French Makeup

Hey!  It's Caroline. I've decided that the French style is my absolute favorite.

The French girls look like they just rolled out of bed, threw things on, and left.  There's nothing too "done" about their look, and yet they still look elegant and absolutely stunning.  

Today I filmed a tutorial on the laid back French makeup.  It's all about dewy, clear skin, a slight bit of color to the face, smoked out and messy shadow, dark lashes, and a "bitten" lip look.  

I hope you enjoy!  This was my first time trying to make a real makeup tutorial, so let me know what you think... I'm new to this.  I might do a voiceover next time instead of slides, but we shall see.  If you have any questions about the application, ask me in the comments below and I'll respond!

Happy new year!

-Caro

OOTD: Sweet Sixteen!

Well, hello, ladies! Because today is my birthday, I thought I would show you what I am wearing! A few of the pieces I am wearing actually happen to be gifts which I received at breakfast this morning...Birthdays are the best ever. :)

Also, I will mention that I wanted a dark pink lip but I didn't have the appropriate color of lipstick...Instead, I put on a dark red lipstick, blotted it off, put on a pink lipgloss, then patted a bit of hot pink eyeshadow on the center of my lips! Quick tip for you there! :)

Hope you all are having a fabulous December 16! I certainly am! 

Love,

Valentine

Transitioning Between Styles 101

All Images Via Pinterest

It's incredibly easy to become "stuck" in one style.  The idea of switching up your look can be a daunting thought.  We all have our reasons for not switching it up when we really want to.  Perhaps you're confused as to what style you "fit" in.  Perhaps you like a lot of things, and you don't really know what your niche is.  Maybe you feel the pressure of staying "you".  Maybe you're afraid of what people will say when they realize you're not wearing the same clothes as you used to.  These are all legitimate worries!  It's not simple to transition into a new style.  Here are some tips to make it a little bit easier.

1.  Don't feel like you have to label yourself.

When switching styles, it is common to feel like you have to switch your vocabulary as well as your wardrobe.  "I used to be preppy, now I'm boho." These terms are useless.  You are not a style, you are a human being with your own distinct sense of what you believe to be attractive or unattractive.  If you like plaid skirts AND maxi dress, that's okay.  You don't need to classify yourself and force yourself to stay there.  One of the most wonderful things about fashion is it's diversity.  Exploring and incorporating are key to finding things you like.  Chances are you won't like all of the things in your genre, and chances are you will like things outside of your genre.  The best way to avoid confusion in this area is to not sort yourself into a genre at all.  

2. Keep your "old style" clothes.

Your wardrobe is not a folder on your computer you can delete and create a new one in seconds.  Keep the clothing you own, because, well, you need clothing.  You'd also be surprised how often you can incorporate your previous style of clothing into your new style.  Accessories most importantly!  Jazzing up your old clothes is a great way to get more use out of them.  Your closet is like an artist's paint palette, there are different staples, or colors, and separately, they all look one dimensional.  But when you start to paint, or in this case pair your clothes together, the picture comes out much differently than the palette looks.

3.  Make the transition slowly.

Don't go from a sweats and a tshirt to an Audrey Hepburn look-a-like in one day.  This will both distract other people, and wear you thin.  If you're not used to dressing the way you desire for your new style, take it slowly.  Incorporate small changes into your clothing.  A great place to start is a hair cut, or new lipstick.  Small changes go a long way, in the end.  It will also attract less attention.  People's comments were something that really hindered me when changing my style.  Good or bad, I was worried about people's remarks.  If you make the transition slowly, people will barely notice.

4.  Stay inspired.

It's easy to fall into the slump of "I can't do this, I don't know anything about style or fashion".  Read up on your favorite fashion magazines.  Scroll through Pinterest.  Read your favorite fashion blogs.  You'll find it a lot easier to create outfits when you're constantly finding new ideas.

5.  Know what you do and don't like.

"It's just not me" is a perfectly acceptable answer.  Be able to distinguish your own personal preferences.  This goes back to number one,  don't force yourself to like a trend because "it's in my style".  For example, perhaps you really love the hipster style, but you think that those famous glasses look ridiculous.  Don't wear them.  Don't try to make yourself like them.  Don't classify yourself.  Just like something for the sake of your own personal opinion.

