Your Stylist: To climb the corporate ladder, think fit first

All The Rage recently received the following e-mail from reader Sabrina Nicole Hurt asking for some style advice:

“I read your 2011 article “Clothes Make the Man,” (yes, I know I'm a little late, but it's what popped up on my Google search when I started this makeover a week ago) and I was wondering if you have any tips for dressing a slightly bigger guy for a more casual job. I'm engaged to a man who is working as a mechanic, but wants to move up in the corporate world. I have a few tips in mind, but could use some help getting him up and running. Help would be greatly appreciated.”

We figured it would be most appropriate to seek the professional advice of costume designer Dayna Pink since she was the one who used an extreme wardrobe makeover to help transform Steve Carell's character in “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” and offered men some sage sartorial advice in the aforementioned article. But first we needed to get a little clarification from Sabrina: Does “slightly bigger guy” refer to height, weight or both? And, what does the subject of her makeover efforts currently wear when he does dress up? She responded:

"He is bigger in weight, [it is] concentrated in his shoulders and belly. He wants to start his own business as the owner of a garage. He's a mechanic.

He loves rock music and is a vintage kind of man, so when he dresses up, he wears a black button-down [shirt] and jeans. That's about as dressy as it gets.”

Pink, whose recent movie credits include “The Lucky One,” and the recently wrapped movie about Las Vegas magicians titled “The Incredible Burt Wonderstone” (starring Jim Carrey and Steve Carell, and due out in 2013) offers the following tips:

“I may sound like a broken record when I say 'It's all in the fit,' but it's all in the fit!

I think everyone looks better when their clothes are well-tailored, but I find it particularly true with people who are overweight. For some reason, [those with] larger body types can have a tendency to purchase clothes even bigger than they need to, which adds bulk and gives [a person] the appearance of being larger than they actually are. So, the first rule is: Make sure it fits.

Secondly, if corporate is the goal, then vintage doesn't necessarily apply. I think there is a place for vintage but not in the boardroom or in a corporate situation. I would try a well-tailored pant -- in a dark color -- and a shirt with a dark blazer for meetings. A good fitting blazer can do a guy a huge favor! It can cover some issues and read ‘professional’ all in one quick glance.

I know the look sounds basic, but a great jacket and pants can be the sexiest thing when it's the right fit. And don't forget to make sure that the shirt underneath is tailored as well. When he takes the jacket off, the shoulders of the shirt shouldn't be oversized.

Since he is hoping to be a business owner and the shop is more casual, he will likely just be in a shirt and pants most of the time, so a dark chino and tucked-in shirt with a belt will never go out of style and it reads professional.

Wearing well-fitted clothes will make him look and feel better, which just may help him climb that corporate ladder!”

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Your Stylist: Casual, stylish, well-fitting menswear

-- Adam Tschorn

Photo: Steve Carell wears ill-fitting khakis and jacket as a pre-makeover Cal in Warner Bros. "Crazy, Stupid, Love." The movie's costume designer says fit is foremost for any man trying to climb the corporate ladder. Credit: Ben Glass / Warner Bros.

Your Stylist: Revving up your spring wardrobe with '50s inspiration

Prada's Spring 2012 collection was not only eye-catching, with its 1950s automobile-inspired prints and flames shooting out from the back of shoes to look like a mint-condition car on the go, the line echoed a retro aesthetic common in Southern California. As fashion critic Booth Moore says in her review of the line, there's a distinct feeling of the SoCal Kustom Kulture, which draws hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts to car shows and car clubs from L.A to San Diego.

The collection put a fresh spin on a retro theme. Incorporating the look into your spring wardrobe doesn't have to mean buying the Prada fire flame car shoes (though if those fall into your budget, then by all means wear them and bask in all the envious glances they'll get). I love the all-American look of this Joie Eloisa car sweater.

It can go preppy if worn with a crisp white collared shirt underneath or fun and '50s if worn with a fitted pencil skirt and kitten heels or the polka dot denim that's so hot this season -- Current/Elliott makes a cute green and white pair of polka dot skinny jeans and G Star does the abbreviated version, seen in their polka dot short shorts.

