New seasons, new looks. Try the new summer trends with these easy instructions…

nude face + orange-red lips
It’s time to put away the heavy plum lipstick and opt for a more sheer, glowing visage for spring.

1. Add a bit of concealer if needed, under eyes especially.
2. Dab on a touch of pale translucent blush, (Revlon Colorstay mineral blush in Petals is subtle and give a bit of glimmer, $7 Drugstores)
3. Pat lipcolor on with a finger, and use a tissue to blot off excess. You’re going for
4. Add lip gloss for softness and shine.
5. Finish with the application of mascara

pink + pearlescent
Subtle and just plain pretty, it’s a ballerina look that flatters practically every complexion.

1. Start with light foundation, but only enough to cover imperfections. Keep your skin fresh
2. Blend shimmery golden pink highlighter (eye-shadow) at the inner corner of the eyes, across the lid, and the bow of the lip.
3. Line eyes with gray pencil, angling down into the lashline. Blend
4. Warm cheeks with a sheer blush, (Covergirl TRU blend mineral blush in “Pure Romance” is really good on both eyes and cheeks ($7 Drugstores)
5. Finish with Rosy-beige or Nude lipcolor, almost like a Victorian rose, applied lightly. (Bare Escentuals Lipstick in Berry Glace is one of the most wearable pinks ever $15 BareEscentuals.com, Ulta, Sephora)

copper + bronze
From beautiful bronzer to shimmery copper eyeshadow- welcome the “it” color for summer cosmetics.

1. Try a coppery lipstick or lipgloss- SHU UEMURA ROUGE UNLIMITED in BG 908, lovely ginger falls squarely in the classic creamy, true-lipstick category $23 shuuemura-usa.com
2. Loose coppery eye-shadow – (bourjois Paris dose De Nacres mini loose powder eyeshadow in No. 1- has extra fine milled mother of pearl, dotted along the bottom lashes, it’s ethereal and delicate $8 Ulta)
3. Eye liner (Revlon Marble-ous Match Liner/shadow duo in set “The Nude”, a chubby two ended pencil- fantastic copper glow around the eyes $10 , Drugstores)
4. Bronzer- Just brush on a some warmth to the apples of your cheeks. But go sparingly, avoid the “fake tan” look.

I have a confession to make- I am a compulsive hat buyer! Hats are far and above my favorite accessory. Unfortunately, I’ve found that many women believe they look terrible in hats, but in reality, just don’t know how to wear them. Here are three ways you can dramatically increase your odds:

Find a color that complements your skin. Hats are closer to your face than anything else you wear. Hence, if the color isn’t flattering, it will be especially noticeable. Try the hat in a natural light. If it makes you look sallow, put it back.

Wear your hair differently. Many women just plunk a hat on top of their everyday hairstyle. If you already have a wide face, this can exaggerate it to an unflattering effect, especially if you have long or full hair. If you really like a particular hat, but just don’t think it works on you, try pulling your hair back in a tight chignon or a low ponytail at the nape of your neck, or pinning the front sections back. At the very least, tuck hair behind your ears. It may improve matters dramatically.

Make sure the hat is angled to its best advantage. If a hat doesn’t look good when you first try it on, you may not be wearing it far enough forward or back. Many hats, especially stiffer hats made of felt or straw, will also wear better when you tilt them slightly. Try angling your hat to the right or left, and look at it from every direction in the mirror.

It’s time to overcome the urge to keep things you shouldn’t (and you thought we were done!).

“Perfect fit, but not my style”
Remember the dress you bought because it fit like it was custom-made in spite of the weird embroidery on the neckline? Verdict – Unwearable, because of the said detail. Give it or sell it.

“Perfect style, but doesn’t fit…yet”
How about those jeans you saved for that anticipated five-pound weight loss? Owning them is bad for you psyche. If the time comes when you drop a size, chances are you won’t hesitate to run out and buy a new pair. Give it or sell it.

“Perfect in every way…except for that stain”
If it didn’t come out at the cleaner’s or as you toiled over it in the sink, it’s permanent. Throw it.

“The nicest thing I’ve ever had”
There’s a place for sentimental attachment and posterity. One cloth garment bag set aside to hold one or two special items - with the intention of one day passing them down-makes sense. Just be sure the bag doesn’t start out full, one or two pieces will do. Everything else? Give it or sell it.

“Too expensive to throw out”
If the piece doesn’t work, look at it this way: you paid for it once in cash, and now you’re paying for it again in valuable closet space. If it’s not right for you, bite the bullet and let it go.
Give it or sell it.

Give, Sell, Throw. Are you seeing a pattern yet? If you sell all the items that are unneeded and not being worn regularly you’ll probably have enough to buy one item you really love as a replacement! What a great way to finish Spring Cleaning!

Voluminous skirts, smock dresses and spacious or ruffly shirts can swamp a tiny frame or make a fuller figure look even larger. However, with some clever style know-how and great fashion accessories, the volume look can really work. It’s a question of teaming it with outfits that compliment rather than swamp your figure, which means that tops need to be fitted and waists need to be cinched. You will then no longer be in danger of taking off like a hot air balloon.

Flouncy skirts are proving fun and feminine, a lively look for spring and summer. Big and bouncy, swish and swingy, it’s time to feel free again. Forget clingy, constricting and go for full and flowing. Pretty and practical voluminous pieces give you a carefree edge. Accentuate your waist with a belt; add a fitted top or a shirt gathered in at the waist.

Whilst volume works well on a slender, straighter frames, women of all body shapes shouldn’t be nervous about experimenting with the trend. Most often is it how the look is put together that counts. You need to think carefully about your whole ensemble from the basics to the accessories. No matter what shape you are, if volume is worn confidently and cleverly there is always a way to make it work.

