My Personal Stylist

I was discussing makeup and corporate image with a client today she asked “What’s the rule for makeup in the workplace?”

My answer is there really are no ‘rules’ as long as your look is:

• Consistent – either do it all the time or don’t do it at all. If you appear one way some days and another on other days people will begin to suspect either that you haven’t quite ‘got it together’ or that you are careless with your appearance, which could lead them to assume you are careless in your work.
• Authentic to your lifestyle and personality – in other words, make sure the image you’re portraying is right for you. The time to experiment with bold new looks and personas is on the weekend when you can try out something different or a bit fun and see how your friends react. If you are naturally a more classic style then go for low-key tones and a simple but polished look. If you are very natural girl then perhaps just a tinted moisturiser and lip balm will be enough for you. If you incline to be a little more dramatic or innovative then you will generally feel comfortable with stronger colours and interesting textures.
• Complementary to your natural colouring – eg if your skin tone is cool and your eyes are brown, blue or grey then you would choose makeup colours to match such as blues, greys, greens, plums and berry colours that have a blue undertone; if your skin tone is warm, your hair is auburn, chestnut or brown and your eyes are hazel, green, or amber then you are better off with earthier tones to match.
• Appropriate to the situation – what might be appropriate for a sultry night out, eg smoky eyes and dramatic lips, is clearly not going to be appropriate for a day in the office. If you have to go from the office to an evening function or social engagement you can always reapply and ‘amp up the volume’ of your look fairly quickly after work. Simply apply a deeper shadow to your eyes, add an extra coat or two of mascara and a bolder, glossier lip colour and you’re done.

Its easy to establish a simple daily makeup routine that takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish and includes: primer, foundation, concealer, eye shadow, eye liner, mascara, blush and lip colour. If you aim to match or contrast your shadow with your eye colour then its easy to choose a few different shades of the same colour and layer them for a simple classic look or layer a little more for a bolder option. This way you will save time (and money) trying to match your makeup colours to your clothing each day.

If you are just starting out with makeup or if you are still rocking the same you look you did 10 or even 20 years ago, perhaps you’d benefit from a makeup refresher. There are plenty of makeup artists at department store makeup counters who will show you how to apply, what colours suit you best and will even give you a ‘paint by numbers’ face chart to take home so when you do it for yourself its easy to follow along step-by-step.

One final word on the subject of makeup – if you’re going to wear it, make sure you prep your skin beforehand (cleanse, tone and moisturise) don’t forget the sunscreen and remember always to remove it before going to bed to keep your skin (and your pillow cases) clean and fresh.

Part 2 in my guide to finding the best jeans for you in the quickest amount of time. Know what to look for and you will find the process a whole lot easier on your mental health and your wallet.

FLY/ZIPPER

The general rule of thumb for zippers or ‘fly’ length is to match the fly to the length of your hand, from the base of your palm to the tip of your longest finger. This is a mid-rise cut which is much more flattering to those with anything less than a washboard stomach. Low rise jeans are the cause of the hideous ‘muffin top’ (and the above mentioned ‘plumbers crack’). While very high waisted jeans although they come back into fashion every once in a while, are also not very flattering – they accentuate any added tummy bulk you might be carrying and give you a much more matronly figure.

FIT/CUT

If you have thin legs, no hips and a tiny bum then you can pretty much wear any cut of jeans you like, lucky you! Although the older you get, the less appropriate it is to wear a ‘skin-tight skinny’ even if you can. For the rest of us however, skinny jeans will just emphasis the thighs and bum, while a relaxed fit straight leg (look for one where the width of the hem is the same or close to the width of the thigh), a bootcut, wide-leg or even a gentle flare will help balance the hips and make legs look longer.

[TIP: An easy way to check for cut without having to try them on is to bring the cuff of the jean up to the thigh area and note whether it’s wider or narrower. If the cuff is narrower than the thigh the jean is tapered if it’s the same or wider the jean is straight, flare or bootcut].

LENGTH

Unless you are very tall it is likely that you will need to get your jeans hemmed to fit your height. Most retailers will do this for you for a small fee; alternatively there are quick alterations places in most major shopping malls that can take care of this for you. Have them measured for hemming while you are wearing the shoe you are most likely to wear with those jeans – ie if you wear flats more than heels, have them hemmed wearing flats but be aware they will look a little too short if you wear them with heels. If however you are a heels girl then the most flattering and leg elongating length is to have the jeans just skim the floor when you are wearing your heels. For a cute and fashionable look, you can always turn them up if you want to wear them with flats. Of course if you are hemming skinny jeans you will need to have them finish at the top of your foot regardless of heels or flats because they won’t fit over your foot and hang down to the floor anyway.

[TIP: If jeans are more than 6 inches too long it is likely they will not be a good fit for you elsewhere. The fabric allowance in the crotch and knee will have been designed for a much taller person, so you may want to consider finding the same jeans in a ‘petites’ range for better all round fit].

COLOUR/RINSE

A dark wash will always look smarter and more sophisticated than a light wash. A very stylish pair of dark wash jeans may even be suitable for wearing to work, either on ‘Dress-down Fridays’ or if you work in a more casual environment. Light wash jeans really are for weekends and very casual dressing. Darker washes (or rinses as they are sometimes called) will also visually slim your figure, as a lighter colour worn on the bottom half will draw attention to that area. Jeans with pre-lightened patches on the thigh or ‘whiskering’ around the crotch will always make you look larger than you are so steer clear.

Acid wash jeans were not flattering the first time around. If you wore them in the 80s, then you know better than to consider revising the look and if you are young enough that you are seeing this look for the first time, wear if you dare but be aware that when looking back on photos you may wish you hadn’t.

RISE
The waistband of your jeans should ‘smile’ in front and ‘frown’ in back. In the front, this ‘smile’ visually cuts your tummy in half, minimising any unwanted bulge and allowing your clothing to sit closer to your frame for a sleeker line. While the ‘frown’ in back ensures underwear does not show.” No-one wants to see your G-string and we all know plumbers crack” is not a good look!

The larger the yoke – the v-shaped panel below the back waistband – the smaller your bum will appear. The yoke is designed to help your jeans shape to the curve of your body and to help lift and shape your behind.

POCKETS

You can also minimise the appearance of a ‘wide load’ by looking for jeans with larger back pockets – via the magic of optical illusion, the large the pockets the smaller your bum looks. If they are slanted out slightly – ie the inside top corner of the pocket is slightly higher than the outside top corner – this will also help visually shape and lift your bottom. For the same reasons, look for pockets that are slightly tapered, meaning wider at the top than at the bottom.

[TIP: Jeans with lots of detail or ‘bling’ on the back pockets will just draw attention to this area. Don’t say you weren’t warned!]

Slanted front pockets will help give the impression of an hourglass shape whereas straight across pockets can make your figure appear more square or ‘boxy’.