NEW YEAR, NEW JOB

Well hi there, and a happy new year to you, my lovely readers!

I've been a bit AWOL the last few weeks, haven't I? While other (more ORGANISED) bloggers were furiously bashing out glossy gift guides and seasonal party-wear posts in their thousands, I was buried deep, DEEP in a festive food-and-booze-induced coma that I'm only NOW dragging myself out of like a grumpy muthabear after hibernation. YAWWWWWWN!

In case anyone is interested, my Christmas was simultaneously both quiet AND boozy, spent at my aunts pulling crackers, eating FAR too many pigs-in-blankets and quaffing copious amounts of expensive gin. HICCUP. New Year was much less quiet and MUCH more boozy, spent at a house party in Clydebank playing drinking games till I eventually passed out. Thumbs up all round really!

HOWEVER, as you may have guessed from this title, I am starting 2013 with a NEW JOB. As a Communications Executive for big fat company no less! Cue lots of excitement and more than a BIT of trepidation as it slowly dawns on me that not only will I have to act the part on a daily basis, I'll have to LOOK IT as well...

Where I work just now the dress code is super casual, meaning that virtually anything goes. Naturally I opt for comfort and practicality on a daily basis which doesn't tend to differ vastly from my out-of-hours style, except I maybe tone down my inner goff slightly (but I'm definitely becoming a lazy dresser in my old age). At this new place though, as far as I could tell from my interviews anyway, the dress code is SMART. Which is fine, and is probably the NORM, except I've never had to dress like a grown up smart before, and to be perfectly honest it's WAY outside my comfort zone.

But I'm nothing if not up for a challenge so today I had a wee browse round some online shops in preparation for a day of SMART CLAITHES SHOPPING on Saturday. Here's what I liked...

COS

Cos turned out to be my favourite stop for minimal dresses. These are just a selection but to be honest I'd happily wear any of the ones featured on the website. That top left velvet number might be a bit much for work but I LOVE it, and same with the mustardy marl-knit jumper dress... Honestly, it's so difficult to find a quality jumper dress that has a waistband! As bottom-heavy gal (REPPIN THE PEARS) it's a VITAL component as anything without one looks sack-like and shapeless, gaping unattractively at my middle and clinging to my bum. Which doesn't exactly scream PROFESHUNAL, does it?

HOBBS

I was also pleasantly surprised by the NW3 range at Hobbs, especially for prints. Click to enlarge, but yeah, those ARE ducks on that red dress, AND WHAT?! I'm a fan of a ZANEY print at the best of times and nothing says, "hey, I'm a fun-loving, wacky communications exec" like a crazy-but-classy duck print, right? RIGHT?!

TED BAKER

Ted Baker also surprised me in all-round goodness, especially that velvet blazer and 60s black and white dress, and my mind's definitely been changed about the brand after that quick swatch online. I'm not sure what I expected if I'm honest, maybe something a little bit naff? I've been in to the Ted Baker store in Prince's Square twice in my puff, (once to hurry through to the mall out of the rain and once to help shop for a friends boyfriend) so I am about as unfamiliar with their style as it's possible to be, but I'll be sure not to overlook them again.

WHISTLES

Probably not a huge shock for most, but I found Whistles best for the slightly more casual end of the work-wear spectrum. I have a couple of silk t-shirts and tunics from Zara which remind me of the type of thing on offer at Whistles and it's a classic look that can't help but be smart and chic without really trying. And let's face it, anything that requires minimal effort is a winner with me!

I've not included places like Zara or Next or wherever else because I'm just ASSUMING (rightly or wrongly?) that they'll be obvious places to hit for smart staples, plus I wanted to push myself to have a look at shops I wouldn't normally. But yeah, can you tell I'm massively out of my element here? I'm sure once I start trying things on I'll get the hang of things I like and don't like, and it is a WEE bit exciting, contemplating a whole new weekday wardrobe - sort of like playing dress up. I just hope I manage to strike the balance between matronly and tacky... It's an issue.

Finally, in the spirit of getting ones SHIZ together, I have to add a picture of  this wee GEM I've just placed an order for...

This, folks, is Moleskine's limited edition Le Petit Prince 2013 daily diary and it's a BEAUT! The eagle-eyed among you may notice the significance given the name of this here blog... Swoon!

Yeah, so that's that.

I'm not sure what this change will mean for Forty Four Sunsets. *sadface*  I tend to do a lot of blogging on my lunch breaks here, but I've a feeling that kind of thing won't be possible at the new place and I've already got list upon list of things to do with my new-found EVENINGS and WEEKENDS (no more mental shifts for me - hurrah!) including joining a gym - DO NOT LAUGH - and possibly doing a part-time night course at college or something, maybe in creative writing? Or maybe something bonkers like basket weaving - just because I can! Plus, yi know, generally having a life again. So it could be difficult to fit in posts for a while, at least until I find my feet. 

