Kate Hoffman – CollegeFashionista

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Red Hot

The holiday season is upon us and palettes of black, gold, red, and silver are taking over winter fashion. Not only are these festive colors necessary for your holiday wardrobe, they’re also the perfect way to dress up your nails! My favorite of these shades is the ever-classic red. There is nothing as timeless and sophisticated as pure red nail polish, so it’s imperative every Fashionista has their own collection of reds in stock.
Dior's new trio of nail-polishes is the ideal designer collection of seasonable reds. As Refinery29 explains, this collection is “inspired by three eras of

Dior fashion, the dynamic shades are a triple-retro threat: Icone's pearly burgundy pays hommage to a nail lacquer called Rouge Icône, designed to go with Dior's 1955 Atout Coeur dress; Trafalgar's poppy hue recalls the flashy red designs Christian Dior sent down the runway mid-show; and Gruau's fire-engine red shade is taken from a 1947 drawing of the Ispahan dress by Dior illustrator, Rene Gruau.” With this collection your nails will have an outfit for any and every holiday occasion.

This Fashionista shows us that she knows just how to dial it up for the holidays with her mesmerizing mani. Her nails are painted in a merry Opi Malaga Wine color, a fun way to get us in the spirit for sleigh bells, hot chocolate and snowmen. This Fashionista knows how to class up holiday fashion by rocking her Chanel-Chic ensemble. Besides her sophisticated red nails, this Fashionista’s vintage Valentino sweater, Foley and Corinna cross-body bag, Chanel sunglasses, and fire engine-red Chanel lip stain adds to her stylish, spirited look.

So follow this red hot Fashionista’s lead and splash a shade of crimson on your nails today!

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Top Liner

As much as I have always wanted to create the perfect top-lid liner look, I could never quite get the liner to cooperate. Even if I was able to properly line one eye (with much concentration and a bit of luck) then without a doubt, I would completely botch the other lid. That is until I came across Refinery29’s “Eyeliner Application” video. I quickly discovered that the secret ingredient used to perfectly apply eye liner is Scotch Tape! Suddenly, applying eyeliner became a piece of cake.

Now, you too can be a bright eyed beauty just like this Fashionista, whose lined lids have that enviable doe-eyed look. Although this newly discovered Scotch Tape trick has helped improve my amateur liner skills, I’m taking additional cues from this Fashionista’s perfectly outlined eyes. Here are a few more helpful hints to include in your liner repertoire.

Firstly, by applying black liner where the lid meets the lash line, this Fashionista creates a long-lash illusion, even without mascara. Secondly, by subtly smudging her liner, she softens what could have been a much harsher look. Lastly, this Fashionista doesn’t apply any other eye makeup, keeping the look natural and daytime appropriate. Sometimes, less really is more!

This easy-going liner look can be spotted on Banana Republic’s fall 2011 runway. Makeup artist Greg Hubbard’s application of liner is all about “keeping the eyes looking natural” while still achieving serious pop. Hubbard quickly makes it clear to the viewer how simple, yet effective applying eyeliner to the top lid can be. By observing his techniques, one quickly discovers the best way to create the shape and definition every Fashionista wants for their eyes!

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Complexion Perfection

It’s no beauty secret that every Fashionista’s most employed accessory is their skin. You wear it 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is why there is no excuse not to take care of it. The best way to do so? Moisturizer. Moisturizer visibly beautifies the complexion by providing your skin with the necessary rehydration, protection and nourishment it needs. This makes it imperative for beauty gurus to devise a daily moisturizing routine to keep their skin glowing all day long.

This Fashionista uses lotion as the power-tool for her natural, shining skin and the effect is radiant! Fall and winter are the most intimidating seasons to wear revealing clothing because the cold weather can leave the skin arid and cracked; but this Fashionista has nothing to fear. Her sleeveless denim vest, scoop neck tank and highly-slit skirt are insignificant factors thanks to her glowing complexion. She proves radiant skin is easy and attainable with just the simplest moisturizing routine.

Starting from the head down, there are five essential moisturizing products no Fashionista should be without.

1. Hair Oil — My must-have hair product, Moroccanoil, will not only restore and protect your hair, but also leave it with a silky finish and brilliant shine.

