What to wear on Valentine's Day is a big question. Once you get through the ordeal of:
A) finding someone to be your Valentine ... and B) making plans on how to celebrate ... of course worrying about what to wear is the next big issue. Red is the theme colour for the special day, and it is super easy to style for day or night. White lacy dresses have been on point for a while now, and what a better time to rock one with a fresh tan. Read about our fave tans over at http://twocogsinawheel.weebly.com/adventures--fashion/best-fake-tans Fun, flirty summer dresses are easy to dress for a cute brunch date with espadrilles and a hat, but are fabulous styled up with sexy stilettos and statement accessories. Click through the gallery below for some fabulous finds, Love, Eliza
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We're all well and truly into #2016 now, and all that new activewear you bought might slowly be being worn less and less as the likes of Elyse Knowles and Kayla Itsines start to fill you with envy instead of motivation. Physical changes to our bodies take weeks to shine through and can be the source of overwhelming stress - well for me at least! Why not spend your emotional energy on transforming your house into something beautiful and motivational in itself? Your private escape should be a place to relax, refresh and rejuvenate each day. See below for some beautiful room inspo: We love anything classic juxtaposed against cool colours and funky textures. Of course all white always looks fabulous, but a pop of colour in fabrics or fresh flowers adds a dose of happiness. Inspiration can be drawn from anywhere and everywhere - your favourite colour, a cool cafe and even your favourite paintings. Who or what inspires you the most? xoxo Eliza The Portsea Polo is the first big event on the fashion calendar for the year so it's so important to dress the part!
The term "Portsea chic " is thrown around a lot at this time of the year , but what does it really mean? Portsea Chic, the unofficial official dress code of the Portsea Polo basically means aiming to have an effortless yet pulled together look. Weather appropriate clothing and comfortable shoes for the day are the most important! It does not look cool to be sinking in grass all day in stilettos! This year, as always, white lace dresses and play suits were the most popular looks du jour, but long flowing maxi skirts and dresses also looked beautiful billowing in the wind. Fun summer colours popped against sun kissed skin. Big statement hats were also seen on many heads, but gusts of wind lead to many funny candid photos of hats blowing away! The gentlemen looked very dapper in floral shirts and chinos, with a few topping off their looks with fedoras. It was easy to mistake a well dressed lad for a country rock musician! Full suits aren't the go here, but a funky blazer paired with chino pants or shorts looked perfectly suited to the occasion! And the actual polo matches? We were too busy watching all the fashions to be paying attention to the field! Love, Gigi and Eliza Ah Christmas... Thousands of texts saying "we must catch up before Christmas", last minute sales, stressful shopping, and radios softly playing Michael Buble in the background. Us teenage girls are a tricky demographic these days, so many things we see whilst window shopping or scrolling through social media are just passing fads, so it is tricky to buy something that won't get shoved to the back of the cupboard and forgotten about after a week. It's not all doom and gloom! We are here to help! Scroll through this nifty gallery below for presents for that fussy female in your life that won't break the bank! From stocking fillers to stand out presents, we've got your back- enjoy :) Yesterday, whilst having a coffee catch up with an interstate friend, I asked her why so many people were staring at me, she replied "it's because you have a bunch of flowers on your head!". I corrected her, of course. It was actually a crown of flowers and most certainly not a randomly selected bunch picked from the garden. In fact, I spent a whole 45 minutes in Topshop the week before trying to replace my old favourite that I had lost at Splendour in the Grass! Ahh the flower crown... It has undertaken such a dramatic turnaround in the last few years! Once an accessory only worn by the boho hippie gals, it suddenly became mainstream a few years ago. Adorning many heads at music festivals in 2012/3, see photos of Kendall and Kylie Jenner below, the flower crown has developed into a fun way to spruce up an outfit for a special event a la Katy Perry, Delta Goodrem, Lana Wilkinson and even Kate Middleton (see gallery below) A flower crown adds a touch of flair to your everyday errands outfit, and effortlessly elevates your look from merely i woke up like this to i woke up like this AND i put some flowers in my hair! They're so pretty and look absolutely gorgeous in photographs too. Would you dear to wear a flower crown? Prepare for an onslaught of compliments if you do! xoxo Eliza Bondi Sands has slowly built a cult following over the years, proudly using the stereotypical image of bronzed Australians as their selling point.
