Incoming: Baroque Trend

I'm sad that I won't get the chance to wear this trend well for another four months as it's certainly better suited to cooler weather, but that doesn't mean our friends on the north-side can't get into it now! Baroque fashion is something that had it's heyday in the 80's in the time where nothing could possibly be too excessive. Opulent, Decadent, Elegant, Lush, all words that describe this look to a tee. It's a very European trend, A trend where more is more, and jewels are not just an option, they're obligatory.

Asos Brocade Baroque Skinny Jeans

The reason why this trend works so well in winter is because so many of the fabrics used are heavy. Brocades, jacquards, damasks, embroidery, sequins, beading, they're all fabrics that tend to be thick and warm. You can still wear it in the warmer months by wearing fabrics that have been printed with detailed and baroque style prints, but I think to truly pull it off you need the genuine article. The colour scheme first time around tended to be dark and moody, but for this remix gelato and pastel hues have been added to update for this season with flashes of metallic gold and silver. Dolce and Gabbana, and especially Versace have this look nailed.

Ally Pastel Skater Skirt

One way to quickly add this trend into your wardrobe vocabulary is the adopt something with a 'Scarf print' Scarf peint is a pattern that features ropes, tassels braids and occasionally equestrian themes. I kind of giggle when I think of this, as my Nanna has a great scarf print suit in her wardrobe that she brings out for special occasions... I may just have to steal it.

Oasis Scarf Print Dress

Another fast update would be to go into the jewellery, big, bold and colourful gemstones set in gold are the ideal, with door-knocker and drop style earrings being the perfect item.

Diva Black Opaque Stone Drop Earrings

You have to be careful with your makeup when you wear this look, it's the only part of the trend where 'more is more' need not apply. For a modern take keep your make up fresh and natural using nudes and pale pinks with a light fake tan, but if you want to carry on the bold theme of your outfit, play up your lips with a dark shade of lipstick. This trend is perfect for a deep red, or even purple contrasting against a pale base. If you're not feeling brave enough for bold lipstick then strong eyebrows work just as well. Russian doll style hair will complete the look, Think a straight middle part with hair either up or down in a smooth style.

More Revlon Lip Butters!

Lip products are becoming a weakness for me, every time I see a new colour I like on someone I have to race down to the shops and buy something like it, Gossip girl especially, (Oh that coral sheer pink Blair Waldorf was wearing in the first episode of this season, <3 <3 <3). sticks, glosses balms, I'll take them all! I'll even ask ladies on the street what they're wearing, if they have a similar hair and skin colour to you you can pretty much guarantee they will work for you too!
I've bought two new Revlon Colourburst Lip Butters this week after seeing them on co-workers, they're both shades of pink that suit my pale skintone, here are my swatches!

Revlon Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie

Raspberry Pie is a nice blue pink that makes a great alternative to a red lip, it's a darker shade and not a punchy bright, if you still want something strong but red just won't work for your outfit, give this shade a try.

Revlon Lip Butter in Lollipop

My camera didn't even begin to show how punchy this colour is, it's  true candy pink for those who like a lipstick colour that has full on impact.

Link Love: Seven Amazing and Easy DIY Homewares

My inner craftster has been lurking lately, slowly coming out of hiding as I discover all these gorgeous DIY ideas! Here are seven of my favourite easy to do and full of impact DIY projects for your home.

Toilet Paper Roll Wall Art

Source: Made 2 Style

Don't let the word Toilet put you off, this is a genius idea to recycle something that every household has at one stage or another.

Painted & Stenciled Fabric Covered Padded Headboard

Source: Infarrently Creative

This one is a little more labour intensive and expensive but still stacks cheaper and more unique then anything you'll find in store. I love the chic look of it, and that it wouldn't look out of place in a glamorous Boudoir. (Hello Blair Waldorf!)

Turn a Chair into a Bedside Table

Source: Design Sponge

This tutorial was made specifically for an Ikea chair, but I think it could wok easily with any flat pack chair so long as it has a panel below the seat like the one used in the instructions.

Backlit Canvas Art

Source: The Scrap Shoppe Blog

A gorgeous and whimsical DIY the doubles as mood lighting, Make sure you have a steady hand for this one.

Doily Lampshade

Source: DosFamily

A variation of the popular strong lampshades and ornaments that are floating around the internet, this casts a dappled light around the room and you can make it any size you desire. Or make a bunch of them in different sizes to create a cluster with real character.

Recycled Glass Candle Chandelier

Source: CasaSugar

I'm going to rig up one of these our my patio using Moccona coffee jars, I have so damn many of them and I've been saving them for a good suitable DIY Project.

Fabric Bunting

Of course I couldn't do this post without including my favourite project that I made myself! Bunting is cute, very simple to sew and very flexible, you can make it any shape you can sew, any length you need and easily match it to any theme or decor.

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Changes, Cameras and Sharing the love!

