The Red Clutch

Pub Crawl/Going Out Fashion Tips

Putting thought into your going out outfit will save you so much hassle. The right shoes, bag, coat, and pants make all the difference. Some if this advice may seem like common sense but you don’t always think about these things when you get caught up in the getting ready process.

The Necessities

Let’s just get this out of the way. Always bring your ID, phone, and money (preferably cash since some bars don’t accept cards and it saves you from paying annoying ATM fees)

The Extras

In addition to the the necessities, I like to bring mint gum, lip gloss or chapstick, and a hair tie. I also bring snacks. No, I’m not kidding! I bring something small for when you get a little hungry but aren’t ready to go get food. It also comes in handy when you’re walking back home and just can’t wait to eat. I’ve brought candy, fruit snacks and even cookies. Yea it may seem weird to pull out food but when everyone is drinking you’re going to have people asking for a little bit. I’ve even had friends start to bring their own snacks with them!

The Right Shoes

The style of shoe matters a bit. If you’re going to a place that’s crowded I suggest wearing closed toe shoes. You don’t want to step in something and have it seep into the open part of the shoe…gross… Also, especially if you are going out when the weather is a bit chillier, closed toe shoes are going to keep your feet warmer.

Next think about heel height. I like wearing a shoe with some kind of height to help elongate my legs but I stick to a thick heel since it’s more comfortable for me to walk and stand in. I also don’t go much higher than 3 inches. If you can walk around comfortably in 6 inch stilettos then go for it! The main point is to pick something you’re going to be comfortable in. Taking off your shoes when your drunk walking home from the bars is never a good idea, even if it seems like it at that moment!

My going out shoes are a pair of block heel combat boots. Since they are black they go with any outfit I choose and they add a little bit of edgyness.

Pants + Top

Pick a pair of pants that you consider comfortable. Don’t just stick to denim! There are so many styles to experiment with that are way more comfortable than denim. It depends on your outfit but make sure it’s something you can easily unbutton for those frequent bathroom breaks! Also think about dancing! You don’t want to be pulling up your pants every two seconds so make sure they fit well and are easy to move around in. Don’t try to squeeze yourself into your tightest skinny jeans, I’ve been there and it’s not worth it…

Your top should be comfortable too. (See the pattern yet?) If it’s colder out make sure you layer up or add a warm enough jacket. Do keep in mind though that when you’re in a crowded area it’s going to be warm so make sure you’re not going to sweat your butt off either. For some pub crawls they offer T-shirts so layer a long sleeve under it if you need some extra warmth.

Purse + Accessories

When it comes to jewelry make sure you wear items that you might not care if you loose it or if it breaks. It’s rare that it would happen but if it does you won’t be as upset over it.

Pick a purse that isn’t going to be a bother while you’re out. I always pick a cross body bag that way I can carry my things while still keeping my hands free (for the times when you’re carrying 4 drinks and 2 shots back to your table. #priorities) Sometimes not carrying a purse is the way to go, but I like to just because my phone doesn’t fit comfortably in my pocket. A clutch is a good option if you only have the basics to bring (ID, cash, phone). I don’t like carrying them when I’m going to crowded bars because it’s too easy to set down and leave without it. It’s also easier to have stolen unlike a cross body bag which is literally around your body. Regardless of the style, I suggest carrying a small or medium sized bag. You don’t want it getting in the way.

Stay Festive

If you’re going out for a special holiday (like I am this weekend for St. Patrick’s Day) maybe add some special little touches to get into the spirit. I plan on wearing the t-shirt that they are providing along with some cheap St. Patty’s temporary tattoos and maybe even a green eye look. It’ll help you get excited and be more in the party mood! And if you’re going out for St. Patrick’s day wearing green will also keep you from getting pinched!

Remember to always drink responsibly, take care of yourself and your friends and eat a good meal before hand and drink water while you’re out. Also have a designated driver or money for a ride home. Stay safe and have fun!

Rimmel London-Get the Look App Review

Have you ever foudn yourself looking at a model in a magzine and wish you could try on the makeup she’s wearing? Well Rimmel London just came out with an app called “Get the Look” that let’s you actually do that. It allows you to try on makeup looks that you find in magazines, pictures or from someone you’re seeing in person. Once I heard about this I knew I had to try it out.

