How to wear bright lipstick - A Wild Tea Party guide

I love wearing bright lips, in case you've not noticed! And maybe you never have, perhaps you're so used to seeing it on my face you don't give it a thought, yet alone a second one! Whether it's blue red, bright red, orange, hot pink, rose pink or various shades of plum, I now feel oddly underdone going out without my lipstick. And while I wear my 'war paint' for myself, I always get compliments on my lipstick. People love seeing bright lips!

Often though when I talk to admirers of a bright lip, they're terrified of it for themselves. There's a long list of reasons... "My significant other doesn't like it", "I don't suit red", "I don't want to look overdressed"... the list goes on.

So if you've been harbouring secret longing for a juicy bold lip but these excuses have left you nude, let's tackle these three common ideas before we get to some fabulous lipstick wearing tips.

1. Ah kissing! Well, it's true, bright lipstick isn't exactly the best friend of a make out sess. But hey, in private who cares how messy it gets? In public, encourage your partner to kiss the back of your hand. It's wildly romantic! Or fist bumps are cool. There are also kiss proof varieties of lip colour - but I warn you, they are (mostly) drying to your lips! 

2. "I don't suit red lipstick" gets muttered at me over and over. If I had a dollar for every time I heard it...  Everyone can wear red; it's a matter of finding the right red, and then not being scared of it!  The trick is the base tone. Reds come in a myriad of varieties - blue based, orange based, pink based, brown based, true bright red etc. I'm lucky, I can wear most, but some peoples' base tones are more suited to specific shades of red. Ask the consultant at your favourite make up counter for help.

3. Feeling a bit too dramatic? Well, it's not as impractical or outrageous as say a feather boa and stilettos at the beach. It's two lines on your face, and you can remove it if it's really not working. But, it probably is. It looks great with that dress, girl! It gives a polished look to your office ensemble, with that tee and jeans look for a barbecue or even walking out of the gym!  Colour has a direct influence on how our brains feel, after all!

Remember that "It's not as bold as it looks". If you're not a lipstick wearer, suddenly having a bold lip can be utterly terrifying when you first look in the mirror and you'll want to wipe it clean off! I always say to newbies to apply their lip colour and even if it's so strong it frightens them, leave it and walk away from the mirror for a few minutes. Go fold laundry or feed the dog or put your sunscreen on or something (no seriously, always put your sunscreen on!), and then come back to the mirror. You'll be amazed how less scary your bright lip looks on second glance.

So, let's get into a little colour theory if you're feeling tempted to take the plunge but want a little guidance on how to approach it!

I find a bright true red is often the most versatile colour in my lipstick wardrobe - it pretty much can be worn with everything under the sun, and you'll probably find the same. Why do I say this? Well, a deeper red can look quite heavy with a breezy summery outfit, or even an outfit with lighter tones of red in it. A prime example is when I got this wrong and teamed this very deep red with a Christmassy outfit. Oops.

But, that's not to say deep reds aren't amazing! I find they look great with more moody, wintry tones or outfits in the same tone of red.

Pink is a firm favourite of mine, and many others! I love going for really bold pinks, like this hot coral pink lipstick, teamed with a pink top. If an outfit has pink in it, I will pretty much always reach for a hot pink lip, or else a very 60s cool tone bright pink. A cooler toned pink is also great with pastel outfits, as it's softer.

Orange is a colour I live for in summer, I just crave wearing orange lipstick when the temperature rises! It looks great with outfits that need a little less drama than red, or have orange tones in them, which I just find suits my summer wardrobe so well. It also seems to suit outfits with a lot of tan in them, for some reason!

Purples and plums always get pulled out every few winters are they're dramatic, but they come in such a spectrum I don't always think of them seasonally. Plum looks best of course with a winter clothing palette, but a bright purple/plum can do all year round duty when teamed with bold colour choices like kelly green, teal, fuchsia, white or yellow.

Basically what I'm saying is when you start out, coordinate your lip colour with your outfit and you're going to find it a lot easier!

Keep in mind too the rest of your make up when you wear bold lipstick. I always recommend starting with a more neutral eye make up look until you're feeling more confident and again, look for eye shadow that compliments your lips. One of my key tips though is to put your lipstick on before your blush so you see how much blush you really need. You know you've got it right when your face somehow looks like it's bright and come together. I don't know how else to explain that, but you'll see!

