If you follow me on Instagram(@polishandpout) you know that my 3 great loves are lashes, lipstick, and nail polish. As I was painting my nails last night I marveled at the fact that for about 7 years straight I painted my nails the same color! I also recalled that 3 years ago I decided to change that because of something that happened to me at work (when I worked at a makeup counter). I posted the story on Facebook (I wasn’t blogging at the time). So I thought I’d share it with you along with P&P’s favorite nail looks lately…perhaps it will inspire you to branch out from your usual mani too!

Glitter, glitter, and more glitter. All over, as an accent, tips, fade, outline…you name it!

Neon and colors so bright you can practically see your nails in the dark!

The accent nail is still alive and well…if you’re like me and the big bulky nail gems and plastic flowers et cetera seem cumbersome then opt for decal or paint accents!

Bold colors and bold lengths! Sporty and square nails are WAY OUT and have been for a LONG TIME. As in, do not touch square with a ten foot pole. Almond, rounded, and stiletto nails are dominating trend and will continue to do so for a long time I’d wager! Don’t let the length scare you, you can rock the current shape short too!

If almond nails are still uncomfortable for you, start with a rounded edge. Think natural in shape. Baby steps. And do yourself a favor and watch a Marilyn Monroe movie or something from that era, pay attention to all of the lovely starlets nails…you’ll be on board with rounded nails after I guarantee it!

I’ve been crushing hard on pastels and lavender especially…light purples too!

Maybe you’re stuck in a beauty rut like I was: “The other day I complimented a coworkers nail polish…it was a gorgeous shade of teal. She responded by offering to loan it to me so I could paint my nails the same color. “Oh no thank you, I usually paint my nails black,” I said. She asked how long I’ve kept my nails black for, so I told her about 6 years or so. She looked at me like I was nuts and said, “You HAVE to get out of that rut!” I brushed off her comment at first, but then later that day I had an epiphany. I saw someone who had apparently stepped out of a time machine. You know the type: mullet-like hair with big bangs, hot pink lipstick, blue eye shadow, a skirt that is older than her children and shorter than it should be. She looked like she was an extra in an 80’s teen flick, but worse because while she had continued to age, her appearance screamed “It’s still 1984, right?!” Was this to be my fate? I looked down at my nails and suddenly they were mocking me. I do need to get out of my rut! So the next chance I had I picked up a bottle of white nail polish. It seemed the natural choice since it’s the exact opposite of what I normally wear. I must admit, it looks pretty chic. I highly recommend white polish for spring and summer. And while I most likely will return to my black polish in the nearby future, this week I changed my beauty destiny and proved to myself that I will not be stuck in the past! Now I just need to figure out what to do with my mullet…”–April 22, 2010

Cheers to Mullets, Manicures, and Changing your Beauty Destiny,

Part of what makes a wedding special is putting in little personal touches or unexpected details…I especially love it when a bride decides to throw in an accessory that’s more on the fun side or even a little trendy!

A few things I see fitting in with bridal trend during the cold seasons…

What better accessory for a chilly weather wedding than a pretty coat?! Definitely a good idea for some cute pics outside before you walk down the aisle! DIY Tip: this coat is from the juniors section in Nordstrom…every year they sell peacoats in all colors for around $50 (sometimes cheaper if on sale!).  They come with basic buttons that looked very casual so I went to the craft store and found these gorgeous antique inspired pearl buttons. A quick button swap and voila! A fancy-shmancy coat!

Are you a lipstick or vintage loving gal? Opt for vintage earrings, layers of pearls, or a punchy lip (or as in the case of our model all 3! Ha!)! A bright peach is a great way to rock the vintage look while still being current (bright lips are huge this fall in makeup trend!) and is a nice change from the usual red. Upswept hair with a little texture completes this look (styling compliments of Ashley B!)

Sparkly heels! Who wouldn’t feel like a million bucks in these glittery gold colored babies?! I’ve seen versions of these all over the place and they can be pretty pricey. Our lovely model Ashleigh snagged these at Target! I would have never guessed…they were stunning!

Another cold weather accessory: a scarf! Snag one in a shade like your wedding accent colors. Avoid bulky knits and opt for more of a pashmina or a chiffon or silk scarf. Looks cozy while still being classy! Love trends and fun bold statements? Go for an animal print! Again this can be for pics before or after the ceremony or better yet: before you enter your reception lose your veil and wrap a gorgeous scarf around your neck to change up your look!

A classic smokey contoured eye is always in style! To learn how to do this makeup look click HERE. Ashleigh looks absolutely lovely don’t you think? Thanks for the amazing pics Lydia Photography!

While classic is always nice, there’s nothing wrong with your wedding or your bridal style reflecting who you are at the time you get married! Don’t pass up on something you like because you’re afraid it’ll look “dated” later in pics…guess what, it still will no matter what! So don’t be a fashion victim but enjoy the time you live in and capture it!

So Cheers to Style, Class, and maybe even a little Leopard Print on your big day!

A few weeks ago I did a shoot with @lydiacali and @ashleycosmo on Fall bridal trends! It was an amazing day…

Here is a peek behind the scenes of that day…

This board is hanging up in my makeup room…its some of the things that are inspiring me this season!

Face charts of the looks…we ended up only having time for 2 tho!

Shoes!  Need I say more?

Pearls, pearls, and more pearls…

The talented Jeff taped the first look: a classic bridal look…it will be up on YouTube soon!

@ashleycosmo and me getting our lovely model Ashleigh into the second look!

Stay tuned for the finished pictures soon! And check out the talented photog @lydiacali at lydiaphotography.com

 

Cheers to heels, pearls, and gorgeous brides,

Lipstick really is a solution to life’s many problems: Feeling a little down? Lipstick! Out of blush? Lipstick! Need to look done-up in a hurry? Lipstick!

 

 lydiaphotography.com

That being said, one trend I am really going to enjoy this Fall is a bold pout! And what’s so great about this trend is that it is not the usual plums that are in…colors that we usually would associate with warmer weather will be the way to go!

Hmm…you know what else is great about lipstick? That even when I can’t afford a new wardrobe or expensive handbag, I can go to the makeup counter and pick up a new shade of lipstick and feel like a million bucks!

Here is a dose of Lip-spiration to get you going today…

 

 lydiaphotography.com

So Cheers to Lipstick and other inexpensive pick-me-ups!