Cat eye sunglasses always bring that '50s vibe to any outfit. I love the rich red shade of this Givenchy pair. The cat eye shape in unexpected hues feels right this season and punctuates easy spring basics with a pop of color.

This Pinky Lee "Deluxe" clutch is done in a sparkly red vinyl to echo the interior and seat of a '50s style car. It adds that quirky touch to a streamlined look of cropped capris, ballet flats and a tailored button down shirt -- ponytail optional.

--Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos:

Top - A model in Prada Spring/Summer 2012 women's collection during Milan Fashion Week Sept. 22, 2011. REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini

Left - Joie Eloisa car sweater, $298, at www.joie.com

Right - Prada car shoe/Prada

Below - G Star polka dot denim shorts at G Star store Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills

Left - Givenchy sunglasses, $350, at www.barneys.com

Bottom right - Pinky Lee Deluxe Red Sparkle Handbag, $140, at www.uniquevintage.com

 

 

 

 

Your Stylist: Fresh ways to wear coral lipstick this spring

Spring clothing is all about juicy, neon color and punctuating the look with a pop of coral lipstick seems to be the way fashion-conscious girls are balancing their brights.

But coral lips can be intimidating. The color falls out of the classic red zone and is much louder than a pinky-brown neutral. For some, the very thought conjures up images of overtan grannies with pasty coral-pink pouts. But it’s pretty easy to make the orangey-pink hue look fresh.

Celebrity makeup artist Jenn Streicher, whose clients include Emily Blunt, Claire Danes and Jamie King, breaks down how to successfully rock coral this season without looking outdated or straight from the '80s.

“Coral looks so good on tanned skin,” says the makeup artist, who painted Blunt's lips a pinkish-coral color (Tom Ford Flamingo, $48 at neimanmarcus.com) for this year’s SAG awards. “The color just feels like spring and summer.”

She recommends swiping on some bronzer with a coral lip, to warm up the skin and so the overall look is fresh and beachy. 

Streicher swears that coral really looks good on everyone, it just depends on the shade. If you have fair skin like Blunt, opt for a coral with pink undertones. The result isn’t so drastic as a shade with more orange. Tom Ford’s Flamingo, Nars’ Coralisque Velvet Gloss lip pencil (out in April) and Sephora’s Rouge Cream lip color in Jealous ($12 at sephora.com) all complement a lighter complexion.

For medium to darker skin tones, a little more orange is key. Streicher recommends Vegas Volt from MAC ($17.50 at maccosmetics.com) and True Coral from Tom Ford ($48 at neimanmarcus.com). A shade called Star Coral from Aveda ($18 at aveda.com and Aveda salons) is also great on darker skin because of its warm, brown undertones.

For a daytime look, coral-colored gloss is a no-brainer (Streicher suggests mixing a little bright coral lipstick with coral gloss to pump up the color of the gloss -- a gradual way to go from a sheer wash to statement mouth. To really make a statement, paint on a brighter shade (like Vegas Volt). Streicher isn’t a huge fan of using lip liner with the color because it can age the wearer and look a little too heavy.

Her other big no-no when it comes to wearing coral lips is iridescent or shimmery shades. “Stick with a matte or cream,” she says. “Shimmery formulas will start to look like your grandma’s coral.”

Nothing against Grandma, but this spring, it’s all about non-shimmery pops of coral that work like an accessory to spring’s bold, bright clothing.

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--Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Top: MAC Vegas Volt. Credit: MAC; Top left: Tom Ford Flamingo. Credit: Neiman Marcus; Top right: Tom Ford True Coral. Credit: Neiman Marcus; Bottom right: Sephora Cream Rouge in Jealous. Credit: Sephora; Bottom left: Aveda Star Coral Nourish-Mint lipstick. Credit: Aveda.

Your Stylist: Spring’s sporty surf style

There's more than just a glimmer of Southern California's sporty beach, surf-inspired aesthetic coming from designers for spring. Plenty of pieces seen on the runways, as well as what's trickling into retailers now, bring to mind '80s Maui and Sons and Body Glove, combined with the street-wise edge of Vision Streetwear and Powell Peralta. It's as if the gritty, sandy surf-and-skate scene of L.A was translated by designers such as Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Rag & Bone and Lisa Marie Fernandez and worked into their collections.

