Fashion: Learning What Looks Good on You

A fashion model on the runway.

Image via Wikipedia

It’s no secret that fashion is something almost everyone pays attention to these days. The news is peppered with coverage of who wore what to which award show. Magazines sometimes have a completely separate issue covering a certain fashion show in cities of Milan, Paris, and New York. Fashion, whether you like it or not, is everywhere we look.

What many people fail to realize is that what looks good on a runway model might not look good on us. Everyone’s body shape and size is different. Because of that, it’s important to know your body, first and foremost. Doing this will allow you to look for clothing that fits your body style and size.

The Apple Bottoms jeans line, created by hip-hop artist, Nelly, was made with larger women in mind. The brand creates a variety of looks and clothing styles for women and girls of all sizes. In creating this line of clothing for women, Nelly has made many of us see that it’s okay if we’re not as thin as runway models.

The world of fashion can be a confusing one until you learn what looks good on your body. Remember, though, that the most important thing is that you feel comfortable with what you’re wearing. Five-inch stilettos aren’t for every woman and neither are skinny jeans. Choose clothing that is comfortable and that speaks to your character and personality. Regardless of what we may be wearing, one of the most important things to remember is that we need to be who we are, not who some magazine or runway model thinks we should be.

Choosing the Right Career for You

 

 

ROME - SEPTEMBER 09: Supporters of Italian Pri...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Making a career choice is not only difficult, it requires some long-range thinking. Before you start investing money and time into preparing for your career, take some time to determine if your personal goals and career plans match up so that you do not have to make more difficult decisions later in life.

1) Make sure your career will allow you to fulfill your personal goals.

If you plan on having a family at some point in the future, then a career that requires you to travel extensively may not be the best choice. The balance between your career and your personal life in important. If you make the decision early in life to completely dedicate yourself to your career, then you do not leave time for you to pursue personal goals. Be sure that the career choices you make will allow you to still pursue your personal interests.

2) Have a passion for your career.

You will spend many weeks, months and years pursuing your career. Be certain that the career you choose is the one that you have a strong enough interest in that you can dedicate yourself to it. Research the training and education you will need to pursue your career and be sure that it is something you can dive into head first.

3) Talk to others.

Before you take on a career, talk to others that are already in the field to see what skills you will need and what the job entails.

Choosing the right career is an important decision. Do the research to make sure you make the right choice.

4 Tips for Purchasing the Right Foundation

White petrolatum.

Image via Wikipedia

You know of the different types of foundation, from liquid to powder, but you still have questions; about skin type, what color is best for your skin tone, even what foundation is best for the particular climate in which you live.

How do you make the right decision? How do you choose?

  • Try a few selections before deciding on a particular brand and color. Often, department stores have samples. Take a few samples home and try them out. You can’t return an opened foundation container no matter how “off” it is, but a wrong sample color won’t cost you a cent.
  • When deciding on a foundation, consider your skin type. A liquid foundation works better for dry skin and a powder foundation works better for oiler skin.
  • Find a foundation that is close to your natural skin color and be cautious as you apply it. Using too much foundation is the most common mistake in liquid foundation wearers. Have you ever seen foundation jaw lines, or missing spots that the heaviness didn’t cover? Is the face obviously darker than the neck?  That someone is using too much foundation and in the wrong color, too.
  • Think about the climate where you live. If you live in a dry climate and you also have dry skin, you will need to add a moisturizer before you apply your foundation. If you live in a moist climate and have dry skin, you may not need a moisturizer at all.

In the end, looking great is more about learning the facts and literally applying what you’ve learned, and less on doing what you’ve always done because you’re comfortable with it. Make a change today.

Broadway Hits you want to Hear

You love Broadway, including the great hits that come from the best musicals. But where can you get them online? And where can you listen to them free, ready for download?

Good news. Listen to what you want when you want at these great sites:

  • At ez-tracks.com get free Broadway hits for your MP3 player, free Broadway ringtones for your telephone or see a Broadway music video.
  • MTV.com has a great list of Broadway music for your listening tastes. Try “The Best of Broadway,” “Cinema,” “Modern Musicals,” “Disney: Small Worlds & Magic Kingdoms” and more.
  • AccuRadio allows you to listen directly from your home computer to the music you love. Choose from categories including: “Simply Sondheim,” “Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber,” or “Decade: 1950s” among others. Share what you love on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Live 365 Showtunes gives you multiple options in Broadway listening from the “Broadway Café Society” to “MTI Radio” and more.
  • Tune into sundaymatinee.org broadcast from Cleveland Ohio. Download the show from the previous week or listen online through Northeast Ohio from 12:00-2:00 p.m. EST.
  • Archive.org has “Moving Images,” “Live Music” and “Audio” to wet your whistle and keep you singing for hours. Currently 88,195 concerts are on site as well as 790,993 audio records for your enjoyment in Broadway and other music categories. Browse by band or keyword.
  • Get free music downloads at music-free-download.net. Listen to Annie, Grease, or The Scarlet Pimpernel. Follow along with the written music.

