Origami Dress

I'm a girl who likes to keep things classy: from the way I dress to the way I present myself through actions and words, respecting myself as well as respecting others. In terms of the way I dress, I would say that I'm more on the conservative side - happy to show some arm and leg but not wanting to let anything 'hang out' or else I'd feel too exposed. 

I was on a hunt for a dress for my second cousin's wedding which was last month and I came across the perfect dress that suited my style - it was classy, elegant with flattering cuts in the right places and a colour that I felt would bring out the warmth of my skin tone. Thankfully Glue Store came to the rescue as I browsed their range of dresses and came across an eye-catching number from Finders Keepers. For those who don't know, Finders Keepers is an Australian fashion label which provides on-trend collections of prints, shapes and textures for casual daywear to sophisticated evening looks. 

My darling mother in the background :)

 

 

 

 

The dress that I chose was the Finders Keepers Billy Jean Origami Detail Dress in Peach* and its origami-like fold on the chest was what drew me to this style and also its high halter-style neckline. I'm usually either wearing strapless, spaghetti-strap or one-shoulder dresses so having this sort of neckline style meant that I didn't need to do any adjusting or be wary of unwanted exposure.

 

(Excuse my terrible hair, curling irons hate me)

 

I'm not one to wear many crop tops or anything that exposes my non-existent/hidden abs but it's certainly a trend nowadays and I can't say that I dislike it - actually I don't mind it really! Thank goodness the small triangular cutout only exposes a small portion of the abdominal area just above my belly button and not any more than that, phew.

Mandatory bathroom selfie

 

I like how the dress has a split at the front, it makes it different from other dresses and it complements the triangular cutout. I paired the dress with some nude heels as I felt that black or any other colour would clash with the dress. Playing it safe is always a good option :)

 

I loved the whole fine dining experience of the wedding reception, in fact I've always liked formal dining experiences but of course as a student, I can rarely and barely afford to dine at high-class restaurants! So I get very excited when I hear about relatives' weddings and their locations/catering choice, hehe.

So on the day I was pleased with my outfit, displeased with my hair (I really need to work on this!) and pleased with my makeup look. Even for glam events I still like to keep it rather natural-looking with neutral shades for my eyeshadow and a pinky-red shade of lipstick. I decided to wear circle lenses and false lashes to enhance my eyes in a subtle way. I realised that in the two photos of myself above, my lenses are barely noticeable which to me is a good thing. I don't opt for the crazy/unnatural-looking lenses as I only intend to slightly lighten and enlarge my eyes (though I've been told that my natural irises resemble dark circle lenses).

The lenses that I wore to the wedding were the GEO Berry Holic Brown CM954* from Pinky Paradise which are more of a hazel brown and I think they're the perfect colour for that subtle lightening of my eyes. They're really comfortable too and I've worn them a few times.

They have a green tinge to them and appear lighter under brighter day lighting, as seen on the left

What I love about coloured lenses is that you can actually see my pupils! The Berry Holic range include 3-tone lenses which blend in extremely well for eyes that are as dark as mine.

They look great under night lighting too

 

From browsing through Finders Keepers' Instagram account, I noticed that Aussie model Jessica Gomes has worn this dress and it looks amazing on her. But seriously, what doesn't look amazing on her??

Who wore it better? Just kidding, obviously her.

Anyway, I'm not sure when will be the next time I attend a formal event and get the chance to dress all fancy but I am surely looking forward to doing this sort of thing all over again! Any excuse to dress up is always desirable, hehe :P

Questjen for you:

Do you have any exciting events coming up?

With Christmas on its way (as if it's already December) and New Year's, I'm sure most of us will be celebrating with friends/family and attending work functions and parties. That's why it's called the festive season :)

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Disclaimer: Products marked with a * were sent for consideration purposes. This is not a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been provided, nor am I affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. Links are not affiliate links. All opinions stated by me are 100% honest and are free from bias. See more at http://www.questjen.com/p/disclaimer.html for full disclaimer.

