5 Summer Makeup Essentials

Posted in Beauty by mlachey9

Designers and retail stores are already trying to get their fall and pre-fall styles ingrained in our brains. But let’s be real here; it is still very much summer. If you are like me and live somewhere with distinct seasons, you already know that summer and winter can require very different makeup techniques. The humid days of summer melt our attempts at a flawless looking face. Below are my tried and tested favorite products for humid summer days. These products will keep you looking fresh even on those 90 degree scorchers.

As a disclaimer, I am (if you haven’t already noticed) very fair skinned. So the colors I have chosen are the ones that look best on my skin tone. Please adjust shades for your tone. I also have oily, breakout prone skin. My favorite products deal with this issue, so if you are prone to dry skin, you might need products with a little more moisture.

1. Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen

2. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Mont Blanc

3. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink

4.Loreal Voluminous False Lashes Mascara in Waterproof Blackest Black

5. Tarte Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder

Sunscreen is non-negotiable. But a greasy sunscreen not only feels gross, it doesn’t mix well with makeup. Neutrogena Clear Face sunscreen feels like it’s not even there. And bonus: it won’t make your face breakout. No more excuses for not wearing sunscreen. This formula pairs perfectly with makeup.

I, like most people, want my skin tone to look even. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation offers a natural finish that won’t look makeup-y, but also covers minor to moderate flaws. I love NARS because there is a shade for almost every skin tone. This formula won’t break out your skin, and also helps to improve your natural skin tone over time.

I have a new obsession with Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge in Pale Pink. I have tried cream blushes before and they end up sliding off my face within a few hours. But powder blush can look, well, powdery. This formula, however, gives a fresh, natural looking flush and doesn’t get slimy throughout the day. Bonus: apply to your lips for a matching natural flush.

Loreal’s Voluminous False Lashes surrounds your lashes with fibers that make them significantly thicker and longer. A great alternative to wearing false lashes, and much more natural looking. I like a dramatic lash, but I am not going to wear false lashes everyday, and other mascaras end up clumping my lashes together when I try to apply more than a few coats. For summer I choose the waterproof version to avoid black rings under my eyes.

I cannot live without Tarte Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder. It doesn’t add additional color to my face and makes my makeup last all day long. It also blurs imperfections for an airbrushed look. But for very tan or darker skin tones, the white powder might create a dusty or ashy effect even though it is considered “invisible.” This formula is great for oily skin. It prevents that midday makeup meltdown. I like to reapply it during the afternoon as a freshen up for my very oily skin. I love that applying more does not make it thick looking.

11Jul2014

Float Like a Butterfly, Sting Like a Bee

Posted in What I Wear by mlachey9

There is just something about black and white stripes. I can never get enough. For an edgy take on a classic, just add a pop of color. Here I chose two different black and white striped tops paired with a pop of neon yellow. A flared skirt will give you the femininity of a butterfly, while the neon adds the sting of a bee.

10Jul2014

The Long and Short of It

Posted in What I Wear by mlachey9

Trying to cash in on the crop top trend but don’t want to look like a sixteen year old stuck in 1994? To keep your 2014 look from slipping back in time to Britney’s “Hit Me Baby One More Time” era, pair your crop with sophisticated, longer pieces on the bottom to look polished, chic, and still perfectly on trend. Below you will find one crop top worn three ways, from modest to slightly edgy, all while remaining chic and polished enough for date night downtown.

Wear a crop top over a dress to get the appearance of wearing a crop top with a skirt, but without the risk of showing any midriff. This will keep you looking appropriate in even the most modest of places, while still keeping you on trend.

Pair a crop top with a high waisted midi skirt and you won’t feel like you’re bearing all your mama gave you.

Wear a skirt with lots of volume to counteract wearing a tiny top. Choosing a high-waisted style will keep you looking chic even with a peek-a-boo middle.

9Jul2014

Jump to It

Posted in What I Wear by mlachey9

If the last time you wore a onesie you were also wearing diapers, it is time to rediscover the one-piece in jumper form. And I’m not talking about the cozy cashmere we Americans refer to as a “sweater.” The one-piece has blasted its way out of the 70s vault and into today’s couture in the form of jumpsuits and rompers.

Jumpsuits range from casual to formal and are an easy piece to slip on and look effortlessly chic without the hassle of matching or tucking in your shirt. The right jumpsuit can be worn in lieu of a dress to formal affairs (see here and here), or as a chic summer alternative to the maxi dress.

With a variety of styles to choose from (wide leg to stove pipe, strapless to kimono sleeves) there is a perfect look just waiting for you to jump in to.

Here I chose a cut with a narrow leg and spaghetti straps. To avoid looking and feeling like I was wearing a sack, I used a tan belt to cinch my waist and break up the all black look. Paired with tribal print heels and a panama hat, my jumpsuit is casually chic, yet appropriate for an evening stroll downtown with a stop for cocktails.

4Jul2014

Americana

Posted in What I Wear by mlachey9

2Jul2014

Backpacking

Posted in What I Wear by mlachey9

I’ve been having mixed feelings about the upscale backpack trend: designer bags that are made like handbags but are designed to be backpacks. Designer packs are by no means a new trend, but with summer and festival season in full bloom, these bags have been popping up more and more.

I like the look of these bags; classier than your typical school backpack, but a little more rugged and youthful than a handbag. But can a twenty-something who is years removed from her college days, but also years from needing both hands free to deal with kids, pull off this look? Backpacks (especially chic ones) are a great alternative to handbags when you are toting books to class or the kids to an amusement park. Being stuck in between these two life stages, could I wear one just because? When it comes to style and what I like, I pretty much do what I want regardless of convention, so the answer is decidedly yes.

I went with a pack that could be held by hand as well as on the back, and one that had the chic details of a handbag, the only difference being the back straps. Although I love the look of the packs that are with out a doubt backpacks, I didn’t think I would get as much use out of it as I would a more subdued “crossover” between handbag and backpack.

Whether you are in school, have kids, or are in the middle like me, there is a backpack out there for you. So go forth and give backpacking a try.