the bold lip

Here’s a peek of the face situation for a look going up later in the week. I wanted to dwell on the lipstick for a moment.

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A bold lip is great for autumn/winter, yes, that’s true…but perhaps you’ve noticed how it’s always great, all the time?

I followed the principles of this tutorial by Lisa Eldridge (who we love*), which counsels neutralizing any redness in the face before going for a dark red or bordeaux lip – as any red or purple tones will be highlighted and amplified next to it – then tips for how to approach the task, which can indeed be daunting.

*here is another favorite lip-centric tutorial

I colored in the lips with MAC brick pencil and then went in, straight from the bullet, with MAC Dubonnet lipstick, a beautiful dark claret. Part of the idea of the pencil is to work out the shape of the lips with the more precise tip, which you then follow with the lipstick, coloring inside the lines, as it were. You can do corrections with a pencil – most people’s lips are somewhat wonky, mine definitely so – but I don’t often bother. It’s a lot of work (I find it really hard to figure out which is the part that needs fixing, my face is too familiar),  looks even stranger than the actual shape up close, and…these are my lips. They look nice and human this way. Part of wearing bold lipstick is doing your best and then embracing that harmonious state of mind wherein you let these things (and all the other things that can go wrong) go. OR I go for that vague hazy stain approach, where you pat on the lipstick in a cloud of color, blot most of it away and leave the edges fuzzy: much more forgiving, and it has its own charm.

It takes me kind of a long time to do a bright/bold lip color…I am pretty slow anyway, and like to fuss and fiddle with the intensity and the edges (which are still wonky, after all that…). But I ask myself, do I want to wear it or not? I do, I do, I do.

the turban

The impulse and the will to carry through an unorthodox style are no casual matter.

                                                                        – Kennedy Fraser

 

I finally had a chance to try out a turban look I’ve been mulling over for a few months.

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This is just a raw piece of fabric a few yards long that I’ve wrapped and knotted and wrapped and knotted. Nothing remotely special about this technique (I just fiddled about until I liked the shape) but type ‘turban wrap tutorial’ into YouTube and prepare to be amazed.

I love the clean look it gives, similar to the look of a bald or very closely shaven head. It’s austere but can be very striking with angular features and big accents. The austerity is the key to its charm, for me.

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IMG_7132We are loving this dress, and for the obvious reason. The view from the side is nice, too, with the cut such that the back is completely open rather than framed.

IMG_7188I opted to go with bold jewelry but the turban is enough of a statement on its own, to be sure. I don’t think I have quite enough eyebrows for this turban. I think I’ve demonstrated, though, how truly I needed this necklace.

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IMG_7230Open back maxi dress from GoJane, Kara Ross bracelet, antique necklace and earrings, Gian Luca gladiator sandals, mirror aviators from eBay, on the lips: NARS lipstick in Heat Wave.

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♪ ♫ Blackalicious – If I May ♪ ♫

x

 p.s. The winner of the pearl giveaway, chosen via random.org, is Penelope Tree! Penelope, I have messaged you as well, please contact me with your address. Thanks to everyone who participated!