OOTD: BIGBANG 'MADE' World Tour

Once again university has consumed most of my life (this is my final semester and then I'll be done, hopefully!) which had led me to neglecting the blog but I thought I'd sneak in a quick post while I procrastinate (what I'm best at) as I have my last exam in a few days.

So if you follow me on Twitter/Snapchat, you'll know that I went to Melbourne (second time this year, golly gosh!) a few weeks ago to see one of my favourite Korean boy groups live - BIGBANG!! They were actually the first K-pop group that I got into back in 2008 and I've been a fan of theirs ever since :D For them to be the first ever K-pop group I liked and now being the first ever K-pop group to see live, it was absolutely incredible!!!

This post isn't going to be a recount of my stay in Melbourne or the concert experience which I could perhaps, save for another post. Let's hit the ball rolling by sharing my concert outfit and look.

Clothing:

Jacket: Dotti

Gilet: YOINS*

Jeans: Mavi Alissa Ankle

Top: JayJays

Shoes: New Balance 620 Sneakers*

Accessories:

Bandana: Ebay

Red hair extensions: Ebay

Phone case: Forever New

Choker: Lulu & Rose*

Ring: Pandora

Watch: Michael Kors

Bag: Kate Spade

It was surprisingly cold, wet and windy in Melbourne, 18 or 19 degrees C from vague memory so I wasn't expected to rug up more than usual. My initial plan was to wear a singlet and a thin jacket but I definitely needed to layer it on! And I know, it's very black. Black on black on black even, haha. But I guess I was trying to channel my inner GD (my favourite BB member) with his black and also the red hair extensions :P

Yaaaaaaasssss

For anyone who doesn't know who BIGBANG are, you've been living under a rock here's a picture of them:

L-R: T.O.P, Daesung, Taeyang, GD and Seungri

I wanted to wear a pair of black skinny jeans with rips (maybe not as many rips as Seungri's in the above picture) but I don't own a pair and haven't found any that I like! Again, this was to go with the style that I was after, that rocker/edgy look that GD tends to go for.

I wore casual shoes/sneakers as I needed to do quite a bit of walking from the apartment I was staying at to Rod Laver Arena and didn't want my feet to get wet from the rain earlier on in the day. These were purchased from Glue Store along with my pentagram choker which slightly resembles Taeyeon's in her 'I' MV.

Hers is prettier :3

I would say that the pieces that made me look edgy were my bandana, jacket and gilet! I absolutely LOVE sleeveless jackets/coats and they're so easy to wear as they go with anything. The one I wore was one from YOINS (Your Inspiration), a trendy online store with pieces at affordable prices. It's been an amazing addition to my wardrobe and I've worn it out so many times. It's lightweight and has a relaxed fit, making it super comfy and stylish with its waterfall design. The waist tie makes it sit better on the body however it is completely optional having it tied.

I wear mine to work sometimes with a T-shirt or long sleeve underneath

I'm yet to upload my photos from my Melbourne trip and concert on Facebook but I have uploaded my fancams on YouTube which you can check out here if you're curious or wanting to relive the awesome BB moments :D I'll share a teaser video below:

A few more happy snaps pre, during and post-concert to share:

Not only did I get to see BB but also my fellow BBs, Blogger Babes! Chloe and Melody ♡

Let me know if you'd like to hear more about my concert experience, like a fan-account sort of thing even though I didn't 'interact' with the boys haha. Otherwise I can answer any questions that you may have below!

Questjen for you:

What's been your favourite concert experience? And did you create an outfit for it?

I've only been to three concerts - Harrison Craig, Paramore and BIGBANG and videos of those are all on my YouTube channel. I'm not sure if any other concert I attend in the future can beat BIGBANG's hehe but I would love to see them again! And yes I do try to style my concert outfits to match the artist to get into the supportive spirit :)

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Disclaimer: Products marked with a * were sent for consideration purposes. This is not a sponsored post, no monetary compensation has been provided, nor am I affiliated with any of the companies mentioned. Links are not affiliate links. All opinions stated by me are 100% honest and are free from bias. See more at http://www.questjen.com/p/disclaimer.html for full disclaimer.

