colours - burnt oranges galore, but bright yellows and pinks too. Her clothes really reflect the idea of excitement throughout the sixties with a real purpose of self-expression through women's clothing.


Quant is most famous for popularising the miniskirt, which of course is still a staple today. She actually provided the name for it herself, after her Mini car. There were, of course, many miniskirts on display alongside many other beautiful outfits and dresses. While many of her bright creations stand out, more delicate pieces also caught my eye - such as this gorgeous lace dress, one of my favourite items on display.


While I was expecting an exhibition focusing simply on clothes, there was also a feature with her makeup line which of course, as a beauty enthusiast, I was really excited to see. Her makeup line revolutionised the beauty world we have in today, as according to a woman who worked as a cosmetics sales assistant for Mary Quant, the advisors of other brands appeared much more intimidating, whereas Quant's employees were friendly and drew in a younger audience. I absolutely love the cute uniform they had as sales assistants too!


There was plenty of videos and extracts to read about Mary Quant's life and career which I found really interesting - I definitely want to read more about her but since I didn't know very much, it was the perfect starting point. The dress she wore to Buckingham Palace to receive an OBE in 1966 was an incredible feature.


The exhibition gave an incredible outlook on not only Mary Quant's incredible career and amazing designs, but also a reminder where the fashion industry of today still has its roots. There was a real sense of freshness to the exhibition; these designs pioneered the styles we still wear today.


To see all of this up close and even more, the Mary Quant exhibition is on at the V&A until the 16th February - plenty of time left to get tickets here. Have you been to any museum or gallery visits lately?

EG x

As what I consider a 'lipstick collector' (here we are trying to justify how many I own), I have tried quite a few of the liquid lipstick variety from a range of brands. However, there are really only three brands' liquid lipsticks that I believe are worth the spend.

They are matte, incredibly long-lasting; when they do fade, they fade evenly. They aren't drying, you can't feel them on the lips, instead they settle nicely. Their shade ranges are incredible and the lighter shades aren't still really dark, and finally, they are super easy to apply. While as a rule, I prefer bullet lipsticks, these liquid ones are honestly my favourite lipsticks ever. They are everything I want out of a lipstick, so if you need a liquid lipstick - here's where to look.

Too Faced's Melted Mattes

I remember purchasing Too Faced's Melted Matte liquid lipstick in the nude shade Child Star a couple of years ago - it was an expensive product for me so I was really hoping it was going to be worth the price. Thank goodness it was everything I was hoping for - and even more! It quickly became my all time favourite lipstick. It is super flattering, complimenting any eye-look and long-lasting meaning it became my go-to for when I was going out for the day.


I had to purchase another shade from the collection which is another fave of mine, in the shade Sell Out. It's a more adventurous shade for me because it's very pink but again, it's very flattering so I get a lot of use out of it. I think it is so important for a bolder shade to last and fade evenly and that is exactly what you get with this lipstick - as I type this it's currently still on my lips after having it on for hours, through meals!

NARS' Powermatte Lip Pigments

This was a gamble of a purchase - I had an ASOS voucher and after a lot of research thought the NARS lip pigments looked super nice, especially in the shade Get It On. However, I had never swatched it before I bought it, which I always like to do first, so I had no idea what the consistency would be like.


I was right to put my faith in NARS' formula because it really is a winner. It is lighter and thinner than lots of other liquid lipsticks which makes it really easy to apply and I think helps make sure it is not drying at all. Again, it lasts all day, tried and tested through meals. The shade I own is a liquid lipstick alternative to my classic MAC Velvet Teddy, it really suits any brown or burnt orange eye looks. It's absolutely gorgeous, as are all of the range - I definitely want to try more!

Anastasia Beverly Hills' Matte Liquid Lipstick

ABH was definitely one of the first brands pioneering liquid lipstick and making them essentials in any makeup bag. I believe that the classics are always worth checking out, and the ABH liquid lipsticks are no exception.

