Good morning!

I hope you all are having a lovely w-end 🙂 today’s blog post will probably interest both women and men…;) Who spends more on shopping…women or men…? The general feeling is that women spend more…however I read that in 2021 in the States, the trend starting changing and men are spending more on non-essentials and by far spend more than women on on-line shopping. I don’t know whether this is also a trend in Europe, it’s definitely not a reflection of my household…😂

It appears form a number of studies carried out, that women are more influenced by social media than men. I for one tag my favourite shops on social media, and whenever they post pictures of the new stock, I obviously am eager to go and have a look for myself, and never leave empty handed. This doesn’t mean that men are not influenced by social media, however in general they do follow less.

Now…the interesting part! Women spend more than men unknowingly! (I can imagine the faces men are making when reading this…😜) There is, what is referred to “the pink tax”. In summary women pay more for the same product as men. Deodorants, blades, scarves…a dash of pink and voila, the price is higher! In some of the articles I read, they state that women spend 8 to 13 % more than men on the same type of product, and this goes beyond supermarket items, it extends to loans, dry cleaning etc…

The question which I raised and trying to answer is…but why…? From the little I found about the reason, it appears that in some cases it is intentionally discriminatory and in some cases, driven by profits. It appears women will purchase a product they want/need regardless of the price. Clearly, these are very generic statements, but it seems to be one of the reasons.

So ladies, let us be on the look out when products are marketed for women…we could be paying more solely for the packaging. If you carry our a simple internet search of “pink tax”, you will be surprised at all the items we get to pay more for than men!

I hope you found this interesting…there is much more to write about on this topic…and I will address it in some other blogs of mine 🙂

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday!

Yan

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Hello 🙂

If you are anything like me…the item I struggle with most is finding the right pair of jeans. Even when I find a brand I like, it all depends on the cut and style of that particular pair. In this blog you will find a few tips on what suits the different body shapes…I hope it helps you 🙂

Loose fit jeans

The now so called “boyfriend jeans” 🙂 these suit best petite and slim, athletic figures. Most women with larger frames believe that they should go for wide and loose…it’s actually the opposite…show off your curves woman!!! For the ladies with petite frames, pair up a loose pair of jeans with a tight fitting top and heels and blazer if opting for a casual/smart look or trainers for a sporty look 🙂

The bootcut and the flare

The bootcut was so in during the nineties…and they are making a comeback this season. These cuts suit best hourglass (where the bust and hips are almost equal in size) and the pear shaped (upper body is narrower than lower body – hips). What you need to be mindful of when wearing this type of cut is the length of the jeans…you don’t want it too short as it will look “funny”. So ensure you decide whether you ll be pairing it with flats or heels when shopping;)

The straight leg

This cut suits a number of body shapes, from slim to hour glass figures. This cut works with flats and can be worn with sweaters, shirts and blazers, t-shirts and many more…:) It is useful to have a pair of straight legs as it never quite goes out of fashion.

The Skinny jeans

We had this style for quite a few years now and fashion bloggers are in a debate on whether this style is in or out for the seasons to come. I’m on the let it stay! Skinny jeans suit many different body types. The larger frames can show off their curves and pair it with tunics and blazers. Petite frames can pair these up with loose fitting tops and balloon sleeve tops. The beauty of this style is that you can wear flats, heels, court shoes, boots …you name it! So let’s vote for skinny jeans to stay 😉

Some other tips

Be mindful of the rise when choosing your style. Low, medium or high rise. If you have a tummy, avoid low and high rise, the former will make your tummy roll over the button whereas latter will make it bulge out. So let’s leave those for ladies with a flat tummy 🙂 For all others who like me will bloat during the day or will always have some tummy (cos I love my food;) we will stick to the mid rise jeans.

I hope you find these tips useful.