When you first open the “Steal the Look” app, it gives you the option to “Steal the Look” (get a look from a picture outside of the app) or “Create a Look” (use the app’s pre-loaded makeup looks in the gallery). I chose to Steal the Look first.

Aside from my lack of expression (that’s my thinking face apparently) the app missed a very important part of the look…the red lips! That was the one thing I really wanted to see on myself and it didn’t do it. The eyes are okay, but they are over simplified which I guess you have to expect when you want a result this fast. I gave it another try with this next look.

This attempt was a bit more successful but still over simplified. The eye shadow looks a bit more grey than purple and it’s not nearly as pretty as in the actual photo.

Once you try on a look the app has an option to look at Rimmel London products that you can buy to help achieve that look. This is a VERY smart move on Rimmel’s part because it takes the guess work out of trying to find what products would work best. You can even order the products through the app and have them delivered to your door!

I also tried the looks gallery that is provided on the app and even that didn’t turn out how I hoped. I figured the bold blue liner would help but, not to sound like a broken record, but again it turned out over simplified.

There is a spot on the app labeled “Steal the Crown” where you can share your looks and vote on which one you like the best. It’s a cool feature and fun to see what looks other people are trying out.

Overall the app was okay. I’d give it a C. It has some glitches and the navigation is a bit confusing at times. It also crashed once and made my phone freeze up. The makeup looks don’t come out as I would plan but maybe it was my fault. It could’ve been the lighting I was in. It is a new app so maybe my expectations were a bit higher than they should’ve been but I love the concept of it and with some improvements it could become a very helpful tool for us makeup geeks.

UPDATE!

I am changing my rating to a C+ (so generous, I know!) because I tried the “Create Look” option and was very impressed by the result. You are able to try on specific products depending on if it’s a face, eye or lip product. Here’s what my finished look was. It’s fairly neutral because I’m not one for bold makeup but you can still see how much better it looks than the “Steal the Look” function. The app did close out while I was trying different products and the navigation was funky just like the rest of the app but I was still pleased with the results!

How to Wear a V-Neck

People tend to have a love/hate relationship with V necks. I personally love them. They help pull the look together and give your outfit a bit of visual interest compared to a simple crew neck. Below are a few outfit ideas for both women + men!

Casual

A plain V neck shirt with a pair of jeans and a cardigan is my go-to on the weekends. Pair it with a pair of sunglasses for that effortless cool girl vibe.

For a more vibrant take on the look above pair a simple V neck with a bold lip and bold shoes. To make it look cohesive, carry a clutch with bold colors in it. It’s still casual but shows a bit more personality instead of the chill “just rolled out of bed” look.

A v neck t-shirt should be a staple in any guys closet. Try a dark grey or a deep blue to keep it from looking like an undershirt. If you do want to go with a white one, make sure it is made of a quality fabric that’s thick enough to not be see through. Again, pair with jeans for a chill weekend look.

If you want to dress it up slightly, adding a cardigan will be perfect. For men, a cardigan with a collar will keep it from looking boring.

Polished Casual

I wasn’t sure what to categorize this as but I think you get the point. This is for when you want to look pulled together but still be comfortable in what you’re wearing. Women can use layering to help get this look. keeping the bottom simple will prevent your outfit from looking like you got dressed in the dark.

Layer will also help in men’s outfits too but especially if it’s a dressier shirt that you’re putting underneath. Even with edgier boots the look still looks like it belongs together.

Dressy

Now is the time when we start to get fancy. Adding the right pair of shoes will really help dress up a V neck even if the top itself isn’t the dressiest style. Adding a pair of white skinny jeans, heels and a clutch is a great option with a neutral colored sweater. If you make it an over sized one it adds a great contrast to the skinny jeans.

For men, stick with the examples from before but use darker colors. This will make all the difference.

There ya have it! Take inspiration form this, mix and match, or don’t follow any of my advice. It’s up to you; fashion is meant to be fun so take everything I say with a grain of salt and see what works best for you!

2017 Oscar Red Carpet Trends

Before the La La Land/Moonlight fiasco, it was the fashion that was stealing the show! Here are a few trends I noticed while watching Hollywood’s biggest stars walk the red carpet!

