Racewear for Oaks Day

Horse racing and the culture has eluded me for much of my life. In the States we have the Kentucky Derby every May, but here in Melbourne there's a week's worth of races, fashion and festivities. For the first time since moving to Melbourne I'll be attending Oaks Day in the Yarra Valley (also known for its wine!) next week.

• I purchased this lovely beaded shift dress at Portmans last weekend -- I really took a leap of faith when I bought it. Thing is, I hadn't asked my boss if I could go - thankfully he said yes.
• Nude peep toe pumps go with pretty much eveything and won't detract from what I think is a pretty glamorous dress. Note to self: must bring flats when all else fails!
• This flowery corsage will adorn my wrist in lieu of wearing jewellry.
• Instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars for a luxe fascinator I'd probably only wear once, I've opted to wear this lovely headband Scott bought for me in Italy last year.

On a completely different note, Happy Halloween to everyone in the States! And to the East Coasters, hopefully the worst of Hurricane Sandy is through.

A healthy holiday helping of Chanel

Over a week ago I raced into the city to purchase the latest release from Chanel. I have yet to try it on myself, but let's take a gander at what I bought.

Gold, taupe, burnt cranberry and soft pink are tied together with their subtle shimmery finishes in this quad. I was taken aback (in a good way) by the orange undertones as I swatched the berry shade on my arm. Minimal elbow grease was expended during my swatch session, full opacity was reached with very little effort. The texture of the shadow is a soft powder, yet it felt creamy to the touch. I think a good primer will help to keep your look in check.

L'Impatiente for me is a stunning deep berry shade. Please hold my merlot so I can give you a proper kiss underneath the mistletoe.

A review and look will hopefully appear by next weekend.

What do you think of the rest of Chanel's Holiday 2012 collection?

Eyes to mesmerize: NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Koala

Did I ever tell you about the time I met and held a koala at work? Well, I did about a year ago. The funny thing about it all was before I moved here from Massachusetts, I think all of my friends and family fully expected me to be handed a koala bear and a kangaroo upon landing in Melbourne. Australia is very much a first world with a bit of old world mentality. I say this because I actually overheard a woman talk about going 'walk about' in the bush -- much like a hiker who heads for remote trails, this woman took off for several weeks and took in the purest and most untouched parts of Australia. You really don't see that happen often in the US, do you now? Where was I? Ah yes, the koala. One of the executives' wives of the company I work for rescues animals from the wild and takes care of them until they're ready to be introduced to a wildlife reserve here in Melbourne. Last October I was fortunate enough to meet and hold this little bundle of joy.

Koala!

Little tiny Koala Bear!

Now, you might be thinking what does NARS have to do with koalas? If you look up at the cute and cuddly Gae, you'll notice it's silky soft grey fur. Francois Nars encapsulated the colour and essence of a koala in one of four new shades found within his Eyeliner Stylo range.

Sharp, precise and easy to use, NARS Eyeliner Stylo is exactly those things. When it comes to liner, I liken myself to a bull in a china shop; I'm clumsy, unskilled and one of these days I just might poke my eye out. But with the Eyeliner Stylo, the skills come from the pen itself. The colour flows from the pen with ease and manages to follow the contour of my lids. Depending on the pressure you apply, you can go from thin to thick strokes easily and seamlessly.

Props to Kate over at la beaute et le bloguer for convincing me to add this to my collection. Be sure to check out her review and swatches of Carpates (the blackest of blacks).

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Koala:

• $44.00 AUS / $27.00 USD

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

• 9 out of 10 bags – easy and long-lasting. A must buy!

Likelihood to purchase:

• Carpates (black), Nuku Hiva (brown) and Atlantic (deep blue) are next on my list.

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Deborah Lippmann's Hollaback Girl with glitter fade - weekly nail review

Recently Deborah Lippmann put together a nail collection called Run the World (Girls) and wouldn't you know, each polish is named after a hit single containing the word "girl".  Run the World (Girls) does neon, but all grown up; thanks for this late 80's time capsule. For my first manicure experience with Blonde Tiger, Erin (formerly of French Pink) chose to do a glitter fade atop Lippmann's Hollaback Girl -- a matte neon orange.

Before painting my nails, Erin filed my nails and trimmed my cuticles and then she treated me to her homemade scrub. Erin's witches brew smelled so fantastic I could've lapped it out of the bowl; from what I can recall, her scrub combined lemon, gritty sugar and vanilla scented oil. After rinsing my hands, the aroma and feel left behind was decadent and soft.

The conversation and environment was solid -- we discussed her recent trip to the States, the upcoming election (g(O)bama!) and the salon space she shares with an eyebrow waxer and eyelash extension-air.

If you're looking for a day to treat yo' self, then please leave your worries at the doorstep of the beauty compilation, if you will, over on Level 1, 270 Russell Street, Melbourne.