6.  Know what looks good on you.

Some trends just don't work for certain body types.  This isn't your fault.  Every body type is capable of looking good!  Don't be discouraged if you don't look like the manikin, because no one does.  For more information on what your body type is, and what you can wear, try out Caroline's Flattering Trends series.  She talks about what body type you are, and what will look good on you.  Be proactive and read up on your body type before shopping-  it saves from a lot of useless aggravation.

Finally,

7. Change for you.

Don't change your style to impress other people.  Stick with what you love.  Dressing to impress is frustrating.   The most important thing about fashion is remembering that everything you wear reflects who you are.  Style is an extension of yourself, as Kate so wonderfully put in her introduction post.  Not only does style reflect who you are, but what you stand for.  As a Christian young lady, it reflects your God.  That's why modesty and beauty are such important things in the life of a Christian.  Don't wear clothes that you feel pressured into wearing by the media, or by your friends.  Dress the way you feel, the way you think.  If you ask for people's input on your outfits, always take it with a grain of salt.  First, ask if it's modest.  If it's appealing, and yet still reflective of your character and of your God.  A mother, or best friend, or a sibling will always tell you the truth about this.  If you want someone's opinion on if they like it or not, brace yourself.  Don't feel like they have to agree with you, or you have to agree with them. It's okay to wear something that someone else doesn't particularly like the style of.  If you like it, and it is pleasing to your God, wear it.  Don't worry about the opinions of Hollywood or of other people.

So if you're thinking about making that change of style, do it!  Try it out.  Style is never set in stone.  You can wear something completely opposite tomorrow if you like.  Play around, make mistakes, experiment!  Have fun with your wardrobe, and wear what makes you feel lovely.

xx,
Emilyann

Natural Contouring

Sup, people?  It's Caro.  Contouring is tricky business!  It's hard to get that defined face shape we like, but I'm going to do my best to show you how and still look natural.

If you look at the pictures above, you can't really see the contouring.  That's the point!  Beware muddy brown lines under your cheekbones.  That may make your cheeks look prominent, but it will also make you look like you don't really know what you're doing.  We're young.  Natural, glowy finishes are what we want.

So I'm going to take these pictures and edit them to show you exactly where I put my bronzer, highlighter, and blush.  You'll be surprised!

Attractive, right?  I know.  Hot.

Anyway, this is just to show you roughly where I put my contouring.

Step 1:  Take a bronzer a few shades darker than your skin (cream bronzer is the most natural) and apply it under the cheekbones, right above the jaw line, down the sides of the nose, and up around your forehead down into your temples.

Step 2:  Use your favorite highlighter (shimmery ones are my personal favorite) and put it on the tops of your cheekbones, on your chin, on the bridge of your nose, on the center of your forehead, and right at the top sides of your nose.  You can even put a little dab on your cupid's bow above your lip if you're into the plump lip look.

Step 3:  If you're using cream products, blend out with a bit of your foundation (but if you do this, don't put on a whole face of foundation first.  Start with the contouring and THEN blend with your foundation).  If you're using powders, dust a bit of translucent powder onto a stiff kabuki brush and just blend, blend, blend.  For difficult areas, you can use your fingers to really work it out.

Step 4:  Use a pink blush and lightly blend it onto your cheekbones.  Don't smile and put it on the apples of your cheeks, because this messes with the shape we're creating.  Just sort of blend it into the area where the highlighter and bronzer meet.

And that's it.  If you go all out, this can be time consuming.  But the more you do it, the quicker you get.

Good luck!  Comment below if you have any questions and I'll be sure to answer.  Just.... don't leave the house with brown stripes all over your face and tell everyone I told you how to do it.  BLEND, BLEND, BLEND!!

Love,
Caroline

(And just for fun because I'm a fangirl)

Let the winter come. It is the only path to Spring.

Oh Hi! Remember me?  We used to hang out alot but then I got busy.

