Photo Sources
glamour beauty blog
cupcakesandcashmere.com
tumblr.com
Starting December 1st, I am ready for everything holiday-related. The decorating side of me takes over along with my love for things glittery, embellished or sequined. Yes, it may seem tacky when I say it like that but there are easy ways to make these pieces work. From hair to makeup to clothes there are a few easy, but stylish ways to look great for any holiday events you have.
Try red.
In every magazine or fashion-esque blog I’ve been reading a huge trend is red. Red lips are the most obvious way to rock this look, and although daunting they can be done! Always go for a blue-toned red lipstick (look this up, it’s not as crazy as it sounds), a red lipstain or even a red gloss. My new favorite discovery is Bare Escentual’s pretty amazing lipglosses which go on as gloss and shift into a lipstick consistency. The only red in the collection, and a pretty universal tone is strength. Red nails are another fun way to try this trend. Instead of plain red polish on all your nails, apply a red glitter to your ring finger and if you have a steady hand use the glitter to do a French manicure on your pointer finger!
[pagebreak]
Add a little glitter.
Whether it’s on your shirt, shoes or makeup, glitter can be tasteful but fun! If you wear a glittery or embellished top go for a solid bottom like black skinny jeans. Makeup is the easiest to mess up, so be careful when doing this! Start off with a neutral lid and either add a tiny bit of glitter to the center of the lid and disperse or use a glitter liquid liner and line underneath the eye. Add mascara and your eyes will pop.
[pagebreak]
Wear soft, romantic hair.
If perfectly styled hair is your thing go for it, but when reading magazines and looking at recent holiday collections tons of the models and looks feature soft, wavy hair. To achieve this look, use a 1 or 1 ½ curling iron and wrap your hair around the iron without using the clamp. Make sure to twist the hair in the front of your head away from your face. After doing this spray with hairspray and tousle it to loosen. From here you can put it in a voluminous pony, leave it down, add some pretty accessories or twist into a messy bun.
[pagebreak]
Plaid is not just for schoolchildren!
I think plaid can sometimes get a bad rep as being too preppy or little kiddish but in reality it’s easy to make plaid look stylish. Avoid going for an all over plaid ensemble (which just sounds like a disaster) but instead choose one great plaid piece. My favorite has to be plaid flannels, because they come in so many different colors and styles. Pair a plaid flannel tucked into a high-waisted leather pencil skirt (look for one at Forever 21) or wear it with a pair of black skinny jeans and knot the bottom of your top. If you want to be daring, wear a black or gold sequin skirt with a flannel that has a pretty simple design. Flannels can be found at J.Crew, Madewell, Forever 21, Urban and many other place.
[pagebreak]
Go for the gold.
Gold has the potential to be subtle, but incredibly beautiful at the same time. As long as you don’t overload on it it’s easy to achieve a beautiful holiday eye makeup look. Sweep a taupe shadow all over your lid and blend a bit more into the crease. Smudge a rosy pink or bronze shade on the outer part of your lower lashline. If you want to use eyeliner try a brown tone because black is too harsh for this look. Now use a delicate, shimmery gold in the inner corner making sure to perfectly highlight the tear duct. Finish off with a few coats of mascara and a peachy gloss and you’re done!