The Lipstick Index

During economic downturns, retail sales suffer and consumers opt for less expensive lifestyles.  But the truly fashionable always have a way to cope with a downturn and we all want to be beautiful.   So, what is the easiest and most cost-effective way to look hot?  Lipstick, darling.  That’s right ladies– go out on a shopping impulse and find the perfect shade for your pout, and the existence of financial troubles would be invisible.  It’s the new way for women to cope with the recession.  (Hmm… is THAT right?)

According to Estee Lauder’s Chairman, Leonard Lauder, lipstick sales increase during hard economic times.  He termed this phenomenon as the Lipstick Index, the economic indicator of a depression.  Lauder affirms that “In stressful times, many consumers are reaching out for those small indulgences that provide momentary pleasure.”  Basically, the premise behind this concept is that when lipstick sales sprout we are suffering from financial despair and we purchase lipstick to mask the melancholy that overwhelms us; we want to plaster the underlying need to feel beautiful by applying lipstick. Let’s call it a financial/beauty pick-me-up if you will. 

To be honest, I’ve never been much of a makeup girl – That is…I don’t get the same adrenaline rush/impulse that I get when I crave a handbag!   My exception to this is my lipstick and my mascara, especially when the lipstick is a Liptini stain (which I was introduced to by the makeup goddess and celebrity makeup and hair artist Terri Apanasewicz) or a luscious Christian Dior.

The beauty of beauty products other than the obvious is that they are some of the most accessible fashion items in a recession.  A tad more affordable than indulging in a Fendi Spy Bag, wouldn’t you say?  Ah, and strategic substitution can also be a girl’s best friend in these trying economic times.  Normally use Lancôme mascara?  Maybe opt for Maybelline mascara instead.  Normally use Smashbox lipstick? Check out your lipstick options at your local RiteAid.  They are almost always aggressively priced and these days they run more sales than your local used-car dealership. Everyone has a take on the lipstick Index. 

Jessica Bennett states in her article, What Does the Lipstick Index Really Say?, “ This recession around, it’s flawless skin—not rosy lips—that has become the female pick-me-up.”  Each to their own…but I must say that a skincare routine is a much pricier investment than 1 lipstick- I’m going on record by saying that taking care of your skin is not only a fashion must, it’s also healthy…Are you wearing SPF by the way?

Glossy, glossy, glossy!

And don’t forget the sage advice of Jerry Seinfeld, “Where lipstick is concerned, the important thing is not color, but to accept God’s final word on where your lips end.”

Slouchy boots, peek-toe gladiator boots, bold jewel-toned colors in the Fall/Winter collections, navy blue nail colors and electronic beats with a tangy after-taste.  Envision a time when nightclubs actually enforced a dress code.  When no man would be caught dead going out at night wearing a suit and tennis shoes – Which by the by, this look is only generally carried off by billionaire types such as Howard Hughes or “I could get a ticket by thinking you’re hot” boys such as Justin Timberlake.  When women’s hair was big and the suits (men and women’s) screamed power and women’s makeup…looked like makeup (who wants natural anyhow?).  A time when “goth” didn’t’ exist but the words “new wave” conjured an image of chic, edgy and underground.  The kind of cool you wanted to play with but were sort of scared to.

If you are tracking with me, then you too may be feeling like you’ve been transported back to the 1980’s (hello Buck Rogers, bidi-bidi-bidi).  From fashion to music it’s a flashback of the glorious 1980’s.  And they were glorious. Bring on the power suit, the big, chunky jewelry (also back in fashion).  And either my imagination is getting the best of me, but even the boys in hip-hop are getting into the ‘80s groove.  Just listen to the beat of Love Lockdown, drop in a dance beat and you’re back in a neon-lit nightclub breaking it down next to a leggy siren in a mini-skirt, tight leggings and hair all spiked up courtesy of AquaNet.  And on the subject of the leggings trend – Ladies, I’ve three words for you “danger Will Robinson”.  Unless you are uber hot or uber Fashionista cool don’t go there.  Additionally, there is an age-expiration date to this trend.  If you happen to be one of those who sashayed across a tabletop dancing to “I don’t want your love”, you may apply for the age-expiration category at this time.   So…unless you plan on making an impact with your image as an “eccentric”, don’t even step into your living room in leggings.  These puppies should have the words “handle with care” stamped all over them.  Especially the liquid leggings. Latex-like Batman leggings- So shiny that your friends can find you at the club to hand deliver you your sugar-free Red Bull and vodka.  Party-on.

