Casual Spring/Summer Fashion

Recently I had the idea to step a little bit out of my comfort zone, and into the world of fashion. I'm a costume designer, not a fashion designer, so I'm not always comfortable talking about my style (or lack thereof). Most days, I'm a jeans and an easy top kind of girl. But lately I've been trying to step out of comfort zone and play with my wardrobe a little bit more! I have a closet full of clothes, and I'm constantly buying new things, so I thought I would have a little fun and see what I could put together that I thought would be great for spring and summer.

 

I think this first outfit would be really great for a day in the sun. It was pretty warm when these photos were taken, but I was at a marina (as you may be able to tell by all the boats), so it did get a bit chilly when the wind came in. This outfit is perfect for layering, and you could add some tights for a cool night on the beach! I kept everything pretty neutral, and this outfit would look great with a bright lip. Since I went a bit natural with the makeup, though, I added a pop of color with my red Keds!

Crop top: Bethany Mota for Aeropostale
Cardigan: Hand-me-down from my mom (and it's become a staple piece in my wardrobe year-round!)
Belt: Aeropostale - This isn't the exact same belt, as I've had it for years! Aero has some great high quality belts that last a long time.
High-rise shorts: Forever21 - These shorts are no longer available. I purchased them last year, mid-summer. If you would like to get a similar look though, I'd check out H&M, which has an incredible selection of high-rise and high-waisted shorts!
Shoes: Keds
Bandana: Walmart

This next outfit is really easy and carefree. It's definitely for great those warm days where you want to look put together, without putting in a ton of effort. That's the beauty of dresses, right? I love that I'm seeing denim just about everywhere this year, and I feel like it's just a great way to take an ordinary dress from simple to stylish! For shoes, I think this would look great with white Converse, but I only had my black ones, which I think looked great as well. It would also look great with a cute pair of wedges!

Dress: Target
Denim Vest: Target - yes, it's a child's size. I'm a fairly small person and can fit into some large and extra large children's tops. However, I've seen some really great denim vests in just about every trendy clothing store.
Mini Affirmation Bracelets: BCBGeneration - Fearless and Tough - They no longer have the "Tough" affirmation bracelet in the color that I purchased it in, but they still have it in a cute pastel blush color!
Shoes: Converse

And just in case you're wondering, my sunglasses are from Target! I love Target for sunglasses, because it's so inexpensive and they have a ton of different styles. I'm very picky about sunglasses, but I absolutely love the slightly-oversized wayfarer shape mixed with the very subtle cat eye angle. On my nails, I'm wearing Essie Bikini So Teeny, which I mentioned in my February favorites, and I'm still absolutely loving!

Which of these two outfits do you like best? 

- d. 

ps. enjoy a picture of the adorable baby ducks we saw while at the marina!

Corals? For Spring? Groundbreaking.

I must say, I hate spring. I mean don't get me wrong, it's beautiful -- the sun is shining, the snow is melting, the birds are coming out to sing. But the best/worst part about spring? The flowers. I love the look of flowers, but I have had pretty bad pollen allergies since I was a kid, and I've never grown out of them. I get these really awful sinus headaches because of the pollen, to the point where it sometimes is hard for me to get out of bed. So dried flowers and fake flowers tend to be my go-to decorative choice.

But all my pollen hatred aside, I do love the colors that come with spring. I love walking into Target and seeing all the spring and summer clothing, all the vivid-colored bags, and all the cute shoes that are coming into season! Today I decided to do a look based on my two favorite spring colors, that just so happen to look fantastic together: coral and turquoise.

So for this look, I actually spent a lot of the time on my skin. I wanted to look glowing and radiant -- like I've just returned from spring break! Since I'm super pale right now, I actually mixed together my new Rimmel BB Cream Matte in "Light" and my L'Oreal True Match Foundation in "C2." The Rimmel BB cream is a couple shades too dark for me, but I think it'll be the perfect shade once I've been out in the sun a bit more. I do tend to pick up a tan once the warmer months come around. After that, I took my trusty Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer and covered up any blemishes or discoloration. 