Like my other favourites, The Anastasia Beverly Hills lipsticks have a winning formula. They really last all day and are really comfortable on the lips, you can't tell it's on once it has dried at all. 
The shade range is really unbeatable, there is no doubting that you will find a shade perfect for you. I have a few but my favourites are Stripped and Dazed - Stripped is a lovely nude perfect for the spring months, but I have got Dazed out again now it is autumn because it's a really lovely brown tone for this time of year.


But what makes these three brands special? Now, I've not tried every single liquid lipstick brand out there, but out of the ones I have tried, these are the only ones that I consistently use a lot - notably, the only ones I have brought with me to uni. Sometimes it is a shade range issue for me - Kat Von D's formula is famous, yet I don't find many of her shades very flattering. A lot of cheaper brands in my opinion are either too drying or crumbly, or don't even set on the lips - I'm sadly looking at you Maybelline! These are the only three liquid lipstick brands I believe you need to check out.



However, if you have a firm favourite I haven't mentioned, make sure to let me know! Maybe I will check it out and you will have proven me wrong!

EG x

As summer is drawing to a close, today I thought I would share what I have been listening to over the summer. I love sharing my music discoveries, but I actually haven't found a lot of new loves over the summer, instead sticking to what I love, so I haven't written about it as much as usual. Yet I think the time has come to share a few new favourites!

Danny Jones & McFly

At the beginning of the month I went to see McFly frontman, Danny Jones on his solo tour at the O2 Ritz Manchester. In the small venue, I managed to be about five rows back and it was a really great concert. Danny's new solo music is really good, especially my favourite Talk In The Morning, but the fans truly went crazy when he performed a couple of McFly songs such as Five Colours In Her Hair. It was lovely to see him live again after three years away from McFly, who at that point I had given up all hope of ever returning.

Yet less than a week later, suddenly McFly announced they were doing a show at the O2 in November. They were back - and so was suddenly a plethora of fans. I thought this was going to be perfect, them making a return when I was down in London, but unfortunately I didn't get tickets which I was super disappointed about until they announced a tour and I got really good tickets for Manchester! I am almost equally excited for is their new old music that they are releasing every Sunday on the lead up to the O2 show.


The first two songs they released, Red and Touch the Rain, were debuted at the Keep Calm and Play Louder tour in 2012, when I was only eleven years old - that concert seriously blew me away. Ever since then I have longed for the day I would hear a studio version of them, and became more and more sure it was never going to happen. I'd watch a bad quality YouTube video of Touch The Rain live, where Tom says 'this is for McFly album number 6' and tear up at the fact it would probably never come. But now it has come, in the form of 'The Lost Songs', the album 6 that never was, and I can't wait for more we have never heard at all - these first two songs are fantastic!

Taylor Swift's Lover album

Additionally, the past few weeks since it came out, I have been pretty much constantly listening to Taylor Swift's new album Lover. 1989 is one of my favourite albums ever, and while I liked Reputation and everything it stood for at that point of Taylor's life, I think I'd put Lover in between the two. It has a real classic Taylor Swift feel, so happy and fun in areas, especially Paper Rings, but sad and even haunting in parts. There's a couple of tracks that are a little forgettable but the majority of them are real stand out tracks that I've been excited to listen to more and more. I just wished she would release it on vinyl! 'The Man' is probably my favourite, it's such a statement I believe in, and I also love Cruel Summer, it really showcases Taylor's vocals. The track Lover is absolutely gorgeous, and I am also loving London Boy, going to London myself.

Sam Fender's Hypersonic Missiles album

When he was announced as the Brits Critics Choice winner a few months ago I really got into his EP, so of course I was also excited for his debut album to be released. Since it only came out a couple of weeks ago I haven't had chance to listen to everything but I certainly love lots of new songs on it, especially The Borders. The album has a great guitar-led sound and I can't wait to properly listen to it.

