Tag: beauty

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Five Things

I had a reader ask me an interesting questions yesterday: If I only had five items in my wardrobe what would they be? Building a fresh wardrobe can be expensive without focus & vision. I want to pin-point the five things every woman should have in theirs, regardless of their age, size or color, that will make you fashion forward & ever-ready for whatever the day holds without breaking the bank. Let’s do it…

dark denim

1. Dark [or black] Denim; dark & black denim take any outfit & crank it up a notch. It helps hide problem areas in the legs, it transitions easily from day to night & frankly, it just looks more polished & put together. I recommend a wide-legged dark blue wash, which makes any woman’s legs look 10 miles long & a skinny pair of black denim, which thins out your legs & makes for a fashion-forward look.

white blazer

2. A Good Blazer; I say “good” because these trending cropped, neon blazers aren’t exactly what I mean [however, they are fun for Spring & Summer]. Today we’re talking staple pieces that will never fail you & a fantastic NEUTRAL blazer will always have your back. Personally, I choose blazers that hit me directly at my hip, allowing the top I choose to layer it with to peak out from underneath [from the rear view]. Style has a lot to do with creating definition & texture to your outfits & showing that you know how to layer & work pieces together gives you a leg up. As far as colors go, stick to whites [my personal favorite], creams, blacks & taupes, as these will transition easily throughout your entire wardrobe.

lbd

3. The Perfect LBD; Little Black Dresses are life savers when you’re mid-panic attack before a first date or night out with friends. They’re slimming, versatile as ever & pair with basically any shoe, jacket, hat, etc. The best part of an LBD is how much freedom you have with styling them. There are basically no rules or limits with accessories, pops of color or even hairstyles. My favorite way to dress up this look is with a huge statement necklace, a blazer & a great pair of heels. The only concern you should have with this wardrobe staple is fit; if you don’t feel beautiful in it, it’s not the right one.

statement necklace

4. A Mega Necklace; this doesn’t have to mean a large necklace, but rather a piece that you gasp over. Personally, my knees tend to give out over big, gold, layered necklaces [or layering your own few favorites], but you could also fall madly in love with a simple drop necklace or beaded number. Whatever your piece is, be sure it holds longevity & can transition from piece to piece in your wardrobe.  No outfit is complete without accessories; they are what bring an outfit together & help define your look.

celine

5. The Perfect Handbag; this is the icing on the cake for every single look, every single day. Finding a bag that will move fluidly from look to look can be hard, which is why I recommend staying within the neutral family; black, taupe, grey, nude, or even lavender or periwinkle. You want the most wear from your purchase so be sure you will love it a few seasons after you buy & more so, that it works with your lifestyle. I know personally I often carry my iPad with me, alongside a laundry list of other things, thus a tiny handbag just isn’t an option for me, so I opt for totes & satchels more often than not. But be sure to be practical with this wardrobe selection, as it will see more wear & tear than anything else in your closet.

If you buy nothing else this season than these five key items, I promise you will feel confident & ever-ready for your day. As fun as shopping is & as addicting as it can be to keep adding pieces to your wardrobe, a true fashionista only needs a handful of great pieces to speak volumes for her style.

Happy Hunting, megababes. Xx.

 

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Buckle Up

I had a curious reader ask if I wouldn’t mind discussing belts & which ones work for which body types. Seeing as Summer is [nearly] here & dresses & skirts are about to dominate our wardrobes, belts can be the perfect addition to almost any outfit. They help break up single-print fabrics, they add shape & contour to a waistline & well, help keep our pants up [I know, people still actually use them for this, ha]. Let’s get to it…

The way you decide to buckle or tie your belt[s] is entirely up to you; I always say the more creative the better. For some fun examples & fresh new ways to acheive this look, head over here to get the scoop. What matters even more than this fun styling trick, however, is fit.

hip line

Pear-Shaped Babes: opt for thin belts, particularly if you plan on wearing them at your hips. Also note that the more belting the better, as belts for your body type highlight your tiny waist. Blending single-tone & printed belts is perfect for your wardrobe, as each piece will elongate you & help bring the outfit together.

belly button

Hour-Glass Babes: thin to medium belts are staples for your body type, as your waist is also one of your smallest points. When rocking a skirt or dress, belting higher up on the waistline [right over the belly-button] will reset the focal point to your ribcage.

low belt

Petite Babes: don’t over-do it; thin, simple, monochromatic belts are in your wheelhouse, as over-embellishing could make you appear larger than you truly are. When pairing belts with dresses or skirts be sure to wear them right at your hip line, to give you definition & shape.

high rise belt

Apple-Shaped Babes: the higher the belt the better; wearing belts under the bust-line will help draw attention to your thinnest point [as well as give the girls an added boost]. Opt for large, wide belts to tighten & accent your waistline & throw in pops of color for added focus.

