On another note, seeing as I have a vintage post that is almost a year old, that means I missed the blogs Bday!!! I know, shame on me, but after launch, domain change and relaunch I’m not exactly sure I know when TheStyleAficionado.com came into existance. With that being said I’m going to change the blogs anniversary to coinside with Fashion Week and plan a fabulous giveaway to celebrate, so be sure to “like” our facebook fan page 

Anyways, here’s the post, and one of my very first twitpics:

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I’m flipping through this magazine and there’s a pretty good article about body shapes and how to dress for them. I get to the end of the article and it lists petite as a body shape. Ummmm…. What? While it would be nice if stores merchandised items by body shape, that is not how it works. Petite is NOT a shape, it is a size. Petite by definition is a person with a small frame, typically short in stature (5’4 and under). Petite people frequently have to have RTW (ready to wear) items tailored to fit them or shop in the petite section. They still fall into the traditional body shapes and need to dress accordingly. For example, you can have a petite person that has an hour glass shape or be an inverted triangle. 

So, keep in mind when you are shopping what your body shape is and be sure to shop in the right size.

Hi Cynthia, I read your blog regularly and love the useful tips. I’m a college student and will be going back to school at the end of the month. I’ve been trying to find a stylish and affordable bag that i could fit my laptop, books and other essentials but had no luck. I was wondering if you could help me with some options I could use on a college student budget. Please & Thank you

Sammy

Sammy, Try these. They are all under $50 and large enough to carry all your school supplies.

Bags for Back to School by The Style Aficionado featuring Forever21 bags

Forever21.com – New Arrivals – Accessories
$35 - forever21.com
More Forever21 clutches »

Shop Women’s Shoulder Bags & Totes at ALDOshoes.com
$30 - aldoshoes.com
More handbags »

ASOS Pastel Colour Block Tote
$37 - asos.com
More ASOS tote bags »

Jasmine Tote
$40 - delias.com
More tote bags »

Shop Shoulder Bags, Totes and other Handbags at the ALDO Shoes Online…
$25 - aldoshoes.com
More shoulder bags »

Shop Women’s Handbags, Shoulder Bags and more at ALDOshoes.com
$48 - aldoshoes.com
More shoulder bags »

Shop Women’s Handbags, Shoulder Bags and more at ALDOshoes.com
$40 - aldoshoes.com
More shoulder bags »

Shop Shoulder Bags, Totes and other Handbags at the ALDO Shoes Online…
$25 - aldoshoes.com
More shoulder bags »

Bueno Croc Embossed Briefcase with Front Organizer Pocket – Pewter :…
$25 - target.com

Kenneth Cole Reaction
$49 - macys.com

Shop Women’s Shoulder Bags & Totes at ALDOshoes.com
$25 - aldoshoes.com

Forever21.com – Accessories – Hats & Hair
$32 - forever21.com

Shop Women’s Shoulder Bags & Totes at ALDOshoes.com
$40 - aldoshoes.com

We all have those mornings where we wish we had more time to do our hair or at least a team of stylist on speed dial to glam us up in an instant. Since most of us are not that lucky, we have to save time where we can. The half up half down hairstyle is quick, easy, and versatile enough to get you through the day. Achieving the look is as simple as sweeping the front of your pair back and pinning it! Best of all, it works on all hair types.

Brandy recently did a photo shoot for YRB magazine, in which she donned some hot swimwear and flawless Spring/Summer make up. What I adore most about her look is that it is simple to recreate. Keep reading for tips and products for how to get the look.

1. Start with a cleansed and moisturized face. Always apply sunscreen (especially during the spring and summer months)
2. Conceal blemishes, and dark areas with a concealer like Bobbi Brown tinted eye brightner or NYX concealer jar
3. Apply a liquid or Powder foundation (go for what works best on your skin type) I like Revlon Colorstay or MAC studio fix powder. Finish off liquid foundation with a loose setting powder such as Make Up For Ever HD or Jane loose translucent powder.
4. Fill your brows using a brown shadow or pencil.
5. Eyeshadow: For long lasting shadow, start with a primer such as Urban Decay Primer potion, then prep your eyes with a light-colored base such as NYX jumbo pencil in Milk, or MAC painterly paint pot. Apply a grayed lavender eyeshadow over the entire lid, blending it up into the crease. To really make your eyes pop, try using MAC’s Beautiful Iris on the lid and Shale on the crease.
6. Apply a thin line of dark brown eye liner on your upper and lower lash line, stopping about half way on the bottom. At this point, you can also apply a strip of wispy type lashes like Ardell #110 to the outer part of your lash line, and retouch with liquid liner. OR use a lenghtening mascara like L’Oreal telescopic.
7. A pink lipstick and gloss combination finishes off the look.

