Perfect Birthday Dress

I apologize for my lack of posts this summer. I decided to really focus on my career and build my resume. So I took on 2 jobs, 2 internships and played on a coed softball team. I was quite busy writing content for the blog at www.lsjmedia.com and this blog was a little left out.

 This is my Birthday Dress. I knew it was love at first sight, the contrast between the black top and  the sheer blush overlay! The fit is so feminine and flattering, it was perfect.  

I bought the dress at Plato's Closet for around $10. I'm pretty sure it's Charlotte Russe, although the label is cut off. 

The back is open with corset like crossing straps.   

My sister and nephew bought me this flower headband from Claire's for my Birthday. It was my summer obsession! Since I have such long hair, I wear it up in a bun a lot during the summer to keep cool. Buns are great because they can be fun yet they're also great for formal occasions. 

Here's a close up of my necklace. I bought it at Plato's Closet for about $5. Geometric patterns and shapes are such a hit right now! 

Contrasting leopard print with black is one of my favorite looks as well. This purse is Forever 21 and I bought it at Plato's Closet for $8. 

These strappy black sandals have a rather short heel compared to most of my heels which makes them more versatile. They are Madden Girl by Steve Madden which I purchased at Plato's Closet for around $8. 

Classic New Years Eve Look

The black and white patterned dress is Armani Exchange and the black pumps are Dolce Vita. 

The Look: Classic

The Why: Neutral eyes and red lips go with everyone, and you can wear it with many different outfits. If you're a cool skin toned person, choose beige and taupe toned colors for the eyes, and a blue based red for the lips. If you have a warmer skin tone, go with neutrals that lean more towards the gold family and an orange based red for the lips.

The Steps: Starting with a clean, moisturized face, my first step is always the eye makeup. Do your eyes first!!!

Once they're done you'll be able to clean up any eye shadow fallout or smudges that may have happened while you were at work without worrying about screwing up your foundation, concealer, etc.

For the Eyes:

1 -Apply an eyeshadow primer on upper and lower eyelids, sweeping out across the brow bone towards your temples.

2 -Use a white eyeliner pencil and fill in your eyelid below the crease. Blend this up and out towards your brow. This provides a better base for the shadow to stick to. 

3 -For the center of the eye, apply a light, shimmery neutral. Something along the lines of champagne or a pale gold color. Use a brush to pat this onto the center of your eyelid. Take this same color, and apply just below the lower lash line and the inner corner of your eye. 

4 -Sweep your palest highlighter across the brow bone.

5 -Start working out towards the corners of the eyes. Apply a darker shade of neutral in the outer corners of the eyes, and working into the crease of the eyelid. Think coppers for warmer tones and light sandy browns for cooler. If you'd like you can add this darker color to the inner portion of the eyelid, just inside of where you have your lightest shade on the upper eyelid. Putting a darker color can add more depth and shape to your eyes, *however*, if you have smaller eyes you may want to opt out of this. The lighter you keep the inner corners of your eyes, the more open you make them appear. 

Earrings and necklace Kay Jewelers. 

6 -Finally take deep colors such as plum, dark brown, smoke, even a dark navy would work, and apply with a small brush to the outer V portion of your eyelid (imagine where the upper and lower lids meet). You can sweep some of the darker shade beneath the outer portion of your lower eyelids, and can use this color both to line your upper eyelids as well as be drawn out towards the temple to create more of a cat eye effect.

7 -Line the eyes with a dark brown or black pencil. If you have small eyes stick to a thinner line, keep it only on the outer corners of the eye, or skip it all together. 

8 -Fill brows in with a pencil and extend just a bit past the natural brow line. I like doing this when I have winged eyeliner as I feel it helps balance the look. 

9 -Blend shadow with a fluffy brush to soften the look.

10 -Apply mascara and clean up around eyes wherever you had fallout from your eyeshadow.

For the Face:

1 -Apply a foundation primer to help foundation go on smoothly and last longer.

2 -Apply your concealer in the desired places, if needed. Blend.

3 -Apply foundation, if desired. Liquid, powder, whatever works best for you.

4 -Choose a blush that is going to apply softly. A pinky-peach tone works nicely on pretty much everyone if you're not sure what to choose. 

5 -Contour with a bronzer in the hollows of your cheeks, sweeping up around the temples and down around the jaw line.

6 -A highlight shade is optional but can be a nice touch when applied to the upper portion of the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, and cupid's bow.

For the Lips:

1 -Make sure they're well exfoliated and I find it useful to apply lip balm about 30 minutes prior to whenever I'm going to wear lipstick. 

2 -Take a red lipliner, and slowly working from the inner portions of your lips out towards the edge, fill your lips in entirely. This again will make your lipstick last longer, and if throughout the night it starts to wear off, it will look much less splotchy and uneven. 

3 -If you have a lip brush, use that to apply your lipstick. If not, carefully fill in your lips the same way you did with the liner, working from the center out. 

4 -Blot, then very lightly apply a second layer.

You're done!

For any questions or further directions please comment! Instructions written by guest writer, Amanda Brady.