Moving

Why Hello!!

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted here, though it’s all with good reason. More Magic Always is moving over to Blogger, so update your link lists and google readers!!! I’m super excited for my new layout and blog, so I hope you’ll join me over there!

http://moremagicalways.blogspot.com/

 

See you there!!

 

Oh, and make sure you follow my blog! And if it isn’t too much to ask, leave a comment! There is currently no comments and it feels a little bit……..empty.

How to Look Polished

Looking polished is one of the words I would like to be used to describe my style, along with elegant and sophisticated. Instead of just being related to clothes, polish and charm are part of a whole package. You can be wearing pearls and not look elegant. You can also wear jeans and look beautiful and sophisticated. Looking “polished and put together” is a whole package.

How to Be More Polished

 

♥ Wear clothes that fit you, not the size you think you are. Well fitting clothing instantly makes you look more beautiful.

♥ Walk tall and elegantly, with good posture.

♥ Apply your makeup (if you wear any) properly, and know that red lips are always classy.

♥ Keep your nails nicely and neatly trimmed, paint them if you wish or keep them clean- NO biting.

♥ Keep groomed eybrows, they really do frame your face.

♥ Brush your hair, wash your face, brush your teeth, etc. Elegant women always look presentable and put together.

♥ Have a signature scent you just LOVE to wear and put it on

♥ Plan, plan, plan- you will find more time to look polished and elegant when you aren’t running around frazzled. But a planner and use it.

♥ Decide to be a morning person so you will look well rested and awake.

-Luinae

The Incognito Outfit

Otherwise known as the “I want a coffee but I can’t be really bothered to make an effort.” We have all been there, trust me. But instead of walking outside the house in your pajamas (gasp of horror) or sweatpants, make an incognito outfit, specifically designed for days like this. It should be comfy and clean, and you should at least look well put together.

The above outfit is my own incognito outfit. A pair of dark wash jeans and a turtleneck are easy to throw on, look good on me, and I look presentable. A pair of boots in a neutral colour is so easy to slip on, and I like to add scarves when I’m going out for the warmth factor. In this outfit, I feel put together. There is no dramatic colours or bold style choices. But when I put this on- I look good. End of story.

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Beauty

As a general rule, decide on the bare minimum you are willing to do before you leave the house and stick to it. Even if I’m not going anywhere special, I wash my face, brush my hair, and apply rouge and lipstick in fairly neutral colours. These simple and small steps ensure I don’t look like I just rolled out of bed. Decide what the bare minimum you are willing to go out in is and stick to it.

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Making Your Own

Everyone has different style comfort zones- the outfit above just happens to be mine. Your comfort zone might be a long tunic and leggings- but decide what it is and keep it in the back of your mind for days like this. An incognito outfit works for running errands, starbucks, the library, etc. This outfit should make you look presentable and well dressed, not sloppy and unkempt. Plus, you never know who you might run into at Starbucks.

-Luinae

Too Early in the Morning

 

If you, like me, are locked in the depths of winter with no escape and are forced to wake up while it is still the dead of night and you need a way to brighten those dark and cold mornings, I have a few suggestions!

♥ Decide the day will be awesome before you’ve even got out of bed  ♥ Turn up the music ♥ Do some morning exercise (my favourite is dance) ♥ Brew yourself a cup of strong morning tea ♥ Have peppermint flavoroued breath mints ♥ Catch up on your favourite style blogs ♥ Think of something you can do to make the day exciting ♥ Open your curtains and let the light in ♥ Take vitamins ♥ Take lots of deep breaths ♥ Apply purple or green eyeliner instead of boring brown ♥ Splash cold water on your face ♥ Instead of rushing your morning commute, learn to enjoy it ♥ Use nice smelling body wash ♥ Choose something lovely to wear the night before ♥ Sleep with a teddy bear ♥ Cuddle with your pets ♥ Write something fun on your to-do list ♥ Watch the sunrise

-Luinae

Translating Looks

After a time of reading blogs, you will begin to notice how many lovely ladies out there have beautiful outfits. And if you’re anything like me, you will start to want to wear looks like the ones you see on blogs. Unfortunately, we don’t all have tons and tons of money, or secret tunnels to each other’s houses (I wish!) so you have to make do with your own wardrobe.

 

As you can see, I’ve taken the beautiful outfit worn by the lovely A. and put it on Looklet. The two don’t look exactly the same, but they do look similar. If I was to wear that outfit in my own wardrobe it wouldn’t look the same either- because I would have to make do with the clothes I own. There are a few things you need to remember when translating outfits into your own wardrobe and life.

♥ Asess your lifestyle- Can you wear this outfit in your life? If you work in a lab, you can’t be wearing wedges and skirts. I can’t wear short sleeves because it is far too cold out. My school has a dress code, etc. Can you translate this outfit and will it be wearable? Or can you tweak it a little to make it wearable?

♥ Look for Similar Pieces- If I was trying to recreate the look above, shown on Academichic, I would start by looking for things I already own that could work. I already own grey skinny jeans, lots of scarves, and a grey top. This is a good starting piece to recreating this look.

♥ Substitute Items- I have dark brown knee-high boots that could replace the black ones. Instead of a black jacket I could wear my dark blue one. The overall effect will still be very much the same, but I don’t have to run out and buy new things.