And abandoned you. It wasn't for lack of affection, I promise. Senior year is just like one long ridiculous ride on those tea cup things at disney world. I.E. blogging gets pushed to the back of the list..... alot. But! I am here now so lets get started. Its December. Say what! Where did the year go? Thats about what I'm feeling like anyway. December however, has it perks. Christmas being the primary one of course. But besides that its also the perfect month to wear a velvet blazer. This one's my new obsession. It was a Christmas gift last year but the problem with receiving awesome wonderful wintery presents on Christmas is  that (at least in TN) winter is half way over. So you have dream about wearing that lovely royal blue velvet jacket all year round until in finally gets cold and appropriate enough to wear it. Ladies the time has finally come. So I'm enjoying it to the fullest. And yes I do realize this entire post practically has been about my love affair with this jacket. I'm ok with that. Its worth it. But if it makes you feel any better I have a more insightful/informative post planned for next week. Plus I think its good to every now and then just delight in the little things that make us feel feminine. I call this my Dickens jacket because it reminds me of that time period... Is that weird? 

Oh and my hair was doing its own thing today. I don't even want to talk about it. So I won't. Just enjoy the jacket.    =)

Skirt, Ruffled Blouse, and Dickens Jacket: Talbots

Knee Highs: Target

Leather Ankle Boots: Vintage

Crimson Nail Polish: OPI

Laugher and Song

Elizabeth

The quirky punk ballerina.

Hey!  Emilyann here.  It's been a while, but I'm back in the swing of things.  :)  The fall and winter months are definitely my favorite fashion seasons.  I adore the colors, the layering, the big cozy sweaters and tights with absolutely everything.  The boots, the scarves.  Although the snow is not a welcomed guest for me, I do get excited about getting dressed in the morning.  Here are some outfits I got inspired to put together.

The first is more for the fall months, as it isn't exactly "winter material" at least not for Eastern Iowa.  It's comfy and cozy and quirky.  I love it.

Shirt - American Eagle

Sweater Shawl - Thrifted

Shorts - Thrifted

Tights - Target

Shoes - American Eagle

Earrings - Thrifted

The second outfit reminds me of The Nutcracker Ballet. Wonder why.  ;)  I adore this outfit.  I would wear it every day if that were socially acceptable. ;) 

Shirt - TJ Maxx

Skirt - Forever 21

Tights - Target

Boots - Thrifted

Scarf - Target 

This outfit is a little more laid back.  The punk band-tshirt-with-cardigan look, Emilyann style, of course.

Shirt - Thrifted

Cardigan - Target

Jeans - TJ Maxx

Shoes - Converse

Socks - ?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Emilyann

An Introduction.

Hello dear readers of the Dressing Room Door! My name is Kate and I’m writing to you from “across the pond.” As many of you know, this is my very first post on DRD and it would be a lie if I said that I wasn’t a bit nervous! :) I felt so honored when my dear friend Caroline asked me to join the team of lovely (and très chic!) ladies who blog here at Dressing Room Door. I am excited to get started!

So, shall we? Enough about moi, let’s talk STYLLLE!

It is certainly no small feat for young ladies who desire to lead lives that are glorifying to Christ to dress modestly in this day and age. Trust me, I KNOW. But I also know and believe that being modest does not mean sacrificing fashion! Yes: I AM saying that modesty and stylishness can go hand in hand (as we have daily proof right here on this very blog!). In fact, I think it can be quite fun to take trendy pieces and figure out how to integrate them into ladylike outfits. Sometimes all that’s needed is a little bit of inspiration…..

I suppose I’d say that my “philosophy” about personal style is that what you wear is an extension of yourself; an extension of your thoughts, feelings, worldview, etc. If it doesn’t speak to you, take it off. Dressing well is an art. An art that, like any other, takes practice - this is something I always try to keep in mind when I dress in the morning. Now, I am a girl who loves a classic! But a classic paired with a bit of eclectic; preppy but maybe a little hippie. In other words, classic silhouettes harmonized with interesting, contemporary jewelry, or a pop of color in a bright shoe or bag.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I would like to highlight the aspect of quality and detail in garments and accessories. In my opinion, a big part of being modest and dressing well is being a good steward. Taking care of your clothes and appearance and investing in well-made pieces is often an overlooked, yet essential aspect of the spirit of modesty. And, admit it, who hasn’t been delighted to find a beautifully adorned (with grosgrain perhaps?) interior hem or a fabulous pattern on the lining of a bag that’s just as special as the outside? Happily for me quality doesn’t always have to mean expensive. :) I might as well confess it, I LOVE THRIFTING. I hope to share a few of my favorite finds along with some tips and inspiration with you here on DRD in future posts.

