Quccija Speech

Hello Readers

I want you to do something, close your eyes, and imagine yourself, exactly last year, the third December 2011. What were you doing? What were your worries, ambitions and dreams? Have they changed? Have you reached any of the goals you had? How many things have you crossed out of your to do list? 

I had a little dream back then, a hobby, which I wanted to share. I had never thought that people were going to like what I do, but I started to blog about fashion and make-up just for myself, and told a couple of friends about it. I came up with the name Amor de Girasol on Google Translate, where I started to write random names, translating them to different languages, until this came up, and I have loved it ever since. 

Here I would like to thank Tiziana from Rouge Reveries who was of great support from the very first day. I wouldn't have started without her encouragement and advice, and help with technical problems on the blog. 

My first Fashion Related Post

I continued to blog, with just a few followers, but with great feedback from the few who followed. My special friends Brian Dimech and Martina Gatt were of great support throughout the whole scholastic year, they heard about all my ideas, my worries, my thoughts, everything, and they were always there to encourage me to keep doing what I love. Brian used to spell check my blogs before posting, but he is now studying in London, and the spell check job was shifted to my other special friend Elaine Cutajar, who is always the first to read my blog and give me feedback. 

Once I started to believe that my work was getting better, I wanted to expand my follower range and not just form my circle of friends.

Another special friend who has helped a lot, is the photographer Robert Bajada. He suggested to do some outfit of the day posts, where he could help me with photography, and of course I couldn't refuse. In May, we shot four outfits in Imdina, where the pictures came out great, and the outfit posts were of great success, and I started a page on Lookbook as well. The posts had many viewers, and I saw a drastic change in the number of followers, which gave me so much more enthusiasm to keep up my work. We also shot five more outfits at Xaghjra for the autumn weather, last month. 

All OOTD's with Robert Bajada Photography

As soon as summer started, Karl Muscat, told me to put make-up on three models for a shoot to promote a party he was organizing. That was my first time doing make-up on others (other than my mum). In the holidays I have worked on different shoots with Robert and Karl again, and I built up a Makeup Portfolio. If I had to choose my favourite makeup work, and photo shoot which I enjoyed, it would be the one I did with Robert and Martina Spiteri for Martina's clothing line, Celeste. 

One of the very first shoots

The team for Celeste's Shoot

Brian, Martina Gatt, Elaine, Karl, Robert, and Martina Spiteri, believe it or not, are all my class mates at UOM. #thankgodforearthsystems My biggest wish was to start working with strangers, with people who saw my work and liked it, and wanted to work with me just because they liked my work, and not because they knew me. Fortunately this dream was realised as well. I have worked with another photographer, Martin Fenech, and I was also approached by Jenny Lyttle to join her team for an online magazine, 'thei-lander'. This magazine will be out weekly, and I will be having my articles in every issue. Two editorials I did with Robert, Karl and Martina have been also featured on PavliMag. The feeling of seeing 'makeup by Ruth @ Amor de Girasol was incredible. 

PavliMag featuring Indian Girl, collaboration with Karl and Robert, and Celeste, collaboration with Martina and Robert

I have a makeup portfolio on tumblr, but I still don't call myself a makeup artist. I am just a girl who loves doing makeup and writing, and would like to take it seriously. I was nothing a year ago. This all happened so fast, and looking back how step by step I have reached some of my goals, I cannot be more thankful to all those who have helped me and who believed in me from the start. 

These are all links I recommend you to take a look at: 

• My Makeup Portfolio: CLICK HERE
• My Lookbook: CLICK HERE
• Tiziana's Blog: CLICK HERE
• Robert's Page: CLICK HERE
• Karl's Portfolio: CLICK HERE
• Martina's Page: CLICK HERE
• Thei-lander Magazine: CLICK HERE

If these people didn't believe in me and gave me their support, I would not be as happy as I am now for sure. I still have so much more work to do, improve, and ambitions to reach. I am still nothing compared to so much more talented people in this business, but I believe I can get there, someday, with your help. 

To all those who read my blog, please keep following, keep liking my statuses and posts so I know you are there. A simple like always brings a smile to my face. Thankyou for being there, without knowing, you have brought out the best in me. Share my facebook page and blog with your friends whom you think would love to follow a fashion blog. 

Choose to shine,
Happy Birthday to me,
and Thanks, a lot.

