Above: Win one of two copies of Miss Melicious Cupcakes.

ART OF CAKE AWARDS INSPIRED BY FASHION

A handful of Auckland’s hottest cakers have come together in a bake-off with a difference.

Inspired by the theme haute couture, The Art of Cake Awards is launching today at Auckland’s Shore City shopping mall (my local). Finalists in this inaugural competition are showcasing their amazing cakes and the great news is the public (yep you and me) get to vote for their favourite creation.

To vote you need to head to Shore City to view the cakes and place your vote. To celebrate this sweet event (and because I know you don’t all live in Auckland) we’re giving you the chance to win one of two copies of Miss Melicious Cupcakes so you can whip up your own designer cakes at home.

Miss Melicious is one of the finalists in the competition along with Bella Cupcakes, Cake Couture, Chocolate Earth, and Sweet Bites Cakes.

If you’re in Auckland you may want to pop along to one of the free cake crafting sessions too (deets below). They sound like fun.

To view a full timetable of cake craft tutorials please visit www.shore-city.co.nz.

In the meantime here’s some cute little cupcake inspiration for you.

WIN WIN WIN

We have two copies of the newly released Miss Melicious Cupcakes up for grabs.

To enter to win simply tell us in the comments below what your all-time favourite cake is then click here to whip over to my Facebook page and share this competition post with your Facebook friends. Everyone who has shared this post and is a Style Insider subscriber will automatically go in the draw to win. Winners will be drawn and announced here next Thursday (27 June).

Good luck!

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HOW TO LAYER JEWELLERY LIKE A PRO

One piece of jewellery is nice . . . but if done right, piling it on is even better!

Just like layering your clothes, learning how to layer jewellery takes a bit of practice.  But once you get the proportions right you can elevate a simple t-shirt from drab to fab. An easy way to crack the look is to buy a piece that already comes layered. However, layering individual necklaces is more fun and gives you a little more freedom. The key is playing with different types of chains and bracelets and mixing varying lengths and textures for a cool, curated look!

Take inspiration from this cool video and shop the look below.

Above: This looks works because it is a nice balance of different length and different weight chains.

SHOP THE LOOK

When it comes to layering it always helps to have a few key pieces. These pieces don’t need to be expensive either but they will become your go-to pieces to create interesting layered looks.

1. Moochi

2. Louvisa

3. Diva

4. Louvisa

5. Diva

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10 TIPS FOR WEARING VINTAGE

I love the idea of wearing vintage clothes but there’s serious skill involved in getting it right. Jess, the founder of vintage boutique Ela Hawke Vintage, has shared her top ten tips for wearing vintage well.

1. Decide your best assets

My number one rule when wearing vintage is to know your body shape. What looks good on one person may not necessarily look good on another. It’s so important, especially with vintage, that you wear what you know looks good on you. You might have a small waist so be sure to choose pieces that highlight this. Or you may have a curvier figure so prefer to wear something long and flowy. Get to know your body and your best assets and it will make styling vintage clothing a whole lot easier.

2. Stay true

I’m a sucker for colours and interesting prints, the bigger and brighter the better, but I understand not everyone feels the same way. We all have our own sense of style and unique taste which should reflect our choice in vintage clothing as well. Stay true to your style and keep in mind shapes, cuts and colours that work for you or even a particular material you like to wear such as silk, denim, crochet or lace.

3. If the shoe fits

So many times I’ve bought a piece of vintage clothing or held onto it just because ‘I had to have it’ even though it wasn’t quite the right fit. There’s something about wearing vintage clothing when it’s a little too big or not the right shape and it just looks too obvious and a bit silly. When you’re styling vintage make sure it absolutely fits you perfectly. Or only purchase it if you’re a whiz with the sewing machine and can easily adjust it to your measurements – and commit to making those updates.

4. Be inspired

Stay up to date with current trends by what you’re seeing in magazines, on blogs or your favourite fashion websites or even Pinterest. Trends come in and out and it’s good to keep in mind what current styles, colours, textures and prints are popular as it can make the process of buying and wearing vintage a lot more fun.

5. Back to basics

Buying or wearing vintage for the first time can be a little daunting. Where to start? What to buy? If the idea of wearing an insanely printed 80s jacket or a fully sequined dress is too much to handle then stick to the basics. Start by building your vintage collection with perhaps a vintage denim shirt, a pretty floral dress, a nicely worn leather jacket, a printed silk shirt, a leather pencil skirt or a cool vintage tee. These basic pieces will help you to familiarize yourself with wearing vintage and help to build a really great wardrobe that can easily be styled with other pieces.

