Skin in the Game

Make Up, Model, Make Up Artist, MUA, Video Shoot, Music Video, behind the scenes,

Tales from a make up chair. Top industry professionals, uber creatives millimetres from my face, focused, unsuspecting, and essentially with no place to run. That is precisely when I start my interrogations. A personal consultation with a trained professional. In my element.

Make Up, Cosmetics, Model, The Model Edit, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

Nearly ready for my close up.

I recently worked on a Music Video (Artist to be announced as soon as NDA permits )and managed to purloin straight from the lips of Make Up Artist Liberty Callaway @liberty_c , the skin-ny on a couple of things that you need to know. Firstly a word that Liberty should patent, is ‘Juicy’ Juicy skin is what we’re after here. Yes, isn’t it though!? Basic law of cosmetics, Don’t plaster over cracks. That’s right, to capitalise on all the hype and potential around any top Base or Foundation, you need to create a receptive epidermis for anything that you apply on it, Skin condition is key. All we can do is maximise the potential of our birthday suit. We wear it everywhere, everyday, hidden or highlighted. Often we are Marshmallows, bit dry and wrinkly on the outside, flexible and moist on the inside. We need to be more Haribo about ourselves, gently, satiny on the outside, juicy and flexible on the inside.

To get you picked from the mix, Liberty and I shout Skin Food from Weleda at you. It’s putting the message out there from the get go, and has been recommended to me by two MUA’s in the last two months. This is non spenny, unctuous and oily and you can hear your skin go ‘slurp’ as you apply. I prefer to use it at night and not necessarily every night, as its very rich. However it is absolutely bloody loved by MUA’s and base does sit well on it in a breathy moist manner. Young and lovely skin, we are coming for you.

Weleda, Moisturiser, Weleda Skincare, Beauty Product, Skincare
Skin says ‘Yum’

I can’t wade through lots of stuff, ever, and that goes for information overload on beauty products, so just to complete this double act, I give you one suggestion for a juicy base, which can now be attainable for you because of what you save on the the above, delicious nutritious, moisturiser ( I’ll let you do the big reveal for yourselves on that cost just click the link). You are running free to invest in the bank of Chantecaille and their Future Skin Foundation . Oil-free and rich in botanicals such as aloe, chamomile, rosemary and green tea, Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation works with your skin face by soothing any irritation, boosting immunity and preventing water evaporation, and imperfections diminish with the help the of light-reflecting particles contained in the formula.

Job’s quite a good’un.

Chantecaille Beauty Products, Base skin foundation, Make Up, Skin Foundation, Chantecaille Oil Free Gel Foundation

Cruise Control

I think what I’m going to do is send out my blogposts on a ‘I need you to know’ basis as it’s always good to have a direction when on your style map. I scrutinise markers from the key influential labels and see what is available to me to be part of that trend and that’s what I’ll share with you. A friend of mine designed for Burberry in Asia and one of their gems was the T-shirt collection as they were at a price point (albeit not a Primark one), that allowed Burberry fans without Burberry pockets, to enter into the costly Kingdom. Moving on, and with the assailing prevalence of Charity, Vintage and Pre Loved shops on every street corner, we don’t actually have to buy new anything to be part of a designer movement. We just have to spot the corner piece of the jigsaw puzzle and slot it in to our outfit in order to be part of the complete picture. Better still look deep within our wardrobes.

ck jacket tailored clothing, pussy bow monochrome catwalk press show model kendal jenner
Chanel Resort 2020 h

Today I’m highlighting just a couple of things that slapped me in style, from Chanel Resort 2020 collection. The show opened with an easy black jacket with wide-leg pants cut short enough not to slow a woman on a mission down, and a soft but unfussy white blouse with a purrfect Pussy Bow. Notes to selves; Which type of big cat are you? Get that Bow somewhere on your core clothes. Do you have still have strings to your Bows that haven’t been edited to extinction out of your wardrobes? If yes, you my friends are the chosen ones. Trim your trews.

