The Eyes Have It

Cat eyes, smoky eyes, natural eyes, dramatic eyes… There are so many different ways to play up those focal points, so why are so many women afraid to take the plunge? I love to play with my makeup to change my look. It is one of the easiest things we can do, aside from haircuts, to make subtle or dramatic changes to our appearance at an economical cost. I remember my first appoint with a cosmetologist. I was 14. I had been wearing the horrible pinks and purples of the mid-’80s and needed someone to show me the ropes for appropriate makeup application. Since then, the sky’s the limit. I’m not afraid of color, and you shouldn’t be either. Once you have the right techniques, you’ll have all you need to get started.

If you have never been to a cosmetic counter at a local department store, then that should be your first step. My first visit at 14 was to a salon called The Hawk’s Nest. At 20, I found that my skin type had changed; it was suffering from breakouts along the cheek bone, so my aunt suggested Clinique. She had used them for years. Clinique is now my go-to for their cleansing line. However, they are not my go-to for all makeup purchases. Find a brand that works for you then make an appointment. Clinique is a great cosmetics line for the cost.

Most, if not all, beauty counters ask that you make a purchase after your makeover, but you don’t have to buy the whole line they present. Find one thing, whether it be shadow, liner, or mascara, and then fill in the rest with drugstore brands. Most drugstore lines are actually a subsidiary of the ones you find in department stores. For example, L’Oreal Group and L’Oreal Professionals produce Lancôme, Kerastase, Kiehl’s Since 1851, Maybelline New York, and Shu Uemura just to name a few.

I am a huge fan of MAC and Chanel. I love the deep, intense colors that both companies supply. MAC is infamous for their unconventional lines of makeup, of which I own at least three. Their Barbie collection consists of lime green, hot pink, pale pink, a tawny brown, and charcoal. All six colors are applied to the eye for a fun and flirty look. The Sailor collection contains various shades of blue that ranged from electric to navy. The result is like pools of water. The Cherry Blossom grouping is a deep burgundy, burnt orange, chocolate brown, and cream. The look is intense and perfect for fall. Take a look at their current collections.

Chanel carries a full range of colors in wonderful four-quad palettes. I highly recommend a makeover from their counter, especially if you are looking for colors that you will wear every day. I recently purchased their navy collection in Smoky Eyes. This is a great alternative to charcoals and silvers. Again, fill in the gaps with drugstore brands. Chanel quads are pricey but so worth the money.

If you are not up for a makeup counter experience, for fear you will walk out with a truck load of products that you won’t use again, head to your local drugstore and check out the cosmetic line from Almay. They offer trios of eye shadows for all eye colors called Almay intense i-color powder shadow. Recently, I purchased the Maybelline New York Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner. It’s a small pot of eyeliner complete with applicator. It goes on with a silky, straight line that any beginner can create. Experts say that Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara is the best on the market. Try that one for a wallet-friendly look.

Whatever look you are trying to achieve, always experiment first. I don’t typically follow my own advice—you know, “Do as I say, not as I do”—but I have been playing with different styles and techniques for years. Even I experience blunders (I haven’t perfected the cat eye but will continue to try). Browse through fashion magazines for the eye you think fits your personality or the occasion best. I get my inspiration from runways, red carpet events, and old Hollywood sirens. Makeup is an easy and semi-quick way to change up your look. Go forth and apply!

MAC Barbie Collection:

Chanel Smoky Eyes:

Natural Eyes:

What a Man Wants...

…is not Mel Gibson.

Men, I need your input! This post is about what men want. In a fashion sense of course. I received my first request for fashion tips in the men’s department. I need your feedback. What fashion advice are you interested in receiving? Having trouble putting it all together or shopping out of your own closet? Let me know what you want to read about and I’m your girl! Send now!

what about men?

Let’s hear it for us guys, Andrea!  What should we wear?

Panty Hose: A Mistake I'll Never Make Again

When you’re a teenager, you can’t wait to grow up. You can’t wait to wear a real bra, high heels, and, in the case of my preteen cousin, panty hose. As I’ve grown older, I’ve found that bras are annoying, heels can be painful, and well, panty hose are just plain wrong! What I’ve also found is that some women, despite the fact that we all wanted to grow older, have a hard time letting go of the past. 

If you are a woman over the age of 21, you should no longer be shopping for junior clothing at any major retailer. Honestly. Stop doing it. Juniors, by rule, are designed for girls in the age range of 14-18. I too fell victim to the juniors lure in my early twenties—not wanting to dress like my mom, I shopped in these departments to stay youthful. I wore skirts that were too short for my height, tops that were tight for my bust, and at times, looks that were entirely too youthful for my age.

