#Pat McGrath Real

[newestcool]

Sasha Luss at the Bottega Veneta f/w 2014 rtw show Creative Director Thomas Maier Makeup Artist Pat McGrath Hair Stylist Guido Palau Casting Director John Pfeiffer Newest Cool

[toni6toni]

Gwendoline Christie looked so fucking sickening in that margiela show like wow,,,, talk abt cunt,,,,,,,

[sazzafraz]

in horrifically me fashion i finally received ‘against forgetting’ on this, my 28th birthday. huzzah for me, someone who is now just waiting on expensive lipstick.

[taylor]

never felt more justified for owning over $1,000 of pat mcgrath products mskdjdjdjsjsjsj

[sunrisesfromthewest]

First Encounter Part 7

Warnings/Brief Summary: Marcus doing the must 💯|Ex being mentioned |Kelly and Dorn scolding reader🫠| Rita speaking facts🎙️ | Mike being done with the BS🙄| Next chapter might be the last part😢

Author��s note🗣️: I made this part a little long since I been M.I.A, enjoy ;) 💕

Previous Parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6  

———————————————————————

After mourning your skittles that you didn’t even have a chance to enjoy, you return back outside with your now tolerable father to discuss the plan on saving Christine from McGrath. 

Reaching the group, you noticed Mike and Armando standing to the side having a private discussion, but the more you watch their interaction, the faster you realized that Mike was lowkey praising his son's actions, giving him pats on the shoulder with a proud smile. 

Sensing an extra pair of eyes on him Mike looks past Armando, to see you and Marcus, standing with the group, giving him a quizzical expression, as he ‘disciplines' Armando for his actions.

Switching his face from proud to annoyed, Mike smacks Armando’s arm, pointing at him, while saying, "But you bet not do that dumb shit ever again.” 

Watching as Mike approach the group, with a perplexed Armando trailing behind him, you shake your head, amused by how Mike tried to cover his ass. Knowing that if he didn’t your father would start up with his mess again, but not to anyone surprise, Marcus already picked up on the bullshit.  

“Over there praising that boy for his hereditary playboy moves, Imma whoop your ass after this rescue, Mike!" pausing he look at Armando with a devious smile," Oh and I can’t wait to get my hands on you!” 

Rita cuts in before they could start bickering more, "ENOUGH! We need to focus on taking down McGrath, and not your kids FUCKING EACHOTHER!” 

Stunned by how her bluntness, you watch as everyone stood still, either too scared to talk back or still in shock. 

“Uh yeah, I think it’s time to focus on the real issue here.” you said swallowing hard as everyone gaze turn to you. 

“Alright so we need to call back u-” Rita begins to say but is cut off by Mike, "No can do were still wanted fugitives and I know that McGrath wouldn’t like the extra reinforcement......this needs to be executed by us and us alone.” 

Nodding her head she looks at Mike questionably, "Well how are we going to get their discreetly.” 

“With him." he said pointing at Lockwood with a determined look. 

“Mike will it be smart to use him.... he was the one that got us involved in this mess." Marcus said unsure by his decision to use Lockwood, knowing that he could fuck up the mission. 

“He’s the reason this shit started, and he’s the only one that has direct contact to McGrath." Nodding his head in understanding Marcus says, “I know but I don’t trust him when it comes to communicating with McGrath.” 

“I can help with that...I can easily transform Mike voice into Lockwood's, McGrath wouldn’t even know the difference.” Dorn says with certainty.  

“Well let’s get to work, we already waisted enough time." Rita says giving her approval of the plan. 

As everyone begins to break apart to get the plan in motion, you feel someone tug on your arm. Looking up you see Kelly giving you a forced smile, while tugging you away from any nosey listeners.

Already knowing what it might be about you roll your eyes, "Girl please don’t go into no rant about my dumb decision.” 

Exhaling she shake her head sending you a pointed look,” Y/N I don’t even want to hear it, the fuck was you thinking.... sleeping with his fugitive ass.”

Rubbing at your face you say, "I know Kells...I messed up, but it’s been a stressful week working at the hospital and shit with everything going on...I needed that relief.” 

“If you needed relief, you could’ve just called Rafe." she said folding her arms. 

“Why the fuck you keep bringing him up, I don’t want nothing to do with his ass after what he did to me.” you said folding your arms with a rigid expression. 

Studying you with her pensive eyes, she releases a sigh, "Okay, my bad for bringing him up but.... I would rather you deal with him than Armando.”  

Blinking you stare at Kelly with a blank face, completely frozen. 

“Kelly...since we all under a lot of stress and pressure right now.... Imma act like I didn’t just hear you say that stupid shit.” you said with a clenched jaw. 

“Y/N don’t be like that; you know what I mean.... I just want you to start messing with people that can raise your standards.”  

Pursing your lips at her words you say "Kells if I wanted someone who could raise my standards, I would just date one of the doctors from the hospital and finally fulfill your little greys anatomy fantasy.” 

Grinning she says, "Please do because I’m ready for some real-life Meredith and Derek action." Scoffing you say, "Girl, bye why you choose the most problematic characters.... matter fact they all problematic so never mind!” 

Giving each other a look you burst out laughing at y’all antics, "Besides, I'm already surrounded by that daily at work, so no thank you.” 

Calming down she smirks, "Okay fine...but you acting just like them, sneaking away so you can get som-”cutting her off you give her annoyed look. Kelly raises her hands in defense,” Hey, I'm just saying you gave it up pretty quick, you made Rafe wait for months before you let him hit.” 

“Don’t even try it, that was different, we were in a relationship, this was just a quick fuck.” you say already getting annoyed again by the mention of your ex. 

“Y/N, you do realize that ever since you got involved with this mess, he hasn’t taken his eyes off of you, and the way he's been glancing at you, says otherwise." she said pointing behind you. 

Gazing over your shoulder you see, Armando watching the interaction between you two, locking eyes, you see him smirk and give you a wink. 

Shaking her head at the scene in front of her Kelly mumbles “quick fuck my ass.” Breaking the intense eye contact you turn back to her saying Huh, with a lost expression. 

“One look at him already has you acting dumb.... damn girl he must’ve put some work in," Kelly says running her eyes over your figure. Snapping out of your stupor, you smack your lips, "He....ain’t do all of that, I mean don’t get me wrong it was good ...AMAZING....girl I’m not finna even lie...he had me wobbling.” 

Covering her mouth Kelly dramatically wipes away a fake tear, "He done turn my best friend into a hoe." As your about to say something smart you hear a familiar voice cut in "She not wrong Y/N/N, and I was being serious when I said you're going to my therapist.” 

Rolling your eyes, you peer up to see Dorn approaching, with a smug look. 

“Not you too......and y’all gonna stop using that hoe word so freely." you said pointing at both of them with a semi-serious look.  