Wishing you all a lovely Sunday and week ahead

Yan

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Continue reading “Jeans…helping you find the perfect fit for your body shape” →

Good afternoon:)

Last Tuesday I was invited to attend a session showcasing Guerlain’s products at Franks Perfumery, with focus on skincare, particularly the Albeille Royale range. An international rep from the brand was here to facilitate the session. The session was very professional and in line with all COVID regulations:)

The session was so interesting as the Guerlain expert (unfortunately I cannot recall her name), started off with a history of the brand…going back to Napoleon III…I love it when people explain where and how things came about. She then explained about Guerlain’s commitment to sustainability, particularly with this range, which involves education around the bees, the benefits of bees and bee keeping, going around schools to provide insight and also giving women opportunities with respect to bee keeping. They work closely with UNESCO. In today’s world, where we are all seeing the impact we have on the environment, every little step that we can help in, is a plus. Seeing large corporations committing to the environment is positive!

Now let’s talk about the products…👏 I use the Albelle Royale range, so these were not new to me. The cleansing oil, which turns into milk when removing make up, is one of my favourite products. I recently also bought the watery oil, as a pre serum, it nourishes the skin and I love using it when I feel my skin dry during the day and voila…it’s an instant boost! We were shown the day and night creams, but I was interested in the eye r repair serum, which has a special applicator which feels cold to the skin, purposely to reduce puffiness. I bought this last Tuesday, as my eye area is always of concern to me. I have used this product for a few days, so I will tell you about it in a few months time, but it does help with morning puffiness around the eye 🎉 Another product she spoke to us about was the advanced youth watery oil. I still have the previous version…so will try this out once I finish my product 🙂 but if it is better than the current one…then eager to try it out 🙂

What was also interesting is that, she emphasized using hands to apply the skincare and not cotton discs, as it helps with the absorption of the product into our skin rather than half of it being lost to the disc…;) we should tap eye creams and serums around the eyes, and circular motions for the day and night creams.

The products are not cheap, however if you want to spoil yourself or try one product to pamper yourself, I would start off with the watery oil or a serum…they are a must have in my view.

Thank you Franks for inviting me, it felt some normality is slowly coming back… The welcome drinks and nibbles (all individually packed) were an added bonus. Thank you Guerlain for the session and the goodie bag!

Wishing you all a lovely Saturday evening!

Watch out for the next blog post, I will talk about finding the right pair of jeans for one’s shape.

Take care

Yan

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Hello ladies!

New collections for the autumn/winter season are round the corner…so let’s have a look at what’s in and what we can dig out from our wardrobes.

I am following the latest trends on fashion websites and online magazines. I also went round the shops to see for myself what common themes are being displayed in the windows. The general feel seems to be a mix of inspiration from the 1920s (yeahhh!) and 1990s (a lil less exciting for me;) It’s all about colours, prints, layering and sequins…

Colours

Saturated shades appear to be the headline for this coming season. Designers have put mustards, lemon yellow, rusts and bubblegum pink on their catwalks. It is always convenient to have neutral colours in your wardrobe, however if you want to be in line with latest trends, you may want to buy a couple of pieces in a bold colour to mix and match with your neutrals…;)

The Oversize Coat and Hats

If you typically go for fitted coats…think again this season. Oversize coats which take us back to 1920s era, are in! Also, it is no longer about the classic black coat…it’s all about colours this season. Hues of greens, pale blues, pinks and rust to complement an outfit can be seen displayed at the shops. AND hats, hats, hats…:) The bucket and rain hats are here to stay for the Autumn/winter…I cannot wait to get hold of a stylish hat for this season…

Layering

Trousers beneath a dress, crop tops over shirts…(anyone recalls the 90s…?;) and the sweater vests…! If you want to follow this season’s trend without spending much, shop sweater vests…you can find these in high street stores in various colours, different knit patterns and textures. They are so easy to pair up with different items 😉

Let’s sparkle

The roaring 20s were all about the sparkle and shine…and designers felt that due to the pandemic and people being locked up for a long while, we needed to be reminded of good times, going out and being the life of a party by shining our way in through an event. So if you’re bold enough…don’t hold back and go for full sequins dresses or trousers. If you are not too keen or comfortable in a full sparkly dress, you may opt to pair your outfit with a sequins jacket or find a skirt with a touch of sparkle

To conclude…

These were just a few trends we will be seeing in this season’s collection. I will be writing about more specific items and how these trends can be best adapted for different shapes and sizes. Remember it is not about what is in fashion, but also what you feel most comfortable in!