2. Lip Balm — No one likes to have, look at or kiss chapped lips, and Maybelline’s newest product Baby Lips is the perfect, inexpensive solution for luscious lips.

3. Face Moisturizer — In order to avoid wrinkles, protect yourself from sun damage and add a sun-kissed glow, make sure to buy a lightweight, tinted moisturizer with a 15 SPF, like Arbonne’s Made in Shade lotion.

4. Hand Cream — In every Fashionista’s purse should be miniature sized hand cream to prevent dry, damaged hands. There is no cosmetic to hide the age of your hands so it’s imperative to keep them looking healthy for as long as possible!

5. Body Oil — Body lotion is good but body oil is even better, because it amps up the über-sleek look of lotion with it’s extra soothing touch. Johnson’s Baby Oil smells delicious, and will make your skin as soft as a baby’s bottom.

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Daytime Eyes

One thing is for sure: eyes are the essential asset for any Fashionista looking to amp up her beauty. From pencils to mascaras, eyeshadows to concealers, there is a plethora of products on the market dedicated solely to accenting the eyes. With this endless supply of enhancers, it can be nearly impossible to fathom what product to wear at what time of day, with who and for what occasion. Lucky for us, today’s featured Fashionista perfectly demonstrates how to create a beauty-embellished, day-time eye.

I must admit, even without this Fashionista’s impeccable two-toned look, her sea-foam green eyes were too beautiful to escape. But, like every clever beauty-guru, she knew just how to amplify her best asset. For her, it was a simple mascara/shadow combination. This Fashionista used inspiration from the smokey eye — it’s mesmerizing, smoldering look— to create a fresher, more day-time appropriate rendering through these five, easy steps:

1. Employing light, creamy hues to cut the harshness of the original, smokey look
2. Applying two different, earthy shades to add subtle drama
3. Outlining her rims with a glossy shadow for a supersize effect
4. Lining her eyelids with a subtle espresso eyeliner
5. Adding a coat of mascara to define the lashes

This enchanting look can be found in all it’s glory on the Chanel, fall 2011 runway. Makeup artist Peter Philips dreamed up the show’s “play between shadow and light” by painting a graphite-colored, glimmering lid. Leaving the rest of the model’s faces neutral, he allowed this beautiful look to steal the show.

Expert Tip from Cassie: Keep your daytime eye make up simple. This Fashionista created a very sexy but day-appropriate look. The less eye shadows you use the better. Simply blend a darker shade in your creases, highlight your brow bone and lid, swipe on some liner and mascara and walk out the door!

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Alexa Chung … Part 2

It’s not everyday that you come across a Fashionista with the same impeccable style as Alexa Chung, and once you do, it’s hard to forget. Last spring I featured Alana Wolens’ sexy tomboy look — perfectly reminiscent of Alexa Chung’s hip urbanity, laid back vibe, and audacious fashion playfulness. But their similar style wasn’t the only obvious comparability, both Fashionistas also mastered effortlessly cool hair with an undone ease.

Lucky for me, I spotted Alana Wolen’s in all her “à la mode” glory on my walk back from class. Although she still held the same chic yet nonchalant air, one thing had changed; her dirty blonde locks were now a deep brown. With this hair color transformation, how much more Chung could she get?!

Both Fashionista’s had sported a casual take on the classic blond look for the spring/summer seasons. Their dark roots were lightened by pieces around their faces, acting as a natural highlight. With the cold winter months just around the corner, both Alexa and Alana knew darker hues were the way to go and switched from sun-kissed to espresso. Not only is darker hair a quintessential winter-chic do, it’s also the perfect way for these Fashionistas to play-up their arresting, green eyes.

Celebrities switch their hair color as often as they switch their clothes, but Alexa Chung shows us how to do so without losing your individual style. Today’s Fashionista follows in her footsteps, and proves that the incessant hair coloring trend is an easy and accessible one for any CollegeFashionistsa. My advice, join the Queens of Casual Cool by applying an effortless color and cut that suites your very own style.

Expert Tip from Cassie: Going a shade darker for the winter season is a great idea! The sun is not as strong during these colder months, so your hair color does not oxidize and change as quickly. Using a color safe shampoo is also important to preserve your new, darker color. Try using any Bumble and Bumble shampoo and conditioner combination.

