Happy hump day, friends! Do people still say hump day?? I don’t really say it in conversation, but it feels like the week’s halfway point should be celebrated with some fun phrase, right!? I’m thrilled ya’ll loved yesterday’s Dressing Room Diaries, and found some new fun things for Spring. It sounds like lots of us will be twinning with our military/field jackets!
Many of you know my grandfather was a monumental part of my life, and a void I still feel. I’ve written about him several times on the blog, after all, he’s where the ‘Hi Sugarplum’ originated! But another hugely influential person to me has always been my grandmother.
She’s a little-bitty thing with a big personality, the epitome of a Southern lady, and one of the most stylish people I know. Her taste has always been impeccable and timeless, so virtually everything in her closet is still relevant. There’s a reason why I wore her wedding dress!
Every year before school started, my grandmother would pick me up in her giant Cadillac, and we’d drive to Dallas for the day. We always started with lunch at the Neiman Marcus tea room, then a trip to Bloomingdales, where she’d let me choose an outfit (with her highly opinionated input) for the first day of school. My parents married really young, so we didn’t have much when I was growing up (except lots of love, right Mom!?), which made this day, and that outfit, even more special.
Over the years, I’ve learned countless style tips from her…some I picked up on my own, and others she volunteered freely. (Did I mention she was opinionated?!) One thing she was always adamant about was wearing lipstick…the brighter the better! I can still hear her saying, ‘Go put your lips on!’ I hated it when I was younger, but clearly it rubbed off on me! No matter the time of day or occasion, you’ll almost always find me with bright pink lips…even on the slopes of Big Sky, Montana!
Wearing vivid shades of lipstick can brighten your whole face, and give you the appearance of a whiter smile. Even if I’m not wearing makeup, I’ll add a quick swipe of bright pink to my lips, plus a little mascara, for a more polished look. Throw on a pair of sunglasses, and no one will know you just changed out of your pajamas moments earlier! In fact, I didn’t wear make-up once on our Spring Break trip, but I had my lips on everyday!
I lean more towards pinks than reds when choosing lipstick color…it just feels more casual to me. Not to mention, easier to apply. I seem to miss my lip line every time I wear red!!
You know from my Favorite Beauty Products post that I’m mostly a drugstore girl, except when it comes to lipsticks! I want something that’s going to moisturize and stay put all day…and truthfully, the department store brands last a lot longer, so they end up costing about the same as their drugstore counterparts.
One thing I always do when buying lipstick though, is wait for a fun Gift with Purchase promotion! I think Lancome consistantly has the best gift sets, chock full of really good (and actually usable) items. They are running one now, with not only $130 worth of free goodies, but you get to choose the set that fits your needs best!
I haven’t tried too many of their products or makeup, but I always have a tube of their lipstick in my bag! So are you a bright lips kind of girl, or do you prefer softer nudes? Who’s your biggest personal style influencer?
*Thank you, Nordstrom, for collaborating on this post. And thank you to my sister, who snapped these fun shots for me, then promptly stole my lipstick!*
Your grandma was so wise :).
This is such a sweet post! I mean, the pictures are gorgeous and I couldn't agree more with the lipstick rule….but the sentiment behind the whole post tugged at my heartstrings! Loved it!
I look so forward to your posts showing up each morning! This one was a beautiful way to start my day 🙂 Have a great one!
Thank you so so much!! You just made my day! ox
I was never a big lipstick user until the last few years. I noticed that when I wore it, I definitely looked better in photos. I try and remember to reapply it during the day. My mom was/is always putting her lipstick back on after a meal and now I do it too!
What a sweet post. Sounds like my great grandmother. She was a Houston lady and always fully dressed. I think I got that from her. I'm shy about lipstick though but recently bought a red from Nars. Maybe I should try pink. I have full lips so color really stands out on me.
Lucky girl…play up those beauties!!! xo
Both my Mom and Nana are/were obsessed with lipstick. They thought me that even if I wasn't perfectly dressed a little bit of lipstick added a great finish. cheers to ladies and lipstick! BTW, my husband and I just returned from getaway in Big Sky. Don't you just love it?!?!
Like, seriously love it!! AA starts non-stops to Bozeman in June and I can hardly wait! xo
I love everything about this post and these photos! It's actually supposed to snow here in Chicago today, and I'm none too happy about it. But your post just put a major smile on my face!
Xox Dana Ivy // http://www.iadorewhatilove.com
I'm thrilled you liked it, Dana!! xo
I'm obsessed with the pink hat! It would definitely brighten up my winter waedrobe on dreary Michigan winter days!!
I always go with organic for anything I put on or in my body. Many people still don't realize all of the toxins in skincare and makeup and that anything you put on your skin gets absorbed into your bloodstream. Check out the Environmental Working Group website (EWG.org) You can google and find out more about toxic ingredients and why they are not good for you and how skincare and make-up are not regulated to prevent this.
This was a great post! I feel the same way about red lipstick that you do, but I tend to go for purplish-pink colors.
This post reminded me of my lesson to always wear my lipstick…. I had never been a lipstick wearer. I would on an odd occasion but just never did on a daily basis. I was at work one day (I was about 35) and my coworker was waiting on an elderly man at the courthouse counter. It was time for me to leave for lunch so I stepped up beside my coworker and quietly asked her if she needed me for anything or should I go on. As I turned to head out the door the 80+ French Canadian said loudly to me "YOUNG LADY! WHY do you REFUSE to wear lipstick??" LOL I was so startled…. I just laughed it off. But you better believe that when I came back from lunch I was wearing lipstick! And I have most every day since then!!
🙂 thanks for the memory!
http://gwingal.blogspot.com/
I love that!!!! Yes, that would be enough to make me wear it everyday, too!! xoxo
Because of this blog post, I bought the Lancôme lipstick in Rose Lancôme (I have the same hair/skin coloring as you) and I LOVE it! It's a fabulous color and stays on a long time. Thanks for the recommendation 🙂