For my day to day life, I often just wear concealer, a brush of mattifying powder on my nose, eyebrow gel, a swipe of mascara and the red lips and it looks like I've put a lot more effort in than I really have. You can actually pare back on the rest of your make up with a red lip, or really work some film star noir vibes with a full on face. But, who doesn't love a quick beauty fix? 

Love WTP x

P.S. Want to know the best way to apply your lipstick so it lasts all day? Check out this great application video from fellow red lip lover and friend NoraFinds.

P.P.S. Greasy food and red lips don't mix... so maybe don't wear red lippy to your local burger joint...

What to pack for a holiday while staying true to yourself

Before my trip I was chatting with some friends who remarked to me that I looked good when I travelled. I did a double take - they too looked great on holidays. Of course, then it came out that they only took photos in select outfits and the rest was some kind of watered down comfort-over-style wardrobe. And I won't judge them for it; I've done that plenty of times myself before I had that packing for travel sensibly and stylishly thing down pat.

My personal philosophy on holiday dressing is "Wear what you always would wear". I've learned that on previous trips and now swear by it. Even my last Europe trip I pulled a crazy brain and bought a pair of chinos for the trip and hated wearing them the whole time, for all they were practical. ICK! I would've been better off in stockings and a wool skirt for the exact same activities. So now, I simply pack my 'home wardrobe' with a few sensible tweaks. After all, shouldn't holidays be the opposite of a downplayed you? I want to look and feel nice every day on my trip. I want to look nice in every single photo. In fact, I want to be a little more outrageous because whoever will see you literally doesn't know you, so go for it! (BUT PLEASE BE CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE FOR HEAVENS SAKE).  I also find on holiday that I actually had MORE time to put into my appearance but less clothing choices to make of a morning so that balanced out nicely! 

Each time I travel I get better at the suitcase thing. My last Europe trip I only packed two things I didn't wear (a summer top and skirt because it wasn't quite hot enough - a mix of optimism and having encountered the same city years before in a heat wave which it definitely wasn't that time). And for South Africa I wore everything I packed in various combinations, more than once - apart from two dresses that were cocktail level and I didn't end up needing as we didn't do quite as many dressy events as initially thought. It was the ultimate mix and match, practical and pretty, suitcase. I came up with wearable, stylish combinations that still looked and felt so like me.  So, let me run you through my process for packing these days... This applies to trips overseas for a few weeks, just tailor accordingly. 

Step 1: Check out the weather

Kind of important, right? I was monitoring the weather on my phone app and knew that Cape Town has weather very close to that of Sydney, Australia, so I knew my summer wardrobe was going to be highly appropriate to pack. But, as always, I take something a little warmer/cooler whenever I travel as you never know when you'll get a sudden random heat wave or chillier days. And boy was I glad I did as we got a few days of unexpected cold rain in Johannesburg!

Step 2: Where and time

Ok, length of time, where you're going and what you'll be doing dictates what to pack. Accept this fact and you will pack a better bag.

I was off to South Africa so I knew fashionwise I'm fine, as long as I don't take any showy jewels or items as that can make you a target for theft. If you aren't certain of what's appropriate for where you are travelling, I recommend research. Check your countries' travel advice for your destination, research blogs and forums, and ask people who have travelled there before. Once you know what you're dealing with you can spin your own style to the locale.

I knew I would be away three weeks, and have access to laundry as I would be staying in homes rather than hotels for most of the trip. This also helps to pack. For instance, I always make a trip to a laundromat when I'm in Europe for a few weeks so I know I can refresh and recycle pieces while I'm away, or use sunlight soap to wash tops in the sink of the hotel and hang on the heated towel rack. Factor this in too as you can pack less and re-wear things.

Next, I sat down and worked out what I would be doing on this trip before I packed anything.

- a formal wedding on a vineyard property
- a few cocktail/dinners/luncheons/generally formal kind of events
- four days at a safari park
- touristing/exploring of Cape Town
- casual social outings

So we can see then from this I need:

A formal gown and accessories appropriate to a summer afternoon, several formal/cocktail dresses, some cool, sunsafe outfits and practical shoes, and casual frocks or skirts for relaxing.

Step 3: Pick a colour scheme. 

This is important. I bolded that. That's how important it is. Last Europe trip you will see I packed red, black and white items. (If you're interested in my wardrobe for any trip I've been on, you can always looks at #wildteapartytravels on Instagram).