“Y/N you had sex with him knowing that he was a fugitive...knowing that he killed Captain Howard....Knowing that he was trying to kill us in the process....and girl you barely know him." Pausing to scan your figure he says, "And by the looks of it you definitely didn’t use protection....A.K. A definition of a hoe.” 

Placing your hand on your chest in shock you say, "You did not just read me!” 

“I did but only out of love, cuz you need a wakeup call!" he says looking at Kelly, who nods her head in agreement. 

“First of all, I don’t need no damn ‘wakeup’ call, when I was fully aware of what I was doing, and secondly why is everyone forgetting I’m a grown woman,I can fuck whoever I want!” you said nose flaring while glaring at Dorn and Kelly. 

“Y/N were not judging you we just want was best for you.......especially after what happened between you and Rafe.” Dorn says with concern, while staring at his friend. 

“I know it’s just tiring hearing everyone criticize my actions." Rubbing your face in frustration, you sigh look everywhere but at them. Walking up to you, Kelly pulls you in a tight hug, silently allowing her presence to comfort you. 

Hugging her back you look to see Dorn standing their hesitantly, sighing you wave him over with a small smile. Embracing the comfort of your friends you say, "I love you guys but I swear your worser than my parents." 

 Laughing Kelly pulls away shaking her head in disagreement,”Nah,Y/N your dad is definitely worser than us, he had me in a death grip earlier mumbling about how your gonna birth gangster babies!” 

“No, he didn’t!” you say glancing at Dorn for confirmation, not believing it, watching as he gives a firm nod of his head with a smile, had you rolling your eyes. 

“Y’all are going to be the death of me.”you said laughing while wiping at your eyes. 

 Shivering slightly from the light breeze you say, "We should make our way back to the other’s I know they’re wondering where we ran off to.” 

As y’all begin to make your way back towards the front of the lake house you start to hear yelling and scuffling. Looking at Kelly and Dorn they quickly make their way to the front immediately drawing their guns. Following behind them quick as well, you see them pause, confused and alarmed at the sight before them. 

Stepping out from behind them, your just about to ask why they stopped until your eyes landed on the scene in front of you. 

Marcus seemed to have caught Armando lacking because the sight in front of you doesn’t even seem real and to be completely honest you pinched yourself to double check. Somehow your dad had Armando in a headlock, while shouting some crazy shit at him, as Mike tried to pull him off his son. 

Watching as Armando runs in circles trying to pry your father off him without truly hurting him, made you spring into action. ”DAD..WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!" you say trying to pull him off along with Mike. 

“YOU THINK YOU CAN SLEEP WITH MY BABY WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES! OH, HELL NAH!” Marcus say seemingly lost in his on frustration.  

Listening as Armando lets out a few grunts and cuss words in anger, as your father tighten his hold on him, almost made you laugh but the agitated look he sends you had you biting your lip instead. 

Moving in front of Armando you attempt to remove your father arms as you yelled, "HOW THE HELL, DID HE GET YOU! IN A HEADLOCK?!” 

“Mierda, no sé, estaba hablando con Mike y luego lo siguiente que sabes es que se está aferrando a mí como un puto gorila!(Shit, I don't know, I was talking to Mike and then the next thing you know, he's clinging to me like a fucking gorilla!)” he growls in spanish becoming agitated the longer Marcus hangs onto him. 

“BOY DID YOUR ASS JUST CALL ME A MONKE-” finally breaking his hold Armando fly's forward in your arms causing you both to fall, while your dad was being held back by Mike who was starting to struggle. Seeing this Dorn and Kelly runs over to help Mike restrain Marcus as he continues to thrash around crazily. 

Somehow during the fall Armando shifted your weight causing him to take most of the impact. Groaning you roll to the side, trying to catch your breath. Moving your head in his direction, you were met by his pained expression as his eyes scan over your face. 

“You're okay, Nena?” he says breathing hard to catch his breath, nodding your head, you grimace as you sit up, eyes quickly assessing him. 

“I should be asking you that." you said slightly winded from the fall but eyes remaining on him with concern. Sending you a small smile, he nods his head still trying to catch his breath. 

Looking at your father who has a satisfied grin on his face, made you rolled your eyes at his immature behavior. "I can’t believe he did that.... he’s literally the cause of his on stress.” you said still in disbelief by what just happened. 

Hearing slight movement, you look back to see Armando, sitting up looking more annoyed than in pain now. "I wanted to throw him off of me.... but I knew that would’ve caused more problems." he said sending you an unsure look as he waits for your response. 

“Yeah, that definitely would’ve made it worse but to be honest..I don’t think anyone would blame you." you said with a smile. 

“You guys alright!” Mike says as he makes his way over to you two. Nodding your head, you move to stand up, letting out a moan in the process. "Just a little sore but other than that nothing too serious.” 

Offering Armando your hand, you pull him up from the ground, with little effort. “I’m just surprise that he attacked me...I mean Y/N warned me but I didn’t think he was actually going to do something. "Armando says dusting himself off while gazing between you and Mike. 

Mike rolls his eyes at his reply, "Marcus little ass always trying to prove a point, he didn’t mean no harm by it, and thank you for not hurting him.... I know you could have.” 

“Yeah, thank you for that." you said giving his shoulder a light squeeze in appreciation. Gazing up at him with a smile you were met with a smirk, confused you tilt your head to the side silently questioning him. 

“I can think of a few ways you could.....really thank me.” he said pulling you into his side while giving your hip a light squeeze. 

“See that’s the reason we dealing with Marcus's bullshit right now." Mike says pulling you away from Armando with a disappointed look.  

” Keep your nasty ass hands to yourself, matter of fact until this mission is over with, y’all ass bet not be near each other...comprende!”he says glaring at you two but more at Armando. 

Shaking your head, in agreement you gaze over at Armando, who is squinting his eyes at Mike. Watching as they have a staring match, made you raise an eyebrow in amusement, giving Mike a fake smile Armando says sure. 

Exhaling nosily through his pursed lips, Mike just accepts that it was a lost cause, "I swear if y’all give Marcus another reason to flip the fuck out tonight, he ain’t gonna be the one you have to worry about.” 

And with that he walks away seemingly done with dealing with everyone’s problems. Sighing you move to leave as well but is stopped by Armando grabbing your hand, "You gonna let his little threat stop us from having some fun."  

Glancing up at him you see him peering at you with a coy smile, "No, but I think we done had enough fun tonight." you say slightly narrowing your eyes at him. Rolling his brown eyes, he pulls you in a small embrace, hands falling to your waist. 

“Okay fine...but I still think I deserve a reward for not acting on my impulses." he says looking down at you with want. 

Fluttering your eyelashes in fake contemplation, "I don’t know.... you did show restraint when it came to my dad.... but right now, you're struggling with staying away from me.” 

