Reviving the 80's

I know what some of you are thinking... you were glad to see the eighties go out with teased bangs and, shoulder pads. But I couldn't be happier to see the era getting a much needed revival. I am a child of the eighties, from dreadful music videos, to the now popular A list actors that were staring in C rated after school movie specials. However, this time around I am going to give you some classified fashion 411 on how to adopt the best of the eighties and leave the fingerless lace gloves at the door.


The eighties featured a few distinctive looks. The first being the softer, peasant, romantic side of the era. These were the women who were still hanging on to the late 70's garb. Such as flowing puff sleeves, blouses with muted floral prints, and loose fitting attire. Just like in the eighties these trends too shall vanish and make way for another recycled era of fashion. What I tell my clients about purchasing "trend" fashions is, try not to spend too much money on these disposable trend pieces, concentrate your finances on building your classic wardrobe. However in order to keep your look updated and fun, spend a few dollars on pieces that are discardable yet fun. Such as, above we have a new rendition of those "free flowing" inspired frocks. Forever21's, rose hips floral button front top. It has a banded waist and petite cap sleeves with those muted neutral colors we all love and recognize. Is soft and feminine and totally reeks of the eighties. Only $18.90
In addition to the delicate sweet side of my beloved childhood memories, there were also the much noted fashion blunders Grunge was its name. This is what the late eighties to mid ninety's were most know for. (Thank you My So Called Life). Plaid flannel shirts with ripped jeans and studded wallet chains. Androgen was a huge look for women. We were wearing our boyfriends over sized flannel shirts and rolling up the sleeves, not very fem but hey we were rebelling.
Here we have a more favorable and complimentary variation on that style. Forever21's Plaid top with waist tie and rolled 3/4 sleeves. This rather large print picnic table pattern, is known as Buffalo Plaid, and you will be seeing many variations of it for the next few seasons. So for only $17.80 you too can rock on my fellow grungers, Rock On!

I have a deep passion for two things when it comes to fashion. The first being foot wear, and the second, denim, denim, denim. Both are crucial to building a strong statement making wardrobe. However denim can tend to get rather pricey for "designer" brand names. Joe's Jeans and 7 Seven for all man kind can run anywhere from $90 and up. I enjoy spending money on great denim as much as the next fashionista but COME ON NOW.

Above are some fantastically retro 80's inspired, destroyed, cuffed jeans from Abercrombie & Fitch $180. Personally, too pricey for my Style Savvy blood so, below and to the right is a more cost efficient pair of slightly destroyed stone washed jeans from JCPenny for a whopping $24.99. Just roll a cuff and you are back listening to Madonna on your Walkman in an instant. To the left, the darker washed skinny jeans are from American Eagle for a stellar $29.95. Click below to purchase both.

TIP: skinny jeans,(any wash,style or color), the "boyfriend jean" featured above which is looser and more relaxed, stone washed, high waited,destroyed, destroyed shorts and faded jeans are all in this season.

TIP: Women over 30 shouldn't wear juniors size jeans, even if you are a petite little woman and wear a size 00-6, don't do it!! Juniors sizes typically are designed for juniors, I know its a crazy concept. The patterns vary dramatically from juniors to women's sizes. Around the upper thigh to the knee the pattern is thinner and tighter, exactly where women need to have a straighter longer line. From the knee to the hem, juniors patterns tend to be more flared creating a juvenile girly silhouette. If you are looking to eliminate that trashy booty crack flash, which in my opinion has no place in fashion, juniors sizes have lower waists and shorter zippers, women's sizes have higher waists. Choose wisely, and purchase your age ladies not your pant size.


Booties are all the rage this season, Ankle Booties that is. Look for; crushed weathered leather, cork heals, rounded toes, fold over and scrunched styles. Basically if you you wore them 20 years ago but you never thought to save them for a second go round, they are fabulous. Above are a pair of Natanya Ankle Boots $26.80 from forever21. LOVE EM!!!!! Everyone can wear these weather your style is relaxed and casual to street chic and formal. Inexpensive and sharp, these will complete your super modern look when paired with any of the denim jeans featured above, as well as either blouse above. Ados also has a great selection of ankle booties, they tend to run about $65-$110 a pair.


Graphic printed tees are a marvelous and extremely inexpensive way to give your wardrobe a speedy face lift. Band tees are whats hot, hot, hot, right now. Especially bands from the 60, 70 and 80's such as; Led Zeplin, Hendrix, and The Clash, are among the plethora available basically any where t shirts are sold. So head out to your local mall or simply sit at your computer and order 5 to 6 cotton tees, and you are on your way to a currently 80's look.

