No matter if you are single in a relationship or just have a cat, someone out there loves you! Make Valentine’s Day about the people in your life that you love!
xoxo Dolly Monroe
Photo by If You Fall Photography
Tag: Beauty
Bullet Bra
Fun Fact: Back in 2010 my sewing partner Laura and I both competed and made the top 10 Nationally in the Triumph Lingerie Competition!
The theme of the competition was “Shape” and I decided to put a retro spin on my look with the very pronounced shape of a Bullet Bra. I also made matching high-waist panties with attached garters and a billowy shear cape with velvet rose pattern. It was a really great experience being in this competition and we got to attend a lovely brunch/fashion show and see our creations come to life on models. I have been doing a lot of lingerie work recently and it’s nice to look back on one of my first creations with pride. There will be many more lingerie posts to come!
Gigi Vanilla at Girlesque
I was lucky enough to get to make two costumes this year for the Girlesque Expo in Toronto. One of these costumes was for the stunning and talented Gigi Vanilla. Gigi came to me with a beautiful vintage photo of a dancer and a pink colour scheme. From that I created a chiffon dirndl skirt, covered and decorated a bra top and made matching one-finger gloves and a g-string. I love the bits of pink lace on the bra and waistband, it adds beautiful texture to the outfit and the sparkle which was partly an applique and partly hand sewn gives it a real showgirl feel. Gigi did a wonderful job at the Girlesque Expo and really brought this costume to life. Check out the video at the bottom of this post!
Little Lolita Skirt and Belly Top
This outfit was inspired by two things. Firstly this incredible fabric I found with the lovely embroidered scalloped edge along the bottom. I am absolutely obsessed with fabric that has a scalloped edge and I’m always in the hunt for it. I also love the fun blue plaid and thought it looked like the perfect fabric for a summer outfit. Secondly the design was very much influenced by the outfits worn by Dominique Swain in the Adrian Lyne adaptation of the novel Lolita. The matching belly top and skirt look is so adorable and speaks to an era where outfits were tailored to match. Enjoy a summery Dolly on this cold winter day!
Photos by If You Fall Photography
Monif C Bikini
Can’t you picture me rocking this bathing suit? I would totally rock this bathing suit.
Has anyone ever ordered from www.monifc.com before?
Fifty Shades of Red – Part 2
You lipstick fiends look hungry for some new flavours!
After my last post about my favourite lipsticks I got so many awesome suggestions for longwear lipsticks to try, so I went to Sephora and picked up a couple. My friend Kate suggested I try the Sephora Cream Lip Stain in “001 Always Red” which I grabbed along with a new product Sephora has launched called Rouge Infusion Lip Stain, which I got in the shade “Cherry Nectar”.
Sephora Cream Lip Stain – Always Red
As I sit here with this lipstick on I am realizing how much nicer it is than the MAC equivalent! They are almost identical in colour and at $16 it definitely beats the $29 MAC product, though I think the MAC longwear is still the longest lasting of all the ones I’ve tried. Still, it is doing a great job of staying on while also being very light and comfortable to wear. The MAC lipstick is really dry if you don’t use the top coat, but this lipstick has more moisture and I can hardly even feel it on my lips. This will probably be my new go-to for an everyday, classic red! Thanks Kate for your wonderful suggestion!!
Sephora Rouge Infusion Lip Stain – Cherry Nectar
Guys… I can’t believe I’m saying this but, this is my new favourite lipstick. Not only is it a luscious deep, sexy, purpley red, it also lasts really well (passing the makeout test). It goes on wet and stays really moist on your lips. At first I was concerned that it wasn’t drying but when I pressed my lips to my hand there was no transfer. It almost feels like a lip balm but stays like a longwear. Excellent product, I’m very impressed with it and will definitely be going back to get a few more colours.
Sephora Cream Lip Stain “Always Red” C$16
MAC Pro Longwear “Lasting Lust” C$29
Lime Crime “Red Velvet” US$20
Laura Desiree’s Dreamy Evening Gown
As a designer and seamstress I am lucky enough to have many beautiful burlesque performer clients. Last summer I was contacted by Laura Desiree, the Big City Kitty, and we began working together on some lovely pieces for her acts. The first outfit I created for Laura was a tight fitting, ivory gown with a plunging sweetheart neckline, leg-revealing slit completely decked out in swarovski crystals. To go with her gown I also made matching garter belt and g-string and sparkled-up a pair of gloves. I absolutely love the way this dress hugs Laura’s curves. She is a total old hollywood vamp in this outfit!