This has worked as their tans do make you really really ridiculously tan, however more orange than brown. Their new "liquid gold" tan has been marketed as something of a marvel and luxury item, but for $20 in a plastic spray bottle it doesn't feel luxury or a marvel. The tan sptritzes on to your skin quite dark, but then when you smooth it out with the tanning mitt you can't see where it has and hasn't been applied! Without practice this left me horribly blotchy becsuse I hadn't paid close enough attention to where I had applied it! A bonus is that it is a "dry oil" allowing you to get dressed and go on with your life straight away. On the other hand it takes 8 hours to fully develop into the trademark orange brown of Bondi Sands. This is perfect for those who just like showing that they make an effort but for others on the hunt for a natural tan need to stay away. 6/10 Read our other review below about our favourite tans. Xoxo E Sure each and every one of us is beautiful underneath our layers and layers of makeup, but more often than not a layer of BB Cream or a swoop of some powder foundation across our face can make us go from feeling like a 2 to feeling like a 9/10!
Luxury: The Armarni “Face Fabric” foundation is amazing, it glides on and covers your face like a soft fabric. The colour range covers all bases and undertones , and applies perfectly with just your fingers or a sponge. However, at the cost of $84 from David Jones for only 30ml, it is reserved for those special occasions when you want to feel a lil bit fancy. Specialty Store: The Body Shop Aus range is wonderful, made with ingredients that are (mostly) good for your skin. I stumbled across the “All in One Face Base” ($30) about two years ago after struggling to find a powder foundation that would last all day, and I haven’t stopped using it since. It’s perfect for faces that get a bit oily as the day goes on, as the powder pretty much covers that all up! In winter I use the shade 04 and then as my fake tan gets darker I go to 05 and then 52. Only down side is once it starts to run low, after a couple of months of every day use, it starts to crumble and fall apart which can get a bit messy! I always put on some 50+ sunscreen under my “All in One Instablur” ($25) primer which is the most amazing mattifying gel consistency! Supermarket: The Maybelline “Fit Me” range that you can pick up from supermarkets and chemists is great value. It’s tricky choosing your shade correctly because there’s no one to help you, but it’s pretty easy to guess since the colour range is quite limited. I wear the liquid Matte + Poreless liquid foundation ($20) in colour 120,which is my exact natural shade that I pair with the Body Shop powder foundations and it lasts all day. I’ve tried to use either #120 or #230 fit me powder on top of the matching foundation but I have found that it doesn't last as long as the Body Shop powder. I don’t apply with the sponge it gives, but instead prefer to use my beautiful brushes from Body Shop. The “Dream Pure” BB cream is perfect for those days when you want to look like you #wokeuplikethis ! Lipstick: I love Limecrime for their crazy fun colours that are so delicious and last all day, but I only save these for fun dress up occasions (since I only have purple and bright blue lol). Elizabeth Arden are my go to lipsticks, however they are a bit more expensive and I am afraid of losing it when I go out. Therefore, the Sportsgirl lipsticks are what I recommend because at $12 a pop, and a fabulous range of colours to chose from, you’ll always be happy, even if you lose your favourite colour because its not expensive to replace! Brushes: I love the Body Shop’s super soft brushes, the “face and body” brush is perfect for everything and the Kabuki brush is great for travelling and blending. What are your go to products? xoxo E nEvery year hundreds of beautiful women come together over a series of days to compete in on of the most stunning fashion events ever... Fashion in the fields! This year there was even more beautiful dresses and floral prints, but this year the winner was different. Emily Hunter is an absolute stunner and totally took out the show. Her dress was homemade and was very different to all the other girls dresses. The dress was fitted to the waist before going out into a fuller pleated skirt below the knee, it had a high neck that totally worked with the dress. The shoes. Nothing could have worked better with the classic navy dress. The bright yellow was extravagant and worked beautifully with the pink and yellow fascinator which was perfectly fitting for the whole dress. Emily's pink clutch was made out of the same print of the dress. "Hi mum. Your dress won today," Emily joked, after her mother, Angela Hunter, missed the competition in person. She seems to be a chill and bubbly person and she definitely deserved to win the prestigious competition. Another one of my favourite frocks of the day was Jennifer Hawkins. O. M. G!! I loovvee fluoro green and especially on Jennifer's flawlessly tanned body! It is shaped to perfection and the pulled in hips show of her curves beautifully! The dress by Maticevski was complimented to perfection by her simple black head piece, clutch and shoes! A beauty as all ways! Woohoo- we are now on YouTube !