p.s. please forgive/bear with me as I figure out how to use blogger! hopefully my pictures won't be wonky for too long. ;) Oh and also, all of the pictures on this post came from my pinterest account.

Fall Styles: Combat Boots

Hello lovely followers!

I'm sure you've seen lots of combat/military style boots the past year and the last few months especially. At first, I was skeptical of wearing them because I think they can easily look goth or just clunky and awkward, depending on how you wear them. But I finally bought a pair, and I'm in love. I wear them everywhere and they go with almost everything. Here I'm going to give you a few ideas of how to wear them.

Try pairing them with a denim shirt and colored skinny jeans. Make sure you add jewelry or a scarf to keep it feminine.

Wear them with a bodycon skirt and tights, and a simple top.

Or pair them with a chunky sweater and skinny jeans, and a feminine scarf or accessory.

There are obviously dozens of ways to wear combat boots; these are just a few ideas to get you started. Just remember, make sure you're wearing something feminine so you don't look too masculine or goth, and I'd stick with tights, leggings, or skinny jeans so it doesn't come off clunky.

Hope you're having a wonderful fall! :)

xoxo,
Amanda

Fall Layering

Hello All!
Hope you're enjoying your fall!  I have been, though it looks a lot more like winter here.
Here are some sets I've done on Polyvore to illustrate some outfit ideas for fall.  I've been dressing much more laid back, with muted tones, and jeans.  I thought I'd never say this, but I really liked my jeans.

fall1 by lilliant featuring a fringe jacket

fall2 by lilliant featuring a peacock shirt

fall3 by lilliant featuring a boatneck tee

fall4 by lilliant featuring long boots

fall5 by lilliant featuring a polyester shirt

How are you dressing this fall?

{lillian}

The Ugly Truth About Split Ends

Hey, y'all, it's Caroline again!  Before I get started, I want to let you know about two things.

Number one: If you have a suggestion for another trend for a body type post, either tell me about it in the comments below or email us, and I'll see what I can do!

Number two: If you want to write a guest post at some point, feel free to send your posts to us at dressingroomdoor(at)gmail(dot)com for consideration.  Include a short bio of yourself and a picture, and we'll read your post and maybe put it up right here for our followers to read.  We can't post all of them, so don't feel bad if yours isn't picked!  We love you all and just want to give some of you the chance to teach us all something.  Make sure it's informative, too.

