What Do I Wear to the Wedding: Mothers of Brides and Grooms Edition

Almost every day in Nordstrom's Special Occasion Dresses department I see a frantic, middle-aged woman who looks completely miserable, pawing through our racks or frozen in the middle of the sales floor by trepidation. I have come to recognize, on sight, these clients as our mothers of brides and grooms, most of whom haven't the first clue what to wear to their child's wedding, or where to begin. So many factors to consider when choosing the right dress! Of course, she wants to make sure she's not too ostentatious or colorful and that she won't clash or stick out in photos, because it's her child's day and she doesn't want to seem competitive towards her soon-to-be child-in-law's mother, or as though she's trying to look too young.

Usually our conversation begins with something like, "well, the bride is going to be in ivory lace, and the bridesmaids are going to be in taupe taffeta and her colors are slate, burnt orange and fuchsia, so..." And then of course outlining the specifications of the dress determined by the mother's real or imagined bodily, skin tone and bone structure flaws. All of which must be listed and stressed. And we must attend to the rules, such as matching the other child's mother. Or not matching her. And not wearing white. But maybe ivory is ok. And only tea-length with sleeves is acceptable. By the time the mother has rattled off her entire ream of information, all of which seems to be one antiquated fashion commandment or other, she's usually out of breath and chagrined at the force of her verbal dump. This is where I step in, look her in the eyes and say, "the rules are dead, baby".

Sorry to hit you with that tough reality. But the rules are dead, and that's a good thing. What was once proper mother-of-the-bride attire is now being worn by grandmothers-of-the-bride, for one. It's now ok to wear black to weddings because it's considered elegant, no longer funereal. Let me provide you with suggestions for managing the stress of finding a great outfit for your child's wedding. You want to look your best, but in an understated, elegant way. You hope to fit in perfectly with the tone of the wedding, and naturally want to look as good as, if not a touch better than, your child's fiance(e)'s mother. That last part is between us, I'll never tell. The best things you can do to stay sane and find something lovely are stepping back and looking at the big picture, getting yourself great shapewear (and wearing it while shopping) and being open to suggestion.

The big picture has nothing to do with the color of the bride's flowers, the groomsmens' ties or the centerpieces. Information critical to choosing a dress is about the wedding itself. Period.* Answer these questions: where is the wedding? when is the wedding? what time of day will the wedding be held? Thinking about dress choice from a seasonal and time of day perspective will help you narrow your focus. So will knowing the dress code. Some quick guidelines (which are not to be confused with hard-and-fast rules): morning or afternoon weddings tend to call for lighter, brighter colors and fabrics. Think prints, linen and flow-y silhouettes. Perfect for outdoor weddings. And spring and summer weddings. Fall and winter weddings, indoor weddings and evening weddings are about richer colors and more substantial fabrics. Black tie (where men are in tuxedos) typically mean floor-length gowns for women, though short dresses can become black tie with the right shoes and accessories (we can discuss these finer points in a later post, or email me). Example: for a formal evening wedding in Seattle in October, I would choose fabrics such as lace, matte jersey and brocade in colors like navy, black, eggplant or royal. Definitely some type of warm wrap, like a pashmina. And no sandals. Too casual and summery. Peeptoe pumps for sure.

Most department stores carry a wide array of the new and improved, highly advanced and miracle-working shapewear. It's all lightweight and comfortable, and comes in a wide variety of different shapes, styles and tensile intensities. Go grab the Spanx bodysuit that comes up to just under the bust, and down to mid-thigh like bike shorts. Wear it shopping. You will like what you see much better, and you will feel far more comfortable in most dresses. The key information during try-on isn't about what parts of your body you're least happy with and how you're going to hide them. You're your own worst critic, and you will always see any real or imagined "flaws" (if you must) magnified about a zillion times greater than what the general public and your family sees. I have two key pieces of advice for dealing with the mirror, step back four feet and never look at the side view. We all stand far too close to the mirror to have a realistic impression of what the world sees. No one stands as close to us as we do to a mirror, and anyone who does loves us totally. And no one looks good in profile, really. It's just not a flattering angle, so forget it. Focus on three major components of the event: eating, dancing, hugging. Do you feel you'll be able to do all three comfortably in the dress? Try a couple steps and give an air hug. If the dress feels good when you're moving around, it's a contender. Do you believe you'll have to starve yourself that day to feel the dress fits well? Then it's not the dress. The dress serves as an external decoration of the woman wearing it. It needs to work with her personality and attitude. Feeling comfortable and elegant are the goal for most women I've worked with.

Finally, try not to be rigid about what you're willing to try on. Don't assume that because you've not worn a particular style or fabric or color that you can't. You're probably wrong. More often than not, the dress I suggest that is immediately rejected as seeming to have zero potential on the hanger, where the mother must be cajoled into just TRYING it, ends up being the dress. Be open to surprise at what looks good on you. Nothing makes your salesgirl feel more smug than you walking out with a smile on your face and a radiant glow because the right dress was that one you never would have picked out. Email me if you want further elaboration, or help with a search of your own: katethed@gmail.com


*This entire paragraph, and all subsequent are null and void if the bride has provided you with stiff directives about what to wear. It's her day, wear what she wants you to. It's the right thing to do, and isn't a commentary on your personal integrity.

