Hello Hauteness

A Fashion Tip Friday post?  No, your eyes are not deceiving you.  I know it’s been a while, but today marks the triumphant return of my Fashion Tip Friday posts!

Recently my friend Angie Facebooked me to ask when it is appropriate to start wearing open-toe shoes again.  This is a valid question, especially considering we live in Texas where the highs have been in the 70’s already and it’s not even Spring yet.  My personal rule is that open-toe shoes can be worn, weather permitting, as of Spring Break.  Now that I’m out of college I may not go anywhere for the week-long holiday, but I do still see it as the official beginning of Spring (aside from the fact that it’s typically only a week before March 21st, the first day of Spring).

Now if you live up north this may not be appropriate because you’re still experiencing freezing temps and even snow this time of year.  So for the northern states you’re probably looking at April before open-toe styles can make a comeback in your wardrobe.  As far as the southern states go, bring on the peep toe heels and flip flops as of mid-March!

Now that that’s settled, it’s time to go get a pedicure.  Happy weekend to all!

While I’m a lover of all things fashion and style related, I must confess that I’m a bit clueless when it comes to makeup.  I buy cosmetics at the grocery store and my everyday beauty regimen doesn’t even include foundation.  A self-professed girly girl in many ways, I know that when it comes to the area of makeup, I need help.

That’s why I recently called up Laura from Fashion.Art.Makeup.Elegance., another local Austin fashion & beauty blog, to deliver a holiday makeover and educate me on how to vamp up my look for the season.  Laura works as a makeup artist in her spare time while maintaining a full-time job and blogging (just like me!) and her makeup always looks flawless, probably due in part to her experience working for Clinique.  She grew up sitting on the bathroom counter as her mom and older sister did their makeup so it’s safe to say that she was trained well from an early age.

Laura met me at my friend Mere’s house where we set up shop and played with all of our makeup.  She gave each of us a holiday party makeover, complete with fake eyelashes (a first for me).  Since I’m intimidated by the smoky eye look and have no clue how to do it, I asked her to try it out on Mere and me.

Laura gave me the classic black smoky look and Mere modeled a brown smoky alternative.

Now these are bold looks that you wouldn’t wear on a typical day, but when going to a holiday party, it’s fun to do over-the-top makeup.  Here are some tips I learned:

• Don’t be afraid to apply a lot of shadow.  Start at the eyelid and work your way up as far as you want to go.
• Shop around for fake eyelashes.  You shouldn’t break the bank on these because you’ll most likely only get one wear.
• When it comes to eyelash glue, Laura recommends Duo, the pink version.  It goes on black and therefore blends in with the lashes.
• Try out pigments (which she used on us).  They can be used as eye shadow, liner, blush, lip gloss, and even nail polish.  Talk about a great investment!
• If you want the shadow/pigment to go on darker, don’t be afraid to use your fingertips when applying.  The oils from from your fingers mix with the makeup to create a darker tint.
• It’s ok to do a bold eye and a bold lip.  You aren’t necessarily limited to one or the other.
• In general, don’t feel pressured to buy name brand makeup.  Laura recommends buying a quality concealer and foundation, but aside from that there’s nothing wrong with choosing a less expensive brand when it comes to cosmetics.

For those of you out there that are as clueless as I am when it comes to makeup, be sure to follow Laura’s blog here and shoot her an email if you’re ever looking for a makeup artist for a special event, wedding, fashion shoot, or photography session.  I look to her for makeup expertise so I would gladly recommend that any of you do the same.

Laura told me recently that “all I really want is to make people feel good about themselves.”  Now that’s a girl that has inner and outer beauty and can make me over anytime!

Laura and me

Fall is officially in full bloom…even in Texas.  This is my favorite time of year.  Football, cool weather, pumpkins and the reintroduction of boots and scarves into my daily wardrobe.  Heaven!

Spring and Fall are awkward in Texas because we can go from 90 degree days one week to 70 degree days the next.  And when you’re used to 90 degrees, 70 degrees feels pretty cool.  With the onset of lower temps I realized this weekend that I needed to transition my closet and my approach to dressing.