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Lash Lust

1917 is a year to remember for all beauty-lovers. It was the year beauty guru, Maybel William, inspired her brother, T.L. Williams, to created the first ever commercialized mascara. He christened it Maybelline. Since then, Maybelline has taken over the mascara world, keeping lash lust in vogue for centuries thereafter.

Any of Maybelline’s amazing and affordable mascaras are the perfect way for a CollegeFashionista to coat her top and bottom lashes! Start by use Maybelline’s Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara for your first two coats. Reapply your second coat once the first one has partially dried (this will give you extra length, but if you wait too long it can cause clumping). Then apply your third coat with a different mascara such as Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara. This one should have a hard brush to separate the lashes and the tube should be almost empty so as not to create mascara globs. And voila, your eyelashes are complete.

Today’s Fashionista employees just a touch of mascara to highlight her naturally spidery eyelashes. This long and wispy look is a perfect daytime take on the big, bold and black eyelash phenomenon. Through her artlessly beautiful lashes, she proves just how eye-opening and bang-friendly this beauty must-have really is. Looking for outrageous lash inspiration? Look to Twiggy for outlandishly outsize faux lashes, Anne Hathaway for crystal-studded Oscar-night falsies and the Supremes for a long lash, kohl eyed look.

Expert tip Cassie: Layering the different mascaras is one of the best tricks I know when it comes to accentuating your eyelashes. Never leave your house without brushing on some mascara, it is the simplest way to make your eye pop and give you a finished looked.

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Baby Face

For over thirty years, major fashion brands have employed youthful hollywood beauties as the faces of their latest collections. It all began with Calvin Klein in 1980, when the rosy-cheeked, 15-year old, Brooke Shields had jeans flying off the shelves as she purred to the camera “Nothing comes between me and my Calvins.” In 1994, despite industry criticism, Isaac Mizrahi chose 14-year old Natalie Portman to represent his latest women’s line with the slogan “Every woman is a star.” This young starlet fever didn’t go unnoticed. In 2004 Teen Vogue developed an in-house consulting firm to help designers hand-pick brand-appropriate actresses to represent their lines. Thanks to Teen Vogue’s consulting agency, Dooney & Bourke announced they would be using 15-year old Emma Roberts to launch their 2006 collection of handbags. In 2009, Harry Potter star Emma Watson, graced the spotlight of Burberry’s fall/winter advertisements at a mere 17-years old.

If only youth-crazed designers such as Calvin, Marc, and Isaac could reap in the splendor of today’s Fashionista and Fashionisto then they would surely be inspired. When looking at these two, anyone could understand the infatuation designers have with the fresh faces of youth. Their beauty emanates from a place of innocence and their acute fashion sense feels carefree; they challenge the reason for overdone looks. Their exorbitantly mature sense of style is eerily reminiscent of Marc Jacob’s youthful advertisements. His 2007 Dakota Fanning women’s wear campaign and his 2008 men’s wear advertisements inspire the same girlish/boyish beauty. These companions embody the perfect contrast between mature style and child-like beauty, so take note and don’t overdo a look that’s already done!

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Bang it Up

Any beauty addict knows that bangs have continued to find their place on the must-have hair radar throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. In the ‘20s, bangs represented rebellion as they were a part of the controversial bob hairstyle. Their popularity resurfaced in the‘50s with the retro rage and again in the ‘60s in tandem with the rise of rock n’ roll. Today women employ bangs for an assortment of different looks; from short and sweet to subtle and sexy they’re always sure to add just enough edge to any Fashionista's natural look.

This particular Fashionista took a très chic approach by following in the footsteps of the French fashion icon Francoise Hardy. Both of their blasé bangs have a je ne sais quoi feeling about them, adding to their already mysterious air. The key is having soft-layered bangs at lash-length to delicately frame the structure of your face. This draws attention to the eyes and cheekbones for a flirtatious feel. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have this Fashionista’s uncanny sense of style; her fur vest, white silk jumpsuit, Louis Vuitton bag and platform heels certainly add to her chi-chi look.

Before resolving to cut bangs, it’s critical to consider your face shape! If you have an oval shaped face like Liv Tyler, blunt bangs will work best for you. If you’re like Reese Witherspoon and have a heart shaped face, go for a side-swept cut. And if your face is square, try a wispy, layered bang like Kate Moss. But no matter what the shape of your face, your hair color or your style, take the plunge and get a drastic do today by banging it up!