♥ Add your Own Twist- It is no use simple copying others outfits- I’m not E. or A. and I don’t have their lifestyles, climate, and wardrobe. It doesn’t make sense for me to copy their outfits exactly. By adding your own twist, you gain new style inspiration and get a chance to develop your own style.

-Luinae

Dressing in Chilly Weather

 

 

The lovely ladies over at HiFashion blogged about climate change- and how on this weekend, for the following Saturday and Sunday, they want you to turn OFF your heating in an effort to curb carbon emissions. Unfortunately, where I live has about 2 feet of snow on the ground, and we’re supposed to get 10 centimetres tonight. But my family will be turning down the heating by a degree or two.

I’m also writing this article to give all of you guys tips and tricks on how to stay warm, keep stylish, and save the world this weekend!

♥ Layers, Layers, Layers

But instead of just haphazardly throwing on clothes until you look like the abominable snowman, go about your layering with a method. I wrote an article found here on how to layer clothing. Layers are a great way to keep you warm because they provide away for all of your body heat to stay near you- yes!

♥ Hot Drinks & Blankets

Never underestimate the power of great big steaming cups of tea, coupled with knit blankets. Perhaps a hot bath or fire, if you have a fireplace. If you can, use the chill as an excuse to relax, drink hot chocolate, snuggle with your loved ones, and read a book. Now doesn’t that sound nice and warm?

♥ Accessories

Knits, scarves, hats, oh my! Wearing mittens on your cold hands, wrapping scarves around your neck, and placing a charming beret on your head is a great way to combat the cold and add some pizzazz to your outfit. A great pair of thick sweater tights does wonders for keeping your legs warm!

♥ Big, fluffy socks

I don’t think this needs to be explained, but big, fluffy, and ridiculously coloured socks make you happy and warm.

 ♥ Engage in Warming Activities

Exercising makes your sweat and gets your heart pumping, baking brings you near a stove, and reading lets you pile in bead with a hot water bottle. Do activities that allow you to be warm, and enjoy the chilly weather!

How do you guys make sure to stay warm? Good luck with turning off heaters!

-Luinae

I am a Real Person

 

In writing this blog, I often think we talk about the things we know and love, which of course makes sense. But I’m a real person, and real people aren’t good at everything and don’t get along with everyone. And that is what I am- a real person.

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Luinae McAnish is a hard working individual with an awesome family that always has her back. She runs human rights campaigns, is an Irish Dancer, and plays in the school Orchestra. She gets good grades, runs a style blog that she loves, and can write 50 000 word novels in one month. But she also has bipolar disorder, which makes her moody and sad, especially in winter. She doesn’t have friends she can talk too and she hates where she lives.

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My point? My point is that yes, I am a pretty awesome person. But no one in a perfect movie has bipolar disorder, and I do. My life isn’t perfect, and it isn’t always totally awesome. But I’ve come to realize that I’m o.k. with that. My life is awesome because it’s my life. And someday, things will change. I don’t always have to live here, and I’m sure that eventually I’ll start to make friends.

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What I’m trying to say is that you, my friend, are real. You have faults and flaws, hopes and dreams, and great characteristics. So am I. So let’s celebrate in the fact that we have lives that we can shape and control and change, even if only a little.

-Luinae

Ode to Winter

Of course, Autumn will always be my favourite. But Winter is lovely too, though in a different way. The cold weather has always made me more productive, and while my heart may belong to Autumn, there is a little spot in there for Winter too.

 

I love the sound my boots make when they crunch on the snow, the feeling of cold hands inside furry mitts. I love wrapping soft scarves around my neck, and clutching hot cups of tea with pale and cold hands. Winter is pressing fingers sticky with chocolate to the window, waiting for snow to come. It’s feeling the first cold snowflake on your tongue.

 

 

Winter is for red lipstick. Stirring hot cocoa with a peppermint stick, sweet and delicious. Seeing your breath in the air, waiting for snow to come. Snowflakes on black eyelashes, and spending the whole day reading piles of books. Writing and dreaming and scheming while the weather is white and snowy outside. It’s holding hands to keep warm, and holding each other up through snow drifts, sharing a magical feeling 

 

I adore snuggling under knit blankets, watching the fire. Roasting marshmellows, and having sticky fingers. Winter is for soft and warm turtlenecks, big bowls of soup, and chocolate cake. Licking peppermint sticks. Snow covering anything, and frost on the flowers and trees. Beautifully white and clean and fresh, with a cold crispness to the air. Laughing as you spin around, holding up your hands to catch the snow.

 

 

Making snow angels, and whisking down hills on a sled, yelling your head off. Wearing fluffy pajamas and fluffy bathrobes. Planning exciting things to do while still snug in bed, and wearing funny animal slippers. Taking deep breathes of clean, cold air. Sketching and dancing, being creative. Winter is waiting for Christmas, writing wishlists and making paper chains, cutting paper snowflakes and baking cookies, hanging stockings by the fireplace.

 

Sharing secrets. I love long bubble baths and knit scarves. Winter is for writing by candlelight, the flame lighting up an otherwise dark room. It’s for writing letters and sealing them with a kiss, running through snow and wind to mail them. Getting ridiculous sounding drinks at Starbucks, and sipping them while you walk home in the setting sun. Sleeping with hot water bottles at your feet, and burrowing deep under the covers.

 

I love Winter.

-Luinae