Lady Godiva

 

 

 

 | Photography by Ashley Nicole |

 

It is quite interesting that as the New Year approaches we often find ourselves looking back at all that has occurred over the past year. My favorite part is seeing how myself and even how my twin sister have changed and grown into whom I believe are even better creative beauties. Change may not always be easy, but I feel it is a necessary and often exciting part of life. Not only has my style changed over each passing year, but it seems that so has my visions for the content of each Marie Nicole article. 

 

Today I find myself with a more editorial eye and a need to create articles that tell a story in each photo. In these images, I adore the way my shadow acts as almost a second body - the heroic and powerful ego within everyone. Behind every kind, delicate and beautiful woman is a strong, passionate and determined soul. And together, this woman can evoke a revolution and reign over all who underestimate her.

 

Nothing says strong and beautiful like a sleek, black and gold ensemble. Drawing inspiration from an elegant and captivating bottle, I found myself drawn to the timeless trend of the seductively, simple black jumpsuit embellished with gold accessories and polished off with an elegant low pony. More and more I have been drawn to this hairstyle. I love the high-fashion look of it and it radiates the strength and confidence of a woman to be reckoned with.

 

xoxo - Heather Marie

 

Follow our fashion and beauty adventures on

INSTAGRAM - Heather Marie: http://www.instagram.com/1heather_marie

        Ashley Nicole: http://www.instagram.com/1ashley_Nicole

YOUTUBE: http://www.youtube.com/thetwinsuntamed

TUMBLER: http://ashleynicolemua.tumbler.com

 

 





 



When I look at you

 

 

| Photography by Ashley Nicole |

 

Lately I have been thinking a lot about perception; how even a simple photo and the message portrayed behind the theme of the shot can be perceived in many different ways. One of the greatest tools we have is the ability to decide how we, and the choices we make, are to be perceived. This is not always easy as our idea of who we are and the passions that drive our every action are constantly changing and growing into something bigger and usually always better; but the beauty of it all is that the choice is ours.

 

When Ashley and I are planning our next article or video, we always consider what it is that we want our readers and viewers to see, to think, to feel. And for this shoot, I wanted to stand out and inspire the daring to do the same; which is why I chose a minimalistic makeup and an eye catching, Kat Von D lip to add beauty to an otherwise ugly construction site - the backdrop of today's article. The images created for this article definitely fall into their own category, for these shots are not like any I have shot before. With so many trends and content concepts that flow through this interesting and beautiful platform that is the fashion world, it is almost too easy to blend in. But to fall in line to the steps of the crowd is to deprive yourself, and even others, of the joys that come about when you create something uniquely beautiful and different. After all, who wants to be just another brick in the wall?

 

xoxo - Heather Marie

 

Take a dip in my daydreams

 

 

| Photography by Ashley Nicole |

 

To indulge in daydreams is probably one of life's greatest pleasures. To me, daydreams are a way of seeing your future, a future that you can create, for daydreams are just a future reality waiting to be lived. On my journey I find myself always seduced by the charm of my imagination. With so many possibilities and opportunities waiting to be discovered, it is hard not to succumb to the fantasies of your heart. Daydreaming is more than just an escape, it is the realization of our imaginative potential or the threshold to unleashing our creativity.

 

While discovering what it is that inspires you and what desires give rise to the passion that compels every decision you make, you can often get distracted by the responsibilities of a 'normal' life. It is often hard to dedicate your full self to the journey of creating a reality that was once only a dream. It is important to find that balance between what you have to do and what you want to do to bring your fantasy out of the shadows and in to the light for all to see.

 

 I have been thinking a lot about what and who inspires me and every time I am lucky enough to witness and experience a passion of creativity, I find myself awakened with a craving to dedicate myself to my own passions. I feel that we have only really brushed the surface of all that Ashley and I can do; and with so much vision and imagination waiting to be uncovered and embraced, I can't wait to see the visionary revolutions we will bring to this life. So if you want a shelter from reality, you can take a dip in our daydreams. - Arctic Monkeys.

 

xoxo - Heather Marie

 



black and white.



| Photography by Ashley Nicole |

 



When did things become so complicated? When man first began, life was so simple. Survival reigned over all else and instincts and loyalty were what you lived by. There were no mind games where your feelings become casualties, no actions or hidden messages behind spoken words to be deciphered, life was just simple. And I am starting to realize, that it is us who complicate our own life.

