Evening Style with Curious Orange

At Curious Orange we're all about making you feel glamorous and special for that special occasion. If you need some evening style inspiration to show you how to make the most of your Curious Orange selection, here are a couple of ideas to get you started.

Here at Curious Orange we support Indie Retail and this gorgeous OJT Designs Red ClamShell Clutch shows why. Paired with these beautiful Kurt Geiger Isobel Wedges and gorgeous Accessorize earrings they form the perfect trio of gorgeous finishing touches to our Anthea Mooney Ribbon Prom Dress.

Add some colour to your evening look with our Colleen Eitzen Giselle Mesh dress. The stunning flattering fit will ensure you're feeling fantastic all through the night. Paired with gorgeous gold toned accessories like this amazing J.Crew clutch and Reiss sandals the strapless neckline is finished off perfectly with a gorgeous Maria Francesca Pepe necklace.

So which of these two looks are your favourite and where would you wear them? We'd love to see more of your Curious Orange outfits, so don't forget to tweet us here.

- Katherine

The Lennox Dress - Versatile Style

The Monochrome trend is going nowhere and our Lennox dress is so beautifully versatile. We've chosen two different ways to style yours, so pick a look and get shopping!

Lennox Dress from Curious Orange

Look One - Trendy Daywear 

Paula Suede Platform Wedge Sandals from Reiss
Lily Bag from Mulberry
Double Breasted Jacket in Navy from Zara

Look Two - Sleek Nightwear

Patti Leather Biker from Whistles
Mirrored Clutch from Zara
Wrap Over Sandals from Reiss
Ruby Woo Lipstick from Mac

So whether you’re going for a colorful day look or opting for some glam evening style, the Lennox dress really is the perfect little constant in an ever changing wardrobe.




Katherine
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Classic Wedding Guest Outfit

An over stuffed post box and lopsided pin board are a clear sign that WEDDING SEASON is here. For June and July our weekends are wedding centric with celebrations from Oxford to Ireland (and one or two in Cambridge). And this year I plan to change my ways avoiding the usual last minute panic of deciding what to wear.
This weekend we're off to Oxford for Grace and Chad's wedding. I am particularly excited as apart from being an old university friend from South Africa, Grace wrote a song from Alex to me for our wedding 6 and a half years ago. The lyrics and the music. Pretty amazing right?
I hope you enjoy our Wedding Guest Outfit for this week.



Ruby & Diamonds set in 18c Gold from Aspinal of London
Invitation Freya Jacket from HOBBS
COAST Maria Fascinator from House of Fraser
Mulberry Oversized Clemmie Clutch Bag from John Lewis
Alexandria Sandals by Paul Andrew
Floral Peplum from Curious Orange


Nikki
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Make-Up Artist Meg Lindow's Summer Beauty Must-Haves

While running around from mirror to mirror, pouting at various distances, to see exactly what effect the Costa Chic MAC lipstick that Meg had send me, created. With my lips, and a good part of my face Costa Chic, I decided to hassle Meg to find out what ten (we settled on 14) products she wouldn't go without this Summer.

Make-Up Artist Meg Lindow's Essential summer Products 

MAC Painterly Paint Pot has prime
position in Meg's make-up bag

1. MAC Paint Pot

'Painterly Shade has to be my favourite, it’s my go-to product before applying any eyeshadow,' says Meg.
It creates a smooth perfect base, which stops the eyeshadow from creasing, it will last hours and hours.
£14.50 from MAC
 

Lucas' PaPaw Ointment for
dry lips, burns, sunburn,
cuts and chafing

2. Next up is Lucas' PaPaw Ointment

Meg swears by this little tube,'Every makeup artists god send!'It works wonders for dry lips, but can also be used on burns, sunburn, cuts and chafing.

At only £6.50 I couldn't resist and have already ordered a tube. You can get yours here.

Johnson's Facial
Cleansing Wipes

3. Johnson’s Face Wipes - For normal skin

These babies remove even waterproof mascara.
Meg's verdict: 'I love how wet these are, they really do leave my skin feeling hydrated!'

With sadly dry skin, I'll be opting for the Dry Skin Face Wipes at £3.29 to leave my face hydrated this summer.

Embryolisse Lait-Crème 

4. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrate
A 3-in-1 product, moisturiser  primer and can even be used as a makeup remover.
'I use it as my moisturizer everyday and LOVE it!! Makes my skin feel soft and hydrated,' confesses Meg.

5. Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara
A big brush mascar perfectly balanced ( neither too wet nor dry), offering perfect definition and volume.
Get ready to bat those eyelids, ladies!

