Beauty: Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks

I am currently trying to get ready for my summer holiday. I like to take less make up, but ensure that less is more, so to speak.

My plan is to get my brows shaped, tinted and groomed before I leave, so I am going to try HD brows. I am contemplating fake lashes in the hope of making my eyes pop without makeup.

I also want something to contour my face and give me a glow with my tan. So in my quest for natural beauty, I have come across top make up artist Charlotte Tilbury's range. It's gorgeous and the packaging is beautiful. 

For the summer Charlotte Tilbury (bestie of and make up artist to Kate Moss) has come up with beach sticks.  They come in a beautiful range of colours to suit all skin tones. I have picked one that gives me an uplift and adds contour to give that glossy holiday look. It's for lips AND cheeks so this has lessened my make up load for holiday already. The stick is generous in size and so will last for many a holiday to come.

Grab one today, and get that natural glamorous glow that we all secretly covet come summer.

Beach sticks - limited edition by Charlotte Tilbury

Fashion: the skort

Despite the million and one lunges I do day in, day out, my legs are still by far my worst feature! 'They're not that bad' people (including my husband) will say...but let me tell you, they're not that good either!

Shorts therefore are not my 'go to' item of clothing. That all changed however when some cleaver cleaver designer decided to bring out something called the 'skort'. A cross between a skirt and a short. Basically a pair of shorts with a skirt type flap at the front. Genius! They basically make a pair of shorts way more wearable and flattering.

Mine are black and from Zara last winter, but this summer sees everyone jumping on the bandwagon and bringing out their own version.

Wear them with a loose top (whether it's a vest, cami or tee) tucked in, flats or wedges for the day and shoe-boot sandals by night.

Grab a pair next time you head to the changing room and see for yourself. A very wearable look indeed…

Topshop metallic sunflower skort £25

New Look skort £17.99

Fashion: three cuts making our short list this summer

This year shows the shorts being reinvented in three different lengths, one to suit every body shape and occasion imaginable.

First up comes the culotte. Just a few inches below the knee in length and often with a pleated front. These look fabulous with block heels for the evening and most are very high waisted so you could even get away with a crop top showing just an hint of flesh above the waistband (i.e. not really showing your waist at all but the bit which is much further up and hopefully slightly more toned!). We love this pair from Whistles in navy blue at £165.

Next up, the length that will suit absolutely EVERYONE! Knee length. Sitting just above the knee these are a great alternative for the daytime if you're not quite brave enough to wear your shorts short. They are the shorts chic alternative and this year come in an array of colours and patterns. Because of their flattering cut you don't need to play safe on the print either - go as bold as you like. We love these printed ones from Hobbs at £89

and the simplicity of these denim ones from Dorothy Perkins at just £20

Finally, the 'short' shorts. Cut this year in some super flattering styles with a slightly wider leg opening and higher waists,  meaning that they are no longer reserved for teenage festival goers. Pair them with a blazer and wedges in the evening, et voila... a flash of leg in a sophisticated fashion! We love this printed pair from Zara and they' re currently in the sale at just 19.99 so hurry up!

Beauty: Bobbi Brown Beach

When it comes to make up, we love it here at Stylekt11, and we love a good smell. As age creeps in I think we can become routine with our fragrance, and tend to stick to what we know.

I used to be like this and then I found Beach by Bobbi Brown, and now my 5 year spell has been broken. 

Firstly I am desperate for a holiday, and this smells like holiday, it fresh, summery and has that beautiful clean smell. 

Its so many things in one bottle, and it makes me feel happy. 

If you feel like its time to try something new, and want something uplifting then try this wonderful fragrance, I can imagine it suits a lot of people, after all who doesn't love a holiday smell!

The complete Bobbi Brown beach set

Fashion: Skater girl

One of my absolute favourite sillohettes is the skater skirt, feminine, flirty & flattering on almost everyone! 

The high waist will emphasise your waist and conceal a tummy (great for my post pregnancy lbs), the flare over the hips and the wide bottom will slim your pins... 

Here at Stylekt11 we have picked a few for you to peer at, go on get your skater on this summer.

Fashion: One style that suits all

Now I believe there is one shape when it comes to clothing that is undeniably universal. Suiting all shapes and sizes....the peplum. 

