Stuart Weitzman Reserve boots; BooHoo sweater; Hat Attack hat.
Kendrick is coming back from India today (oh, I didn't mention? He's been in INDIA) and I'm headed to the airport to pick him up. In celebration, I decided to dress like I did on our second date - the one where he thought I looked like a crazy Olsen twin in mid-winter Russia. Because sure.
I do not especially love cleaning…but I love Spring Cleaning. Mostly because you can apply the idea way beyond the reaches of your rugs: Spring is a great time to chop off a few inches of hair, brighten up your color, streamline your wardrobe to highlight those pieces you really do wear, and whittle down your beauty products to the bare necessities. I’m not saying to throw your teal liquid liner and bold red lipstick in the trash – not at all – but rather to take a look at your everyday morning routine and see if anything can be taken away…because one thing the past couple of years have taught me is that when it comes to IRL makeup (as opposed to the kind of makeup you’d wear for, say, a major event, for a big night out, or for photographs), less can sometimes be more.
Take my skincare routine, for example: since I write about beauty and try to take lots of different products for a test-run for comparison’s sake I have a pretty cluttered vanity…but lately I’m trying to be extra-careful about the ingredients in the things I’m putting on my face, so I’ve cut my routine down to the basics: face wash (right now it’s Simple Skincare Moisturizing Facial Wash, because I’m feeling dry in the wake of a cold), moisturizer with SPF in the morning (the Protecting Light Moisturizer), and a slightly richer moisturizer in the evening (Nourishing 24 Hour Day/Night Cream). That’s it. (Incidentally, for those of you who are expecting and want to make sure your skincare products don’t include anything that’s potentially unsafe for pregnant women, Simple is a great choice – no additives, fragrances, or anything that might cause an adverse reaction in sensitive skin.)
For this post, I went for a super-fresh look with soft color: an almost-bare face (just a little blush and concealer where I need it) with lengthening mascara (I curled my eyelashes first) and berry gloss to brighten things up. Simple, sweet, springy.
This dress makes me feel like a Charlie's Angel. So much so that I more or less dressed up like one (Fedora? Check. Leopard? Done. Fringe? Oh yes.)
Now, I love wrap dresses generally - they're so '70s and comfortable and easy-to-wear - but I especially love them at this particular juncture in my life; they're a perfect choice for us second-trimesterers, and such a great way to start transitioning into spring. And this one is particularly phenomenal thanks to the graphic print and retro pointed collar. I also think it’s extremely versatile – I could see it with a belted cardigan and bright heels for work, or with a denim jacket and flats for a weekend brunch.
What I brought home from Florida: a very mild tan (I managed to not get sunburned for perhaps the first time in my life, which meant that I hid out under an umbrella a lot and also managed to not get that tan, but I suppose that's good too), a lion-shaped pool toy, some phenomenal chocolate-coconut things, and a renewed appreciation for completely (or…ok…mostly) au naturale hair.
Us on spring break.
See? That’s how I wore it most days that we were there: loose and curly and styling-tool free. And I had so much fun experimenting with different ways to wear my crazy waves while on vacation (pinned up! with a silk scarf! side-braided!) that I decided I wanted to take them home with me. Not for all the time – I still obviously love my curling iron – but an easier, more natural look is a fun new option to have in my repertoire for spring.
Pink eyeshadow has historically been filed under the heading of Things I Will Probably Never Wear In This Lifetime. I just didn't get it: wouldn't it make you (or at least me: a fair-skinned blonde) look…sick? Or at the very least, kind of like an alien?
And I'll be honest: when Urban Decay asked me to help them launch their new Electric Palette, I was nervous. I don't tend to wear bright eyeshadow a whole lot, and I also don't apply makeup like a makeup artist; I apply it the way a real person does, and I wear it in the real world alongside other real people (as opposed to on sets, alongside models, or at…I don't know, raves).
I wanted to create a look that was bold, but also something I'd actually wear.