Let me know should you have any questions in the comments…and I ll be happy to help:)

Wishing you all a great week

Yan

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Hello everyone 🙂

I hope you are all keeping well. Today’s blog post is inspired by an article I recently read about the topic of perfectionism.

Today’s society especially in the western world, appears to have an obsession on wanting a perfect life. By perfect, I mean…a picture perfect house (I specifically did not use the world home…), perfect weddings (again I did not use the word marriage), perfect holidays in idyllic places to post on social media and tell the world how great it is…and of course we need to look perfect…with more people resorting to cosmetic surgery and filters on social media apps.

I must say, that even I get caught in this trap on occasions. There is a fine line between wanting to better yourself and seeking artificial perfection. Perfection doesn’t exist, and I fear that in our obsession with wanting this perfection, we’re missing out on life and not living our present in search for this perfect future.

In the fashion and beauty industry, perfection seems to be the ultimate goal on body shape and looks. For my fashion blog, I do post pictures of me to highlight the outfit and I do sometimes get comments on my wrinkles or a tired look. The truth is, yes sometimes I feel tired and opt to share my ootd pic anyway. If you meet me outside, that’s how I ll look…I cannot filter reality can I…?;)

I strongly believe in working on oneself, bettering oneself in life, and in being ambitious, but not with making unreachable goals of perfection, which won’t fulfill that void we think it will fill. So let’s live our present and plan for a better future, accepting that sometimes ordinary can feel good 😉

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Wishing you all a “perfect” week…(I had to…😉)

Take care

Yan

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Hello everyone!

I hope you are all well and keeping safe 🙂 Haven’t written a blog post in a while, but I did post many outfit ideas in the past few weeks. A few weeks ago I posted a poll to see whether you prefer a blog on sustainability or on why women spend more than men on shopping… interesting responses. Women voted for sustainability, whereas men want to know why women spend more than men on shopping haha… Given more women follow this blog, I will first post on sustainability BUT I will write a blog on why we spend more (in general), and it is not because we shop more…😜

So back to sustainability…it is not an easy one. When you carry out research you find out that there are so many variables. Shopping less, shopping for fabrics which are more eco friendly, understanding the companies we shop from and whether they do take into consideration the environment, fast fashion vs slow fashion and the list goes on. So what can we do from our end?

I believe we have to be mindful of sustainable fashion, as unfortunately the fashion industry plays a part in carbon emissions and water pollution – however it may not be that easy for us to change our habits overnight. So here are a few tips we can implement in order to play a part in this movement.

Think before you shop

When buying an item of clothing or accessories, ask yourself…how many times will I wear this? Do I have other items I can mix and match with? If your answer is, I you will wear once or twice, and you can’t wear the item with other garments you already own…don’t get it! Leaving it hanging for months, to then throw or give it away…is not worth it. During sales…be mindful of this. We do get carried away when we see that prices are slashed…but do we really need them all…think. You should wear it, at least five times in one season.

Eco friendly fabric/clothes

There are a number of companies which are investing in eco friendly measures, so if we can go for items which favour such measures, we should. Synthetic fabrics are more harmful to the environment, so have a look at the labels to understand what you are getting. Sometimes, we can spend a a tad more to have a better quality item and more environmental friendly…and it will last longer. Recently, I came across a number of garments which are eco friendly at Desigual..and also very pretty 🙂

Do not throw away clothes!

If you need to make space in your wardrobe, of course you can’t hoard these…throwing them in the bin is the worst solution. You may donate the clothes, or if these have done their course, send them for recycling. This way you will also be helping and playing a part in sustainable fashion.

Fast fashion vs Slow fashion

Up until a few years ago, fifty, sixty years ago…people shopped for clothes, however not to the same extent we do today. The idea today is that we buy something which is in fashion, and make space for new clothes in the next season. This may be the hardest tip to implement. Think of staples in your wardrobe which you can wear over and over and then mix them with other items. I admit, I do shop (quite a lot), but I do have a lot of classics and I never buy something and not wear it (this past year was challenging due to COVID clearly…)

I hope you found these tips useful…it’s really a tiny step we can all take into making a difference. If we all start thinking in this manner…it can only get better!