So for L.A residents and, really, people all over the world who grew up during the '80s and '90s wearing bright, beachy pieces created in Southern California, it won't be hard to digest the vivid highlighter colors, athletic piping and racer back-cut tops that will be popping up everywhere.

Lim, an Orange County native, has tapped into his youth, turning out sporty pieces in sherbet colors. There's a '70s athletic cut to the silk shorts and pants he's known for, and plenty of breezy tank tops perfect for layering under a cream blazer.

Rag & Bone designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville were also inspired by '70s surf style, and their splashy printed leggings and aquatic-hued clothes are hitting stores now. 

Wang put his signature grungy spin on sporty silhouettes, which are feminized with rosy floral prints. Some mesh items have a particularly skate-like appeal, not surprising because the designer has tapped the skater image in the past.

And Fernandez, a swimwear designer known for vivid color and sexy, body-conscious pieces, collaborated with Britain-based designer Peter Pilotto on a spring collection of bikinis, high-neck one-piece swimsuits and strapless, skin-tight dresses -- all reminiscent of a wetsuit.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Upper photos: From left, looks from the 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang and Rag & Bone spring-summer 2012 runways, Credit: Yannis Vlamos / GoRunway.com

Center photo: Lisa Marie Fernandez for Peter Pilotto, Lisa Marie Maillot in Wing, $435 at www.netaporter.com. Credit: Lisa Marie Fernandez

Lower left photo: Rag & Bone "Surf" dress, $995 at www.shopbop.com. Credit: shopbop.com

Lower right photo: Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony T-shirt, $78 at www.shopbop.com. Credit: shopbop.com

Your Stylist: Denim goes bold, bright, floral

For fall, we saw denim festooned with wild prints such as leopard, cheetah and snake-skin patterns. Now, the trend is exploding for spring, with colors and patterns that are bigger, bolder and brighter.  

Denim companies don’t seem to be wasting their time with subtleties. Just look at the tropical print  jeans called "Another day in paradise" ($250 at Curve) that L.A.-based Mother Denim is doing. They're like the feminine, sleek and modern equivalent of a Hawaiian print shirt, and certainly not for the understated dresser. These jeans would look best with a simple, solid, worn T-shirt in gray or black, flip-flops and very natural hair and makeup, rather than trying to dress them up in way that was more possible with last season’s printed pants.

Mother is also doing cherry print jeans ($230 at Curve) with pops of fuchsia and orange cherries against black denim. They have a retro vibe that would appeal to Katy Perry wannabes.

Goldsign has a pair of pastel-colored tropical floral print jeans ($224 at Ron Herman, Melrose) that feel very "Dirty Dancing," especially if paired with a cropped eyelet top and a pair of classic Keds.  

Current Elliott, the brand responsible for many of the animal-print pants we saw for fall, is moving into polka dots ($218 at shopbop.com), dusty florals ($198 at Ron Herman) and '80s-inspired neon leopard ($248 at Bloomingdales) for the warmer months.

The styles are certainly splashy and perfect for breezy tank tops, or even paired with a bikini top at the beach.

For anyone who likes the trend in theory but can't picture themselves in anything too eye popping, Current Elliott and J Brand ($229 at www.jbrandjeans.com) have some plaid skinny silhouettes done in darker-toned plaids and checks that still deliver printed denim, but in a much more subdued and easier-to-wear way.

Regardless, when it comes to spring denim, we're bound to see boring blue replaced with plenty of prints -- bold, bright and in your face.

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-- Melissa Magsaysay

Upper photos: Mother Denim's "Another day in paradise" and cherry print jeans. Credit: Mother Denim

Middle left photo: Current Elliott Red Rose jeans. Credit: Current Elliott

Middle right photo: Goldsign's pastel, tropical flower print pants. Credit: Goldsign

Lower left photo: Current Elliott green polka-dot jeans. Credit: Current Elliott

Lower right photo: J Brand houndstooth jeans. Credit: J Brand

Your Stylist: Products to help style men's hair

Men may not have the same endless stream of hair products marketed and available to them as women do, but for many guys, the pool of pomades, hair wax and light-hold gel can be overwhelming.