What’s my point?  If you lived in the glorious days when techno was born, when most women spent a few hours tweaking their hair to get just the right height to complement their ripped fishnets and Max Headroom-esque shoulder pads and when having deep purple hair color meant you were going through your “teen years”, then you’ll get a giggle out of this.  And you’ll gain a new appreciation for the distinctly 1980’s-inspired trends roaming the fashion magazines, streets and airwaves.  And if none of this resonates, mix yourself a sex-on-the-beach cocktail and rent Miami Vice (the real one, not the Collin Farrell one).

I’m off to find my overly-long strands of baroque pearls - Yet another trend from the 80’s, stolen out of another era, courtesy of the killer chic Ms. Coco Chanel.

Viviana M. Rueda
Fashion Fury

Ps. Seeing lots of hot colors for future trends. Think patent-leather heels in peach and strawberry pink. Sheesh, maybe I can find my Body Glove neon green bikini too.

The theme of “self expression” seems to be a recurring one in my life and given that this is what I’m dedicated to bringing out in my clients, well, it’s only natural that it’s a recurring theme.

This Blog is dedicated to encouraging women to tap into their self expression through their personal brand.  Since “personal brand” is such a broad topic, let’s narrow it down to fashion and femininity. 

This past week I was reading through fashion magazines (sucks to be me, I get to actually enjoy my work-related publications) and I noticed that in the “Editor’s Letter” section of the magazine, the editor wrote about the fact that Hilary Clinton declined to appear in the magazine for fear of appearing “too feminine”.  Funny, because I’m just guessing that the fact that she is female, has probably not escaped the world’s notice.  Yes, I’m being sarcastic because this is a theme that I truly feel strongly about. 

Have we not escaped the notion that a successful, intelligent, contemporary woman must look and act like a man in order to achieve respect and the ability to lead?  Apparently not and this is scary.  So, I invite you, women of the world, to take a stand.  What on earth is wrong with being feminine?  In case anyone has failed to notice, some of the world’s most powerful people were/are women and feminine at that.  I don’t need to rattle them off, surely you can think of more than a few and I know you can think of the ones who’ve by their own choice (or in their mind, lack of choice) slinked into the dark side and now appear more like men than women.  God bless the 80’s power suit, where you too could have a Max Headroom cartoon-block figure.   If you don’t remember Max…check him out here Max Headroom.

Look it, I’m not implying that there is a form of power dressing that should not be adhered to.  Also, there is a time and place for everything and this applies to fashion.   I’m a Personal Brand expert and not a novice to what it takes to climb the “power ladder” having spent 17 years doing just that in the corporate world.  However, there is POWER behind self expression and if you are a woman, please express yourself as one! 

Some Tips on how to do this:
1. No more baggy suits for you!  Yes, I’m the Suit-Nazi.  No, don’t wear a skintight suit like the model in Van Halen’s “Hot for Teacher” (I seem to be stuck in the 80’s in this Blog….which should be giving you a hint -  that if you are still dressing like a man…please leave the 80’s).   If you can’t remember how the model was dressed – Think super tight pencil skirt, heels meant for a runway, and I’m not talking a couture fashion runway, and a very tight, button-down that was unbuttoned to just-barely-legal.  Tailored suits are what you should be wearing and yes, this means that you’ll probably need to see a tailor – Surprise, surprise.  The odds are really low that an off-the-rack suit will fit you like a glove…so make friends with your tailor.  Need a tailor?  Call me, email me…etc.  Just ask.
2. No more “I’m going to not wear makeup to the office” look because maybe the men won’t notice I’m a woman and they’ll take me seriously-No really, they’ll just notice my work.  Trust me, they’ve noticed and they are wondering why as an adult, professional and successful woman you don’t seem to know how to apply makeup.  Seriously, if you are working in a corporate environment this is MUST.  Make sure you look polished.  If you are concerned about what a “polished” makeup look is for the corporate world, please contact me and we’ll handle that in an expediant manner.   By the way, polished also doesn’t mean a makeup death mask….”let’s-go-clubbing” makeup should be relegated to the nightclub, not the office.
3. The same goes for hair ladies.  Not having a clean, sophisticated haircut not only makes you look sloppy, but outdated and dare I say…old.  For instance, if you are over 16 and you are still wearing your hair like Guinevere from King Arthur’s Court, PLEASE, PLEASE, stop that.  YOU ARE KILLING ME, and others.  Call me and we’ll do a hair intervention.  Hair color is equally important.  The shade of your hair can affect everything from making you look unkempt, older and unprofessional.  In some people’s cases, age-inappropriate hair extensions and color need to be considered, as in, don’t go there.  Unless you are an actress or model, reconsider the Paris Hilton-toned hair extensions – Even then, use careful judgment and if necessary an outside professional opinion.