New Ideas from a New Life

It's been a very long absence since I last posted. Something having to do with a plan to leave Seattle and move my life back down to sunny Phoenix seemed to derail what I was trying to accomplish here. Which was to attract readers interested in learning about how to work with makeup and use it to their advantage. I've since made said move to Phoenix and am off on something new and expanded from the "Bad Kitty" concept's original intent. I've fallen head-over-heels in love with fashion. And I want to help you learn to put an entire look together, from your face to your feet.

At the moment, Nordstrom at Scottsdale Fashion Square is the place I go five days a week to play with clothes, shoes and accessories. The women who come to my department are my real life Barbies (and yes, some do look the part, parts and all) with whom I play hours of dress-up and explore my talent for look creation, and self-image boosting. Things are coming together for me. I've come to the realization that my counseling psychology background plus eye for fashion are a perfect match. Because many women (most?) struggle with body-image issues, insecurity about aging, and a fixation on negative (real or imagined) physical attributes, I have a unique opportunity to connect with them on a level deeper than apparel choices. I'm doing the market research at Nordstrom, and working on some ideas for putting it all together into a career.

Stay tuned, as I plan to breathe new life into Bad Kitty and make it about more than faces. I hope you'll check back in with me and stay in touch!

Does This Make Sense to You? Yeah, Me Neither.

Great look; Help?

I'm going on the record: I hate pictorial and written step-by-step look diagrams. I can remember poring over Seventeen when I was a kiddo, trying to replicate the latest makeup trends. I had my Caboodle full of Bonne Bell, Wet N' Wild and Cover Girl all set up in front of the mirror. I'd get out my sponge tip applicators and try to follow the instructions...and fail miserably. I'd end up looking bruised or clownish. At first I thought I needed a better variety of color. So I took a special trip to the 99 Cent Store on the Ave in Seattle's University District to stock up. I found a palette of twenty-odd eyeshadows for 99 cents. Perfect! Now I was armed and ready to tackle the hot looks of 1992...and yet I failed again. Since I lived in Seattle where using Chapstick is considered full makeup, I had nowhere to turn for advice. My mom was up to her elbows in dirt, gardening in men's clothing most of the time. I doubt she had a clue where our local makeup counters were located. Did Seattle even have one in the minimalist early 90's? I was totally alone and adrift.

Um, what?

I became more and more frustrated. I didn't understand the terminology, the pictures were useless and there was no YouTube to turn to for live action guidance. I realize now it wasn't my fault. Check out both guides I've posted here. At no point is it clear how to hold the tools, what motions you should be using, how much product to use, nor where to actually place the product. The diagram at right suggests that if you hover various tools next to your eye, you will emerge with a perfectly blended and lined smoky eye. Right. And if you try following the above diagram I can almost guarantee you will end up with a raccoon-y wreck.

Let's get real. What works is to find an artist you trust and ask for a lesson. A good artist should be able to clearly explain step-by-step exactly how to do each part of any look. They should be able to break it down as simply as needed. When I do a lesson I have my client hold a hand mirror so they can watch what I'm doing as I explain. I talk about the tools (always high-quality brushes, people), how to hold them, how much product to use and how to move the brush to get the desired effect. Oftentimes I will do one eye and have the client do the other, so she can get comfortable with new techniques while being able to ask questions. How many times have you bought a bunch of new makeup because you thought it looked cool, or liked what an artist did on you at the counter, only to get it home and feel completely intimidated? Then you shoved it all in your makeup bag and never used it. You looked at it longingly, heaved a sigh and wished you were a different person. Hey, come over sometime and I'll help you figure out how to use all that shiny new stuff. You'll feel confident and polished and we can crumple up and recycle these useless diagrams.

Black Swan

You're so hot, Mila Kunis.

 This film has captured my imagination in so many ways! I saw it a couple of nights ago and can't get it off my mind. Not only was the acting intense and the story riveting, but it featured two uniquely beautiful young women. Both Mila and Natalie have extraordinary bone structure, which was played up well. I love Mila's darkly-lashed green eyes and olive skin. Natalie's nose and cheekbones are simply stunning. Each time the camera did a close-up of either woman I was taking notes in my head about how I could replicate their various looks.

Natalie Portman, my new crush.

The story is all about the interplay between our dark desires and our need for control in the guise of innocence. The makeup certainly reflected this. For most of the movie, Natalie had very soft makeup--bare skin, natural, subtle eye makeup. Her innocence and grace were apparent with the minimalist look the artists went for. Mila's eyes were rimmed with a smokey black, and the rest of her face was left fresh with a nude lip. The effect of the two women together was a juxtaposition between the wide-eyed innocent (Natalie) and the sexy experienced (Mila). I loved that the artists focused on highlighting the actors' lovely skin by not concealing or foundation-ing it into oblivion. It appeared that the artists used the actors' natural bone structure to bring out the characters' traits, instead of creating the characters with makeup.