Listening to your favorite Broadway hits is easier than ever with the advances in home technology and retrieval. No more waiting required, just find the site and give a listen.

Film Festivals: With Entertainment and Accessibility for All

International film festivals are very popular in Italy. This is a platform for filmmakers to compete for awards, bring awareness to different topics all over the world, and discuss artistic trends.

Not only are many film festivals as accessible as the local movie cinemas, the festivals are also as diverse as the movies themselves. This diversity extends not only the genre of the movies involved, from sci-fi, to comedy, action and drama; but also includes diversity within the directorship as well. Interested in the perspective of today’s youth? Check out a children’s or youth film festival. Curious about different cultures, religions and ethnicities? Look up a minority or cross-cultural film festival. For every hobby or passion, from female directors to animation to human rights, there is a film festival you are sure to enjoy.

Additionally, there are so many film festivals available throughout the world, they are more accessible than many people may have thought previously. In fact, it is probable that there are multiple film festivals in the city nearest you. In addition to physical proximity, film festivals can also be an economically feasible option for recreation with ticket prices sometimes costing even less than, or comparable to, a movie ticket. Remember when a movie cost $5? With prices like these, and with the plethora of styles available, attending a film festival could be a movie event the whole family could enjoy.

With the accessibility of film festivals, and with so many options for different recreation styles and enjoyments, it’s a wonder that they are not a more commonly accepted form of entertainment and recreation. So, check out your local options and see if there is a film festival near you. Or spice up your next vacation by staying at a luxury hotel Italy and spotting celebrities!

Make your Lashes Look Longer than they Naturally Are (without the use of fake eyelashes)

Want fuller lashes? Don’t know how to get them if you don’t want to wear false eyelashes? Yes, fake eyelashes can be a real bother, especially when you consider gluing them on correctly and taking them off at night—every night.

Fortunately, there are other solutions.

  • Curl lashes before putting on mascara. Use the curler at the base of the lash and curl the lash for about 5 seconds.
  • Use a lash primer or conditioner. The primer helps with increasing lash length as well as volume. L’Oreal Paris Volume Shocking 2-Step Volume Construction Mascara is a good choice; or try, Clinique’s lash building primer.
  • You want mascara that has a comb like wand that will separate eyelashes and prevent them from clumping. Or purchase a comb at your favorite beauty supply store for around $5.
  • If you hold the wand vertically, you can take it across individual lashes.
  • When your mascara has dried, comb through your lashes one last time.
  • If you pump your brush in and out of tube hoping that more mascara on the brush will equal longer looking lashes, think again. All you’re doing is drying out your mascara and making your eyes look—clumpy.
  • Before applying mascara, blot the wand against a tissue.

Yes, false lashes will still get you the extra length and thickness you may want in your lashes, but the tricks above will take your lashes one step further up the beauty ladder without having to deal with glue, frustration—or that extra time you never seem to have.

Costumes in Productions

Costumes play an important role in artistic productions like theater and plays. The reason is because detailed costumes are capable of setting the scene and telling the audience a lot about the characters. In visual productions including; theater and plays, opera, television and movies, viewers have to rely on what they see to understand the story, there are no words to explain what they should know about what is going on like in a book or a poem. Costume design plays a very important role in the creation of artistic productions, because costumes need to meet certain criteria to suit the production. Costume design also depends heavily on the artistic eye of the production’s producer. A pauper’s costume in one play may differ significantly from that of another, simply because one producer had a completely different way of looking at it, even when the script itself is the same.

Some costumes are minimalist and drab in appearance while others are extremely vibrant, full of color and tiny details that really matter. It all really depends on the individual artistic eye of the people in charge of the individual production. Modern costume design is always evolving and there are a wide variety of different costuming companies out there, such as costumeexpress.com.

As costuming needs change over time, the companies that provide these distinct and unique costumes must also change. Some producers decide to hire a staff that will produce customized costumes for a production while others will decide to work with a costume company, either buying or renting costumes, or sometimes having them made custom. Many costumes can be applied to a wide variety of different productions because they are designed based on history or period, while others must be custom designed because they are unique to suit a specific character or concept. Either way, costumes play a very important role in bringing any production to life, and so care must be taken in choosing them.

Best Movie Star Lip Tricks (without surgery)

Want your lips to look fuller? Your lipstick to last longer? Want to look like a movie star before heading out the door?