So what do you do to be a powerfully self-expressed woman, in terms of fashion?
1. With a clear eye and open mind, make an assessment of your Personal Brand, both in your personal and business life.  Are you truly expressing yourself or are you hiding in a shell that you were told you needed to be in to achieve success?
2. Realize that a strong woman can and should still be a woman.  You can choose hair, makeup and fashion styles that will not only highlight you as a woman but will make the appropriate statement.  Again, people don’t necessarily give you more credit for dressing like a man or like a sack of potatoes…they just think you don’t know how to dress and that dressing like a man or sloppily is your default. 
3. After doing item number one (the self-assessment), and you find that there’s something or a lot that you are holding back in your self expression, then take the next step.  Find out why.  What got you to this place and how has it affected your life? What are you losing in your personal and professional relationships by not being self expressed?
4. After doing the above, which you can do on your own or with the guidance of an Image Consultant or Life Coach, then take steps to amend the situation and watch how the world will start to react to you.

I’ll finish with this – Being a powerful and self-expressed woman means that you have it in you to show the world that your capabilities, experience, and confidence are inexplicably, beautifully and infallibly intertwined with your femininity.

Go forth, be bold and revel in being a woman!!!
Viviana M. Rueda
Creative Founder
Vivendi Fashionista

It’s Fall!  I love this time of year.  The weather starts to cool down, I start to think about the Holidays (and Holiday gifts) and every fashion magazine out there is talking Fall fashion.  But what about Fall makeup?   Yes ladies, makeup as well as clothing adjusts for the season.    According to Therese Clark, founder of Apply Yourself Consulting, a personal beauty shopper and beauty brand developer, “You should adjust your look for Fall by starting with a pretty palette of neutral shades in soothing, skin-enhancing textures (to help combat harsher weather) and simply add seasonal color accents.  For example, one of the featured beauty trends on the runway this season includes striking shades of sea-green eye shadow.  This fantasy-inspired hue speaks to my inner-mermaid, but might say something else in a more professional setting.  How about taking the green down a notch by blending emerald shadow into your brown or black eyeliner to create a more muted look? If shadow isn’t your thing, choose a more neutral eye and opt for a sophisticated seasonal crimson lip.  Think Jennifer Connelly on the cover of November’s Vogue Magazine.”  Fall make-up is under-stated glamour at its best.  Don’t let green eye shadow overwhelm your beautiful features!

Shades to inspire:
Fuji shadow by Nars – muted green with shimmer highlights.  Ivy Ink Long Wear Gel Liner by Bobbi Brown.  Cosmetics – gorgeous shade of green liner that is virtually mistake-proof.  A green shadow substitute could be metallic shades of granite, gold or chocolate.

As with clothing, there are basic makeup considerations to bear in mind.  For example, use shades and textures that work for your skin tone, your proportions, the occasion and your personality.  With that in mind, here are some Fall makeup tips:

Work Makeup
The key to your work look is polish.  Unless your job is to be in front of a camera, the workplace is not the place where you should express your creativity with makeup.   Some work environments are more creative than others, for instance an advertising firm is more lax in its dress code than an investment bank but don’t let this fool you.  As a professional woman you work hard to create and maintain your credibility.  Since your face is what your boss and colleagues will be looking at for up to 9 hours (or for those of you workaholics, 16 hours) you should make sure that what they notice is not your makeup but your professional abilities.  Remember, your goal is to look polished which doesn’t mean, don’t wear makeup.  Work with a neutral palette of soft browns, golds, peaches and toasted pinks (not girly pink, we aren’t in grade school anymore,) to accentuate your features, while creating the appearance of even, healthy skin and then tie it all together with a smart outfit.  Again, go for the natural, but not so natural that your lips blend into your skin.  Don’t go for bright or dark.  The last thing you want your colleague to say is “Wow,…YOU-HAVE-LIPS.”  Not good.  Also, those of you who skip the manicure-I urge you to re-consider and invest in regular manicures.  People notice your nails…all the time, and it says a lot about how you take care of yourself.  Some of you won’t like this, but it is what it is.  People naturally tie how you look to how you do your job.  For those of you on a budget, teach yourself how to do your own manicure.  With practice they aren’t that hard to do and you can do them while you are watching Nip/Tuck or your other guilty pleasure (I’m referring to watching TV…).  Go with pale/natural colors that match your skin color, and these shades make chips less noticeable.  To make your manicure last, use 1 basecoat of clear, 1 coat of color and finish it off with clear polish.  If you take care of your manicure (use gloves when washing dishes, etc…) it can last as long as three weeks.

Weekend Makeup
Step AWAY from the gloppy, pink lip gloss.   I know…you’ve become addicted to it.  But the rest of the world and your boyfriend/husband will thank you for updating your lip gloss.  “Splurge on good gloss!!  Good examples include Hourglass Cosmetics (found on Sephora.com or Hourglasscosmetics.com) in Beach, Truth and Search.  These gorgeous neutral shades deposit enough color without too much gloss.  The texture is luxurious, not too sticky and feels good as it glides on the lips.  “It is also water-resistant, which is perfect for coffee drinkers or wine tasters,” says Therese Clark.  Weekend makeup should be fun but natural radiance.  Try a tinted moisturizer and a multi-tasking bronzer that adds a sun-kissed tint on the cheeks and lids.  But don’t go overboard…the oompa-loopa look is not so hot.   Lastly, forgo shadow and just opt for your favorite mascara.  If you’re just not into wearing make-up on the weekends, this would be the time to refer to rule #1:  schedule a facial and have your eyebrows waxed to create the perfect canvas for when you do decide to put on the make-up.

For the Night
Here’s where you get to play, especially this time of year as we usher in the Holidays.  Think sex appeal (don’t take this to the extreme, sexy is mysterious, not look-at-me-hootchie-scream).  If you are adventurous, experiment with plum mascara for a change from black.  Step out of your comfort zone and try lining your upper lid and lower lid with something other than brown or black, dark blues and slate grays are great for blending!  Be Daring! Faux lashes can get you a kiss under the mistletoe… MAC revamped all of their lashes – from demure to dramatic, there is a lash-length for everyone.  Have a MAC girl show you how.  You can’t get a job at MAC unless you learn lash application.  Remember to choose a focal point, whether it be your eyes or lips, but don’t go for oomph on both as that can overwhelm your face and you’ll look like a Melanie Griffith backlash from “The Bonfire of the Vanities”.  Balance is key!! 

Tip Of The Week
This week we have more than one tip.  Why, because why not!?!  For those of you who are Westsiders, and seem to have trouble getting in to see the manicurist.  Invest in yourself and make it a habit to have your nails done.  Try Paris Nails at 26th and Santa Monica.  Call May at 310-829-2461.  This is not a walk-in nail parlor, appointments are needed and this is good.  Why?  Because she focuses on you and only you, for as long as your nails need it, not like the places that rush you out because there’s a bunch of stressed-out Brentwood Moms waiting for their manicures before picking up the kids from school.  And Moms, you don’t want to be rushed when this is perhaps the one hour of peace you’ll get in the week…  May will also give you a tough-love approach to taking care of your nails.  If you have problem nails, you must go see May (pronounced “My”).  Tell her I sent you and she’ll take good care of you.

The best way to get your makeup look in order is to have an honest and educated opinion.  By educated opinion I mean talk to someone who knows what is IN the makeup.  Meaning how it’s been produced and with what materials.  These experts are rare, they know how to apply makeup as well as educate you about what works for your skin, what will last and what’s worth the price or not.  If you don’t already have someone in your world like this, I recommend Therese Clark.  In addition to being a beauty brand developer, she is also one of the most talented makeup artists that I’ve ever met.   And I’ve met a few…  You can reach Therese Clark at therese@applyyourself.biz.