i could never pull that off like you!

i hear it all the time. ALL the time. compliments on my look (makeup, hair, outfit, whatever) followed by the oh-so-cliche, "but i could never pull that off like you." and every single time i wish i could call bullshit on that one. i have yet to meet a single person--man, woman, child--that made me think, "gee, they really cannot wear vintage!" it's a huge pet peeve of mine.

it's not about who wears it, but how it is worn. and truly, even that doesn't matter. it's the confidence to pull it off that makes all the difference. but we'll get to that in a different post. so you like the vintage trend, and want to give it a try but aren't sure how. here are a few ways that you can use singularly or combined to tap into your inner glamour goddess without existing miles beyond your comfort zone.

makeup

i like to play this one up a lot personally. but that probably stems from my obsession with makeup, and the fact that i sell it. there are so many different retro makeup trends to tap into, and the best thing is that they can be worn one at a time, or all together! for instance, if you like to play up your eyes, try a cat eye for your liner. i do this every single day. i vary with which color eyeliner and what kind i use. for a normal work day, i typically use a deep brown pencil to create the cat eye effect. it's softer than my black liquid, and works well with my daytime neutral eye palette. but it is just as easy for me to apply a jet black gel or liquid liner for a clean, defined dramatic eye. another thing that was key for women of the glamour generation was lipstick. they never went without it, and neither do i. i try to match it to my overall outfit color palette, using mainly pinks, reds and nudes. i hear so many women say that they don't wear lipstick, or that it looks too done up for them. and in the wrong shade, or lack of confidence, they are right. the key is to find a lipstick with the right undertones for your coloring. even a nude lip looks much more put together than a basic chapstick. if you're a bit shy about lipstick, try a tinted balm or gloss. anything on the lip looks better than nothing in my opinion.

hair

it drives me absolutely crazy to walk out of my house without my hair in some sort of style. don't get me wrong, i only set my hair a few times a week, but in between those sets, i arrange my hair in some way that looks like i put effort into maintaining a professional appearance. even ponytails get some sort of beehive variation to give height and shape. your hair is an easy way to play up a retro feel. the options run the gamut from the classic pin curl set to a modern version of holly golightly's iconic bun. any sort of ribbon or bejeweled haircomb can only help.

clothing

not everyone has a full vintage closet, and chances are, if you do then you don't even need help with learning how to wear it. but if you have a desire to start growing a vintage wardrobe, start with a piece here or there. later i will go into detail on the kinds of things that i personally keep my eyes peeled for, but it helps to do research on many different vintage clothing blogs and websites to find what interests you. the lovely thing about wearing vintage is that you can decide whether or not to dress fully in vintage, with a goal to be as time period accurate as possible, or mix in a piece or two with an ultra modern outfit. the choice is wholly up to you. 

accessories

accessories are the final touch to any well put together outfit, not just vintage. the tiniest details can make all the difference between a blah outfit and a remarkable outfit. vintage jewelry, hats, scarves, turbans, and purses can all be used to spice up an outfit. adding accessories is like polishing a gem. without that tiny extra step, all you have is an expensive rock. ;)

well that was just about the longest blog post ever. hit me up with any questions, i'd love to help if i can!

xo janaya