“Most guys are very set in the way they think they look good,” says celebrity groomer Kim Verbeck, who counts Ryan Gosling, Justin Timberlake and John Hamm as longtime clients. “They’re not as willing as women to experiment or trust a new look.”

So, unless you follow the same grooming routine as the guys in the cast of “Jersey Shore,” hair products may be a foreign subject. Here, we break it down to the basics, with recommenations on what works best for different types of hair.

All types
Angel Gonzales, master barber at the Art of Shaving in Beverly Hills, says basic light-hold hair gel is the one product that works on all hair types. He recommends the Art of Shaving’s bergamot hair gel ($20), for its light and moldable hold. He advises looking for a gel without alcohol or sulfates, since those ingredients are drying and can cause flaking and dandruff.

Verbeck’s favorite product for all types of hair is Sebastian’s Microweb fiber ($19.95, find stores at Sebastian's website), something she is never without while on a photo shoot set or prepping a star for the red carpet. “It’s good for putting texture and separation in the hair,” she says of the product. “I’d use this for most hair styles as well as for the guy who’s a novice when it comes to doing his hair. It’s a product that you don’t have to fight, it just works with the hair and makes you look like you have natural, cool hair.”

Thin hair
“The most important thing with thin hair is finding the right product,” Verbeck says. For clients with thin, flat hair, she uses Shape Paste from Shu Uemura Art of Hair ($38), because it gives hair a workable hold and adds volume without weighing it down. She advises starting with a small amount and building up if needed. Fine hair can easily look weighed down with too much product.

Verbeck also recommends using dry shampoo to plump up thin or thinning hair. Bumble and Bumble and Klorane are brands she uses on clients.

Curly hair
When it comes to curly hair, Verbeck says that the most important thing is to add moisture, which, somewhat counterintuitively, can help prevent unwanted frizz. “You want to give the hair a little definition, but soften it so the curl can work itself out,” she says. “Putting moisture into the hair helps settle it down.” She likes Bumble and Bumble Grooming Cream ($27) because it conditions as well as helps to define the curl.

Dry hair or scalp
Verbeck begins every styling session by prepping the hair with Bumble and Bumble Tonic spray ($20) to condition and freshen hair before coiffing. She adds that besides being great on hair, it works to condition the scalp, which is a good thing for guys who tend to skip the conditioner in the shower and suffer from occasional flakiness.

Thick hair
When faced with a head of thick hair that just won’t cooperate, Verbeck turns to a product called Osmo Essence clay wax ($20). “It’s got a strong hold and matte finish that gives hair a very textured, dirtied-up quality,” she says. “I use it a lot when I have someone’s hair that won’t do what I need it to. It’s great for thick hair.”

For everyone
No matter what hair type or styling skills a guy has, Verbeck adds that there’s one thing everyone should watch out for. “It drives me crazy when guys only put product in the front of their hair,” she says. “Your whole head should have an even amount of product, not just the front. Work the product into your hands, let it heat up and first run it into the sides of the head, the back, then the front. Effortless hair happens when you don’t see one spot of product.”

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--Melissa Magsaysay

Photos:

Top, left, Art of Shaving hair gel, courtesy of Art of Shaving

Top, right, Sebastian Professionals Microweb Fiber, courtesy of Sebastian

Bottom, Osmo Clay Wax, courtesy of Osmo 

Your Stylist: Sonia Kashuk’s tips for an easy red carpet ready face

The Golden Globes are this Sunday and whether you’re attending red carpet events this awards season or not, now feels like the right time to try a celeb-inspired yet simple beauty look.

Makeup artist and founder of Sonia Kashuk Beauty, Sonia Kashuk, knows about easy and affordable makeup and gave us a quick tutorial on how to get a simple red carpet glow.