With a couple of exceptions, of course! When the women were performing, they were in full stage and costume makeup. Natalie's black swan, pictured here, was exquisitely, intensely structured. I love the way her eyes are black wings, the contouring of her cheeks, the stark contrast of her feathery white skin. I have already booked a friend for a demo of this look and I can't wait. Forget peacocks, it's all about the black swan.

New Fun

Kelly representing her Florida Gators on gameday!

Trying a new technique--leopard spots on Tiff.

Hi friends! I've been busy doing my own makeup and getting caught up with holiday party planning and other things (like my day job). I have been doing some demos and lessons, on friends who want to try a new look, learn technique or have an event. It's a good thing I do my own makeup every day, because I think it's important to practice each day to stay fresh and inspired. I've posted some pictures of a few things I've done lately.


Kelly had been wanting to try something totally wild and different for a while. She's a University of Florida alum and bleeds orange and blue for her Gators. We decided to do an orange and blue eye for a gameday event she had last weekend. I took a creamsicle-orange shimmery pigment and washed it up to her brow (nice highlight!) and packed a hot metallic orange onto her lid, blending it into the crease. I took some orange-y bronze glitter and tapped it into the crease and used it to line her bottom lashes. I finished the look with electric blue liner all around the eye. She texted me from the bar to tell me a friend had said something along the lines of "WTF!" she was so surprised by Kelly's daring look.

I was asked to do a couple of theme looks for a photo shoot for a hairstyle book a few weekends ago. The stylist I was working with wanted a peacock colored eye and a snow leopard look. I had a great time creating interpretations of these concepts in advance of the shoot. I am terrible at drawing, and was a little intimidated by the leopard idea. I went to work with a q-tip (minus the cotton tip), black, silver and white eye shadows. I'm incredibly proud of how the spots turned out, especially with an improvised technique! I packed on a ton of silver shadow onto Tiff's lids, followed by a bright matte white as liner. I took the stick from the q-tip, tapped the end into the black shadow and drew circle after circle. I finished each "spot" with a dot of white shadow.

The best husband ever, Ryan, suggested I try out the peacock look on him when I was frustrated by the demo I had done on myself. We joke that if I make it big as an artist, he will quit lawyering to be my creative director. Although he has never done makeup himself, he has great vision and has helped me create looks and tweak them at times. He encouraged me to go big and bold with the colors, taking them all the way out to his temples like a mask. It's a shame the colors didn't photograph as vibrantly as they appeared. I used a matte deep purple at the center of the lid and made concentric circles of different colors outward. Next came peacock blue, muted gold and shimmery green--all the colors of a peacock feather!

Portfolio Shoot II

Erika. Photo by Jenn Tran.

Jame. Photo by Jenn Tran.

Lindsey. Photo by Jenn Tran.

Caitlin. Photo by Jenn Tran.

Paula. Photo by Jenn Tran.

Yesterday Jenn and I did a five hour session with a new group of women. Like the last session, it was a lot of fun with lively conversation. Most of the women weren't previously acquainted, but within minutes it felt like a girls' day with a bunch of friends. I spent about 30-45 minutes with each woman, working from notes I had taken in the days leading up to the shoot. I had done a lot of google image searches prior to look at celebs and period makeup, while jotting notes on which colors to use. When I finished a face, I turned her over to Jenn who was working in various places around my apartment. A favorite spot ended up being the wall of New Yorker covers in my front hallway. We had a run of ages between 23 and 34 (not that you could ever tell who's what age) and all women have remarkably lovely skin; it didn't take much to polish up their complexions. In some instances I used minimal color to simply highlight bone structure, focusing mainly on lips and skin. In others, I chose to dramatize the face in a way the owner wasn't accustomed to. A few ladies in this shoot rarely wear makeup, and I especially enjoyed their surprise and delight at seeing themselves in a new way. Capturing these looks for my portfolio would not have been possible without Jenn's incredible eye and use of light and surroundings. I am incredibly grateful to her for collaborating with me, and donating her talent to my fledgling business. My latest dream is for the two of us to be asked to make a book that features my makeup and her portraiture. Hey, it could happen!

Art Is A Lie That Makes Us Realize The Truth

The title is a quote by Pablo Picasso. I went down to the Seattle Art Museum with my dad today to look at the exhibit of his work. I noticed that high on the plain white walls above the work were quotes on art by the man himself. As I wandered through the galleries with my dad I thought about how incredible it is to be able to capture and display work that spans a person's career so that the progression and evolution of style can be traced. Picasso had a lot to say that he expressed through his striking paintings, drawings and sculpture. As I examined his faces I started to think about makeup (as I invariably do when looking at a face) and how it's like drawing and painting.

I thought about the title quote and how it could apply to all art forms, specifically makeup. It's a bold assertion and I wanted to understand what the man meant and whether it was a toss-off provocation or relevant. I've decided that in terms of makeup, this idea is applicable and actually fits nicely with my recent discovery of minimalism. It's like this: a woman has her makeup done to the max--full coverage foundation, powder and concealer. If it's done well she looks polished and pretty. It's an art form. But then you look at her in different lights and you start to see that she doesn't need that much coverage, that her natural skin is quite lovely without all the product. The art is a lie that tells her she needs to have perfectly matte, monochromatic skin. The truth is, you realize she can probably get away with a touch of concealer and a better moisturizer. It might be a stretch, but it was a fun mental exercise!