"Grey Matter" Makeup Look | Blog Collaboration

This is my first blog collaboration post and the idea came about from my blogger friend Hana where we've both come up with our own makeup looks. I needed some ideas for a name and she helped me name this one 'Grey Matter'. Here's the look that I've created:

Excuse the hair frizz

The inspiration for my look came from one of Hana's shawls. The initial idea was the incorporate similar-coloured shawls into our looks by wearing it but seeing as I own none, I instead decided to create a look to complement the colours and patterns on her shawl, as though I were wearing it.

Seeing as there were many colours and patterns going on with the shawl with contrasts of dark and light, I decided to keep my look fairly neutral with a slight pop of colour to my eyes. With the crimson and berry tones in the shawl, I chose a berry-shaded lipstick to pair the look as well as blending in a berry eyeshadow colour.

I'm getting better at filing in my brows - practice makes perfect!

The look reminds me a lot of the ELES Berry Crush look that I did last year except I've used grey/taupe shades and a hint of blue. I swept the same berry-toned blush over my cheeks and contoured with my Benefit HOOLA Bronzer. Below are the products that I used:

FACE

Maybelline SuperStay Better Skin Foundation in 030 Sand (Reviewed HERE)

Benefit HOOLA Bronzer (Featured HERE)

ELES Mineral Blush in Mixed Berries (Featured HERE)

EYES

Australis Eyeshadow Primer

Models Prefer Day to Night SHADOWS Palette (Reviewed HERE)

SAVVY Liquid Eyeliner in Navy Blue

The Face Shop Lovely Me:Ex Make Me Star Waterproof Gel Liner in Indigo Blue (Featured HERE)

Dolly Wink Eyelash Glue (Featured HERE) 

Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Dark (Featured HERE)

Red Earth Brow Kit (Featured HERE)

DAISO False Lashes

L'Oreal Miss Manga Mega Volume Mascara (Let me know if you'd like a review!)

LIPS

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipstick in 31

TOOLS

Shiseido Eyelash Curler (Featured HERE)

L-R: Sigma Brushes x3, Manicare Brush, EcoTools Brush, Bella Brush, Real Techniques Brush x2, Bella Brush

I used three shades from the Day to Night SHADOWS palette (which looks strikingly similar to Urban Decay's Naked 1 palette but we've already established this long ago). Apologies for all of the noise in the photo, photography and photo editing are still not my strengths. Anyway, I've indicated with arrows which colours I used. I started off with 'Hot Date' (third arrow) as my base taupe colour, then used the crimson shade 'Overachiever' (middle arrow) on the centre of my eyelids to make my eyes pop. For the outer corners of my eyelid, I used 'Co-worker' (first arrow) and blended this into my eyelid's crease. I blended the colours in to create a subtle smokey look.

I really wanted to add a touch of blue to the look so I decided that the best way to do this without blending it in with the rest of my eyeshadow was to use it as a lower lash line colour. I used the shade circled on my 88 Shimmer Palette above and ta-da, I was happy with the colour combinations.

Used a blue liquid eyeliner for my upper lash line and added mascara and falsies - look complete!

I got a bit of an 80s-90s vibe from the shawl as it looked a little retro so I found that my colour combinations matched well with the retro-ness of the accessory. Using blue eyeshadow and eyeliner already brings back memories from the past!

Definitely suitable for daytime wear!

Now in comparison to Hana's look, this is completely different! I think it's awesome how we went about this differently and created looks that aren't like each other's. That is simply the joy of applying makeup and playing around with it - we each have our own interpretations and that shows how individual and unique we really are when it comes to all sorts of things, including being creative. Take a look at how amazing her makeup look is:

So on point and stunning!

