Be Bold!

A lot of people associate the fall with dull, matte shades of everything….clothes, hair, skin, make-up, etc…And while a number of these things do look appealing in black and grey, it would be awesome to step up your hair color a bit to offset the monotone shades of winter.  Even though your skin might be lacking color you can still give your hair a nudge by brightening up what you've already got!

"In winter the sun becomes a bit bluer no matter what coast you're on."  This less intense version of the sun is what dulls out your skin and hair.  By maintaining a deep, intense shade of color, it will brighten up your skin tone and add a little life to your color-less wardrobe.

Statement Piece

Today we visit the topic of the statement piece.  What is the point of a statement piece, or better yet what exactly is a statement piece you ask?  Nine times out of ten I suggest wearing a statement piece when putting on an understated outfit that needs a little flare.  For example, if you're wearing a LBD (little black dress) which is a statement in itself, and need something bold to make the outfit pop, you need to add color to catch the eye.  

Anytime you wear something solid in color or made mostly of one fabric, you need something to break the outfit up so you don't look like a building block.  Now, if you're wearing an getup that has a bold print, stick to solid colors, such as silver or gold for your statement piece.  Often times it's the jewelry that brings together the outfit, but it can also be the jewelry that can likely be the newest trend out there.  That means that being able to wear it might only last one season.

If you want to make more of an investment, go for a great pair of heels or handbag that will definitely be an eye-catcher and will give you more bang for your buck!  Of course these things tend to be a bit pricier but to me, they become a collectors item.  It really all depends on what part of your ensemble you want to catch a persons eye.  So what's your decision?  Are statement pieces for you?  YES!

Winter Blond

Who says you have to go dark in the winter?  Not me! 

 If you have the right complexion, don't be afraid to keep your summer strands.  Depending on your skin tone, the only maintenance required could be a root touch-up.  However, if you tend to lose a little bit of your coloring during the fall months, have your colorist tweak your overall lightened tone with a more golden hue.  This way, it will save the integrity of your hair come summertime!

Model Call

Dear fellow Facebookers, Pinterest lovers, Twitter followers, Instagrammers and the like,

Beginning September 15th I will be looking for models; hair and make-up models......I am hoping to hone my craft and need your help to practice.  Whenever there is a new hair cut, hair color or make-up trend I want to try out, blog about or photograph for my portfolio I will need a willing participant to be my guinea pig, so to speak.  I will be taking appointments at my salon and all services will be free of charge of course, but will be accepting tips to purchase the actual product(s).

I will be posting a picture of the project I have in mind or something similar about a week before I ask for volunteers so you know what you're getting yourself in to.  And, of course, if that weeks pick doesn't seem as though it will compliment your complexion, face shape I will absolutely tweak it so that it does.  So without further ado, my first style is......reverse ombre!!!!
Who's interested?

Fashion's Night Out 2012

It's getting to be that time of year again! The fourth annual  Fashion's Night Out is about to take affect on September 6th!  What is Fashion's Night Out, you ask?  In 2009 a multitude of "editors, stars, models, fashionistas and designers" got together to celebrate fashion in its entirety.  It was initiated to boost sales during the recession and improve the the good faith that consumers had once upon a time, before everyone went broke!

In the United States an alliance was created to restore faith back in to purchasing non-essential items as a result of the average shopper having to pinch and save for everyday demands.  Once a year the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers), American Vogue, the City of New York and NYC & Co. unite to create a world-wide haute couture phenomenon to bring shoppers back to life!  So, on August 6th show some love for consumerism and spend a little bit of your hard earned money.  I guarantee, you'll be glad you did!

http://www.atlanta.net/Fashion/retailers.html

About Face

Question of the day:  What hairstyles flatter your face shape?  

It's time to answer the age old question with a few facts about what really creates the most stunning silhouette just for you.

Oval

• If your forehead and jawline are about the same width......
• Ideal for either short, medium or long cuts
• You can pull off fringe, depending on the thickness of your hair
• Add soft layers throughout to add volume
• Add lowlights around the face to accentuate bone structure
• Avoid blunt, heavy bangs and "forward-directing" styles

Round

• When the length is equal to the width
• Works well on those with more pronounced cheekbones
• Side-swept bangs works well
• Adding lowlights on the sides of the face and highlights at the crown creates the illusion of length
• Avoid short, blunt fringe, chin-length bobs, fullness at the sides near the ears and center parts

Heart

• Width at the forehead and cheekbones, narrow at the jawline
• Choppy, piece-y cuts are a plus
• Short bobs work well
• Wispy fringe is flattering
• Avoid blunt fringe and top-heavy styles.  It makes the jaw appear narrower.  
• Steer clear of any styles that are too "slicked" back away from hairline

Oblong

• Represented by a long cheek line, most likely longer than it is wide
• Unstructured, messy cuts are appealing
• Short razored cuts are more avant-garde
• Avoid shoulder-length styles, extreme length, center parts and too much height at the crown

Square

• Customarily known to have a prominent jawline and/or cheekbones
•  Try keeping your haircuts more on the round side
• Add height to the crown with layering 
• Curly hair with this face shape is a bonus, it tends to soften the stronger features
• Lighten the hair around the face to dissolve any harsh angles
• Avoid extra-long straight styles, straight fringe and a center part

It's always sensible to find a picture of someone with a similar face shape to take it to your hairstylist.  That way, when communicating to he or she what you're looking for you are more likely to be on the same page and will end up more a promising result.

No Guts, No Glory

When trying out a new trend, how do you know if you've taken it too far?  There aren't exactly do's and do nots to this question.  There is, however, a certain degree to which you know you might have just toppled a little too far over the edge. For those of you who tend to stick to the "all-american" clean cut affect, this is not something you will have to worry about.  This is for the folks who tend to disregard any kind of guideline about mixing polka-dots with stripes.

As long as I can remember i've always loved fashion.  Be that as it may, while growing up in a very rural town, no one ever pulled me aside and said, "You don't have to wear Abercrombie & Fitch or GAP to look good!" It wasn't until I made it to college that I stopped putting so much emphasis on my khakis matching my gingham button-down and started spending much more time on clothes themselves.  Without realizing it, I had begun to pull things from my closet that I wanted to wear that day, regardless of if the top matched the bottom or the bag matched the belt.

My case in point being, if you feel like wearing a tank top with a tutu....DO IT!!!  The only negative thing that could come out of this experiment is that you won't get any compliments from strangers.  After all, you might surprise yourself (and others around you) with how much this will build your confidence and inspire more creative ensembles in the future!

Don't

Belle (Billie Piper)
Secret Diary of a Call Girl

DO

Carrie (SJP)
Sex and the City 2