Wishing you a lovely Sunday and a great week ahead!

Take care

Yan

xxx

Hello ladies 🙂

Does it only happen to me, that most of my skincare finishes at the same time…?! I love my skincare routine and enjoy shopping for my skincare but when they finish at the same time, ahhh the expense hurts hehe 🙂

First things first, I never ever miss my morning and evening skincare routines. It is a ritual, it doesn’t take long and I just love the feeling of a clean and soft face. Do try and dedicate a few minutes every day to look after your skin. You will find products for different budgets. Here are some of my favourite products…

I am a huge fan of Guerlain for skincare…which is not the cheapest brand out there, however the products last me for months. In the past couple of years I also discovered the Skin Clinic range, which from a budget perspective is less expensive than Guerlain and have some very good products. I like having different brands but to be honest I don’t venture much with variety…if they work, stick to them is my thinking…

Cleansers

I tried different products, ranging from milky ones, creamy etc. The following two are my favourite, the Make up Factory foam to foam make-up remover. It is a wash, and it removes all traces of make up, and leaves you with a feeling of a tight, clean face…similar to when you wash your face with soap and water. Given it is a wash and removes make-up…it is fantastic as in a couple of minutes all make up is off your face 🙂

Then… there is the amazing Guerlain cleansing oil from the Albeille Royale range. You literally pump a couple of drops of this oil, mix with water which turns into a milk…wash your face and voila. It removes make-up and your skin feels extremely soft…

These two products are very different, if you prefer the soap and water sensation, go for the Make Up Factory one, whereas the Guerlain oil is almost moisturizing as you cleanse. I think the former is better at removing all traces of make up.

Serum

I have two serums in my list 🙂 The Guerlain Albeille Royale daily repair serum. I had also tried the double R (renew and repair) of this range…but currently sticking to the daily repair serum for the morning. In the evening I use the Skin Clinic Ferulast serum….which is fantastic.

Eye-cream

This is one of the areas I struggle with…I am currently, on the Albeille Royale range for eye cream. I purchased some eye masks from Kiko, which I think helped with the puffiness around the eye area. I am still on the look out for an eye product which works better for me…so if you have an amazing find…do share 🙂

Moisturizer

I am currently using the Guerlain Albeille Royale moisturizer for the morning, and purchased Ovalift from the Skin Clinic for the night, but only got this yesterday….so I cannot tell you much about it…yet 🙂

I spent a number of years using the Super Acqua range from Guerlain, which I used to find great and also used the Active Plus night cream from Skin Clinic…but was recommended the Ovalift so trying it out ☺️

Other products

I have some pigmentation on one side of the face…and found the Skin Clinic Melanyc daily good. I use it every day…and it took months for the pigmentation to lighten up, but it did! It is extremely important that we also use sunblock for the face especially in Malta as the sun is very strong and damaging to the skin. Put the sun block at the end of your skin care routine.

Another product, which I like using is the Payot cleanser micellar with raspberry extracts which I use as a toner…and it smells divine 😉

Last Saturday when shopping for my skin care, I was recommended the Elizabeth Arden retinol capsules. Retinol stimulates collagen production and accelerates skin turnover. So far I tried one capsule, and the texture is ammmazzzing, but will tell you of the effectiveness in a month or so 🙂 I was also given some other capsules from this range to try out….I will let you know 🙂

So those were some products I love using. As I said there is a lot to choose from, other brands and ranges, cheaper and more expensive (you can find some with gold leaf extracts …😮) My dear grandma who is no longer with us used to tell me…always use moisturizer, even if it not an expensive brand…look after your skin.

Here is wishing you all a great week ahead.