But stick with me, I promise I won't abandon FFS! I mean, where else will I get to indulge in my love for CAPS LOCK AND RAMBLING AND RANTING ON FOR FAR TOO BLOODY LONG FOR NO REASON TO VIRTUALLY NO ONE AT ALL and linking obscure YouTube clips and weird Google images furtively into text that may or may not have anything to do with the point I'm making etc...?

I've been at this too long, can you tell? Time to wrap it up. Hope you all had a BONZER festive season and let's all make 2013 OUR YEAR, yeah? Yeah. Cool.

KARL WHO?

KARL by Karl Lagerfeld at Net a Porter... Why? Because it's the most perfect collection ever and I can't stop obsessing about it. Actuals.

These bits in particular...

I mean, it's REDONK good, right? And sure, the dresses and jackets are over a grand, but some of the other bits n pieces are surprisingly affordable, like that iPhone case is only £35 yo (BUYING) and those leather fingerless gloves are £85 (BOUGHT). As for the insane bikini, who DOESN'T want Karl Lagerfeld's cameo on their boobs n butt? That's a redundant question, surely.

By the way, y'all may have been expecting a Halloweeny type post but NAW! I was working lates over the weekend and on actual Halloween night too, so, ALAS, yet another year spent jealously "liking" pals costume pics on Deathbook whilst chugging tea and watching The Sixth Sense (why is it on every single year?). But thanks to this collection and this awesome wee dude on google images, I'm ALL SET for my costume for next year...

IT'S HAPPENING.

WHAT'S THAT JACKET, MARGIELA?

Continuing a barrage of collaborations with the hardcore fashion elite, H&M will release their latest highly-anticipated collection with Belgian design house (adored by Kanye West, randomly, among others) Maison Martin Margiela in November. And it's frickin' AWESOME!

After that horribly tacky Anna Della Russo accessories collab I found myself turning away from H&M for a while - it was just TOTES not my style, innit. Thankfully this delightful 104-piece collection is WAY more "me."

I'm sure y'all will know I'm a sucker for a collection that explores shape and volume, and MMM x H&M does this perfectly and effortlessly. The jumpers and boxy jackets are oversized but not grossly or unwearably so, with that delicious androgynous feel that makes my tummy go all funny, and the tailoring is spot on. Naturally. 

The collaboration also acts as an introduction to a somewhat lesser-known design house, as all the pieces will have a tag showing the season from which it originated. Come on, that's so CLASSY!

Will I be buying pieces from this? Well, yes, probably. The interesting jewellery, navy oversized roll-neck and men's duffle coat are all calling my name, but I can't see me rocking the baggy suit trousers or perspex wedged boots - as much as I LOVE them! I just don't have the body or "look" for edgy minimalism (a source of constant sorrow in my life) but, nevertheless, this gorgeous collaboration tickles my fashion funny bone in a BIG way and has restored the reputation of H&M in my eyes. BRAVO!

Maison Martin Margiela for H&M hits stores November 15th. One to queue up for?

SKINCARE AND MAKEUP LOVES: AUGUST

It's that time again. You know the drill...

REN Clearcalm Clay Cleanser - I ran out of my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish at the beginning of the month and was planning on buying another or maybe even going for the Emma Hardie cleansing balm (still desperate to try that!) but I was in Whole Foods in Giffnock randomly and spotted this. FYI, any of you Glasgow ladies into organic/natural skincare or makeup should DEFINITELY get down to Whole Foods, they have a decent-sized department in store with brands like REN, Dr. Hauschka and Lavera among others, plus the staff are SUPER helpful and friendly. Aaaaaanyway I'd heard Anna from Vivianna Does Makeup raving about this on Youtube and decided to give it a go. 

Although it says it's a clay cleanser, it doesn't dry hard on the skin like a mask but it is kinda thick and gloopy and smells a little weird. It basically works in much the same way as the Liz Earle except I remove most of my makeup with a micellar water first, just cos I'm totes anal about that. I usually leave it on for a few minutes but it doesn't sting, or tingle and I just remove with a muslin cloth as usual. And I LIKE IT. It makes my skin soft, clean and comfortable, with the added benefit of a slight sooking-out-of-oil property that's missing from the Liz Earle. Having said that I'm not convinced it's better than C&P just yet, it's just working as a nice alternative and I haven't had any weird side effects.

REN Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream - I've actually had this moisturiser rolling around the bottom of my massive toiletry bag for months but I've been enjoying a kushty love-in with my Lancome Hydra Zen and I'd sorely neglected it. I'm running out of the Hydra Zen now, SOB, and before I pick up a new one I figured I may as well try this out in conjunction with the REN cleanser and see what happened.