What do you think of Brandy’s Make up? I love it, and think this would work with all of springs colors!

Source: YRB via Necole Bitchie

“I like to see what I have first, see what everyone else is doing, and then I put my own shake on stuff so it’s my own”

Get her look with these options, and keep reading for tips on how to wear sweat pants stylishly.

HOW TO DRESS UP SWEAT PANTS:

For more inspiration, on how to wear this trend, revisit this post

HOW TO WEAR TRIBAL PRINT:

• It is OK to wear tribal head to toe. However, If the print is too graphic for your style break it up with a belt, blazer or pair with a solid
• Get the tribal look with wood and chunky jewelry layered
• Keep your body type in mind when choosing where to wear the print.

Inspiration:

Since the resurrection of the skinny jean, long gone are the days when women cringed at the word tapered. We embraced tapered jeans, and now trousers. For Spring and Summer the pleated tapered trousers aka peg leg trousers [also, incorrectly known as chinos or tailored harem pants (I still cringe at the word harem)] is a trend worth trying.

Peg leg trousers are characterized by their cropped leg, that falls right above the ankle. The volume on these pants are at the top and enhanced this season with pleats.

Rectangles, Hourglass, and long waist body types can pull of this trend without much thought. The inverted triangles, apples, and short waist top heavy ladies will have the most difficulty. Don’t let your body type steer you away from this trend. With a few tips, you can pull this off successfully

For Top Heavy Girls (Inverted Triangle)- I’ve been trying to get back in the itty bitty committee since freshman year of high school. Since they won’t let me in, I have to get creative when it comes to sporting this look. The tapered legs enhance triangles, and can often create imbalance for busty girls. BUT! there are ways to wear this look and not look as if you’re going to topple over. The first tip is to chose a pair with a pleated or ballooned waist/ hip. The added volume near the hips will give an hour glass figure. The second tip is to pair the pants with a darker top and lift your boobs as much as possible with a good supportive or minimizer bra. Lastly, wear a chunkier heel. For inverted triangles, platforms work great with these pants.

Short waist- The second body feature that makes this look difficult to wear is the presence of a short waist. Many of the cropped pants on the racks, sport a high waist, with a ballooned hip; which works great on long torsos, but can make short waists vanish. Obviously, the key is to find a pair that does not have a high waist, and that balloons out a little lower than normal. Because your waist is short, wearing mid rise pants on your natural waist will automatically give you the high waist look. Be sure to leave space between the top of the pants and your breast (again, lift and support the girls as much as possible). Monochromatic color schemes without the break of a belt work best, but if you are busty and short waisted, a belt worn below the natural waist line that still allows a few inches of the pants to be seen above the belt, will also work (by wearing your belt lower, you’re creating the illusion of a longer torso). A faux high waist if you will

Apples: Your major obstacle to this trend, will be creating the illusion of a waist. Shape wear will help you get a uniform shape overall, after which, you can add volume where needed. Strong shoulders, with a lower ballooned hip will give an hourglass illusion. If you are a top heavy apple, focus on adding volume around the hip/waist area; and if you are a bottom heavy apple, strong shoulders can balance you out.

Still look for inspiration on how to peg leg? Check out this video from Elle UK

Most importantly, Have Fun and wear it with confidence!

First, pick your most flattering shade

Pinks look great on fair skin; corals and cinnamons work best on medium skin; and plums and merlots play up dark skin, says Jason Ascher, beauty guru at Barneys New York (yes, that’s his title). If he were stranded at his makeup counter with just one blush, he’d pick Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush No. 6, a classic rose ($42, giorgioarmanibeauty.com). “The texture is very buildable,” he says, so you can get to a more intense color without overkill. At the drugstore, go with blush that seems ever-so-slightly too dark; the pigments those brands use often aren’t as intense.

