Victoria Beckham's Letter To Her 18 Year Old Self

I just love Victoria Beckham.
She is super successful in her own right, was successful before she met her gorgeous husband, is clearly a fabulous parent, seems to be raising great kids ~ she's got it all.

I found this article on Career Girl Daily. Read it, share it with your daughters, be kind to yourself.

Why You Need To Read Victoria Beckham’s Open Letter Right Now

by Beth at Career Girl Daily

Victoria Beckham was Vogue’s cover star for the October issue, and she looks amazing. We often look to her as an example of a woman who’s got her shit together, she never seems to have insecurities, she dresses immaculately, is an amazing business woman and has a great and supportive family. But we know that things aren’t always as effortless as they seem.

Victoria penned an open letter to her 18-year-old self, and it’s amazing. It’s so inspiring to see a powerful woman allowing herself to be young, to make mistakes, to have fun. To get drunk and meet her soul mate, and reflect on it.

“You are not the prettiest, or the thinnest, or the best at dancing at the Laine Theatre Arts college. You have never properly fitted in, although you are sharing your Surrey school digs with really nice girls. You have bad acne. You think the principal has put you at the back of the end-of-year show (in a humiliatingly bright purple Lycra leotard) because you are too plump to go at the front. (This may or may not be true.)”

She writes to herself with an openness and authenticity we can all relate to. Who hasn’t looked back and wanted to give ourselves a good talking to? It’s true that many of us suffer with insecurities and anxieties that in ten years time will have melted away.

“You will turn up at awards ceremonies resembling a drag queen. But I look back at you and smile. It will add interest to your life to go from one extreme to another. I love the fact that you will feel free to express yourself. Fashion will take on added stature one day, but try not to be stifled by it. You will learn, as you mature, to swap heels for Stan Smith trainers, minidresses for crisp white shirts. And you will never be one of those people who just roll out of bed.”

It’s actually really sweet to see Victoria look back on her younger self and smile, people criticized her for the way she dressed but she was free to express herself and didn’t mind. And even though Victoria learned with age what works and what is chic, she doesn’t regret the crazy choices she made.

Finally, on her relationship with David Beckham, she says:

“Love at first sight does exist. It will happen to you in the Manchester United players’ lounge – although you will get a little drunk, so exact details are hazy. While the other football players stand at the bar drinking with their mates, you will see David standing aside with his family. (He’s not even in the first team at this stage – you are the famous one.) And he has such a cute smile. You, too, are close to your family, and you will think how similar he feels to you. He’s going to ask for your number. (He still has the London-to-Manchester plane ticket on which you wrote it.)”

Victoria Beckham Wedding Day

That little detail is so cute. And it’s true that we don’t know what’s going to happen in our future, or what we will look back on when we’re older and want to tell our younger selves about. I personally think this letter is really inspiring. It shows just how far Victoria has come, and how she has made peace with her younger self. We should all write letters to our 18-year-old selves. I think the results would be enlightening.

The Victoria Beckham First Ever Makeup Tutorial - The London Look

I love her.

Victoria Beckham's has paired up with (my least favorite makeup brand, but whatever) makeup monolith Estée Lauder for a limited edition collaboration.

Maybe this is a precursor to a Victoria Beckham makeup line? If she does one it would be fabulous - all glory skin, subtly smoky eyes.

Anyway, with her Estée Lauder gig debuting in September VB has made a makeup tutorial video showing her "London Look".

Did I mention that I love her??

Check it out below:

21 Fashion Truths From Victoria Beckham

I absolutely love Victoria Beckham.
I love her style, I love the career she has built for herself, I love that when everyone said she couldn't do it she stayed in the race and fought until she won. And look at her now...

Today I was clicking away on Pop Sugar and found this fantastic article about the glorious VB

21 Fashion Truths From Victoria Beckham

Bright color is your friend.

image via PopSugar.com

Never underestimate how sleek a head to toe look is.

White is a year round staple.

A statement bag can make your whole outfit.

It is always better to be overdressed than under dressed.

A great t-shirt and jeans never goes out of style.

Did you know that Charlotte Tilbury created a lipstick for Victoria Beckham? It's in the new Hot Lips collection and it's called Very Victoria

Brogues are a chic alternative to heels.

Black doesn't have to be basic.

A head turning going out top is always a good idea.

Its the little details that set your look apart.

A classic LBD will never let you down.

You can reinvent your jeans every time you change out your top.

A flirty party dress is an essential.

Its totally okay to wear flats, even on the red carpet.

A well cut dress that flatters your figure is priceless.

There's nothing wrong with top to toe black.

Find your pose and master it.

Monochromatic dressing is undeniably chic.

You can be practical and stylish.

A little texture goes a long way.

There's almost nothing you can't wear with a white t-shirt.

The original Pop Sugar story had 35 of VB's fashion truths. See the rest of this story on PopSugar.com here

Victoria Beckham Re-Works The Pantsuit

I just love Victoria Beckham.
Her fashion sense is always so completely on point.
I found this on Vogue.com and loved it.