 Life itself has not really changed from what it was when man lived in caves. Sure our arsenal of survival tools have evolved, but when you really think about it, life is, or at least can be, as simple as it once was. We overthink things and try to decipher signs that most likely have no hidden meaning behind them, but why? I believe we over analyze certain moments in life as a way of trying to make sense of an undesirable situation. But maybe, things would be a lot easier and a lot less painful if we just accept things as they are in black and white. Sometimes, things  really are as simple as they seem.

Take these gorgeous gold necklaces for example. So simple and small, but yet they make their own statement. Without even having to try, these necklaces exude a subtle elegance and an undeniable beauty that requires no second thoughts. That is how life should be. We need to remember to live for the small moments in life because they truly are what matter most. We need to learn to stop playing games and letting our own thoughts and insecurities ruin good moments because those are the moments you cannot get back and those are the moments that you will long for most once they are gone. Maybe, if we live life in black and white and stay away from the grey areas that only complicate something that would otherwise be so simple, we can live the candid and beautiful life that I believe was intended for us.

xoxo - Heather Marie

To the grunge and back

 

 

 

| Makeup by Ashley Nicole |

 

Hello my loves! It is a very exciting time here at Marie Nicole as Ashley and I are literally seeing before our very eyes our vision of what we want the blog to portray evolve into something more fearless, daring and full of inspiration. It is hard to describe how amazing it feels to watch as your baby grows and progresses each day. The journey has not always been easy, but we finally feel that us and our blog are coming into its own with a flair and fierceness to be reckoned with.

 

It seems that Ashley has been doing my makeup much more often than she probably imagined. But in my defense, I told her from the start that if she continues to open her beauty chair to me, I will never again sit in my own. My sister has not always felt like she has had a prominent place on the blog, but she truly is becoming an inspiring creative mind behind what is to come.

 

For this post, we had a futuristic vision that my talented twin was able to achieve spot on! We wanted to create a look that showed the alluring edge of grunge and the timeless strength of mod. And when we think mod, we think sleek, straight hair and the classic black and white combo. But by adding mesh into the look, we transformed the debonair trend of mod into the futuristic, yet vintage mess of grunge. The nude lip and the almost messy black liner satisfy todays modern thirst for sleek grunge.

 

xoxo - Heather Marie

 

To see this full look, visit our YT channel at http://www.youtube.com/thetwinsuntamed

 

 



The darker side of me

 

 

| Makeup by Ashley Nicole |

 

Bonjour Beauty Lovers! For this post, I had the great pleasure to take a seat in my talented twin's makeup chair! My secret beauty weapon. Ashley and I made the choice to return to our natural brunette roots, but with a hint of darkness. Blonde was fun, but as you can probably see, darker hair is much more our style.

 

For this makeup look, we gave into the darkness of our hair and craved an edginess that Ashley was able to achieve with a few strokes of her brush and the Naked 3 palette from Urban Decay. The rebellious beauty has always been a style of Ashley's, but for me this look is a bit new. And for some reason that I don't care to question, my new hair is bringing out the darker side of me and I love it!

 

Makeup is a passion of my talented twin, and after spending some time in the bubble of her beauty creativity, I am starting to see why. We had a character in mind, a personality with a rebellious dark passenger within her, and with a simple color combination, precise eyeliner placement and a dark shade of lipstick, a new persona was created. It is truly inspiring. All I can think now, is who can Ashley Nicole and I create next? Stay Tuned.

 

xoxo - Heather Marie 

 



Sporting summer layers

 

 

 

Hello Lovers. A quick 'hello' as Ashley and I have a very busy day ahead of us! As you know, we have recently had a wake up call, reconnecting us to our new life. It is okay, to sometimes lose sight of what you are trying to accomplish or to sometimes lose yourself in the future of what you desire, what matters is that you find your way back to the journey of your dreams. Today we woke up renewed, re-inspired, and ready to take hold of what may be called dreams today, but will one day be called reality.

 

A timeless trend no matter the season is layers on layers on layers. When styling daily outfits, I love layering. You can mix textures, colors, sizes, structures...the list can go on! But for summer, it can get a little more difficult to layer in a way that is conducive to the summertime heat waves. Today, I discovered a layering system that leaves just enough exposed skin to keep me cool, while still sporting this classic trend. Lace bralettes are your best friend when it comes to the perfect summer layering, and today I was having a color craze! To mix textures, as well as colors, I paired a purple lace bralette with a closet staple - the deep, scooped neck white tank top.