My Favorite drugstore blush at the moment is Maybelline’s Plushed Plum

Try a new texture

Attention, powder diehards: Cream blushes may require a little getting used to, but they’re worth it. “They can take five years off your face because they give that natural, youthful glow,” says NYC makeup pro Brigitte Reiss-Andersen, who did our models’ makeup. The application technique (for gels, too): Dab a bit on each cheek and gently blend the edges outward with your middle finger, moving in tiny circles.

Update your brush

Look for soft, dome-shaped bristles that ripple when you blow on them. A brush that’s too stiff or very tapered won’t diffuse color well, and an overly fluffy one will make it look like a blush bomb went off (the ideal circumference is two and a half inches). “Natural-hair brushes let you blend color more evenly,” notes L.A. makeup artist Napoleon Perdis. Don’t be scared off by their price tags; a good one will last indefinitely. “I’ve used and washed the same Shu Uemura brush every day for a year, and it still looks the same and doesn’t shed,” Ascher says (it’s number 20H, $50, shuuemura-usa.com). For the rest of us, washing brushes monthly with soap and water will do. As for the mini brush that comes in the package? “It works in emergencies,” says celeb makeup pro Ashunta Sheriff, “but you won’t get the same polished look as you will using a well-made brush.”

For a great inexpensive option try Sonia Kashuk blush brushes found at Target.

Tweak your color at night

When you’re wearing bright shadow or lipstick, go easy on the blush to avoid a clashing, Ringling Bros. situation. If the rest of your makeup is shimmery, switch to blush with a similar texture.

Beware overload

Step away from the mirror after applying blush, finish dressing, then take a peek. It’ll instantly strike you if you’ve gone too Raggedy Ann. Fast fixes: Remove excess powder blush with a clean brush. If it’s stubborn, sweep on translucent powder. Blend down cream or gel blushes with a damp makeup sponge or cotton pad. Repeat offenders should consider switching to a formula that’s impossible to OD on, like NARS The Multiple ($37, narscosmetics.com), beloved by pros for its subtlety.

Prevent fade

The oilier skin is, the faster blush will disappear, says celeb makeup pro Maria Verel. Other culprits: cell phone rub-off (yet another reason to get a headset!), or touching your face a lot. “I have one client who often leans on her hand in conversation, leaving knuckle prints in her cream blush,” Verel says. But you’re not doomed to reapply 675 times a day. Prep your skin with a shine-control gel (try Mary Kay Oil Mattifier, $15, marykay.com). Or set your foundation with translucent powder, then put on blush. “If your skin really ‘eats’ blush,” says NYC makeup artist Susan Giordano, “try layering. Start with a sheer cream kind, then brush on a powder one in the same color.”

Don’t give up on a broken blush

No need to toss the crumbly pink stuff formerly known as your favorite blush. Dump it into an empty face-cream jar or travel jar and crush it up with a spoon—instant loose-powder blush! Or mush and mix with Vaseline for a sheer cheek or lip gloss

Source

A nude dress. Nude is a big trend for Spring, and a nude dress can fill in for your LBD at almost any Spring function.

A White or Light Leather Jacket. The biker chic trend hasn’t completely faded, it’s just lightened up some. This jacket is great if you tend to get cold easy and live where it  may be cooler at night or in the afternoons during the Spring (Unfortunately for me, that is NOT FL)

Orange Lips. Big in make up is the transition from red to orange lips. This color can be flattering on all skin tones, and will definitely put a smile on your face.

Bad-Ass accessories. Accessories can update any wardrobe, any season, but for this Spring break out the extra, over the top jewels and mix them together. Pearls and flowers, Chains and tulle, metals and ribbons etc…..  don’t be afraid to layer and mix and match different finishes.

Cuffed shoes. I love how the Shoe-tie has transformed itself for Spring into open toed cuff shoes. Both of these pairs are from Bakers and under $50!