Who is your beauty/fashion inspiration and why?
I Definitely have my flavors of the month in this department (especially as I flip through the current Vogue mag), but if I had to name one above all, it would have to be Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Her elegance, class & sophistication is something I definitely admire.
She is the definition of “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” She was a woman who paved the way for CLASSIC fashion trends. She wore her clothes and never let them wear her, which is a very important thing that some women nowadays forget.
She knew which body features she wanted to accentuate, and where her flaws were (not that she had many). I respect that she never left the house (or I bet she never even left her bedroom) without perfectly coiffed hair, and dressed to a ‘T.’ She always exuded femininity, which is something to be revered.
As for my more current role models, I am a dedicated-diehard-Victoria’s Secret aficionado. My favorites are probably, Doutzen Kroes, Izabel Goulart, Marisa Miller and Adriana Lima. Popular for her Sports Illustrated spreads, I also LOVE Irina Shayk. She’s so exotic and unique. I love her bold features…and of course, I totally use all these girls as motivation for the days I am not feeling up to going to the gym!
Where do you love to shop for clothing? Describe your personal sense of style:
My personal style is very simple and classic with small accents. I find I am definitely not a trendy person who has each season’s “must haves”. I am just naturally attracted to the classic look. When I look in my closet, its mostly Black. I love Black! My bridesmaids dresses were even black which caused much discomfort with the old school relatives : )
I have a hard time finding clothes that fit me because of my body type. I have very long legs and very short torso! My inseam is 36” so it sucks that the standard is 32”! Also, my first place to gain weight and LAST place to lose it are in my thighs and bum. So – Finding pants or skirts that will fit my bigger legs AND small waist is difficult!
DAY TIME
My job requires me to be in suits most of the time or at least at that level of business attire. For that, my hot spot shops are:
Holt Renfrew (for the staple items)
Club Monaco
Forever 21
Jacob
Mexx
H&M
(The last 3 are very hit and miss for me)
For those in the corporate world, I strongly believe there are a few items that you CAN’T forgo quality on. Save your money and get to a top shop for a few of the essential, indispensable items!
*A FANTASTIC SUIT
*1 pair of great fitting black pants
*1 pencil skirt
I personally love ‘THEORY’- Their philosophy for creating their line is on par with what my style is.
DRESSING-UP
I am possibly one of the girliest girls I know, so whenever I have the opportunity to get dressed up, I LOVE it! I rarely shop for a specific occasion - I feel like I can never find anything when I am looking for it. So – to remedy that, whenever I come across a great gown or dress, I buy it! For dress shopping, my first go to place has always successfully been BCBG or Holt Renfrew. The most important thing for me is to ensure I am dressed appropriately for the occasion.
For instance, when we go to weddings, I’d never wear the same thing for the day time as I would for evening. My typical choice for the day, would be the perfect little black dress – usually ¾ length, fitted, with a great pump. Whereas for evenings, I’d like to step it up a notch. If the newlyweds were family, I’d probably go in a gown and if they are friends, I’d play it down a bit.
HANG-OUT TIME
I love jeans, but only wear them when I’m lounging around at Starbucks, movies or shopping. I may have possibly tried on EVERY SINGLE Brand of jeans made in the world and am a die hard Rock and Republic fan! I also like Guess Jeans for my skinny’s.
What are some of your can't live without em' clothing items?
A GREAT Skirt Suit (not a pants fan too much)
Pair of Jeans that reallllllly fit YOU!
little black dress
A good bra!
A pair of lululemon crop pants
What are your top 5-10 favorite makeup products?
Christian Dior ‘FOREVER’ Extreme wear flawless makeup with SPF 25
A good set of brushes
Mascara*
Liquid Eyeliner*
Dark Eyeshadow
Light Eyeshadow
BLUSH! – the color varies for me. In Winter, when I am more pale, I like the Raspberry tone on my olive complexion, but in summer, I like a nice Coral tint.
*I never leave the house without eyeliner and mascara, I am usually light with the rest of my makeup
What are your top 5 hair products?
1. A good Shampoo and Conditioner. I am obsessed with the Rene Furterer Line – but they are so expensive that I do not use it day to day.
2. Leave-In Conditioner for my super long hair. After applying a few sprays, I can comb through it with no knots! If I do not use it, it literally takes me 10 min to comb through it in pain
3. Hairspray! Saying that sounds SO 80’s, but I LOVE hairspray! I use TRESemmé Tres two extra hold hair spray. It’s a water free formula, so its not sticky and virtually eliminates frizz, even if its raining!
4. My curling iron – I have stick straight hair, but love a little wave in it that I can achieve with my curling iron. Do not cheap out on this item either. I good iron will be better for your hair health as opposed to a regular Conair or something. I use this ONE.
5. An accessory; barrette; diamond bobby pic to pin back my shorter layers, headband, clip
What are your best beauty tips and/or secrets that you'd like to share with my readers?
Since I have super long hair, it tends to be….flat to say the least. It’s too heavy to ever keep volume…unless I do this little trick:
After blow drying my hair upside down, I lift half of my hair and rest it from the roots on a barrel brush. Hair spray the roots and then blow dry it. I repeats this with the upper 1/4 layer of hair, then again with the top 1/8 section of hair, always taking a crown portion from temple to temple.
I always try to have my nails perfectly polished! As weird as it may sound, hands are the first thing I look at on people because it says so much about them! I’m not talking, run out and get a manicure every other day, but have a good exfoliator, moisturizer, and polish on hand!
I think taking time for yourself is another factor to your overall well being. If you’re in a perpetual state of stress, it is SO detrimental to your overall well being and health.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am very proud of two things:
First: My lifestyle.
Second: Obviously my degree in Biomed with a minor in Physics (which has nothing to do with my current line of work, but I am still proud of having earned that).