Category: fashion

Are circle lenses worth all the hype?

~ Emmie Reve ~ 3 Comments

So this trend has been happening for a long while now.  Circle lenses are contact lenses worn with or without a prescription.  They usually change the eye colour and iris size, and are mostly used for cosmetic reasons and cosplay. It’s another asian make-up trend that latched on here in North America, and the goal is to make your eyes appear more dolly-like, more cute and more interesting.  Wearers and makers of circle lenses claim many things…that they enhance the eyes, play up colour and intensity, and make the eyes look bigger and brighter, more gorgeous. But do they really do all those things?  I kind of doubt how enlarging the iris (the coloured ring around the pupil) can make eyes appear larger.  More like a doll’s eyes, yes, but nothing can really make the actual eye appear “bigger”, in my humble opinion.  I think the enlarging the eyes thing is just marketing talk.

An example of how cute the culture of circle lens packaging is!
An example of how cute the culture of circle lens packaging is!

I feel the only thing that these over-seas circle lenses can do is change eye colour.  The main obstacle when choosing a coloured lens is how to balance a noticeable change while wearing them and not having it look unnatural or fake on the eyes.  I can’t wear circle lenses that are big in diameter (determines the iris size), even though they are all the rage.  That is because my eyes are small and my eye surface area to lens ratio is too great for wearing large diameter lenses. They actually look too fake on me. This has been a major bummer for me because I have to use 14mm diameter and that is very minimal iris enlargement. I’ve just been basically changing colours of my eyes.  I’ve done blue, grey and purple lenses.  Recently, I decided to try red lenses!  I got them on sale from Pinky Paradise.  1 pair doesn’t cost that much ($20-25) and shipping is reasonable.  Just don’t get addicted to these lenses and feel the need to have every colour of the rainbow.  That will rack up quite a bill quickly.

This is my natural eye colour, with no lenses.
This is my natural eye colour, with no lenses.
With redish coloured lenses. Are my eyes more striking? Or are circle lenses useless?
With Venus brand red lenses. Are my eyes more striking? Or are circle lenses useless?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So what do you think?  Is the payoff for wearing circle lenses there?  or is it just better to be au naturale when it comes to the eyes?  We also need to think about how wearing contacts requires proper cleaning, care and storage, because maintaining eye health is a serious thing.  I got some unknown eye condition two years ago while using various circle lenses, and it took me months to heal.  I practiced good handling methods so til this day, I wonder if it was from frequent use of these lenses.  So in the end is it really worth all the hassle just for a subtle change in eye colour? I am still on the fence whether sporting circle lenses are as great as the trend makes them out to be or something I can go without…

The mystery of the “top knot” bun

~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

As a  child I remember loving the Nancy Drew series…nothing intrigued me more than a good mystery and following it out as the teen-aged sleuth Nancy solved it.  The current mystery I have been trying to solve is about why every girl has been sporting a hair style known as the “top knot” these days. So I recently made an effort to make one of these things and two tired arms later, from combing my hair in an upwards direction, I finally understand.

In case you didn’t know, a top knot is a really, really high bun.  The kind that is so high, the round “bun” part is actually on the top of your head, and all your hair is pulled upwards along the face.  I had to ask myself why it has become so popular, and the go-to style for casual elegance and put-togetherness amongst women everywhere.   Because for some reason, a regular lower bun is granny-like, and unglamourous, maybe even too cerebral? But the higher top knot is alluring, fashionable and fun. Why is this great divide happening between where on the head you gather the bun?

After some thought, here is what I think:

~ Top knots are like an instant face lift.  Pulling the hair up, and out of your face has a gravity defying character that flatters and lightens up facial features such as the eyes, fore head and cheek temples.  It pulls everything up a bit.

~putting a bun at the top the head is dramatic, and adds height to a person.  It e-longens the face, making it seem slimmer and more delicate

~Because the bun part is on the top of the head, it doesn’t stick out in the back and doesn’t interfere with the line of the back of the head.  It’s smooth all the way down to the neck and swan like.