As you can see this palette was for that trip really quite wearable for the beginning of summer *coughcough* in Stockholm and London. When it comes to packing a cohesive easy to get dressed no temper tantrums kind of suitcase, choose colours that are common to your wardrobe and work with it. 

For South Africa I knew I'd essentially be taking my regular summer clothes, so I just had to select pieces that mixed and matched well. I decided that I have a lot of red, blue and green in my summer wardrobe,  so they'd be the basis of my day-to-day wardrobe.

I decided for more casual/touristy days I would wear some of my favourite frocks and easy skirts... Hence I went for trusted choices, pieces you see me wear again and again anyway - think Bernie Dexter dresses, reliable retro cotton frocks and fabulous vintage style skirts and simple tees. I don't pack much vintage when I travel as I would be devastated to lose it, so for that reason I mostly travel with reproduction, in case you're wondering! For days when I had to be a bit more polished for seeing family and friends and gatherings, I changed up my pieces a bit with different accessories.

I had many formal events to attend this trip: family dinners, cocktail party, a wedding, a brunch, etc. I ended up packing four dressy options, and my wedding outfit - this took up more of my suitcase than my day wear in the end! I put my beloved 40s dress in my hand luggage though in case it got lost!

Now as for the rest of my styling... I like to take a few simple accessories like earrings, and scarves to mix and match. In the case of this holiday because I wanted to avoid wearing my usual fancy gems, I stuck to lots of fun plastic earrings. And of course a few hair flowers. For formal events I took costume jewels which sparkle just as bright ;)

For shoes I packed quite a few pairs. I know, you think I'm mental, but shoes are key to comfort on holidays and I have learned this the hard way, so I took some tan sandals and red strappy sandals for day wear. For safari and long walking days I packed my converse which after several overseas holidays and general wear and tear sadly had to go in the bin at the end of it (and fair enough, they did well to stand over 5 years abuse!). And then my shoes for formal events - so another three pairs of heels. Is that a lot of shoes? Sure. Do I regret it? Not a chance. I had my bases covered and all got used.  

Step 5: The extras

Items I always pack without fail:

A robe - I always pack a light one unless I know I will be staying somewhere freezing. In reality I find European hotels overheated so this is all I need. I throw it on over pjs at the end of the day for a nightcap in the room, while I'm hanging about in the room before breakfast, or straight out of the shower.
Silk slips - for lounging, for warmth, as a frock you wear to breakfast. I love them.

Hats - I packed two for South Africa. I am a vampire. Get off my skin, sun.

At this point it's now just the usual sundries - toiletries, appropriate amounts of underwear and overwear you might need (for me some cropped cardigans), swim wear and sarong, and pjs.

And voila, a well thought out bag. Let me know if you have alternative ways of packing, I'd love to hear your hints and tips for packing!

Keep an eye out for my next post too - it's all about my experiences in South Africa!

Love WTP x

What to wear where: work Xmas party

Ah December, you're here - and so are all of my Christmas accessories too! I like to create holiday ensembles with pieces that I wear all year round, accessorized with brooches, hair flowers and bags that lend some festive flair.

An outfit like this is fantastic for a work Christmas party and yet, I wouldn't have to buy a thing new!
I love my Pin Up Girl Clothing Spanish fan print skirt, and wear it often with a red jumper in autumn, or a white tee in summer, but teamed with my red Collectif Dolores top it works for the holidays. Just add some cool heels, a Christmas brooch, Daisy Jean Floral hair flowers and a fun clutch! While this clutch isn't available this year, it came from ASOS who have some cute Christmas clutches again.

When getting dressed up for an outing, just make sure you're keeping it appropriate to the weather, venue, and crowd. If you're in a cold climate - hi European and North American readers - then look for something fun like a felt skirt and cute sweater or a knit dress with some sparkle jewels. The colder it is, I always think a little extra sparkle makes it more fun. Oh hell, let's be honest, I just love sparkles all the time...

The Xmas party check list:

• festive colours like red, green or white
• a clutch bag with definite holiday feel - think metallic, glitter, or a Christmas design
• cute jewellery like a brooch or earrings in a festive design like a santa, tree or gingerbread man
• party shoes that you can dance in

These What to Wear Where posts are a little taste of what goes on in my head; all of those 'costumes' I devise for what I'll wear in the countryside, on a cruise, to a NYE party, and every other possible place I might set foot. Hopefully they'll also inspire you! If you have a dressing challenge you'd like help with, drop me a line on my contact page. To see my other posts, visit the What to Wear Where tab.