The Script's new single The Last Time - 

In the midst of all the McFly madness, another of my long-time favourite bands, The Script, made a return with their new single The Last Time. They have definitely returned on top form, with a song that sounds different than anything they have done before and yet totally their style. The lyrics are very clever and I imagine it is going to do very well.

The 1975 -

A little mention at the end, as they haven't released much lately (okay, apart from People but it is kind of the first song from them ever that I don't really like...) but I got tickets to see The 1975 next year which means I am finally going to see them! I am super excited so I have been listening to some of their music in celebration, sometimes I forget how good it really is!

EG x

Throughout the entirety of my A Levels, I never got chance to read a book unless it was something for my courses, or to potentially put on a personal statement. So, this summer marked the first time in a long time that I could decide exactly what I wanted to read for fun. I haven't managed to read tons, but the books I have read have stood out to me so much that I wanted to share them on the blog. There's a mix of everything - from historical, autobiographical to fiction.

THE BOOKS I READ

Unusually for me, most of the books I have read have actually been read on my iPad rather than a physical copy of the book. Some of these are on the Kindle app - you can get free or very cheap copies of so many classic novels - I downloaded many and only got round to reading one! The other app I use regularly is BorrowBox, an app that links to your local country library where you can reserve, borrow, renew and return books like you would at a library, but at the ease of an app. It has got me reading a lot more when huge best sellers are available for free.

The Tattooist Of Auschwitz - Heather Morris

The first book I read was a true story, retold very much in the format of a novel, about the experience of a Holocaust suvivor, Lale, a Slovakian Jew. I was really caught up in this book and had to find out his fate so I read it in two days flat - typical for me, I don't read for months and suddenly it is all I do! Although I'd heard a lot of praise for the book before I read it, afterwards I read criticisms about the style of the writing - it was originally meant to be a film script, so there isn't lots of fancy description. But considering the topic of the book, I think this is perfect, to allow the reader to focus truly on the hardships experienced. The author had written a second book about another survivor mentioned in this book, published in October which I can't wait to read.

The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald

I had always wanted to read this modern classic - I saw so many people studying it for A Level and I am so sad my college didn't do it! It isn't too long so it is the perfect summer read, easily finished in a couple of days, set in 1920s New York which of course is the reason why I wanted to read it so much. It really focuses on the darker side of the glitzy 20s and being published in the heart of the era itself it reveals so much about the true setting. I watched the film afterwards and as much as I liked it, it certainly didn't live up to my version in my head as I was reading the book!

Becoming - Michelle Obama

I've been really excited to read Michelle Obama's autobiography since it came out and it certainly didn't disappoint. It's a long one, so it felt like it was taking a while to read but it was so worth the read. Of course, I was most looking forward to reading about her experience living in the White House, how that huge change affected her and her family life, but I equally enjoyed reading about her childhood and her story of 'becoming' herself. Her story reveals the huge inequalities faced in US society in the past few decades and even today, something that is really emphasised in the book as it is a huge part of her life. There were parts that had me on the verge of tears and many that made me laugh too so it was a really enjoyable read, one I wholeheartedly recommend. 

Fall and Rise: The Story Of 9/11 - Mitchell Zuckoff

This book, my most recent read, compiling stories of both the survivors and victims of 9/11 was harrowing and heartbreaking, a difficult one to put down. Zuckoff tells the tale of the devastating day in three parts - the air, the ground, and the aftermath, which gives you a real insight into not only the devastation and destruction caused but also the incredible acts of heroism.
He has conducted such in-depth interviews with survivors and the victims' families that make the book as captivating as it is hard to read. For me, only 10 months old at the time, 9/11 is part of history so it really gave me a deeper understanding of how it affected people on a very personal level.