Like the rest of the REN range, it doesn't contain any parabens or preservatives or any other nasties, and relies on natural oils and minerals to provide moisture that's suitable for sensitive skin. I found this works best on me as a night cream rather than a day cream as it does tend to linger on the skin in a kind of shiny, dewy way that makes applying makeup a bit tricky. But as a night cream I really like it. It's light enough that it doesn't break me out, it smells gorgeous, and although it's not as smoothing as the Hyrda Zen, the reason is probably because it doesn't contain sillicones which reassures me that it must be GOOD for my skin. It might be a kind of placebo effect type deal going on, but I think my skin tends to thank me when I use more natural products as opposed to loads of harsh chemicals. We'll see. Not giving up HZ as a day cream though. NEVER!

Dermalogica Clearing Mattifier - I've definitely mentioned this before, if not a few times, but it's an absolute holy grail item for me! At over £30 it's not cheap but, as with all skincare, you get what you pay for. Recently, although we've hardly seen the sun in Glasgow (today seems to be a rare exception, hurrah!), it has been pretty MUGGY and close - basically sweaty beaty weather. This is the best primer I've ever used for helping to minimise oil and help foundation last in humid weather. Seriously, it's AMAZING!

It's sillicone based but it also contains zinc gluconate, caffeine and 2% salicylic acid (the highest concentration you can get without a prescription) to help clear breakouts and minimise pores. It's been something of a lifesaver this month and it's one of those products, just like Advanced Night Repair, that I can really see working. If you're in the market for a new primer and you have oily/combo skin, check it out for sure.

Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream - Again, something of a re-discovery. Previously I had only ever used this as a lip balm - of which it is the best in the world by the way - but this month I discovered another use.

A few weeks ago I noticed a couple of weird, red dry patches of skin on my legs and arms, around the circumference of a biro. They weren't very noticeable or itchy but they were definitely there, and they kind of freaked me out. I'd seen them crop up once before about 6 months ago and I showed them to a friend who said it looked like the beginnings of Psoriasis, which, if you didn't know, is a hellish auto-immune disease that affects the skin. Naturally I was TOTALLY BUGGIN, but actually the patches disappeared over time of their own accord so I'm guessing that wasn't what it was after all. Phew! This time though there were more of them and they were very slightly bigger...

One night while I was slathering my lips in 8 Hour Cream like I do most nights (when I can remember), I put a bit on the red dry marks just to see what would happen. 8 Hour Cream has a mythical reputation at being able to cure bites, stings, cuts and rashes, and sure enough in the morning they were vastly reduced. I've continued doing this and they are virtually all but gone so I'm pretty sure it's not the beginning of Psoriasis (which is incurable), but whatever it was it wasn't all that pleasant so if you have any weird skin issues (maybe even mild eczema) try out 8 Hour Cream. It might look slightly gross and smell a bit funky but it works. Seriously. Plus, you know, it's the best lip balm IN THE WORLD.

Origins Out of Trouble 10 minute mask - another one I've talked about before, sorry! Like I mentioned, I don't know if its this warm, muggy weather or what but recently my skin has been super oily. I normally have normal to combo skin but in summer it does tend to get a bit more shiny, but these last few weeks have been RIDIC. I've been reaching for this more and more - up to around 3 times a week at the moment - because it really works at reducing oil and closing pores.

It's not clay-based so it doesn't dry which I prefer in a mask, but it does look like ACTUAL toothpaste on your face and it smells strongly of camphor which I don't mind personally but I can see others finding it a bit offensive. Ultimately, though, it does what it says and it's not too expensive.

Nuxe Multi-Purpose oil - This was the standout freebie in my July Glossybox - I've since cancelled my subscription to Glossybox by the way, since I don't think it's worth it any more. I'm sick of crappy perfume samples and sachets, plus SO MUCH wasted packaging! - Anyway, yeah, I LOVED this multi-purpose oil from cult french brand Nuxe. I haven't used it on my face (the thought makes me boke) but as a body oil it works amazingly.

I've been using it mainly on my arms since I've been getting them out a bit more than usual recently, and over a few weeks I feel I can see a difference in the texture of my skin. Plus, I find dry oils in general are excellent for prolonging fake tan and again this really worked at holding onto the St Tropez I applied for my birthday a while ago.

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil - this is KIND OF a cheat since it's actually my Dad's girlfriend's and not mine, but it lives in our shower nonetheless, and I've been using it all the time sneaking the odd use here and there... I LOVE IT! At first it feels a bit weird to use an oil in the shower, but once you pour it into your hand and sort of lather it up a bit it emulsifies into a thick, oily lather that smells AH MAY ZING. It's not for cleansing so much as indulging, but it's also the best thing I've ever found for shaving your legs. Fact. Downside is that it doesn't last very long, especially if you're like me and DRASTICALLY OVERUSE shower products. Seriously, I slather myself in this head to toe - it's just pure greed.