If you are over the age of 25, run to the misses section immediately! Designers today are taking into account that women want to remain youthful and have created pieces that won’t make you look like your mother. Lauren Conrad has an adorable line for misses at Kohl’s. The pieces are colorful, trendy, and flattering to almost all body types. Pair the black, embellished skirt; the tie-dyed, embellished tank in deep claret; and a cute pair of flats for lunch with the girls or a date with your main squeeze.

If you are in your 30s and 40s, you’ve probably stopped tanning to eliminate wrinkles and given up desserts to stay in your skinny jeans. You should also avoid clothing that are odd numbered. Misses clothing is where you should have been shopping for the past five years, if not longer. Target has some wonderful designers for you to check out, especially Mossimo Black and Merona. Pair the Merona pencil skirt in pink/white, a basic white tee or camisole, the summer pink essential cardigan, and a silver sandal. This is a perfect outfit for a day at the office.  

For women who are 50 and over, there are still ways to look youthful without showing too much skin or looking too matronly. I look again to Kohl’s and their line from Dana Buchman. If you are anything like my mom, you might not be comfortable showing your arms, but still want to carry off the latest trends. Without going too far with the one-shoulder look, check out the feather asymmetrical tunic and its attached belt that helps create a cinched waist. Pair it with the wide-waist pant in black to keep the look slender, allowing you to elongate your body. Add a cute peep toe, kitten heel pump and your look is ready for a dinner party.

When shopping, no matter what age, avoid tops that hug your back along the bra line, v-neck tops that extend beyond the cleavage, skirts that are shorter than mid-thigh or longer than the bottom of your knee, and cardigans that pull at the buttons along the breast line. A shirt should skim along your body, not hug it. A v-neck should suggest, not expose, cleavage. A hemline should fall somewhere between mid-thigh and the top of your knee, which extends the length of your leg. A cardigan should hang nicely along the entire frame. Remember, going up a size doesn’t necessarily reflect your weight, it’s how the garment is cut. Not all designers use the same fit model.

If you are still unsure of how to dress age-appropriately, refer to these Hollywood women who know how. If you’re in your 20s check out the styles of Lauren Conrad, Anne Hathaway, and Nicole Richie. For your 30s and 40s, look at the styles of Kate Hudson, Jennifer Garner, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Aniston. If you’re 50 or older, refer to Jamie Lee Curtis, Helen Mirren, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Barbara Walters. These women have perfected a style that is specific to their personalities, body types, and most importantly, their age. Give it a try!

Animal Prints: Only One at a Time, Please

“How do you avoid repeating an outfit?” I get asked this question a lot, and each time I have to laugh to myself. Of course I wear the same things twice! I frequently repeat pieces, but have found that it’s all about how they are worn—staples, and not the ones in your desk drawer, are the keys to an ever-revolving closet. 

Staples are things you constantly reach for when getting dressed for work, play, and/or special events. (Some refer to these as “basics.”) Staples are items you continuously purchase when the previous piece fizzles out. Here are some key staples you should always have in your closet:

Black Pants 

A pair of black pants in wool or wool blend is a necessary item for every woman’s closet. I live in mine and own a few pairs. I’m a firm believer in purchasing two of the same fit—you can trade off the days you wear them while saving on dry cleaning costs. Black pants are like a blank canvas. They compliment almost everything you pair with them. A crisp, white button-down; neutral shells and colorful cardigans; vivid silk blouses; and tailored jackets in contrasting colors are all pieces that go well with black pants.

White Blouse

A white blouse is so versatile. It is usually associated with conservative looks, especially when paired with a suit. But, if you wear it with your black pants and a colorful cardigan, jeans and a belt wrapped around the waist, or alone with jazzed up jewelry it breaks away from the traditional, white-collared look. Make sure you get one in a cotton stretch blend; this will keep it from stretching out, which makes the blouse appear larger as the day goes on. 

Jeans

If you work in a business environment that allows Jeans Day on Fridays, then you know jeans now make up 50 percent of your yearly wardrobe. Finding the right pair of jeans is difficult, but once you’ve found it, those jeans will be your best friend.

 You read all the time about finding the right jeans for your body type. Want to make your rear appear rounder? Get a pair with large back pockets. Want to slenderize your hips? Get a curvy-cut pair that allow for room in the hips and thighs.

Get the picture? Once you’ve found the right pair, make sure you not only get more than one, but make sure they are in dark denim. Dark denim will make your legs appear thinner and longer, and will lean toward the dressy spectrum. I tend to purchase a straight leg jean; they aren’t cut as slim as the skinny jean trend, but are a little more tapered than a boot cut. They’re great with heels, flats, and sandals for summer. 