Ruth x x ( a blogger, a fashion victim, and your friend - since one year)

Rainy Day Woman

Dear Readers 

A new issue of Thei-lander Magazine is online! I have an article about Rainy Day Outfits, where I gave three different ideas of outfits one could wear in this particular weather. You can read the article HERE , but I have the fourth outfit over here: 

One cannot write about rainy day outfits without mentioning leather jackets. Leather jackets are always chic, and can be dressed up or down very easily. This dashing white lace dress is dressed down with the jacket, and lace-up boots which make the look more edged and daring, but kept sophisticated with the structured bag. The look is perfect for rainy days, and if you’re worried that the rain will ruin your hair, just add a cute beanie and you are ready to go.

I hope you found this article useful and that you'll enjoy pairing outfits this winter. Keep following thei-lander magazine for more fashion tips in the following week. 

Choose to shine!

Ruth x x 

The Pavli Mag's Third Issue

Dear Readers

Considering how small our island is, we really do have great potential and talents in the fashion industry. One of the things which I think has a really high standard is Pavli mag, an online magazine created by Pavli Medvedova, who is a stylist living in Malta. I am going to review the third issue which had Nicholas Cutajar as the art Director, Shideh Ofasson as the Editor, and Alexia Fenech, Stephanie Lauri and Nicoleta Illiescu contributed in the writing. This team together has produced an issue of certain level, and I recommend to every fashionista out there to take a look at it.

Front Cover of  the third issue

The cover of the Mag featured photography by Kris Micallef and model Emilie (Somanagement.eu). The Mag starts with a series of behind the scenes photos of the last September's Runway Show, taken by Kris Micallef ( www.krismicallef.com) and another set by spysessionz.com. Runway is a fashionshow organised by Pavli herself and the Somanagement team and their beautiful models. It is a great opportunity for bloggers, designers, photographers and anyone who wants to get into the fashion business to showcase himself.

My favourite part of the mag starts on page 23, with the Autumn/Winter 2012 fashion trends, being : ‘Modern Military’, ‘Lush Leather’, ‘Gone to Print’, ‘Dart Elegance’, ‘Future Fantastic’, ‘Baroque Rocks’, ‘Burgundy Belle’ and ‘Wanders of the East’, with great tips of how to style and rock these fabulous trends using different garments.

‘Sasha is wearing’ was another part of the Mag, where several outfit ideas from ZARA were featured. 

Sasha is wearing

The next article was Alexia’s most wanted list, being Spiked necklace; Metallic jacquard blazer; Sci fi tee; Little black dress; Faux leather jacket; The go anywhere bag; Flat shoes and Trench coat. All these items are must have items for this season, and Alexia Fenech explains why she wants them in her closet, and gives great tips and tricks on how to style these particular garments

The Next two articles were the one where Nicoleta illiescu shares her own experience of the Milan fashion week, and Real style people  which was a street style of fashionistas and bloggers on the internet. 

Milan Fashion Week

Real Style People

The last article talks about make-up. Beauty by Stephanie Lauri where Steph features both high end and drugstore products to give different make-up look ideas, and how to apply them. It is a great article which shows how make-up is not just for experts but everyone can give it a try using simple steps. 

The Mag ends with four editorials, two of which I took part in doing the make-up. 

Well done to the whole team and everyone who took part in making this online Magazine such a success. I really like the editing and how professional it all looks. It has a little bit of everything, which makes it the ideal magazine that any girl can use as guideline for this season. All you have to do is click HERE to view the whole issue. 

Choose to shine! 

Ruth xx 

Street Style for the Colder Days

Hello Readers

Here are some outfits from some other fashion bloggers on the web. I think the best way to learn fashion is to look around, and notice details in other people's outfits, and then reproducing them into outfits which are suitable for yourself.

Isnt't that the cutest coat? ... and the cutest umbrella!

I love oversized jumpers, which I usually wear with jeggings, but another cute way to wear them would be with shorts, tights and boots. 

Jumpers with Skirts are so adorable together

Love the colour scheme, the bag, the necklace, and everything else

Note how the edge of the pants and the studs in the collar, are balanced out with the cuteness of the jumper. 

The would be a great DIY! Taking an old denim jacket, and adding studs 

Here's something for the boys. is it beanie time yet? please say YES ! 

Choose to shine!