Click the link to see our BTS photo shoot we did with our fun clothes from Stage 4 Fashion. YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGBd3FcMNF8 BLOG: http://twocogsinawheel.weebly.com/adventures--fashion/stage4fashion We're still new to all of this- so please tell us what you think xx Derby Day 2015, traditionally black and white themed was dominated by white dresses and extravagant displays of millinery talent. The general admission crowd featured a range of styles, from those entered into fashions on the field to those who had no idea to dress for the occasion! My gorgeous Isabella and I spent most of the day perched in the Yellowglen Terrace, which was beautifully thought out with gold accents and wooden tables - perfectly photogenic! We were graced with the beauty of Samantha Wills however we were so in awe of her beauty that we couldn't match her name to her face! As today was "Derbyween" there was an interesting display of Halloween themed outfits: from stockings to accessories, many people incorporated it into their ensembles. Here is a photo album of some of the fashions we spotted from the Yellowglen tent! Check our instagram @twocogsinawheel for more Xoxo Eliza Although Halloween is not widely celebrated throughout Australia, it is still a great chance to run around the streets with your friends while strutting your stuff! A big plus is that you get to have free chocolate/candy from people! Who doesn't love the sound of that?! There might be a few downers though who will lecture you about how Halloween is only an American thing blah blah blah. This SHOULD NOT stop you from showing off your scary costume! In preparation for this scary Saturday I have collected some of my favourite celebrity outfits! Enjoy :) Loving our new summer outfits from www.stage4.com.au ! They have such a fun range of dresses, skirts, tops and even funky sunglasses! Fast shipping with amazing wrapping by Eunice makes online shopping feel as personal as actually going into a store. Be sure to check out their summer range now :) 'Tis the season to find THE perfect white dress to Derby Day, or to decide whether to be a Camilla "Unicorn" or not (the answer is no). Below are our picks for the racing season, ordered from least to most expensive. Happy window shopping! Who needs an excuse to fake tan? Summer is definitely on its way, so before you whip out those pretty white dresses make sure your skin isn't as white as the dress!
1. The best tan out there is Le Tan. It's darkest colours aren't unnaturally orange, but their pale options still give a glow. They have a range of different application modes, from "Le Tan in a can" to your usual cream/mousse, gradual options and even a wash of instant tan, there will be one that you fall in love with. 2.Bondi Sands is the tan on every body's skin at the moment. The reason is because it provides a very deep and effectively dark tan. It does have a strong smell at first but that stops after you have a few showers. It lasts quite well and you will get many many compliments! However it does look quite orange on some skin tones, so don't get a shock if it's you. 3. Vita Liberita is a great brand who's tanning products work by reacting to the pH levels in your skin - cool! Their mousse has a very nice texture yet the darkest colour doesn't develop very darkly. The directions do say to apply three times, leaving it on for four hours each time and washing off in between applications, so it is quite a tedious process. However if you do follow the process you will be left with a very natural looking colour. Bonus is that it lasts about 2 weeks 4. St Tropez is a well known brand, ranking itself up in the high end range of fake tan products. But is it worth the hefty price tag? We think not. Their light colours don't leave any trace of tan besides the overpowering tell tale scent of the fake tan. The recently released new ultra dark tan is a tragedy. The only time you should use it is if you want to look like a Oompa Loompa! For some reason, the technicians thought it would be a good idea to make a tan that goes on green and stays green for an indeterminate amount of time! Do not use this product the night before a big event becsuse you will be bright green. If you think it's a luxury then splurge on their nourishing gradual tanner and bronzing powder, at least these products won't turn you green! I love my ripped jeans, it is a great fashion... Or should I say WAS! I needn't say anything except... RIPPED jeans not HOLE jeans xoxo G When I saw the overall trend, which happened right before this huge 70s comeback happening right now, I was perplexed. I didn't understand people who wore overalls, I wondered if they felt like farm hands or prairie girls!