6. MAC Fascinating Eyeliner

Lovely soft kohl pencil. Work it on the waterline to open, define and brighten your eyes!

7. Inglot eyeshadows A vast range of highly pigmented eyeshadows in a variety of textures including; pearl, shine, matte, double sparkle. Beautifully blendable shadows at very reasonable prices.

8. MAC Soft & Gentle Mineralize Powder
Amazing high frost, high shine highlighter. Meg recommends this for cheekbones to get that summer glow. 

9. Eylure 116 Lashes 

Short or blonde eyelashes? Apply 116 lashes from Eylure for beautiful natural looking lashes. Look after them as they can be used again. 

9. MAC Vanilla Pigment 

A concentrated loose powder great for highlighting the brow bone, opening the eye area up. You can also add a dab to the corner of your eyes to brighten. Available directly from MAC for £16.50.

Stila One Step Primer for
complexion perfection.

10. Stila One Step Primer CorrectionAn innovative tripleswirled helix serum instantly illuminates, primes and nourishes the skin. Ever wonder what the secret to a photo perfect skin is? The answer is Primer and this oil-free formula will helps smooth fine lines and wrinkles for complexion perfection.

Real Techniques Colour Coded Brushes

11. Real Techniques Brushes

Created by the makeup gurus ‘Pixiwoo’. The colour coded system ensures ‘flawless base, enhanced eyes and perfect finish’. You can get your hands on  Reasonably priced, with

The Starter Kit available from £16.93.

Kiko Brush Cleanser

12. Kiko Brush Cleanser

Now to keep those brushes clean and bacteria free with this gentle brush cleanser. The small compact bottle with spray nozzle that makes it very easy to use.

13. Batiste Dry Shampoo 

So many varieties to choose from. Batiste's Dry Shampoo is a must have for any girl, giving great texture and volume as a styling product. The mini size is ideal for holidays or a handbag.

14. Soap and Glory SuperCat Eyeliner

A “foolproof” (sounds as though it was made for me) marker tip eyeliner makes those cat like flicks a whole lot easier.

Luca's PaPaw Ointment, a palette of Inglot and MAC mineralize powder - to get that summer glow - are top of my must-buy immediately list.

What products will you make sure you have in your bag this summer?

Nikki

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Catch up with Curious Orange Model Dani Race

After a rather eventful Bank holiday weekend, which included a perforated eardrum, relocating to a hotel, a belated Birthday Party and a photo shoot; my Tuesday catch up with Cambridge Style Week Ambassador, Dani Race, was an ideal start to the week. 

Having worked with Dani on Curious Orange shoots, I was interested to find out what was on the cards for the rest of 2013. 
Curious about how Dani started modelling and find out about her post CSW13 Plans? 
You can read all about it here: http://bit.ly/149skPi

                         

 Keep Curious
Nikki
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Weather for Ducks...and Sporting Stylish Raincoats

We have (Mr Orange and I) been relocated to a hotel, due to the fact that the largest construction project in Europe is currently taking place under our lovely East London apartment. A completely different story, which deserves it's own post, but it sets the scene for my walk to find some food.

Leaving the hotel in a hooded waterproof jacket, (I'll confess... this Southern Bird is still in down), the light drops of drizzle became more sinister exactly half way into my journey. The taps of heaven opened and I was soon squidging along in my patent leather pumps looking like a drowned rat.
While sludging home hugging the buildings (for shelter and to avoid being drenched in a wave of street water from a passing vehicle), a flash of yellow caught my eye. I was face to face with a 20-something brunette looking chic in blue skinny jeans and a bright yellow raincoat. The visible lining of the hood confirmed that it was, as I suspected, the Iconic women's raincoat in yellow Jaune by Petit Bateau. 

The beautiful Iconic Petit Bateau raincoat in bright yellow.  

Mixed feelings of admiration (she looked great) and envy (I wanted to look great in the rain) I thought, 'I love this raincoat!'

Don't you think it works brilliantly with jeans, shorts and dresses especially on grey drizzly days?
With a classic structured cut and bright uplifting yellow colour I suspect I might have a crush on this beauty from Petit Bateau.

Have you fallen in love with a raincoat this season?

Keep Curious!

Nikki
Curious Orange
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Cheeky Shoes at the Cheeky Shoes New Collection Preview

I had a great evening at the Cheeky Shoes new collection preview  with Cambridge Style Week on Monday evening. You can read all about it at here at the Cambridge Style Week Blog.