These movie star lip solutions should do the trick.

  • Purchase some super glossy lip gloss. Gloss can be used at any time; even if you don’t have a mirror handy.
  • Be aware that creamier lipsticks should be used as we age. Avoid matte and gloss color types in lipsticks.
  • Outline lips before using lipstick. Smudge the lipstick into the liner to get rid of stark lines. Apply the liner just outside your lip line. Keep the liner the same shade as your lipstick. If you already have full lips, avoid lipsticks in strong colors. Use soft sheer hues and don’t line your lips.
  • Keep your lipstick away from the heat. Lipstick can get warm in purses too, so make sure you keep your purse away from direct sunlight. Never leave lipstick in the car.
  • If you play up your eyes, don’t play up your mouth.
  • Use a lip liner to keep your lipstick lasting longer.
  • If you get lipstick in the wrong shade, keep it. There is probably another lipstick you don’t like that you can blend with it.
  • Red lipstick is great; but not everyone can wear every shade. Just make sure you line your lips with a lip liner if you do. Check out totalbeauty.com to discover the best shade of red for your skin tone.
  • Use foundation on your lips. Your lipstick will stay on longer. Or powder your lips before adding lipstick.
  • Darker lipstick colors make your lips look smaller; light colors give your lips a fuller look.

Though trial and error is part of every total beauty plan, when it comes to making good lips look great, a little know-how can take even a non-star a long way.

Pick up the Best Movie Fashion Online

Want to wear the leather shoes Kathleen Turner wore in “Undercover Blues”? Or one of the outfit ensembles Sandra Bullock wore in “Loser”? Then you’ve come to the right place. Get the clothing you want from all of the great stars without stepping foot outside your front door.

Here’s a list of the best places to shop:

  • Reel Clothes & Props. Here, you can shop by product name, the movie title or the actor. There is even a bargain basement where bargains start at about $25 for a pair of gloves. Christina Applegate, from “Married with Children” and “The Sweetest Thing,” currently has items for purchase including stretch pants, black halters and her blue Mandarin midi.
  • Isawitin.com is a great place to search your favorite movies for that ultra special item you’re just dying to have. Click on “Celebrities” or “Movies” and transport yourself to the land of celebrity clothing options. Talk to others interested in fashion and movies through their “Community” link.
  • Get movie star clothing at: celebrityfashion.com/au. From shoes to accessories, find out what the stars are wearing and how to incorporate their “favorite things” into your personal wardrobe.
  • Famousstyle.com offers women handbags, intimates, even gift certificates as part of their movie fashion entourage. Sale prices start at about $30.
  • MyCelebrityFashion.co.uk has a multitude of celebrity fashion for both men and women. Get the latest celebrity news as well as the latest new hot styles. Be a part of Facebook and learn of the newest shops and boutiques where the movie stars shop.

As in all things dealing with dress, when it comes to choosing the best movie star look, be careful to choose the best look for your height, weight and skin tone. And don’t be afraid to change colors or fabrics when the change suits you more than the original look. Above all, have fun with the celebrity look you’ve created for yourself.

Make-up Tricks the Star’s Use

Want to shine like the movie stars without feeling as if you need a face lift? Here’s some help.

  • Learn how to emphasize what you like about your face and minimize what you don’t.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment with product. Obtain samples if necessary. If something doesn’t work, trade it in for something that will.
  • Learn how to put it all together, so that your make-up, clothes and accessories work well together. You want a monochromatic look, which means using more than one tone for your foundation, blush and lips.
  • Don’t spend a lot of money on make-up.
  • Work on the techniques you learn until you get it right.
  • Bronzers go on the outside of the face, not by your eyes or nose.
  • Use a shimmer highlighter instead of blush for your cheeks. This keeps you from allowing your face to look too pink.
  • Use a good moisturizer; one that keeps your skin looking smooth for the day and doesn’t allow for dry creases in your foundation. Top foundation with a light powder that will set it.
  • Red lips are all the rage now with the stars. When wearing red especially, make sure to line your lips, purchase the right shade of red for your skin tone, and make sure that you blend the liner and the lipstick. You will look more put together and your lipstick will last longer.
  • Get long lashes by using fake lashes. Tricks include: lining your upper lid with liner, glueing close to your lash line, and finishing by curling your lashes with an eyelash curler before applying mascara.
  • Don’t over pluck your brows!
  • Cosmetic manufactures have great ideas on applying make-up. Check out Cover Girl and Max Factor.

In the long run, your best face will be the face that looks the most natural; the freshest. Less makeup is more, and learning the tricks of the trade will only help you with the star look you want.