But when I saw this pair on sale at Asos from Monki denim I knew I had to give it a go! And I'm so glad they did! They are more than a trend piece : it's everything you want from your most versatile wardrobe staple! Take the cutesy with a pretty white top (pictured), sexy with a delicate lace bra underneath or dressed up for brunch with the girls with some stilettos and a statement top. Easily styled across the seasons (long tops in winter, bikinis underneath in summer), overall you must invest in a good pair of overalls! Let me know what you think in the comments Xoxo E Score easy style points this transition season! When its too hot for a coat, yet not warm enough to go sleeveless, the classic jumper-and-jeans combo always looks cool, chic and collected. Check out the gallery below to see G rockin some #streetsyle looks that you can easily recreate with items already in your wardrobe! Happy styling'
xoxo G & E Gigi wears: Le Specs "Hey Macarena" sunglasses Sportsgirl grey back-pack and "A" Jumper Topshop "Leigh" ripped jeans, long grey mohair jumper H&M blue turtleneck jumper Have you ever walked down the street and seen the love of your life? Well, this time I saw saw my love on the Internet... And I know that it is dodgey and that they might be a fake but let me tell you something, with a stunning clear frame and bright reflector orange lenses where could I go wrong!! They are majestic! This is definitely one item you can't live without (if you are a bit slow I am talking about sunglasses)!!! These sunnies from Quay Australia and they have a place on my items I need for summer! Have you ever seen those outrageous trends and scoffed to yourself thinking "why would anyone wear that". Today, I succumbed to a trend I thought I would never try, and I absolutely loved it!
I'm talking about the shirt-under-dress trend. It's a subtle trend- not as crazy as the double denim or fringe trend, but it's still a trend none the less. When googling "shirt under dress trend" , you are bombarded with pictures of women in fabulous evening dresses it business button up shirts underneath. By wearing a the shirt under your favourite lady like strapless dress, yiu are adding such an unexpected yet elegant twist. It's a perfect way for dressing down or business appropriating your favourite strapless number. The formula for getting it right?
3. Statement necklace tucked under the collar to tie the outfit together Would you ever try this trend? I think you should - you'd be pleasantly surprised! Xoxo E Everyone knows that the Bahamas are synonymous with raw, natural beauty with sprawling white sand beaches. But these images and connotations we have of the place are noting compared to the real thing.