It's nothing new and has been around for a while now, but I am so in love with it's super flattering shape that I just have to give it a mention.

Whether it's on a top, a dress, a skirt or even trousers, worn correctly can look amazing on everyone.

For the bigger bust, wear it on a dress or top at waist level and it will balance out your curves.

If you are smaller framed then try one with shoestring straps and a higher peplum like this one from lavishalice.com, £38. Wear it with flat fronted cigarette pants and slipper pumps for daytime or heels for the evening.

If you're not keen on showing your arms then opt for one with sleeves.

I am in love with my leather one from Anthopologie that I blogged about a month or so ago. It's peach leather with tiny laser cut outs on the peplum and looks amazing with pretty much any pair or trousers, jeans or pencil skirts.

So go on, try one on next time you go into the changing room, whether its on a top or a jacket you'll be amazed at just how flattering they are.

Peplum with zips, £39.99 Zara

Peplum jacket £48 Topshop

Fashion: Thanks pencil skirt, you gave me back my skirt mojo

I love my trousers and always have and so its a no brainer for me when I shop for them. Skirts on the other hand I find a challenge. What is strange about this was that before babies I wore them all the time. After babies my shape changed, my confidence with skirts wained and I have never really worn them since . 

This week I dared to be different, I picked up a magazine and saw a curvy celebrity in a pencil skirt and suddenly I thought "I can do this". Rather than go all out and spend a fortune I decided to go down the Topshop route and order a double thick pencil skirt. I read the reviews and they were all good so 3 days later it arrived in the post. My instant thought was that I might have to go back to the shop  - there is not way my butt is going to look good in that! 

I tried it on and my mind was changed. My figure looked nice, womanly if you will, I put on some high courts and a fuschia pink blouse and hey presto I look sophisticated. I walked in to show him indoors and normally I get a "umm yes nice... hurry up" kind of response, but instead I got a "you look gorgeous, why are you wearing that to go out with your mate?" Safe to say, he loved it! Not that I wear clothes for him, but like anyone, I like a positive uplifting response.

So don't fear the pencil skirt because its made for figures and figures are made to show off, not hide. A £20 skirt from Topshop made me feel fabulous. I walked into a restaurant with my head held high feeling like I was wearing a million dollar skirt. My gorgeous friend who always looks cool, loved it and so did I.

stylekt11 selfie

The pencil skirt gave me back my skirt mojo, and I will now look for more over the seasons. 

Order this little gem online or in store and see for yourself...

                                                           

Topshop £20 pencil skirt

Beauty: Lipstick Queen

What I love about my aunt is that no matter what is going on, how she is feeling, without fail on a daily basis she puts lipstick on. She is well into her 70's and I cant remember a time when she did not put any on and as a result looks super glamorous every day. 

Every year when it comes to her birthday, she always asks us to get her a new one. We know she loves it, so we go in search of the best. For the past couple of years we have gone high end Sisley. Its an amazing brand and the lipstick delivers perfectly on look, moisture and general wear.

This year we were a bit short on time and so instead of going into town, we went to SpaceNK in Cobham. They have a fantastic range and all the brands in the store have a very luxe feel about them.

We literally tried and tested 6 or 7 different lipsticks and our hot favourite was Lipstick Queen. It glides on beautifully and moisturises to perfection. The finished result is pretty damn good, a look of luscious lips.

Its costs a little more than average for Lipstick Queen Velvet rope, but if you compare the amount of wears then its worth the touch of glam it adds to your life.

Fashion: White shoes are back this summer

The summer is here finally and white fashion is back in full force, and we love it in every way, although its a colour that carries through seasonally, shoes are an exception in the case of the stiletto.  

In celebration of fashion evolving this season, we see the return of the famous white stiletto, and its carrying heaps of style this time round with all the current looks teaming up for a new on trend, cool, chic, look. 

You can go for a plain style or get some snake effect ones, both look good, and make your feet look fantastic.

We have a serious stylekt11 crush developing on them, and they will be thrown into our holiday case this year because we can wear them with anything and everything for a great summer look. 

Skirts, trousers, dresses, here at stylekt11 we have picked some good looks to show how wonderful they can be.. depending on your budget you can go to Louboutin or ASOS. 

Get the 'White stiletto' look