Stella McCartney 2011 Bridal Lingerie Collection

Bridal lingerie can get so monotonous and frankly, quite boring.
From label to label you see so much of the same thing - perhaps well crafted, but uniformly white, or white with a pastel accent, with a virtuous use of lace, some cinch in and push up, ho hum, so much of a muchness.

But Stella McCartney's 2011 Bridal Lingerie Collection breathes some life, and some excitement into the genre.

As with her fashion line, her bridal collection is minimal but not basic, effortless while chic and feminine. The cliches of bridal lingerie collections are refreshingly absent.

The use of lace is balanced with contrasting color or replaced with soft meshes and florals,

resulting in lingerie not only to be coveted by brides and bridesmaids, but deliciously perfect for the rest of us too.

Stella McCartney's 2011 Bridal Lingerie Collection is nothing short of fabulous!


Check her out online at Stella McCartney.com

Vogue U.K Wedding Belles

I've been shooting bridal magazines and their covers all month, so this story in Vogue U.K caught my eye.

Whether you're a bride, hoping to be one, recently married, or just like looking at great pictures, this story is fabulous.

Its from theVogue U.K May 2011 issue,  

and features models 

Arizona Muse, 

Fei Fei Sun (what a fantastic name!) 

Krisi Pyrhonen, 

Madelene De La Motte, 

Irina Berenzina 

and Karmen Pedaru, 

shot by the amazing Mario Testino.

Gorgeous!

Attention Serial Bridesmaids!

Are you a Serial Bridesmaid?

In my years as a makeup artist I have met many, many

return bridesmaids.

Invariably they have hilarious stories of hideous dresses,

groping groomsmen, calamities they've either had to deal with or endure, travel to obscure locations - the list goes on...

i

image cleverly lifted from Twirltalk blog by me

 

So my friends at Twirl Boutique

(a tres chic atelier not only for the uber fashion conscious, beautifully dressed bridesmaid, but also for the well heeled girl about town who needs a new cocktail dress or a full length, red carpet worthy slice of heaven to bring the world to its knees in)

has launched a fun contest for the girls who have been

a bridesmaid multiple times.

Regardless of where you are you can enter, and win.

Here are the details:

Twirl is hosting a contest to try and find the QUEEN of serial bridesmaids! Twirl Boutique was created with “serial bridesmaids” in mind.  The owners in both Arizona and Kentucky have been bridesmaids themselves a combined TWENTY SEVEN times. This is one of the reasons why Twirl was born.  We wanted a fun place for maids to go to with tons of cute dress styles to choose from.
We are looking for women out there to tell us their personal stories and explain why they think they are the ultimate serial bridesmaid.   More specifically what sets them apart, other than just being a bridesmaid so many times?  Is it the money they have spent? The fabulous showers they have thrown? How great they are at putting out fires?  Or perhaps the destinations they have traveled to?  We are looking for honest, heartfelt and humorous stories.  You don’t have to be a talented writer to enter – just tell us your story!

lease submit your entries to the email addresses below. If you live in or can travel to Kentucky: ty@twirllexington.com
If you live in or can travel to Arizona:    angela@twirlboutique.com
We have three fabulous prizes to be won at each store!
Arizona:
1^st Place: Up to $250.00 to spend on a dress  at Twirl Scottsdale.
2^nd Place: 10% off wedding services for the entire bridal party at Dolce Salon &  Spa
3^rd Place:  “Whateverz” spa set personalized with “serial bridesmaid”
Kentucky:
1^st Place:  Up to $250.00 to spend on a dress at Twirl Lexington
2^nd Place:  Gift Certificate to Cha Cha Salon
3^rd Place:  A “B Jolly” clutch
The contest ends at midnight on July 31^st.  Winners will be announced the week of August 16^th along with the stories on our blog at www.twirlboutique.com/blog. Ladies, this is your chance to get recognized – we know you have earned it!

 

How To Keep Your Wedding Makeup Gorgeous On A Hot Summer's Day

I have my own beauty column and write articles for several bridal magazines,
so I got to thinking that maybe we should devote some space here on the blog
to our lovely brideys.


The great thing about everything to do with bridal makeup, is that it all also applies to those of us who are not about to take the matrimonial plunge.

The same tricks that bring magic to a wedding makeup are sensational for any type of event.

So even if you are like me, and would prefer water boarding to another spin at holy matrimony,
don't dismiss the Bride's Corner postings - you'll learn some cool
and very useful tricks.


So here are 10 Tricks To Keep A Bride Looking Cool On A Hot Summer's Day

1. A great facial the week of the wedding will remove dead cells and debris from the surface of the skin, nourish and hydrate it, and leave you looking and feeling fabulous!

2. Drink TONS of water throughout the week leading up to the event.
It will help with bloating, stress and stress headaches, help alleviate under eye circles, and really help to keep your skin hydrated - one of the most important keys to a really beautiful complexion and gorgeous makeup.

3. Make sure your skin is well moisturized at least 20 minutes before makeup (if not more).
If your skin doesn't have enough moisture it will go after the moisture in your makeup, leaving it looking patchy, dry and separated.

4. Use a primer.
After your moisturizer has soaked all the way in, and before you apply foundation, apply a primer, taking special care to make sure your T Zone is well coated.
This will help makeup to adhere, stay even, and last much longer. It also helps you to stay a little more matte and a little less shiny for much longer.

5. Hire a professional makeup artist who uses airbrush makeup.This is the most technologically advanced, high performance makeup available. Why settle for anything less? It will last all day and night, won't melt or sweat, gives perfect, even coverage leaving you flawless with a super sheer finish.

6. Use a finishing spray to double down on your base staying flawless and set for hours on end!
My faves are Face Atelier's amazing Face Finish and Makeup Forever's Mist & Fix

7. Keep blotting papers or rice papers with you to lift away any surface oil or shine should it still make it through. If you keep adding powder to take away shine you'll just create an unnecessary layer of makeup that becomes increasingly visible.

8. Invest in a killer waterproof mascara and a sealing product to make eyeliner waterproof. Even if you're not the weepy type, the area around the lower lash line does tend to get extra moist, thus tempting your liner and mascara to go wandering or just disappear. I swear by Makeup Forever's Eye Seal.

9. Keep an eye on your lips. Bubbled up, gooey or broken down lipstick just look plain icky. If your lips look anything less than kissable, remove your lipstick/lip gloss with a folded kleenex, and reapply, making sure the inner line where your lips meet is clear, and doesn't have any build up.

10. When all else fails, smile! No matter how hot and humid it is, no matter how uncomfortable you are, nothing lights up the room quite like a dazzling, gorgeous smile!