Chanel Resort 2020

Miaow!


Same but more explicit. Please adore the mahoosive Pussy Bow utter Bullseye of a style statement lending excitement to a quite sensible look. Joy to my world of footwear as I couldn’t be more at one with the earth than when it’s a whiteout on my feet. Thank you Virginie Viard for entwining every footstep in your first solo show for Chanel in a forest of white delights.

A little of what I fancy may do you good.

Yo-Yous


Hello everyone who hasn’t erased the memory of my alter ego, Mrs V and is still interested in my style scratchings.

I have spent a year becoming more myself than ever and am excited to utterly get going and let rip on all the material style matters that cross my catwalk.

Pre Loved Vintage Clothing Mrs V The Model Edit H&M Long White Skirt Black Boots Tailored Jacket Red Curly Hair Long Hair Model
Current Wardrobe Classics

I’m currently massively happy with shopping from my wardrobe, styling owned merch up and deciphering current catwalk trends into looks that speak the language of my present curated closet. Aware of the terrible treadmill of ‘Fast Fashion’ I’d like to translate that phrase into a quick canter to your wardrobe and hopefully inspire you to style yourselves up and slow down the deficit in your purse and the world’s resources . This doesn’t mean to say that we all need to go around looking like Supporting Artists from The Handmaids Tale, or that I’m frowning on a Zara moment, or a Richard Malone one, what I’m endorsing is style with a conscious strategy and for all of us to be empowered and individual via our clothes.

I can’t help out with Brexit negotiations, but I can help you wrestle around your wardrobe.

LFW SS18 From Me To You

Tugcan Dokmen, Press Show, womenswear, Turkish designer, London Fashion Week, Press event, Fashion, style, trends, clothes, designer clothes, women's fashion

Tugcan Dokmen SS18

Mrs V is highlighting a hundreds and thousands snapshot of what was shown at London Fashion Week in September 2017, and why you should invest in some part of these little style kicks. Fashion is a many splendored thing and just because I’m not featuring it all here doesn’t mean you won’t see me wearing, but for now the style suggestions set before you are already nestling nicely in my wardrobe. I ain’t asking you to do anything that I wouldn’t do.You can go straight in and buy the look in its entirety, or you could do the same as me which is scrutinise, select and style. What I’m seeing here is me modelling lol! but more importantly, femininity incorporating flounce and transparence. Invest. Not a flash in the pan look. Next season you’ll  wear these dresses and their coat friends over your jeans.

Irene SJ Yu, press show, womenswear, LFW SS18, style, trends

Irene SJ YU SS18

Look at this confection of cute as anything clothes. Step inside this look. If you haven’t got a boob tube or a non scary/new to you and your style, corset. Go get one, it will have the open sesame effect on lots of your tops and some of your jackets. Very little investment, very big effect. I’ve been wearing this look for a while and couldn’t love it more and am always accumulating more tops to truss me up in.

Irene SJ Yu,

Irene SJ YU SS18

You need to see these collections at their purest, how the designers show them, before you can decant. Find an essence and make it your own. We have the juxtaposition of funkaploosa prints and grown up fabric. A peep show of flesh and anarchic animal prints, individually riotous but together fashion fierce. Use these style stepping stones. Sometimes you’ll get your feet wet, but where you want to be is the other side of the river, the view is different. Don’t stagnate your style.

Fyodor Golan, womenswear designer, fashion, trendy, style, athleisure, sweatpants, jogging pants, tracksuit

Fyodor Golan SS18

Here ’tis, my best friend since the the invention of the Tutu. Its Athleisure o’ clock. Bet I don’t have to say more. But I must, because if you haven’t dabbled just a little with this, I’m sad. You can find any price point for this look and you will travel far and wide in it. Tailored jacket, espadrilles, or Manolos. Get on with it!