Coming from Australia, the islands are a long way to get to, but let me tell you that you will thank me later for saying it's so worth it. Even in the middle of their winter is the weather better than a Melbourne summer. If you like theme parks, then the Atlantis is the resort for you! The perfect melange of theme park and beautiful natural beaches. Do check out the amazing adult pool if you can! However, if capturing breathtaking images is more up your alley, you must explore the less known islands as well as those mentioned in the tourist guides. Stanley Cey with its lizards make for gorgeous instagram pictures and lots of laughs, just as the renowned Pig Island baffles you! Be warned! Water-sporting in that empty bay over there may seem like a good idea at the time! But watch out- your waiter at dinner that night may inform you that the reason it is empty is because it is shark infested! #truestory ... And to think that for all those hours you spent failing to stand up on the water skis there were sharks breeding under you!! Fuel that wanderlust ! xoxo E While walking down Bourke street mall, surrounded by hundreds of people a thought struck me... No, my phone had not been stolen out of my back pocket but there are soo many different types of people who unfortunately walk in the street with us, here is a survival guide to walking in the street: The big group of people- Often drunk, these groups are to be feared. If you are walking with a friend, you will be forced to have to do the unthinkable-break through the group. This can be a traumatic experience if you do not do this correctly. You can end up having some weird looks or awkwardly standing in the middle of the pack. Here is what you need to do You have to go through the pack going at a speed that is slightly faster than the group just charge straight through the group slightly aggressive/yelling exuse me and DO NOT look behind you because if you do you will end up behind the group and once you do that, you will have to just face it and walk behind them. The drifters- These walkers are very much harmless, only very annoying. They are very often tourists or solo melbournians. The drifters like to walk in front of you (like, IN FRONT of you) and stop, possibly causing a collision. This can be also a very traumatic experience because both of you end up stunned. Here is what to do It you find some in front of you they are most definitely a drifter. Simply step out the way and give a friendly smile as you walk past. If you are not paying to much attention and you find a drifter stopping, stop. Step to the side, go around them and say sorry... Don't forget to smile :) DO NOT get aggro at the drifters because they are harmless and defenceless beings who unintentionally cause trouble. The similar Just like the drifters, these walkers are harmless. These walkers do not cause any trouble they simply cause the awkwardness of going at the EXACT same pace and walking right next to you. This can cause severe awkwardness so here is what you need to do Walk faster or slower, depending where you are and where you are going. As soon as a similar is walking next to you, get out of there!! -G So, it's taken me this long to get off my post Splendour high! Even though I only went to the first day of the three day long festival, I still had an absolute blast.
The sun was shining throughout the day, and I didn't even have to wear my jacket! The air was full of the sounds of sweet music and the scent of pot. Clearly a good day. I felt so at home in my pale purple dress and matching flower crown, offset by my combat boots to protect from the rumoured mud, I looked like an experienced festival goer. My boyfriend and I took the bus to the festival grounds before the music started so we could find our way around and take part in one of the salsa classes in the "global village". This was fun, but the class was for actual beginners and we were too advanced, so we left. (read: I had dragged my boyfriend to enough salsa classes at The Space in Chapel Street that he didn't really want to do another one at the infamous music festival!) We scouted out the tents, food trucks and discovered the beautiful Moet and Chandon tent thy would become our home base for the day. (see photos below) During the day, Mansionair absolutely smashed their set! With witty on stage banter about how they started their band only 2 years ago whilst they were at Splendour, the crowd was loving them. Getting into the dancing groove amongst the happy campers and other long distance travellers like myself was so much fun! Japanese Wall Paper were quite a let down, only because they didn't play the one song I knew! Dustin Tebbaut was one of my favourites for the day, because my boyfriend absolutely adores his music so it was nice to have a bit of a slow dance together. When I want to relive the splendour experience, I listen to some of his tunes! On another wavelength was Tkay Maizda who is an absolute babe and a half! She got the crowd pumping and hot and sweaty! She was the real deal. Her stage set up and lighting show was quite something too! Finally, Of Monsters and Men were obviously the best of the best that we saw. They drew in a crowd big enough to cover the whole amphitheatre area (I estimate at least 15,000 people, probably more). After scouting out the area, we decided to push to the front. And we did! We front row fairy danced as best we could with hardly any personal space. It was a relief when the heavens opened and it turned into Splendour in the Mud, but as the rain got heavier and heavier, our spirits got lower and lower. A quick disco at Mark Ronson to classics like Bicycle had us feeling like pigs in a sty, we knew it was time to go home. After a super hot and much needed shower, I hopped snug as a bug into bed. I was too tired to even feel sorry for those muddy campers! I can't wait to go again next year though! Did you go to splendour? Let us know in the comments how you enjoyed it! Xoxo E |