A small oil painting in greens, reds and yellows caught my eye at the very beginning of the exhibit. It was of one of Picasso's close friends, lying in a tomb with a single candle burning. You can see the gunshot wound to his head, and the description mentioned that Picasso's friend had committed suicide over heartbreak, which inspired the painting and plunged Picasso into his blue period. It was a very emotionally intense piece and my dad lightened the mood by saying, well, I bet you could conceal that wound with makeup no problem! We had just been talking about the possibilities of my makeup career and he mentioned working on cadavers for open-casket funerals. My dad's joke got us past the macabre and started me thinking about how the artist captures a face.

Picasso painted many pictures of women in both the abstract style he's famous for and realistically. His work is direct and interpretive. I looked at many of the pieces from the perspective of a makeup artist and was very impressed at the way he defined a woman's heavily-lidded eyes, or brightly highlighted a cheekbone and forehead. An advanced technique in makeup artistry is contouring--where you use different tones to shade and highlight areas of the face. Looking at Picasso's drawing studies especially inspired me to explore contouring more on my models. It's a different way of working on the face--a way of bringing out bone structure more than any color ever could. In order to master this technique I think you have to see the face the way a visual artist would, by examining the form in front of you, seeing the shadows, the light and the interplay of features.

Lash-tastic!

Recently people have been asking me how to use mascara to its maximum potential. People have been asking about which brands are best, to curl or not to curl, are lash extensions necessary, what about prescription Latisse? If you've been following along, you might have anticipated that to all of these questions I answer "the key is good technique". Personally, I don't believe in using harsh chemicals around the eyes (the safety info on Latisse says it can permanently change your eye color). I wouldn't want to make any permanent or semi-permanent changes to my lashes, it's too limiting. Penelope Cruz (above) is celebrated for her lashes. They are pretty much perfect--thick, dark, long. I do think she is wearing falsies in this picture, however. Let's discuss how you can max out your lashes, no matter your hair texture, length or fullness.

My lashes, in their natural state, are fine, sparse and stick straight out, which means you can't see them. I've been exploring mascara techniques of late, which all started when I left my eyelash curler at a friend's house. I panicked and thought I'd better go pick it up before I had a major beauty emergency on my hands. I had been using a curler since high school and not a day went by that I didn't squeeze my lashes between it. My old routine was curl at the roots, curl at mid-lash and apply many, many fast coats of mascara to each eye. Once I was without the curler, I needed to improvise. I started at the root of my lashes and slowly moved the mascara brush up to the tips while gently wiggling it back and forth. The technique is to pull the lashes up from the root using the brush. I use a stroke that pulls the lashes closer to the inner corner of my eye, so when I reach the tips, the brush is hovering above the bridge of my nose. The secret is to do this slowly, because that deposits a nice coat of color on the lashes while curling them.

The other day at work I saw a visitor applying her mascara in the bathroom. I couldn't help but watch as she pumped the brush up and down in the mascara barrel (don't do this, it pushes air into the product and dries it out; swirl the wand instead). She then touched the wand to her lashes while blinking rapidly. The effect was minimal--it was as though she hadn't used any product at all, and not in a good way. When our eyes met in the mirror I said to her, "try using a slow, back and forth motion." She did and it made a nice difference. Dislclaimer: I swear I'm not the kind of artist who stalks people in public restrooms just waiting to pounce with helpful (if unsolicited) tips.

Lashes are like the icing on the cake--they bring the whole look together. If you can nail a good technique, you might find yourself walking out of the house feeling polished without any eyeshadow--that's how well great lashes define your face.

Trend Watch: Minimalism

It seems like for years now we've been obsessed with flawless skin, heavily and darkly defined eyes, rounded-out cheeks and thickly glossed lips (something I will personally never stop doing!). Think the Kardashian sisters, the Olsen twins, Nicole Richie, Beyonce, Kristen Stewart and the kiddos on The Hills. It's almost like celebs can't leave the house without thick, dark liner and gobs of mascara. It's a great look...but it has lost some of its drama through its ubiquity. I mean, if you're doing a dramatic eye to grab groceries...how can you top that when you go out? And if your skin is always looking airbrushed within an inch of its life (though it does photograph beautifully) where are you in there? It's a high-maintenance look that can tend toward the grotesque if not done skillfully (see: Marilyn Manson...oh wait, that's the whole point). I've noticed recently however that we seem to be trending towards a fresher, cleaner, more neutral, natural face. I can barely contain my excitement.

Tiff, a natural beauty.

My muse, Tiffany was over this weekend and I decided to fearlessly explore minimalism on her. She was a great choice for this project because she and I always tend to do dramatic and colorful looks when we experiment. This would be uncharted territory for us. Lately Tiffany's been on a new skin care regimen that includes moisturizing liberally, microderm abrasion, upping her water intake and not tanning (yay!). Her skin was soft, healthy and ready to work with me. I started by doing her eyes up in soft pink iridescent loose powder shadow from lid to brow. Then I defined her crease with a neutral brown-toned pink matte shadow. I finished by pressing a pearly white-pink shadow onto her inner lid, and using it to line her top and bottom lash line. I took just a nip of warm-toned dark brown liner and pressed it into her lash line--I didn't want it to look lined, just wanted to define the root of her lashes.

