Hair: The Return Of The Mini Bouffant

When I was in high school during the late 80s several of the more beautiful and popular girls suddenly sported a new hairstyle- a sleek and very severe ponytail with a mini (or not so mini) bouffant at the front. It required commercial quantities of hair gel and spray and made my curly haired self quite despondent. Another version of the same thing left the hair in the back down and in almost free form, while that big blob of hair was hanging precariously above one's forehead held by some kind of hair accessory. I actually had a friend who held unto this style well into the late 90s, but it looked quite dated by that time.

I've forgotten all about this and didn't pay much attention when I saw it on Beyonce or Gwen Stefani. I also ignored the beehives, real (Sarah Palin) or fake (Amy Winehouse). But browsing celeb photos today I've come across two very different actresses- Lauren Graham and Kristen Stewart- both showing some pouffness in the front. Should I bring out my flat iron and start experimenting? Maybe. I just don't want to end up looking like Snooki.

Photos: Socialite Life, Just Jared and Dlisted

Beyonce At Billboard's Women In Music- Why Light Matters

This is a perfect example of how makeup looks significantly different depending on the lighting used. Even the most beautiful colors and professional application can appear off and unflattering if it clashes with the light at the venue. Just one more thing to consider when planning an indoor wedding or some other important event that is going to be photographed and documented.

Beyonce was all made up in Nars for Billboard's Women in Music event. As you can see, there's a lot going on on her cheeks (they used Orgasm/Casino Blush Duo, Albatross Highlighting Blush Powder and Copacabana Multiple), which I'm not sure was entirely necessary. I'm also not a fan of such pale lips, though it looks much better outdoors (Belle de Jour Velvet Matte pencil, Honolulu Honey lipstick and Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer). The best part of this look, in my opinion, are Beyonce's eyes, where the makeup artist used Cleo eyeshadow duo (and probably some kind of eyeliner, though the Nars press release didn't specify). Both the teal and the aqua shadows have quite a bit of shimmer, which makes it red carpet-worthy, though not very wearable elsewhere, if I remember correctly.


Photos: Dlisted, Just Jared and amazon.com. I didn't use the image provided by Nars, because I thought it was extremely unflattering and didn't do Beyonce any favor.

Seen Around Town- Items Of The Moment

Here are bits and pieces, looks and ideas as seen on celebs in the last week or so. Which ones do you like? What doesn't work for you?


White denim. I love it, even if not necessarily the way Kate Moss wears it. I like to pair slim white jeans with a colorful DVF wrap top and cute sandals. I think Hilary Swank pulls it off perfectly.




Red lipstick. The tricky part is choosing the right red for you. Do you think Angelina and Rihanna got it right?


Little dresses in bright colors. Nothing says "summer" like a yellow dress.

I like strappy sandals, I like platforms. Not so sure about these bondage gear, especially the way Beyonce paired it with awful denim shorts, and Rumer Willis' black manicure is just a bit too much. The last pair was seen on Evangeline Lilly in Cannes. A little different and not half bad.

Photos: Just Jared, Socialite Life, Faded Youth Blog

Bad 80s Dream

Beyonce is here to show us why the 80s were a really bad fashion moment. It's probably the combination of too-skinny jeans and those not-quite shboots that just doesn't work. Stacy and Clinton spent the last half a decade trying to educate us about flattering cuts and why pants that taper so much at the ankle make us look way too heavy from the knee up. They were right.

Photo: I'm Not Obsessed

Someone needs a new stylist.

Yes, Beyonce is very pretty and has a lovely figure, but even she must be tired of herself and the collection of mermaid dresses, and this elf in a sausage doesn't even look comfortable.

Photo: Dlisted

Put the Smoke Out

If you're reading this, most chances are that you are: a) Not Beyonce, and b) not employing a team of makeup artists. This means that maybe you should be a bit careful with this smoky eye thing.
I see it everywhere. In the Jersey malls and in Manhattan's East Village, women and girls are rocking the raccoon eyes. The results are not flattering and usually vary between weird and skanky.

If you're very pale, chances are that dark eye shadow and liner are too harsh and unflattering for you. Even when you do find a shade that looks good on you (medium brown or blue), it needs to be applied lightly, not go up to your eyebrow and definitely to go sparingly under your eyes. If you have a darker complexion, piling up the black or charcoal around your eyes will most likely make you look tired, dead or skanky. Maybe all of the above. If you look at Beyonce's teal smoky eye makeup for the AMA red carpet you'll notice that it isn't black and overwhelming. It's light, it's pretty and it's expertly applied. How many of us can do that? Or even need a red carpet look?

I'm one of those who can pull a dark eye shadow, as long as it stays on my upper lids. I use a black or almost black liner, leave it unsmudged, because I can't guarantee equal results on both eyes (another mistake so many are making), apply a light shadow to the brow bone, a dark brown, charcoal or blue eye shadow to the crease and blend the whole thing well. If I'm using something on my lower lash line, it's always a color that actually highlights my eyes. Because that looks better on me.

Now, look what happens to someone who piles up the colors and doesn't blend. Rachael Ray might have worse things to worry about right now, but this makeup isn't going to help her any: