June 11, 2020 at 06:30AM Believe me when I say there is nothing I dread more than shopping for foundation. Not just because it’s not a product I particularly enjoy wearing (I hate the feeling of weighty product on my skin), but also because there are simply too many variables. We all have our preferences when it comes to texture, finish and formula, and trying to find one product that meets your personal requirements can often feel impossible. Then we get onto finding a shade match. Colour matching in stores can sometimes feel like a success, until, that is, you get home and realise that the lighting was off and now you’re stuck with a full bottle of foundation that isn’t even close to your natural skin colour. And that point doesn’t even touch on the fact that most of the time, the shades ranges are so limited that unless you fit into one of the 15 shades they have on offer, that formula isn’t an option. It’s worth noting too that this is still my personal view that comes from the privileged position of a white woman. I have BAME friends that don’t have the luxury of shopping around for foundation everywhere because, shamefully, there are only one or two products that offer a shade even close to their skin colour. Before makeup. With all of the above in mind, it probably won’t surprise you that I don’t care much for new foundation launches. In fact, anyone that knows me knows that makeup
Category: WhoWhatWear
I Swear By Matte Bronzers—These Ones Give the Most Convincing Sun-Kissed Glow
June 11, 2020 at 06:30AM If you’re anything like me, you will have spent the majority of the last few months cooped up inside. During winter, my friends often joke and liken me to a hermit crab that refuses to come out of its shell. However, the minute the sun starts shining through later in the year, you’ll struggle to keep me in the house. This year, though, thanks to the limits on outdoor activity and the fact that I live in a flat with absolutely no outdoor space, I’ve spent the majority of my time inside. It is knowing this that has left my friends very confused whenever we sit down for our weekly Zoom drinks. “Shannon, how are you so tanned and glowing right now?” one of them asked last week. And for the first time in my life, I can honestly say that nothing about my bronzed glow is real. I haven’t been outside for longer than a couple of hours at any given time, and even when I have been out, I’m slathered in a thick layer of SPF 50. So considering my go-to facial tanning drops (Coola Sunless Tan, FYI) ran out a couple of weeks ago, I can 100% confirm that my bronze is down to my newfound love of matte bronzers. You see, I’ve always loved using bronzer as a way to add some depth and life to my base, but I’ve never been much of a fan of the shimmer or light-reflecting properties that so many of
I Asked 9 Women With Incredible Skin for the Products They Swear By
June 11, 2020 at 06:30AM Day in and day out, we scroll through Instagram to make sure we’re bringing you the most up to date fashion and beauty trends. (It’s a hard life, but someone’s got to do it.) From the most talked-about products and new drops to the best advice, the social media platform is our favourite place to find out what people in the know are actually using. That’s why, when we decided to compile a list of the best beauty products out there, we thought who better to ask than the women we always stop and ogle? The ones who get sent product after product and have tried and tested them all. That may be why every time we see them, through the app or in real life, we can’t quite get over how amazing their skin looks. We had to know their secrets. Ahead, I asked nine fashion girls what their absolute favourite, desert-island, can’t-live-without beauty products were. This is what they said… “A good eye cream is essential, and this one goes everywhere with me. I have been using for a while now, and I absolutely love it. It aims to fight visible signs of ageing around the eye area, and it really does what it supposed to do!” “This is one of my favourite creams. It’s not just a regular night cream; its a night cream with a scrub! Thanks to this, I always wake up with fresh and beautiful skin.” “I start my morning skincare routine by using
5 Summer Staples I Never Purge From My Closet