I think she looks about 19 years old!

Typically I do the eyes first so I can clean up any fallout before I move on to foundation/concealer. Because these colors were bright and soft, I let the fallout stay because it brightened her under eye area nicely. I took concealer and mixed it with the loose shimmer shadow I used on her eyes and blended it into her under eye area, around her nose and on her chin--areas where most of us have some redness. I made sure to blend the concealer out as far as it would go--onto the apples of the cheeks, into the inner corners of the eyes. I then took a spot of liquid foundation smaller than the size of a dime and brushed it onto the rest of the face, buffing well with a soft, fluffy brush when I was done. The key is to let the skin show as much as possible. You're not trying to cover it up with a flawless mask. You want to allow the variation in our natural skin pigment to show. We all have darker skin under our eyes (duh, it's very fine skin with a lot of blood underneath), redness around our noses/mouths, brows, cheeks. We have freckles, moles, acne scars and fine lines. And we all have beautiful skin just waiting to emerge! What I tried to do here was brighten darker areas and minimize redness without turning Tiff's face into a doll-faced mask. I think the result is astonishingly beautiful.

We finished with a neutral light caramely brown lip pencil and a coat of Vaseline and a light whirl of neutral matte reddish-brown blush. When I showed Tiff how incredible she looked we all freaked out. My husband said he felt guilty even looking at her because she looked so fresh-faced and young. Compare these pictures with the others of her on here and notice the difference between these looks! It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to see more of this look.

You've Got To Have Tools

When I was a 17 year-old MAC groupie and spent most of my free time stalking the counters at Northgate and Downtown Nordstrom, I used to ask the artists for tips and tricks. At that time I was a broke high school student and would scrape together money to buy a new eyeshadow or pressed powder (because you HAD to have a perfectly matte face in the late-90's). I feel lucky in retrospect that they didn't mind me hanging around never buying anything. One time I remember a couple of artists saying they'd rather have good brushes and bad quality makeup than the other way around. I didn't understand why you would ever want to fork over $25 for an eyeshadow brush when you could get three eyeshadows for the same price. I paid $15 for a small eyeshadow brush shaped like a fan and hoped it would do everything for me. Alas, when I did my dorm room makeovers a year later I found I was quite limited. Without the right tools, you simply can't get great looks.

Those artists were right--great brushes are truly the key. Well-made brushes will last for years and give you outstanding results. When I do lessons I always assess a person's brushes first. If they need better quality brushes, or just brushes period (those sponge-tip applicators that come with shadows are just ugh) I recommend some of my favorites. The only makeup technique you really need to know how to do is blend. Good brushes will help you blend easily and quickly. I've chosen two of my favorites to show you here. Let me be clear, I'm not selling product for MAC, I just use their brushes and think they are excellent quality. The one on the left has very soft, fluffy bristles and a domed top--making it perfect for washing shadow all over the lid and defining your crease. With this brush you can do a smokey eye fairly easily. I use the very tip of it and blend in small circles from the center of the lid outward. The brush on the left has firmer bristles with a stiffer texture and round, beveled edge. It's perfect for patting color onto your brow bone or lid. I will often use it to pack shadow onto my lid and brow bone and then use the other brush to blend away any hard edges. These two brushes are necessary for anyone who wants to get more serious about makeup--beginners, too!

Halloween!

This holiday is all about makeup! For me, at least. Since I became a professional artist I won't do a costume unless it involves a major look. A few years ago I was Tammy Faye Bakker--it was so fun to cake product on and then ruin it with eyedrops to get Tammy's tear-streaked, runny face. This year I was Snooki from Jersey Shore, a costume I did for my 30th birthday party this summer and liked so well I had to do it again. Of course, when you're an artist, everyone comes knocking for you to do their costume makeup, and if you're me, you never turn them away.

Halloween is a time I get to explore some new techniques and really push my creativity. Several years ago a friend was dressing up as an anime character and wanted me to create those huge stylized eyes such characters have. I turned her entire lid into an eye so that when she closed, they looked open. It was a really interesting concept that awed. I did this with a lot of black liner, electric blue and white eyeshadow. I turned her brows into her lash line and made her top lashes into her bottom row. If you look at it for a while it's kind of mesmerizing!

Another time, a friend of my former boss wanted to crash his fiancee's batchelorette party looking like he'd staggered in from a brutal bar fight. I had never done injury makeup before and enjoyed creating several different types of bruises and a shiner. While I was blending hot pink blush, navy liner pencil and shimmer powder into his face, he practiced moaning. We dotted on some fake blood to finish the damage. Apparently when he walked in his fiancee freaked out and rushed to him in concern (the desired effect?).



