some people are born fashionistas, the rest of us just need a little help
Happy Holidays!
I heard my official Christmas song on the radio the other day so now in my mind it is officially the holidays. For anyone who’s curious, the song is “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway. Once I hear that song, it truly feels like Christmas for me. Ok, back to the blog subject at hand.
I’ve started to talk about makeup brushes and featured a video or two about how to choose one or using one in applying your makeup. As a makeup brush newbie, I am quickly learning how much easier it is to get the most desired results when you use a makeup brush rather than what is typically provided for you in the makeup packaging. Now if you typically buy your makeup from a counter or store like Mac or Lancome, you may not get the applicators that can come with the drug store makeup like CoverGirl or Wet N Wild (don’t knock it. They make some good products. You just have to try them out but at those low prices, it’s worth the gamble. I have sensitive skin and have never broken out using their products either). However, as someone who uses Mac for some things but drug store brands for others, I typically used the applicator provided to apply my makeup. I have recently started using brushes and the blending and coverage control is much better with a brush. With that being said, brushes are typically something you would keep long term (at least 3 months, if not longer) and they need to be cleaned regularly. I found a great video about how to properly clean your makeup brushes from the lovely, xteener on youtube. I’ve posted a few of her videos and I like how thorough she is with spelling things out. Even if you don’t think you need to, check out this video. It’s only 7:37 long so it won’t take much time out of your day and it’s very helpful. I figured I was doing everything OK with my brush cleaning and I learned a helpful tip.
If you’d like to check out more of her videos, visit her page on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/xteeener. Happy brush washing!
The other day I found a pair of pants that were from another time in my life. It was a time when I was a few sizes smaller. I was curious about them and how they managed to stay in my closet because I am very good at getting rid of clothes that don’t fit or compliment me. Well I tried the pants on and they fit. Surprise, Surprise. Actually let me make a correction here. The pants didn’t fit in the sense of how I like my clothes to fit but I was able to get them up and on me and even button them.
Now I could have very easily thrown on a shirt and headed out the door for the day because technically I was dressed. I was covered and the pants buttoned fairly easily. I didn’t have to struggle at all. However, there was one MAJOR issue with me wearing these pants. They did not flatter my figure at all. They fit very snugly which wasn’t positive for those particular type of pants. Also, they created the dreaded muffin top that I addressed in this post http://cluelessfashionista.com/2008/05/25/no-more-muffins-ladiesand-gents/. I hate muffin tops and I do everything in my power to not be an offender so I decided to take the pants off. Besides they were going directly against the tips I laid out in this post http://cluelessfashionista.com/2008/07/29/10-ways-to-stop-muffin-tops/.
As I removed the pants and folded them up to put in my “giveaway” bag, I realized that many women tend to buy or wear clothes of a certain size just because they can put the clothes on and button or zip them up. This is the wrong way to go about things. While I agree that fashion is about expression, when you wear ill fitting clothes, you express that you don’t care enough about your appearance to wear clothes that fit. And by fit, I mean clothes that not only button or zip but also flatter your figure and enhance your appearance. I realize that many women are possibly wearing a size larger than what they would prefer but that doesn’t mean you should squeeze into the smaller size to make yourself feel better. You will only make yourself look bad and most likely be uncomfortable.
As you go through your closet and pull out those cold weather clothes or browse the stores to shop, keep this in mind. If you find that the size you normally wear doesn’t fit as smoothly as they should, go up a size. It’s ok. No one is going to stop you in the street and demand that you show them your pants size and then point and laugh. You’re the only one who has to know your size. Fashion isn’t about size, it’s about proper fit and making you look your best. Wearing clothes that just fit and don’t flatter won’t make you look your best.
While researching different how-to videos to upload that I hope are very helpful, I discovered that the scope of eyeliner goes beyond what I initially thought. In my experience, I’ve only come across liquid eyeliner and pencil eyeliner. I use gel pencil eyeliners from MAC but I’ve started experimenting with other, less expensive brands. A MAC eyeliner typically costs around $12 (from my past purchases) and that can be a bit expensive if you want to buy multiple colors or if you tend to misplace the pencils. I love the gel liners because they’re much easier to put on than some of the less soft pencils. I tried liquid eyeliner years ago and got it in my eye and was instantly traumatized because I wear contacts and can’t have too much random debris in my eye. Well I’ve found a video from the lovely, Makeup Geek that goes through the different types of eyeliner with a brief description about how to apply each one. Her tutorials are really great and easy to follow and I highly recommend you bookmarking her site because she is a makeup pro. I will still post her videos but I will focus on the more elementary ones. She has ones that are much more advanced and great for those of you daring types who want to experiment with different looks. Enjoy!