June 11, 2020 at 06:10AM As I’ve mentioned several times in the recent past now, I’m quite big on cleaning out my wardrobe. Whether it’s just to declutter, make space for new buys, find pieces I can donate, put together a selection to sell or, oftentimes, all of the above, I find the experience not only rewarding but actually therapeutic as well. Of course, no matter how many times I organise, purge and repeat, there are always certain pieces I simply refuse to part with because I know they will come in handy later. In the “summer staples” category, specifically, a solid five come to mind, so I thought I’d round them up for anyone looking to do some late spring cleaning, early summer shopping or both. To see, read about and (naturally) shop all the items that avoid the “go” pile time after time, just keep scrolling. Pretty white tops are always going to be the perfect addition to your favourite jeans, shorts, and skirts in the summer. And since somehow the category seems to have evaded the trend cycle, if you can keep them clean, you should keep them around. White swimwear can yellow, prints and colours come in and out of style, but black swimsuits—even the seemingly “trendier” styles—will always serve you well and look chic. Hence, I rarely get rid of them when cleaning out my swimwear drawer. No matter how many shorts trends have come and gone, I’ve always ended up back in my favourite denim pairs at some point or another each summer. Even the
Our Favourite High-Street Sandals From Topshop, H&M, Zara and More
June 11, 2020 at 06:05AM Given this week’s weather, you might feel like now is not the right time to start thinking about sandals, but let me tell you—summer is right around the corner (nine days away, to be precise!). As the days have become longer and blue skies become a more common occurrence, I can’t help but think of the warm days ahead and start planning outfits for when they do arrive. Right now, it seems high time for an at-home DIY pedicure, particularly as the high street is already packed with covetable slides, sandals and summery footwear. So let’s talk trends. Despite their jarring name, thong sandals are set to be prominent this summer, having already garnered a fan base of influencers and editors, while last year’s barely there strappy sandals—made popular by The Row—are back for another season. This year, they’re being made in various colourful shades, and last year’s kitten heels have, in many cases, been replaced with block heels (which your feet will be very happy about). Aside from that, we’ve seen an influx of square-toe mules on the high street that are reminiscent of Bottega Veneta’s pair, which seemed to be omnipresent during last year’s September fashion week. And, of course, there are an abundance of wear-everywhere flat slides, featuring minimalistic single straps or crisscross details. Keep scrolling for our take on the best high-street sandals from Topshop, H&M, Arket and more. Next up, the biggest S/S 20 fashion trends you need to know. Author Zoe Anastasiou | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
The Dress Report: 9 Names and Trends to Watch Out for in 2020
June 11, 2020 at 06:00AM Whether it’s a christening smock or a prom dress, a school pinafore or a wedding gown, dresses have historically been markers for certain rites of passage. Even if you forwent tradition in these instances, you could argue that the presence of the dress was still felt in its absence. It was, and still is, an item of clothing that has had a hard time shaking off its cultural baggage. Thankfully, over the last decade, the fashion industry has started to champion new ways of expressing the dress and in turn opened up conversations around how we present femininity, frumpiness, sexuality and flattery. In more recent years, social media has also offered smaller brands a voice and a chance to disrupt certain design tropes by delivering innovative dresses that are as eclectic as the women who wear them. One thing’s for sure: In 2020, there’s no single way to rock the frock. If the eyes are a window to the soul, then perhaps the dress has become a peephole into our style personalities; be it the extroversion of a bold print or the austere elegance of a minimalist midi, the glamour of a curve-hugging body-con or the laid-back sentiment of a T-shirt dress. Usually, I would place myself in the minimalist camp, with occasional meanderings into the retro category, but lockdown has inspired me to switch up my fashion character on a weekly basis, and dresses are the ideal way to mould my mood. “Dresses are the ultimate in no-brainer dressing,” explains author and former fashion editor Erica Davies.