Seeing Hana's look after doing mine makes me think 'wow, I should've done that' haha but nonetheless I had fun with what I did and keep it fairly winter-themed and subtle. Hana's the pro here, the makeup artist so big claps for her gorgeous look! I think my next makeup look should be a vibrant one though, what do you reckon?

Anyway, now that you've had a preview of Hana's look, I definitely suggest that you go and check it out and leave some love on her blog as well!

Questjen to you:

How do you like your eye makeup - vibrant or subtle?

Both is great depending on the occasion however I never wear a lot of makeup so subtle is the way to go for me!

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Everyday Barely-there Makeup Look

Um hey, how is it already the end of February?! The year is already going by too quickly and it honestly doesn't feel as though I wrote my last post a month ago, whaaat. Anyway I really appreciated the feedback on my first 'first impressions' post and from that it's given me inspiration for this post. If you haven't checked it out already, you can do so here.

The makeup looks that I've shared on this blog consist of bold eyeshadows, eyeliner and also circle lenses so for once I thought I'd do the total opposite by eliminating the following, just for kicks:

NO eyeshadow

NO eyeliner

NO mascara

NO lipstick

NO lipgloss

Makeup without any of the above, some may wonder how that is even possible. Well it is by having a 'barely-there' makeup look that subtly enhances your features without adding any colour or shimmer.

I don't know what face I'm making here

Using only these products:

Bare Minerals Prime Time Foundation Primer in Original

Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in 200 Soft Beige

Benefit Hoola Bronzing Powder*

Tony Moly Crystal Light Highlighter in 02 Gold Beam

The Face Shop Lovely me:ex Design My Eyebrow in #04 Brown

Benefit Benetint Rose-tinted Lip & Cheek Stain*

Rimmel Silky Loose Face Powder in Transparent

This is a look that takes minimal time to prep with only a handful of products and you're good to go. It's especially handy for those who don't have long to get ready in the morning and still want to look fresh and done-up.

A smooth, even complexion is what I need to give me that boost of confidence and I tend to use either BB cream or foundation but when I used foundation I must use a primer. These days I cannot leave the house without filling in my brows because my brow game's got to be strong no matter what hehe. I top everything off with translucent powder afterwards.

Adding a pop of colour on the eyes and/or lips can be amazing yet it requires much effort with blending and perfecting and sometimes it takes way longer than expected. Getting your winged eyeliner on point is a tedious task too. Personally I believe that adding depth and dimension to the face with bronzer/contour, highlighter and blusher are the key aspects to making one's appearance stand out above the rest and there doesn't need to be a lot of it to make a difference. And when it's done with precision it's absolutely mind-blowing - think of those contouring before and after pics floating around the internet! My natural everyday look consists of slight contouring of my nose and cheekbones and highlighting on the high points of my face. You can barely tell it's there, hey?

A time-saving trick is to use a 2-in-1 cheek tint and lip stain and the one I've been loving is Benefit's Benetint which gives me nice rosy cheeks and lips. I just love how the pigmentation is buildable and easily blendable so you can use as much or as little as you want while giving you that flawless finish :) Did I mention that a lip/cheek stain is long-lasting too?

A touch of pink to my lips and cheeks. Once again it's subtle!

And lastly, the eyes! For this look I've kept my eyes completely free from makeup which I know is unlike most people who do use makeup because it's usually the main focus when applying/wearing makeup. I've purposely left my eyes as they are because 1, I recently had lash extensions done so eye makeup-free is the way I've been going, 2, eye makeup products such as eyeshadows, eyeliner and mascara seem to draw the most attention, hence not really meeting the 'barely-there' criteria and 3, it saves time and also the time taken to remove the eye makeup afterwards - no need for rubbing and tugging on the delicate eye area!

