Illustration spotlight – Fab Ciraolo

We live in a world were everything is possible and we are permanently surrounded by things that leave us speechless. Or at least that’s the case with me. I see so many talented people in a variety of areas - dancing, singing, acting, painting - and talent is something I appreciate with all my heart.

And as wonderful as it is seeing all of the magic that they can create, it’s even harder to have your own thing, that special talent that separates you from the crowd, making people recognize your work. It’s the ability to choose from all the subjects out there and find the one that defines you as an artist. And today we’re talking about such an artist - one that has found his niche and made it art.  

Fab Ciraolo is a Chilean-born illustrator that takes pop icons, superheroes, cartoon characters and even historical ones and illustrates them with a modern twist. He also ads a fashionable angle as he changes their outfits but keeps, at the same time, a vintage vibe. He uses subdued colors and psychedelic backgrounds to create the impression of space.

His technique involves “painting, a lot of drawing, acrylics, color pencils, mostly anything I have near that might work to get a final result that makes me happy. I can remember using coffee in some paintings.”

Judy Garland and Marilyn Monroe as modern day stereotypes

This is brilliant: Coco Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld in the Pietà pose!

Old school heroes

And even though this has been done before, in the sense that he is not the only one to bring into his work famous people from the past, he does it in an original way. Fab Ciraolo remains fluent in his work by keeping his signature “space” background and changes only his subjects. He creates this amazing mash ups, putting together elements from pop culture, science fiction and just a hint of wired.

While his characters still have their signature styles he transforms them into present day stars. They are somehow reborn into the hipsters and rock stars of our days.  There’s a lot of irony there, mixed in with humor and even a bit of social commentary - Fab Ciraolo’s work is provocative! Pop culture is his playground and I love it all!

Edward Scissorhands and  Charlie Chaplin

Alfred Hitchcock

Salvador Dalí  and Frida Kahlo

 Photos

What do you think? I would very much like to have  any of these hanging in my house!

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Event – BSB spring summer 2013 collection launch

A couple of days ago, last Wednesday to be more precise, I attended the press day brunch for the launch of BSB’s newest collection at their store in the heart of Bucharest. 

The comfortable silhouettes, the chic and fun dresses, all the little details on tops, a more sophisticated approach to light outwear pieces (beautiful lace cardigans and fringed leather jackets) make these BSB clothes appealing for more age groups which is a great thing for any retailer.

Their  spring-summer  collection has a lot of elements that I really liked: the balanced color scheme featuring shades of green, ivory tangerine and blue, the mix of fabrics with crochet lace, leather and soft jersey at the core, the feminine mix of urban influences and more rustic, natural elements. I feel they successfully targeted a larger audience by offering more variety.

I absolutely loved these dresses made using a lovely combination of mint veil for the skirt part and knitted lace for the top.

As for my outfit I wore a short dress with an ombre style animal print that you have seen before (granted it looked different then, but I’m sure you remember). I also had a pair of glittery pumps on that I will admit I changed in just before the event (I had to make an escape from work where shiny shoes are frowned upon to make it to this event). Please excuse my hair; it’s having a bad month all together! :)

 I’m wearing:

dress / rochie - Romwe

  bag/geanta - Marks&Spencer

leather jacket, glitter shoes/ geaca piele, pantofi - H&M

bag /geanta - Zara

double rings/ inele duble  - Miss Selfridge and Meli Melo

necklace/ colier - random brand

Today's mood

So guys, it's Friday night, the weekend smells like adventure! Pretty excited about stuff!

How about you?

 Also don't miss Romwe BIG Sale on Leggings Category!

Any Leggings 20% OFF

Code: 20%OFF

From 3/12/2013–3/17/2013

Makeup - hot pink eyeliner

I’m starting a new column on this blog (Makeup&Beauty) and it’s all because of you. I’m always happy to get your emails and comments with feedback, questions, ideas and suggestions so keep on sending them this way. 

I always wanted to experiment a little more with my makeup and daily beauty routine so this is an excellent excuse to just do it. Don’t expect this to be the work of an expert, it going to be more of a reality show of someone who only knows the basics and wants to get creative in spite of that. 

Take this first look I wanted to show you - it’s a play on a classic eyeliner makeup and you can recreate it in 5 minutes tops. The star of the show is the hot pink eyeliner applied under the eye in a thick line and accentuated with black kohl. The lid is even simpler: just one color (a very subtle gold) with a lighter shade in the corner of the eye. A bit of blush, black mascara, a nude lipstick and you’re ready to go!