Jeans can be paired with almost anything in your closet. A sleek, dressy top is great for date night or a night out with the girls. For work, pair jeans with a cute top and either a neutral cardigan or a blazer. Remove the blazer and you’re ready for happy hour with coworkers.

Animal Print

With animal print, a little goes a long way. If you’re wearing jeans or pants, pair them with a cute animal print top. Wear your white blouse and wrap a cute animal print belt around your waist. Take jeans and a cute black top and pair them with a fun, animal print shoe. Just one print, please! No need to look like Georgina of the Jungle.

The Little Black Dress

The Little Black Dress (LBD) is the most essential piece of clothing for any girl’s closet. A simple black dress of either wool or cotton blends can be worn to almost any occasion. After wowing a potential employer in a suit, wear your LBD on a second interview with a fun heel and delicate jewelry. Wear it to dinner with pearls. It’s perfect for the office with a colorful shoe and funky jewels to add a little edge. It can also be worn to a wedding with that special jeweled pendant at the waist.

If you are going to a cocktail party, lean toward an LBD made of silk; the fabric is bit dressier for the occasion. And save those jeweled encrusted heels for those events as well; they are a little too dressy for work.

Again, staples, in my opinion, are the key to the ever-revolving wardrobe.  While writing this post, I created outfits as examples and have several options to choose from when planning my wardrobe this week!  You can do the same thing.  Experiment! Pull out the contents of your dresser drawers and closets and go for it!

Closet full of nothing

Has this ever happened to you? You get out of the shower, open the closet doors, stand in front of the contents for a good 10 minutes and exclaim, “I have absolutely nothing to wear!” This is almost a daily occurrence in my house. As I complain loudly about the nothing in my closet, my husband will state, “You’re right. You have two closets full of nothing to wear.” I eventually find something to throw on and sometimes with much chagrin. 

I love to shop! I’m really good at it, too! But why do I continue to shop when my two closets full of nothing are brimming with options? Maybe it’s an addiction. Maybe it’s because of the four fashion magazine subscriptions I own calling me to the nearest mall for the latest trends. Or maybe it’s my need to keep up with the Joneses. Whatever the reason, I love to shop, plain and simple.

My husband and I recently took trips to Las Vegas and New York, which happened to be within three weeks of each other. I started planning my wardrobe in early spring so that I would be prepared with cute outfits for both cities. I was armed with pairs of boyfriend khakis and jeans, tanks, cute tees, and little dresses for evening. What I wasn’t prepared for were the cool temperatures. Las Vegas, set in the desert of Nevada, is supposed to be hot and sexy based on movies, photos, and hearsay. Our first day in Vegas, however, had a forecast of 56 degrees and rain, according to weather.com. Each day was supposed to get progressively warmer. I kept my eye on the 10-day forecast for over a week and as I planned that hot, sexy wardrobe, I found myself clueless on how to pack for Sin City.

For New York, I expected cooler temps for May, but really wasn’t planning on a high of 46 and rain for our first day. What was it about these first days in both cities?! The rest of the week called for chances of rain with highs in the 60s and low 70s. Again, I found myself mulling over what to pack. I had to look cute. Photos would be taken and posted to Facebook, and I couldn’t look like I do on any other day. It was vacation. 

That’s when I started shopping out of my closet. For the first day in Vegas, a pale pink, light weight jacket purchased for spring in the Midwest, paired with jeans, a long-sleeved, feather-weight tee and a floral scarf in pink, rose, and cream. With Vegas’ increasingly warmer days, those tanks and dresses for evening were perfect. Our first day in NYC, being cooler than Vegas, called for that very same pink jacket. This time with jeans, a tee, and a solid cream scarf. What to wear for the remaining four days? An awesome gray jacket that I wore last year in Los Angeles sprang to mind. Instead of the striped tank I wore with it in LA, I chose a black sleeveless turtleneck. A slate gray jumpsuit worn to a Giada De Laurentiis’ book signing and to the office would be great for a dinner downtown. Who needs a trip to the mall? I had it all right there in front of me.

I continue to try and shop out of my closet for every day outfits as well. A black-and-white, 50s-inspired dress that I bought last summer, but only wore with black patent pumps, was suddenly revived with a pair of yellow heels purchased two summers ago. A new gray sheath dress was paired with fuchsia Jimmy Choo heels purchased by my mom on that Los Angeles trip last year. I still wear pieces I acquired three and four years ago. The difference is I pair them with things I’ve purchased this season to keep it on trend. A statement necklace, fun heels, stacked bangles, a multi-wrap belt, or a vivid-color handbag. I will still continue to shop but I will look to the contents, in those closets full of nothing, as a canvas for future trends suggested by those four subscriptions that may continue to be my reason to shop.