Ruth x x

Take me to Neverland

Hello readers

Here's another outfit post, suitable for those winter Sundays  where you want to look classy, yet casual and comfortable. I love how versatile this pleated skirt is, in fact you have already seen it in a previous outfit post 'HERE', where the look was much more dressed up. The peter pan collar t-shirt is also one of the items I manage to include in every type of outfit. I can either wear it with jeans for a casual look, with a high waisted pencil skirt of any colour for a more dressed up look, or else as I did here, with a more flirty skirt, where the look is more feminine  playful and still able to make a statement with it.

My favourite part of the outfit is the combination of the black skirt, black tights and black shoes. It makes the same effect of the nude shoes with bare legs in summer. The fact that you’re visually seeing the same colour of shoes as your legs, alludes the eye of seeing a more solid thing, which you see at one go, making the body to look taller and slimmer. 

The brown cardigan, gold accessories and matching bag, together with the dark nails and red lips complete the look into one which is warm and pleasant to look at. 

Top: Zara

Skirt: Vintage

Cardigan: Pull and Bear

Tights: New Look

Shoes: Peacocks

Bag: Accessorize

Set of Bracelets: Accessorize

Ring: Accessorize

Sunglasses: Mango

A Big thank you to Robert Bajada for the pictures. Visit his work over 'HERE' ! He is brilliant. 

Choose to shine!

Ruth x x

Vamp by Day

Hello Readers

We all have that little black dress in the closet, that dress which has been there for so long you have tons of memories wearing it. The dress still fits you, and it's still pretty isnt't it? However you don't wear it that often because everyone has already seen you in it, and you're afraid that you're going to be dressed up for a night out, or dressed down for a special occasion. Did I get any of this right? 

My favourite way to wear the little black dress is by adding a statement jacket to it, and this way, all eyes will be on the jacket, just the jacket. Avoid matching the bag exactly with the colour of the shoes, or the shoes with the jacket (especially when it's red). Don't be predictable just to 'play it safe'.  I paired dark burgundy shoes, nails and lip colour, and kept the bag black since the jacket is black and white. I did not add any necklaces to let the collar of the jacket stand out, but if the jacket is plain, you can use the same trick but with a statement necklace or earrings. 

Dress: Promod
Jacket: Vintage (Mum's closet)

Bag: Vintage (Mum's closet)

Shoes: Stradivarius

Thanks to my dear friend Robert from Robert Bajada Photography, who once again took the pictures of this blogpost with great talent and a lot of patience. Like his page 'HERE' 

With his help I have started doing makeup on others for some photoshoots, if you're interested check out my makeup portfolio http://makeupbyruth.tumblr.com/ . 

Choose to shine! 

Ruth x x 

Miley and Grunge

Hello readers

I was asked to do a blog post on Grunge style, a style which I really like on other people, but don’t really wear myself because I think not everyone can carry it. It's a style made of basic pieces that everyone owns, but everything is edged up to the 'bad and layed back girl' look without looking slutty. 

There are countless ways in which one could wear Grunge, and I'm going to show you how to by using Miley Cyrus. I love how she plays with this style and gives a modern edge to any basic look. I love Miley's new hairstyle, which I think go perfectly with her personality and very wearable style.

Any accessory or patterned top with either STUDDS, SPIKES, CROSSES or SKELETONS 

leather red dress with spikes 

The best shoes to compliment this style would be either CREEPERS or COMBAT BOOTS. 

creeper combat boots, necklace with cross pendant, camo jacket

SUPER SKINNY PANTS, SHORTS paired with tights, or BOYFRIEND JEANS 

boyfriend jeans

boyfriend jeans, cropped top

PRINTED dark, oversized t-shirts

shorts with ripped tights, leather jacket, printed top

PLAID shirts

plaid shirt

plaid shirt

CROPPED / OVERSIZED tops, paired with super skinny pants or shorts to balance the look

oversized printed vest

skinny jeans, necklace with cross pendant

leather jacket, shorts, creeper slippers 

MILITARY  or LEATHER JACKETS

Shorts with ripped tights, printed dark top, military style jacket

creeper combat boots, necklace with cross pendant, camo jacket

BLACK BEANIES 

necklace with cross, black beanie, oversized vest 

LEOPARD print

creeper combat boots, leopard print skirt, cropped top

As for makeup, I would compliment the style with dark nails, dark or neutral lips, and neutral eyes with thin winged eyeliner. The simpler the better since there is already so much going on with the clothes. 

I hope you have found this useful! Let me know if you have some other requests you want be to blog about or any other questions about this style. I would be more than happy to help.

Choose to shine! 

Ruth x x