THE BOOKS I BOUGHT

Paris Echo - Sebastian Faulks

The first two books I bought recently were part of a Waterstones Buy One Get One Half Price offer, which was really good value. Often I have a look in Waterstones as I like to look at physical copies of books, then order them cheaper online but this time it was actually better value in Waterstones which is great.

The first of the two is called Paris Echo, a novel which when I read the description really captivated me and persuaded me to get it. It is about two teenagers set in Paris, and it seems one has a connection to the occupation in WW2, and the other to the Algerian war. These are both periods we learnt about a lot in French last year so I really wanted to expand my knowledge in the context of a novel - I can't wait to give it a read!

A History Of The World In 21 Women - Jenni Murray

I saw this a few months ago and thought it looked so interesting. When deliberating which book I would buy as my second choice, I spotted the paperback version of it and instantly grabbed it and took it to the till. Women are often overlooked in history so I love the idea of telling the stories of 21 women who have made a huge difference. The author covers a huge time period as well, there are women featured in there from a thousand years ago, to modern figures such as Madonna! It definitely looks like the sort of book I will find really interesting.

Expectation - Anna Hope

I actually decided to purchase this one because of a recommendation by Eleanor Claudie, I searched it up and it sounded exactly like something I wanted to read. Surprisingly it is a novel not based on history at all, which makes a real change to my current bookshelf! It is a story about three women who are unhappy with how their lives turned out, compared to the lives they envisaged for themselves as teenagers. As a very ambitious young person beginning university, it felt like the perfect book to read at this time.


I read some great books this summer and I can't wait to read my three new ones. I will let you know my thoughts when I have read them! Let me know what books you have really enjoyed this summer, I will have to check them out!

EG x

As fashion comes and goes, we find ourselves constantly looking to the past for new ideas; trends really aren't brand new after all! It seems what comes around will always come back around - I'm just hoping that's not the case for skinny brows and low rise jeans, not on my watch! Instead, currently I am feeling very inspired by fashion from the seventies, as is the general consensus across the fashion world, from high street shops to designers and magazines, so here are my favourite trends from the that are working their way back into our high street shops and wardrobes today.

DENIM

Denim from the seventies is making a huge comeback and it is something everyone has taken notice of. Topshop have a whole section of flared jeans to explore for the iconic seventies look, but if that feels a little out of your comfort zone, a wider leg option, such as denim culottes could be your answer.

However, when it comes to styling denim with a 70s flair, you definitely don't need to stop at jeans. Denim dresses are everywhere right now and perfectly give a nod to the decade of denim. Similarly an A Line button through denim skirt adds the 70s denim look while also super versatile; I own one similar in my wardrobe and it is a staple, perfect for dressing up or down.

The best thing about the focus on denim is we all own it already in some form or another, so it is super easy to give your look a seventies spin without spending anything at all!

JUMPSUITS

I'm a huge jumpsuit fan, so I am not surprised they were one of the ultimate seventies essentials. While back in the era they were most associated with disco, in eye-catching prints, these days you'll find one to suit any occasion to make you feel effortlessly put together, with a classic nod to the seventies.

TROUSER SUITS

YSL pioneered the trouser suit look that exploded in the 70s and it is certainly making a resurgence today. You'll see them everywhere, from high street stores to high-end catwalks in a variety of styles and textures. The high street is giving them a modern spin by making them available in every colour under the sun, with an emphasis on pastel colours, such as baby pinks and lemon hues.

MAXI SKIRTS

Long skirts are probably the item of clothing that has made the biggest comeback this year, and an item I am super fond of. It's definitely the biggest way this year seventies style has made its way into our high street stores. They have been modernised by appearing in an array of colours and prints - New Look love a floral number, I can tell you that now!

RICHARD ALLAN X H&M COLLECTION

While this new H&M collection is inspired by the swinging 60s, personally I feel the colour schemes lend itself better to early 70s style; the burnt oranges, khakis and neutrals. The styles such as plenty of long, maxi skirts are also perfect throwbacks to the era. The scarf scrunchie featured in the collection reminded me of the hair style worn by Felicity Jones' portrayal of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the film On The Basis Of Sex (recently watched & loved), set in 1970 - a style I totally love.

