Kate Middleton's Pregnancy Style

After much speculation, it's been confirmed that Kate Middleton has gone in to labour. 

She's being taken to St Mary's Hospital in Paddington where she will give birth. LUXE Models can’t wait to meet the latest royal, although we will miss Kate’s impeccable pregnancy style! In honour of the soon-to-be -born, we have compiled a list of the best outfits that Kate has sported over the last 9 months and some of them are from the high street! 

The floral ‘floaty dress’

‘Floaty’ dresses could have been invented especially for pregnancy as they flatter a woman’s figure and her baby bump perfectly. 

Although baby bumps are something to be proud, towards the end of the pregnancy the bump can become too big for fitted dresses which can make a person look like they are about to pop out of it. 

‘Floaty’ dresses still allow for a mother-to-be to show off the bump, just more elegantly. Kate loved these style of dresses throughout her pregnancy, especially the ones with floral print, giving her that stylish ‘mumsy’ look.

The long coat

Kate could probably open various coat stores with the amount she's worn in the past nine months. Long coats are perfect for pregnancies as they allow for much more room. Kate has been seen wearing an array of brightly coloured coats, which she has often worn more than once. Not only does this show she's not scared to stand out from the crowd, but the public can even relate to her more as she wears an outfit more than once - unlike many celebs nowadays! 

Heels

Kate also caught people’s attention with the heels she continued to wear throughout her pregnancy. Determined not to let her pregnancy cramp her style, Kate wore various sets of classy heels and claimed plenty of plaudits.

So there, that is how Kate kept our attention, with a classy look that complimented her figure, rather than making it look like she was about to burst! LUXE Models are now looking forward to seeing the clothes the baby is kitted out in, our guess is that they will be even more stylish!

Are You Following The Bikini Trends?

The Daily Mail recently conducted a poll to find out who their millions of readers thought had the best 2013 bikini body. The poll consisted of singers, reality stars and actresses, with TOWIE star Lucy Mecklenburgh taking top spot with 31 per cent of the vote, followed by Rihanna and then Khloe Kardashian, who took third place. But the real question is, are the celebs following the current trends?

2013 summer bikini trends:

·         The 50’s Vintage Bikini: This bikini is hot this summer, with many girls sporting the classy/chic look. The bikini consists of bold, colourful, busy patterns and high-wasted bikini bottoms, which compliment the fuller figure. This is joined with a structured halter neck top which adds to the old-school retro-inspired look.

·         The Bandeau Bikini: This is one of our favourite bikinis here at Luxe. The style of it compliments all figures, especially those with smaller breast sizes. Not only that but it minimises tan lines and can be found in so many different styles, colours and designs that it has to be a holiday must have!

·         The Mismatched Bikini: So this one could be classed as the ‘lazy look’, mainly because you can find one pair of bikini bottoms and then pick up a random bikini top and there you go, the look is complete. The whole point of this look is to create a contrast in colours, so whatever you want goes. Blue with orange? Fine, green with pink? Fine, yellow with purple? Fine… OK, you get the picture…. Although it may be better to wear colours that actually go together, the whole point of this look is that you can push the boundaries and where what you want. 

So have the stars been following these trends? Nicole Richie has certainly been embracing the mismatched bikini look when she was recently spotted on a beach in California sporting a red bikini top with blue bikini bottoms and in our opinion, she was rocking the look! 

Tulisa has been sporting the 50’s vintage look and we have to admit she’s worn it pretty well, although she’s been on so many holidays this year that it was inevitable that she would have pulled this style out of the bag at some point.

Finally Paris Hilton has been seen wearing tie-dyed bandeau bikini and looking better than ever, maybe avoiding the media spotlight is good for her… Luxe Models certainly think so!

3 Essential Beauty Products for Under a Tenner!

Although the au-natural look can be the most beautiful, sometimes we all need a little helping hand. However, beauty products these days are becoming more and more expensive, as well as more sought after. For that reason these products that we convince ourselves we need can end up burning a hole in our pocket…. until now. 

Luxe Models have created a list of the three essential summer time products, all for under a tenner!      

•    If you’re not going away this summer fake tan is the number one product for making people think you have. Whereas you may not have actually sat on the beach sipping cocktails in the sun, if you manage to convince everyone else you have due to your tanned skin, then maybe in time you would even start to believe it yourself? Ok, maybe not, but with St. Moriz instant tanning mousse coming in at just £2.55 there is no excuse not to have a slight golden glow this summer. 

•  On long sunny summer evenings the last thing you want to be doing is slaving away in the shower washing your hair, (this is coming from someone with long, thick hair). You no longer have to think, “but it will be really greasy tomorrow” as we can tackle that in a matter of seconds! Whereas most people swear by dry shampoo, which you can pick up for around £2, talcum powder does exactly the same job, at a fraction of the price. You can pick talcum powder up from most beauty stores, usually for less than a pound, then all you need to do is apply a bit to your roots, rub it in and voila, clean hair…..or something like that.

