we will always have cannes.

 there's something incredibly magical about the idea of a lovely holiday town full for a week with movie stars, directors and producers, I think that's at least one of the reasons why we are so obsessed with cannes film festival. I've always been interested in the off-time looks in cannes than the red-carpet. easy, breezy, summery but still incredibly glam. so here you go, a few old star photos I selected that reflect the spirit of cannes. oh, sweet nostalgia.

Brigitte Bardot

Jane Birkin

Catherine Deneuve

Grace Kelly

Sofia Loren

                                 

1. a must for endless press conferences and dinners. beige sheath dress, tara jarmon, 190 EUR
 2. loafers are ideal for your off-time in cannes; to take a walk on the shore, or do some boating. tod's "heaven" loafer, $365

3. add some riviera-style bling-bling with coral-inspired accesories. kenneth jay lane 22 karat gold coral-inspired cuff, $215

4. swim like a star with this retro french-inspired one piece. topshop black scallop-stripe one piece swimsuit, $60

5. give a break from your regular lipstick by switching to a dash of sheer, shiny tomato red: not a single bit less glam. rouge coco shine "rebelle" sheer lipstick, $29

6. to protect from the sea breeze in the evening, wrap yourself up a bit. kain alva linen-blend cardigan, $285

7. sun is your enemy, and there will be plenty of it, so don't forget to pack a strong shield. clarins sunscreen for face wrinkle control cream spf 50, $30

8. star treatment to your feet.

9. miss dior chérie is summery and relaxed with tangerine and jasmin undernotes, while wild strawberry and caramel popcorn notes make it a star-worthy, remarkable scent. christian dior miss dior chérie eau de parfum, 30 ml, $71

10. not without your powder; especially when there are so much paparazzi around. dolce & gabbana perfect finish powder foundation in bisque, 39 EUR

11. to recreate that star glow, look no further. nars "orgasm" illuminator, $29

scarlett in lavender

I'm not usually a fan (overrated? absolutely.) but I have to admit scarlett johansson looks undeniably lovely here in iron man photocall.  first of all; lavender looks great on blondes! this is the exact hair look I'm always aiming at. and I can't help adoring the her masterpiece makeup. naturally defined brows and slightly sunkissed, sweet cheeks and moist nude lips, that's very bobbi brown indeed.

well done.

berry-stained lips

I've always loved the idea of a berry-stained pout. strong color meets sheer texture for a flattering and natural look that's a bit innocent and childish -think popsicle pout- and thanks to its "just-bitten" appeal, definitely unusually sultry, in an appropriate way of course.

nowadays; deep cherry, mulberry or wine shades are growing on me. though it's usually more common on fall/winter fashion shows, I find it to be such a fresh look for the spring. especially paired with nude outfits, it's just irresistible.
 
since it's so striking on its own, you don't really need to put a lot of effort on the rest of your face- I complete the look with pale, natural-looking skin, subtly defined brows, a bit of barely-there highlighter and a dash of mascara.

to get this look; you can go for either a lipstain, sheer lipstick or gently pat a more opaque lippie and smudge it for a matte transparent finish. another technique is to put a thick swipe of deep lipstick on, leave it on for a couple minutes, then blot it off with a tissue- this really stains your lips.

I use a sheer berry lipstick that's slightly dewy in texture, but also willing to try a stain ASAP!

1. Laura Mercier lipstain in Mulberry
2. Nars lipstain gloss in Victoria
3. Smashbox photo finish lipstick in Ravishing
4. 3 Custom Color lip and cheek stain in Ski Bunny
5. Bobbi Brown pot rouge for lips & cheeks in Chocolate Cherry
6. CoverGirl outlast lipstain in Sassy Mauve
7. Urban Decay lip envy in Greedy
8. Givenchy printed lips lip stainer in Pink Impression

is there anything more french than a wine-stained pout? try this look with classic french chic items, believe me it works.

berry lips, popsiclepout tarafından Chanel bags ile yaratıldı

a berry lip is just delicious and pretty striking paired with gray.

berry lips, popsiclepout tarafından Donna Karan sweaters ile yaratıldı

this spring's boudoir-esque nudes get along pretty well with berry-stained lips.

berry lips, popsiclepout tarafından Mulberry bags ile yaratıldı

my would-be oscar gown.

is it just me, or do you do it aswell? through the years, I developed the strange habit of pulling together an imaginary look for the oscars. here's this year's look- and I bet that after this post, the academy will be really sorry for not having invited me.

this fairy-dusted, gorgeous nude valentino baby is the ultimate perfect oscar dress for me- I'd pick it up in a minute. in fact, I can hardly think of anything else nowadays

I'd go for a natural but striking makeup look: porcelain skin, berry-stained lips, a bit of ivory highlighter, defined brows and some mascara, kinda like oldschool liv tyler. and my signature loose, intentionally tousled waves of course. ok, this picture of liv tyler is misguiding, I know I wouldn't be exactly as breathtaking, but it's a good look for anyone, not just for elves.