Edeline Lee, Womenswear, Hijab athleisure

 Edeline Lee SS18

Athleisure is very adaptable and approachable.

Clio Peppiatt, LFW SS18, bordello style, saloon girl fashion

Clio Peppiatt, Saloon girl style, frills, lace, satin, colourful clothes, feminine clothes

Clio Peppiatt SS18

Saloon style and all the fun of the Bordello. The Last Supper for naughty girls. So much to love here. Undiluted prettiness but with a risky ruffle and colours that would be happy making for Christian Lacroix. Higher accolades are just not out there. I’m loving the disco fabrics and Soul Train designs. What about a tailored jacket with those Purple Rain trousers? There you go, you’re in.

Azzedine Alaia, Tina Turner and Mrs V.

Azzedine Alaia, body con, sexy dresses, womenswear designer, couturier, moroccan designer, Paris

We have lost a torch bearing designer who’s designs celebrated our shapes in all their forms.  Alaia put the Body into Bodycon     

My hommage to this gorgeous human being comes in a music video. Bizarre choice? Not really. Look at the clothes. Look at me. Look at at Naomi Campbell Azzedine gave us a shape, before nature had settled on one.  The song is sung by Tina turner, a disciple of Azzedine Alaia and someone who spotted a winner when others of her age wouldn’t have. I’m sensing some sceptics out there who may assume that such body skimming clothes are not for them. Non(style)sense! I shout. One thing is to not feel happy with that much disclosure, another thing entirely is to disbelieve that these creations are for you. Actually being a slender model with barely a curve, north or south, Mrs V wasn’t the straight up, sure fire candidate to rock these divinities either. Wrong! Lordy and lands sake, put on a skirt and have your bottom told where to be and the rest was obvious for any passerby. That man totally understood what needed to go where and how to get it there. Not a vertebra or a sinew left to its own devices but with better effect than a Deep Vein Thrombosis stocking, these babies should have been handed out as a safety requirement on long haul flights.

A gracious and beautiful human has left his atelier.

Exposing Camouflage

mvthun21, Instagram, @mvthun21, camouflage style, camouflage fashion, shacket, older model, grey hair, classic woman, instagram influencer

Overriding the faux fur and lace effects appliquéd on to most everything right now, I was smacked around my fashion face by Camouflage print clothing as ‘eye spied’ my way around London this week. It’s rough, ready, smart sexy. Get out on manoeuvres and capture your target piece My Instagram friend @mvthun21 illustrates perfectly how to incorporate a piece of Camouflage clothing into your ever evolving if I have my way, style lives. Monumentally stylish Mercedes. Don’t we all want to be in her squad? Camo. It’s gone guerrilla up the high street and should be launching a sustained attack on your wardrobe.

Moschino, Versace, Camouflage print fashion, catwalk, camouflage on the catwalk

Pre Fall A/W 2017  Versace  Moschino  Nili Lotan

I could list a whole slew of stockists and styles for the charge of the Camo brigade. But I won’t as it’ll take me ages and I want to send this with love from me to you asap, but primarily because you should browse either by foot or finger to find out how you intend to get in on the crusade of this season, last season and next season.

TOPSHOP camouflage print Shacket, Camouflage fashion

Stradivarius High Street clothing brand, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, www.themodeledit.com, camouflage clothing fashion, came print shirt, women's cams fashion

 