Pam loves Halloween. Every year she tries to outdo herself with her amazing crafting and costuming abilities. For the past several years she's been some form of sea life--stingray, narwhale, seahorse, etc. This year she decided to be a land animal and settled on a deer. We instantly agreed that I would do her makeup and she would handle the costume. The lighting here doesn't quite show the colors as they appeared in real life, but you get the idea. We got this look by using a ton of bronze-y eyeshadow, white cream and powder shadow, black liquid facepaint and fine white-gold glitter. In person her skin had almost a liquid metallic sheen and the bronze graduated from darker around the white of the eyes to softer towards the edges of her face. We popped out all the white with an ample tap of glitter (seen best on her nose and freckles). I love doing Pam's makeup for Halloween because of how seriously she takes her costume and how much fun she has with it.

As you might imagine, when I was done with the makeup appointments I had yesterday I barely had the energy to coat myself in orange-y bronzer and black eyeliner for my Snooki look. I managed to pull it together to go out to dinner in costume but was back on the couch for good by 9:30. It does beat the years I lived in AZ and would come home from the MAC counter after 8 hours of Halloween makeup and pass out on my face by 6pm!

Collaboration

Since I've undertaken this makeup endeavor I've realized the importance of collaboration with fellow artists. While I could scour fashion magazines for the latest trends, read other makeup blogs for new technique ideas and paint faces all day and all night, I don't think I would learn half as much as I do when working with other artists. I've been fortuante enough to have several people emerge as potential collaborators and I look forward to seeing how we can support each other towards better work and more exposure.

I have known Jenn Tran for over four years, since we were working the cash registers in the basement of the University Book Store. When we met, she had just started her sophomore year at UW and I was a few months out of my masters program. In that time, Jenn has emerged as a stunning visual artist whose photography is breathtakingly gorgeous (http://www.jenn-tran.com/). In the early days of our friendship Jenn was grappling with future planning ideas and was torn between law school and art as potential (and profoundly different) career paths. At this time, Jenn is pursuing a second degree at DigiPen where she is exploring game design. I am incredibly proud of her for following her passions, and have felt challenged to get in touch with mine as a result. She continues to develop her eye for photography and has recently agreed to a continued collaboration with me that involves the intersection between makeup and portraiture. All of the phenomenal shots on this blog or my facebook page were taken by her. It is an absolute honor to partner with her, and I am so excited to see what we come up with.

Jenn Woodason-Svarplaitis and I became fast friends when we met by the mailboxes in our apartment complex in Scottsdale, AZ seven years ago. We started talking about how irritating junk mail is and the conversation has flowed endlessly since then. Jenn has been a visual artist for many years, once founded a co-op gallery in Phoenix and continues to create and sell work of all kinds (http://liquidimagination.weebly.com/updates.html). Jenn and I haven't lived in the same city for a long time, but time and distance hardly seem to matter. Our collaboration seems to occur on a plane that is both spiritual and emotional. During the times that I have felt creatively stuck in my life, I have sought Jenn to help me search out and find meaning. More recently Jenn and I have been talking across the distance from upstate New York to Seattle about art, inspiration, connection and lessons learned. Jenn is an amazing, supportive person who has always believed in me and pushed me towards being my best self. I know Jenn and I will continue to pursue our artistic passions in our parallel physical, spiritually intertwined lives.

The internet and Facebook, in particular are the grand connecting tools of our age. A facebook friend from high school introduced me to her sister, La Shaun Daye who owns a salon in South Seattle (http://www.lashaundaye.com/). The timing was perfect--La Shaun is a hair designer who was looking for a makeup artist to partner with for special occasion beauty services. She graciously invited me to her salon to talk about my ideas for my makeup business and shared her vision with me. Tonight I head back to the salon to demo my work on her, so that she can see my abilities and decide if she wants to refer her clients to me. I am stoked to have this unique opportunity to showcase my work on a fellow professional who has an established business. I hope La Shaun and I will find some fun ways to work together. We both agree that having a one-stop beauty services package for weddings, prom and other occasions is a great idea. La Shaun Daye Hair Studio is a great space--on the second floor of a small office complex off of Rainier Avenue it offers hair design and other beauty services and products in a fun, relaxed convivial atmosphere. Maybe you will see me freelancing in there sometime...

What is a Smokey Eye, Anyway?

Kim Kardashian, smokey eye proponent

Ahh, the smokey eye. The nouveau classic and source of confusion, envy and wonderment for many. I am asked a lot, "what is a smokey eye? what colors do you have to do? would it look good on me? how in the world would I ever be able to do it on myself?" I'm here to help, people! Let's break it down.

Deep grey matte shadow on the lid, blended up into the crease, bright ivory shimmery shadow on the brow bone, copious mascara

The elements that go into this look are (generally speaking) a dark, matte eyeshadow, a light-colored eyeshadow and a lot of eyeliner and mascara. On a basic level, the smokey eye is a wash of light shadow all over the eyelid up to the eyebrow, with a darker and/or brighter color in the crease. The crease, if you are unfamiliar, is the area that your eyelid recedes into when your eyes are open. We all have a natural shadow in that area, and so the smokey eye is essentially a dramatic way of highlighting bone structure. The look is typically finished with a generous amount of eyeliner around the rim of the eyes and (if you're me, above) gobs of mascara.