Eying the way you lightly run your hands against his arms, made him smirk, "Doesn't seem like I’m the only who’s struggling, querida.” 

Staring up at him with a teasing smile,” Oh I’m not struggling at all, in fact I’ve been wanting to jump on you, since we left the apartment," pausing you look away from him, gazing at the others, "but for their sake, I'll wait until we rescue Christine.” 

Grabbing your chin, Armando pulls your attention back to him, "Well I can wait as long as you want, the only thing I want from you right now is a kiss." he says tracing your bottom lip with his thumb.

"I think I can manage that." leaning forward you lick your lips in anticipation, "I mean after all I still need to reward you….right."

Keeping his intense gaze on your full lips,he hums in agreement.Deciding to tease him a little you lean up and give him a quick peck.

Shifting his low lidded brown eyes to yours,he reaches a hand down to pinch your ass hard,”Don’t be a fucking tease,Y/N.”

Jumping from the pinch you smack his chest playfully,”Okay,fine just wanted to see how eager you were.”

Pressing your full lips against his warm soft ones made you release a content sigh,as he pressed your body closer to his.

Shivering lightly from the way his tongue grazed yours,made you pull away from the kiss,”It might be smart to stop now before this get out of control.”you said taking in a breath while giving him a smile.

Staring down at you in thought, Armando smirks,”What…scared of giving them a show?”

Smacking your lips you pull away from his embrace,”No…I’m worried the longer I stay in your presence,the more I realize that I might actually have hoe tendencies.”

Face going blank he says,”What?”

Laughing at his expression you take his hand,pulling him with you as you walk towards the others.”Nothing just…never mind,I’ll explain it later.”

Armando trails behind you,still confused but choosing to disregard it as he keeps a sharp gaze on the way your hips sway.

“Y’all done being all lovey dovey.”Marcus say eyeing the way you keep a tight grip on Armando hand as you approach.Rolling your eyes at your dads comment you say,”Maybe…you done acting like a fool?”

Rolling his eyes as well,he cross his arms,while watching you two,”…..For the sake of my future grandchild,I am.”

You and Armando eyes immediately widen in shock,as y’all say,”What!!!”

__________________________________________

Authors Note🗣️:Marcus just don’t know when to quit ,and y’all starting to get on Mike nerves 😭😭😭.

⬇️That’s your ex Rafe(I wonder why he wasn’t in the new Bad Boys🤔)

[richarlotte]

Most important steps to your glow up?

Top Tier.

Braces.

I had my braces on for 18 months, and they were the best decision of my life. I can breathe better, my jaw and chin look better, my teeth are straight, and I have no more pain. Facial harmony is everything, and mine was restored by an expert orthodontist and continued use of my retainers. Jaw surgery wasn’t reasonable or necessary, but I can’t even begin to describe the impact that dental whitening, braces, weight loss, and proper dental care work had on my face.

 

Electrolytes and Hydration.

I was severely dehydrated and in need of electrolytes for years and years. I thought that drinking enough water wasn’t as important as people made it seem, but my life changed when I started to do it. Life feels much less stressful now that I’m properly hydrated, and I make sure to toss a little lemon and salt in my water and drink a Gatorade or Liquid IV to get electrolytes.

 

Darker and Longer Hair.

I look better with hair that’s long, dark, and thick. I have alopecia, so I did a number of things to disguise my hair loss growing up, but I wear wigs now that my hair is gone. I was told to wear my hair long, dark, and straight last year, and whenever I do, people tell me that I look otherworldly. Now that I know what to do with my hair and what looks best, I’m a million times more confident about myself.

 

Less Dairy.

I am not lactose intolerant, but I do not need to be eating dairy in excess. I enjoy dairy, so I won’t cut it out of my diet, but I don’t need to be eating it in the amount that I did. I was bloated, always breaking out, and tired all the time, but my low energy dissipated the second I cut my dairy intake. I’m not 100% dairy-free and most likely won’t ever be, but I’m careful with the amount I consume.

 

Korean Contact Lenses.

Americans think that all colored contact lenses are unnatural, and American-made colored contacts are. I use Olens contacts and only use the dark shades, and they’re amazing. I find that having huge, dark, striking eyes helps me get exactly what I want, and I love the way I look when I’m wearing contacts. I use contacts to craft my look and emphasize my eyes, and I never buy or use colors that aren’t brown or black. Wearing dark contacts has reduced my need for so much bright eye makeup; they make me look friendlier, and I look better in photos.

 

Better Quality Makeup.

Investing in higher-quality makeup and actually learning how to apply it was crucial. Buying Hourglass, Pat McGrath, Charlotte Tilbury, MAC, and Nars was sort of essential to my makeup journey, and I look much better now that I’ve invested the time and money into learning about makeup. Dupes just don’t hold up to the real things, and I look better now that I’m spending $45 on one product instead of spending $45 on five different products to try to replicate the look.

 

Urea, Glutamic Acid, and Dry Brushing.

I used to have serious strawberry arms and legs, dry skin, and dark spots from body acne, but all of that has cleared up. Hyaluronic acid and body serums have nothing on this combo, and dry brushing has completely cleared up my rough skin and helped with my stretch marks. If you want skin that’s plump, hydrated, glowing, and looks healthy, then you have to exfoliate your dry and wet skin and start using this trio to care for your body.

 

Better Skincare Products.

I invested a lot in using fancy designer brands, but the things that helped me the most were basic, unscented, and quality. I use Paula’s Choice exfoliant, plenty of SPF 100, retinol, and a variety of Korean and American products. My facial acne is gone, my dark marks are cleared, my skin barrier is healed, my skin looks healthier, and I’m glowing. Drunk Elephant, celebrity skincare brands, and trending products didn’t do it for me; figuring out what I needed and then implementing it into my routine helped.

 

Creating my own aesthetic.

I won’t stop talking about The Blend because it helped me become who I am today. I wanted to create a look that would help me, and so I had to spend months solidifying my image. It took me a year to get to where I am today, but life became easier once I was able to figure out what I should be doing, what I should be saving for or investing in, and what suited me. The Blend isn’t just about style, and I had to be scientific with it at times and really work with the resources I had and what was readily accessible to me.

I can do Mid Tier next.

[helloalycia]

the king’s ward [one] // morgana pendragon

summary: when you and your brother travel to Camelot to compete in a fighting competition, there's one problem: women can't fight. So, naturally, you convince him to switch places with you whilst you have your chance to fight. And impressing the King's Ward is merely a bonus.

warning/s: mentions of fighting and violence.

author's note: hello! so this was impulse written not long ago when i rewatched merlin bc who doesn't love katie mcgrath? it's inspired by that merlin ep where arthur uses a decoy in his jousting (?) match! and it's kind of like she's the man if you think about it haha, so do enjoy! it's a multi-part imagine :)

two / three / four / masterlist / wattpad

"This is gonna be amazing, Y/B/N," I said with a grin, trying to contain my excitement as we approached the tournament grounds.

