Blushing Brides

I am back into wedding season full tilt! I had 2 wedding parties today, and my goodness the ladies were all so lovely!! I definitely have the best job in the world, I absolutely love what I do and I have met so many fabulous women... And a message to any brides and bridesmaids and mothers of the brides and aunts and cousins etc etc that I have done wedding-bridal makeup for over the last 10 years (I can't believe I've been doing this for that long, time flies when you're having fun!), please send your favourite pics to aestheticsbynatalie@hotmail.com and I would love to post them... Thank you to all the ladies who have sent me your gorgeous photos, and keep them coming!!

Hot Heeled

I think it is mandatory for every girl to have a pair of hot pink pumps, heels or wedges in her spring-summer wardrobe! I am in love with the whole neon trend we are seeing this season and we'll continue to see through the summer... Neon heels are very easy to wear, you can keep the rest of your ensemble neutral and let your shoes be the show stopper! If you are not a heels kind of gal then go for a cute pair of hot pink ballet flats, you will still pack a punch in them... All of the footwear pictured is from Spring Shoes, from top to bottom they are $40, $50 and $55. Definitely worth investing in a pair!

In The Trenches

There is nothing better than a bargain, right?! I mean a serious bargain!! I bought this adorable trench coat on Monday at Old Navy for $18.99... but wait for it, it was also an additional 30% off plus the 15% off coupon I printed out from simply typing in Old Navy Canada coupons on google.ca! Sooo, it was under $10! A cute trench is such a great staple piece to have in your wardrobe, I have had an awesome black trench from The Gap for over 5 years and I am constantly wearing it every season... It is such a simple piece to throw on over your basics for out running errands instead of an old hoodie or sweater (yes, we all have them!) Are you a trench gal too!!??

In The Army Now

I think the military trend has been one of my absolute favourites, I love a great pair slim fit khaki cargo pants or a cool military jacket... When I saw Rachel Bilson in this fabulous military inspired coat last year (which is from Gap Kids!!) I knew I had to have one for myself. I found my jacket at H&M last spring and it was $24.90, I still wish I would have bought it in beige as well... sigh... I like that it works with dressy and casual outfits, you can pair it with a floral dress and heels or simple skinnies and a fun scarf and you have an instantly chic look... Are you still feeling the military trend too?

Pretty In Pink

I can fully admit that I'm addicted to pink lipstick, I love a hot pink matte lipstick or gloss and I think I must own over 40 shades (I am a makeup artist after all!)... Pink works on every skin tone and you can go as bright or subtle as you like, try a fun bubblegum pink gloss for day and then a bold matte pink lipstick for night. Let your lips be the centre of attention and keep the rest of your makeup simple, winged black liquid liner and a coat of mascara are all you'll need to polish this look off. A few of my favourite shades are available at MAC, try Pink Poodle Lipglass (that's what I'm wearing in the pic) or Snob Matte Lipstick or Bombshell Frost Lipstick... All of these pinks are fantastic on their own or try a lipstick and a coat or two of gloss to customize your own pink hue. Will you rock a pink pout this spring too?

Copy Kate

I love this outfit Kate Hudson was photographed in a few years ago, it is simple and totally chic... When I bought my Chinese Laundry grey over the knee boots in the fall I had visions of myself in a similar ensemble. I think grey boots are a great investment and they work with everything because the colour is a neutral, they are a stylish option to wear instead of your usual brown or black boots. I wore them over the knee today but I also photographed them folded down, I love them either way and it's basically like having 2 pairs of boots for the price of 1! Do you have grey boots too?

Coral Cool...

I love a lazy Sunday, this was a simple run around with the kids then out for brunch with family and friends kinda day!! Bright jeans add a little fun to any look and this is actually an easy throw together (yet stylish) outfit, any gal can do this!!! I want to see your weekend chic ensembles!! Send me your pics and I'll post them!! aestheticsbynatalie@hotmail.com

Beautiful Brides

I have had such an amazing response from the bridal makeup post I did this week that I thought I would do another! Thank you for all the kind words and support! I feel so blessed that I get to do what I love for a living, it is a true a joy to be a part of such a special day for these ladies... I will definitely post my work weekly and I appreciate and love all your comments and feedback, please keep them coming!