Well there's no time like the present to sit back and reflect. It's been a very long year for me so far in terms of my personal life, and it has shown in Bought by Birdette. I'm not updating as much as I'd like but I'm hoping to change that in the upcoming build to Christmas and the holidays, I just haven't had a day completely to myself in months.
But there are a few things I'd like to share with you, hopefully some changes of the good kind for the blog and something you will like! Of course, this is a great time to let me know what you're loving, and what you'd like to see more of, just leave me a comment.
I have recently bought a newfangled camera on eBay and I'm waiting for it patiently by my mailbox. I've been complimented often for my outfits for a long time so now I'm hoping to point this blog in a personal style direction as well! This will also mean much, much better photos for everything on Bought by Birdette too, as well as the potential for tutorials, swatches, and lots of graphics in general.

Lastly, I'm going to ask you all a favour. If you would be so kind, please follow, like and share Bought by Birdette where you can. Facebook, Twitter, Stumbleupon, Google Connect and my RSS Feed are all craving your love and attention and are great ways to keep in contact with what's new, and share the love for Birdette's unique flavour of advice and style!

Benefit Myer Centre have moved, and you get the goodies!

Today's minor Benefit Haul

I had a mild panic today. I walked into Myer in Brisbane CBD on a mission to fix my overgrown eyebrows, (you know that moment where you look in the mirror and decide "Enough is enough! It's professional time!") So I trundled to where I'm expecting The Benefit Brow Bar to be and discovered another Beauty label has taken up residence. "Hmmm," I thought, then walked around to where the normal Benefit counter lived, only to find it was gone too! I almost wailed out loud at this point, but luckily I had the sense to have a quick scan of the floor and spotted a brand new and gorgeous dedicated set up just across from the MAC area, Hurray!

After chatting with the lovely counter ladies they informed me of a fantastic deal they have going for their grand relocation opening week, (Just at this location, sorry ladies!) You will get a free Eyebrow Tint with every Brow Arch Wax! I had this service done for the first time today, my eyebrows are rather dark as it is and thought it wouldn't be worth a go, but it has subtlety added a bit more shape to my brow. I like it, it will lessen my need to fill in my brows and will last around three weeks.

This is not the only deal they have going this week though, When you buy two products from the Benefit range they will also throw in a Cabana Glama DesTANation makeup kit in too! Of course I couldn't pass this up and grabbed a few items I've had my eye on.

Cabana Glama 

The Perk Up Artist

Speed Brow

So go on, Go give the girls in pink wigs a visit this week and leave with some perfectly shaped eyebrows. No booking required! 

Nude by Nature Natural Tinted Mineral Moisturiser Review

Phew, what a mouthful that is to say! I found this little present in a 30 Days of Fashion and Beauty goodie bag, and it's been a great score. I haven't tried any Nude by Nature products previously,the gimmick they came out with originally just came over as far too 'Danoz Direct' for me. I find that sort of thing can really out me off buying things. However I'd have to say that they are one of the most recognised Mineral make-up companies in Australia, and you don't get that famous without doing something right!

So the product I received is the Natural Tinted Mineral Moisturiser in Nude Beige, Looking on their site however I can't find this shade available, sad because it's a very close match to my skin colour! (Ed- Scratch that, they have two shades listed, Beige and Tan, I'm guessing that just add the word 'nude' in front on the packaging?) The formula is nice and thick, but is very easy to smooth onto your face. I found that you had to pat any other products you would use over the top on, as it had the potential to slide about a bit when other products were added to the mix (Primers, Foundations etc.) Powders worked really well over the top though, to set the moisturiser and add a little more oil busting oomph.

Nude Beige Swatch

The scent is a really nice botanical smell which I really enjoyed, and coverage was light but effective, the redness in my skin was reduced, and it didn't look as though I was wearing any make-up. It's an incredibly natural finish which is something I look for in Summer. I even wore it on its own with just a little bit of concealer to work yesterday, by the end of the day I didn't have that 'built up' yuck feeling I can get with make-up on my oily skin. Instantly on application it sets to a matte finish, and helped to hide pores.
Overall I would recommend this for someone who wants to disguise their oily skin, redness and has issues with more irritating products.

Have you tried Nude by Nature products before?

Tip of the day: Mistake proof nail art

Perhaps I should start this post off by explaining that I had my first ever Shellac Manicure and Pedicure last weekend. I am impressed, I'm rough and tumble with my hands and often have chips within a day of my nails drying, but more then a week later, nope nada, not a chip in sight. Perfect nails!
Mistake proof nail art may be a slight exaggeration, but it's only a slight one. When I started out doing designs on my nails I made more of a mess of my nails then successes, and to clean any errors was so painstaking or I'd have to take the entire nail of polish off. This is a much easier method.

This is where the Shellac comes into play. To avoid having to take off your entire nail of art when you make a mistake, get a base of Shellac applied. This trick works because Shellac requires more then a bit of elbow grease to get off, (In fact they recommend you only have professionals remove it in salon) and you can change your art however often you like. I decided to get a dark purple colour on my nails, I did a gorgeous galaxy nail over the top, then removed that after a few days and applied some nail stamping with my MLS 301 plate.

