Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to work as a dresser at the famously infamous Victoria’s Secret fashion show. The show was held at this fabulous hotel called Fontainebleu in Miami Beach. My weekend was aptly filled with beautiful and highly fashionable people.
I quickly noticed a new fashion trend being worn by different ladies. They had on these super cute black lame leggings. I mentioned them and discovered that they could be purchased at American Apparel. I was excited about going and trying them on to see how they would look on me. I mentioned this to my friend and she shook her head and told me that I wasn’t allowed to do that. See, I am not petite by any means. I’m 5′5 and larger than a size 6. I also have big, athletic looking legs. It’s entirely possible that those pants will look extra crazy on me and I appreciate my friend for bringing me back to reality. Now I may sneak and try them on anyway but I already know it’s probably not a good idea to buy them and wear them in public. However, I am all over the skinny jeans…
But I digress. The moral to my story is that we should never be a slave to fashion. Just because something is fashionable and looks great on one person, doesn’t mean it will look great on you. Case in point, there was a woman that decided to jump on the legging bandwagon and she looked really bad. The leggings didn’t compliment her in any way. Now if she had friends like mine, she wouldn’t have been allowed to purchase and wear them.
Fashion is supposed to be fun and creative but it should also be realistic. There are some great trends out there right now that we all can indulge in. For example, the purple trend is open to everyone. Purple is a great color that works on every skin tone, especially since it comes in so many different shades. Just because something is fashionable, doesn’t mean everyone can wear it. When you want to experiment with fashion, do it in a store dressing room. Make sure you have an honest friend with you. Also make sure there is a three way mirror near by. If you look at yourself in the trendy garment and it doesn’t look good all around, don’t buy it. Leave it in the store and find another trend to try. There are so many fashion trends out there that you are bound to find one that looks great on you.
And for those of you who can wear the leggings, here is a picture of the ones I think are uber cute along with a link. Enjoy!
After posting the blog about how to do a smokey eye, I realized that there are women who don’t wear eye makeup on a daily basis. I used to be that person and it was typically because I was uncomfortable with how it would look. I didn’t want to look crazy so I preferred to keep things basic and just stick with a nice lip gloss (boy do I love my lip gloss!). Eventually I started experimenting with eye makeup. I started out with eye liner and mascara and then branched out into eye shadow. Now I’m a lot more adventurous with my shadow but I also tend to wear it much more often. I may not wear it every day but I will put it on several times a week. I found this great video tutorial on youtube showing you how to put on eye shadow for every day wear. It’s about 10 minutes long but the lady on the video does a great job of breaking everything down. Plus she has a short review at the end of the video where she shows you the best brushes to get and recaps the eye shadow information. She uses mostly MAC products in her video but if you’re looking for brushes at a lower cost, check out the ELF link on the left of this page. They specialize in selling makeup tools at very affordable prices. Check out the video.
In the video, she mentions an article that she wrote that gives more help and insight into wearing eye shadow. Here is a link to that article: http://www.makeupgeek.com
Lots of thanks to the wonderful Haute Mimi for sharing the link to Makeup Geek’s youtube page in her blog at www.hautemimi.com! I will definitely post more videos from Makeup Geek but if you have makeup questions that I haven’t addressed, either send me a comment or visit the website for more info. I’m definitely not a makeup expert and I’m a believer in referring questions to the experts.
I figure that since I share lots of fashion and beauty tips on this blog, I should share when I put those tips to use. By the way, I encourage you to share with me as well. I will even post photos (well photos that don’t include nudity or adult situations, gotta keep the blog PG ya know). Ok, my latest post was a video about the famously infamous smokey eye. Well for Halloween I dressed up as a dark fairy, which means that I wore all black and wings. I also used the smokey eye video along with the eyelash video to enhance my costume. Well here’s a picture of my eye makeup and lashes.
Check out my Halloween makeup!