Contrary to popular belief, there are no rules for how a smokey eye should look. You can use as many colors of shadow as you want, or as few as one or two. There is no rule that says you must use black for any of it. I've done pairings such as gold on the lid, black in the crease, and a lighter champagne on the brow bone (on Lisa, above). I personally get bored by an entirely charcoal grey or black smoked-out eye. On Lisa I wanted to pop out the green tones in her eyes and define her incredible bone structure. The key piece to this look, and any smokey eye is well-blended eyeshadow. You can see how the black in her crease goes from being dark to soft and wispy as it moves up toward her brow. If you want to master this look it takes patience and good brushes. To master a well-blended crease, you will need a brush that has a tapered tip and soft bristles. Use a circular stroke when blending--think little circles.

All eye shapes, all skin-tones and all ages can wear this style. There are endless ways to wear it, from subtle mattes, to bright and colorful to shimmery tones and beyond. The key things to remember when trying a new look is that makeup washes off so there's no need to freak out about getting everything right the first time. Keep a box of q-tips and bottle of remover handy and you're ready to play without fear! I have taught many a lesson on doing the smokey eye and would love to show you how!

Getting Back Into It

A close-up of my work on Dani

It really comes together once the bride is in full regalia

Since I moved back to Seattle in 2006, I haven't done much with my artistry aside from making up friends for Halloween, a girls' night or the occasional wedding. I certainly haven't worked at a cosmetic counter since I left MAC down in Phoenix. It's a skill that I exercise every day on my own face, but has largely lived in my back pocket and on my resume for the last four years. I felt no need to explore artistry or learn new methods or study images or follow trends closely. It was enough to do my own face well and leave it at that. Then I received an email from Dani, a friend of one of my husband's colleagues--she was looking for a makeup artist for her wedding.

Dani showed up fresh-faced with her mother and future mother-in-law in tow for our demo appointment. We hadn't met prior and we were both hoping we would be the right fit for each other. It was my first time making up a stranger since I was working the counter in Phoenix! It was a great experience, because not only is Dani extraordinarily pretty, with radiant young skin, she's also great at communicating her wants.

One of the most challenging aspects of makeup artistry is articulating a person's vision onto their face. I tell wedding clients straight away, "look, I'm an amazing artist, I know everything I do looks good. That's not an issue. What matters is if YOU like what I'm doing." I say this with humor, partly to break the ice, but also to let the client know we will work from her specifications. The last thing I want is for a bride to feel less than perfect because she didn't feel like she could give me direction.

Dani sent me pictures of looks she likes, pictures of herself so I could see how she likes to wear her makeup and we kept in touch in the months leading up to the big day. When the day came, it felt like a privilege to hang out with the bride and her girls and moms. I think I ended up doing four or five faces besides Dani's. It was a very different experience from past wedding parties who all came in to the MAC counter for their appointments. I realized how much more creative and free I felt meeting the party on location, with my own kit and time frame. There was no walking away to help other customers or rush to finish. It was me, my tools and a church backroom full of women of all ages, pulling together for Dani's wedding.

I credit Dani directly with my recovered passion for artistry. From her wedding demo last November I started rediscovering my love of creating new, beautiful looks and experimentation. This past spring/summer I did bridal makeup for several women. My obsession burns anew and I am grateful and excited to see where this leads....

Inspiring Women

Meryl at 60

Meryl at 30

Have you spent much time thinking about the roles celebrities play in our lives? I know I spend a lot of time looking at gossip rags when I'm at the gym, google image searching, and mining sites like gofugyourself.com for makeup ideas and missteps. A lot of celebs I feel affection for (Gaga, Snooki), am horrified by (Courtney Love, Lindsay Lohan), am tired of seeing (the Kardashian crew) or feel indifferent to (Jennifer Aniston). Feeling inspired by celebrities doesn't come as easily, however.

Their images are everywhere, and we know all about their private lives and dieting and beauty tips. It's kind of exhausting to be bombarded with before pics of celebs when they were "fat" (yeah right!) and "unsophisticated" and after images where they are "fit" (more like skeletal) and "polished". I think it can send very confusing messages about how women are supposed to look, and lead us to believe that how we look is more important than how we feel. In an age where women are supposed to be 24 years old, have line-free, airbrushed faces and curvy, size 00 bodies, where do most women fit in?

I think Meryl Steep is an incredible beauty role model for women of all ages. I chose these two photos of her from a recent issue of Vanity Fair because I think they highlight how gorgeously and gracefully she is aging. Would that I look like her when I'm 60! As far as I know she hasn't done any cosmetic surgeries or botoxed herself. She has always been a minimalist when it comes to makeup, choosing instead to work her unique bone structure. I think she is living proof than women can age glamorously and need not hang on to unrealistic (and frankly frivolous) standards of beauty.

Progression Part II

I wanted to wear as much color and drama as I could on my face for this particular New Years Eve. I layered on blue and purple eyeshadow of various hues (all shimmery textures) and paired it with a strong, deep wine colored lip. I used a sheer, highly concentrated glitzy pink/purple powder on my cheeks. You can see the glow even in low light. This is a look!