No more light cotton sundresses, summer prints, or sandals for me.  While many Texans disagree with me on this, I just don’t think it’s right to wear sandals in October.  I come from a mother and a grandmother that taught me proper fashion rules and etiquette…and I stick to them.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, I think it’s ridiculous to wear boots right now.  If I was in New York, I would be rocking them everyday, but in Texas where our highs are still in the upper 80’s, I see a girl walking around in knee high boots and it just doesn’t work.  No offense to any of you ladies who have been sporting your super cute boots, but it’s just too soon.

So if I’m not wearing sandals and I’m not wearing boots, what do I have on my feet you might ask?  I’m all about my flats and my peep-toe heels right now.  They aren’t too hot but they are seasonally appropriate.  And if you have some great suede dress shoes (guys this is for you especially), pull those out of the back of your closet.  It’s time to let them see the light of day again.

As far as apparel goes, I’ve swapped my summer pieces for my winter pieces in my spare closet.  Yes, I have two closets in my one bedroom apartment…why do you think I chose this place?!  Pastel skirts, cotton woven dresses, and anything white is now tucked away to hibernate for the next six months.  It’s time to embrace leather, heavier knits, and  a darker, richer color palette.

The key to transitioning between seasons can truly be summed up in one word:  layering.  Your wardrobe has to work when it’s 50 degrees in the morning and 80 degrees by the time it reaches 3 o’clock in the afternoon.  Ladies, this means a sleeveless dress topped off with a belted cardigan and tights/hose.  Guys, this translates to a v-neck sweater layered over a button-up or polo with a great pair of slacks or jeans.  It’s all about the ability to remove layers and adjust to the change in temperature as the day goes on.

As you transition into your Fall/Winter wardrobe, remember to dress for the temperature it actually is outside, not the temperature you wish it was.  Start with longer sleeves, heavier pants, lightweight sweaters and transitional scarves.  Don’t walk out in your winter coat, a turtleneck, boots, and a knit hat just yet.  I know you’re excited to pull out the pieces you haven’t worn in months and show off your newest trendy buys, but transition slowly.  Otherwise you walk around looking and feeling awkward because you’re so hot (not haute).

So pull out your new cotton military jacket, your pageboy cap or your favorite jersey cotton scarf.  It’s time to incorporate those pieces you’ve been neglecting due to long, hot days.

Happy Fall everyone!!!

A fab transitional look from Tommy Hilfiger's Fall 2010 RTW show.

Love the transitional layering in this menswear look from Tommy Hilfiger's Fall 2010 RTW show.

In the spirit of Fashion Week and my week-long designer talk, I wanted to discuss when to save money and when to splurge on high-end pieces for your wardrobe.  This is another one that seems pretty obvious to me, but I figure I’ll put it out there for your reading pleasure all the same.

It’s plain and simple:  save on trends, splurge on classics.  Buying a pair of black pants?  Splurge.  Purchasing the latest and greatest accessory (i.e. bow ties for men and anything metallic for women)?  Save.

Save

Splurge

Just look into your closet and notice the pieces that you still wear that you’ve had for 5+ years.  A white button-up, a pair of jeans, or any solid-colored piece that just fits you like a dream.  These are the pieces that you made investments in that have paid off.

What did you put in your bag to Goodwill last time you cleaned out your closet?  Probably several pieces in prints, pants in trendy lengths and styles (cropped, bell bottom, etc.), and some square-toed shoes.  Am I right?  If not, I’m probably close.

Save

Splurge

The key when shopping is to hold up any item and think “will I regret being photographed in this when I look at a photo of myself in it in 5 or 6 years?”.  If the answer is “yes”, then my personal rule is not to

spend more than $50 on it.  If the answer is “no”, then you need to weigh the price and your willingness to invest in it.  To be honest, these pieces truly do become investments because you keep them until they fall apart and get some serious wear out of them.

So be sure to shop by this rule.  If it’s classic you’re in the clear to spend on it.  If it’s trendy then you need to be timid about splurging.

Happy Friday to all!