I listed the products I used below, but you can basically use anything you have around in your makeup bag. I hope you like it!

Feel free to write us anytime!

 The crazy eyes are my trademark so you'll see plenty of them in the  new column!

In mod absolut surprinzator primesc o multime de emailuri si intrebari legate de modul in care ma machiez! Din acest motiv am decis sa inaugurez si o rubrica de makeup si beauty pe blog – nu stiu inca de cate ori pe luna o sa scriu despre aceste subiecte, dar o sa o fac constant si o sa incep cu articolul de fata.

Nu sunt experta in machiaj, nici macar intens pasionata, dar stiu suficient de multe incat sa ma pot aranja singura si sa arat ok.

Cu siguranta veti gasi bloggeri care scriu exclusiv despre machiaj si beauty si o fac mai bine decat mine si la un nivel de executie si originalitate mai mare decat o pot face eu (cu machiaje creative si complicate, tutoriale amanuntite, multe review-uri), dar pentru ca exista interes sunt fericita sa impart cu voi ceea ce stiu eu. 

Practic ceea ce propun sunt idei care pot fi aplicate in 5-10 minute, cu usurinta si fara sa fie nevoie de indemanare iesita din comun.

In plus mi-am propus sa fiu mai creativa cu partea de makeup si cred ca asta este o ocazie excelenta sa fac acest lucru.

Cum tusul este unul dintre putinele lucuri de care nu ma pot desparti m-am gandit ca ar fi potrivit sa va arat o variatie pe aceasta tema:  un machiaj cu tus roz intens aplicat jos in linie groasa, accentuat cu creion khol in interior si o pleoapa simpla acoperita cu fard intr-o sigura culoare (si fard alb-auriu aplicat in coltul ochiului pentru a lumina privirea). Cam asta este tot – aplicati, rimel, putin fard de obraz, pudra iluminatoare si un ruj nude si sunteti gata.

 In rest ne puteti scrie orice pe adresa fashionmagicsara@yahoo.com !

O sa listez produsele pe care le-am folosit eu, insa puteti reface mchiajul cu ce aveti voi in trusa personala – puteti folosi culori apropiate si va incurajez sa experimentati si cu alte culori de tus. Mi-ar face placere daca ati trimite fotografii in cazul in care l-ati incercat intr-o zi in care doreati ceva putin diferit, dar extrem de usor de realizat.

The products I used /  Produsele folosite:

Garnier B.B Cream Miracle Skin Perfecter (Light)

Jillian Dempsey Avon blush

Wet n' Wild  Mega Glo illuminating powder (catwalk pink)

W7 hot pink eyeliner

Loreal Lash Architect mascara

Black kohl pen (Avon)

Maybelline Silk glam Eye Studio quad eye shadow (give me gold) - first color used

Gold eye shadow powder - random brand

Elite professional brushes

I forgot to add the lipstick I used in the picture (next time) - but it was a Dior Addict lipstick (Nude)

I hope you like it! Any thoughts?  

Urban superhero - the cape dress

You can’t even imagine how excited I was when I found this cape dress. We’re talking slow motion with romantic soundtrack in the background moment.

I almost left the store dressed in it, but then I remembered I am an adult and behaved accordingly (except a huge grin on my face and some very mature dance moves/sounds).

The next day I felt like a superhero wearing it with a pair of sky high ankle boots and a metallic spiked belt. 

And while I didn’t fight crime in the city, I did have a very productive day at work – there’s something about a good outfit that makes me finish that long to do list, leave early and do something fun!

RO

Data trecuta v-am promis ca o sa va arat si restul hainelor pe care le-am gasit la  miniPrix si iata-ma cu a doua tinuta. 

Momentul in care am gasit rochia capa a fost magic cu muzica imaginara si un dans victorios real intrerupt prematur cand mi-am dat seama ca nu sunt singura in magazin. 

Si botinele in aproape aceeasi nuanta de maro-mustar sunt tot de acolo! Imi plac foarte tare desi sunt extrem de inalte si eu chiar nu am nevoie de extra inaltime – in orice caz sunt atat de frumoase incat nu am stat pe ganduri! Sper sa va placa!

 I'm wearing:

coat  / palton - vintage

cape dress, ankle boots  / rochie capa, botine - miniPrix

western boots / cizme - miniPrix

  matallic spiked belt / curea metalica tinte - Asos

bag / geanta - Debenhams

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Travel Tips

Regardless of the way you choose to travel: by land, sea or air you have to be prepared because being unfashionable on top of jet-lagged it’s not as cool as you might think.