6. Mix Vintage & New

If you want to wear vintage but you’re worried about looking like you stepped out of your grandmother’s closet, a good tip is to mix and match your vintage pieces with your new, contemporary pieces. If you’ve found a beautiful bohemian 70s maxi dress, update it with a new denim jacket and sandals. Maybe you’ve found an amazing 80s sequin top but you want to dress it down with a pair of new denim shorts. Or you may want to style your new skirt with a vintage handbag and vintage sunglasses. The key is to mix it up with basic pieces like jeans, denim shorts, a striped top or a white shirt. Don’t go too overboard in the one outfit if you’re not used to wearing all vintage.

7. Be bold & daring

So if being safe and sticking to basics is not your thing and you think you’re ready to take on the idea of vintage clothing then go for it! Seek out something that is unique and that reflects your personality. A statement jacket or bold necklace or some brightly coloured cowboy boots are the perfect starting point. If you’re going to go all out try to make that one piece the standout piece, team it with basics or black and white for the right look.

8. Accessorise

A good rule when wearing vintage clothing is to make sure it’s styled with great accessories, and this can mean using new or vintage accessories. I can’t begin to describe how much a simple belt can update a look or give you more shape, especially with a vintage dress. Try adding a bit of character to your handbag and tying a vintage scarf around the handle. Or you might even like to give yourself a new look with a pair of vintage sunglasses. So many simple tweaks can be done to keep your whole look interesting and new.

9. Visualise

More often than not you can get caught up in the hype of buying vintage because there’s only the 1 item. You can end up buying pieces that don’t necessarily suit you but you just ‘had to have’. Take a step back and really visualize whether or not that piece will suit you and if it’s the right style. Do you already have something similar? Will it go well in your wardrobe? How easy will it be to style with other pieces? These are a few questions you should ask yourself before that impulsive urge takes over.

10. Be confident!

Remember to style your vintage with confidence and a smile! Be proud that you’ve chosen to wear something unique and different as opposed to what everyone else is wearing. I can guarantee you’ll get the most comments and compliments when you’re wearing vintage.

Make sure you check out Ela Hawke Vintage here.

Do you have a favourite Vintage store?

Mine is Auckland’s Encore Fashion Recycle. They stock second-hand Trelise Cooper, Karen Walker, Armani, Zambesi, Saga, Helen Cherry, Country Road and more. It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re in town.

Please share your favourite vintage fashion stores in the comments below. It would  be great to put together a cool vintage fashion directory.

Credits

Story: A Pair & A Spare DIY

Photos: Sean Condon

The post 10 Tips For Wearing Vintage appeared first on The Style Insider.

Above: Avon’s new Mega Effects Mascara.

WOULD YOU APPLY MASCARA WITH THIS ERRR… PAINTBRUSH?

Don’t get me wrong I love mascara. In fact, it’s the one beauty product I’ll never ever leave home without. But I’ve gotta say this new Avon mascara has really thrown me. I’ve seen plenty of “interesting” mascaras in my time from vibrating wands, motorised spinning wands, and wands of every size and shape imaginable. But I’ve never ever seen anything quite like Avon’s new Mega Effects Mascara which is due to be released next month.

It comes with a squat brush that looks like a cross between a paint brush and a . . . paint brush. According to Fashionista.com (who are not fans) you gently rock the brush back and forth to remove it from the tube, then bend it to make it the appropriate application angle for you.

After trialling the mascara they said: ”The brush’s size and angle makes it difficult to control–the first coat goes on great and gives you impressive volume and coverage, but it’s hard to tweak. Putting a bit of mascara on the inside corners of my lashes was near impossible, and a lot of makeup wipes died unnecessarily in the process because mascara ended up on my nose and all over my lids. It’s also difficult to use on the bottom lashes, because the brush deposits way too much product there.”

Hmmm we see where Avon is coming from with this mascara but maybe this one works better on paper than in practice. Check out the Mega Effects Mascara in action in the video below and tell us what you think?

Would you be keen to give it a whirl?

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DRESS FOR SUCCESS’ CELEBRITY FASHION AUCTION

Dress For Success has raided the wardrobes of some of our favourite TV presenters, actors and musicians and is auctioning off some of their fashion faves on Trademe.

The As Seen On The Stars charity campaign kicks off today and if you’ve ever dreamed of rocking out in a pair of Kimbra’s sunnies styling yourself head-to-toe in one of Miranda Kerr’s pre-loved outfits then you’ve gotta check it out. From Ellie Goulding to the All Blacks, you’ll be amazed who’s offered up their designer gear to raise money for Dress For Success.

