Shop With Style

It’s finally Fall. Time for layering and bundling up, and that includes your head! Not only are hats a practical way to keep warm (they prevent heat from leaving your body through the top of your head), but they are one of the most effortless ways to add flair to your outfit. But, in case your chapeau-topped ensemble isn’t quite working, there are some tips that can take it from drab to fab in no time.

• Think Seasonal – First and foremost, Fall and Winter hats should be wool, cloth, or felt-type material. Save the straw hats for Spring and Summer, since the open weave of those materials can allow heat to escape your head.
• Find the Fit – Hats come in so many sizes and fits, it can literally make your head spin. Just because a hat looks cute, doesn’t mean that it will fit your head properly. Make sure when choosing a hat that you can actually try it on…that means if you’re buying online, you need to either A) make sure the sizes are listed and you know your hat size, or B) you are buying from a site you are familiar with, and you are familiar with their sizing. If it’s too big, it will do nothing but slide down into your eyes, or blow off in a gust of wind. If it’s too tight…well…it will just look plain silly.
• Consider Hair Length – Wearing a hat can change the whole look of your face, especially when taking into account your hair length. You will often find that close-fitting hats with less material compliment shorter hair, while larger, wide-brimmed hats look great on longer-length hair… but as with most things, you’ve got to experiment to see what works.
• Consider Hair Style – If your hair is long enough to style, you have more options than long-and-loose. You can opt for a messy low bun at the back or side, or a loose braid, also at the back or side. Again, get in there and experiment!
• Consider Your Outfit – Sometimes a hat can clash with what you’re wearing, so it’s important to take into consideration the style of your outfit. A loose beret or knit hat looks sharp with a body con shirt and skinny jeans or trousers. Boho styles are really complimented by floppy, wide-brimmed hats. And something sleek and tailored would be well suited to a close-fitting cloche style.
• Color – Since it is Fall, with Winter on the way, you might as well try to embrace and incorporate some of the colors of the season. Yes, black is a classic, as is grey, and they can usually go with anything, but be bold and look for berries, rust colored, and dusky-hued varieties.
• Give it Your Style – As with so many points above, it all comes down to experimentation. If you feel like adding a brooch or feather to a hat…do it. Make it yours. You will ultimately (hopefully) own whatever look you rock, so rock it with confidence!

For thousands of years, women have been utilizing various oils, essences, and balms to enhance their scent. Before that, well…we’re afraid things were pretty stinky. Today, though, women are spoiled for choice in perfumes! And therein lies the challenge…with the holidays approaching, and hundreds of perfumes on the market to choose from, how do you find the best ones for you? The answer is actually simpler than you might imagine. Your style in fashion is the key in unlocking your ideal fragrance this Fall!

• Fun and Flirty – You are definitely girly. You love playing up your feminine side. Then sugary and fruity fragrances are for you! Your fragrance should highlight notes of pear, sugarcane, vanilla bean, passion fruit, plum, and/or caramel. Some leading contenders: Prada Candy Kiss, Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium, and Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Fireworks.
• Classic and Elegant – You are very ladylike. You gravitate towards the classic wardrobe choices, like cashmere cardigans and pearls. Your fragrance will evoke images of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, with their notes of iris, peonies, jasmine, lily, and mimosa. Some leading contenders: Jo Malone London Mimosa & Cardamom, Chanel Chance Eau Vive, and Gucci Bamboo.
• Sexy and Glam – Your chosen weapons on a Friday night out are a killer pair of stilettos and a stunning LBD. You don’t mind getting attention…in fact, you love it! Your fragrance will have loads of spice to it, just like you! Look for notes of black pepper, leather, incense, saffron, and cinnamon. Some leading contenders: Marc Jacobs Decadence, Dior J’Adore Touche de Parfum, and Dolce & Gabbana Velvet Exotic Leather.
• Modern and Bold – Your fashion and accessories are always very now. You dare to wear even the boldest colors, patterns, and cuts without a second thought. Your fragrance will make a statement, as you do every time you walk into a room. Look for notes of lush florals combined with more masculine scents like sandalwood, cedar, and amber. Some leading contenders: Michael Kors Rose Radiant Gold, Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme, and Donna Karan Liquid Cashmere Black.
• Boho Chic– You epitomize the free spirit in every woman. If the style is loose and flowy, with rustic or ethnic prints, it’s fabulous to you. Your fragrance will be spicy and earthy, with notes of patchouli, pepper, citrus, and sandalwood. Some leading contenders: Tory Burch Absolu, Lancome La Vie Est Belle Eau de Parfum, and Calvin Klein Euphoria Essence.

If you’ve got hooded eyes, then you know what a challenge applying eye makeup can be. While everyone else seems to just sweep on a fierce cat-eye, you’re trying to figure out how to keep it on, let alone apply it. Sure, some of the most popular young celebrities today, like Blake Lively, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Lawrence, have hooded eyes, and their eye makeup manages to look fabulous all the time, but they also have the benefit of countless makeup artists at their beck-and-call. Lucky for you though, there are some simple tips you can use to make your hooded eyes really pop!

• Primer is your best friend – This is the single most important element of applying makeup for hooded eyes! Since your upper lid tends to fold over and hide your lower lid, any eye makeup you apply there is likely to be rubbed off quickly by the friction, so primer (like Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, or Benefit Stay Don’t Stray) will provide your products with loads more staying power. Apply from base of lashes to just below the brow bone and blend in, then allow to dry before applying any other products.
• Brows – You might not realize it, but unkempt brows can actually make your hooded lid look even heavier. Likewise, an over-plucked brow creates the appearance of more lid space, which draws attention to your hood. If you are unsure about the best shape for your face, go to a salon. They can help you get the basic shape established, so then all you will have to do is maintain. To keep them filled in, the best eyebrow makeup is usually powder, applied with a stiff angled brush. Powder often looks more natural than pencil, but the best brows usually combine both! Try a combo of Anastasia of Beverly Hills Brow Wiz and Smashbox Brow Tech.
• Use smudge-proof, water-proof liner and mascara – Again, if you constantly wrestle with disappearing eye makeup, the formulation of your products could be the culprit. You might have shied away from “smudge-proof” or “water-proof” before, but there are such great products out there, like the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil, that go on smoothly, blend effortlessly, and, most importantly, stay on! If it’s the removal of those smudge-proof and water-proof liners and mascaras that has you fretting, a product like Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover will quickly and gently wipe your eyes completely clean.
• Shadow placement – This is probably the second most important element in hooded eyes makeup, right behind using primer. With the sagging skin of hooded eyes, typical eye makeup tutorials often don’t apply to you. But don’t lose heart! You just need a slightly different placement technique. The goal is to camouflage the hooded skin to create the illusion of a more balanced, open eye using light and dark color placement (light colors bring forward, and dark colors recede). So, after your lid primer is dry, sweep a light, shimmery shade all over the lower lid. Next, apply a darker, matte shadow into the outer V (extending it a bit up and out). And now for the real magic…looking forward, with your eyes relaxed (so you can clearly see the hood), sweep a darker matte shadow in and slightly above your crease (yes, onto the lower part of the hood). In a light, windshield-wiper motion, bring the shadow about half way in, then connect it with the shadow in the outer V. The darker shadow will help to recede the skin of the hood. Always remember, if you’ve got hooded eyes, always have a matte shadow pallet handy!