Drugstore / High Street Make-Up Trial

Clockwise from top left:

Maybelline ClearSmooth ALL IN ONE Shine Free Cake Powder

Revlon PHOTOREADY Eye Art in 020 Lilac Luster

Real Techniques sponge

L'Oréal True Match Super Blendable Two Way Powder Foundation

Pupa Like A Doll Blush

Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm for Lips

I binge watched Lisa Eldridge make-up tutorials during my bedroom clear-out this month which inspired me to try some drugstore make-up. Lisa uses it all the time, and I figured with Chinese markets in a frightening downward spiral it may not be a bad idea to economize a bit. And well, if it's good enough for Ms. Eldridge, it should be more than fine for me.  

Pupa Pupart Eyeshadow Palette

I didn't own many matte eyeshadows, so I was super pleased to find this all matte palette at Sasa. So far the Maybelline Powder and the Revlon lip color are my favorites. I do think you need lip primer for the latter - it's super pigmented and long lasting but the stain it leaves is hard to remove (although that's also the case with Tom Ford lipstick). The lilac Revlon eye product goes on as a liquid and then sets after a few seconds, and then you can add sparkle on top from the other pot. It's quite dramatic and perfect as the base for an evening smoky eye.

Pillowtalk: Zayn Malik Still Sounds Like He's In A Boy Band Even With The X-Rated Lyrics

But who cares? I never for the life of me understand why so many pop singers feel the need to go bad after starting out sweet and adorable. But then again if you had the chance to repeat high school, do it all over again, would you too choose to be the coolest and the baddest? Money and fame have given Zayn the power to re-write his early life story, and he is no longer awkwardly jumping around on a beach convincing you what makes you beautiful. He is now f*ing and fighting in a war zone, with none other than model of the moment, Gigi Hadid (see it HERE).
Which brings me to the fashion part of this post - leggings. I have wanted to do a post on how much I hate leggings hundreds of times. Leggings are not clothes, I wanted to call the post. But then there was Gigi Hadid, and Gigi wears leggings all the time. So image by image, leggings have slowly seeped back into my brain as if they were an item of clothing. Before Christmas I found an old pair of legging pants in my closet, and I was suddenly hooked. Leggings are clothes!!!! Or are they?

shoes by Miu Miu

jumper by Zara

legging pants by COS

bag from Shenzhen

Good Morning Hong Kong

six thirty am

seven thirty am - i love hong kong

Tadaomi Shibuya designs the windows at Joyce in Hong Kong

And Joyce has never looked better

(finally someone covered the hideous floor, which normally lets down their window displays)

Find Tadaomi's blog HERE

Tweed, Valentino, and Gloves in an Arctic Hong Kong

Tweed jacket made for me by Soong Tailors (now unfortunately closed down)

Jumper by J.Crew

Gloves by COS

Bag by Valentino

Proenza Schouler Spring 2016

I love the shoes (bottom center) and I am already hunting down the white bag (bottom right)

The Small PS Courier bag, despite it's ladylike shape it's entirely soft, cut from old-fashionedly beautiful leather - and it's got mixed metals, which is my favorite thing about this otherwise simple (but perfect) bag. I have always appreciated Proenza Schouler's clothes and bags, but now I am developing a mild obsession with everything Lazaro and Jack do.

Yeti Boots and Bare Legs at Lane Crawford in Hong Kong

I was just about to do a post on how real women dress for winter, and how no tights in winter looks really good in magazines, but it's not exactly practical in rain and sleet. And then on my way home I found these girls in Lane Crawford, one sensibly dressed for January in Hong Kong and the other defiantly choosing fashion over warmth. Of course this girl also carries the tiniest of Fendi bags - practicality is clearly inconsequential to her. I suspect an Alphard* and driver** are waiting somewhere outside the IFC mall to ferry this young fashionista home...

* an Alphard is a sort of box on wheels, I think it seats 7 people. It's quite comfortable, and de rigueur for locals who are not quite in the Bentley bracket. I am far too vain to ever consider such a monstrosity (at the risk of my kids developing growth problems from being squashed in the back seat of my Mini) but local Hong Kongers don't share my European hang-ups about uncool cars apparently, because Alphards rule the roads of Hong Kong Island.

** speaking of Hong Kongers and their drivers - if you are curious about Hong Kong life you should read Janice Lee's new book: The Expatriates. I am 78 pages in and cannot put it down. Find it HERE.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick: Sexy Sienna

I discovered Charlotte Tilbury make-up in Los Angeles thanks to Melbourne Fashion Girl, who always seems to know what to buy right now.  The first thing I bought was the Matte Revolution Lipstick in Sexy Sienna. It's a beautiful matte neutral with a bit of red in it. I then quickly became an addict with the Wonder Glow Primer, the Light Wonder Foundation, The Retoucher concealer, the Full Fat Lashes mascara, and the Lip Luster Luxe Colour-Lasting Lip Lacquer. That was quite a mouthful, but the lip gloss deserves the long name, it does stay on forever, and the colors are super pigmented. The dramatic dark color in the picture above is called Unleash Me, and it's my currently favorite. Best make-up I have ever worn, seriously. Find it all at Selfridges.

Youmna Fine Jewellery

I almost never wore earrings in the daytime until I bought these simple lapis and gold discs by Youmna. They come in other stones as well and go with absolutely everything I wear. Even the push back of the earring is beautifully designed. Find her website HERE.

Statement Coat At Marc Jacobs

A coat fit for a princess. 

Wednesday Window Shopping: The Landmark in Hong Kong

Last chance to buy Raf Simons' Dior...

Ochre at Fendi - I always love it in principle, but not so much near my skin.

Valentino makes yet another lust-worthy accessory.

Not sure about the florals at McQueen... or maybe it's the shiny white bald head that's throwing me off.

Lips at Vivier 

And more lips at Prada! The first time since forever I have coveted something so instantly at Prada.

Monday Memory Lane - Prada Lipstick Skirt

Those Roger Vivier Shoes Again

J.Crew shirt

Marc Jacobs trousers

Roger Vivier shoes

Rolex watch

Yesterday I found these Roger Vivier shoes in the back of the wardrobe, and now it's likely I'll be wearing them for days. Usually I'll re-discover something, start loving it again, and wear them so much I will be totally sick of them by Tuesday. I have often thought I should make a shoe rotation schedule for the whole year, but I am slightly fearful to discover how many shoes I actually own. What if a year wasn't enough to wear them all?

J.Crew Christmas Dress And Zara Cropped Sweater

Feels like you can reach out and touch the IFC (from the 49th floor of the American Club) - Hong Kong Harbor and Kowloon in the distance.

J.Crew dress

Zara sweater

J.Crew clutch

Roger Vivier shoes

I got so much mileage out of this winter white and lace dress over the holidays. I pretty much wore it for every drinks party leading up to Christmas and then also on Christmas day. And it looks just as nice now with a little sweater on top. The very pale lilac makes the white of the dress more creamy - I love putting cool and warm colors together. And the very old (but still much loved) Roger Vivier shoes emphasize the 60s shape of it all. Shop your closet is the name of the game in January. After all the holiday credit card bills will be rolling in any moment now...

The January Cure: A Bit Of Help With My Home Organization Plans

Taking a tea break from my house de-clutter jobs with some old issues of the short-lived US edition of House & Garden. I loved that magazine... but apparently no one else did. My friend Natasha stumbled onto a super helpful website to aid with the organization of our homes - it's called The January Cure and it offers a simple step-by-step approach to cleansing away the messes without getting you overwhelmed. Read more HERE.

Trying To Hold On To Winter With This Fair Isle Sweater

It's so cute - can you tell the shoulders are encrusted with transparent sequins? (Click on photo to enlarge). But it's leaving me hot and sweaty on another very mild Hong Kong winter day (24℃)

J.Crew jumper

Citizens of Humanity jeans

Repetto flats

Sophie Hulme tote

Good Morning 2016

The sun rises over Holland - 8.45 AM on 29 December 2015

A bottle of champagne shared with family in my dad's man cave - nothing like a man cave to guarantee a long and happy marriage.

A shop front in Maastricht - pretty things do make me happy!

A million bike rides through the country side - wearing my Anine Bing boots

Having an alfresco lunch of grey shrimp croquettes in Oisterwijk, Holland (in the prettiest winter sunlight I may have ever seen)

I have been an expat for a very long time - I left Holland as a young Dutch girl to attend university in America and then moved to New York City afterwards. But I only started counting my official expat years from our move to London, when my American husband also became an expat and we became an expatriate family. That was in 1999, and we have since also spent seven years in Hong Kong, therefore qualifying for permanent resident status here.

Christmas for an expat is not just a celebration with a tree and presents and the baby Jesus, but also a reunion with the home country and family that was left behind. My husband has no more parents, so Holland is our family's home - and such a lovely home it is.

We spent lots of time riding bikes, feeling cool gusts of wind slapping our cheeks and ears until they were red and burning, such a lovely and simple pleasure, particularly when followed by a glass of champagne in my dad's super cosy man cave in the garden. We planned our days around sunset rides (4.30 PM) or sunrise rides (8.45 AM) and sucked in as much clean air as possible before returning to the most polluted country on earth.

I am back now and have resolved to be incredibly diligent about blogging this year. I am aiming for a post every weekday with a break on the weekends. While in Holland I read a quote in my horoscope (Scorpio) that has resonated with me: those who anger you have conquered you. I am going to keep that in mind as I start the new year. I am also setting monthly goals - in January I am going to make sure my house clutter is finally sorted out. My deadline is Friday February 5, the day before I leave for our Chinese New Year holiday on an island in the Philippines with three gorgeous Hong Kong friends. If I haven't posted pictures of an Elle Decor-worthy abode by then, you can all shame me senselessly. 

I hope your 2016s have started well - a very happy New Year to you all and thank you ever so much for reading.

♡ Dianne