Some pictures of the new Cheeky Shoes collection

Keep it Cheeky!
Nikki
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Versatile Lace Prom Dress from Colleen Eitzen goes Vintage

The sun has come out and your post box bursting with invitations, right? Yip, can you believe wedding season is in sight. If you are anything like me the excitement of deciding what to wear and the terror of knowing I'll leave it to the last minute to decide are imminent. Some of my more organised friends/customers (is there a line?), who unlike me choose to plan ahead and avoid looking like a glamorous sausage, have bought dresses and are now emailing for a couple of styling options to mix things up a bit.

I figured we may as well make the boards public and start a styling series. 
After introducing my husband to the film which I most loved at 6 years, I was inspired to add a twist of Dirty Dancing/Vintage Feel to the Dirty Pink Lace Prom Dress by Colleen Eitzen.

These High Voltage Caged Heels from ASOS.com don't guarantee to have you dancing like Frances Housman, but they are beautiful and a bit of a bargain at £40. It wouldn't be wedding season were it not for the hats. Keeping with the vintage slant I found Etsy based shop (love online shopping) called Agnes Hart, where owner Rae will whip up one of these made to order (MTO) Pillbox Hats. Now all you need is a gold shaded clutch,very happy to have discovered isabellas-handbag-shop.com, a pair of vintage style earrings, a pink shade of lipstick and you're ready for your first Vintage Vixen wedding.

My alter-ego would be wearing this with a cropped black leather jacket, black heeled sandals and a black leather bracelet. 

How would you style this Lace Prom Dress?

Nikki

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Golden ticket day

It's a rainy Sunday morning and I am filled with the emotions akin to those I imagine Charlie to have felt as he made his way to Mr Wonka's Chocolate Factory golden ticket in hand.
I am, however, not visting Cadbury's or Lindt, but rather about to enjoy a sneak preview of the John Lewis SS13 collection to be showcased at Cambridge Style Week.
What better way to kick off, or should I say fashion off, Cambridge Style Week than a bloggers morning at John Lewis Cambridge?

Beautifully styled tables offer a taster of what's in store for us as as I down a strong cup of coffee in the  brasserie and enjoy getting to know other bloggers like Deborah from Bang On Vintage and catch up with the lovely Alex Bright.

Table tasters

Loving these displays

                             
Chocolate hearts in hand (needing little encouragement that they were indeed for eating) we're whisked through an empty John Lewis (yip, this was pre opening) to the lingerie department to find out more about the variety of services on offer. As 20-something (soon to be 30-something) A-cup it was not purely the seductive knickers or bras which promise to increase your bust by 2 cup sizes, which most impressed me, but rather the wide array of services and products on offer for every age, size and style.
From bra fitting services to specialised advise for women who have had mastectomies. From Elle Macpherson to shock absorbing sports bras. Everyone within their market (apparently ranging from 20 - 80 years for the lingerie department) really is catered for.
Admit it. Even you're finding it hard not to be impressed with that one. 

I wouldn't go as far as to accuse JL of a stuffy 'only for older country women' type persona and I have definitely found my fair share of great pieces on their rails, but John Lewis not the first place that comes to mind when I'm looking for a seasonal it outfit. Or should I say 'came to mind' because Melissa and Bella definitely altered that perception as they walked us through a selection of pieces from the SS13 collections of selected brands!
Print on print trousers with matching top from JL's very own WEEKEND collection, an I-want-it-right-now tile print jumpsuit from the Alice Temperley's Somerset collection and the exquisite Giselle Sleeved floor length dress by Ghost were my highlights. I still can't get the Havana print top and trousers out of my mind...

Bella with the Havana print trousers and top!

A few of the Alice Temperley Somerset pieces

Heading home to find lunch and snooze-in-on-Sunday husband I began did a quick recon of the morning. Thinking about the wonderful ladies from John Lewis who'd welcomed us into the store, the super cool watermelon nail varnish I'd nabbed in the lucky dip and how I absolutely need to book a free style advice appointment with Bella and Melissa to try out the obligatory free session, which I am assured will transform me to a more exquisite version of myself. I mentally noted that the only improvement would have been to see the Alice Temperley collection modeled rather than on the hanger.
AND then the penny dropped... I'll get to do exactly that on the evening of 20 February at Cambridge Style Week.

And the things I've added to my to do list for the day
- Book free fashion advice session and see whether they recommend the Havana print trousers
- Buy above Havana print trousers 
- Book tickets for the Cambridge Style Week Thursday evening show to see the Alice Temperley Somerset collection on the runway while enjoying a glass of bubbly

I'll keep you updated on the trousers and fashion advice session (with pictures of course) and can't wait to see you at CSW 2013.

Nikki
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A huge thanks to John Lewis Cambridge and Nicky Sheppard of Cambridge Style Week!