for a little pop of color, I'd wear berry-colored pumps and take a tiffany blue clutch with me, and I'd be good to go. very good to go indeed.

what's your oscar look?

cameron diaz is the queen of california.

one of my favorite Oscar looks is presenter Cameron Diaz's. her strapless champagne gown with golden paillette embroidery sprinkled on is fit for a queen- the perfect choice for her sunny, festive cali girl glow. Oscar de la Renta gets it right all the time.

the sheer tomato lip (CHANEL rouge coco in gabrielle, also dabbed on cheeks) and the gentle wash of golden shadow on her lids (CHANEL soft touch eye shadow in sand) is just perfect, though I feel like rimming the eyes all the way around wasn't a great idea- too heavy to combine with with red lips, so it makes her look a bit older. it would be just right if she had it only on the upper lashline.
her beachy waves are channel the old hollywood glamour in a modern way. I like loose, relaxed, kinda tousled hairstyles better with red carpet gowns- it's always refreshing.

miley cyrus' oscar dress doesn't suck as much as she does.

the fact that  Miley "sensation-amongst-nation's-five-year-olds" Cyrus has been invited to Academy Awards two years in a row kills my faith towards the industry, and believe me, I'd love to, but I can't hate her dreamy, sparkly nude-beige Jennifer Packham dress with a corset-style bodice... though Miley kind of ruined it with this strange posture, but maybe I shouldn't blame her- too tight? seems so.

I like the sheer, fresh colour palette in her makeup, and the subtle emphasis on the eyes, though it makes them look even smaller. also, her upper lip is just really weird, and the super-shiny lipgloss makes it look uber-odd, so I think she should have opted for a not-so-shiny lipstick instead, but I like the color- a pretty nude-pink that doesn't wash her face out. messy bouffant updo completes the bedroom/boudoir look nicely, but I still hate Miley with a passion.

sandra bullock('s oscar look) is a winner.

not just an oscar-worthy performace, sandra bullock also has an oscar-worthy look. no place for a razzie here! she looked breathtaking in her customized Marchesa gown: delicious fabric and vintage beading, perfect shape, and still nicely understated. such a timeless, unforgettable dress- we won't hate it next year, or ten years later.
I can't help wondering; is it just me or the sleek veronica lake hair makes you want to go straighten your hair aswell?

one thing that initially didn't really feel like the right choice was the cranberry-pink lipstick, it looked a bit too raw and seemed like a true red or a sheer wine-berry would complete the look better. but during her acceptance speech, I realized the shade looked just perfect on the stage (and more red)- she looked youthful, glowy, elegant and, defined and natural. I guess it's a question of lighting. the lipstick (CHANEL rouge coco lip colour in paris, in case you're wondering) just didn't agree with the lighting of the red carpet, which seems to be more cool-toned than the stage's.

zooey in wonderland

seems like hipster cutie zooey deschanel looked ridiculously sweet in american society of cinematographers 24th annual outstanding achievement awards.  it's a simple formula that always works- a pretty, girly dress and classic black pumps... and the rhinestone clutch and the bracelet add just the right dose of bling-bling. isn't she channeling alice in wonderland? her adorable girly-retro makeup is also worth considering: lush bambi lashes over her baby blues, completed with sweet peachy cheeks and a matte warm pink pout.

greige nails

chanel has been setting the nail trends lately- remember the jade-mania, which I'm definitely not over yet, and not planning to be anytime soon. 

this season, "the one" is called particuliére, a pretty taupe shade (or "greige" -for gray/beige-, as they say nowadays). first seen @ chanel's s/s 2010 fashion show, suiting the rustic, natural appeal of the collection, it quickly spread from runways to red carpets & streets.

as it's in a point between some of my favorite nail colors, it immediately appealed to me- certainly more neutral and flattering than gray and more interesting than beige/nude. cool without being overly dramatic. I can see it going very well with this spring's sheer/boudoir trend, complementing english rose patterns -as always, my favorite for the spring, or balancing out brights. so, I'm almost certain to try it soon. do you think it's wearable, or planning to sport it yourself anytime soon?

lagerfeld's latest muse lilly allen sporting greige.

to complete the soft gray look in his a/w 2010 collection, marc jacobs went for a bunch of different custom-made greige shades on models' nails- check them out all here.

lovely gwyneth paltrow with greige nails- it looks delicious on navy, what a great work with colors!

here's our guy- chanel particuliére. for a more shimmery alternative, trapéze and kaléidoscope, both from chanel aswell, would do.

I don't think I've ever paid a bottle of nailpolish over 2 pounds (believe me, even that really hurt), and in that matter I don't really think anybody should either, leave alone 25 dollars, and it seems like a very dupe-able color.  

nails inc. jermyn street

OPI tickle my france-y

this swatch from makeup cafe seems like a good guideline.

you can even think of mixing one yourself: take a bottle of beige and just a little bit of black polish, et voila, perfect and dirt-cheap greige nails!