•  In hot weather the last thing any wants is a full face of thick make-up, especially because it usually ends up sweating off anyway! Try swapping a foundation with a concealer, just to go over slight blemishes, then let your face breath, you will feel so much better for it. Max Factor’s Panstick is the ultimate concealer, providing maximum coverage at a bargain price! The concealer comes in at just under £7 and lasts for absolutely ages, trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

A Contouring How To Guide

Depending on the look that a photographer wants to create, the make-up used on a model can vary massively. However, one thing that is pretty consistent and often used on models is the art of contouring, which accentuates certain features, making the face appear more defined.

Celebs such as Kim Kardashian and Beyonce swear by contouring, probably because they also spend a lot of time in front of the camera, and here at Luxe Models we do too! 

The main place where people use contouring to define the face is on their cheek bones. This is achieved by sucking in your cheeks and applying a normal blusher to your cheek bones. To make the cheek bones stand out even more, a darker shade of blusher can be applied underneath the first shade, this can create a stunning look, just make sure you don't over do it.

Contouring isn't just used on the cheek bones, but all over the face, also allowing it to look thinner. Darker make-up shades achieve this look, making parts of the face such as the nose appear smaller, where as lighter shades make things stand out.

For instance, for wider noses bronzer can be applied to either side, but not the middle, which created shading making it appear smaller. For longer noses a dab of bronzer can be applied to the end, which again adds shading, making it appear shorter. For people with excess fat under their chins, bronzer or blusher can be used again, taking a brush start directly underneath your chin and brush straight down towards your neck. The shadow created again makes the underneath of the chin appear thinner.

Contouring can also be used on the forehead and the eyes, again allowing you to achieve any look you want, whether it is bigger, smaller or just more defined. So now you know, there's more to make-up than originally meets the eye!

For an in-depth tutorial on contouring check out our YouTube channel, where we have re-posted a video which can help you achieve the perfect look!

Murray to Follow in Fred Perry's Footsteps?

Yesterday Andy Murray made the hottest day of the year so far even hotter when he won the Wimbledon 2013 men’s final.

Murray became the first British man in 77 years to take home the trophy, the last being the iconic Fred Perry, who was known as the greatest tennis player of his era. However, many people, especially the younger generation, now know Fred Perry not just as a tennis player but as a fashion designer.

Perry’s label began in the late 1940s when an Austrian footballer, Tibby Wegner, approached him with an anti-perspirant device that he had invented to be worn around the wrist. Perry liked the idea and made a few changes to the design, thus creating the first sweat band. After the success of the sweat band Wegner’s next idea was a sports shirt, which used the original Wimbledon symbol as its logo. The sports shirts proved to be a hit, leading the Fred Perry brand to become popular all over the world, with it previously being the clothing sponsor of our latest champion, Andy Murray.

Although Andy does have sponsorship deals with brands such as Adidas, there has been no mention of him creating his own fashion line. Who knows, with his popularity soaring at the moment, here at Luxe Models we wonder if a new clothing line could be on the horizon.

Watch this space…

Secrets from the Top Models

Modelling, aside from celebrating beauty, is about showcasing your true potential. For that reason many top models follow natural beauty procedures, as well as certain diets, to keep their skin, eyes and lips as beautiful as ever.

British model Jourdan Dunn is known for her toned but curvy figure and therefore uses a personal trainer to help her gain core strength and energy, as well as helping her enhance her curves. Besides keeping herself in shape Jourdan swears by moisturiser and face masks to keep her skin fresh, with her favourite product being Sisley’s Radiant Glow Express Mask, which she uses twice a week. She also uses a Beauty Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base by Burberry, who she has previously modelled for.

Australian model Miranda Kerr gave away her biggest beauty tip, which here at Luxe Models we swear by, don’t pick your pimples. She again swears by moisturiser, using a tinted one to give her skin a healthy glow. To keep in shape Miranda loves yoga and Pilates, as well as focusing on resistance training for core strength.

Chinese model Shu-Pei swears by high-street brands using Maybelline New York Dream Smooth Mousse Foundation, which she says gives her skin a flawless, oil-free look. She also admits that she never goes to bed without thoroughly removing her makeup and says she drinks a lot of water, which is what the models makeup artist always recommends.

American model Naomi Campbell, who is known for her glossy hair, admits that her fast metabolism is what keeps her slender figure; however, carbs are now a treat for her. She also admits that she has no problem with getting older but has regular facials to keep her skin elastic.  

 Luxe Models specialises in bringing the best out in their customers in order to maximise their chances of breaking in to the modelling industry. Aside from beauty regimes it is important to remember the three main things that make a model; patience, discipline and self-confidence. Being good at what you do is the key to modelling, as well as knowing that it can take time. If you think you have what it takes don’t become dis-heartened, patience is after all a virtue.