Now, let's get onto the good stuff.
~~~~~~~

Most of us are probably familiar with split ends.  Everyone gets them at some point, and if you've never gotten them before, well, then I don't really want to talk to you because I may turn green.

Anywho.

Split ends can occur for a number of reasons.  Maybe you use too much heat and not enough heat protection, maybe you brush your hair too much or when it's wet, maybe you don't use conditioner... who knows?  Maybe it's just hereditary.  But, like it or not, when you look at your hair during math class because you're bored and you see that you've got hairs that are scraggly and broken down the middle, you've got to act.

But what's the ugly truth about split ends?  You can't mend them.


Nope, nothin' doin'.  There's no magical hair mask or conditioner that will seal the broken parts back together, and if you think about it, that really does make sense.  Once your hair splits?  It splits for life.

The longer you leave split ends alone, the weaker those hairs will become.  The split will work its way up the shaft of the hair, and before you know it, you'll have damaged looking, frizzy hair that won't cooperate and will seem to grow at a slower rate.

So, when you see that you're getting split ends, you've got two options.

{1} You could go for a chop and just remove several inches of your hair.  Reinvent your style and go for something completely different.  This will give you the chance to start afresh and work really hard to keep your new-found shine alive.

  {2}  If you are absolutely married to the idea of having long hair, you can go to a salon and ask them to just dust off the ends.  This removes hardly any length at all, and it will actually make your hair seem to grow more quickly.  This is because your ends will be refreshed and healthy, and each individual hair will be stronger and won't break off every time you brush your hair.  

In short, you can't do anything but completely remove all of your split ends.  A professional can do this in a matter of minutes, and if you're a regular customer, they will often do those little trims for free.

Once you've eradicated every last split, what do you do?  Well, you have to work extra hard to make sure these fresh ends stay intact.  Here is a couple of ways to do this.

{1}  Hair Masks.  Use these once or twice a weak to give your hair shine and strength.  Here are the ones I recommend the Hollywood Argan Hair Mask or the Garnier Fructis Deep Conditioning Mask

{2}  Condition like crazy.  Every time you wash your hair, leave your conditioner on your ends for roughly 3 to 4 minutes, or while you shave your legs or wash your body.  Just let it soak in for a while.  And then, every once in a while, use a deep conditioner, like Burt's Bees Deep Hair Repair  in order to really revitalize your hair.

{3}  Use as little heat on your hair as possible.  And if you must use heat, put on a heat-guard first.  My favorites are Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray  and Got2b Guardian Angel

{4}  For general care, only brush your hair when you absolutely must.  When your hair is wet, only use a wide-tooth comb and begin at the ends to gently work out tangles.  

{5}  When you dry your hair with a towel, try to dab instead of rub.  

{6}  If you must put your hair up, use a rubberband that has fabric on the outside instead of one that has metal tabs or exposed rubber.  Those can catch on your ends and damage them.  Try these Scunci ones or something similar.  

That's all for now, folks!  I hope I helped you out.  If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I'll be sure to respond.

Adios, muchachas.

Flattering Trends Part 3: Chunky Knits

Sup? It's Caroline. I was gonna do a Halloween tutorial, but I gave up.  I don't have the right tools for filming my costume or makeup video, but maybe I'll ask for a video camera for Christmas.

Also, I don't think posting a Halloween tutorial just a couple of days before Halloween would help anybody.  But, I swear, my vampire costume was gonna be awesome.  And so was my Little Red Riding Hood.  And my Ancient Roman costume.  I'm sure you can imagine it.

Now onto more informative things.  Today I'm going to talk about chunky knits.  I know people who won't wear 'em, and I know people who wear them all the time.  I personally love chunky knits, and it's that time of year again.

There is a way to do chunky knits wrong for your body type, so I'm back with another "tutorial" on how to flatter your shape and still follow this fall/winter trend.  For reference, see part 1 and part 2.


{Rectangle Type 1}  Lucky you!  You can pull off almost any chunky look.  You look super cute in full sweaters or vintage sweatshirts/ponchos over skinny jeans, and you can work the horizontal stripes.  Pair with boots (and maybe some legwarmers peeking out from the top of your boots) and you've got a really trendy look.

Rectangle Type 1 - Chunky Knits by jabberbabywokky featuring a knit sweater

{Rectangle Type 2}  The best knits for your body type are open sweaters and chunky scarves.  Go with a bold-print scarf and a neutral sweater, or try a fun ankle bootie with rolled up jeans.  Also, stay warm with the trendy floppy-brimmed felt hat or a knitted beanie.

{Apple}  Since you have a narrower waist and a broader top-half, minimize on top and accentuate on the bottom.  Choose sweaters with more volume towards the lower-half, and try a plain t-shirt tucked into a pencil skirt.  Wear some fun tights and boots, and accessorize with a cute hat.

