Mastering the art of transitional footwear

That bit between seasons is a tricky time, especially when it comes to what to put on your feet. May is only a few days away and whilst winter and it's call for clumpy boots is well behind us, it's too early to be embracing summer's footwear trends; pool slides in this rain? You must be joking.

Whilst we can rely on biker jackets and Bretons to ride out the transitional weather, where does that leave with shoes?

This season the answer is a mixture of classics, new trends and revisited ones.

The loafer
Consider the loafer the trench coat of footwear; eternally stylish, versatile and wonderfully practical. Worn with or without ankle socks, the unassuming slip-on looks smart with tailored trousers for the office while lending an air of Riviera chic to a weekend chino and Breton combination. Patent leather in navy, black or burgundy will see you through every season, or opt for a colour-pop suede style for a summery version (just mind those puddles). Gucci's horsebit loafers are the Holy Grail of the loafer world and make even the simplest of outfits look expensive. At £370 they are an investment but will be worn time and time again so well worth it. Tod's driving loafers come in statement brights or head to Tommy Hilfiger for affordable preppy styles.

^{Top: suede, £85, by Tommy Hilfiger ; centre: leather horsebit, £370 by Gucci ; bottom: suede, £250 by Tod's}

The skater shoe
There has been a lot of talk about sneakers amongst the fashion pack this season, in particular the skater shoe. Although met at first with scepticism - aren't those what teenage boys wear to the park?! - the skater has proven to be the working girl's new friend and are a useful interim flat until the weather permits bare toes. Don a sleek pair in plain back or cream to freshen up a trouser suit or wear without socks with rolled up jeans as an alternative to sandals.

^{Top: cotton, £29.95, by GAP ; centre, canvas, £260, by Saint Laurent ; bottom: leather, £95, by Kurt Geiger}

The heeled mule
Thanks to fashion's obsession with all things '90s, this season has seen the return of the mule. The heeled variety has all the sexiness of a strappy sandal but without revealing too much flesh - which for those of us not quite ready to bare our toes in public is a saving grace. This is a great workwear and evening shoe as it works with everything a classic court would whilst introducing an air of seasonal ease, especially when worn in nudes and cream. French Connection have the best on the high street while Stella McCartney and Gianvito Rossi have elegant styles for those with a higher budget.

^{Top: leather, £455, by Gianvito Rossi ; centre: leather, £95, by French Connection ; bottom: leather, £80, by Aldo}

The spring boot
Let's face it, even in the heady of heights of summer it doesn't hurt to have a rainproof shoe option at the ready and this is where the summer boot comes in. Ankle length and in suede (use protector) or pale toned leather, a desert, Chelsea or western boot is an essential part of a transitional wardrobe. Wear with pale denim or lightweight cargo trousers now and a summery tea dress during the summer months. Clarks' suede desert boots are a steal at under £80 and come in a variety of colours whilst Penelope Chilvers has a colourway to please everyone.

^{Top: suede, £249, by Penelope Chilvers ; nubuck, £79, by Clarks ; bottom: leather, £295, by Russell and Bromley}

Via: Mastering the art of transitional footwear

GIF GUIDE: Get That Spring Glow With YSL's Make-Up Artist

YSL’s latest offering caused quite the stir when it landed on the Grazia beauty desk and it’s not hard to see why. Coming from a team of four beauty girls who couldn’t live without their trusty Touche Éclats, YSL’s newest product had some big boots to fill. Well girls, the good news is that we are already totally obsessed with Kiss and Blush, the beauty brand’s hottest offering designed to work on cheeks and lips. This is some real multi-tasking stuff. Plus, available in 12 shades, this rosy-hued spectrum guarantees the ultimate springtime glow for every skin tone. Hurrah!

There are a fair few reasons why we love Kiss and Blush and reckon this is a serious cult product in the making. Why? The glass bottle, for starters, is super-chic and the perfect new season update for your make-up bag. What’s more, the stellar 2-in-1 formula will quickly dispel any preconceptions you had about 2-in-1 products, notorious for not excelling in either area of said beauty promise. 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner? You get the idea.

With a light, air-whipped mousse texture, soft matte finish and blendable formula, we’re in the midst of a real love affair with Kiss and Blush, so you can only imagine how excited we were to catch up with YSL make-up artist Fred Letailleur, who shared with us his top tips for the ultimate Kiss and Blush application…

 

Fred Letailleur's 6 Easy Steps For The Ultimate Springtime Glow:

1. Ensure skin is clear and radiant by using YSL’s Forever Youth Liberator Serum to hydrate and Le Teint Touche Éclat foundation to add luminosity. Next apply Touché Éclat over the cheeks to sculpt and also around the lips to sharpen their contour.

2. You can use a warm tone on the cheek and lips for a coordinated result, or for a younger look, use a warm tone on the cheek, followed by a contrasting cool tone on the lips.

3. When applying Kiss & Blush on the cheeks, use 2 or 3 dots along the top of the cheekbone and then blend from the apple of the cheeks downwards towards your hairline. 

4. For a sculpted result, use the texture along the top of the cheekbone, or focus on the apple of the cheeks should you prefer a younger look.

5. For a natural lip effect, apply with the applicator directly on the lips dotting 2 or 3 dots then blend with your finger. For a smoother result, apply the texture directly from the applicator to the lip, starting from the outer corner towards the centre.