Expert tip from Cassie: Bangs are a good way to change and entire haircut. Bridgette Bardot is an amazing reference for the sexy bang. Wether it's a side swept bang, full fringe, or wispy bangs, don't try to make them perfect. Sometimes the fluffier and messier you can get your hair the better. Remember to point the nozzle of your blowdryer down to seal those cuticles to eliminate frizz.

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Hair for Him

The spectrum of men’s beauty products fall exceptionally short compared to the relentless array of beauty merchandise available to women. Because of this, it is imperative of Fashionistos to stay on top of the few beauty categories they are responsible for — most significant being hair care. Men’s hair cuts should be a reflection of their style: sleek for the chic, shaggy for the hipsters, buzzed for the athletes and the list goes on. When men give care to their hair, it automatically acts as the best accessory to emphasizes their look.

This Fashionisto chose a timeless cut that has defined classic mens’ hair for generations. He demonstrates his style savvy by coordinating the polished do with an understated, clean-cut ensemble — the look synchronizes beauty and style, effortlessly. Hollywood’s most fashion forward celebrities such as Cary Grant, George Clooney and Brad Pitt have all rocked this refined cut too. GQ christens it the “Throwback” and gives the ultimate step by step guide on how to replicate the look.

Luckily for GWU Fashionistos, D.C. is home to the Grooming Lounge, one of the country’s premiere mens grooming spots. It not only offers iconic barbershop and spa services, but its own award winning products and grooming advice columns too. It’s a truly revolutionary brand for the men’s beauty industry, and all GWU Fashionistos should be sure to take advantage of it! To learn more about the Grooming Lounge, see this Fashionisto’s exclusive interview with the founders on the Inside Thread.

Expert tip from Cassie: A nice, clean cut on a Fashionisto always looks great. I feel the less product you use to style your hair, the better. If you have a short hair cut all you need to do is run a quarter size amount of the Kerastase Hair Gel through out your hair to give it a soft hold. If your hair is on the longer side, I suggest using the Sally Hershberger Shagg Style Primer to give your do some structure.

ALL ABOUT BEAUTY: Glow For It

As this Fashionista most impeccably demonstrates, just because the fall fashion season is right around the corner does not mean your summer wardrobe must be forgotten — it’s all about fraternizing your seasonal items! From combat boots to eyelet white shorts, she couldn’t have found a more perfectly eclectic mix of fall and summer pieces. But her apparel isn’t the only way she has proved that summer and fall fashion must-haves are interchangeable, this Fashionista confirms it with her beauty expertise too.

Every Fashionista knows the liberating feeling of makeup free summer days. Your skin feels light, your face looks luminous, and your confidence is sky high. But as we all know, fall soon comes around and the dull facets of foundation ruin the summer skin glow. This Fashionista establishes that this doesn’t have to be the case, there can be a parallel between summer and fall beauty! She embraces her fairer fall skin to unveil a brighter, smoother complexion. This fresh face look is a quintessential skincare pointer that all beauty gurus should be sure to adhere to.

Make sure to follow the cleanse, exfoliate and moisturize steps below:

Step 1: Cleanse
Finding a gentle yet effective daily face wash is the key to having clean, clear skin. Try using Perricone M.D.’s Nutritive Facial Cleanser. It can be found for $38 on PerriconeMD.com.

Step 2: Exfoliate
Exfoliating once a week helps to preserve even skin tones while also reducing the risks of susceptibility to patchy pigmentation. YonKa creates a re-texturizing fruit enzyme peel for $39, found at DermStore.com.

Step 3: Moisturize
During the day it’s imperative to use a moisturizer with sunscreen such as Burt’s Bees chemical-free SPF 30 sunscreen. At night apply a soothing night lotion like Cures by Avance night creme.

Expert Tip from Cassie: You always want to make sure you cleanse your skin twice daily, once in the morning and once at night. This will rid your skin of all of the impurities and dirt. Any of the Neutrogena skin care products are good ones to check out. Out with the old and in with the new, exfoliating once a week is a great way to keep the production of your skin cells consistent while creating an even and smooth skin. In regards to moisturizing your skin, I love the Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. It gives the skin a fresh finish for those of you who do not want to wear a full face of foundation and powder.