8 Interior It Pieces the Fashion Crowd Loves
June 11, 2020 at 06:00AM It’s not totally surprising that interiors have become the new “thing” in fashion. There were signs that this was happening, of course. A green sofa here, a popular print there—all signs pointed to fashion’s love of It pieces bleeding into homeware. Then, we were locked down thanks to the pandemic, which propelled our love of interiors into overdrive. Increased time in our homes has meant we’ve all been looking around at what we can do better, what we can improve and which pieces will work in that corner of your sitting room next to your sideboard. And the place that’s highlighted all these It pieces? Instagram, of course. Instead of Daniel Lee’s Bottega handbags, I’m seeing loads of Anissa Kermiche naked women vases bundled full of colourful flowers. Rather than a pair of The Row shoes, fashion girls are showing off their rattan chairs that are ideal for minimalists. However, the fashion crowd hasn’t forgotten completely about their appearance—the selfie mirror is still a major fixture when it comes to important interiors items. Keep scrolling to see the eight It homeware items everyone is loving right now. Next up, the biggest spring/summer 2020 fashion trends to know. Author Elinor Block | Whowhatwear Selected by CWC
The 6 Skin Products Experts Say Every 30-Something Should Have in Their Routine
June 10, 2020 at 06:30PM There’s no doubt that as we get older, our skin’s wants and needs begin to change. While skincare routines of our late teens and early twenties might have focused heavily on oil-absorbing products that worked to keep breakouts in check, as we enter our thirties, it’s likely that other, more pressing skin issues start cropping up. For instance, spots of pigmentation might start surfacing, fine lines may begin to form and skin that was once plump and glowing could appear lacklustre and dull. The sorry truth is that as we enter our thirties, all of the stuff that makes our skin naturally healthy starts to deteriorate. “By the time we get to our thirties, we have around 50% collagen left in our skin. Hyaluronic acid production also slows down and cellular turnover only hits us around every four to six weeks. Everything starts to slow down,” says celebrity facialist, Michaella Bolder. So what exactly does all of this mean? And how can we help minimise the affects of ageing on our skin? To help decode everything there is to know about caring for skin in your thirties, I caught up with some of the top skincare experts in the business. Unsurprisingly, I found that, for the most part, they all preached the same message: As we make our way into our thirties, certain ingredients simply cannot be compromised on. Keeping scrolling for the six products they seriously recommend and to shop the best formulas out there. As we enter our thirties, it’s
Your Lingerie Is Over the Second You Do This
June 10, 2020 at 11:00AM Over the years, I’ve accumulated quite a nice collection of lingerie, had multiple bra fittings and received quotes from some of the biggest experts in the industry on the dos and don’ts of lingerie across the board. Most of these rules are easy enough to follow, except for one (at least for me). During my most recent lingerie fitting for a story I wrote on what it’s like to wear lingerie sets for a week straight, the saleswoman assisting me told me that if I’m not storing my lingerie properly, I’m basically killing it, not getting my money’s worth, and so on and so forth. Instantly I switched into panic mode as I realised all my lingerie was currently stuffed in my drawer along with the rest of my five-for-£20 underwear and random assortment of sports bras. In other words, not where it belonged. Storing and organising lingerie? How do you even do that and where? What are the rules? What am I missing? To ease my now-frantic mind, I reached out to Julie McConnell, senior buyer at Journelle, for her two cents on the matter. She fully confirmed what the saleswoman had said to me a few weeks prior. “Storing your lingerie properly can keep the shape and integrity of your bras so they last longer,” McConnell told me. Essentially, if you want to get your money’s worth on the lingerie you acquire over the years, storing it with care and intention is the only
This Little-Known London Brand Creates the Ultimate Feel-Good Prints
June 10, 2020 at 07:00AM Welcome to our newest editorial initiative, Who What Wear Spotlight, where we’ll be using our editorial platform, social following, and ad inventory to turn the spotlight on small businesses that need our support now more than ever. Each week, we’ll be highlighting a new fashion or beauty company. If you own a small brand and would like to be considered for the program, please apply here. As a fashion editor, I always try to meet as many new brands and designers as I can, and back when we were working in the office, we regularly scheduled meetings with new labels. There are a handful of brands that I will always clearly remember these first meetings with and their early collections, and Lisou is one of those brands. I was first introduced to the label in March 2018 when founder and designer Rene Macdonald visited our WWW UK townhouse. And so when I saw Lisou in the Spotlight applications, it was a no-brainer that this was a little-known label worthy of our backing. The aesthetic of the London-based brand is infectious, as Macdonald creates her own bright, playful prints and works with bold pinks, oranges and greens. Her personal style is in line with Lisou’s aesthetic, as she loves to mix unexpected vibrant prints together. Introduce our readers to your business. When did you start it and why? Lisou started in 2018 as a womenswear brand specialising in silk pieces with unique prints. As we’ve grown, we have added other fabrics, but we continue to design all