Topshot Camouflage Shacket £45  Stradivarius Camouflage Shirt £25.99

My idea of a ‘good buy’ is an item of clothing that is working hard for its place in my Wardrobe. Don’t translate that into ‘must be worn at all times’. Whatever the piece of clothing, big or small, ostentatious or ordinary, there must be an intrinsic value to it. In Mrs V’s wardrobe there are many tiny weeny bit part players that underpin much of any big blousy outfits appearing on any of The Model Edit’s social network portals. While I’m on a roll I’ll offload another of my beliefs, an iconic item spanning the spectrum between a Burberry Raincoat to a Rolling Stones ‘sticky out tongue’ graphic T, will always, always validate your ticket. The Camouflage print is a prince among prints. I wish I was re inventing the wheel or even put the ‘wire’ in ‘under’, but what I am doing is having a sort of ranty crusade to draw your attention from what’s under your nose, to what’s coming over the horizon, and to ensure that you invest well in pieces that won’t let you down this time next year. I’m pointing you in the direction of Camouflage clothing. It defies it’s original purpose, i.e. to hide things. Camouflage prints are the foot soldiers of fashion. Their colours answer all tonal combinations. Accessories or entire looks. Get into step with this phenomenon.It’s going everywhere Parkas, Jackets, Shackets, Shirt, Hats, Coats, Gloves, T’s, Scarves and Lingerie. Catwalk and Sidewalk.

Chanel Camouflage Jacket, Came fashion, Women's Camouflage jacket, Chanel

When Chanel sends out a call to action, choose your weapons. Visa, MasterCard, Amex…

Men Behaving Badly…At Buckham Fair

Buckham Fair 2017, family Day Out, things to do in Dorset, Pony and Dog show, Horses, Dogs, Arena, funfair, charity event, Dorset and Somerset Air ambulance

 

Wafting myself back into your ever loving inboxes with an invitation to the event of the year. I offer you dogs, ponies, food for days, shopping for days, spectacles to make you gasp and stretch your eye, and the two legendary best bad boys in TV comedy history. Read on. I hope that I’ve set in motion this years trending mania, FOMO. Do not miss out. Do be there ringside, tea side, hillside. We have been mentioned in Traveller Magazine as a fab happening on Summer’s agenda. I’m telling you it’s a very cool place to see and be seen at. This year we’re holding our event in aid of the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance

Buckham Fair Committee 2017, committee, charity event, team members , www.themodeledit.com, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing

We have been working on this years Buckham Fair, since last year’s Buckham Fair, so no wonder it’s truly tremendous and that my blog posts are erratic…and my house is a little untidy…and I forget to call you back…and there’s nothing in the fridge (rare, I’ll give you that). So much scope for so many excuses. Here’s the thing, our committee could organise the The United Nations and our names are less silly. We’re the best that money can’t buy.

Buckham Fair, Buckham Fair Map, event map, Buckham Fair 2017, hand drawn map

We have it all going on and a little site map may give you an indication of the whimsy of our Fair and the traditional curtsey we offer to bygone events. You could not want for more. You will have views that will make your heart happy and your eyes a little squinty because the sun will be reflecting off the sea at West Bay and Lyme Regis while you sit as long as you please on our grassy knolls and on our  slightly scratchy straw bales, true dat! ( I don’t want to be had up for ‘trade descriptions’ ) Wear festival gear because it’s a party, a celebration and a festival of food, shopping, cream teas, dogs, ponies and people. Need more ? I’ve got more. What would you say to a Pre loved Clothing marquee that flings more designers at you than The Octavia Foundation, but throws in a side of celeb nonsense too? We have for the first time, since the last, very long time ago time, reunited the Men Behaving Badly  bromance that is Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey. Ask a dog owners permission to borrow one if you don’t have your own, and get yourselves entered into the ‘The Dog That Most Looks Like Neil Morrissey’ … in any of his incarnations. Neil and Martin will be getting judgemental.

Men Behaving Badly, www.themodeledit.com, Mrs V, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, TV Stars, actors, Martin Clunes, Neil Morrissey, sitcom, BBC1

Look they’re just checking out the Pre Loved merch…

PJ's, Pyjamas, Ladies Pyjamas, tartan, Tartan pyjamas, nightwear, women pyjamas

Seeing that sub zero Summer centigrades are all around me,  I’ll be making a bit of a bolt for a pair of Tartan Jammies kindly donated by Bonsoir of London,

I shall be stylishly rocking fluorescent tabard fashion, and if you can get past that look on me, I’d love to meet any of you there on the day.

