Stress. Exam. Done. Relax.

I had my first and last exam of the Semester today. So thankful that I only had one because the coursework alone was a genuine pain in the backside. Fingers crossed, all went well. I have a personal theory for success:

 Good Outfit = Good Mood = Good Grade

But that's just me...

My #ootd

 Now I have over  two whole weeks to enjoy life before heading back for the next set of modules. I am loving the course so far and hope next semester will be just as good. 

Things I want to do during my break:

1. See James Vincent McMorrow in Glasgow on the 28th. His voice is way too beautiful for me to miss! I must find a friend and buy tickets ASAP

2. Paint signs for the vintage section in the Cancer Research store that I started volunteering at before Christmas. Looking for some old skool vinspiration for ideas on what to do.

3. Get a job. I shall be showering all of Aberdeen with copies of my CV in hope that I can find another retailer onto my job list, Office is starting to look a little lonely. 

4. Get another 'Snap That!' street style feature done. I have a few pictures from some stylish city dwellers but a few more are needed before I post it up so hopefully I'll get out and approach strangers again soon.

Wish me luck! And stay beautiful.

Being Bold and Beautiful

Evening!

This week I wanted to share and support a campaign called Bold and Beautiful, raising awareness and funds for charity Crohn's and Colitis UK.

Over the next six months, Meg Milburn Photography will be taking a series of photos of a beautiful and inspiring friend, Rachel. The aim is to change the perceptions we have of beauty, gain donations and hopefully inspire others going through the same situation. 

After being given the theme of 'Fashion as an Identity' for my university coursework last semester, I decided to write an article interviewing Rachel about her journey with Crohn's disease. From weight loss to hair loss, she has had to adjust multiple parts of her life to accommodate to the physical and emotional challenges that have come about since being diagnosed with Crohn's but, even through this, she still remains a gorgeous girl and strong in her faith.




These are her words to anyone going through a similar situation:

"Our image plays a massive role in our identity and forms a big part of who we are. When it is taken from you so quickly, it is often hard to cope as we can feel so lost in who we are. For me this has been a really big learning curve and has played an important part in discovering more about me. Through my faith I have come to realise that what we look like on the outside is not that important in the eyes of God. What our hearts look like is more important. I want each and every one of you to know that you are all beautiful inside and out. Not having hair doesn't make you any less beautiful then someone who does. Use this opportunity to show people what an amazing personality you have. Be that encouragement to people, be that light that shines in the darkness. I know that I hope to be that person for someone. Someone who can help support others and remind them of all the things to be grateful about."


Please take a look at these pages to support the campaign and donate if you can!
Mydonate
Facebook

Stay bold and beautiful!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New year new me!

That's what they all say..

In all honesty, I'm fairly content with the 'me' I am right now therefore I shan't take on a whole new identity because the year has reset. No 'new me' for now but I have decided to add a few realistic little changes and challenges to my life for next year. I've never really been the kind to do New Year's resolutions but I'll give it a go this year.

1) Bible in a Year

I got myself a Bible in One Year from Soul Survivor a couple of years ago and never finished it. This shall be the year! Although the readings start in September, I'm going to join in now and finish December next year because I'm bad enough with dates as it is to try and start reading the 1st September on the 1st January. Plus I can follow the daily thoughts on the readings from the guys at Soul Survivor on their blog.

2) Finish 2nd year with an A

Transferring universities last year was crazy stressful, UCAS and Student finance are the bane of my life and having to make changes to both of them took time and effort. I love the course and want to make the best out of my time here at RGU, so I won't settle for less than and A (2:1 and over for England).

3) FINISH the Squat and Ab Challenge

I don't think that I'm alone in saying I've started both of these but never seem to be able to finish it, especially not in 30 days. If all goes well, I would have already completed one resolution by the end of January and, if it all goes really well, I'll finally have a bum like a normal black woman should, toned abs and will keep it up all year. Wish me luck!

4) Wear More Colour

This is going to be a difficult one. You can guarantee I wore something black for 90% of 2013 and most years before that. I think I get it from my older sister and it's reaching point where I'll leave the house dressed as a spy with a few gold accessories. MI5 meets 2 Chainz... not ideal. So this year I'll try pushing myself out of my grayscale comfort zone and rock a bit of colour.

5) Perfect Placement

I need to get myself an amazing Fashion Styling or Visual Merchandising placement for 3 months in 3rd year. I have a long list of places I want to apply to including Urban Outfitters, Tommy Hilfiger, Motel and Company Mag, so if you've got any connections, help a sista out.  

For achieving resolutions it think it's best to keep it real and stay beautiful!

Oh and lastly, I have to share this idea that popped up on by fb news feed. Give it a go, so simple and so perfect. It might teach us to appreciate all the lovely little things as well as the great big achievements this year.

Check out : It's a Lovely Life

Happy New Year x 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

"And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth."

Philippians 2:8-10

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!

Festive Face

Seasons greetings :)

With Christmas coming up, we're required to look good for multiple dinners and nights out, Christmas day and New Year's. I wanted to try something new again so here's a make-up tutorial for how to dress up your face a bit for this festive season. Enjoy...

Face

Step 1:

Use primer to even tone and ensure long lasting make up.

Step 2:

For a natural look and minimum waste, mix a pea sized amount of foundation with the same amount of moisturiser and blend- a tide line is not the one. With my 2 in 1 brush (H&M £2.99), I use the foundation brush to apply and buff with the blush brush.

Step 3:

Cover with powder. I use Clique's stay matte pressed powder.

The Eyes

Step 1:

Cover eyelid with a shimmery neutral tone.