DO
wear belts

DON’T
go flowy all over

Remember, love your natural waist and add definition accordingly.

It’s that time of year, we only have a couple weeks left in Spring (and Spring Cleaning!) and most of us haven’t gotten around to cleaning out our closets! I just did this a couple weeks ago and I feel so much better. So does my closet and drawers. Yes drawers.

First things first, make sure you can see what you’re doing. If your closet is overstuffed or otherwise hard to navigate - move everything to your bed.

Separate the front runners. Grab your favorite pieces-those that make you look and feel great- and put them back where they belong.
Toss worn-out stuff. Pilled sweaters, threadbare swim-suits, stained tees etc.
Pull the pieces that need repair, alteration or cleaning.

Chances are, you still have a large pile on your bed. Answering these yes or no questions will help you get rid of surfeit.

Does it flatter my shape?
Is the fit perfect or fixable?
Is the color right for me?
Have I worn it in the last two years?
Do I feel great when I wear it?
Do I have two identical pieces?

DO
give to charity or sell the items that fit the “NO” answers.
make your clean closet happier with all the “YES” clothes.

DON’T
hoard. It’s not cool.

Remember, go through all your closet and drawers!

There is no doubt that animal prints are in for 2008 and it’s vital that we remind you that wearing animal prints can either add a touch of class to a smart outfit or produce a nightmarish fashion disaster. Here’s how to wear animal prints with style. Keep your silhouette simple, elegant and sleek - no big hair, you’ll look like a lion. One safe way to incorporate these fun prints is through some jewelery, like our bracelets (hurry, supplies are limited!!), pair these with some simple tribal earrings with a neutral, solid colored outfit and you’ll be on the road to fashion success.

DO
pair prints with neutrals and solid color-schemes, especially basic black, crisp white, chocolate brown, and beige.

DON’T
wear it all, just because something is available in animal print doesn’t mean it should actually be worn, no one wants to feel as if they have actually just been on a safari after spending time with you!

Remember, animal prints are most fashionable when worn only in one pattern, and to keep things tasteful, limit the print to one item at a time.

Most of us are unaware of the danger that ultraviolet radiation from the sun can have on our bodies. When you start to look at the damage, (possible skin cancer, premature wrinkling and eye damage) you realize that sun safety should be an important part of our lives, people of all color, and particularly those with fair skin and light eyes. It’s a good thing that fake tanning is unattractive this year, because tanning beds create the same damage direct sun does, too. Want some easy tips for how you can protect yourself? Here you go…

- Avoid unprotected exposure during the peak UV hours between 10 AM and 4 PM.

- Wear sun protective clothing including a shirt, a hat with a 3-inch brim and sunglasses. If possible, stay out of direct sunlight.

- Sunglasses (most fabulous summer accessory anyway)

- Apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher to all unprotected skin 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every 2 hours while in the sun.

- Hats, they come in every shape and color to fit your personality. FYI, this summer straw hats are super in.

- Clothing made specifically for sun protection (some professionals recommend using SunGuard, a laundry additive that transforms any cotton clothing into SPF 30 protective wear for a certain amount of time)

Enjoy Summer!

The best shape of shades for you can be determined by two simple factors. Keep reading to know what’s best for you!

FACE SHAPE:

A round face, like Kirsten Dunst, has the same measurements in both the width and the length. A round face looks great in angular, narrow frames.

An oval-shaped face like Julia Roberts is perfectly symmetrical, looking great in nearly every style.

A diamond-shaped face like Jennifer Aniston’s has high cheekbones and is narrow at the eye line and jawline. A diamond looks fab in square or rimless frames because the frames balance out the widest and narrowest parts of the face.

An oblong face like Gwyneth Paltrow’s is longer than it is wide, and looks best in frames that are deep from top to bottom or have decorative temple detail.

A square face like Cameron Diaz’s has a broad forehead and a very strong jawline. Squares look wonderful in narrow frames like ovals, rounds, or cat-eye styles.

A heart-shaped face like Reese Witherspoon’s has a wide top and tapers down to a narrow chin. Hearts look fab in frames that are light or rimless.

HAIR COLOR:

Very dark brown or black hair looks really stylish with white or metallic frames because of the contrast. For a more conservative look, simply pick black frames.

Mid-tone brunettes look great in tortoiseshell frames, however, there’s nothing more striking than white glasses on mid-tone brunettes.

Chestnut brown brunettes look great in caramel frames.

Ashy blonds look great in frames that blend with cold tones like silver, blue, or gray. You can also try frames in red or yellow.

White blonds look great in red, speckled brown or white frames.

Golden blonds look great in white-gold color frames. For a classic look, go with a speckled brown.

Strawberry blonds and Redheads look intensely great in green shades. For a less bold look, gold or brown are great options.

Auburns look great in colors like maroon, burgundy, and chocolate. They should avoid pure red.

Where do you buy your shades? Any tips you care to share?

None of us want to end up looking like Christmas trees because of overdoing it with jewelry! There are four traditional areas for jewels to be worn: ears, neck, wrist and finger.

Basic Rule: pick two or three (earrings, necklace, bracelet, ring) combinations.

- If you have a bold necklace, compensate with stud earrings. If you want dangly, dramatic earrings choose a bracelet over a necklace.

- If you are Pear shaped, earrings of necklaces are great because they will draw attention up.

- If you are Spoon shaped, rings and bracelets suit you by drawing attention down creating balance.

DO
mix it up, balance it out – that’s our motto.

DON’T
wear jewelery on more than 3 areas!

Remember, this is supposed to adorn YOU, so try to find colors that enhance your eye color and skin tone.