Are You Wishing for Some Style?

You may have already finished  your Christmas shopping like me (surprised? haha!) or you may still be wondering what to get that woman, man or teenager in your life? How about a confidence boost? How about some style? How about a clean closet? How about some shopping assistance? Rather than hoping you pick out the right the right sweater for Mr. Right or those perfect jeans for Miss Picky, give them a stylist for a couple of hours.

The best thing about my job is making the complex world of fashion simple and giving encouragement to those that stare at their closets every morning feeling anxiety about what to wear or because there is a mess that is staring back at them.

How much does a gift like me cost? Priceless according to MasterCard, but seriously, just $35 an hour. Give me two hours in your closet and I'll have at least five new outfits you haven't put together before vs. one brand new outfit you bought at GAP. Email me at alexandra@avestyles.com if you would like a special gift card for that special someone.

Doubt my skills? Check out the photos below. Average people + clothes from their closet  = STYLE!

Style Inspiration

This is a heavy dose of style inspiration that I've collected over the holiday to help you start off your Monday morning and cure your turkey coma. Enjoy!

Skinny Corduroys

So, I have found the best fitting pants for fall/winter...GAP's Always Skinny Cords. No kidding this is the hands down the best fit I've had in a pant the past year. There is just something magic about these skinny cords. There's no stretch to them, they sit two fingers below your belly button, they don't shrink and then are long enough for someone that is 5' 8".

I bought my pair in tomato, and they make quite a statement. However, if you're looking for a classic black, navy or gray skinny pant, check these babies out!

Makeup Tips from a Pro

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Tina Burnham and I met through the brilliant world of blogging. After finally meeting face to face one afternoon in Starbucks, we realized we should have met each other a lot sooner because we had been going to the same church for a long time. haha.

Since our first meeting, Tina and I have collaborated on several projects. Some shoots where she has been the hairstylist, some where she has been the photographer and some where she has been the makeup artist. Tina is SOOOO talented (obviously), and today she is sharing some makeup tips and her favorite products with all of you.

1. What is your favorite overall makeup brand and why?

Mac Eyeshadow

Well, I am a little biased because I have a Pro Account, but I am a M.A.C girl. Even without my pro perks, it is mid-price range and affordable.  I love how vibrant their shadows and pigments are, and the wear longevity of them. So many fun colors in mattes and shimmers. I used to be a Lancome girl because my mom was, and I am still a die hard Definicils girl when I am not wearing my falsies! Yes, I wear fake lashes and I LOVE it :).

2. Right now, what lip product do you use the most often - lipstick, lip stain, lip gloss, lip pencil or Chapstick?

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For everyday natural day look I use M.A.C tinted spf lip conditioner. I used to use the clear lipglass, but it can get sticky and my hair would always get caught in it! I still use lipglass to finish off a lip application. Just a dab in the center of the lips, not to the outer edges, gives the lips a pouty look.

3. What is the biggest mistake people make with their makeup?

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Hmmm.  I don't know about mistakes, but there are lots of tips to applying. Probably the one I would say is a "mistake" is what I call the clown brow. And I have to be honest and say I have done the clown brow back in the day!!!

Many women use a lighter shimmery color or even white shadow right under their brows to highlight them. When you look in the mirror it looks great! Now go take a picture......with a flash.  You look like a clown!!!  When picking a color to highlight use an irradescent shadow, that is subtle however catches light.....NOT shimmer shadows or matte white shadows!  My favorite is M.A.C vanilla pigment.  A MUST in your makeup bag! I can not live with out it! It is the perfect highlighter. Dust it along under your browline or dab your inner eyes and it highlights them perfectly. I often dust some down the bridge of my nose and add some contouring on the sides with some shadow and I just gave my self a "nose" job :).

4. What is the one thing you NEVER miss in your makeup routine?

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Probably darkening my brows. I use M.A.C. firm angle brush and some brown shadow to gently fill and line my brows.  I like to use shadow versus a pencil because it is much softer and more natural.  Brows are one thing many people do not realize can really make or break a face. A well shaped manicured brow can open up the face and draw attention to the eyes. If I am doing a au naturel look, I would maybe do a little powder and line my brows!

5. What's your favorite makeup look right now?

Well since we are entering into fall I am inspired by the two looks I recently did for two photo shoots that we worked on! One being the Marie Antionette inspired very classic look focusing on a bright lip. On the shoot since it was for bridal I chose Coral. However for fall I often go RED! Sometimes with bright lips, when applied they look great but within half hour it doesn't look quite right and you can reapply and still doesn't look like when you first applied it. But M.A.C. Pro Long wearing no smudge lip color is my fave. One side is the lipstain, the other is the gloss. I have tried other "smudge" proof and not a fan. This one really doesn't come off, and you don't need to reapply the color only the the gloss. However,  I don't line my lips when using this product because the oils react a little different than the lip color since it is long-wearing formula.  My favorite, Lasting Lust Red! I would also like to trya dark plum lip too for fall :).

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The other look that I did  was just a very natural pinky "cold" cheeks and lips with a neutral eye or light eye. Many women do the smokey eye with various color combos. Instead with this look you would use lighter colors, which will brighten and open up the eyes giving a softer look. Light foundation, pink blush and maybe an overall dust of shimmer. A very dewey, fresh and clean feel.

Part 2 - Melissa Jill's Photo Reveal

So, as I mentioned yesterday, I got to style Melissa Jill with an Anthropolgie feel for a photo shoot with Promise Tangeman.

We went with three looks to give MJ a range to work with for her promotional materials - very casual, casual feminine and sophisticated dressy.

All of the clothes were MJ's, and I just added three of my scarves for the t-shirt and jeans looks.

Tina Burnham, whom I have worked with on Marie Antoinette and Lindsay Garver's shoot, did the hair and makeup and executed the inspiration to perfection!!! Tina is also a photographer with Live. Love. Photography, and I think it's such an asset to have the knowledge of the camera when you're styling hair and makeup.

Biggest tip for those of you getting family portraits done - WEAR FALSE EYE LASHES! If you can, also take the time to spend the money on getting your hair and makeup done.

Of course, I would also like to think that having someone style your clothes would also be worth the time and money too. ;)