Shop With Style

You’re seeing it everywhere right now. The dark lip trend is in magazines, on the runways, even strutting up and down the city streets and sipping at the local coffee shop. You might be thinking, “That trend isn’t for me. I’ll never be able to pull that look off.” But guess what? You soooo can!  And here’s how…

• Pick the right shade – Rest assured, there is a lush, dark hue for each and every skin tone out there. If you have fair to medium tone skin, try versions of purple-based merlot colors. For those with medium to olive skin tones, try hues of burgundy with a more terra cotta base. Deep tone skin can really push the boundaries of deep and dark, so try a merlot with a bit of black or brown.
• Exfoliate, Exfoliate, Exfoliate – You’ll hear this tip in almost every lip color guide…because it honestly makes a huge difference to how color glides on and looks. If your lips are dry, cracked, and flaky, any lip color will get stuck in the cracks and crevices…but a dark lip color will look positively atrocious. Scrub gently with a product like Fresh Sugar Lip Polish, or Bliss Fabulips. You can also use something simple like olive oil and sugar. Then wipe with a warm, damp cloth and follow with a non-waxy moisturizer.
• Check your upper lip – You may not think it will make a difference, but trust us, it will. Wearing a dark lip color will draw attention to…yep, you guessed it…your lips. Not only can the dark color get snagged on the tiny hairs, but the hairs can also cast a shadow on that upper lip. Both of which will draw the wrong type of attention. And bleaching the hair won’t work. So, go the distance and remove the hair completely.
• Let your skin glow – Dark lips will tend to highlight any blotchiness or imperfections in the skin, so even it up and make it glow as much as possible. That means scrubbing and exfoliating your face, removing any little patches of dry skin, then applying a skin brightening BB or CC cream, which will also help to even things up and get you glowing. After all, you want a clean, even canvas for those bold lips!
• Even the base – Everyone’s lips have some sort of natural hue, and sometimes, that hue can throw off a perfectly wonderful deep Winter lip color. So after applying foundation, dab on a bit to your lips and blend. You’re not looking to completely white-out your own hue, you just want to tone it down a bit so that the lip color reads true when you apply it.
• Strategically line – Lining when applying a dark lip color can be tricky. If you make a mistake, it will be very The best way to line a dark lip is to start with a nude color. Line just outside your natural lip line and blend away from your lip. The will not only help to keep the lip color from running, it will also make the color itself pop. Next, apply a liner in a similar shade to your lip color to just the area of your cupid’s bow and the middle portion of your bottom lip. Next, apply the lip color with a lip brush, to give you more control over color placement.

And there you go! Perfectly luscious, perfectly beautiful deep, dark lips for the Winter season.

No one likes going through a breakup – it is a bad situation for everyone involved. However, there is only so much crying and eating ice cream you can do until you need to get back out there and feel like yourself again. For a fashionista, that means putting on your best outfit and showing it off.

There is no better way to get an outfit you feel amazing in than to buy something new.

Here are a few items that it is absolutely fine to buy after a breakup:

Killer LBD

Ready to be the center of attention again? After a long-term relationship, you probably don’t have any great dresses to just go out and dance in. You don’t need just any little black dress – you need one that is going to turn every eye toward you and give you the pick of the rebound.

Find a little black dress that offers something extra – like sequins, glitter, feathers, a low cut back, or all of the above. Don’t be afraid to be overdressed!

Strappy Shoes

We rarely feel prettier than we do when we are strutting around in a fantastic pair of high heels. After a breakup, invest in a pair of strappy heels that make you walk just a little bit taller. You can pair them with your LBD from above, or just wear them out and about where you know your ex will be.

Just make sure you can walk in them – in case you do see him and you want to walk away quickly.

Something For Underneath

Even if you aren’t ready to move on completely yet, you still want to feel like you have your groove back. The best way to do that is to know you have a secret – especially one that is dainty and lacy. You’ll move differently and feel different in your clothing – and if someone gets to see it, they will be in for a surprise.

Make sure this isn’t a piece of clothing that you have any good memories with your ex in, because that could make you feel worse.

Revenge Body Worthy

While a “revenge body” isn’t the best term in the world – there is something to be said about getting into a better workout routine post-breakup. After eating all of that ice cream and sitting around all day, you are probably feeling pretty bad. Instead of sulking, get out and get your muscles working – you’ll feel better. If you get into better physical shape in the process, more power to you.

Buy a few new pieces of workout gear to really bring home that need to be healthier.

Remember how amazing you are and that surviving after a breakup is all part of the process – you’ll get there and you’ll be more fabulous than before.

The New Year not only brings new possibilities for you, but also for your wardrobe! There are some very exciting new trends upcoming for 2016, but you don’t need to break the bank keeping with the times. By just adding a few key trend pieces to the pieces you already own, you can both embrace the best of 2016 fashion while staying true to your own unique style. We’d give a big cheers to that!

Anything orange – You’ve got to retrain your brain…orange is not just for Summer. It’s a fun and fresh color to ring in the new year, and just a pop of it in your outfit will go a long way. Or, of course, you can always go full-on, all-over orange too, but be sure to balance it out with nudes and neutrals.

Pleats – Unlike the giant-sized pleats of 2015, the pleats trending for 2016 are thinner, tighter, more delicate knife-pleats. These can help to keep a much more tailored look while remaining completely feminine.

Flat mules – These are the evolution of the popular flats of 2015. Flat mules might actually be considered the fashion “mullets” of the shoe world…business in the front, party in the back! But aside from all that, they are oh-so-comfortable.

The half-moon purse – Another evolution on a huge 2015 fashion trend, the half-moon purse is the next cross-body purse…only more structured, and a bit cuter. It has all the convenience of its cross-body cousin and all the roomy functionality of the bucket bag. A perfect combo!

Off-the-shoulder halter – The 2016 version of the classic halter has a higher neck, creating all the drama quite high up and drawing the eye to your neck and shoulders. The thin straps keep it graceful and delicate, while your bare shoulders keep it sexy.

Netting – From the finest mesh to the chunkiest open-weave, many of 2016’s styles will be incorporating netting into the mix. It instantly makes any piece of clothing a bit more fun and approachable, not to mention wearable.

Marled knits – The early months of 2016 will see tons of fashionistas donning light sweaters in lovely and muted marled knits. The contrasting and complementary mix of thread colors softens the overall look and gives added dimension.

Light denim – Denim will always be in fashion, year after year, and 2016 will see it more wearable and versatile than ever! The denim of 2016 is thinner, softer, and will be seen in all forms of new and fabulous wardrobe staples.