Check out how Vicky B turns the pantsuit on it's ear and makes it super sexy and super slick:

The pantsuit, a favorite of women globally—and made most famous by former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton—is having a renaissance this season.Victoria Beckham, whose flagship Dover Street store just opened in London, was spotted arriving stateside in New York yesterday. And instead of slipping into one of her fanciful frocks, the designer chose to rework the standard suit into something fresh. The cut is precise, and with the trousers hitting just at the ankle, the pants are leg-lengthening, especially when paired with sleek stilettos. The jacket thrown over her shoulders gives Beckham an air of sophisticated cool, while a crisp, button-down neatly ties the look together.

article and images courtesy of Vogue.com

Victoria Beckham Cover Two Vanity Fair Issues

I never get tired of her.

The glorious Vicky B

A.K.A fashion designer Victoria Beckham

covers Vanity Fair Spain,

and Vanity Fair Italia

January 2014 and February 2014 issues.

Lensed by Sebastian Kim.

Six Things That Every Woman Should Own

Michael Kors clearly knows fashion.

He also knows chic, style, and women.

Style is not fashion - style is how you put things together, whether that may be the hottest new trend, 

or whether its piecing together old and new, or anything in between.

So anyway, I found an article where Michael Kors talked about the 

Six Things That Every Woman Should Own

and even though I've had it for ages, 

the concepts are still 100% on point.

So here I've co-opted his ideas and put my thoughts in there with them...

1. Aviators

There is a great pair of Aviators for every face.

I love aviators and have many different pairs of them - old, new, and in between.

Aviators can be the ultimate in casual chic, can be the unexpected twist to a super glammed up outfit, and can add a touch of cool to the most basic of outfits.

The trick is to try on many pairs and find the right shape for your face, rather than the shape that is the latest trend.

2. A Chronograph Watch.

I obsessed over the Chanel J12  watch from the first time I ever laid eyes on one, and have had an oversized, chunky watch on my wrist every day since.

I like the man sized chronographs instead of the smaller, more ladylike variety, and Kors has a great selection, all of which are affordably priced. You can have several, in different colors and finishes to suit your mood, or your outfit.

3. White Jeans

When it comes to white jeans, I like them crisp and tailored. 

To quote Kors " Throw them on with a black tshirt, and its instant Jackie Onassis, all year round"

image courtesy 9th Gate Consulting

The cut is everything though - especially for those of us with more curves than straight lines on our frame.

The wrong cut on a curvy girl can leave her looking like a giant marshmallow.

4. An Oversized Saddle-Colored Bag

I would add to this, with a long shoulder strap. There's something so fabulous about an oversized, slouchy bag that sits just right against your body and moves with you when you walk.

If the shoulder strap is too short it can make your torso look chunky, but if you are wide at the hips you want to adjust it a little above or slightly below.

When buying an oversized bag be sure to look in the mirror and see how it sits against your body.

There's something very rock n roll about about them, they are effortlessly, timelessly cool, and they just look better and better as they get a bit more beaten up and aged.

5. Dry Oil

A matted down, overly powdered face never looks fresh and glowy - it looks old and flat.

Dry oils give the skin a gorgeous, youthful, dewy sheen, and make the face look alive.

Kors says he has neer had a powdered, matte looking girl on any of  his runway show, or in any of his ads.

6. A Tailored Coat.

the ever fabulous Vicky B in an LBD paired with an immaculately tailored coat

I would add: or a super tailored jacket.

Kors loves the "front row calling card" - at runway shows all you notice in the front row are the coats and the sunglasses.

You can dress up absolutley anything with a  tailored coat, from yoga pants to jeans to a dress. The key is to get a timeless style, rather than becoming a slave to the latest trend.

For me, my absolute most favorite thing I have ever owned in all the world is an totally killer tailored Dolce and Gabbana black jacket. I dress it up, dress it down, use it to sharpen any outfit. I always feel like a million dollars in it. It's cut to work my body shape, will never date, and is so well constructed it will last forever.

Makeup and Hair Trends From NYFW Spring 2014

I just finished one of the most insane work weeks ever, and consequently missed the bulk of New York Fashion Week. As much as I wanted to track it all in real time, shooting til midnight everyday got the better of me, so now I'm doing some high speed recapping, tracking both NYFW and now LFW.

Anyway, here are some of the hair and makeup trends that look interesting for spring of 2014:







1. Wet hair.
Seen both as a glam option,and a grungy one, slicked back, wet hair will make getting out the door on time a whole lot easier.















2. Thin blue eyeliner.

Francois Nars did this at Marc Jacobs. Doesn't it look refreshing?
Have to wonder why the Marc Jacobs show didn't use the new Marc Jacobs makeup line?
Regardless, this could be a fun trend for spring.











3. Iridescent Skin with Tangerine Lips

I loved the iridescent skin and tangerine lips at Rag and Bone.
Skin looked alive and quasi futuristic, offset by the bold yet fresh lip.