"Reign it in," he said lightheartedly, though I knew he was right. I wasn't supposed to be competing, he was, so I had to play the part.

Every year, Camelot held a fighting tournament that anybody could compete in, even those who weren't knights. There were no rules and it was an open competition, however despite nothing explicitly saying women couldn't compete, it was a given. And so every year, I only dreamt of competing so that I could see if I was as good as I hoped. Finally, I came up with the genius idea for my brother, Y/B/N, to pretend to compete whilst I actually did the fighting. It wasn't foolproof, but I was desperate, and he agreed after much convincing.

We'd arrived in Camelot last night, our first ever visit to the kingdom, and were staying in the full to-the-brim tavern in a room above the pub. It wasn't ideal, but it would do the job. The real reason I was here was right before me and I couldn't be more excited.

"Y/B/N Y/L/N?" a voice called, and my brother and I both spun around to see a servant boy approaching. "You're up first. You can use the tent over there to get into your armour, if you have any."

"Thank you," Y/B/N said with a nod before we both headed over to his – AKA mine – tent.

"This is perfect for making the switch," I said with a contained grin, looking around the enclosed space.

"You heard the boy, you're up first," Y/B/N said with a smile, before dropping our bag on the bench. "Let's get you suited up."

He helped me pull my armour over the top of my clothes, a bulky-looking but lightweight set that fit us both and was easy enough for me to manoeuvre in whilst also hiding any distinguishable feminine body parts that could give me away. After that, he handed me my sword and gave me a supportive nod.

"Good luck out there," he said, my helmet in his hand. "You're gonna smash it, sis."

I grinned. "I will indeed. They aren't going to know what's hit them."

He laughed and helped me put on my helmet, the metal covering my whole head except for some slits in the eyes to let me see.

"You ready?" he asked once more, and I gave him a thumbs up, already committing to staying quiet. He patted my back. "Go and win!"

Taking a deep breath, I left the tent and headed to the grounds, the sight of all those people watching only exciting me more. All I'd ever dreamt of was showing people my skills, for them to take me seriously. Not as a woman or a man, but a fighter. And this was my chance, finally. I wasn't going to let it slip by.

"I'm sure you're all excited about the tournament, as am I," the King began to speak, silencing everyone in seconds. "It's going to be a magnificent week of fighting, skill and talent. We shall see who the best fighters of Albion truly are. Starting with our first match of the tournament – Y/B/N Y/L/N versus Henry Wright!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as my opponent and I walked in the centre, our chosen weapons at our side. The King looked down at us both with anticipation, waiting for quiet. And then when he was ready, he raised his hand.

"You may begin," was all he said, and I barely had chance to take a breath before my opponent, Henry, swung first.

His mace, spiked and heavy, almost took my head off if I didn't move in time. The crowd 'ooh'd' as it did and I tried to tune them out, focusing on the fight. I couldn't afford distractions.

As Henry kept moving forward, slashing his mace at me and trying to touch my armour, I dodged effortlessly. Henry may have been strong, but he was slow, and his weapon of choice was particularly terrible. Once he'd worn himself out, it was my turn to take a swing at him, my sword coming down on his gauntlets in a wide arc. Contact was made and he grunted loudly, grossly, and stepped back. I slashed a few more times, to which he was now on the defensive, using his clunky weapon as a barrier. But it didn't faze me as I kept on slashing, trying to back him into the side.

Once he was trapped, I let him take a shot at me, only to roll to the side at the last second and swipe his legs out from beneath him. He hit the ground as quickly as I directed my sword at his neck. Lifting his hands in defeat, I couldn't fight the grin from my lips.

The crowd erupted into cheers, yelling my brother's name, and I lowered my sword before offering out my hand. Henry let me pull him up before letting go bitterly, walking off the grounds. I laughed to myself before looking around me at the crowd, waving a little too cockily. I couldn't help it – I'd won! My first match!

When I turned to face the King, I saw he was clapping in his chair, impressed at my handiwork. Seated beside him was his ward, Morgana, and I'd heard so much of her but never seen her before. I wasn't prepared for her beauty, nor the vibrancy of her green eyes in the sun, even from a distance. And once again, I couldn't help but let my cockiness get the better of me. Between waving, I blew her a kiss, facing her directly in a way that I hoped she knew it was for her. Judging from the way she immediately turned pink in the face, I knew I'd succeeded.

After soaking in the glory a moment longer, I left to return to Y/B/N who was waiting for me in the tent. As soon as he saw me, a grin was on his face.

"Sounds like you gave them a good show," he commented as I rushed to remove my helmet and armour.

"Y/B/N, it was like nothing I've ever experienced," I admitted, still buzzing with adrenaline and excitement. "It was perfect. And you should've seen the way I got the other guy on his butt!"

He chuckled as I helped pull the armour onto him. "I'm sure it was something special. It's a shame I can't watch."

"We can't risk you being caught," I reminded him, before handing my sword and helmet. "Go on. Do your final waves. Don't forget to rub it in their face that I won, yeah?"

He rolled his eyes playfully. "I'm not doing that."

I laughed as he left the tent. My smile was permanent as I stood alone. One round down, several more to go.

"The other guys are pretty rough," Y/B/N said as we hung back to watch the other matches and get a better feel for the competition. "You sure you're up for it?"

"Don't even joke," I said to him with a knowing look. "You know it's all I want. They don't scare me."

He raised his eyebrows. "Hey, I was thinking more about them. They're gonna get smothered and not even know it. You don't wanna give them a chance?"

A smile grew on my lips as I shoved him in the side. "You're so stupid."

He mirrored my smile before paying attention to the fights. We stayed there until the last fight before chatting about what we'd seen by the tents. The crowd was dispersing and the other fighters were talking about getting a drink at the tavern, even inviting my brother to join them. He found it strange, the attention, especially since he knew it wasn't for him. I assured him he had to be a team player and not raise suspicion, but he wasn't impressed.

As we were chatting, I couldn't help but notice a blur of black hair in my peripheral vision, and when I looked, I saw the Lady Morgana walking by with her handmaiden. She spotted my brother and I and, naturally, her attention was on my brother. She flashed him a smile, to which he awkwardly returned, and then began to approach us.

"Er, why is the Lady Morgana coming to talk to us?" Y/B/N asked nervously.

"No idea," I said, though my own smile was tempting to break out as my eyes wandered over her figure. She was seriously stunning.

"Hello there," Morgana spoke when she stopped before us. "It's Y/B/N, right?"

He nodded slowly, before clearing his throat and bowing. "A pleasure to meet you, my lady."