“I love a cleaner, more natural face on the red carpet because it’s fresh, modern
and universally flattering,” says Kashuk, who along with her team of makeup artists will be giving beauty tips at pop-up makeover stations at select Target stores in L.A. this week.

“The most important aspect of any red carpet look is to get the skin looking the best it can before any makeup application,” says Kashuk. “Start by exfoliating the face.” She personally recommends StriVectin’s Instant Retexturizing Scrub ($29 at www.strivectin.com) and, for a hydrated sheen, applies Cindy Crawford’s Meaningful Beauty Glowing Serum ($32.99 at www.meaningfulbeauty.com) for gorgeous glowing skin.

Once skin is clean and moisturized, use a luminous foundation to achieve a dewy radiance rather than a matte finish, which can look flat and cakey especially under hot lights. To pull more light onto the face, Kashuk suggests dabbing a highlighter like her Super Sheer Shimmering highlighter ($9.99 at www.target.com) along the top of the cheekbones.

For a modern red carpet look, Kashuk focuses on a strong punch of color on the mouth, advising that the

rest of the face should be kept fairly simple and clean. Color on the eye should be subtle, using only a soft wash of neutral or delicate metallic color on the lid. For just a little oomph in the eye area, she recommends applying a few individual false lashes or going for maximum definition and added drama with her Full Glam Eyelashes ($5.19 - $9.99 at www.target.com).

To emphasize and flush out the cheekbones, apply a soft pink blush to the apples of the cheek in a circular motion, working your way back towards the hairline. Then, choose a bright red or pink lip color to make the face pop. “I personally love a matte red like my Velvety Matte Lip Crayon in Rosey Nude ($7.99 at www.target.com),” says Kashuk, adding that the trick with bold lip color is not to overly define the lip, which will look dated. Avoid this by using your fingertips to blur the lip line.  

Kashuk’s final red carpet must-have has nothing to do with the face, but works to get award-worthy hair. To prep hair, she likes Oribe Hair Care Volumista & Dry Texturizing Spray to create the volume and texture essential for creating a stunning style.

Kashuk will be giving Target customers beauty tips, makeovers and showcasing new product at the following locations:

Saturday, Jan. 14, noon – 6 p.m.

Target Store ~ Parking Lot

2705 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320

Sunday, Jan. 15, noon – 6 p.m.

Target Store ~ Parking Lot

1931 Campus Ave., Upland, CA 91784

--Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos: Top left: Sonia Kashuk Super Sheer Shimmering highlighter; Top right: StriVectin’s Instant Retexturizing Scrub/StriVectin; Bottom left: Sonia Kashuk Eye on Neutral Instructional Eye Palette $19.99 at www.target.com; Bottom right: Sonia Kashuk Velvety Matte Lip Crayon. Credit: Sonia Kashuk

Your Stylist: Tinted moisturizers put to the test

When it comes to trying to achieve a flawless face, the basic makeup items like foundation, concealer and powder come to mind. But a tinted moisturizer can act as a base for a sheer foundation or on its own for a lighter and less “made up" look.

Tinted moisturizers often have a more dewy finish than most foundations and sink into skin like a lotion, so they’re perfect for slathering on to get even, polished-looking skin without looking too “done.” They’re also a bit more foolproof than foundation. You can quickly slather them on with fingertips like you would a regular face lotion and there are fewer shades to deal with -- usually just light, medium and dark, to enhance skin’s natural color rather than creating a mask-like base.

We’ve tested some new tinted moisturizers on the market, plus some go-to formulas that seem to work for a variety of skin tones, to see what kind of coverage they have and if they’re really as moisturizing as they promise.

Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint with SPF 20, $38 at www.jouercosmetics.com. This Culver City-based cosmetics company’s luminizing moisture tint lives up to its name, leaving skin glowy and radiant with one quick application. Our tester has dry skin and found that with this formula, she  still needed a light layer of face lotion underneath in order to feel properly moisturized. But the finish of this tint is a bronze, beachy glow, perfect for perking up dull winter skin. It also has SPF 20 to protect against UVA and UVB rays and antioxidants like ginko biloba and ginseng extract.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint with SPF 15, $34 at www.uk.lizearle.com. The U.K.-based skin care guru with a cult beauty line released her first makeup product, the Sheer Skin Tint, this past September and like her other products, it’s made with all-natural ingredients like vitamin E, avocado and borage oil. The consistency here is thicker, like a foundation, but it’s still easy to apply and soaks right into skin. Our tester has dry skin and found this heavy and moisturizing enough to wear without an additional layer of lotion. The coverage is also thick enough that no extra concealer was needed to even out some discoloration around the eyes. For people with oily skin, this may be too heavy to wear on a hot summer day, but it certainly works in cooler, dryer weather, locking in moisture while giving full coverage. 

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Makeup-Less Chemical-Free SPF 30 Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer, $48 at www.sephora.com
The term “makeup-less” sums this product up perfectly, as it delivers very sheer coverage that would work for the person who really just wants minimal color and finish. Our tester has sensitive combination skin that is prone to breakouts and found that while most of her fine lines and wrinkles seemed to fade away under a layer of this tinted moisturizer, the coverage of dark spots and imperfections was so minimal that she applied two layers of the stuff and some powder. She claims she would be most comfortable wearing this running errands or around the house, but not when she needed to look more done or dressed up. The high SPF here is a bonus, which might make this best for outdoor activities when you just need a little coverage.

By Terry Hyaluronic Face Glow, $65 at www.barneys.com
Though this promises hydration, it didn’t deliver enough that it could be used without an additional lotion underneath. Our tester has combination skin, dry in some areas, oily in the T-zone, and found this to be a little drying. The finish was sheer and even, with a velvety look that provided enough coverage for a trip to the grocery store or the gym but not necessarily an evening event. She found the weight to be perfect for any season or weather.

Stila Sheer Color Tinted moisturizer SPF 20, $34 at www.stilacosmetics.com
This tinted moisturizer delivers on its promise of being a sheer formula, with a light feel that left our tester feeling like she wasn’t wearing anything at all. She found it adequate to wear for day to night, saying it was versatile enough to add another layer for more coverage later in the evening. Because her skin is dryer in the winter, she had to add a layer of lotion, but claims that for warmer spring and summer days, it would be fine worn alone.

 

 

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos, from top: Jouer Luminizing Moisture tint/Jouer; Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint/Liz Earle; Peter Thomas Roth Un-wrinkle Makeup-less Chemical free SPF 30 oil-free tinted moisturizer/Peter Thomas Roth; By Terry Hyaluronic glow/By Terry; Stila Sheer Color Tinted moisturizer/Stila Cosmetics.

Your Stylist: A beauty how-to on the kitten eye

Forget heavy, Cleopatra cat-eye makeup. It may be a sultry and exotic look but right now, it’s all about the kitten eye.

But even though the tamer version of the beauty style requires less product and skill than the cat eye, working with liquid eyeliner in any capacity can be daunting.

I tapped celebrity makeup artist Kayleen McAdams, whose star clients include Rachel McAdams, Sofia Vergara, Felicity Jones and Mandy Moore, for some tips on how to achieve the '60s inspired flick called the kitten eye.

“A cat eye is a thicker line across the lid where a kitten eye is more about the little flick at the end, though it still works to define the eye,” says McAdams.

She starts by drawing a thin line across the top and flicking it out at the outer corner of the eye with an eyeliner pencil. MAC Cosmetics Eye Kohl pencils ($15 at www.maccosmetics.com) and Chanel Stylo Yeux waterproof pencil ($29 at www.chanel.com) are two of her favorites. The pencil provides a base for the gel or liquid liner to come, as well as creating a template to follow without the potential mess of liquid.

“By using pencil liner first, the liquid you put on top lasts longer and looks shinier. Plus there’s more leeway with a pencil and less to clean up if you make a mistake.”

The line should be thin and precise across the top and endwith a tiny upturned flick at the outer area of the eye. A good way to judge the angle of that flick is to envision an imaginary line from the end of your eyebrow (after filling them in, so you have an accurate end point) to the point of the flick. The two points should be more or less lined up. “There should be an imaginary line from the end of brow to the corner of the eye. It’s all about symmetry," she says.