New Years Eve 2002

It's not entirely fair to stack pictures of myself for the sake of comparison. For one thing, hair and makeup styles change dramatically from decade to decade, year to year. And for another, personal sense of style is fluid--as it should be. What I thought was a great look when I was 22 is quite different than what I think looks hot at 30. Our personal concept of beauty should always be evolving as we are as individuals (hopefully). I don't know about you, but I've fallen into serious style ruts at times. I'm talking about those times I've felt 100% uninspired and just reached for the same old combo of colors. For years (all of college) I loved to experiment with all kinds of colors and looks on others, but for my face it was gold eyeshadow, thick face powder and silver gloss, every single day. Getting the job at MAC blasted me out of that hole and into looks like you see above.

September 2010

Now when I go out it's not about packing on as much color and drama as possible (unless it is). Instead of a color-loaded smokey eye, wearing lashes is essential. I think they bring a lovely element of drama to the eye, and need not be overwhelming. I encourage all brides to wear them (they photograph beautifully) and personally wear them on all special occasions. A key piece to looking polished is beautiful skin. I do this with liberal use of highlighting powders and plenty of blush. When I was younger I experimented with wild and fun color combinations, always trying to push the envelope with a neon face. At this moment I'm more interested in exploring bone structure and subtle use of color, shading and highlighting to get maximum effects.

My Muse

Tiffany is one of those rare friends with whom you just know you're in it for life together. She showed up at my previous day gig as the new manager of a project I was working on. As we were introduced we looked into each others' eyes and there was an instant understanding. Tiff feels more like a long-lost cousin than a former colleague and as you might imagine we've spent a lot of time exploring beauty together. I like to tell Tiff she's my muse because from the first time I put makeup on her I found her to be the most open to exploration of anyone. Tiff believes the artist works best without direction, when she can completely tap into her creativity. As a result, she and I have tried many different styles on her deep brown eyes and smooth skin. I love knowing that I have a canvas that is completely mine on which to explore new techniques and color.

Fresh-Faced

Tonight I did a shopping trip/lesson with one of my colleagues from my day gig. I've been offering people a whole constellation of beauty services lately. People will show up with their entire makeup collection feeling like they have no idea what to do with any of it anymore. I sort it with them and toss the old/dated/useless stuff so we can see what they actually have. It's a purge that helps people make sense of their makeup collection, so that it can be fun again. If needed, we take a trip to the counter where I help them select new products and brushes to supplement what they have, or help them start from scratch. After that we typically do a lesson where I teach them to use the new tools and product. It's all part of demystifying color and technique so that each person can feel like they know how to maximize their features. MAKEUP SHOULD NEVER BE A DRAG. If it is, call me. I can help.

Tonight, my colleague went for the full spectrum of services. We cleaned out her bag, went shopping and did a lesson. She has beautiful skin and bone structure. I wanted to make her skin appear as fresh and bright as possible. We decided that well-placed, buffed concealer could be a new alternative to coffee for looking awake. She prefers a subtle touch when it comes to color so I used soft gold and pink tones to bring out the blue in her hazel eyes and define her amazing cheekbones. When we finished she was impressed by how great her skin looked and how well-rested she appeared.

Progression

I started playing around with makeup as a toddler (much to my mother's chagrin). One of the most exciting gifts I received as a fifth grader was a Revlon set of mini lipsticks and matching nail polishes. I would do "makeovers" that involved application of lipstick and a matching mani or pedi. In middle school I got really into Cover Girl and Wet n' Wild stuff and loved to experiment with pretty much anything. My best friend at the time and I used to do full makeup applications on each other every weekend night, in an attempt to look "hot" and "older". Since as twelve year-olds we couldn't go out to the clubs, we mostly just looked in the mirror a lot and wished the boys we liked could see us all glammed up. As a high school kiddo I was the friend who picked out looks for everyone for our formal dances and usually ended up doing hair and makeup on everyone.

Eventually this love of makeup evolved into a passion-obsession. In college my roommates and I spent many a dark Seattle evening bent over Kevyn Aucoin's "Making Faces" and selecting looks for me to try on them. I offered brow plucking services and personal shopping for cosmetics. When I realized that my English degree wasn't leading to a clear career path, I knew I had to become a MAC artist.

The second picture above was taken about six months after I graduated from UW and was proudly working at the MAC counter. I posted it along with a picture taken this spring (by the amazing Jenn Tran) to show the progression of my tastes, style and skill. As you can see, I love wearing color on my eyes, always have. I chose the two photos because they showcase a similar look--bright, color-washed eyeshadow, well-defined cheeks and sheer, glossy lips. Since the early aughts, my work has become more controlled, more detailed and defined.

Portfolio Shoot I

This weekend, I was able to procure the services of my friend Jenn Tran, an amazing photographer. I had four friends model makeup looks for me (Jenn included). It was a lot of fun to showcase several looks and to play around with different features and skin tones. None of the girls had met prior to our session, but by the end we all felt it had been a uniquely fun, girlie experience. It got me thinking about the importance of bringing women together to celebrate individual and collective beauty. In today's horrific economy I doubt many of us are taking time together to feel pretty and feminine--there are too many things to worry about. It was an amazing opportunity that I hope I will get again.