What woman doesn’t want the wide-eyed effect that Zooey Deschanel has?
It’s so significant that you can hardly be exposed to an episode of Who’s that Girl without hearing it mentioned at least once.
In fact, those eyes get the blame for the fact that Zooey’s character gets away will what she does as the quirky roommate in an otherwise all male household.
The good news is that you too can create such a look, even if you don’t really get away with anything quirky because of it. A lady can try, can’t she?
Step Out of the 80’s
I’ve been saying this for years and I am happy to have a chance to say it again: Keep the eyeliner out of your eyes!
This isn’t the 80’s anymore. Eyeliner that can touch your eye went out with the big hair, so if you’re still doing the big hair, stop that too!
Shading is Everything
The key to the wide-eyed look is shading. Most of you already now that lighter colors make things look bigger while darker colors make things look smaller, hence the fact that we are all searching for the perfect little black dress and not the perfect little white dress. Sometimes, as is the case with eyeliner and eyeshadow, you need a contrast in order to make the lighter colors stand out.
When you put that eyeliner on the top of your bottom lid instead of the outside of it, I cringe and your eye actually looks smaller than it did.
Applying the Eyeliner
The darkest, thickest part of your eyeliner should be at the corner of the outside of your eyelids, where the top and bottom meet. When you apply the eyeliner to your bottom lid, apply it on the outside, underneath the eyelashes. This causes a sort of illusion.
The top of your bottom lid blends with your eye so that your eyes actually look larger. The eyeliner provides the contrast to set off the lighter colors.
By keeping the eyeliner thinner along the majority of your lids and thicker in the corners, you provide another illusion.
The eyeliner in the corner creates a sort of shade so it looks like your eyes stand out more than they actually do. You can enhance the effect even more by applying your eye shadow correctly, but that’s for another article.
If you have any doubts about this method, just take a look at the way Zooey’s eyeliner is applied in an effort to enhance her trademark look.
“One is never over or under dressed with little black dress” ~Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel artistic director
It’s pretty much a requirement for every woman–fashionista or otherwise–to own at least one perfect “LBD” or little black dress, regardless of age, income, weight and personal beliefs.
Whether you’re going out for a much-needed date night, a dinner party, a night out with the girls or even for a formal or semi-formal occasion, that black dress can be exactly what you need to get styled to perfection for the occasion–and depending on the fashion accessories you choose, you can dress that look up or down.
Though you can find the right dress for your body and your budget on your own, it might take time and could cost you more than you’d like. That’s why we’ve put together this blissful style guide to finding the perfect little black dress.
Did you know?
We are regularly updating our Blissful Style Guides section, so be sure to check back often for updated information for both new trends and classic looks.
Blissful Style Guide: How to Find the Perfect Little Black Dress for Your Body
Here are some time-tested fashion and style tips on how to select a perfect black dress based on your body’s problem areas.
Problem Area–Flabby Arms: Select outfits with half or three quarter sleeve or wear a shrug or shawl, so that your “bat wings” remain unnoticed. To camouflage the problem part of the upper arm, look for a shoulder with some ruffly or layered fabric, avoid big poofy sleeves.
Problem Area–Thick Neck: Choose a V-neck LBD to help divert attention away from the neck and elongate your neckline.
Problem Area–Broad Shoulders: Go with a V-neck or scoop-neck, which draws attention more toward the middle and away from width. Avoid strapless styles and spagetti straps.
Problem Area–Narrow or Sloped Shoulders: A boatneck or straight-across bateau will give you a wider look.
Problem Area–Big Boobs: A boatneck or bateau will work to draw eyes up away from your cleavage. V-necks will also by reducing the ‘bulky’ appearance , but note that you may show more cleavage this way. Choose thinner fabric, as you can’t afford to add more bulk.
Problem Area–Small Boobs: A simple padded bra can help. Choose round necklines, and feel free to rock the sleeveless ones too. To draw attention towards shoulders, try a cropped jacket. You can wear nearly any neckline with the right bra.
Problem Area–Flabby Belly: Ruched fabrics will help hide rolls. Consider avoiding clingy ones–they’ll show more than you’d prefer. The empire waist is sometimes safe, as it flares from high on waist and hides what lies beneath. Using a body-shaper will also help, and will also help you look little less flabby. If you are short waisted with fuller hips, skip the empire waist, it’ll make you look pregnant.
Problem Area–Long waist: Use a wide belt to break up that torso.
Problem Area–Short Waist: Try aribbon or narrow belt, will help with that distance. Or, you can eliminate belts completely.
Problem Area–Extra Pounds: Make sure sleeves don’t fall below the wrist, and can also use a colorful and lightweight shawl or tunic-type top.
What other tips do you have for finding the perfect little black dress for your body? Share your thoughts, experiences and relevant links in the comments section, below.
“One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.” ~Karl Lagerfeld
Listen up, ladies. You need a little black dress in your wardrobe. I don’t care if you’re a factory worker who rarely has occasion to dress up–you never know when you’ll need to attend a special event, go on a date or even just dress up for the holidays or a fancy family get-together.
Did you know?
We are actively building our Blissful Style Guides resource section, so stay tuned for updates.
Blissful Style Guide: How to Find the Perfect Little Black Dress Within Your Budget
Here are a few tips I’ve learned along the way for finding the right little black dress to fit your budget.
Shop the sales: Since a little black dress is a timeless piece that can be easily dressed up or down for nearly any occasion, there’s nothing wrong with hitting clearance sales, especially through the online venues.
For example, I purchased the dress I’m wearing in the photo to the right at KMART.com from the Sofia Vergara collection and absolutely love it!
And it was on clearance. (Worth mentioning: since I got such a deal, i also picked up the same dress in an alternate, trendier orange color.) For the record, I also love NoMoreRack.com for stuff like this.
Need labels carefully: Listen, as the proud owner of several “real” designer handbags, most of which were second-hand (and a few hand-me-downs), I totally feel you on the need to have “real” labels.
Sometimes, you need a label–but MOST times, a label is a luxury that may not be necessary.
For example, if you wanted to dress down your look with a shawl or scarf, you could consider one of these options based on your budget.
*Awesomely luxurious, but I can’t say I’d ever spend this much on a scarf, even if I was loaded–but I include it for people who can and will choose the higher-end options when they’re available.
*NOTE: I consider this one the “best bang for your buck” because the quality matches even the Hermes scarf listed above, but the fact that the company’s not well-known yet means the label can’t drive up the price.
*I found this pretty chiffon wrap on eBay for less than $5 with free shipping. Only concern: quality is lacking.
How do you choose the right little black dress for your budget? Share your thoughts and experiences (and your relevant links!) in the comments section, below.
In this case, I wrapped the Wool Challis Chevron- Paisley Panel Black & White Scarf around my waist twice and tied it into a knot to create a sort of wrap around skirt. By placing it under the dress and adding flats and leggings, as well as changing up the jewelry it gives the dress a more boho look.
And here, I just tied the scarf the same way but on top of the dress. I think this changes the look so significantly in a single switch that it’s worth noting.
And for my final trick today, the same scarf and dress with different hair, jewelry and drape adds yet a other almost completely different look.
Now…honestly, I.could probably come up with 150 more looks with accessories alone.
So, next time you think you’ve nothing to wear, think again. Tradition is great.but it rarely invites innovation.
What are your favorite ways to switch up your looks? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments section, below.
What woman doesn’t want the wide-eyed effect that Zooey Deschanel has?