The whole collection, in my opinion, is the idea of seventies style in the modern day to a tee. I had already started putting together this post before it was revealed and it felt like it was made for me to feature here. In the window of H&M at the Trafford Centre, the mannequins wear the style with some very 2019 chunky white trainers which really modernises the look.

COLOUR

The seventies styles are truly dominated by their rich colour palette of burnt oranges, mustards and other earth tones. Going into the autumnal season, it is without a doubt that mustard will be a staple shade just like it was back in the day, with a couple a mustard tones recently creeping their way into my wardrobe over the past year or so. The earthy colour palette is a perfect throwback to the seventies in 2019 because you'll probably find a lot of this in your current wardrobe anyway, because its neutrality makes it match with almost everything.

MOODBOARD

I got my inspiration from Seventies looks past and present - even found a few items in my wardrobe that I felt lent themselves to the theme.

SHOP THE EDIT

My favourite seventies inspired style in the shops right now:



I absolutely loved combining my two loves of fashion and history in this post and would love to do similar such posts, perhaps in a little more depth! How could you inject a bit of seventies style into your look?

EG x

Charlotte Tilbury lipsticks have to be some of my all-time favourites. Not only for the quality and the clever names they all have, but they are all so pretty. Her original range, in a variety of formulas, comes in beautiful rose gold packaging, but her new collection, the second Hot Lips range, are even prettier - both the packaging, which comes in five different types, and the shades themselves.

Priced at £28, the Hot Lips 2 lipsticks certainly aren't cheap, but they're worth it for a treat, as was my reason for purchase. They feel very luxurious, heavier than the average lipstick, and are also able to be refilled, with refill bullets at a cheaper price, so it is value for money in this sense.


The hot lips 2 range includes 11 lipsticks in a range of shades, from light nudes, to pinks, reds and even a clear balm. Charlotte Tilbury named the eleven shades each after people she considers 'iconic', and of course without even seeing the shades, I instantly knew I had to get the one inspired by Jennifer Aniston, called 'Glowing Jen'.

Fortunately, this definitely is the shade best suited to me too, a gorgeous pink toned nude. It definitely makes a change from all the brown tones I wear! It is super flattering and I imagine this would be the case for all skin tones. While I felt some of the nudes in the collection were a bit too light for even my pale complexion, Glowing Jen has plenty of colour and pigment.


My other Charlotte Tilbury lipstick is from her matte range, so above all I was interested to see what the formula turned out like. I would consider it a creamy formula, but unlike a lot of cream lipsticks I own, it is still plenty pigmented so a real win-win. To say it is a cream, it doesn't feel uncomfortable on the lips at all, instead very hydrating, as the product description promises. It lasted a surprisingly long time on the lips too, and evenly faded so I am really impressed.


A huge pull of these lipsticks is the packaging, for sure. The hot lips collection comes in 5 different designs, from a night sky which fits perfectly to the one inspired by JK Rowling, to the leopard print featured in my shade. While I've never been a huge leopard print fan, I think as a lipstick it looks so pretty! I also love how if you had a few shades, you can mix and match the packaging.


I also really love the idea of being able to purchase a refill to pop back into your packaging when you've finished the lipstick, it definitely motivates me to try and finish it eventually! These are only £19 which is really good value compared to Charlotte Tilbury's usual lipstick price. You could refill it with the shade you finished, or even perhaps try something new which is really fun.


If you haven't tried a Charlotte Tilbury lipstick before, I seriously recommend trying these ones out. While they do sound pricey, it is worth a real treat because you know this is a lipstick that is going to get its money worth - and if nothing else, it's inspired by Jennifer Aniston, so it's practically Friends merch!

EG x

'I’m just fed up.’
 

EG x