MaxFactor False Lash Effect Mascara (Olympic gold edition) - Although I was loving my Lancome Doll Eyes, I felt I wanted something with a bit more clout for nights out and for when I want to look like I've got falsies on (because I am thtoopid and scared of putting on ACTUAL false lashes for fear they rip my own ones out when I go to remove them. Irrational much?).

There's been loads of talk in the beauty community about some great dramatic mascaras like MUFE's Smoky Lash and Benefit's They're Real but again I was randomly in Boots a while back and remembered I used to love this stuff back in the day, so I picked up the special gold Olympic-themed version. The brush is synthetic and absolutely MASSIVE, so if you have very short or sparse lashes I'm not sure how you'd cope with it to be honest. But after spending ages faffing about with the uber-precise Doll Lashes wand it was nice to just whack this on, so to speak. The formula tends to build volume more than length but you can do a few coats without clumping and it holds the curl well. Really enjoying this for the moment.

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Something else I've been hearing loads about are these Revlon balm stains in a nifty wee twist up crayon. I guess these are meant to be dupes for the Clinique Chubby Sticks (snigger!) and they do look similar but I've never tried the Clinique formulation, but now I don't need to - these are my fave!

I especially love the bright orange colour Rendezvous which goes on fairly sheer but thanks to the natural pinky colour of my lips it turns a gorgeous coral shade which surprisingly lasts most of the day without touchups. Obviously the 'balmy' quality disappears quite quickly but the stain is fairly impressive and they are pretty reasonably priced too, with loads of shades to choose from. If you're the kind of person who wants to try a bright lip but keep it wearable for daytime then these are ideal.

MAC Cut a Caper lipstick (lustre) - I LOVE THIS LIPSTICK! It's my absolute favourite daytime/muted night time lippy but it's limited edition and sold out online and in the MAC concession in Frasers in Glasgow, AND it's going for upwards of £25 on eBay... NIGHTMARE!

As much as I love it, I'm scared to overuse it in case it runs out - I'm not ready to mourn a loss like that yet. If I had an unlimited supply though, I'd be wearing it 24/7 - I'm obsessed with how it warms up my complexion and compliments my slightly sallow undertones. If ANYONE reading this has a Cut a Caper they don't want any more please please PLEASE let me know and I'll buy it off you. Do I sound kind of insane? I'm pretty sure I sound deranged, but you guys don't even know how much I'm in love with this colour!

Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder - Another random Boots buy. I really wanted a replacement MAC MSF natural but this month I found it hard to justify £20+ on just one makeup item (so unlike me to be restrained, right?). My ultimate favourite face powder is Chanel's loose powder but it's at least £30 and I've been really trying hard to reign in my ridiculous spending - these days about 25% of my wage goes on cosmetics, that is MESSED UP y'all!

I have no idea what made me go for this over any other drugstore powder, maybe it's because I'm a fan of the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation, but I've actually been liking it quite a lot. I've completely ignored the lol-worthy claim that it contains "Asian fruit therapy" - huh?! - that aside it's finely milled, mattifies, sets and doesn't look cakey. Unlike the MSF natural there's no additional coverage with this product but that suits me fine at the moment. Only downside is I've hit pan already but I've only had it a few weeks. Not sure if I'd be running out to repurchase but for the moment it's working out well.

So there you go, that's what I've been putting on my face for the past month or so. In terms of skincare I've found I've really had to work hard to keep it balanced and normalised in this muggy, boke-worthy weather. Being stuck inside a sweltering booth at work isn't helping matters much either! More so that at any other time of the year, this is when I'm most prone to oil and breakouts but the products I've mentioned have seriously helped. Do you guys find your skin type changes with the seasons?

Quite a few drugstore/highstreet makeup picks which isn't always like me, and I've also been MASSIVELY enjoying using the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation too... It's changed my mind a bit on the quality of (some of) the make up you can pick up in Superdrug as opposed to just the beauty hall. What do you guys reckon, it's not ALWAYS all about high end, right?

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR STOMPIN

Winter means a new pair of winter boots. Lusting after ALL these studded lovelies featured on the New In section of Solestruck.

A mix of Dr Martens, Ash, Jeffrey Campbell and UNIF. Enjoy!

Not exactly dainty or unassuming are they? Going to HAVE to get the Doc Marten ones, but I wish they came fleece-lined like my trusty brown ones from last year...

What ones are your favourites? Or are they all hideous!

Oh, and just cos the title of this posts reminds me...



Like This is England but, well, worse and not as cheery. Russell Crowe though...