Top 3 photos from Photolena
Victorian Dolly Dress
Right before winter I found this beautifully embossed polyester fabric that felt thick and warm and perfect for a cute winter dress. I used a t-shirt pattern for the top and added a circle skirt on to the bottom. Super simple. super quick and incredibly cute! In the photos below I paired it with a homemade headband and cameo necklace. The boots are ‘To Be Announced” from Solestuck. I love the little bit of metal at the toe and heel of these boots. They are like jewelry for your feet! My lipstick here is “Diva” from MAC.
Photos by If You Fall Photography
Fifty Shades of Red (Actually Just Three)
It’s time for another edition of DOLLY’S FAVOURITE THINGS!!!
Anyways, this is my lovely post about my favourite lipsticks! For me lipstick is like the cherry on top of a look. It’s not 100% necessary but it takes what could be a simple outfit and makes it extra yummy. I pretty much wear one of these three lipsticks every day. This photo doesn’t really do them justice, especially since the difference in shade is very subtle. I also mostly wear longwear lipsticks, which I find more practical because they don’t rub off.
Lime Crime – Red Velvet
After hearing many excellent things about Lime Crime I finally decided to try out their Velvetine Lipsticks and bought both Red Velvet (pictured above) and Pink Velvet. These are longwear lipsticks and they go on very wet but dry to a matte finish. Red Velvet is such a lovely rich, deep red and I’ve gotten so many compliments on it. My only qualms with this lipstick are; A) if you have dry or cracked lips this stuff will just sit on top instead of either adding moisture, like a regular lipstick would, or covering up, like other longwear lipsticks do. And B) it does smudge when wet, so if you are eating (or making out) expect it to get all over your face (and someone else’s).
MAC – Russian Red
This lipstick is the quintessential red lipstick that every girl should own. Dita Von Teese totes this one around too, so you know it must be good! It’s a bold, matte, shade that falls somewhere between Cherry red and Blood red on the red-spectrum. This is a regular lipstick, and because of that I wear it much less than my other favourite lipsticks. But it is just too beautiful not to pull out when you’re feeling extra glamourous.
MAC Pro Longwear – Lasting Lust
This is my absolute favourite and most used lipstick. Not only is this lipstick the perfect Cherry red, it also goes on really easily and stays on all day and all night long. I will warn you though, if you put this lipstick on incorrectly it can do some strange things. The proper way to apply MAC Pro Longwear Lipstick it to put ONE generous coat on your lips and then let them dry, preferably for a good 5 minutes. It needs to be really dry before you put the top coat on. Sometimes I skip the top coat all together, but it does feel very dry if you do that. If you put the top coat on while the lipstick is setting it will not dry properly and will feel crumbly and strange on your lips. Also if you put on a thick coat and then later add another thick coat you will get the same crumbly effect. After eating or at the end of a long day you will notice it fading slightly. It is ok to reapply if the coat is very thin but usually I will take it off completely and reapply a fresh coat.
Priming Your Canvas
Dear reader, I have a confession to make. I know it may shock you but… this is not what my skin looks like. Every photo you’ve ever seen of me was taken with a full face of makeup. Shocked? Don’t be! I’m not ashamed of the fact that I wear makeup. It gives me confidence and is a huge part of my personal look. I get a lot of compliments on my skin, but really it’s the goop on top that should get the credit. And in case you are interested here’s what I use to get that alabaster glow!
Firstly I would like to say that I take skincare very seriously and I exfoliate and moisturize every single day in the morning and evening. I also never go to sleep with my makeup on, no matter how tired I am. My skin is naturally quite pale and I am very careful to stay out of the sun as much as possible.
After moisturizer the first step to my routine is applying MAC cosmetic’s Studio Fix Liquid Foundation in NC15 with a 190 MAC foundation brush. I make sure to spread it evenly across my whole face, avoiding the eyelids. Then, using the same brush, I apply MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot in Soft Ochre to my eyelids as a base for my eye makeup. I love this product and it does a great job of preventing creasing for daily wear. Lastly I buff out my skin with MAC’s Studio Fix Powder Foundation in NC15 which I usually apply with the sponge that comes with this product, but occasionally I will use a round, flathead brush to really press it on. Et voila!
CLASSICALLY CURVY 