Debbie Harry( The lead singer from Blondie) happens to be my idol. Not onlyis she a proud pop icon representing the 1980, but a brilliant musician that defined women's rock and roll for generations to come. This cotton kick butt Blondie graphic band tee shirt is a mere $15.80 at my favorite disposable fashion store forever21. Another few sites for tees are;

delias.com - 80tees.com- urbanoutfitters.com -pacificsunwear.com

The proper way to wear an 80's graphic cotton tee is to pair it with your favorite jeans what ever the style, length, color, design, or wash and throw on a pair of scrunchy leather ankle booties and a well tailored, structured blazer. This look is for women of all age. It's youthful and fun yet still maintains a sense of sophistication and put together-ness. Below is a great juniors cotton blend blazer from Kohls. This is not a case of age discrimination ladies, any woman of any age can wear a juniors blazer, just as long as the lines are sleek and well tailored. I recommend a belted blazer to ALL of my clients. Available at Kohls for $22. Other places for fab blazers; anntaylor.com - spiegal.com -chicos.com -jcrew.com

TIP: Every body shape is benefited by a belted blazer. Reason being, it creates a waist where one may not occur naturally, or simply defines those marvelous curves that have been secretly hiding throughout your day. The structured shoulders, smart collar and princess lines give a very well put together and polished visual, perfect for adding a bit of class to an other wise casual outfit.

TIP: The point of fashion is to have fun and express yourself what ever your mood. On Monday you may wake up late, stub your toe on the bed and spill your coffee all before 8am. So in order to express your angst and rebellion against your own stupidity, you can wear a pair of edgy, punk rock heals with your traditional jacket and pant suit set to the office. Show the world how you feel, it can really put a clever spin on your bad day.


Save this one in your favorites ladies. This is the perfect gift for any of your girlfriends. It's a modern and quite chic spin on the 80 & 90 fanny pack. This marvelous remake of an oldie but goodie, consists of a gold chain linked belt with a dainty coin purse. Its campy and sweet and when filled with any deliciously retro jewelry, it will make a truly unique and statement making fashionable gift. Wear this snazzy number out for the evening and go hands free, no clutch for me!!! a whopping $34 at urban outfitters.

Accessories have the ability to make or break an otherwise bland outfit. I know we all can relate to this scenario; Its wash day and all you have is a pair of jeans and a tank top that's clean, or semi- clean. Throw on a sexy heal and a straw retro inspired Fedora and that simple ensemble is now a cutting edge head turner. $34 UrbanOutfitter.com


Take a look at a few more flashback 80's accessories you can use to spice up your existing wardrobe no matter what style you currently have.

Urban Outfitters- Urban Outfitters- Forever21
Bird and Eiffel Tower Scarf- Painted Aviators- Zebra evening clutch




Urban Outfitters Bangle

Smoakin Eyes

What you will need: -Self confidence and the desire to try something new.

TIP:-Break free from black! Obvious,heavy,jet black eyes are dated ladies. Coordinated delicate eye color is here to stay. There are many cosmetic companies creating color infused mascaras, liners and shadows with flecks of gold, or rich jeweled tones that enhance your natural eye color. So kick Barbi's lashes to the curb and adopt a softer more naturally radiant you.

Mascara:

Begin to experiment with a range of deep jewel toned colored mascaras. Normally I wear Loreal Bare Naturale Mascara in Brown Black. Its tremendously soft and sexy with out being, BAM in your face obviously altered. Priced at $9.95. However about two weeks ago I tried Almay Intense i-Color Lengthening Mascara in blue sapphire. The formula is weightless and will not get crusty and flaky at any point during your day. Its a rich, deep blue color that really brings out my natural baby blues. I have gladly adopted it into my every day repertoire. Available at your local drug store for $5.95. A Style savvy Purchase!!

I blow Almay Intense i-Color Lengthening Mascara (in Blue Sapphire) 5 out of 5 kisses.

Eyeliners:

Congratulations ladies. Now that you have decided to toss the phony Pam Anderson look, you are free to experiment with a range of complimentary colored eyeliners. Lets steer clear of heavy raccoon eyes please, and head toward soft navy blues, emerald greens, rich earthy browns and plumb purples. I am enamored with cream eye liners. I adore this clever little jar of whipped goodness. If you are looking for decedent color that you can layer, smudge and blend to a daring deep smoky eye, HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner is most certainly for you. However here is a small Warning: If you are a novice at applying eyeliners you might not want to start with a cream. They tend to be very unforgiving and hard to control. Once you make a mistake it can take a turn for the worst from there on out and attempting to correct a mistake can get messy. Available at your local drug store for $12.

TIP:-When applying any eye liner keep your elbows on the counter top to steady your hands

I blow HiP Cream Eyeliner 4out of 5 rich kisses!