Keen to share my lash extensions story with you all very soon~

If I had to pick a signature look for myself, this barely-there one would surely be mine! It makes me feel comfortable and confident and to me that's the perfect combination. As much as I appreciate gorgeous eyeshadow colour combinations and stunning lipstick shades, I'll always fall back on keeping things basic to reflect my simplistic lifestyle and shy personality. I feel most like myself with the bare necessities that don't make me look over-the-top.

Questjen for you:

Do you have a signature makeup look?

This doesn't have to be a full-face thing, it might just be that you always wing your eyeliner, wear red lipstick or have a peach blush on. It could also extend to how you have your nails or your hair - I'd love to know what looks you guys are rockin' on a daily basis!

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Disclaimer: Products marked with * have been provided for consideration with no obligation to share or review. This is not a sponsored post with any monetary compensation, nor am I affiliated with any of the companies mentioned in this post. All opinions stated by me are 100% honest and are free from bias. See more at http://www.questjen.com/p/disclaimer.html for full disclaimer.

My Modelling Experiences

Like I have mentioned in my previous posts this year, 2014 has been a year of many 'firsts' or new experiences for me, and today I wanted to share one that I had considered for quite some time and fortunately the opportunity came up in 2014. It's modelling - purely for fun. A fellow blogger and friend, Celeste, started her makeup artistry course earlier this year and I was interested in being one of her makeup models for her portfolio. That's where it all started for me and since then we have done two photoshoots!

I have to admit that this wasn't the first time I had makeup applied by a MUA and photos taken afterwards - my first experience was in 2011 when I auditioned to become the Asian model for FOA cosmetics (Face of Australia). I had a very natural look applied on me and had a few test shots taken. They were only looking for one Asian model and unfortunately that wasn't me. I wasn't surprised that I didn't get picked because the model who was chosen is so gorgeous with lovely features and has had experience in modelling (I think I would've been way too awkward at the time, being only 18). I never received the photos in the end and I do remember taking a few selfies afterwards but I have no idea if I still have them. You can check out the girls who were chosen for FOA's models here.

Here's my first makeup look done by Celeste where she re-created the look on an Asian model, found on Pinterest. This is my favourite photo that was taken:

MUA + photographer: Celeste

I fell in love with this concept when I first saw it and was very excited to have it done on me! My features are almost completely opposite to the model despite both of us being Asian so it was interesting to see how it was going to turn out on me. It was great how Celeste went to the effort of picking out props to match the model's and I can certainly say that I am pleased with it overall :)

This next one was my first proper photoshoot with photographer, Bhas for a TFP shoot (time for print) with Celeste as the makeup artist. A fun shoot for their portfolios (and also mine if I ever want to model for future TFPs etc.) where Celeste decided on the theme being Korean fashion/bohemian chic. As many of my blog readers know from seeing my inspired makeup looks over the years, I love dressing up and I'm always happy to try new styles. I don't have many chiffon/flowy items in my wardrobe but we made do with what I had and Celeste managed to bring along some items for the shoot too.

 Natural/messy hair for the look since it was an outdoor photoshoot

We headed to Mount Lofty/Waterfall Gully to get some nature-ish photos alongside waterfalls and parklands and here are just a few of the photos taken. I wore two different outfits and altogether it took around 2-3 hours.

Behind-the-scenes photo taken by Celeste

Photo by Bhas

MUA + photographer: Celeste

I applaud all full-time, part-time, freelance models out there because it isn't easy stuff! I was really awkward with my poses even though I was given some direction with the above shots. It was tiring having to hold them and not lean or have my head in a certain position/angle and not be tempted to smile too much as it was best to have a straight face (this was really difficult for someone who is very smiley). A pose that feels natural for the model may not look that great on camera - it takes effort to look effortless, that's for sure!