Simple Silhouettes

This was seen among quite a few stars. Sleek simple silhouettes is a huge trend right now. It really helps keep the focus on the wearer’s curves, hair and makeup. It accents it rather than overpowers the other elements. These silhouettes provide a nice timeless feel to any look.

Embellishments

Beading, fringe, lace, silk, feathers…it was all here! These elements added interest to otherwise generic dresses. I even got a hint of some flapper influence in some of the dresses which I thought was a fresh take on the popular 1920’s style.

High Neck Lace Gowns

I was pleasantly surprised to see multiple actresses wearing this type of dress. It’s a great way to make a statement and show some skin while still staying covered.

White + Cream

There were some dresses as seen above that were full of color but there were also quite a few actresses that chose to keep it fresh with a light cream or white dress. It’s such a timeless look and adds so much elegance.

For the most part the men stayed in traditional black and white but there were a couple that stood out! Who knew a blue tux could look so good? Riz Ahmed that’s who. Pharrell was standing out in a more subtle way. He followed the ladies’ embellishment lead and added some extra interest to his bow tie.

Simple Everyday Eye Look

Being a college student, working girl and professional procrastinator has helped me be able to do my make up in very little time. Below are my simple steps to help create a natural polished eye look for the days when you are running a bit late…or don’t feel like spending hours in front of the mirror!

Step 1 Base

Start with a simple eye shadow base/primer. I know some people like skipping this step to save time but in the long run it’ll help your look stay put all day preventing you from have to do a mid-day touch up. I use NYX Waterproof Eyeshadow Primer. This is a great one especially since it has the added benefit of being waterproof. I just tap a little on my lid and blend the product on my entire lid and any remaining slightly up into my crease. I don’t go any further than my crease just to save time but if you want you can do it all over your lid and up to your brow bone. After I apply my primer I go over top with a nude shadow to help make my lid a uniform color.This also helps create a smooth base to blend other products on top of.

Step 2 Contour

Next I go into my contour palette (a matte bronzer will work too) and I use a blending brush to apply a small amount of product into my crease. Make sure to really blend this for a soft look. The slightly darker color of your contour/bronzer in your crease will help create a natural shape to your eye which will make the look more polished while still remaining natural. I am currently using my E.L.F. contour palette and just using the darker shades avoiding the highlight color.

Step 3 Lashes + Liner

The next step involves curling your lashes with a lash curler ( I use my E.L.F. Mechanical Lash Curler) and then applying liner (I use either my E.L.F. Shimmer Eye Liner Pencil in Black or my Jordana Best Pencil for Brow + Eye in Dark Brown). For the liner, I choose which color I want to use depending on the look I’m going for. Brown is a more natural look. I suggest curling your lashes before you apply liner so you avoid removing liner and having to redo it.

Step 4 Mascara

We’re already getting close to the end! Apply a mascara of your choice to your curled lashes wiggling the wand horizontally from root to tip to help fan out the lashes and give them some extra volume. If you get any mascara on your lid, for the love of all things holy, DON’T TOUCH IT RIGHT AWAY! Let it dry then wipe it off with a qtip (it’ll actually flake off). If you try to wipe if off right away while it’s still wet it’ll smear and ruin your shadow. I am currently using Rimmel London Super Curler 24Hr Mascara in Black. The formula helps keep lashes curled all day long which will keep you looking awake no matter what your day throws at you.

Step 5 Brows

The last step is filling in your brows if need be. This is a fairly natural eye look so if you’re not someone who fills in their brows every day then don’t. It’s up to you, I like doing it because it helps pull the whole look together but it’s ultimately your choice. I am currently using Maybelline Brow Studio Palette in Auburn.

My Everyday Foundation Routine

I will be the first to admit that I am not the best at some makeup looks but I will say I got some skills when it comes to my everyday foundation routine!

