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Beauty Buzz: Fresh Face- Spring 2014

By |February 27th, 2014|Beauty Buzz|

spring 2014 beautyIt’s probably difficult to even begin thinking about your spring beauty regimen with lips scratchier than sandpaper, snot encrusted nostrils and eyeballs that won’t.stop.watering.  I’ve basically thrown in the towel on a full face of makeup at this point… eyeliner is entirely out of the question unless I want to look like it’s the morning after while it’s still the night of.  Sure, the winter is brutal for beauty, but let’s not forget that there comes a point in New York ladies’ lives, say around July, wherein we give up on makeup altogether again as it will have run down our faces and right onto our blouses before we’ve even completed our commutes.  Therefore, spring is just about the only time where we can be playful with our makeup palette and anticipate our faces staying in place for most of the day.

The makeup and hair for spring this year was sort of divided into two camps.  While some designers like Michael Kors and Alexander Wang went for clean, fresh, bronzed barely there faces and “I woke up like this” hair, others like Rag & Bone painted lips and eyelids with bright pops of colors.  Most notably was blue for eyes and while red and berry lips were still very much trends, the most prevalent pout was lacquered up in orange.  This isn’t the first time we’ve seen orange lips on the runways and I’m still not sold, but perhaps you can make the look come across as something other than having housed a bag of Cheetos.  If you didn’t wake up with Olsen hair, a low sleek ponytail seen at Jason Wu or braided crown a la Naeem Khan are good ways to camouflage a potentially bad hair day.  Wide cloth headbands at Vera Wang as well as flowered accoutrements at Zac Posen adorned updos as well.  The cat eye remained strong.  So strong, in fact, that makeup artists continued the bold black liner all the way around the eyes.  And speaking of cat’s, claws were kept quite simple.  Many opted for soft shades accented with silver space age stripes and others chose the reverse French manicure, both proving that nail art is here to stay for at least another season.  So schedule your facials, ladies.  It’s time to prep your canvas for a very colorful spring. If you would like to look for great makeup find out here how to obtain it.

spring makeup trends

 

1.  Sally Hansen Salon Effects Reverse French Manicure Strips, 2. Smashbox Baked Fusion Softlights Baked Starburst, 3. Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Eyeliner in Black, 4. Mr. President & Co. Instant Cool Ponytail Holder, 5. NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Timanfaya, 6. RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, 7. Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Colour Pencil in Pool Boy, 8. nails inc. Fibre Optic in Hampstead Court, 9. Givenchy Ombre Couture Cream Eyeshadow in Bleu Sole, 10. Kevyn Aucoin Set of Four Loose Shimmer Shadows, 11. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Polishing Serum, 12. Chantecaille Lip Chic in Rose Délice, 13. Karina Black & White Headwrap Duo, 14. Bumble and bumble Thickening Dryspun Finish

Why Did You Wear That: Metallica and the Monterey Musical Melee

By |December 16th, 2013|Personal Style|

kirsten smithIn case you haven’t heard (or read WhyDid in the the last 6+ moths), the 90’s are having a renaissance.  And with the revival of 90’s trends like babydoll dresses and brands like Birkenstock, 90’s musicians are also feeling a lift in their royalties.  I understand that stores like Urban Outfitters and Forever 21 shill out shirts with graphics of “vintage” bands emblazoned on them and some of you have only heard of these bands during drunken stories told by your nostalgic “older” friends or when a song comes on in a dive bar and all the “middle aged” patrons go wild.  Well, here’s a pro-tip (talking to you children of the 90’s): be sure you know something about the vintage band t-shirt you are wearing because people will ask you about it- much like the friendly man who checked me out at Nob Hill.  Fortunately for me, I was schooled, partially by osmosis- partially against my will by my older brothers who wore weird clothes, had long hair, and played their instruments at ungodly hours at decibel levels usually reserved for freight trains in the guesthouse above our garage.

I don’t think any of us will soon forget the roadtrip from Monterey to Los Angeles that nearly came to bloody blows when I demanded in my pouty teenage cheerleader way that we listen to Backstreet Boys and my metal loving brothers were more inclined to jump out the windows of the moving vehicle before allowing their eardrums to be tainted by such pop hypocrisy.  I don’t actually recall who won, but I do love my poor damn dad for dealing with all of us without wrecking into a guardrail in the midst of the melee.  I believe we ended up taking turns, but I have to take a moment and thank my brothers for their efforts in a musical intervention.  You saved me from myself… and the Backstreet Boys.

In my tradition of nomadic travel (meaning I am incapable of booking roundtrip plane tickets and prefer to take things as they come), I didn’t pack enough clothing for my extended stay.  However, I enjoy raiding the closets of those that I’m visiting and incorporating their wares into my gypsy wardrobe.  This is when I stumbled upon my father’s 1971 military fatigues (which he has informed me as I write this were referred to as OD, olive drab).  What a perfect way to top off my Metallica tee and maxi skirt while watching the sun set on a sunny day in Monterey.

kirsten smith

kirsten smith whydid

kirsten smith whydid

kirsten smith

kirsten smithearrings: Soho street find (similar here),  jacket: Dad’s (similar here), t-shirt: Bravado, skirt: Brandy Melville (similar here), bag: Amrita Singh, boots: All Saints (similar here)

Sleep with one eye open.

xx,

WhyDid

 

photos by Richard (Dick) Smith