Step 2:

Use a lighter shadow (much lighter than your skin) and use in the inner corners of your eyelid and blend. This fools people into thinking you have big doll eyes.

Step 3:

Add a dark shadow to the outer corner, edge, 1/3 of the lid and 3/4 of the eye crease and blend. I used black because of my dark skin and cheap eye shadow palette. 

Step 4:

Cover the space in between the dark and light with a gold/bronze tone and... you got it- BLEND!

Step 4:

Apply liquid eye liner along the lid and up to the edge of the black eye shadow.

Step 5:

Add a pair of fake lashes.. because I'm from Essex. Eyelure is good, I tend to make a quick trip to primark for their £1, "natural look" (they're really not) lashes, but I bought these in a pack of 10 for 99p off ebay- thanks China. 

Just buy good glue and the lashes don't really matter.

Step 6:

Add mascara to bottom lashes.

Step 7:

Apply pencil/kohl eye liner inside the bottom lid and inner corner of the eye then use the neutral shadow to neaten up the line a bit. All these hi-lights make the eyes look bigger.

 

 The Brow

Step 1: 

Brush upwards

Step 2:

Use the brush to shape brow- this makes it easier when it come to pencilling it in.

Step 3:

Line the brown and lightly shade in. I use black eye liner for my eyebrows because I like them to look fairly thick dark but go for a dark brown for a more natural look.

Step 4:

Use finger to blend the pencil into the eyebrow, just a quick wipe across will do. I'm not really into the whole  obvious and square brow look so this creates a naturally thick look.

The Lips

Step 1:

I still haven't gotten around to buying dark lipstick yet because this Barry M one was more of a deep red than the dark purple I expected, so try lining the lips with eye-liner if you're in the same dilemma. 

Dark lipstick is very in so it there's any time to try it, it's this winter season.

Step 2:

Fill in with lip stick and BLEND. I used Barry M Black cherry 160 (Boots £4.49).

The End

 So this is my final look with and without flash.

Excuse the shocking lighting in my room...

As you can see I've only done basic face coverage, my eyes and lips as I'm not the kind of gal to wear blusher or contour but Youtube it and there'll be a million videos on all that jazz.

 In conclusion

If you add enough gold and red- you're ready for this holiday!

Add to this look with some false nails from Primark- £1 a pack.
Mix and match for a new look each time!

Stay Beautiful x

Curly Curls- How to get that 'natural' look

Erykah Badu, Lianne La Havas and Solange Knowles- Gorgeous gyals with gorgeous hair! If you're anything like me, you dream of having hair that just does this... however, having relaxed my Nigerian hair multiple times I actually have no idea how it would look "naturally". I've considered shaving it all off and starting again but the idea has had an extremely mixed reaction- plus I can see myself rocking it like Jessie J for about 2 weeks then crying for a weave for years to come. What I need is a cheat to effortlessly natural curls and luckily, I have it. I love doing this because it means I can frizz my hair up in an orderly fashion rather than the rain and wind making it totes cray cray.

Please note that this isn't just for black people. I actually learned how to do it from a girl at school who was white so I'm going to assume it works on pretty much all types of hair (unless it's already in extremely tight curls, of course). 

Here are some images I prepared earlier...

Step 1: 

Separate your hair into sections and add a tad bit of water. 

Or do this just after washing it.

Step 2: 

Twist hair and continue to until it folds around itself.

Step 3:

Tie a  hair band around the bun. It should look like this.

 Attractive right..

Step 4: 

Go to sleep!

I prefer to do this before bed as it avoids using heat which can be 

damaging hair and it saves time. 

Alternatively, you could  use a blow-dryer. 

Step 5: 

Remove the hair band, untwist and run fingers through each section.

You can use a wide tooth comb but if you brush it too much or the teeth are too 

close together the curls could be lost and a wild creature can appear. 

Stick with your hands and it should be fine. 

 Step 6:

Style as desired!

I usually do an upside down French plait at the back of my hair and stop about 

two thirds up my head. 

 Apologies for the messy plait, I was in a rush. 

And that's it!

I did the same thing on my flatmate Dawn's hair for the photoshoot too.

Her hair is fairly thick and has natural loose curls that I split into about 7 large sections.

 

Extra tips:

-The smaller the sections, the tighter the curls.

-The thicker the hair, the more water you may need for the method to be effective.

-If you have quite short hair like mine, small sections are best in having an even texture from top to bottom.

-Try plaiting or twisting your hair too. Experiment- You might discover something you never thought your hair could do.

That's it from me for now. Send me some pics of you giving it a go if you want- @brokeblackbeautiful on instagram or mail it to my g-mail account (check my profile). 

Stay beautiful...

My Little Vintage Project

Evening :)

I know a few people will start doing Christmas posts around now but don't worry, that probably won't happen for another few weeks. This is just a little post about a little project. 

Whilst visiting Retrospect a few weeks ago, the owner, Mr Psychedelic Jim, told me that the local Cancer Research store was looking for someone to help revamp their vintage section so I want along to the store and now I'm volunteering there weekly.

I've been told I have complete free reign over the section and, even though it is only a small section, I think it'll be a fun bit of work where I can do just about anything and put what I've been learning the past 2 years studying retail and fashion into practice.

Each time I go in, I'll upload pictures of my (what I hope will be) progress. 

Week 1

I forgot to take a 'before' picture but here's what I've done so far.

Couldn't find a full mannequin but a limbless torso is more than I expected in all honesty
and it's perfect for this gorge oversized blazer.

Vintage tweed blazers. My favourite got sold before I could buy it...
No more Mrs Nice Girl

I love a good tapestry bag

Aiming for small and mighty. Watch this space.

Stay beautiful,