Thanks Makeup Geek!
Cynthia Nellis over at About.com wrote a great article about holiday fashion mistakes that I wanted to share with you. As the holiday parties start to pile up, we need to be aware of the mistakes we should try not to make when getting dressed. Enjoy and take note!
http://fashion.about.com/od/holiday/a/holidaymistakes.htm?nl=1
Another great trend that I noticed for the fall is the trend toward deep, rich jewel toned clothes. If you’re not sure what a jewel tone is, think of deep, rich colors like burgandies, bright blues, purple, dark turquoise, scarlet, deep fuschia, hunter green, etc. The great thing about jewel tones is that they look great on almost anyone. However, I do understand that there are you ladies out there that stick to the basics. You either do all black or you do all neutrals. Well here are some ways you can incorporate jewel tones into your wardrobe.
If you wear a lot of black:
Now don’t get me wrong, black is a very chic color. It makes you look slimmer and very sophisticated. However, if you don’t inject some color into your wardrobe, you will start to look drab and washed out. So jewel tones are a great way to inject that color without overdoing it. Because jewel tones are deep colors, you can add them to your dark wardrobe and not feel overwhelmed. Take things slowly by starting with jewel toned jewelry and accessories. Once you feel more daring, you can start wearing jewel toned shirts and jackets and then go from there.
If you wear a lot of neutrals:
Neutrals are very easy to wear. You don’t stand out too much but you can still look polished and pulled together. However, wearing a lot of neutral can become boring after a while. It is very easy to inject jewel tones into a neutral wardrobe palatte without stepping too far outside of your comfort zone. Burnt orange, deep yellow and dark reds are great ways to spice up a neutral wardrobe. As I like to suggest, you can start out with jewelry and accessories. Once you realize how great these colors are, you can move into pieces of clothing.
If you wear a lot of bright colors:
As I was typing this, I realized that there are some people that enjoy standing out. They enjoy walking into a room and lighting it up, even if it’s with their outfit. Bright colors are great. They’re a great way to spice things up, but wardrobes should offer variety. If you’re accustomed to wearing bright, show stopping colors, it may be hard to move into jewel tones. In this case, you may want to jump in with both feet. You should look into finding dresses with a great cut but in a darker, jewel tone. Also, you can mix and match jewel tones with bright colors in a similar color family. You will be surprised at how a great jewel tone can make you stand out just as much as a great bright color.
As the weather gets cooler, our wardrobes should change to reflect the changing seasons. Deeper, richer colors are one of the great things about fall and winter. Enjoy them. Feel free to experiment. Fashion is all about experimentation.
The other day I was browsing my latest email from www.totalbeauty.com and I saw a great list that I wanted to share with you. The lovely folks over at Total Beauty created a list of the Top 10 Makeup Felonies using pictures of celebrities that have made these mistakes. As we go from the warm, summer months to the cool, fall months, makeup will get a little darker and a bit more dramatic. Make sure you pay close attention to the pictures in this list. Do your best to not make these makeup mistakes.
As we enter gracefully (yeah right…dog days of summer…it’s freakin hot and rainy!) into the fall, demure jewelry is starting to become popular, however big, bright accessories are still in vogue. Although I’m not a big fan of wearing really large jewelry, I’ve seen it worn really well.
The main thing to do is try it on in the store. Don’t walk out of the store with that awesome, big blue necklace without at least holding it up to yourself in front of a mirror. Make sure that large accessory compliments you. For example, if you are a small person, you may want to delve lightly into the world of large accessories. Stick with large earrings or a large ring and ease slowly into the large necklaces. However on the flip side, if you are a woman that possess larger assets, you may want to be careful with large accessories as well. A big, huge necklace resting on top of big, huge breasts can be distracting and not look very cute. This goes for really big earrings as well. Unless you are a drag queen, let’s try hard to leave the overly flashy, drag queen look to those fellas (ladies) that know how to work it so well.
So with the big jewelry trend, take your time. Make sure that large, fabulous accessory compliments you and brings out the best in you and your outfit. Don’t ever be dwarfed by your jewelry.
Earlier this year as I watched the trend reports, I noticed something. Florals were making a resurgence. Now, florals have actually never really gone anywhere but they have been most likely reserved for the prim and proper types who wear pearls and knee length skirts. However this summer, florals were showing up on dresses, shoes, purses and accessories. I have never been a big fan of florals (I’m not that much of a girly girl…I own one strand of pearls and I’ve worn it as a belt before) but I do think it’s a pretty trend that can go well into the fall. If you aren’t a big flower person like me, there are some ways you can work the florals into your wardrobe. If you are a girly girl who loves floral patterns, then you should definitely dive head first into the fashion garden!