I gather and comb my hair up into a high pony tail. fasten with an elastic.
I gather and comb my hair up into a high pony tail. fasten with an elastic.
coil the hair in a bun shape around the base of the pony tail. Tuck in ends underneath the bun. arms tired yet? Mine were.
coil the hair in a bun shape around the base of the pony tail. Tuck in ends underneath the bun. arms tired yet? Mine were.

The second part of this mystery?  Why are top knots so hard to do in hair?  I have thick, ultra straight hair that really wants to go down in direction. The idea of making it go up is foreign.   My arms always get so tired combing my long hair in an upwards position, to wind into a bun.  But a few things really help tame hair so that it will get into place for top knots:

These are french pins. They do not pull or tease hair. They work by weaving through different layers of hair!
These are french pins. They do not pull or tease hair. They work by weaving through different layers of hair!

-have slightly dirty hair, or hair that has not been washed, using dry shampoo helps.  I find the added texture in your hair makes it grip as you are pushing it up.

-use french pins because they work, and do not pinch and pull hair the way bobby pins do. (French pins are awesome and so easy to use.  Ask me if anyone needs a tutorial!)

-Forget hair donuts (those spongy, foam donut shaped bun fillers used to make top knots), they are way too unnatural looking and uniform, if you get them to work–not everyone has thick enough hair to cover the hair donuts!

Am I right about why there is all this rage over the top knot?  What has been your go to hair style that never lets you down whenever you wear it?

Summer shopping finds: Urban Outfitters

~ Emmie Reve ~ Leave a comment

I haven’t been shopping much this summer.  The reason being that I’m around clothes and fashion too much these days, and I actually get sick of seeing clothes after my shifts at Smartset (Canadian retail chain) where I currently part-time.  It is possible to get sick of clothes, and the idea that girls can’t stop shopping is not true.  I am working hard, and I mean hard, to find pieces that move me, on trends that are fun and worth following and reporting on.  A lot of the quality of clothing in the big chains have gone downhill.  And the clothes of better quality and are better made are just very pricey.  Good finds are hard to come by this summer, and with the months flying by, the summer will soon be over, and there will not be a reason to sport any cute, trendy piece at all.

Urban Outfitters has been serving my needs for a while now.  Partly because they do follow the trends, their clothes on sale is actually pretty affordable, and they have a generous return/exchange policy.  They also have a relaxed grunge-y street feel to them that I like, and as a former art college student, they appeal to me with pieces that are girly and bohemian inspired too.  This summer however, UO are almost my enemy, with high prices, and uninspired designs and fabrics.  However, after doing my homework, I was able to scout out a few things that I nabbed from them that are pretty fabulous.

1. The Kimono Trend

I saw this trend popping up in the spring, but wasn’t quite ready for it then.  Now I am on board with it.  It’s elegant, retro, and effortlessly pretty.  The floral printed kimonos are jaw-droppingly pretty, but usually cost fifty or more.  But for such dramatic silouhette as the kimono is, a less noisy print may prove more suitable.  I adore my recent kimono jacket find, at UO.  It was priced right, and cropped, so it doesn’t overwhelm a more petite frame!

Kinda dramatic, and kimono inspired. Baggy and non clinging can be pretty sometimes!
Kinda dramatic, and kimono inspired. Baggy and non clinging can be pretty sometimes!

2. Printed Leggings Trend

This trend took off in the spring of this year, faded away and is now coming back again.  Who knew?  Well, I kind of did because black and grey pants are sooooo boring.

Funky and fun, floral printed tights say I'm in, I'm with it!
Funky and fun, floral printed tights say I’m in, I’m with it!

3.  Jelly shoes

Do you guys remember in the 90’s when jelly shoes were in?  Well, I have an infinity for them this summer.  they are comfortable, cute and stylish.  A perfect addition to any summer wardrobe, because they scream effortless fun and functionality.

Nothing over the top. Just casual girlie fun.
Nothing over the top. Just casual girlie fun.

What are your fave finds this summer?  Do you guys think that it is a an awesome summer in terms of finding great fashion and styles?  Or is it difficult and lack-lustre?