Eyeshadow:

When it comes to eye shadows the options are seemingly endless. I know how over whelming it can seem, so Ill give you some gentle direction. If you are looking to spend some money and get professional results try Smashbox eye shadows. They are super brilliant and multi-dimensional. However the down side is the cost, $16 for one and $26 for the trio.

Sephoras' Site

So I will suggest a simple alternative for a flawless smoky eye, at one quarter of the cost. When you go to your local Target and pick up your Almay Intense i-Color Lengthening Mascara, you will also pick up Almay Intense i- Color Eye Shadow Trio. The best part about Almay is they have already coordinated all of their mascaras, liners and shadows for your eye color. You wont even have to think about it. It comes with three complementary shades that bring out your naturally gorgeous eye color. Brown eyes get soft plumbs and blues, blues get hearty browns and blue based grays, green eyes get peaches and neutrals. No mixing and matching necessary, no wondering if you have picked the right color for your eyes. Available at your local drug store for $6.99.

I blow Almay Intense i-Color Shadow 3 out of 5 kisses.

TIPS:

-Do not use the small applicator "sponge brush" that come with any eyeshadow, they will never give you the look that you are going for. Spring for the $2 drugstore brand eyeshadow brush,its critical to a successful smoky eye.

-Try mixing and matching perle and matte shadows for some depth and pop. Use the perle shadow under the brow bone and into the corner of your eye closest to the nose, to lift and brighten the eye. This illuminates tired “ I was up way too late having cocktails” eyes.

-To avoid any loose eyeshadow powder from falling on to your cheeks, apply a heavy layer of facial powder under the eyes, simply dust off the extra after you are finished, Flawless!

-I don't care for cover girl shadows, they tend to crease and wear thin. Before you know it you look like you have been blinking profusely for hours. Not Cute!!!

-Remember to keep lips nude when wearing a smoky eye, over doing it can really put a damper on your evening if you end up looking like a clown.

-Tape a photo of what you want your eyes to look like on the bathroom mirror while you are applying your makeup, so you can compare and correct.

- For a balanced look, when you choose a warm lip shade, pair it with warm eyes and cheeks; when wearing a cool lip shade, try a cool eye and cheek.

Lets Get Smoakin' :7 Steps to a Easy Sexy Eye!

Prep the Lid:

The key to keeping eyeshadow from creasing as the day goes on, is to keep the eyelids oil-free. So remember not to put any lotions or wrinkle cremes on your lids during your morning routine. To do this start with an eyeshadow base (also called “primer”). Use a nude matte finish powder, or a heavy dusting of face powder. This will eliminate oils.

1-Apply Eyeliner:

Start with the top lids and then the bottom. Create a heavyr line on the top lashes all the way from corner to corner. Stretch your eyelid lightly with your fingers and draw from the inside-outward. For a cat like look, wing the liner out a bit past the natural lash line with a slight curve up ward. This gives the eye an open yet sultry look. If its not looking the way you want, wipe it off with a q-tip and try again, no shame in starting over, I do it all the time.

2-Smudge: (Blend the Liner )

The key to achieving a genuine smoakin' look is to SMUDGE. Using your finger tip, a Q-Tip, blending brush, or cosmetic sponge, just get the job done! Please be sure to thoroughly blend the bottom liner until you can not see a distinctive line any longer remember we are going for a more natural look now. Leave the top liner for later .

3-Apply a Light Base Color :

Sweep a light shimmery pearl shadow over the lids to your brow bone. This will create an even sexy base for the darker shades to compliment. Look for neutral's mauve's, creme's, taupe's and brown tones.

4-Apply Darker Color to Eye Crease:

This is where women get flustered and give up. Before you put any dark shadow on your eye, first blend it on your hand using your shadow brush.This will get the surplus powder off. Now, start at the outside top lash line. Blink a few times to see exactly where the crease in your eye lid is. Apply the dark shadow to the outside corner( where it should be the darkest) and with short light strokes sweep the shadow in toward the nose corner of your eye. Stay in the crease. Now that its lined blend again with short strokes, upward towards the bone.

5-Apply Darker Color to Upper Lash line:

Directly over the previous line of eye liner, sweep the dark colored shadow you just used in the eye crease. Again using the shadow brush, use short strokes and blend the shadow in. For a deeper look, wet the shadow brush with a touch of water. Eye shadows can make some of the best eyeliners.

6-Apply Mascara:

Roll the mascara brush from the bottom of the lash line to the tip of your luscious lashes. Apply it first to the top lashes, double dip, and do it again. Make sure they are all evenly covered. Wipe the brush off and lightly apply to the bottom lashes. These little pretties should always be softer and less defined, remember we aren't attempting to look like dolls any longer.

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