So now you know that I use the videos that I post on this blog as well. They do work too! I encourage you to take the time to practice the tips that I share here. You will feel really proud when you successfully branch outside of your fashion comfort zone. I know I did. Be fabulous!
I am going to a Halloween party this weekend and I’m going as a dark fairy. Basically I’m wearing dark fairy wings and an all black outfit. However, this particular Halloween party is of the sexy variety so my costume has to have sex appeal to it. Well in addition to my dark, sexy outfit, I will also do some dramatic lashes and a smokey eye. I’ve experimented with the smokey eye but I wanted to learn how to do it the proper way so I decided to put up a video for you as well. Since this is the holiday season, more of us will be attending holiday events where dressing up will be a requirement. One great way to dress up your face is by doing that famous smokey eye. I found a cool video that shows you how do it with very little muss or fuss. If you feel like you need additional help, shoot me a question and I will find the answer for you. I like this video and I already feel like I know a bit more about doing a smokey eye. Check it out.
I will post pictures of my costume and smokey eye after this weekend. Please, share your smokey eye pictures with me as well. I would love to see how your makeup turns out.
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.
Hola! I’ve recently returned from a wonderful vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. I’m rested, tan and suffering from a head cold. However, I have been noticing a trend that has been bothering me for quite some time. I feel like it needs to be addressed and since it is a fashion-related trend, I wanted to address it here.
A couple of months ago, I made a hair transition. I cut off my dred locs and started wearing my hair in various styles. The first style I wore was a wavy weave extension. This was my first time with a major weave extension and I learned a lot. I learned that good weave is pricey and I also learned that there is a wide variety of it. The hair that I had was mid grade quality. It wasn’t top quality hair that can cost $80 plus a bundle but it wasn’t low quality hair that can cost less than $15 a bundle. I wore my hair in that style for about 6 weeks and it lasted well. Once I learned to tame the waves, it could have lasted a little longer but I was going out of the country and I needed something lower maintenance.
I went from the weave style to a braided extension style where the hair prices varied even more. I saw hair that cost as little as $.99 a pack and as much as $49 a pack. Again, I got mid grade hair that is holding up well but with all of my recent hair purchasing, I have become a lot more aware of other people’s hair. In this, I’ve noticed a very disturbing trend. There are many women that wear low quality hair extensions. Since hair extensions go beyond race and age, it is a broad reaching issue.
You can wear a great outfit, with great shoes and have on flawless makeup, but if your hair looks bad, it will ruin everything. I have nothing against hair extensions. In fact, I am a proponent of them. I wear them myself. However, if you choose to enhance your hair, do it with mid to high quality hair extensions. If you’re in doubt about what is good hair, take the time to ask around. The first place to start is with your hair stylist. He/she should be able to give you an idea of what brand of hair to look for and how much it should cost. This is a good starting point. Then you should find a good beauty supply store with knowledgeable associates. Your hairstylist may be able to recommend a place as well but if not, there should be someone at the salon you can ask.
If you want to experiment with new hair styles, colors and cuts, please do so. One great thing about fashion is that it exists without boundaries. You are free to experiment but do so with good quality things. No matter what you do, if you do it cheaply, you will look cheap. Don’t look cheap. Look fabulous.
One interesting trend I noticed for the fall is the western trend. I’ve never been a big fan of the whole western thing but when I saw it on the runways, I realized that there is a way to do it without looking like you have a costume on. It’s all about moderation. Here’s a picture from www.sassychic.com showing the western trend.
It looks quite chic and cute so I figured it is definitely something that you can start incorporating into your wardrobe if you’d like. There are a few great ways you can do the western trend.
1. Western themed jewelry. You can spice up a basic outfit with a piece of jewelry that has a western theme and give your outfit an extra pop. Plus it’s an easy way to ease into the trend slowly.
2. A great pair of boots. The western boots are another great way to slowly incorporate the western trend into your wardrobe. Plus a nice pair of western boots are really cool.