Air travel is my favorite and part of the fun is creepy people watching in airports. I’m sure you all smiled seeing those people who think the waiting area it’s their personal catwalk and they came prepared for an one man show. Please don’t be that douchebag by wearing the highest heels you own, all the jewelry you have and the tightest, shortest dress or skirt you can find. In fact don’t even think about touching anything from your teenage cousin’s wardrobe! At the same times change from your beat-up sweats, you are not in your bedroom anymore! 

In order to make your last minute travel as enjoyable as you can you have to find a balance. Make your outfit as comfortable as you can without sacrificing style.

It’s true decades ago traveling was considered a big event: the travel  budget involved was huge and the dress code was designed to project success and wealth but, nowadays, with all the travel deals existing out there, you can always go for relaxed, functional outfits  without thinking twice about it!

A nice fitted pair of jeans is almost always a good choice, as long as they don’t prove to be so tight that you can’t breathe in them. You can just pair your favorite pans with a nice cotton top and add a cardigan sweater or an oversize wrap. Even if you are going to a warmer destination you will be proud of yourself once up in the air. And as a bonus, layering is definitely the key to look chic. I personally love flats – they are comfortable and if you pick a pair in a great color you also add a little style to your outfit.

A cute, comfortable dress is the best the alternative to jeans. 

Don’t forget about sunglasses – they are great when trying to disguise how tired you really are and give you the world traveler edge I know you want to have!:)

Stay away from wearing a lot of jewelry or shoes that are difficult to get on and off, just remember you have to remove all of these things during security checkups, and you don’t want to piss everybody out by holding up the line, people tend to have less patience while traveling! Heavy makeup won’t cut it either, as it will most likely get runny after hours on a plane, and you will look less than flattering at the end.

Hats are also a definitive yes while traveling; they mask the fact that you are tired while giving you a chic vibe.

And with these tips in mind (you can think of me as your own personal travel adviser), all that’s left to do is call your travel agency and choose your dream destination.

If you have a private jet of your own you can forget everything I said. Just take your coolest pair of Ray Bans and you’ll be ready to go (not before inviting me to join in though)! 

 Any vacation plans you want to make me jealous with?

Midday sparkle

Who said a silver sequin dress is not meant to be worn in the middle of the day! As you can see I did just that and what do you know, the world is still spinning?! I felt I should mark the beginning of spring somehow and leaving a sparkle trail behind seemed like a perfectly reasonable idea. 

The long cardigan I threw over it and the western style boots are the elements I used to dress it down a bit. I was not about to blind a significant part of the good people of Bucharest.

The photos were taken by Costin who, I promise, wasn’t harmed much in the process!

RO

Iata cum am sarbatorit eu 1 martie si inceputul primaveri – am purtat o rochie cu paiete in mijlocul zilei si a fost grozav! Cum am mai zis si cu alte ocazii incerc sa fiu vizibila din spatiu in eventualitatea unui contact extraterestru prietenos.

Fotografiile sunt facute de Costin care a avut rabdare si s-a plimbat cu mine pana am gasit niste locuri cu lumina potrivita si mai putin populate. Nu ne-am ratacit pentru ca, exact ca in poveste, am marcat drumul cu un sir de paiete argintate.

In cazul in care nu stiati inca, miniPrix desfasoara in prezent o promotie care va permite cumpararea unui numar impresionant de produse, peste 30.000 de articole de imbracaminte si incaltaminte cu preturi  foarte mici: 6, 9, 19 si 29 lei.

Tinuta pe care o port este compusa aproape integral din piese care fac parte din aceasta campanie si pe care le-am ales din magazinul miniPrix Militari. Rochia cu paiete si cardiganul lung gri au costat 9 lei fiecare, iar cizmele din piele au fost 20 de lei.

Cred ca acesta este unul dintre outfiturile mele preferate desi aproape nimeni nu a crezut ca au costat atat cat v-am zis!

Cizmele in special sunt senzationale – dintr-o piele extrem de fina prelucrata manual!

Acestea nu sunt singurele achizitii pe care le-am facut la miniPrix – o sa va arat restul in articolul urmator!

 I'm wearing:

  belts  / curele - vintage

sequin dress, cardigan  / rochie paiete, cardigan lung - miniPrix

western boots / cizme - miniPrix

  jewelry / bijuteri - random brand

bag / geanta - Marks&Spencer

 Ce ziceti? Stiati de campanie? Ati gasit deja ceva frumos?