Shop With Style

Holiday season = party season! With the holidays upon us, you’ll no doubt be planning your outfits for more than one festive get-together. Hair, shoes, jewelery, makeup…all planned. But you best not forget the most important piece…the shapeware! Before there was Spanx, there were girdles, but shapewear has evolved well past both now! So we’ve got 5 of your must-have pieces for the holidays, and beyond, right here!

Before we get to the list, there are some important things to know about picking out shapewear:

• Stay with your size – Don’t think, “Well, I wear a large in everything else, so I’ll go with a medium in shapewear to really suck things in!” Nope. It doesn’t work like that. A smaller size won’t make you look smaller. Shapewear cannot make extra pounds disappear. As much as we might like it to be magic, it’s still governed by science. Choosing a smaller size will only relocate that fat to other, even less flattering places. So stick with your size, and let the shapewear do the rest!
• Know the difference between medium and strong construction – If your shapewear doesn’t have a “performance level,” look at the label. The higher then nylon/Lycra content, the more dramatically it can change your shape. Just keep in mind the above rule…shapewear can smooth out bulges, but it does not “disappear” extra pounds.
• High waist=smooth lines – There is nothing worse (or more uncomfortable) than the waistband of a girdle cutting into you or rolling down. That’s why you should be looking for pieces with higher waists. They will ensure a smooth, curvy waist. Some pieces are even designed to hook to your bra to ensure the waist won’t roll down!

5 key pieces of shapewear every woman needs:

• Wear-Your-Own-Bra Torsette tank – This amazing little tank can smooth out your waist, tummy, and back while allowing your bra to keep your boobs full and shapely, not flattened and smooshed. The hem of it can also be used as a layering piece, as you would any other tank top.
• WYOB Singlet – This is the piece you will want if you’re wearing a body-con dress or pants. As with the above, it will allow your bra to do its job while keeping your entire mid torso, from your waist to your thighs, seamlessly smooth and toned looking.
• High-waisted Shaping Mid-Thigh – Perfect for under dress pants or a longer skirt. The high waist will keep your torso smooth, while the longer line keeps your butt/thighs toned and looking cellulite-free.
• Half-slip with Built-in Panties – This is such a versatile and perfect piece! Worn under any body-con skirt or dress, the built-in panties help keep it in place, and your tummy, thighs, and butt looking fab.
• Waist-Cincher – If you’re looking for a little extra oompfh in the “hourglass” department, this piece of shapewear is a must-have. Yes, its more restrictive version has recently been made famous by Kim Kardashian, getting the credit for “waist training” her figure back into shape after childbirth…but this version is much more wearable. The hook-and-eye closures and strong “boning” will nip you in, in just the perfect spot for creating an hourglass look to go gaga for!

The grass is always greener on the other side, right? Unfortunately, this also often applies to how we view our own pear-shaped figure. Someone else’s figure is better… and ours is lacking, difficult to dress, makes us look horrible. Well, it’s not that the grass is greener on the other side…it’s that the grass is greener where you water it! That means you need to start embracing your pear shape (which, by the way, is the most common female body type), learning to dress it properly, and yes, finally learning to love it. And we’ve got at least one of those covered in these tips to dressing a pear shaped figure (the rest is up to you)!

What identifies a pear-shaped figure?  Usually, pear-shaped figures have wider hips and thighs, narrower shoulders, wider bottoms, and smaller busts. Ideally, your clothing should all be aimed at taking attention away from your hips, and lengthening your silhouette.

Tops: Here’s where the focus needs to be…on your top. To be more specific, that means well-fitting tops, like button-down shirts and cardigans. Also look for shirts with embellished necklines, like ruffles, details, and bling. This way, the eye will be drawn up to the smallest part of your body.

Bottoms: Pants should be structured. Look for those that fit your natural waist, skim the hips and thighs, and have wide hems. Be sure to skip pants with embellishments, like big front or side pockets, bling, or embroidery.