"Please, no need for the formalities," she said with a slight laugh, one that I knew I'd be dreaming of for days. "I just came to say that you put up a good fight this morning. I look forward to seeing your performance throughout the week."

"Thank you, my lady," was all he said, and I almost rolled my eyes at his dense self. Couldn't he see she was interested him?

"And who is this pretty lady?" she continued, and I realised she was speaking to me.

"I'm Y/N, my lady," I introduced myself with a smile. "Y/B/N's twin sister. Not identical, thankfully."

Y/B/N rolled his eyes as Morgana laughed at my joke.

"Well, it's lovely to meet you, Y/N," she said, eyes lingering on mine. "Might I say, you have a very talented brother."

I hummed in agreement, biting my tongue and trying not to laugh. Talented... I'd take it.

"I should be going, but have a good evening, both of you," Morgana finished, glancing between us before leaving.

"Y/N, what did you do? Why is she suddenly interested?" Y/B/N asked as I watched her walk away, entranced.

"Nothing," I reassured him, before tearing my gaze from Morgana and looking to Y/B/N. "What? I didn't do anything!"

He rolled his eyes and shoved me before walking away. I bit my lip to contain a grin and skipped after him. I was beginning to like it here.

The next fight was soon upon me and it was safe to say that I was nailing it. My opponent was supposed to be a challenge, but I could swear it was only getting easier. He was over six feet tall and towering over me. Compared to me AKA Y/B/N, he was huge. Luckily for me, height wasn't an issue as my brother and I were close enough in height, a solid five foot eight and nine respectively, so it wouldn't give us away.

The fight was over in minutes, with me landing a winning blow to my clown of an opponent, right in the gut. As soon as he was down, the crowd were up and out of their seats, cheering me on. The intensity of their cheering surprised me at first, as I didn't realise they loved me so much. It took them longer to calm down, and a few flowers were thrown from the stands, making me grin as I waved at them. When I looked to the King, he was surprisingly smiling as he clapped his leather-gloved hands heavily. Morgana was stood up beside him, clapping with the crowd, and I couldn't stop myself.

Without thinking, I picked up a flower from the ground, dusted it off on my armour and threw it up to her. I was relieved when it landed at her feet, worried I'd missed, and she seemed surprised as she picked it up. When she looked at me, I bowed respectfully, making the crowd cheer even louder, and I tried to pretend I couldn't see King Uther losing his smile as he looked at me with suspicion. Oops?

I jogged back to the tent, feeling lightweight and overwhelmingly happy. Y/B/N clapped me on the back in congratulations before we exchanged gear and he headed back out to reveal his face, waving once more.

After he soaked in the glory for a little longer, I packed up our things and we left the tent to get some water. A few knights, to our surprise, approached us and began chatting to Y/B/N about his technique. He played along perfectly, since he was a decent fighter himself, and I merely watched as they spoke of my moves and skill, grinning to myself. Clearly I was doing better than I thought if the knights of Camelot were complimenting me.

"Hey, Y/B/N," a voice called from behind, and we both turned to see a flirtatiously-smiling Morgana walking past. She nodded at my brother, saying, "The flower was cute."

Poor Y/B/N was clueless. "The flower?"

Morgana laughed, thinking he was joking, and left. I suppressed a smile as we both turned to the knights. One of them gave Y/B/N a knowing look.

"Bold move giving the King's ward a flower right in front of the King himself," they said with a snicker, before leaving.

Y/B/N blinked and began to turn to me. "I did what?"

I smiled sheepishly. "What? She was impressed by my skill! How could I resist?"

"Y/N!"

"Look, she's pretty and she deserved it, okay?" I said nonchalantly. "It's no biggie."

He facepalmed and I could tell he was already regretting changing places with me.

Later that same evening, Y/B/N and I were making the most of the training grounds that Prince Arthur was letting the contestants use for the week. To everyone else, I was merely practicing with him, but to us, he was actually helping me practice. 

For the third time in five minutes, I knocked Y/B/N on his butt and laughed at the expression on his face.

"C'mon, at least give me some sort of challenge," I teased, holding out my hand for him.

He let me help him up as he gave me a knowing look. "Don't be too good or people will suspect."

I scoffed. "Nobody will think twice about me."

"Oh yeah, because you're so inconspicuous dressed like that," he said sarcastically.

I ignored him, though I knew he was only looking out for me. Ladies wore frocks and dresses, not pants and shirts. But I didn't like to be restricted – why was that such a bad thing? I hated that I had to put myself in a box just to make others feel comfortable. It wasn't fair.

"Are you ready?" I asked, readying my sword.

He nodded and did the same before coming at me without warning. I held my own well enough, even with him giving his all, and with the utmost satisfaction, I managed to land him on his butt yet again. He narrowed his eyes at me and I began to laugh before pissing him off that little bit more by twiddling the hilt of my sword on my forefinger in the air, watching it spin before catching it. It was a silly little celebratory move I liked to do, one that Y/B/N hated because it usually meant I had beaten him.

Grumbling to himself, Y/B/N helped himself stand up as I watched on with amusement.

"Impressive."

Surprised, I turned around and definitely didn't expect to see the Lady Morgana approaching us.

"You're almost as good as your brother," she commented, looking at me.

Smile fading slightly, I tried not to draw anymore attention to myself. "Something like that."

She lifted a brow curiously. "It's a shame you couldn't compete. You're better than half the men in this competition."

"It's just how it is, my lady. The King's rules," I said, though I was secretly smiling because she thought I was good. As me, the real me, not my brother.

"If it were up to me, I'd have loved to watch you fight," she said, making me smile to myself. I risked glancing at her and saw she was watching me with her own smile, before looking to my brother.

"Good luck tomorrow," she said to him considerately.

"Thank you, my lady," Y/B/N said, bowing.

She nodded her head at him before catching my staring, offering a smile, then leaving.

"Gosh, she's so pretty," I said, unable to look away from her.

"Not here, not now," Y/B/N said in a warning tone before slapping me on the back.

"I'm gonna win just to see her smile," I decided, finally looking away from her retreating figure.

Y/B/N rolled his eyes, shaking his head with disbelief. I raised an eyebrow challengingly.

"Another round?"

"No way," he said immediately, making me laugh as I watched him walk away.

"Like you always do," I whispered to myself as I stood face to face with my next opponent. "Come on."

My opponent carried a sword and shield and was very good with both, as I'd seen him using it these past few days. Probably the first real challenge I had, I was a little nervous, but one look at my sword reminded me why I was here and what I was capable of. I wasn't going to let this man throw me off.

As we fought, I quickly realised he wasn't going to tire out easily. As quick as he was skilful, he dodged all of my slashes, blocked all of my stabs and avoided all of my feigned shots. He was too good, keeping me on my toes. I was growing tired as the minutes dragged on and he knew this, using it as his opportunity to slam his shield against me, knocking me back. I tuned out the audience's reactions, shaking my head to get back into it.