Spring Wrap

Don't you just love a scarf? It is such an easy way to spruce up an outfit, you can take the most basic jeans and tee combo and turn it into a fashion forward ensemble with a scarf! It's also a great transition piece in your wardrobe and it's the perfect way to take a spring look into summer... A lightweight or gauzy scarf not only adds a big dash of style to your outfit but a little warmth as well! All of these scarves are from Old Navy, and I want each and every one of them!! Be daring and choose something with a bold colour or pattern like animal print or tie dye, a scarf is such an easy piece to be bolder with and it's not a huge investment (all of these scarves are between $10-$15!!) If you order from oldnavy.ca this weekend you'll also save an additional 25%! Do you wear scarves all year long too?

Giving The Cold Shoulder

It looks like I'm on a roll with wearing dresses this week... This was another Forever 21 find that I bought last summer and actually just cut the tags off of today ( lol!)... I absolutely love the shoulder cut-out detail, this is such a cool way to glam up a basic dress like this... Cut-outs add interest and a cool vibe to dresses and tops, it's a great way to show a little skin without feeling over exposed, you can easily wear this trend day or night... What do you think of this look? Would you wear shoulder cut-outs too?

Feeling Floral

When it comes to dresses I am a smitten kitten, so when I saw this pink tiny floral print dress on the Forever 21 website I fell in love instantly! And I knew that for $29.80 it had to be (and could be) mine... I have had some misses with online purchases from Forever 21 but I have never had an issue taking an online purchase back to the store for an exchange or full store credit (the only drag is they don't refund)... When this sweet little dress arrived last week I was thrilled, the length is perfect and it is fully lined. I love the tie at the neck, the sweet 3/4 puff sleeve and the a-line skirt is a great shape on any gal! It has been so warm I haven't worn it with tights as planned but I would try dark grey or black opaque tights with brown or grey leather boots on a cooler day... I definitely love these nude Aldo pumps with the dress but for a more casual look I would wear flat boots or gold ballet flats. Are you a "dress girl" too?

Show Your Stripes

Oh how I love stripes... Seriously, I loooove stripes! So much so that I recently bought two striped dress from The Gap, one is black and white and the other grey and pink. I actually wish I would have bought the navy and white one as well! I also had an amazing Friends and Family discount (thank you Leigh!) and an additional 10% off card!! So this dress ended up costing me $19 (happy dance)... Stripes are a classic and I love the nautical feel that they bring to an outfit, there is nothing more chic than a striped tee with a slim fit pant or denim or a simple striped dress for work or the weekend. If you're worried that stripes will make you look wider, they don't! That's a fashion myth, you can always play it safe and try a Breton-stripe boat neck top with a neutral pant or skirt. Don't be afraid to experiment with bright colour stripes and stripe size, you can always start off with smaller pinstripes which are classic and fabulous for work wear and save the bolder stripes for the weekend. Another fun tip to try with your stripes is to add another print to the ensemble, take your classic striped top (black and white always looks great) and skinny jeans or dress pants or a pencil skirt and pair them with a fun bold floral or polka dot scarf or a cool leopard print shoe... The possibilities are endless and trust me, this looks fantastic. You'll be the fashionista of the office! Are you a "stripe lover" too?

Here Comes The Bride

First off I just want to say how excited I am about the segment on the CHCH 6 o'clock News yesterday that I was so totally honoured to be a part of... I was thrilled to be asked to talk about Toronto Fashion Week with the lovely Kate Carnegie, it was an absolute pleasure and I can't wait to do it again soon!! I will post the interview this week :)
I thought that today I would post some recent bridal makeup that I've done, I have been doing bridal makeup for almost 10 years ( time flies when you're having fun!) and I absolutely love it. I have met so many amazing women and I have to say it is a real joy to be a part of their special day... I will be posting my makeup pics on a regular basis, there are so many gorgeous gals to choose from it's impossible to do it in one post!