After my trip to NYC the travel bug has bitten me once again and I’m excited to say that I have a few trips in the works for the remainder of 2010.  With jet-setting on my mind, I was once again inspired to write a Fashion Tip Friday post related to travel.  This week it’s all about packing smart.

Yes, when I pack I want to take a different pair of shoes for every outfit along with a set of accessories and purse to match as well.  Do I do that?  Hell no!  That’s the quickest way to cost you money (checked bags much?) and drive you crazy when you’re digging through all that stuff on a trip.

Instead, I follow these simple “Rules to Travel By”…

• Pick a color: black or brown.  Ok, now that you have the color picked out, pick a bag, pair of shoes, and belt that matches whatever you chose.  I am so anal that if I have a suitcase full of outfits that go with brown, but have one ensemble that centers around black, I have to have a separate purse and shoes just to match it.  Ridiculous, I know, but this is how I roll.  Save yourself the hastle, simplify your life, and just pick black or brown.
• Stare into your closet and pick out the pieces that wrinkle the least.  So few items these days don’t wrinkle, so go for what you know will be easiest to either steam via the hotel shower or iron quickly.  Afterall, who wants to spend precious vacation time ironing?
• Look up the forecast for where you will be traveling and be sure you are packing appropriately.  If you’re going someplace cold, pick ONE coat and make your outfits work around that coat.  If there’s going to be rain, pack your umbrella and a raincoat.  They fit into a suitcase nicely and that way you aren’t kept from doing what you want to do while there because of a little water falling from the sky.
• Pack one of the following:  jeans, shorts, slacks, or skirt.  You better like what you pick because you’re going to make several outfits with just this one bottom.  This saves you so much space and hassle, and gets your creative outfitting juices flowing.  Pick shirts that work with that bottom and figure out how to reinvent that bottom with each top you match it with.  I suggest that if you’re taking jeans pick out a dark wash.  Darker jeans can be dressed up or down, not to mention they’re dark so they make you look slimmer.  (Note:  An exception to this rule for guys is if you’re going to need a more formal outfit for an occasion such as a night out on the town.  In that case, pack a pair of slacks along with one of the other options.)
• Avoid layered outfits.  My logic behind this is pretty obvious…the less layers you have the less you need to create an outfit and the less you have to pack.  Of course this is more difficult when traveling during the winter or to colder climates, but when packing just think to yourself “Keep it Simple”.
• I keep a travel kit with all toiletries and skincare items packed and ready to go at all times.  I am notorious for forgetting something so this saves my bacon.  If it’s already done and I never take anything out of it then I can’t forget anything.  Brilliant!

So I mentioned to my BFF Jenni that I was going to be writing this post and next thing I knew she had emailed me her own tips for packing and travel.  I thought they were so helpful that I wanted to share them as well.  In her own words, Jenni’s “Rules to Travel By” are as follows…

• Always carry the most important, expensive items (notes, laptop, jewelry, phone, any tickets or travel itineraries) in your “additional bag” and never your actual piece of luggage. Essentially, if someone has the exact same bag as you and they grab it and you don’t notice, will you still be able to have a successful trip?
• Don’t waste space with the blow dryer, shampoo and conditioner. Most business hotels have decent blow dryers along with higher-end shampoo and conditioner. The only thing I bring along is my straightening iron.
• Invest in high-end matched luggage. Best decision I ever made. The stuff holds up well (if you do your research) and is within the size limits for federal luggage requirements. One note — I learned the hard way when traveling abroad that Europe has smaller requirements for carry-on luggage than the U.S. What fits over here won’t be allowed on the plane on the way back necessarily. So do your research.
• Wear flats to the airport. It saves time going through security. Make sure your ID and laptop is in a place where you can quickly grab stuff without wasting time. I would advise against flip flops because planes are cold.
• Screw the two bag rule on the plane. I always leave enough space in my main piece of luggage for my laptop bag (since it lies flat) and sometimes have room for my purse (which I can flatten quickly) to put in my other carry-on bag. All of a sudden, I’ve got four bags! Woot! Alternate option — get a purse that is big enough to pile everything into it!

Between Jenni and I, you should now be able to pack efficiently, simply, and most of all, smartly.  So book a trip and test your skills.  Happy Friday!