I let him believe he was going in for a strike before rolling out the way and slashing the back of his legs. He groaned as he spun around, blocking my next hit. This seemed to piss him off as he came at me quick and hard, striking every second and driving me further and further backwards. One sturdy hit with his shield and I was on my back. Just as he tried to strike me, I rolled out the way and stood up, putting some distance between us.

Collecting myself, I saw that he pulled his shield over him once more and knew I needed to use that to my advantage. He wasn't going to let it go, no matter how hard I hit it. And I was already growing tired, my body battered and bruised, my energy depleting. If he kept going like this, he'd surely win. And I couldn't let him.

A stupid idea came to my head and I figured it was worth a shot if I was already losing. Why not?

Running directly at my opponent, I watched as he tucked in, shield up and ready to block my hit. Just when he was about to shove it towards me, I used the momentum to jump on it, over his head and hitting the ground, just about. I was so shocked it worked that I almost forgot to use his own surprise to my advantage. Without wasting a second, I spun around and smacked the hilt of my sword at the back of his head, knocking him to the ground. Worried I'd hit him too hard, I kneeled down to listen in.

When he let out a breath, I sighed with relief and stood up, eyes closing for a moment. Then the stands shook as everyone stood up, cheering and yelling and clapping, and I opened my eyes with a smile. As I waved my sword hand in the air, bowing, the cheering only intensified and I couldn't stop grinning. Admittedly, the thrill of it all got to my head and I began to show off, waving to the crowd on all sides. Just because I could, I twiddled my sword on the tip of my gloved forefinger in the air and threw it up before catching it by the hilt. The crowd seemed to love it and a grin was permanently fixed on my face as I left the grounds to return to my tent.

"That's the loudest I've ever heard them," Y/B/N said as soon as he saw me. "What did you do?"

"Whatever I could," I said between a laugh, before pulling off my helmet. "Get me out of this, I'm so hot."

He chuckled and helped me out of it, and I helped him into it as usual. Giving him his sword and helmet, I sent him off before taking a deep breath and drinking lots of water. My body was aching and there were definitely bruises all along my legs and chest, but I didn't care because that was insane. How the hell did I manage that?! Whatever it was, it was incredible and I couldn't wait to do it again in my next fight.

Y/B/N returned after soaking in the glory, pulling off the armour and ready to help me pack it all away, but to both of our surprises, Prince Arthur walked in the tent.

"Hello," he greeted awkwardly, before looking to Y/B/N. "You fought excellently today. I wanted to ask if you'd have a word with me outside."

I hid my smile as my brother nodded, exchanging glances with me before following after the prince. Prince Arthur was impressed by me? No way. There was no way! I'd have to fight him soon enough, since he was also competing, but who cared? He was impressed!

I tried to contain my excitement as I went about packing away my armour, stuck in my own daydream land. So much, in fact, that I didn't hear anybody enter the tent behind me.

"It's you!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin when a familiar voice came out of nowhere. Spinning around, I was surprised to see the Lady Morgana standing there with a shocked smile on her face.

"Huh?"

She licked her lips, stepping fully inside the tent and glancing behind her, before looking to me. Lowering her voice, she said, "It's you. The fighting out there. It's not your brother, it's you."

When I finally managed to stop getting distracted by her pretty smile and listened to what she was saying, my own smile faded.

Swallowing hard, I played dumb. "What? That's crazy."

I tried to busy myself with packing my bag whilst also panicking inside, but she kept going with it.

"The sword trick at the end," she stated with confidence. "Where you twirl it on your finger. You did the same thing when you beat your brother yesterday. It's you, isn't?"

I closed my eyes, cursing myself at my stupidity. The damned sword trick. Why did I have to let my cockiness get the better of me?

"Maybe," I admitted, turning to face her, and she smiled to herself.

"I bloody knew it! Well– okay, maybe I didn't, but it makes sense," she said. "Your brother acts like a completely different person out on the grounds compared to when he's literally anywhere else. Because it's not him."

I stayed quiet, both embarrassed that I'd been caught out and nervous to what it meant for me.

"Wait," she realised, pausing, and I could practically see her brain working everything out. Green eyes met mine as she asked, "The flower. Blowing me the kiss. That was... that was you?"

If only the earth could swallow me up there and then.

"I was committing to the role...?" I said dumbly, making me her chuckle. Beginning to panic even more now, I said, "Look, if I'm in trouble, please don't punish Y/B/N. He didn't even want to do this, but I made him. It was the only way I could compete. I just wanted to see how far I could get."

She furrowed her brows, a confused smile on her face. "Y/N, you're not in trouble."

I blinked, taken aback. "I'm not in... huh?"

"I won't tell a soul," she promised, expression softening. "Keep doing what you're doing. You've single-handedly impressed every member of the court, all the knights, the prince and the King himself. You're amazing, Y/N."

At her words, I began to smile, feeling a sense of pride take over. "Why are you doing this?"

She shrugged, playing coy. "Maybe it's women sticking together. Maybe it's because I enjoy watching you fight. Or maybe I don't want to see you getting punished for being such a good fighter."

I sighed quietly, a sense of relief spreading through me. "Whatever it is, thank you, my lady. Truly."

"It's Morgana," she corrected, eyes flickering between mine.

I pursed my lips to stop my smile from widening, and then she stepped forward and kissed my cheek, making me freeze at the contact.

"And thank you for the flower," she whispered in my ear, before stepping back.

My mouth went dry as I watched her red lips curled into a smile before she left the tent. I was certain I was as red as her lipstick, my heart racing in my chest. A grin soon formed on my lips and I couldn't stop.

Moments later, Y/B/N returned and seemed surprised with his chat with Prince Arthur, but I was too distracted thinking about Morgana, my cheek still tingling from her touch.

"The prince wanted to personally congratulate me on my progress thus far," Y/B/N shared. "He hopes to see me make it to the finals so he can see what I'm all about up close."

His words went in one ear and out the other. Did Morgana always smell of jasmine, I wondered?

"Seriously? I thought you'd be dying to know more," Y/B/N said with suspicion.

"What?" I finally tuned back in, kind of. "Yeah, that's great, Y/B/N."

He studied me curiously. "I just saw the Lady Morgana leave here. What did she want?"

"Huh?" I asked, half listening.

"Y/N!" he said, startling me.

Finally, his words settled and I answered, "She just wanted to compliment how great you did today."

"How kind," he said, not believing me.

I couldn't tell him that she actually knew the truth – he'd get cold feet and back out of the competition, and then I'd never get to prove myself. Besides, Morgana said she wouldn't tell anyone, so we were still good to go. What Y/B/N didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Wait," I said, finally acknowledging what he said earlier. "What did Prince Arthur say about me?"