6. Sharpen the definition of the lips and cupid’s bow using the tip of the brush. The matte luminous texture will melt into the lip creating a fine layer of colour ideal for daytime when using natural tones or perfect for a sophisticated matte burst of lasting colour on the lip for special occasions!

Yves Saint Laurent Kiss and Blush are priced £27 each and available from www.yslbeauty.co.uk

Via: GIF GUIDE: Get That Spring Glow With YSL's Make-Up Artist

Kim and Kanye's Vogue cover on course to be a record seller

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's US Vogue cover may have been divisive but it hasn't stopped the April 2014 issue from flying off the rhetorical shelves. The edition is on course to out-sell the publication's 2013 best-sellers; the March and April issues, which featured Beyoncé and Michelle Obama, respectively.

The cover was unveiled at the end of March and quickly garnered criticism from Vogue fans who thought it ridiculous that a reality star famous for a sex tape had scored the cover of the world's most famous fashion magazine. #VogueIsDead began trending on Twitter as the unhappy tweets continued to flood in. Naomi Campbell and actress Sarah Michelle Geller were among the famous names who publicly panned the move.

'Media sources' tell Page Six that the issue is on course to sell 300,000 to 400,000 copies - Beyonce's 2013 cover sold 355,397, while Obama's sold 293,748.

Kim, Kanye and their daughter North inside the issue. Photo: Annie Leibovitz

US Vogue éditor-in-chief Anna Wintour was fierce in her defence of the controversial cover decision, writing in her editor's letter: "As for the cover, my opinion is that it is both charming and touching, and it was, I should add, entirely our idea to do it; you may have read that Kanye begged me to put his fiancée on Vogue's cover. He did nothing of the sort. The gossip might make better reading, but the simple fact of the matter is that it isn't true."

READ: How Kanye West proposed to Kim Kardashian

Parodies also quickly followed, with a version of the cover featuring Miss Piggy and Kermit in place of Kim and Kanye becoming a memorable meme.

According to Hamish Bowles, european editor-at-large, the best-selling US Vogue issue ever was the April 1992 100th anniversary edition, featuring Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Karen Mulder, Elaine Irwin, Niki Taylor, Yasmeen Ghauri, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and Tatjana Patitz.

Two of the parodies that quickly spread: Kermit and Miss Piggy, and actors Seth Rogen and James Franco

Via: Kim and Kanye's Vogue cover on course to be a record seller

Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton Sizzle on ACM Awards Red Carpet: Picture

Country music's sexiest power couple, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, hit the red carpet at the 2014 Academy of Country Music Awards on Sunday, April 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. 

Lambert wowed in a nude Swarovski crystal-covered Randi Rahm gown with her wavy blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. Her adoring husband of almost three years wore cowboy boots, jeans, and a black vest and jacket. 

The "Boys Round Here" crooner co-hosted the evening's ceremony with pal Luke Bryan, and both he and his wife were up for numerous honors including the coveted Entertainer of the Year title. 

After her husband had to leave her side for his hosting duties, Lambert posed with friends Carrie Underwood, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, and Voice contestant RaeLynn. 

Earlier in the evening, Shelton and Bryan posted a goofy selfie for fans, tweeting, "I think @LukeBryanOnline and I are either ready or high."

Via: Miranda Lambert, Blake Shelton Sizzle on ACM Awards Red Carpet: Picture

Flashback Friday: We Speak To The Photographer Of One Of Victoria's First-ever Photo Shoots

[Jay Hopkins]

In this week's issue of Grazia we celebrate Victoria Beckham's upcoming 40th birthday, with a 10-page VB special. In a Grazia exclusive we reveal what happened when shy teenager Victoria Adams called up photographer Holt for one of her first-ever photo shoots...

She'd go on to become a Spice Girl, one half of Brand Beckham and an internationally acclaimed designer – yet this set of never-before-seen pictures captures the then unknown Victoria Adams finding her way in the world.

The images were taken in March 1993, in the West London home of photographer Holt, who worked with many stage-school graduates at the time. The 19-year-old Victoria, then a graduate of Laine Theatre Arts School in Epsom, telephoned to arrange a day-long session to shoot the same kind of portfolio as many of her classmates.

[Jay Hopkins]

She turned up with accessories – sunglasses and a belted mac. ‘She had clearly made a study of it,’ recalls Holt. ‘She arrived bang on time, and the moment we took the lens cap off, she was ready. This was before digital cameras, when every frame had to count – she was very aware of that.'

‘Victoria had an innate sense of how to project herself for the camera. It came from her dance training – it makes you very aware of what you look like in a mirror. She instinctively knew what looked good,’ the photographer adds. But besides having an ‘eye for proportion’ and knowing what suited her, there was no other hint that Victoria would become the fashion star she is now.

[Jay Hopkins]

At the time, she told Holt her ambition was to be in the musical Cats. She was doing endless rounds of gruelling audition calls. ‘She didn’t want to be famous, she just wanted to do a job she loved,’ he recalls. ‘She wasn’t a show-off and certainly didn’t fancy herself – her attitude was that she didn’t think she was the most talented or gifted or beautiful person, but that if she worked hard, it’d give her an edge.’

Twenty-one years on, Holt says, ‘She had a quiet maturity beyond her years. From my time with her that day, I know that there is one simple reason for her success: focus and hard work.’

See Victoria Beckham's transition from Spice Girl to bona fide fashion icon in the gallery below...

- Kathryn Knight

Via: Flashback Friday: We Speak To The Photographer Of One Of Victoria's First-ever Photo Shoots