From here, I moved onto the brows. I wanted to give my brows a naturally full effect, so I decided to use a powder. I used Inglot 358 Matte through the entirety of my brows, as well as "Triple Fudge" from the Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette through the arch of my brow to add extra definition. I then ran my concealer under my brows to clean up the edges.

As an eyeshadow base, I used the Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal in "Inked in Pink," staying under the crease. You may notice as you read that for this look, I decided to double up a couple of products. I used the Milani Baked Blush in "Luminoso" on the entire lid, staying below the crease. After this, I went in with my Coastal Scent 252 Ultimate Palette. 

I used the matte coral shade to deepen the crease a bit. It is very similar to "Luminoso" but slightly darker and matte, so it is a great way to blend out any harsh edges. I also took the warm plummy brown shade and, with a very light hand, rocked this in the crease, just to add the slightest addition of dimension. I took both of these shades and ran them under the lower lash line as well. From here, I used the lightest heart in the Physicians Formula Glow & Mood Boosting Powder in "Translucent" to highlight my inner corner as well as the browbone. 

Now for the fun turquoise liner! I used the Wet n Wild Mega Liner Liquid Liner in "Turquoise" and did a subtle winged liner. For my tutorial on how to do winged liner, click here! This Wet n Wild liner is great for anyone who is just starting to get comfortable with colored liner, because it's really inexpensive! To help make the color of the liner pop even more, I took a push liner brush and my Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Liner and made a very thin line, as close to my lashes as I could get. Then, I topped it off with Maybelline Volum' Express The Rocket Mascara. 

Moving on to the glowing skin! First thing's first, I took the Benefit Watt's Up Highlighter along the tops of my cheekbones, as well as down the bridge of my nose and on my Cupid's bow. To avoid looking shiny as opposed to glowing, I took my Revlon Photo Ready Translucent Finisher and set everything into place. I took a smaller face brush and the Physicians Formula Glow & Mood Boosting Powder in "Translucent" and hit all the spots that I applied the Watt's Up highlighter. Then, I again took "Luminoso" and lightly applied this to my cheeks. For my sun-kissed appearance, I used The Balm Bahama Mama bronzer on a big fluffy brush, and very lightly applied this to the points of my face that the sun would naturally hit -- the top of my forehead, my temples, the tip of my nose, etc. I also used this to very subtly contour. Of course, be sure to blend well! 

For my lips, I decided to keep it very light and simple, and just used the Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm in "Cherry Me," for a subtle hint of color.

And that's it! Super fun with a bright pop of color. Tell me, what's your favorite thing about spring? 

- d. 

Versatile Spring Trend Looks with Pantone's Color of the Year

As always, this spring is all about color. And the color on everyone's lips -- and eyes and nails -- is Radiant Orchid. Last year was Emerald, the year before was Tangerine, and this year, the vivid, fuchsia-infused shade of purple has been crowned Pantone's Color of the Year.

So for today's post, I decided I would do two incredibly versatile looks using Radiant Orchid, based on some trends that are going to be hot this spring and summer. 

For both of these looks, I wanted to create a clean, fresh-faced glow, so I avoided liquid foundation altogether. I went in with my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer and covered up any blemishes or discoloration, primarily around my nose and on some spots on my forehead, as well as on my chin. Then, I took my Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Loose Powder and applied that all over my face with a kabuki brush. This powder was the very first face product I ever owned, and it's amazing for those "no-makeup" makeup days. 

After this, I gave my skin a moment to set while I applied my brows. I completely forgot to grab the brow product for the photo, but I used my Anastasia DipBrow Pomade. If you click here you can see my photos, swatches, and thoughts about this product! This spring and summer, thick brows are definitely in, so take this time to grow them out! I know I definitely need to let mine grow, and this is the time to do it. 

After I finished with my brows, I went back in with my concealer and cleaned up underneath the brow, just to create a nice, crisp line. Then for the cheeks, I used a new product: the Rimmel Stay Blushed Liquid Cheek Tint in the shade "Peach Flush." It claims to be a liquid, but I'd say it has more of a mousse-like texture. It glides well over powder, and I was impressed by how it applied! This is my first time using it, so hopefully I'll have more thoughts on it soon. Finally, I took The Balm Bahama Mama Bronzer and did some light contouring. 