Not-So-Casual Fridays

The inspiration for this blog came from a recent visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity exhibit. This costume exhibit explores women’s fashion between 1890 and 1940, setting in motion the evolution of “today’s American woman.” The takeaway: How far have we as women removed ourselves from the ability to dress?

 Ladies, what happened? I asked my mom this very question and her response? “Casual Fridays.” I’m not 100 percent convinced that this is the problem, but I was taken aback by the casualness I see on the other six days of the week, and thought that maybe, just maybe, casual Friday was the trigger.

My first job out of college was retail. In retail, there is never a casual day. And, the only denim allowed was in the form of a jacket. Jeans, never!

My first corporate job was when I experienced a more casual business environment. Corporate America, to me, was business attire to the fullest. I watched my dad wear a suit and tie to work every day. He walked out the door with high shine shoes and a briefcase. Knowing that my job was in a call center, I “dressed down” for my first day. I walked through the doors dressed in my black wool trousers, a black turtleneck, and a hand-knit sweater in black with muted tones of camel and olive green. In the days that followed, my outfits were just as pulled together.

At the end of my first week, I was told about an upcoming designated “jeans day.” Jeans day? Who wears jeans to work? That was unheard of in my retail job! I knew I wasn’t going to participate, but I asked a coworker if people truly wore jeans to work. She replied, “Yes. I save my best flannel for jeans day.” There you have it. My mom could be on the right track. Casual Fridays, especially jeans days, could be the demise of our willingness to “dress” every day.

While walking through the exhibit at the MET, I was in awe of the attire women wore for everyday activities. They engaged in sporting activities such as horseback riding, tennis, cycling, and sunbathing—all while wearing materials of leather, wool and silk. Traditional materials of cotton and linen were used as well. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, all of the collections consisted of long-sleeved jackets and ankle-length skirts. Bathing suits consisted of short-sleeved, nautical-inspired tops with matching skirts that fell just below the knee. The things I loved most of the exhibit were the exaggerated puffed sleeves that fell to the elbow, belts used to cinch the waist, and fitted jackets with peplums.

This was nothing compared to evening attire! It all began with ball gowns, which is to be expected of earlier eras. Funny thing: the full-behind bustles placed just below the waist. Women today do everything they can to disguise a large backside, but not the women of the late 1800s! Bustles sat high on the back of all the gowns displayed. The trend of dresses that fell to the ankle or longer continued through the next decades, but the décolletage was now being exposed. Gowns took a more dramatic, draping approach with capes and flowing coats. The Roaring Twenties brought higher hemlines and exposed shoulders that kept the silhouette boxy. All the details related to these costumes were impeccable; sequins, rhinestones, fringe, fur—all personal to each piece designed.

The last room of the exhibit combined gowns from early 1900s to mid-1970s, all worthy of red carpet season. Draped, loose fabrics falling freely from the waist. Intricate gathers around the bust-line. Accordion pleats. Cutouts along the back, sleeves, and bust. Examples we see today: Carrie Underwood’s gown from the 2009 Grammy Awards designed by Zuhair Murad. Angelina Jolie is infamous for wearing these vintage-inspired gowns, with the white Marc Bouwer gown from the 2004 Academy Awards being a prime example.

With the birth of Sex and the City, we saw a resurgence of the ability to dress on the small screen. Carrie Bradshaw paved the way for high heels and no-holds-barred creations, while Charlotte York gave us a glimpse back in time with her spin on 1950s prep. The Devil Wears Prada is another example of watching Corporate American women dress for the jobs they wanted. Why does it have to stop there, ladies? Why can’t we take those examples from both the small and big screen and adopt them into our daily ensembles? Take pride in your appearance. Stop wearing those all-cotton chinos and spring for a trouser made of a cotton and spandex mix. If you have to wear jeans, go for a polished denim pant. They look smart and wear well.

There are so many small things you can do to update your daily wardrobe. It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, it doesn’t require a new wardrobe, and it will take you from business casual to Corporate America chic. If you’re interested in finding out how, stay tuned!

Photo Credits:

Photos of the MET exhibit taken from the MET’s flicker collection. Photographs by Alex Hills.

Photo of Carrie Underwood taken from pinqueblog.com. Photograph by Just Jared.

Photo of Angelina Jolie taken from moviefone.com. Photograph by Steve Granitz, WireImage.