Dresses: A-lines, full skirts, and flowy wrap dresses that cinch at your waist will be your best friends!

Shoes: Of course, heels will always be a plus for elongating your silhouette, but in general, even if flats are called for, try to look for shoes with pointed toes and low vamps (the “upper” part of the shoe that covers where the toes connect to the foot).

The Big 3: Jackets, shoulders, and accessories. These three will go a long way for camouflaging your hips while drawing attention to some of your best assets! Jackets can add loads of embellishment (zippers, snaps, buttons, pockets, etc.) which will draw the eye upward…just make sure the jackets don’t go lower than your waist! Your shoulders, being narrow, can also help to draw the attention above your hips, so look for spaghetti, asymmetrical, and halter tops. And you can’t forget bling! Necklaces of all types will work, just try not to go for those that are too long. Earrings, too, can help to keep the attention focused at your face, neck, and shoulders.

Not even the most die-hard makeup artist is completely perfect when it comes to their own makeup habits. We all get busy, forgetful, lazy. But there are some makeup missteps that could end up being detrimental to not only your makeup, but your skin. Thankfully, though, these are all easy fixes, and once you incorporate them into your routine, you’ll be back on track in no time!

• Not cleaning your brushes – Not only can this lead to bacteria growth in the brushes, but it can also end up costing a fortune! As dirt, dust, and makeup accumulate on the bristles, bacteria can thrive there too. And that same accumulation of gunk can cause the bristles of your most loved (and most expensive) brushes to break and fall out (sometimes sticking to your face during application). Yuk! Be sure to give your brushes a good cleaning with a mild cleanser every month or two.
• Blowing on your brushes – You’ve picked up a little too much product? Might as well give the brush a little blow to remove some of it, right? Wrong. Blowing on the brushes can transfer bacteria from your mouth and the air onto the bristles, which grows with each subsequent blow. Try tapping the brush on the side of the product or the edge of some other hard surface instead.
• Not washing your makeup off before bed – You’ve heard this a million times, we know. The reason you’ve heard it so much is because it’s true. Not only do your pores need to breathe, but your skin will have a harder time making room on the surface for new, pretty skin cells while the old, gunky cells are caked there. If you are really, really exhausted, using makeup wipes will do in a pinch, but you’re better off making it a practice to wash your face properly each night before bed.
• Not moisturizing before applying makeup – You might not think you need to follow this little practice, especially if your skin tends to be oily. But moisturizer has nothing to do with adding oil, and everything to do with keeping your skin hydrated. Also, skin that is not moisturized can often effect makeup application, making it look uneven and blotchy. Try adding a light daytime moisturizer with SPF to your routine before applying foundation. That way your skin stays hydrated, receives foundation more smoothly, and is protected from those harmful UVA and UVB rays.
• Using your hand to match your foundation color – Newsflash: your hand is not your face. It’s not even near your face. So why would the skin there be a good indicator of the skin on your face? The skin on our hands is exposed to sun and the elements a lot more often than that of the skin on your face, so it will almost definitely be a different color. If you’re out shopping and don’t want to mess up your makeup by swatching a new foundation across your cheek, try turning your head and applying a vertical line of foundation that is closer to your ear and one along your jawbone area. Those will give a better indication of a true match.
• Pumping your mascara – We admire your thriftiness. You want to get every last drop of that mascara out of the bottle. Or maybe you just want a little extra product on the wand. Either way, the only thing that pumping the mascara wand is doing is pushing air into the bottle…which is making the product dry up quicker. Opt for swishing the wand around the sides of the bottle instead.
• Matching your eye shadow to your outfit – Ok, so we all did this as kids. As far as we were concerned, it was a major cool thing to do. Then. But now, we know better…or, at least we should. Eye makeup, particularly shadow, is designed to make the most of your eye color. And its application is meant to make the most of your eye’s shape. So don’t cut your potential beauty short. You can Google the best eye colors/eye shadow combos, or just check out a color wheel to see what colors opposite your eye color will best make your peepers pop!