Y/B/N groaned dramatically and grabbed the bag of armour, ignoring me. I was forced to chase after him, doing his head in about everything the prince said.

[stereax]

hello stereax my pat mcgrath labs mothership vi: midnight sun palette . my sweet potato pie . my horseshoe crab hanging out by the rock pools. what player do you think should have more fan art ? :3

hiiii van! uhhh. the devils fan in me is saying nemo (simon nemec), the knights fan in me is saying zach whitecloud, the panthers fan in me is saying gus bus (gustav forsling)

or just hit for the cycle with haulzy (erik haula) lol

if you want some REAL favorites of mine they're hattsy (santeri hatakka) and smitty (brendan smith) but one is old and not particularly good at hockey and the other is so far basically a career ahler but looks so so good at the nhl level but now I'm rambling hahaha

[georgiapeach30513]

More Pat McGrath love for the glass skin look.

https://people.com/pat-mcgrath-reveals-how-to-create-her-now-viral-porcelain-doll-inspired-makeup-look-8558335

My Queen!! If you guys don’t follow Pat, and you love makeup, do it. Pat McGrath Labs is her brand and Pat McGrath real is her. She’s a genius. I have been a fan of hers for years. The way she does makeup is absolutely stunning. And the way that her brand is inclusive and has a huge shade range is even better!!

[purplecatruins]

This waxy, porcelain, glass skin by Pat McGrath for Maison Margiela is also BEYOND ... Interested to hear how it is made...so crazy... Real artistry

[nualaofthefaerie]

NOW THAT STRIKE IS OVER 🥳🥳 I PRESENT MY FAERIE AESTHETIC DIRECTIONS

Although I do not have a real direction, artistically, I think there is a lot of merit in a Pat McGrath for John Galliano (the left) vibe. Look how abstract and magical it is.

They are fairies for christ out loud. GIVE THEM CAMP!

Love,

Li 🪷

[yearofthemagicaltorment]

Weekly Round-up December 4th

What I tried this week:

This week I ordered from Flip for the first time. They had a great promo code for Cyber week plus they always offer 1 or 2 free items depending on your order amount and these are not cheap items. My order total was $80 which came to $48 after the discount. My free item was $95 (this was not included in the discount total).

If you have not heard of Flip I highly recommend it, you automatically earn a 30 percent discount by watching videos (product reviews) and you can earn money on the app by reviewing products. Here is my referral link, this starts you out with $30 off your purchases. I’ll be honest the $30 is not a straight $30 it is a part of the 30 percent discount and there is some confusing math that goes on here but it helps. 

Makeup:

Nars Dragon Girl -  It’s a stick matte. The formula dried very quickly but was very comfortable throughout the day. It did not budge and did not leave behind lipstick on my drinks. The color is described as a vivid siren red. I would agree.

About Face Sad Girl - This formula wasn’t as smooth as I would have liked. The color is bright and bold. I bought it for the water line although I am now curious about how it will look on the lid. I paired this with Danessa Myricks Beauty Infinite Chrome Waterproof Micropencil Eyeliner Lemon Quartz - I am a sucker for a shift and this was absolutely stunning. I was in mid to bright light so it looked sort of gold/a little green. In low light, it had a more of a bronzy gold color to it. Both looked beautiful with Sad Girl.

Valentino Magnificent Smudgeproof Volumizing Mascara - This is the first mascara I’ve liked as much as Better Than Sex. Maybe better than. All I know is I keep grabbing it. I will say it is smudge-proof but not waterproof. I had to put some eyedrops in and it ran for miles so through a waterproof top coat on when wearing this if you have allergies. 

Youthforia BYO Blush - I tried it. I gotta say it’s pretty cute. It’s gimmicky for sure but who doesn’t love a gimmick every once in a while? It’s buildable and fun. Do I have colors that suit me better? Sure. But If I want to go with a pop of pink, this one will be my go-to.

Naked Sundays Glow + Go Hydrating Lip Oil SPF 50+ - I am absolutely obsessed with lip products. This one is so good. The applicator is fuzzy but flexible so it just feels really nice when you put it on. This lip oil sits nicely on top of the lip and takes a long time to soak in. It is non-sticky and feels very hydrating. Plus it has the added bonus of having SPF which we need for our lips too.

Skincare:

Karying TXA Serum - I recently went through some stressful times and my skin flipped the fuck out with hormonal acne. Thankfully that has subsided but it has left hyperpigmentation behind. This product has been able to make a noticeable difference just over the past few days. I can’t wait to see what it does over the next few weeks.

Fitness:

Lit Method Axis - I do this along with Supernatural Fitness. I feel like it’s a good compliment to my regular routine. I will be honest though, I am slightly disappointed that they do not have an Android app at this time. Their site says nothing about being iOS only and I feel like that is something that they should tell people. I contacted their CS about the app situation and they said that Android is coming this month. So for now they are just basic bands.

What I received this week:

Droplette - Super excited to start using this but I need to wait for my iPad.

Oneskin - Waiting for until I start using Droplette.

Pat McGrath - lipsticks and balms. I will be using these next week. So excited. Elson might just be the most prettiest red I’ve seen in real life.

Melt Cosmetics - Four Twenty Palette, some Lipsticks, and a lip pencil. This stuff came from a Black Friday Surprise box. It was an excellent deal for $25.

Nabla - Cutie Palette #6 Midnight and #7 Analogue. These were from the Trendmood Black Friday box. 

What I ordered this week:

Perricone MD - Growth Factor Firming & Lifting Eye Serum $36.00 through GMA Deals. If you are a beauty junkie I recommend checking this site daily. Your wallet will thank you.

Violette_FR - Bisou Balm - again no deal. This one was because Facebook advertising has got my number. They are advertising all these lipstick balms to me and this one looks to be the best one. So much so that I paid full price which is really rare. 

Sephora - Augustinus Bader The Essence and Fenty Skin Plush Puddin Lip Mask with Pomegranate Sterols + Vitamin E. The total came to $96.99 with the 20% code going on right now. 

Beauty Pass Luxury Review Box - $269 - This box has everything you will need for the year and then some. I had been wanting an advent calendar and I decided this was way better because it has 37 (full size) products in it. I watched the spoiler for it to make sure they were at least mostly things I would use and for sure over time I will. I’m super excited about it.

I also did all of my Christmas shopping including stocking stuffers so I’m feeling pretty accomplished. What did you guys try this week? Did you fall in love with any products?  Are you waiting for anything special?

[angelynial]

I am screaming in Delight and Terror tonight, sultries. The most recent Maison Margiela Haute Couture Show for Spring/Summer 2024 was a return to performance art as a vehicle for fashion and my mind is abuzz.