Take care and much love

Yan

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Hello ladies,

Hope you are all well. I find myself looking at my wardrobe and staring at dresses and outfits which I consider as smart or elegant and nowhere to wear these right now, unless we venture out to an elegant restaurant…so shall I leave these outfits hanging …nahhhhh…here are a few tips of how you can wear the same item of clothing and dress it up or down. I hope you enjoy reading this, as much as I enjoyed writing and planning this blog post 🙂 Most of the pics were taken at the Barakka gardens in our gorgeous city 🙂

The Jumper

This white jumper is one of my favourite pieces of the season. I first paired up this white jumper with an elegant back skirt and silver heels…I had already posted this outfit during the Xmas season. Off go the heels and on go the booties and the outfit now has a more casual feel to it. You can opt to wear trainers for an even more casual look 😉 Finally I paired the jumper with white jeans and lumberjack boots…and voila…casual outfit wearing the same top 🙂

The Knit dress

Same dress worn in two different ways just by changing the accessories and shoes…smart to casual in seconds 🙂 Shoes and accessories can vary the style of your outfit. Adding faux fur obviously gives the outfit a more sophisticated, chic look….whereas the trainers and the long necklace in the second pic give it a relaxed feel.

The Cardi

The cardigan…loving cardis right now, they are so versatile. I am just giving two examples here wearing the same cardi, one is a smart look, and the other is a casual look with jeans…BUT you can wear cardigans in so many different ways and creating so many different outfits…I think the cardi deserves a solo blogpost 😉

The jumpsuit

I created three different looks wearing the same black jumpsuit. I can wear it to the office by adding a black blazer, pearls, nude pumps and a classic handbag. If I am going out for a stroll or a casual lunch, I pair it up with trainers and a rust leather jacket together with a cross body bag. Meeting the girls for the night…same jumpsuit but adding big gold earrings, red bag and red lippy and of course…gold sandals…and a change from morning to night pronto 😉

These were just a few ideas…look at what you have inside your wardrobe and think of ways to create variations with the same item of clothing. Please let me know if you need help with any, you can post on the comments below or send me a message and I will gladly give you a few tips…:)

Wishing you all a great week ahead

Take care

Yan

X

Good morning ladies 🙂

Last week, I spent a Saturday afternoon at one of my favourite local boutiques, Verve. Isabelle from Verve created some outfits for me to try on and show you 🙂 I was in my element, trying on elegant dresses, to casual outfits to items you can mix and match in soooo many different ways!

Have a look at some of the items I tried on …obviously I could not leave empty handed…guess which outfit I took home with me:-p

The electric blue dress…very Kate Middleton style. High collar which buttons up and belt at the waistline (makes it very flattering to the figure) and a flowy lower part of the dress. One can wear this for lunches with nude shoes and turn it into an evening dress paired up with platinum high heels…a classic to have in one’s wardrobe!

This dress is the same style as the blue one, but with a completely different print! It is perhaps more adventurous in terms of the print. We paired it up with this gorgeous coat…which you can wear with many outfits and colours and surely you’ll turn heads.

This is a more casual look. I looooved the shirt…so different, edgy and cool. You can wear it with skirt as in the pic, but also with jeans, joggers, leggings, leather pants…and that print…so eye catching!

This is what I refer to as an ohh la la outfit hehe. I felt like a million dollars in this dress….elegant, sexy, sophisticated. The hair band added a touch of sparkle and the faux fur jacket a splash of luxury… Again, this is a classic which won’t go out of fashion 🙂

This is a casual/smart outfit with a touch of bright pink…the polo neck and the detail on the jacket…match perfectly! The jacket can be worn with office work outfits, to casual ones…and again something out of the ordinary 🙂

This outfit which Isabelle created turned out to be soooo chic, edgy, comfortable and ideal for any small gatherings you may have at home with your family during this time of year. The dress on its own is very elegant, however we dressed it down by including a white shirt underneath and replaced heels with cool booties… love it! Also, have a look any the detail of the lace…

The picture doesn’t do the outfit justice…this trouser suit has a golden shimmer to it, so adds that sparkle for the festive season which we all need. I wore a body suit with a touch of lace beneath, which again you can wear with so many other items…pencil skirts, pleated skirts, trousers, jeans…you name it;)

Those were the outfits I tried on and I loved every second of it! These are just a few ideas of how one can mix and match certain items and also accessories to create an outfit. Isabelle at Verve will help you with finding the right outfit for you….and be open to ideas…;)

Here’s wishing you all a lovely Sunday and great week ahead

Yan

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