 

I wanted to add that sporty flare to my vibrantly casual  look, so thank you Ashley for letting me borrow your white Polo hat! If the sun is not too harsh, I absolutely love sporting the edginess of the backwards cap. I adore how the simple placement of the hat, backwards or forwards, can change the personality of your ensemble. For an elegant, sporty look, a forward facing hat; for an edgy, rebellious look, a backward facing hat. I love how fashion can cater to so many different styles and personalities. This form of expression allows you to personify who you want to be at any moment in time.

 

xoxo - Heather Marie

Tops - Victoria's Secret

Shorts - Forever 21

Hat - Polo

Shades - Forever 21

Shoes - DSW

 



Seduced by the charm of the night

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes, the fierce and daring styles of the night make their way into the light of day. When the sun goes down and the stars come up, moods can shift from the cautious beauty of daytime into the mysterious and venturesome allure of the darkness. And every now and then, one experiences the courage to bring the fearless fashions of the night into the spotlight of the sun.

 

Lately, Ashley and I have felt a disconnection to our new life in our new town. With so many dreams we aspire to make into reality, we find ourselves living in the future of what we hope to accomplish. The problem with living in your dreams is that you are no longer using your present time to move yourself forward in the direction of your desires. Talking about your dreams is easy, but actually working for them is the hard part. There must come a time when you bring your dreams of the night into the reality of the day. Much like todays look, we are finding the courage to wake up from the safety net of our dreams and actually take the risk of failure to achieve what we want out of life. When I put this outfit together, I was feeling courageous and inspired! I love what is brought to light when the darkness takes over - the unconscious desires we call dreams, the daring attitudes we call confidence, the sexy attraction of the nightly fashion scene. At a time when you are feeling disconnected, these nightly traits must be embraced to bring you back on track to making your dreams a reality.

 

 I was seduced by the dark charm of this lace corset top and feeling fearless, I wore it out in the day. To tailor it to my elegant style, I paired it with my delicate harem pant and black strappy heels. Fashion has no rules! And once every blue moon, I feel the need to push the boundaries. My life had a wake up call and since my outfit choices are often tied to my emotions, I opted for an ensemble that is bold, daring, courageous, and dark.

 

Our dreams will no longer be just an element of the night, but rather an everyday presence that pushes us even after our heads leave the pillow.

 

xoxo - Heather Marie





Top - Vintage

Harem Pant - Forever 21

Shoes - Forever 21

Clutch - Forever 21

 



Salt-Life Simplicity

 

 

 

 



Effortless couture is diverse, relaxed, undemanding, and it accentuates one's natural beauty, which just so happens to be a leading trend during these summer months.  I tend to opt for a minimalistic look that is sometimes known to rock the star paved streets of California. I may not be in Cali, but I can certainly bring Cali to me.

I don't know if it is the fact that I now live on the coast or if it is that summer has just reared its gorgeously sunny head, but lately I have been all about the easy-breezy, care-free fashion that can only be described as 'salt-life' style. Don't get me wrong, I am still an elegant city girl at heart and I will always love a sleek couture look, but when the salty crisp air flows through my bedroom window, I can't help but to sometimes fall for the natural essence of simplistic summer fashion.

It is a very warm day here in South Carolina, so I chose a slightly oversized tank top from Victoria's Secret with their signature sexy cut outs, exposing the perfect amount of what is soon to be sun-kissed skin. Giving structure to this otherwise shapeless top, I like to slightly tuck it in to my favorite destroyed, boyfriend denim. To further accessorize today's look, I added a Boho beach hat to match my natural beachy waves. I am also currently crushing on mirror shades! I love the retro, edgy vibe these sunnies add to even the simplest of outfits. And of course, I could not finish my look without my favorite black strappy heels.

Whether you are roaming the beachside boardwalks or joining your friends for a cocktail on the coast, an effortless ensemble can bring your natural beauty center stage. And remember, you don't have to live in beautiful California to embody the beauty of the classic Cali girl.

xoxo - Heather Marie

Top - Victoria's Secret

Denim - Abercrombie & Fitch

Hat - Target

Mirror Shades - Forever 21