Shop With Style

If you’ve got hooded eyes, then you know what a challenge applying eye makeup can be. While everyone else seems to just sweep on a fierce cat-eye, you’re trying to figure out how to keep it on, let alone apply it. Sure, some of the most popular young celebrities today, like Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lawrence, have hooded eyes, and their eye makeup manages to look fabulous all the time, but they also have the benefit of countless makeup artists at their beck-and-call. Lucky for you though, there are some simple tips you can use to make your hooded eyes really pop!

• Primer is your best friend – This is the single most important element of applying makeup for hooded eyes! Since your upper lid tends to fold over and hide your lower lid, any eye makeup you apply there is likely to be rubbed off quickly by the friction, so primer (like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, or Benefit Stay Don’t Stray) will provide your products with loads more staying power. Apply from base of lashes to just below the brow bone and blend in, then allow to dry before applying any other products.
• Brows – You might not realize it, but unkempt brows can actually make your hooded lid look even heavier. Likewise, an over-plucked brow creates the appearance of more lid space, which draws attention to your hood. If you are unsure about the best shape for your face, go to a salon. They can help you get the basic shape established, so then all you will have to do is maintain. To keep them filled in, the best eyebrow makeup is usually powder, applied with a stiff angled brush. Powder often looks more natural than pencil, but the best brows usually combine both! Try a combo of Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and Smashbox Brow Tech.
• Use smudge-proof, water-proof liner and mascara – Again, if you constantly wrestle with disappearing eye makeup, the formulation of your products could be the culprit. You might have shied away from “smudge-proof” or “water-proof” before, but there are such great products out there, like the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, that go on smoothly, blend effortlessly, and, most importantly, stay on! If it’s the removal of those smudge-proof and water-proof liners and mascaras that has you fretting, a product like Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover will quickly and gently wipe your eyes completely clean.
• Shadow placement – This is probably the second most important element in hooded eyes makeup, right behind using primer. With the sagging skin of hooded eyes, typical eye makeup tutorials often don’t apply to you. But don’t lose heart! You just need a slightly different placement technique. The goal is to camouflage the hooded skin to create the illusion of a more balanced, open eye using light and dark color placement (light colors bring forward, and dark colors recede). So, after your lid primer is dry, sweep a light, shimmery shade all over the lower lid. Next, apply a darker, matte shadow into the outer V (extending it a bit up and out). And now for the real magic…looking forward, with your eyes relaxed (so you can clearly see the hood), sweep a darker matte shadow in and slightly above your crease (yes, onto the lower part of the hood). In a light, windshield-wiper motion, bring the shadow about half way in, then connect it with the shadow in the outer V. The darker shadow will help to recede the skin of the hood. Always remember, if you’ve got hooded eyes, always have a matte shadow pallet handy!

With colder temperatures fast upon us, it’s finally time to break out those gorgeous chunky knit sweaters! A long-time staple of winter wardrobes, the chunky knit is indispensable for not only staying comfy and cozy, but for looking fabulous in the process! Sure, you can pair it with the standard skinny jeans and fleece-lined boots…but if you’re looking for other ideas to make the most of your chunky knit while the weather permits, then step right up!

Wear it with…

• Leather pants and stiletto boots – Since the chunky knit sweater adds considerable bulk to any outfit, it’s important to try to balance its soft shape out with more form-fitting, tailored pieces. That’s why the leather pants and sleek, stiletto boots work so well. And no need for real leather here, faux leather pants or leather-look leggings will do the trick.
• Circle or skater skirt and low-heel ankle boots – This would work best with a cropped chunky knit sweater. And the reason this works is because, though the skirt is full, the waist is nipped in, and the length/fullness is short. The bulk of the sweater is therefore balanced. And low-heeled ankle boots add a nice edginess to the feminine shape of the skirt.
• Leather mini and brogues – When we say “mini” here, we don’t mean one of those ultra short, ultra form-fitting body-con ones. A little bit of “wiggle room” is ok here, but just make sure the shape of the skirt is straight or A-line to again balance out the soft bulk of the sweater. The sweater can be cropped, or, if longer, use a “half tuck” technique to show your waist. Pair it all with opaque tights and super cool brogues. This menswear trend looks fantastic with tights!
• Cropped boyfriend jeans and peep toe booties – This is perhaps the most relaxed of all the looks we’ve covered, but that’s not to say it’s sloppy! Even though the jeans are looser than fitted, the legs narrow as they approach the cropped ankles. And since you will be wearing either a cropped sweater or using the “half tuck,” your waistline will still be visible as well, so there will still be some definition. The peep toe booties add a delightful feminine touch, as well as some flattering height.
• Leggings and knee-high boots or combat boots – A winter classic, you can never go wrong with this combo! The leggings mean that you can go quite bulky with the sweater, wearing it long and loose. The slight bulk from the knee-high or combat boots (think Doc Martens) will help to avoid you looking like your torso is balancing on two spindly coffee-stirrers.

Today we are going to look at the best ways to dress a rectangle body shape. If you are a rectangle you should be very pleased as you are one of the easier body types, with many different styles suiting you or fitting you well. A rectangle body shape tends to have no defined waist with hips do tend to have a similar width to the shoulders. Rectangles also do not have a lot of curves, with a bust that is small or average and your bottom tends to be flat. Many rectangles tend to gain weight around their tummies, especially after the menopause. You will want to create curves and define your waist as a rectangle. If you have a rectangle body shape you will want to avoid shapeless clothes as you will want to be creating the illusion of curves, therefore anything shapeless will make you look shapeless overall, and to this end you will also want to avoid straight dresses such as tunics.

What to wear on top?
When selecting a dress you will want to go for a shift dressor an empire line as these will suit you rectangle body shape the best and when selecting either a dress or a top you will want to select block colors. When selecting items to wear on top you will want to choose one’s which define your waist and tailored jackets and coats which are belted at the waist will help to create the illusion of curves. Choose a good bra to define your bust and medium to high neckline tops will help to flatter your body shape, especially if you have a smaller bust. Tops which a detailed neckline, pockets or frills will create the illusion of a large bust, as do halter necked tops.
What to wear on the bottom?
If you are looking for a skirt, select an A-line skirt, as these will pull in at the waist before flaring out, creating the illusion of a small waist and curvier hips. Rectangles will want to create the illusion of curves so a skirt of this style is perfect for rectangular body shapes. You will suit any style of jeans or trousers but something such as flared jeans will look particularly great and for shoes something curved with a rounded toe will suit you best, think of ballerina flats or a pair of court shoes or rounded toe boots, either flat or heeled.