 

Pale and Interesting.

Lingerie, M&S Lingerie, flesh coloured lingerie, Bra, lacy underwear

M&S Embroidered Bra £22.50

I know, I know, my posts have been like buses, you wait forever to get one and then two come along at once. Never one to let the grass grow Mrs V thought a shake up of regularity and format may properly rile everyone up. How nice is that? I Just need you to know that one can walk a long, lonely way through frilled, embroidered and lacy lingerie departments to be confronted with the sad sorry sight of hideously practical Flesh Coloured Underwear. As a Model they’re a kind of uniform, a basic of the job. Therefore I’m at saturation point with bras that look like beige pouches and knickers that look like you’re being prepped for an operation. Nah, none of that thank ya!

Lingerie, Flesh Coloured Underwear, cream lace knickers, ladies underwear, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa voegele-Downing, Hi-Rise panties
M&S lingerie, ladies lingerie short, lace underwear, women's knickers, panties

M&S Embroidered Hi Leg Knickers £10  Embroidered Hi Rise Shorts £10

Sometimes masquerading as Cream or Mid Beige (both applicable to my skin tone), this genre of underwear has for Mrs V crawled under a rock and wants us to go there with it. Share the joy as I hustled my way toward the Mini Flapjacks through the M&S Food for the ‘I can’t be arsed’ Hall when this underwear shouted at me. It shouted cute, chic, sexy stuff and to shut it up, readers I bought it. Mrs V will be wearing all sorts of risky transparencies of clothing items and so, so very much hoping that you cop an eyeful of what’s underneath. M&S are purveying this at wondertastic prices and I hope that it may underpin this monolith’s resurgence to producing clothes that we may even wear, but that definitely don’t wear us. Re Food Hall; As you were!

If you have skin tones lighter than Vellum or Tooth Beige, count yourselves well lucky and I have no truck with you on this issue!

Skincare, Go There.

 

320724-1001217565-1

Chantecaille Biodynamic Lifting Serum £198

Those of you with Ermine lined purses, read on. Forever converted and doomed to live in a dustbin, I glow with the epidermis of a post acne apocalypse,  teenager. I care nothing that to sustain my newly emerging Skincare habit, my children will never eat again, I am seduced and convinced by Chantecaille that their bijou, artisanally created skincare line helps me achieve my best dermal self. Again, for your lives only, I rummage metaphorically through make up and beauty bags of the gurus whose stock in trade these potions are. In this case I have been pointed towards two products from the Chantecaille skincare range. A philanthropic French brand known for using uniquely high concentrations of natural botanicals, Chantecaille’s skincare, makeup and fragrances are the epitome of luxury. Their purity of ingredients ensure utter luxury across their products. There are many options for similar products to these, a sort of wannabe mates scenario at a lower entry level, but if you have the means, treat yourself or allow someone else to. I can’t imagine for a second that you’ll be disappointed . I have used a week’s supply of this double act of creams, and am impressed by every aspect really. The serum is potent, kindly lifting and  smoothing wrinkles and and if that wasn’t enough, taking matters into it’s own hand, broadening it’s remit, this Biodynamic Lifting Serum also builds and protects collagen. Awesome, thank you. DNA is repaired with the newest combination of natural stem cells, which is a technicality, but translated, it’s shoring up the skin’s youthful longevity and all hail that!