Love WTP x

Carry on!

Sometimes, I'm a practical person. I know, it surprises me too. I'm a princess when I travel (just ask my mother about the first time I encountered a squat toilet in Hong Kong). And while I might have to fly cattle class Economy for my holidays, I like to have a few little necessities with me to make the trip smoother - without causing security to have a conniption at my liquids. So, here is a little check list for anyone else who wants to pack an effective, comfortable and carryable carry on bag for international flights.

My essentials:

• A good quality large leather handbag that zips up.
• Travel wallet - it looks like a clutch, but it's actually got a mirror, pen, card slots, ticket and passport space and coin purse so all of your essentials are together. Then if you need to go out of an evening you can just grab this and go. You can try something like the Mimco Turnlock Travel Wallet.
• Sunglasses.
• A notebook for writing. I am always jotting down thoughts and details.
• Eye mask for sleeping. While airlines normally give you one, I always spritz mine before I leave with a soothing essential oil mix that helps me relax.
• Ear plugs. These are great for popping in on the flight, then putting the headphones over and playing a sleep track that is generally found on the inflight entertainment. It's the closest I can get to getting some sleep and rest in peace on a flight.
• Tissues, cause those are always handy.
• Phone and ear phones - for waiting around at the airport, accessing WiFi and taking snaps.
• Clear bag of toiletries. The tricky part of flying. Nothing can be over 50MLs and must fit inside a clear zip lock for security. I'm fancy, so obviously I have a clear MOR toiletry bag. Inside it always consists of: Toothbrush and toothpaste, roll on deodorant, hand cream, facial moisturizer, Elizabeth Arden 8 hour lip treatment, eyebrow pencil and a bold lip gloss. I use the brow pencil and lip gloss before I get off the plane to ensure I look fresh and polished. You could also add a concealer if you have some spots to cover. I also slip two sheet masks in - these are great for wearing on the flight to provide hydration to your skin.
• Underpants! Because nothing is worse than your luggage lost and having no clean underpants. Yours do not have to have rhinestones or lace however.

Other things you might like to include or consider:

• Medications! If you have any prescription medications make sure they're on your carry-on. This is for two reasons - so you can take them during the flight (obviously!) but also in case your main luggage gets lost you won't suddenly be scrambling for essential medications in a foreign country. If your medication may be contentious in some way, carry a note from your doctor.
• Fold up slippers - I always bring them so I can take off my shoes and have warm feet but still be able to get up for the bathroom too without having to change. I really should've photographed these!
• Travel socks - I always wear these for flights, otherwise I get off looking like Violet Beauregarde after that gum.
• A book - you might like to read. I don't generally end up reading the books I bring, so instead I put one on my phone.
• An iPhone cable. Some airlines have a USB charging point in the seat you can use to up the power on your devices.
• Sanitary products - panty liners, tampons etc. Sometimes you never know when you might get a surprise. Ahem.

Of course, this bag layout is also perfect for another kind of bag that needs all your essentials... a hospital bag! After all of the trauma of being admitted overnight to hospital, the last thing you want is to be without a few comforting essentials. The bag you'll need is very similar with a few swaps. I always take these things with me to the ER because you just never know what will happen, and even if they don't admit you, it all fits in a relatively small bag, so no stress!

My essentials:

• Pajamas. If you're going to be admitted, you might want to change into something comfortable. I like satin pjs.
• Fold up slippers, because, they're nice. But you could definitely do socks.
• Sleep mask and ear plugs - especially good for shared rooms where you will want quiet to sleep, and someone always leaves a light on.
• Underpants - probably more than one pair, but make them good, the nurses and doctor will probably see them ;)
• Hair brush.
• Toiletries bag - Tooth brush and paste, deodorant, hand cream, face moisturizer, lip balm, shower gel, tissues.
• Phone and ear buds for entertainment and to contact worried friends and family.

You might also want:

• Dry shampoo.
• Face cleanser.
• Phone charging cable.
• Sanitary products
• Medications in their prescription boxes so the nurses know you can take them.

So, that's my practical packing list for an essentials carry on or hospital stay bag. Can you think of anything you'd add? What's on your list for flights?

Love WTP x