If you haven’t heard of Dress For Success it’s a brilliant charity that provides an entire outfit, make-up, styling advice and loads of moral support for women in difficult circumstances trying to get back into the workforce. Once these women land a job Dress For Success gives them ongoing support including a second outfit and mentoring and networking opportunities. It’s a great charity and like many it receives no government funding and relies heavily on grants and public donations. Last year Dress For Success dressed 1800 women – and there are still many more women in the community who need help.

There’s never been a more fashionable way to give to a good cause. So head on over to trademe.co.nz and start bidding.

To find out more, visit www.dfsa.co.nz or check out The Dress For Success Facebook page.

SOME OF THE FAMOUS FASHION FAVES UP FOR GRABS

Above: Kimbra’s cool sunglasses.

Above: Miranda Kerr’s outfit.

Above: Ellie Goulding’s Stolen Girlfriend’s teeshirt.

Above: Ruby Frost’s X Factor dress.

Above: The dress TV3′s Samantha Hayes wore to the premiere of The Hobbit.

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FIND OUT WHO WON THIS HIDESEEKERS LEATHER LUXE SWEATSHIRT

Last week we featured some of the fab new season looks on offer at Hideseekers and offered you the chance to win this fab Leather Luxe Sweatshirt.

Well it seems you guys are loving this top as much as I do. Thanks to everyone who entered. I’m thrilled to announce the lucky winner is:

Kendra Borrie

Skinny jeans & black ankle boots or yellow pony high tops OR a black mini skirt, grey tights and boots.

Congrats Kendra! Please email me your contact deets to win@thestyleinsider.co.nz so the team at Hideseekers can get your fab new sweat on its way to you.

The post Find Out Who Won This Hideseekers Leather Luxe Sweatshirt appeared first on The Style Insider.

5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE BUYING A HAT

I’d love to hear your favourite hit and miss hat stories in the comments below.

HAT PINSPIRATION

The post 5 Things You Need To Know Before Buying A Hat appeared first on The Style Insider.

INSTAGRAM VIDEOS ARE HERE!

Well almost! It seems the tech rumour mills have been working overtime and according to digital-industry bible TechCrunch an announcement is due later this week that our favourite filtered photo-sharing app may soon be in motion!

Imagine that? We may soon be able to record and share five to ten-second-long videos complete with filters to turn them into old home movies, classic black and white and any other cinematic style that takes our fancy.  If the rumours are true this will be the first real, serious competition for the video-centric Vine, another app we’ve recently grown to love.

Would you use Instagram Video? I know I sure would – fingers crossed this news is true because I’m already thinking about cool things I can do with it.

I’d love to hear what you think of the idea of Instagram Video in the comments below.

The post Instagram Videos Are Here! appeared first on The Style Insider.

NEW BEAUTY: MINNIE MOUSE INSPIRED NAILS

OPI has just launched a fun new collection, Couture de Minnie, in honour of Disney’s beloved Minnie Mouse. To celebrate, we’ve created this cute Minnie Mouse inspired nail art using a few of the gorgeous new limited edition shades.

WHAT YOU NEED

Expert Touch Lacquer Remover

Natural Nail Base Coat

Top Coat

OPI Chic From Ears To Tail

OPI A Definite Moust-have

(Or colours of your choice)

Nail wipes

Dotting Tool or bobby pin

GET THE LOOK

DOTTING TOOL

Candy Girl sells professional nail art dotting tools for $17.95 for a set of five. If you don’t want to buy a set then take a look at this video which shows how to make your own dotting tool. It’s really easy too!

Take a look here.

The new Couture de Minnie collection includes four limited edition shades and a new Liquid Sand polish.

For stockist details contact 0800 144 562 or visit www.globalbeauty.co.nz.

RRP $24.90 each.

The post NEW BEAUTY: Minnie Mouse Inspired Nails appeared first on The Style Insider.

Above: A luxury spa session at More Than Skin Spa & Beauty.

FIND OUT WHO WON A LUXURY SPA SESSION AT MORE THAN SKIN

Last week we gave one lucky Insider the chance to win their very own pampering session at More Than Skin Spa & Beauty. Thanks to everyone who entered this fab competition.

I’m thrilled to announce the super lucky winner is:

Rachel Batchelor

I’d love a bit of pampering! My husband needs back surgery so cant help with our baby and I need a break to relax! Please! Looks divine!

Huge congratulations Rachel! It does sound like you need some TLC. Please email us your details to win@thestyleinsider.co.nz and we’ll pass them on to the team at More Than Skin Spa & Beauty to arrange your pampering.

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