3. Plaid shirts. A plaid shirt that is tailored to fit you and not loose and baggy is another cool way to do the western thing. If you find a plaid shirt that makes you look more grunge than western, get a different size or take it to a tailor.
Now there are other ways to do the western trend and really make it work for you. However, you want to make sure you don’t look like you’re wearing a costume. The key to being trendy is to do it in moderation.
It’s October and we’re rapidly approaching the holidays, which means festive holiday parties. If you want to pump up your holiday look, try adding false eyelashes. Long, luxurious lashes will definitely make your eyes pop, but if you’re like me, you may be a bit intimidated by how to properly apply them so that they don’t fall off or look crazy. I have scoured the youtube video library and found one that I thought would be good for us eyelash novices. It could also provide some fresh insight for the eyelash pros. This will not be the last eyelash video that I post because I’ve noticed that the proper application of eyelashes is a process that can always be amended. Check out this eyelash video and start practicing with eyelash application now so that you will be a confident eyelash applier in time for that first holiday party.
In this video, the lady recommends a mascara called Hypnosis and advises against waterproof mascara. I’ve never used Hypnosis so if you decide to try it, please let me know how it works. Also, I like waterproof mascara because it doesn’t run and with a good eye makeup remover towelette, it will come off nicely. I personally prefer the Target brand makeup remover towelettes. They’re reasonably priced and work really well in removing eye makeup, which is what I wear most often. Ok, back to the video. Enjoy!
As it stands, the large purse trend is not going away any time soon. Women seem to really enjoy the opportunity to wear a large fabulous bag and include all of their fabulous necessities in it. Now, you have to be careful when you venture into the large purse territory. Not everyone can just go out and buy a large purse and look fabulous with it. There must be some things taken into consideration when purchasing a large purse.
1. Wearability. When you see the purse, try it on. Put it on your shoulder or arm the way you typically wear a purse and see how it looks. A purse should compliment you. It shouldn’t make you look heavy or dwarf you.
2. Ease of use. Before you buy the purse, check it out. Look inside and see if there are compartments, zippers or hidden spaces inside the purse. Make sure you can fully operate the purse before you leave the store. One thing about larger purses is that they may have more contraptions than small purses. Don’t get home with that fabulous purse and not be able to use it to its fullest. Large bags should be utilized fully!
3. Weight. If you tend to put a lot of stuff in your purse, you may not want one that is heavy while it’s empty. Be realistic about the weight of the purse. Don’t give yourself back problems by carrying around a heavy purse.
Those are just a few things to keep in mind when joining the big purse trend. I am a fan of the large purses myself but I have to be careful not to get a purse that will add extra volume to me. If you are ever in doubt, put it down and walk out. Don’t buy something you’re not totally sure about. Yes that rhymes!
I’ve been away for the past week or so. I took a 9 day trip to tour northern Italy. During that time I visited Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Milan and Venice. I got to see some really cool religious and historical things like The Colesseum and The Sistine Chapel in Rome; The Statue of David in Florence, and all of the churches in MIlan and Venice. I also got to see some of the Italian fashion. The people in Italy embody one word when they dress, polished. Everyone looks so fabulous because they look so polished.
I was visiting Milan during fashion week, however, it was so much more low key than fashion week in New York. I asked around and learned that the fashion shows in one of the most fashionable cities in the world take place in out of the way places. You may find a fashion show at someone’s loft or a small club but from what I was told there is no central place where lots of shows take place. I was disappointed about that but I enjoyed the city nonetheless. I did get to see the first Prada store.
This is the first Prada store!
Yes it was closed when I took the picture but it is definitely cool to see a part of fashion history. Unfortunately my checkbook doesn’t currently speak Prada (yet). I suggest that everyone visit Italy at least once. It’s a lovely country (especially the Tuscan countryside) and the history and fashion that lives there is awesome. One thing that I learned from the women of Italy is to make looking good look easy. To borrow from Covergirl Cosmetics: Easy, Breezy and Beautiful. Focus on doing all three with all of your outfits.
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