Now, moving onto Look #1, which is all about the eyes! Two trends that are big this year are a sheer wash of color and sultry, smokey black liner. Luckily, achieving both looks is a piece of cake! 

For the shadow, I took the L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eye Shadow in "Burst Into Bloom" and feathered it all over the lid using a fluffy blending brush. This color is perfect to match Radiant Orchid! I also took this shadow on a small pencil brush and blended it under the lower lashline. This is my first time using the L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows, and it certainly is interesting to work with. I then used the lightest cream shade from the Wet n Wild Eye Shadow Trio in "Silent Treatment" to blend around the edges and to highlight under the browbone. I also brought this color into the inner corner to bring some light to the inner corners. This is an important step to prevent the eyeliner from overpowering your eyes!

Next, I took my trusty Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner and lined both my upper and lower lashlines. I also used this product to line the upper and lower waterlines. Then, I took a small detail brush and smudged it out, adding the darkest shade from the Wet n Wild trio to add even more smokiness to the look. From here, I applied mascara, and the eyes were done!

For the lips, I applied the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in "Peach Parfait," with just the tiniest dab of the Maybelline Color Elixir in "Mandarin Rapture."

I want to say this next look is all about the lips, but it's not. Both the eyes and the lips are eye-catching. This next look focuses on graphic liner and bold lips.

But before we move onto the next look, I want you to pause and make a promise to yourself. Say it with me: "I will not obsess over perfection." Now say that three more times. Why do I say that? Because with this next look, if you obsess over making it perfect, you will drive yourself absolutely insane!

I look so annoyed in both of these photos, and as Andrew was taking them, he was telling me to stop looking so grumpy. Why? Because I obsess. I am known for obsessing over small things like eyeliner symmetry, and this look was no exception. 

First things first, I took my concealer and applied this all over my lid to get rid of any discoloration. Then, I took the lightest shade from the Wet n Wild Eye Shadow Trio and applied it all over the lid and up to the browbone. Easy enough, right? Well, hold on tight, because the liner is coming!

First, I used the same Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner that I used above to create a basic winged liner. For my tutorial on how to do that, click here! From here, I simply followed the crease. I used a precise artist's brush, and held my breath. Take your time on the liner, but as I said, don't obsess. For myself, I stopped at the edge of my iris, but you can take in the line as far as you like! If you make a mistake, stop, breathe, and go back in with the light cream shadow that you used on the lid and run it over the liner. This will help to blur the mistake so you can start again. Have fun with it! Graphic liner is a huge trend, not only this season, but this year. It's everywhere! Find a style that's fun and master it. The graphic liner I've done is very simple, and is a great way to start off any graphic liner look. I then took a pencil brush and the same L'Oreal Infallible 24HR Eye Shadow and ran this under my lower lashline, up the edge of the winged liner, for a pop of color. To help brighten up the eyes, I used the Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal Eyeliner in "Nude" on the waterline, then applied mascara on both the upper and lower lashes!

Once you've completely the liner, the eyes are done! For the lips, I applied the Maybelline Color Sensational Vivids Lipstick in "Brazen Berry," which is another great match for the 2014 Color of the Year!

The great thing about both of these looks is that they are super versatile. For example, switch out a black liner for a colored liner (like the amazing new Stila Smudge Stick colors that were released for spring!), and you can have an amazing colored graphic liner look that is sure to have people asking "How did you do that?!" 

While Radiant Orchid isn't my favorite color in the world (I much prefer a blue-ish lilac), I had a ton of fun with these looks. Every year I think to myself "There is no way that's the color of the year. No one is going to like it!" And sure enough, by mid-summer, the Color of the Year is everywhere. 

The most important thing about this season's trends? Have fun with them. Spring and summer is all about playing with different looks and different colors. The runways were whimsical this season -- let your makeup be too!

- d.