Apple - Chunky Knits by jabberbabywokky featuring long sleeve sweaters

{Pear}  Since you have a fuller shape lower down and you get narrow towards your shoulders, wear chunky sweaters and scarves that add volume to your upper half.  Pair with bootcut jeans and boots underneath.  Tucking skinny jeans into boots may work for you, but for most pear shapes it can over-accentuate your fuller hips.

Pear - Chunky knits by jabberbabywokky featuring red scarves

{Hourglass}  Play up your narrow waist with a belt or a sweater that nips in at the middle.  Pick some cute knee-high boots and tuck in some skinny jeans, or try a funky ankle bootie.

Hourglass - Chunky Knits by jabberbabywokky featuring a sweater vest

That's all for today!  And as I've said before, these don't always apply to everyone.  Your body may not fall directly under these categories, but this is just a basic guide for you to have in mind.  Figure out how to play up your best features and camouflage the ones you may not like as much, and you're golden.

Have fun shopping for the cold weather!

-Caroline

Un-washing your hair

Caroline here!  Like I promised you, here's a post on how to wash your hair less and still look like a model.  (Or, you know, like someone with pretty hair.)

Let's just go ahead and get started!

{Step 1}

                Plan out a few days where you're not going to go anywhere special.  You're hair's gonna look pretty unattractive for a few days, but if you can manage to pull it back or cover it up with a hat, you're set. But the best plan is to do this when you've got lots of time at home.  

via

{Step 2}

Wash your hair thoroughly on the first day.  You need to remove every impurity possible!  So you can buy a clarifying shampoo if you want, but the best way to really get in there without damaging your hair is to use baking soda.  Make a thick paste with 2 parts baking soda and 1 part water and rub it into your scalp.  Really get in there with it, and then rinse with warm water.  Follow up by mixing one part apple cider vinegar with one part water, and rub it gently through your hair.  Rinse and style your hair as usual, but don't add any hair products.

{Hair Health Tip:  Don't use those same baking soda measurements if you have incredibly fine hair, or if you use this cleansing method daily.  Instead, use about two tablespoons of baking soda in a cup of water and just pour it over your hair and scrub.}

via

{Step 3}

Now here's the hard part.  You need to completely refrain from washing your hair for AT LEAST three days.  I recommend five, but that can be reaching for the stars for some of us.  No matter how nasty your hair looks, don't put anything in it!  You could use dry shampoo, but that could build up and end up making it look worse more quickly.  Just... don't touch!

via

{Step 4}

On the final day of your waiting, when it's been long enough and you just don't even want to think about your hair anymore, you're free to wash.  You might want to use the baking soda method again, but you can also just use plain old shampoo and conditioner.  

{Step 5}  

Now, wait three days before you wash your hair again.  It should be loads easier this time around already!

{Step 6}  

Wash that nasty scalp.

{Step 7}

Now, do what you will!  I trained myself to wash my hair two (occasionally three) times a week.  You could do it every other day if you're more comfortable with that!  But there's no way you can do either of these things without doing the hard part of living with the nastiness for a while.  My hair, now, doesn't get gross until the third day, which is my "pony-tail" day.  

I hope this helped you!  Once you start washing your hair less, your hair will be healthier and stronger.  Plus, you won't have to blow-dry and straighten it every day anymore, either!

Go forth and have awesome hair.

-Caroline

The Season of Tights and Headbands

As most of the other girls on The Dressing Room Door, I too am in love with the season autumn.  From the warm tones to the comfy sweaters and opaque tights, I am head over heels for fall.  Let me show you what I mean.

 I adore red.  It's most definitely my favorite color to wear.  Burgundy is even better. I've had this dress forever, and I just rediscovered it this morning while getting ready for church. Paired it with black tights, a belt, a crocheted headband, and boots that are who knows how old.  I love the dress' capped sleeves and almost turtleneck collar.

The shoes are my latest love.  They're vintage and absolutely amazing. They lace up through the ankles and have the witch-like pointed toe. I adore them. And if they weren't so uncomfortable I'd probably wear them with everything. Well. I'll probably end up wearing them with everything anyway.

They are very old, and the leather's cracked and the laces are frayed. But I think the vintageness makes me love them even more.

Dress - Thrifted? Or gift, I can't remember
Belt - Kohl's
Tights - Target
Headband - Crocheted by my mother
Shoes - Vintage, via Goodwill
Nail polish - Sally Hansen Diamond Strength in the color 90, Brilliant Bordeaux


That's it for today, lovelies.  I promise to have that last installment of Back to the Basics up in a few days. I've been drowning in papers and science experiments.  So here's an OOTD to make sure you don't think I've fallen off the face of the planet. ;)

What's your favorite fall color? :)

xx,
Emilyann