1. Accessories. Flower accessories are a great way to ease your way into florals. You can always do the now classic Carrie Bradshaw flower pin or even a flower in your hair if you’re feeling flirty. If you don’t want to pin a flower on your chest or in your hair, go for a flower ring or a necklace with a floral theme. It will be a great way to add some “cuteness” to your outfit without going overboard.
2. Shoes. A pair of all black pumps with a flower print on it is a very sexy and edgy way to add some floral to your wardrobe. As a shoe maniac, I have been looking for some hot black, floral pumps. If you’re not into the edgy pumps, you can go with shoes that have a flower detail like a rose bud on the front or maybe a smaller flower pattern.
3. Dresses. As I mentioned in my Sex and the City blog, dresses are a great way to spice up your wardrobe. Want more spice? Go for a cute dress with a floral pattern! If you’re not a big flower person, go for the dresses with a large pattern. If you love flowers, you can go for all types of patterns: big or small.
4. Purses. Bright, colorful purses are a great way to add a splash of color to an outfit, especially if you prefer to wear more basic solid colors. Look for a cute bag with a floral design or detail. Toss it over your shoulder and go!
So there you go. A few ways you can add some flowers to your day without having to stop by a garden or flower shop. If you have any suggestions or tips on ways you’ve introduced flowers to your wardrobe, send me a comment. Oh and as promised, here is a picture of my floor length mirror. Still waiting on yours!
I am a jean lover. I have always been the quintessential t-shirt and jeans girl. As I got older, I figured out other ways to maintain my t-shirt and jean status while looking cuter and sexier (more about that later). I will talk about jeans a lot here so get ready.
Today I was checking my email and looked at one of the many fashion related newsletters that I receive weekly. Stylebakery is a wonderful resource for the fashion minded person. Their articles are always very straight forward and easy to understand. Here is an article that I got from them about jeans. It’s a great guide to the different types of jeans and which ones look good on which type of person. (Hint: skinny jeans are NOT for everyone) Check it out. If you have any questions or need additional guidance, feel free to comment and I will find the answers that you seek.
http://www.stylebakery.com/style-recipes/the_ultimate_guide_to_this_seasons_hottest_jeans.html
As we slowly melt through the dog days of summer, bright colors are much more comfortable to wear than dark blues, blacks and browns. You can keep those in the closet and dresser drawers. The bright colors that were so popular this summer are still great to wear into the fall. I know some of you may be a bit wary about wearing bright colors because they tend to draw attention to you. So for those of you who are hesitant to break out the bright blues, oranges, yellows and reds, here are a few ways to incorporate them into your wardrobe and ease your way into bright color land.
1. Accessories-You can safely add a pop of color to any outfit with a bright colored bracelet, earrings or necklace. If you tend to lean more toward the neutral side of things with a lot of khaki, brown and off white, you can throw in a bright orange bracelet or earrings and add some dimension to your look. If you lean more towards basic black (while it is a classic, it can become boring at times), you can toss any bright color in and it will work.
2. Shoes-As a shoe lover, I am always excited at the prospect of putting on some fierce bright colored shoes and strutting my stuff all over the place. However, I can understand that not everyone is like me so it’s ok if you take it slow. Start with one pair of bright colored pumps and toss them in when you can. Remember shoes don’t always have to “match”. They just have to “go” with your outfit. Your purse and shoes don’t have to match either so go all out. But don’t be afraid to throw on some bright colored shoes to add some pop to your outfit.
3. Hair pieces-A pop of color in your hair is a great way to ease into wearing bright colors. You can start off really small and get a pack of headbands in a variety of colors and then go from them. Be daring though. Fashion is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone. Put a brightly colored flower in your hair!
4. Purses-Along with shoes, I also love purses. However, I haven’t been as adventurous with my purses as I have been with my shoes. I’m working on changing that. Since your shoes and purse don’t have to match, this is a great way to add some bright color to your outfit. If you don’t want to spend a lot on a brightly colored purse that you may not carry as often as your standard black purse, check out my favorite store, Target. You can also check out Walmart, Kmart and Burlington Coat Factory for some cute but inexpensive purses.
I know some of you may be afraid that bright colors make you look washed out or as if you trying too hard. If you sprinkle the bright colors in other places, they will compliment you and your outfit. Don’t be shy! Give it a try! Share your bright color stories with us here.
I’m a writer and blogger that works in television and film production. I am a Clueless Fashionista dedicated to making fashion fun and easy to understand. If you’d like to learn more about me, visit my website www.ashiasims.com.
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