Last but absolutely not least, trust your instincts. If you don’t feel like the best version of yourself then try working in other accessories or colors. One of the hardest things to teach my clients is that styling takes time & work; the first outfit isn’t always the right outfit. Be patient, don’t get frustrated & remember to love your bones, they’re the only ones you get.

Happy Buckling, babes. Xx.

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CONFESSIONS OF A MAKEUP BAG

Lyric was originated to focus on wardrobes & styling, but I’ve noticed an incredibly important & under-appreciated part of a woman’s wardrobe; her makeup.  While I won’t sit here & proclaim to know all-things-makeup, I do in fact know the importance of cleanliness & maintenance of your beauty products. As displayed above, today was cleaning day & I’ve decided to share the knowledge I have, my tips & tricks to keeping clean brushes & makeup bags, & some shocking statistics that may have you buying double the soap in your household. Here goes [squeamish ones beware]…

The Chicago Examiner conducted a survey & found the following results:

  • 56% of women go months without replacing their mascara [hello styes, nice to meet you]
  • 55% of women admit to sleeping with their makeup on daily [poor pillowcases]
  • 53% of women simply “forget” to wash their makeup brushes [bacteria heaven]

I noticed long ago that my skin would break out along by cheek bones, nose & forehead when I didn’t wash my bronzer brush & even my eyebrows would get a blemish or two when I didn’t clean my brow brush. Then, during my [broke] college years, I would randomly wake up with a stye on my eyelid, never noticing the relationship between sharing makeup, old makeup & my new red, eye bump. I decided it was time to change these frustrating circumstances & become aware of my makeup cleanliness & have since never looked back. To this day I clean my brushes, bags, scissors, applicators & tweezers weekly. Here’s my never-fail process:

brushes

BRUSHES:

  1. Hand wash every item in your bag with warm water & soap
  2. Grab your daily face-wash & saturate every bristled item in your bag with a drop of this product
  3. Wash thoroughly until bristles are back to their original color
  4. Repeat this process with your liquid &/or powder applicators

bag

MAKEUP BAG:

  1. Flip bag(s) inside out
  2. Wash & scrub heavily with hot water & soap
  3. Repeat this process, but with your daily face-wash [be sure not to miss the corners]
  4. Let air-dry inside out

trashed

MAKEUP SHELF LIFE:

While there are no legal requirements for makeup expiration, there are certainly suggested dates that have been compiled over the years. I recommend keeping a log of dates for each new piece of makeup as it’s purchased. Regardless, here are some tried & true timelines for your makeup:

  • Mascara: throw out your mascara [regardless of how expensive it was] after 3 months
  • Eye-Pencils: let these babies go after 2 years [keeping a clean sharpen each use]
  • Eye-shadow: dry shadows can last up to 2 years, while liquid shadows should be tossed after 12 months
  • Lipsticks: these stainers should be ditched after 2 years of use [or non-use]
  • Powders/Blushes: cream blushes & foundations can be held onto for up to a year, while powders can last up to 2 years
  • Foundation & Concealer: liquid concealer should be let go of at 12 months, while stick & moisturizing foundations can last up to 18 months

If you commit to this process weekly, you will find that your skin & pores will love you more than ever. “EVERY WEEK!?” you ask…as this experiment shows, bacteria can start growing on your brushes as quickly as 24 hours after use. Um, gross!

Your wardrobe & overall appearance is not isolated to just clothing, but rather the entire end result. These steps will elevate your look & maintain your overall well-being. Who doesn’t want that?

Happy cleaning, beauties. Xx.

 

Color Me Mine

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Color Me Mine

Have you ever found that every time you wear that one particular top people consistently throw compliments your way? Or that certain dress that makes you feel absolutely out of your mind beautiful? It’s more than likely that these pieces are working within your color wheel. Believe it or not, your kindergarten teacher did have a purpose behind teaching you every color of the rainbow & now is your time to use it.

A person’s eye color is entirely complimentary of their clothing & wardrobe. You weren’t given those perfectly placed eyeballs for nothing, so lets find what accents yours & help them truly shine.

The best colors for:

  • Blue Eyes: neutrals, navy, black & white should overtake your closet, but add in there some rosy reds, blush pinks, cobalt blues, lemon & soft greens to truly make your eyes the focal point of your outfit.
  • Green Eyes: olive, forrest green, plum, lavender & deep purples are your go-to’s. Black & navy come in as a close second, but can often times wash out the heavy green hue to your eyes. Swap out yellow for gold & pale blue for pear & you’ll be show-stopping.
  • Brown Eyes: blueberry, turquoise, reds, oranges, soft yellows, & pastels will bring out the rich caramel color in your eyes. Opt out on black & try taupe instead, as well as olives, greens & plenty of whites to highlight the beautiful darkness in your eyes.

Following these basic color wheel rules will help you identify [much more fluidly] your own personal style & palette & will make this Summer’s shopping spree that much more authentic.

Stay tuned for more color wheel advice & tips…Xx.