Chantecaill Bio Lifting Mask, beauty, moisturiser, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing, Mrs V

Chantecaille Bio Lifting Mask £140 

This next product trialled by a frizzy, freckly redhead covered in opinionated skin, came portentously packaged in a platinum coloured pot, and was described to me in a conversation with top beauty blogger  Anna Shearer @lefashionfetish  as ‘a facelift in a jar’ Cue me curtsying.  Chantecaille’s soothing Bio Lifting Mask mask virtually irons out the face. Love us some of that. Our, Non? It’s so fabulous to have access to people like Anna as ordinarily I wouldn’t just take a punt on such an expensive product. Truly industry experts and access thereto, are just divining opportunities. Instagram Idols that I have come across are holding their ground because of their insights and integrity. When you find one that you trust follow them just close enough to avoid a restraining order. Their words are gold dust. Mrs V sobs for the preclusive price point, but simultaneously  and honestly, believes that Chantecaille is a beautiful skincare company using insanely well sourced base ingredients that deliver addictively fine results.

With reference to the ‘facelift in a jar’ recommendation, rather you go over your skincare budget than under the knife.

Get Over It.

Bustier, crop top, Zara, corset, Missguided, Missguided Floral Dress, necklaces, red hair, long curly hair, curly hair, redhead

Zara Top £17.99 (slightly modified, but gorgeous)

Today’s masterclass is in jushing. (say it out loud and you’ll know what I mean). Mrs V is right old pleased about the transformer items currently available on all street corners. With the application of a Corset, Bustier, Belt  or, hello again, Boob Tube that may even be already snuggled on a shelf in your home, you can be in the group photo on the ‘What’s Hot’ list for this summer. All you have to do is find one of these articles of clothing that you feel happy to wear and then you sling it over something you currently own. It’s a wizard wheeze, the revival of something languishing in your wardrobe. Reader, I’ve bought some…

Missguided, Missguided Floral Maxi Dress, maxi dress, floral maxi dress, cropped top, bustier, boob tube

 Bright as you like Boob Tube from Zara £3.99

Squish what you dare into this top, it’s, heads you win and tails why don’t you give it a go? As with a couple of these teasers, they are super well cut and don’t seem to head south and if they were going down Mexico way, they would definitely be doing that on me. Floral Maxi dress a wardrobe pensioner from Missguided.

Bustier, crop top, boob tube, H&M, H&M Lurex top, sparkly top, Armani shirt, Armani, jeans, frayed jeans, Mrs V, www.themodeledit.com, Vanessa Voegele-Downing
Armani, Armani shirt, white shirt, cotton shirt, designer clothing, denim, silver boots, ankle boots

H&M Silver Bandeau £8.99

How nice is this look? Where can’t I go with this combination? Who’s not letting me in? I’m wearing top stuff, Armani shirt = tick, Levis = tick, Topshop Silver Boots = tick, H&M pocket money sparkly Bandeau = tick. I’m with the Bandeau.

Zara Denim Belt, denim corset belt, Zara, Carine Roitfel, Carine Roitfeld trousers, Carine Roitfeld Jacket
Denim belt , denim corset belt, Carine Roitfeld tailored trousers, Brandy Melville Grey wool short sleeved roll neck top

Zara Denim Corset £15.99  Carine Roitfeld for Uniqlo Jacket and Trousers, Brandy Melville Short Sleeved Lambswool sweater and Topshop Ankle Boots. All Mrs V’s fashion incumbents.

Corsets aren’t all slap and tickle. Variations on the theme of, are morphing into everyday, anywhere wear (had to). Due to the retail pace of life and possibly driven by both your’s and mine voracious appetite to look more and more lovely, unless I post five minutes after I’ve targeted a particular item, the item is quite often no longer available. What I will try to do is find a love match with another item, which is what has happened here.

New Look Floral Kimono, Carine Roitfeld, Carine roitfeld black skirt, Pencil skirt, tailored skirt, Dune shoes, high heeled shoes, scrappy sandals

Pulling you back to a shot from last week’s post. H&M Bra top £9.99

 Here’s the thing, as I’ve been assiduously researching, trawling and cross referencing in order to provide links to your pathways to style supremacy, I’ve now gone pea green with envy because of all the insanely gorgeous new on the scene tops in this genre that are now on offer to you.

Bloody hell. You’re all going to beat me at my own game

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