I have oily skin so finding a face product that doesn’t add to the shine can be difficult but I have found a BB cream that is pretty awesome. I start out the night before by washing my face and slathering on moisturizer. (Yes, literally slathering it on! Oily skin is often caused by the lack of moister so your skin tries to make up for it by over producing natural oils. By making sure to properly moisturize your preventing your skin from having to do it which in turn helps in the long run.) I then go to bed and when I wake up I do nothing else to my face except add more moisturizer if I need it. I let that sink in (this is where I start doing my hair or go get dressed) then come back and apply my BB cream.I use Maybelline’s Dream Fresh BB Cream. It gives enough coverage to help even skin tone but light enough to keep your skin looking like skin and not all cakey with makeup. It’s a great base for the rest of your products too.

I then give that a few minutes to sink in just like I did with my moisturizer. After that is set I apply my under eye concealer. I have used a couple different ones but my two favorites are Maybelline’s Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Concealer and Rimmel London’s Match Perfection 2-in-1 Highlighter and concealer. Maybelline’s Dark Circle Concealer has had so many positive reviews and I can see why. It blends nicely into the skin and after a long day I don’t see any settling into any creases. I do wish it has a bit more coverage as it’s a bit too sheer for my liking but overall it does the job well. Rimmel London’s Match Perfection has the coverage that is lacking in the previous one. However I do find that it settles in the creases a bit more. This one comes with a brush applicator which comes in handy when you want to spot conceal and Maybelline’s comes with a sponge applicator which is a bit more difficult to spot conceal with because it decently large. However it isn’t meant to be used as a concealer so I can’t really complain. I apply these product in an upside down triangle under my eye to really help conceal the circles.

Next I apply my contour. I don’t wear it everyday, just on days when I’m feeling a bit pale. I use E.L.F.’s contour pallet. It includes a high light powder (I don’t use it because it’s a bit too shimmery for my liking) and 3 shades of contour which I mix to create my perfect color. I apply it in a 3 shape to keep the look natural.

Next I apply blush. I use either Maybelline’s Dream Mousse Blush in Peach Satin which gives a natural flush of color, or Revolution’s The Matte Blush Powder in Nude. Both look very natural on the skin which is the look I tend to go for. Revolution’s blush is very pigmented so a little bit can be blended out very nicely and Maybelline’s is very buildable which is great for when you want more control over the intensity.

After blush I go onto the last step which is highlighter. I use Revolution’s Shimmer Brick Radiant. It has different colors of highlighters so it’s great all year long whether your tan in the summer or lighter in the winter. I apply it above my blush, under the outer arch of my eye brow, down the center of my nose and on my cupids bow. This give a natural all over glow without it being obvious or out of place for an everyday look.

I hope this helped you with your every day look. Give some of these products a try and see which ones work for you. Maybe you’ll find your next favorite product!

Spring Fever Denim Dress Outfit

Only in Wisconsin can you have all four seasons in one week…It was a much needed break from the cold depressing winter weather but I definitely have spring fever now! I decided to create a spring look since I went shopping this weekend and couldn’t help but look at all the new warm weather clothes. I actually went to a Boston Store discount outlet near my house. I love finding deals and saving money but with that comes stores that sometimes aren’t very shoppable. Especially discount stores. I was pleasantly surprised by this location; it was clean organized and had amazing deals! This was the outfit I created.

I only got the dress from the discount outlet but it was such a steal! It was originally $42 and I got it for$15! I love the casual look it has paired with the gradient of the denim. It’s soft and flowy but still has shape to it which is created by typing the belt at the waist. I paired it with an army green bomber jacket from Target. I wanted to give it a little bit of an edge which I think the jacket does very well. For accessories I played off of the jacket’s zipper which is a darker gold. I picked a necklace that is that same dark gold color but it also has a silver charm on it which plays well with the cooler look of the denim dress. Using both silver and gold in the necklace opens up many more options for the earrings. I made it cohesive by making sure to include a turquoise element just like the one found in the necklace.

For the purse and shoes I had a couple options. I have a light brown suede bootie for the cooler spring days. The only thing you need to make sure to do it waterproof your shoes! The melting snow and rainy weather is your shoe’s worst nightmare! For the warmer days I chose a strappy brown leather cork sandal. It makes summer feel that much closer, doesn’t it? For the purse I chose a faux leather brown over the shoulder purse with a tassel that brings in the elements of the necklace.

This outfit is perfect for a lunch with friends or even date night with your special someone! It gives off this cool girl vibe while still looking polished and put together.