Blue Days

 "A person has to keep something to herself or your life is just a layout in a magazine."- Grace Kelly

                                                                                                                 ChrisRandallPhotography                                      

Grace Kelly- even her name embodies the classic, feminine, crisp and clean style that was her trademark. Her  movie star-turned royalty story seems almost a fairytale. In fact, there are rumors that a feature film about her, starring Nicole Kidman, is in the works. Although Grace Kelly retired from the film industry at the age of 26, and later died of an untimely stoke at just 50 years old, her sophisticated brand of beauty left a lasting impression that inspires women's fashion trends even today.

One thing I'm aiming to achieve with this blog is to demonstrate the enduring power of style. It amazes me that clothing from a photo taken 40 years before I was born can be seamlessly translated into 2014 fashion, and this picture of Grace Kelly gets the point across loud and clear. She looks sweet, youthful, elegant, and just a little bit sassy.

I've always appreciated and admired the "preppy" look, but my past attempts at pulling it off have always resulted in me feeling... well, kind of boring. But after taking notes on Ms. Kelly's look and pulling together a few pieces, I finally felt the spark that results from wearing simple, classic clothing. To me, the key was not just finding a pair of high-waisted dark jeans and a button down- the fit had to be flawless. We modern ladies have one thing going for us our iconic predecessors didn't- stretch fabric! Diamonds may have been a girl's best friend in Marilyn's time, but today, Spandex and Lycra are my BFF's. 

I have to admit, despite my love of vintage-inspired fashion, I hadn't yet jumped on the high-waist bandwagon. I'm not really sure why... maybe it's because tucking in my shirt just bothers me. Or perhaps it's that, with three children, I fear I will fail to look trendy, and just look like I'm wearing the dreaded Mom Jeans. But thanks to this awesome inspirational photo, I got over my hang-ups, and I am so glad I did. I didn't feel stiff and stuffy tucking in my button-down, I felt very chic and put together. The high-waisted jeans ended at the smallest part of my waist, unlike the ultra low cut style I usually wear, which can make even the most petite ladies feel muffin-toppish on a bad day.

I cuffed the jeans to the signature Grace Kelly capri length, and donned the brown boat shoes I had detested when my husband gave them to me as a gift. He had a assured me they were super-trendy and all the fashionable young ladies coming into the salon were wearing them. At the time I thanked him, suppressed my gag reflex, and threw the shoes in the back of my closet. As much as I hate admitting he is ever right, I have to give him props for this one. Needless to say, my shoe collection did not contain a pair of loafers , but when I went searching for a pair of flats I could use to complete the Grace Kelly look, I came across the forgotten boat shoes and voila`, they worked perfectly. 

The tiny flash of skin created by the cuffed jeans and low cut shoes is surprisingly sexy in an understated way. Likewise, the rolled sleeves and one or two undone buttons add a playful, messy touch to the crisp  cotton shirt. I completed the look by using a sheer white sash I snagged off a straw I had purchased for a future shoot (stay tuned!) as a belt.

Similar to the clothing, Grace Kelly's makeup in the inspirational photo is simple and understated. To achieve the the same youthful exuberance, flawless skin was priority number one for this look. In keeping with the quote at the top of the page, I will not go into detail, but my natural skin is anything but flawless. Thank goodness for another modern  luxury Grace Kelly and her silver screen sisters had to do without- BB cream! The does-it-all miracle cream craze is one bandwagon I was more than happy to jump on (check out the product list below for my favorite creme-du-jour). If you do have naturally gorgeous skin, simply mattify the t-zone with a sheer pressed powder over the BB cream. If you are like me and need more coverage, use a kabuki brush to apply mineral foundation, starting with the area where most coverage is needed and blending to the rest of your face. I touched up the area under my eyes with a pearlescent pink-tinted concealer, which adds brightness instead of giving me a flat, reverse-raccoon look. Complete your perfect complexion with a  blush shade that matches your natural cheek color when you are slightly flushed. 

For the eyes, I used a golden brown eyeshadow on my lower lids, then added chocolatey brown shadow to the crease, and my upper and lower lash line, finishing with a pale iridescent peach shadow under my brows. If you have gorgeous baby blues like Grace, use a navy blue  or even indigo mascara to make them sparkle. For my brown eyes, I like to use a violet-tinted mascara for a subtle pop of color. I completed the look with a sheer lip color just a shade or two brighter than my natural lips.

For perfect 2-minute waves, I parted my naturally curly hair on the side, then combed it back into a ponytail while still wet. I inserted the pointed tail of a comb underneath the hair, a few inches back from my hairline, and gently pulled up, loosening the front to add volume. Spray with hairspray, and dry naturally. A few minutes before the picture was taken, I shook out the ponytail and reached underneath the hair to scrunch the roots- that's it! Ok, a perfectly timed gust of wind right before the shutter went off helped a little, too:)

Here's what I got out of this blogging experience- no matter how well-honed your personal style, there is always something to gain by taking a risk and trying on a look that doesn't feel like you. I want to hear about a fashion or beauty risk you've taken, and how it worked out- good or bad. So, how have you stepped outside your style comfort zone?

Products:

Peter Thomas Roth BB Blur, Ulta 48$

ELF Pressed Powder with Salicylic Acid, Target, 1$

Benefit Eye Bright Under Eye Brightener (sold in a combo compact with Boing Concealer), Ulta 12$

PUR Minerals 4-1 Pressed Foundation, Ulta, 27$

Bare Escentuals Blush in "Beauty", Bareescentuals.com, 19$

Benefit Greetings From Cabana Glama Eyeshadow Palette, Benefitcosmetics.com 36$
 (This is an awesome value set that comes with full-size eyeshadow in 3 shades, and generous trial sizes of cheek tint, matte bronzer, and cream foundation. It's my absolute favorite for achieving a glowy, natural look, and so easy to throw in your purse for vacation.)

Ulta Electric Mascara in Purple (travel size), Ulta 4$

The Balm How 'Bout Them Apples Lip Cream in "Pie", Birchbox.com 32$
 (comes in a palette with 5 other shades, can also be used as blush.)

Clothing
  

Shirt- Old Navy, 30$

Jeans- Almost Famous, 20$

Shoes- Sperry Top-Sider Gold A/O 2-Eye, purchased at Chou Chou Boutique in Wilton, CT, available at Zappos.com 150$