Beautiful Match

From the moment you first see your mother apply her favorite lipstick and mascara, you can’t help but dream that one day your reflection will be just as beautiful as hers. The silver lipstick case and glistening handheld mirror she used have been burned in my mind as long as I can remember. It seems like yesterday I crept over to my mother’s bathroom counter to examine the many shades of liner and eye shadows she applied daily making her look as beautiful as the princesses in my story books. Needless to say, it did not take long for me to swipe the rosy shade of Revlon lipstick and pose for imaginary cameras capturing my princess moment. Looking back, I’m sure my reflection resembled more of a clown than the princess I had envisioned, but I felt beautiful.



In order to feel beautiful, women go through life in search of their perfect match. Our very first purchase of strawberry banana LipSmackers is the beginning to our lifelong search for the ideal lipstick, concealer, powder, bronzer and mascara. Our needs in cosmetics follow the transitions we make throughout our lives. Sally Hansen provided the basics needed for that 14 year old girl trying to get the attention of the cute boy in math class. Covergirl provided waterproof mascara that ceased to run when your first boyfriend broke your heart in middle school. In high school, MAC saved your life by hiding any embarrassing imperfections you did not want your prom date to notice. Chanel and Dior lip gloss made you feel chic and important even as a starving college student. As we mature and grow, it is important to discover what makes us feel as beautiful as that little girl posing for imaginary cameras. Your ideal cosmetics are not meant to cover up your imperfections but enhance your natural beauty. They keep you looking real, feeling confident and embracing who you are.

Our needs in cosmetics and the perfect man follow the transitions we make throughout our lives. When we’re young, our needs are filled with the cute boy in math class or the quarterback of the football team. Popularity, good looks, and a bad boy persona were among your top three priorities when choosing your ideal match. It isn’t until we mature and experience heartbreak that we realize certain shades of lipstick don’t match your skin tone no matter how many times you try it on. If you want someone that makes you feel beautiful, your ideal match doesn’t have to do with brand names or price. Surround yourself with people that will not attempt to cover up your imperfections. The perfect match will only strive to enhance your natural beauty and help to make you a better person each and every day. They will provide an open mind and encourage you to be real and love your reflection.



Find yourself a waterproof liner that wont budge when you’re too scared to open up and an eyeshadow that doesn’t continually make your eyes water. Invest in a foundation and powder that only improves your life and a blush that comes with a compliment. You must only purchase a brush set that is reliable and in for the long run. Choose a moisturizer with sunscreen that makes it a priority to keep you safe and a lip liner that helps you stay on your path. Stay away from mascaras that run too easily and be sure to pick a lipstick that inspires you to smile.

The perfect match will not only make you feel beautiful, it will motivate you to love again.

A Change of Heart

A change in season brings about different trends, color palettes, and fits in fashion. The ongoing transformation from one season to the next is refreshing but ultimately a frightening adjustment. It’s difficult to breathe when you think of those leather leggings and sequin tunics you purchased as fall essentials are to be tucked away in a drawer never to see the light of your Spring days. You can’t imagine a life where your comfortable combat boots are absent when you need to quickly complete your look as you jet out the door, late as usual. Kissing your cashmere scarves and chunky wool sweaters goodbye brings a tear to even the most fashion forward woman. It’s heartbreaking when the emergency OPI Onyx polish and MAC carbon eye shadow in your handbag is to be retired because dark smoky eyes and black nails are non existent on the runways during fashion week.


Although we are scared of the coming changes, we can’t deny that we begin to loosen our grip on these fall items as soon as the first spring issue of Vogue hits our doorstep. Our constricting leather leggings and uncomfortable sequin tunics are replaced with breezy maxi skirts and crocheted tops, allowing us to feel carefree and feminine. Excited is an understatement when you see Coco Chanel’s inspirational tweed jacket make a comeback replacing the itchy wool sweaters of fall. Although it’s difficult for you to imagine yourself making the leap in purchasing a denim blazer, Kate Moss makes this indigo piece appear to be a must-have on the runway. Needless to say when Spring finally does arrive, your fall wardrobe becomes of thing of the past. The key pieces you felt you could not live without are replaced by items you never knew existed.

A new year brings new relationships, new beginnings and new perspectives. Just like your fall wardrobe, relationships of your past are to be tucked away never to see the light of your future days. It is important to embrace change and finally learn to let go. It is true that by accepting change you are openly welcoming awkward and confusing moments into your life. Most of the time, change is not comfortable. It is through these moments that one can truly be defined. It’s like when you meet someone new at an unsuspecting location and attempt to strike up a conversation. In retrospect, it’s very unlike you to put yourself in this type of situation but you camouflage your inhibitions and proceed to charm your way into a first date. Of course, just as when you first opened Vogue’s Spring issue, you’re skeptical that the new trends and color palettes wont fit into your already perfect wardrobe.

New relationships and new additions to your wardrobe go hand in hand. It is possible to replace your ankle boots with a pair of Stuart Weitzman kitten heels that make you feel just as sexy without the added pain. It is just as possible to find someone else that can make you laugh and smile with a love for their life and ability to tell about it. As we nurture new relationships in our life, our hearts continue to grow for the people that surround us. Negative relationships can hold us back from truly becoming the best version of ourselves. With that said, letting go is a change necessary for many of us to share our love. Embracing change can be frightening, but your wardrobe and your heart will ultimately thank you for it.

Perfect Fit

Finding the right shoes is more than complex. Although many of us have bins, baskets and racks overflowing with footwear, we stick to our trusty few pairs when we are in for a long day. We even come to know our shoes on a personal level. You know exactly which pair will make your legs look flawless, give you blisters on only your pinky toes, or keep you dancing all night long. This is why there is nothing more difficult than finding a fabulous new shoe to add to your dependable collection. Sure, you buy a new pair at least once a month but you never know they will go the distance until the first day you break them in.

The moment I slipped on the Charles David maroon patent peep toe pumps, I knew it was fate. I had to have this beautiful work of art on my feet for more than just the five minutes I had spent trying them on. As I handed the salesperson my credit card, I knew this shiny new purchase was like nothing I already had in my closet. Even though I was ecstatic to make heads turn, I patiently waited for a night on the town to display my newest investment. When I stepped out onto the dance floor, I knew Lady Ga Ga wouldn’t even have enough dance worthy upbeat songs to keep up with me. Three songs and two swollen feet later, I was beginning to doubt my purchase. Like any true fashionista, I shrugged it off and reminded myself that beauty is pain. Needless to say, by the time Green Day’s “Closing Time” came on, I was on the verge of tears. Despite my emergency stash of band-aids, I ultimately turned heads as I wobbled out of the club patent peep toe pumps in hand.


Finding the right man is more than complex. You may discover yourself jumping to new heights for something shiny and new. I’ve come to realize that like new shoes, new men are easy to find. Their individual style and refreshing point of view will have you wanting more than five minutes in no time. We so often get caught up in those first few minutes that we overlook the idea of a let down. Even when signs of failure are apparent we continue to dance in hopes of holding on to our investment. Inevitably you will end up with two choices. Push your way through the pain and risk permanent scarring or accept that you simply invested in the wrong piece and learn to guard your heart.

Although my Charles David pumps are a fantastic work of art, they continue to be displayed only on the rack and never on my feet for fear of permanent scarring. If we don’t think to guard our hearts and credit cards from flashy new items, we are likely to end up barefoot and broken. Ultimately, you will come to a point where you know the stilettos you mistakenly purchased a half size too small just aren’t worth the pain you will likely experience at the end of the day. On the other hand, men and shoes are more than complex and nothing is better than when you find one that fits.