New video: contest entry for MakeupByGloria: Tribal!

Wow, it had actually been about 6 months since I last posted a video on YouTube, and it was about time I did a new one! Actually, I have made a few attempts in the last months, but Windows Movie Maker and FlashPlayer together decided it wasn't going to happen! But when I saw MakeupByGloria's contest, I knew I had to enter!

So, I sat down one evening after having gathered all my inspiration, did a look which didn't quite turn out as I had hoped.. so I altered it slightly... and ended up looking like a tropical bird! Haha!

So, the pictures stayed on the cutting room floor, as I started a second look!

I kept it very simple, almost too simple and slightly amateur-ish, and even though I am not impressed with the end result, I decided to post it anyway! Seeing as it had been ages since I posted anything, I just wanted to get back into it all again!

Well, so what did I do, you ask? Here it is!

I painted my forehead and eyelids red with 2 shades from my new 88 pallet as I didn't have any red grease paint, and the rest of my face with Screenface panstick in Almond and set it with a dark shimmery bronzer. I then applies a thick line of clown white from Ben Nye along the edge of the red and under my eyes, and some dots on my forehead and along the eyes. Finishing off with a line down the centre of my bottom lip.

Very simple!
I then donned a long brown wig, braided into two sections with two little braids at the side, and some choice accessories, and voila! Diamond has become a red indian clan chief!

I am under no illusion that I will win, but wow did it feel great to finally post another video on YouTube! Also, this seems to have dis-lodged whatever it was that was stopping me, as I have since then completed 2 more videos and am working on 3 more! Haha!

So I hope you enjoy my return to YouTube, please tell all your friends! ;)

The video for the contest can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oregi3tAHE0

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more from me in the future!

Kisses! Diamond xxx

Nude? Please get dressed, it's apparently racist!

I'd like to start off by saying that I started writing this blog post absolutely aaages ago, I think it was in May 2010, at the time there were comments in the media about Michelle Obama wearing a "nude" Naeem Khan dress. My post was going to be about the controversy surrounding the issue of "nude" being a racist colour description, as clearly the dress was not Mrs President's skin colour... but then I never finished or published it. Now, I have dug it out again as I feel I want to share it anyway!

Underneath is (a somewhat edited version of) what I wrote:

Some of you might know that I work in fashion/textiles, and ever day is a mass of brides to be, aspiring fashion students and wannabe designers, in addition to a great number of well known high street and exclusive designers.

It has been a complete nightmare to see how well this 'nude' trend has caught on this season, we have not been able to keep enough stock of anything flesh, nude, peach, oyster, mink or blush, as well as anything silver or pale grey. And don't even get me started on silk jersey!

As a matter of fact, for the last few months I have been ready to clobber anyone who asks for nude fabrics of any sort! Judging by the fact that 98.9% of all UK based fashion students* are solely using nude and silver for their current design projects and collections, we will be flooded by these garments by spring/summer 2011... a whole year after this trend was in fact a trend!

(* this percentage is purely my estimate from watching students at work!)

But enough about me and my work life (for now anyway)! I wanted to talk about the actual trend of nude colours in fashion. Firstly I would like to say that, being a trendsetter as I am, I pioneered the nude look on New Years Eve 2009-10 with a multi layered nude tulle frock, all hand beaded with crystals, that would have left you gasping for air... had it been any other colour but nude!

This gets us to my issue with the nude trend.. nobody but nobody looks good in a nude outfit. It is just not a very becoming colour, on anyone. Ok ok, I hear you, it looks great on the catwalk, and yes that is the only place it does. But so do a lot of garments and concepts you see on a runway that you would never in a million years wear in public.

Just recently, Michelle Obama stepped out in a hand beaded 'champagne' coloured gown by designer Naeem Khan. This somehow sparked a weird media discussion on racism. The designer, Naeem Khan explained that it was a 'sterling-silver sequin, abstract floral, nude strapless gown'.

However, when the Associated Press news agency, reporting on the event, referred to the colour as 'flesh', they were lambasted by one editor, who asked 'Whose flesh? Not Michelle Obama's'

In my opinion, Michelle Obama looked stunning in that dress, mainly because it wasn't the same colour as her skin. Had it been.. let's face it, a brown dress, it wouldn't have caused a racial stir, but it would have looked awful. She would have looked like she had been rolled in glue and tin foil! Not a great look!

2011 afterthought: This was as far as I got with it, so I'd like to add the following at this point.

I'm not going to comment on the racial issues as I don't see the point. It's about fashion, not politics.

To me, the pasty anemic 'nude trend' has lived its life, overstayed its welcome. Get rid!

Surely it is time for colour blocking now?