The weather was worrying for our shoot that day with the on-again-off-again spitting rain however we managed to keep dry and get some great shots done. After this shoot I contemplated modelling again for fun and/or freelancing as Celeste and Bhas brought up this idea which really got me thinking, should I take it up as a thing to do on the side? Despite it being a tiring process, I had a lot of fun and I do enjoy getting my photo taken (when I'm all done up), plus I felt that this experience helped raise my confidence a little. With more practice, I'm sure I'll become less awkward with posing and more free to express myself.

Not long after this shoot, Celeste contacted me about another with a budding photographer Jacqui and MUA/hair artist Mel and of course I took up this opportunity to model once again. This concept was a little more cray-cray than the last however I was totally up for it! Before I share my photos from the shoot, have a look at the inspiration photo:

!!! Isn't it just amazing?? What would this look even be called??

When Celeste showed me this I was thinking WOW this is going to turn out epic if the team can pull it off. And guess what? After about 3 hours of fiddling with hair and makeup, we shot for about 15-20 minutes due to time constraints and it was done and dusted! The look was the most important thing overall and the girls did a fantastic job. Originally the idea was the follow the same colour scheme and Mel decided that a green/khaki look would better suit my skin tone/hair and be better for everyone's portfolios, seeing as pink is a popular colour on female models. Pink is my favourite colour but I was happy for the colour change so good call, Mel!

My tri-toned hair using hair pieces - none that are showing are my own!

 

Mel did an incredible job with the hair and it reminds me of those classical hairstyles from the olden days - I'm sure some would know what I'm talking about! As you can tell I'm not that great with history haha. I found it amusing having these hair pieces weaved into my hair (not clip-ons) and having about 50 bobby pins in my hair and many elastics. It wasn't fun having to get them all out but it had to be done and my head felt much lighter afterwards hehe.

Before and after pic! And a pesky pimple decided to show up on the day...

I LOVE the way it turned out omg, so much creativity!! Those additional details with the flowers in my hair on on my wrist/back of my hand looked superb - I felt as though I were a queen from a mystical land as I stepped out to the photography studio with this ensemble, wearing a puffy white wedding dress.

Jacqui did an amazing job with the shoot due to her professionalism in showing me directions and making me feel really comfortable whilst posing. The photos and editing she did for them are so stunning that I can barely recognise myself (in a good way, because she made me look absolutely flawless). I've got the pictures to share but first, let me take share a selfie.

The green/earthy colours make me think of Lisa Simpson saying "I am the lizard queen!" because lizards are green. Lizard queen is me

The beads and hair pieces on my head weren't the heaviest-feeling - it was actually the double-lashes that made my eyes feel super heavy! It made them difficult to open as I always felt like keeping them half open or completely shut and I haven't worn double-lashes (two sets of falsies) in a long time. They really added to the effect though :)

Photography by Jacqui, Makeup by Celeste, Hair and makeup assistance by Mel

 

Saved my favourite shot 'til last

Now this second photoshoot really brought out my confidence and looking back on it makes me look even more forward to my next one whenever that will be! Hopefully in 2015 I will have some more TFPs done as I'm not looking for any monetary benefit from modelling (yet) while still being an amateur. If and when I do another shoot, I'll be sure to tweet about it and possibly write up another post on my experience/s. It's been so awesome to have worked with and met such creative, artistic people through these shoots this year, they're seriously inspiring. Happy to help anyone who would like to get in touch with any of them!

It's great to be able to tick something off my list of 'things I'd like to try' before the year ends which makes me feel quite accomplished. I know anyone can do these types of photoshoots as it isn't like fashion runway modelling or magazine prints but hey, I think it does take a whole lot of guts to put yourself out there in this way and not have complete control of the way you're presented with the makeup, concept and outfit choices. Although I initially did this to help out a friend, it also benefited me in more ways than one. I've always been a shy, self-conscious girl so doing photoshoots has been a big step for me. Challenge accepted, challenge succeeded.

Questjen for you:

What would you like to try or take up as a hobby in 2015?

You don't have to wait until the new year to start something, you can start today!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and I wish you all a safe and happy new year! 2015, bring it on ^_^

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