Once the pencil liner is in place, the gel or liquid comes next. McAdams likes Bobbi Brown gel liner ($21 at Nordstrom), which she warns is for the more skilled makeup user since it requires controlling a small brush, or the Script from Hourglass Cosmetics ($32 at www.hourglasscosmetics.com), which has a very fine tip that’s easy to control and build up product should you want to make the line thicker or darker.

Simply trace back over the pencil liner with the gel or liquid for a more precise and shiny finish. The result should be subtle with a quirky ’60s appeal.

“I did this look recently on Felicity Jones and used just a little shimmery peach eye shadow on the lid just to create a little definition,” she says.

McAdams also recommends placing a few individual lashes at the outer corner of the eye to emphasize the kitten eye or even using a festive color like sparkly purple or emerald green liquid eyeliner for a fun holiday look.

-- Melissa Magsaysay

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Photos, from top:  Beauty look from Dolce and Gabbana SS/2012/ Luca Cannonieri / Michele Morosi for GoRunway.com

Chanel waterproof eyeliner/Chanel; Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner/Bobbi Brown; Hourglass Cosmetics the Script liquid eyeliner pen/Hourglass cosmetics

Your Stylist: Best in brass jewelry

With the price of gold hovering at $1,700 an ounce, it’s no wonder there’s been a surge in brass accessories. Kelly Wearstler’s new West Hollywood store has a particularly large amount of brass. The interior designer with a fashion label has done the store’s awnings, objects, accessories and even a back scratcher in the material, saying that she loves working with the metal for its aged-looking patina and warm tone.

“Brass is a good, inexpensive alternative to gold,” says gemologist Larry Platt, co-owner of Platt Jewelry Boutique in West Hollywood. “People would typically use sterling silver if they’re trying to cut costs, but everyone has been so into the look of yellow gold lately, and brass has a warm, gold tone to it.” He adds that for the first time in many years, the price of yellow gold has surpassed even the price of platinum, which is about $1,500 an ounce. “People are much shyer about buying gold right now. Even those who can afford it are hesitant because prices are double what they were three years ago.”   

Brass works for strong statement pieces like chunky cuffs and thick hoop earrings. Wearstler has an array of brass pieces, some with a perforated circle motif and cuffs topped with natural agate stones set with thick prongs ($445 at www.kellywearstler.com). The combination of stone and brass in the bracelet feels earthy, not precious, and the bracelet is as easy to wear with a casual button-down shirt and jeans as it is with a dress and heels.

Also making a statement are the croc cast cuffs of reclaimed brass from Raven Kauffman ($195 at www.ravenkauffman.com). They’ve got tons of texture and you can see all the detail and deep crevices because of the tone the brass takes on. I love wearing one of these on each wrist. Since they’re not shiny, the look is much more chic than superhero.

On the lighter side are the brass pieces by A.L.C. The screw top tennis bracelet ($395 at www.barneys.com) has a dainty feel even though it’s done in a tough metal. It can be worn alone or would look great with silver and gold bangles. And the brass handcuff huggie earrings ($275 at www.barneys.com) are a good size to wear everyday and bring a nice pop of gold color to an outfit.

Kora jewelry has this gorgeous brass necklace ($245 at www.koradesigns.com) with horseshoe-like shapes hanging on a long chain. Even though it’s fairly simple, the shapes are bold enough to make this a cool stand-alone piece.

And for those who want to wear their brass in a more unexpected way, Monika Chiang is doing these sleek wedge sandals ($545 at www.monikachiang.com) and a flat version ($395 at www.monikachiang.com), with a brass ankle cuff. The ring of brass is like built-in jewelry.

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-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: Top left: Kelly Wearstler brass and agate cuff; credit: Kelly Wearstler. Top right: Raven Kauffman reclaimed brass cast croc cuff; credit: Raven Kauffman. Center left: A.L.C screw top tennis bracelet; credit: A.L.C. Center right: A.L.C handcuff huggie earrings; credit: A.L.C. Bottom right: Kora necklace; credit: Kora. Bottom left: Monika Chiang Athena platform sandal; credit: Monika Chiang