The setting of the show brings us to a dilapidated, seedy bar on a foggy night in Europe. The show begins to explore the question of what it means to be human. It asks this question over and over and over. The models stumble, glide, and zig-zag through while the audience play the part of ordinary patron. Is this human? What about this? Are these human things? Can you tell when it's not? But what if none of these are human? What are they if they're not? Are you scared? Should you be frightened?

Creative Director John Galliano, along with makeup artist Pat McGrath, takes the viewer on a journey asking "Is this real? Can you tell when it's not?"

Exaggerated and extreme silhouettes harken back to pre-Revolution France, both in textile and physical body. Isn't it interesting that a presentation associated with a time of vast wealth gaps is so similar to the desired body of today. Is it fabric or is it skin? What if the fabrics are plastic? What if the skin is plastic? Is what you are seeing real or an illusion?

The mannerisms of the models range from purposely pitiful and fearful, to android-like and poised. But all the models have plastic faces, some more realistic than others. Some more human than others.

Many of the looks are a mashed combination of segregated gendered expression. A men's coat, worn incorrectly; women's corsets; fully clothed but nude. Why is it wrong? The famous (infamous?) Tabis are an excellent deployment in this regard.

A human walks like this and wears these kinds of clothes in this way. But is it real? What if a human manipulates their body to be less human? What about imitation? Is it alive? Was it alive?

This response to AI, to robotics and automation, to wealth inequality and the pursuit of inhuman-like perfection is, quite frankly, one of the most interesting expressions of art we've seen this decade. There are elements of fear and terror in the lasting survival of plastics as antithesis to the fleetingness of life.

[newtonsheffield]

What shade of shadow and lipstick is that? It looks so pretty on you. I can never find that perfect lavender shadow.

Anonymous asked: What lipstick is that? You look really beautiful Molly!

Anonymous asked: Which lipstick are you wearing in your latest post? It looks stunning - the epitome of sophistication. Xxx

Okay! So the Eyeshadow is from the Huda Beauty Rose Quartz palette and the shade is Cosmic Love. And for lips I lined in Pat McGrath labs liner shade Cosmic Vibes which is from the Bridgerton I collection funnily enough and the lipstick is 053 Executive Realness.

Thank you all so much!

[charissekenion]

'90s Beauty Moment: Alexander McQueen's No.13 show, with Paralympic athlete Aimee Mullins

If you’re a regular listener to the BeautyMe Podcast or follow my TikTok then you might know that I produced a series of ‘90s Beauty Moments as an alternative Advent Calendar for the month of December. I don’t really enjoy ‘enforced content creation’, but, I did that series because I wanted to see if I could. As time passed and I became more accustomed to sitting in front of my phone camera and sharing moments I truly felt anyone from any generation could love, I realised once again, just how much I loved beauty, in all its forms. Now that the series is over, I’ll be picking out certain episodes and adding a little more meat to the bones I provided, so today, I’m sharing a little bit more about my beloved Alexander McQueen.

I’ve always been attracted to pretty things, but I also believe there is beauty in everything, even in decay - I’ll just as likely photograph some dying flowers as I would some new Pat McGrath makeup. Beauty isn’t just about glowing, youthful skin; it’s also in the lines and wrinkles that hint at our life stories. I feel like Alexander McQueen had a real obsession with the darker side of beauty; so many of his shows featured references to animals - from feathers to skulls - and for his 13th show, No.13, he showed the fashion world how his fascination with prosthetics created for the First World War inspired an entire collection.

No.13 was the name of McQueen’ SS99 collection, shown in 1998.

If you know your fashion then you’re probably thinking you know exactly which moment I’m going to talk about when it comes to this beautiful, ground-breaking show. You’re probably thinking I’m talking about the finale, where we see model (and former ballet dancer) Shalom Harlow wearing a cotton trapeze dress that’s being spray painted by two robots hired from a car manufacturer. It’s definitely a striking moment in fashion history and came up in conversation again recently when Paris-based designer Coperni’s SS23 show featured two men spray-painting a dress onto top model Bella Hadid.

Bella Hadid onstage for Coperni’s SS23 show

But for me, there’s another moment – the first time a designer casts a model with prosthetic limbs to walk on the catwalk. The show itself was a romantic yet sinister tribute to the Arts and Crafts Movement of the late 1800s, something that inspired McQueen throughout his short career. So many of the designs featured ruffled leather and lace, laser cut wooden corsets, with many of the pieces being inspired by the workshops of Queen Mary’s Hospital in Roehampton, which pioneered prosthetics for those injured during the first World War. This is also a show where we first notice McQueen’s evolving approach to footwear as he sends Paralympic champion Aimee Mullins down the runway wearing a beautiful pair of cherry wood prosthetic legs that were hand-carved to a design of McQueen’s, said to be inspired by the work of Dutch-British sculptor and wood-carver, Grinling Gibbons.

In an interview with Another Magazine, Aimee Mullins said she wanted to be involved because it was her ‘mission’ to challenge prevailing attitudes towards beauty.

The cherry wood prosthetics, designed by Alexander McQueen for Aimee Mullins

"I want to be seen as beautiful because of my disability, not in spite of it," she said. "People keep asking me: 'why do you want to get into this world that’s so bitchy and so much about physical perfection?' That’s why. That’s why I want to do it," she said.

McQueen himself said: "I wouldn’t swap the people I’ve been working with for a supermodel. They’ve got so much dignity and there’s not a lot of dignity in high fashion."

This is also the first show that made Alexander McQueen cry, and I can really see why. If you want to hear more, listen to the mini podcast dedicated to the show below.

For more ‘90s Beauty Moments, you can listen to BeautyMe Podcast anywhere you like, or watch the videos for all 25 moments, including this one, over on my TikTok @charissekenion. Thanks for reading.

[vizthedatum]

Believe it or not: 33 looks real good on me, I have not eaten at all today 😰😭, I tried so hard to do work today but moved and thought so slowly because my spoons are so so low, I have a mountain of work to get to, I took a shower after work!, I love makeup lol because it helps me do art and get me motivated, and I’ll start posting my products I use more!! ALSO MY GF @salience_network is coming over soon, and I can’t wait to hang out with them 🥰👸🏽❤️‍🔥👸🏻🥰 Products: Eyeshadow palette: @illuminaticosmetics Illuminati X ISA palette designed by Isabel Bedoya (colors used on lid: Azul, June 1st, Rose; colors used on lower lash line: Azul; eyebrow done with Soul) Eyeliner: @glisten_cosmetics Chroma Flik in “Deep Sea” Mascara: @tartecosmetics tartelette tubing mascara in black Lips: @beautyforreal lip cream by Beauty for Real in “Hotter than Miami” and a touch of the fractal lip color by @aboutfacebeauty in “Magdalene” Foundation: @patmcgrathreal Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation in Medium 17 https://www.instagram.com/p/CrwftEfshLw/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=