The tangerine lip was also front and center at Prabal Garung.










4. The Low Ponytail

I loved this at Jason Wu. Across the board designers were showing variations on the low ponytail, from the center part at Wu, to soft and easy at Christain Siriano, sleek at Victoria Beckham and smooth and simple at Altuzarra

5. Metallic Eyes

The Nars team created fresh, metallic lids at Carmen Marc Valvo,
a trend spotted at other designers including Jason Wu, Charlotte Ronson and Prabal Garung.

Victoria Beckham Cover Vogue Australia September 2013

Vogue Australia has Victoria Beckham on the cover

of it's coveted September issue.

Have I mentioned lately that I adore her??

Victoria Beckham Cover Vogue Australia September 2013

Wearing Louis Vuitton, and lensed by Boo George,

Vicky B looks lovely as ever.

I love that she has always been able to hold her own.

That in light of the fact that she could have sat back

and enjoyed the money she made from the Spice Girls phenom,

lived happily ever after just being the wife 

of perhaps the greatest soccer player ever,

she opted instead to create something of her own

and push it to the level that Vogue calls it

 "one of the best celebrity fashion lines".

Anyone who has ever worked around fashion

knows how hard it is for a designer to even be considered relevant,

let alone to be highly sought after and have longevity.

And although I don't know her myself, I just love the fact that without exception, every single person I have ever known who has ever worked with her, both here and in Europe just loves her.

Apparently she is just hilarious.

How To Choose The Right Hair Style For Your Face Shape

Having trouble deciding which hairstyle is right for you?
Many of us will see a gorgeous haircut on a celebrity or a friend, but when we try to copy it on ourselves it looks nothing short of goofy. Or hideous.

So here's the 411 on how to choose a hairstyle.

First up find out which face shape you have. Stand in front of a mirror, pull all your hair off your face and look at the width of your cheekbones, the length of your face from the highest point to your chin, and the width from temple to temple, jaw to jaw.

Typically you will fall into one of the following categories:

Diamond Shape
Slightly more pointy chin, narrow forehead and wider cheekbones
Look for styles that are narrow at the cheekbones and wider at the forehead. Add a little more fullness at the crown if required.

 Actress Kim Raver has a Diamond face shape

Heart Shape:
This face shape has a more narrow chin and a broad forehead. The cheekbones are very visible. This great shape lets you choose from shorter cuts, like the pixie, a short layered cut, or a short ear length bob.

Beautiful Victoria Beckham has a heart shaped face

Naomi Campbell's perfect face is a heart shape

A shoulder length layered cut, with the bangs swept to the side flatters the heart shaped face and fills out the chin. Other fabulous styles include a layered bob with extra volume and outward flicks at chin level and  asymmetric cuts are also flattering heart-shaped faces.
Just avoid blunt bangs, or too much hair pulled back off the face.

Oval Shape:
 You'll see a high forehead and narrow, slightly rounded chin.

Julia Roberts oval face shape

This is the most balanced face shape and almost perfect for any type of hair style. Basically no matter what you do you will look gorgeous.

Rectangle Shape:
Normally you will see an almost equal width across the temples, the cheekbones and the jaw, as well as a slightly longer face.

Gwyneth Paltrow rectangular face shape

Kate Bosworth rectangular face shape

The most flattering styles are like chin or shoulder-length cuts with a fringe that hides the long forehead.  Long straight hair accentuates the length of the face, so you need some movement to break it up, ideally bringing in a little softness and roundness.

Round Shape:
You'll see a wide, short forehead, full jaw and chin, and an overall roundness.

Note the difference in Kate Winslet's round face shape when the hairstyle is softened and gets some movement

The round shape normally makes the cheeks appear wider. Try to keep the length below the chin and add some fullness on top. A soft cut with sophisticated, face framing that curve to the sides is very slimming. Soft curls will also flatter the frame of a round face. Side swept bangs are very flattering, and break up the roundness.
Avoid bobs and chin or jaw length cuts, as they can accentuate the round look and make your head look like a ball.

Square Shape:

You will see a wide, short forehead and square jaw. The main difference from the rectangular face shape is the shorter length of the face.

Go for graduated layers with some volume at crown, soft curls, side swept bangs. Avoid cuts that end at chin or jaw length, and look for a style that has some movement.



Triangular Shape:
This face shape is the opposite of a heart shaped face. Picture a heart upside down. This face shape has a wider jawline and your face gets gradually narrower as you go up. You can wear a shorter hair style to balance this out.
Try styles with more fullness at the forehead that get gradually narrower at the chin.

 

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Kathy Ireland has a triangular face shape

Most short hair cuts work for this type of face. Avoid styles with too much volume at the top.


Look for distinctive features like your nose, cheekbones, or jaw line. You can then decide to downplay or highlight these features with the style you choose. Try to pick hairstyles that enhance your best features while camouflaging any flaws.

Adding color can really enhance your cut. Highlights and lowlights can direct the eye along the shape of your new hairdo and really bring out the best in your features, as well as totally compliment and light up your skin.