Now you see it

Now you don't

Oh Hai ice-cream and lightning!

It's worth noting that glitter is even more of a pain to remove with this idea though, because you're still trying to remove it without damaging the Shellac underneath. 

Do you have any hints and tips for making nail at easier? Or perhaps an awesome mani you'd like to show me? Let me know in the comments!

Rosehip Oil really is the Beauty Bomb

A little while ago I told my readers that I was trying Rosehip Oil, to see if all the claims of its fabulous abilities to create awesome skin were true. Truth be told, I'm actually really impressed and a little surprised by the results.
I used it nightly for the last three months or so, just at night time as I found it didn't help my make-up stay on, quite the opposite in fact. I've been applying three or four drops in a light circular motion over my face and neck but avoiding the eye area for obvious reasons, following with a night cream and then going to bed for the night.

Trilogy Rosehip Oil, the product I tried.

What did I notice different? My skintone is now pretty incredible, to the point where I'm much less afraid to go without make-up, (Yes, it has actually improved that much.) I have had problems with acne, oil, and redness with my face since I went through puberty, and while the Rosehip Oil didn't clear up the oiliness, it didn't make it worse. It didn't give me more acne either which was one of my bigger fears. Where it has stood out and done something incredible is for my Rosacea. The flaky skin I get around my nose has been a blip on the radar while using this product instead of hanging around for weeks on end. The ruddy redness and uneven skintone on my face, especially around my nose has been reduced and I even think my pores are clearer too. My skin feels plumper and younger, more glowy and just yum.

To me the positives beyond outweigh the minor things I didn't like. I had a problem initially with the unavoidable fact it's an oil, and I myself already posess verrrry oily skin. When this is the case you can form a stigma against using products with oils, but that's a thought that is very quickly crashing down with the advent of amazing oils like rosehip and some glorious cleansing oils on the market too.
My only real gripe is that the smell isn't pleasant  I wouldn't actually mind a little fragrance so it didn't smell like salad dressing, I was hoping for a lovely rose scent when I first opened the bottle, but instead I smelt dinner. Luckily the smell doesn't stick around for long though but the gorgeous skin does!
Consider it added to my friends presents this Holiday season.

What are your thoughts on Rosehip oil? Have you thought about using it? 

Bought! Zara Plaited Shopper

Something tells me I'm going to have "It-bag elbow" immanently ...

Alright, So I completely admit that I'm a little late to the party on this one, but I have had it floating around in the back of my wardrobe planning mind for months and months, (what, you don't plan your wardrobe??) But it recently it dawned on me, "Oh wow, do you know what bag will go amazingly with all the pastels, prints and neon brights this season? And still be be big enough to carry ALL of the things?" Oh yes, Yes Yes YES! This will be my go-to handbag for this Spring/Summer for everywhere during the day except the beach.

Olivia Palermo wearing the bag

So you might also know this bag as the Olivia Palermo Tote, with her being snapped around with it on her arm, but I don't buy bags because celebrities have them. The shape is perfect, and admittedly because it is so huge it makes me look as tiny as an Olsen twin in comparison. Think about it this way, this couch that I have photographed it on, that's a massive couch, and the bag takes up almost a whole seat of it!

Fat bag likes to take up an entire couch seat!

They officially call it the 'Plaited Shopper" which is curious because none of it is plaited, the carry handles do have hand stitched features but I guess it might have been lost in translation. It is made from a thick type of Leather they have called buffalo leather, with has a nice heavy 'thunk' to it when you tap on it, Very sturdy. The inside has that lovely suede side that I love too.

The bag is constructed in a manner that I haven't owned before. The exterior can be used on its own without the inner canvas type fabric pocket, as this lining can be removed from the two hook like studs on either side of the bag. I'm assuming this is for easier care and washing. The included shoulder strap is also removable in the same manner, but when not in use it's easier to just swing it around and hide in between the lining and bag. When using the shoulder strap the base of bag can just be reached to fish around in.

A closer look at the interior

Hook Stud detail

Possibly the only things I don't like about the bag is the lack of little pockets in the lining, for you phone, little things you like to keep hidden etc. The bag will be hard to keep immaculate as the type of leather used will scuff easily due to the finish, so I've decided once it starts to look a little shabby on the bottom -where the majority of the marks will end up- I can take it to a leather specialist and get either a contrasting or matching leather panel sewn to the base to increase the bags longevity. It's such a classic shape, I'll be using it forever, Hell, it's such an awesome bag it'll probably be snagged by one of my nieces when they grow up!

I managed to pick it up from a seller on eBay as Zara do not post to Australia, Sadface. (Please fix this soon Zara!) Even so I'm not sure if it is still stocked online. Ed: Oops, I lie, here it is on the American site!

Already I've taken this bag on a jaunt about the Brisbane CBD and it is a compliment magnet! Shop assistants and even strangers love it enough to come up to me and ask when I bought it. I'm just so damn pleased with it!

What bag are you going to invest in for this season? Do you prefer classic or high fashion bags?