New Year, New You! (Ladies, This One's for You)

beauty.1When we approach a new year, we’re often reflecting on the past as well as looking forward to the future. The commonality for most of us is that we typically see something we might like to change.

And while I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions, I do look at the first of the year (as well as the month or so before my birthday) as a time for making personal change. Girly changes. Since these times of the year coincide with opposing seasons – winter and summer – the girly changes I’m talking about are usually beauty and accessories.

These changes are great pick-me-ups when you got the winter blahs (or for me when I’m facing the harsh realities of getting older). So what do I do to get a new perspective?

Makeover

This is the time where I can spend hours in Sephora. A pop of the current seasonal color on my lips, eyes, or nails can make me feel more feminine, more powerful, and just better in general. Just remember to play up your eyes or your lips – never both.  Ask for assistance; the staff in Sephora especially are there to help. Let them show you the latest trends and make recommendations for things you might not otherwise have tried.

New Hairdo

While I have been blonde, brunette, a redhead and a few other colors that simply don’t exist in nature, hair color has never frightened me. I’ve gone from long red hair to cropped platinum blonde overnight. A change that was so dramatic my own sister didn’t recognize me when I attempted to sit at a table in a restaurant and join her. And where I’m comfortable making dramatic changes in my hairstyle I know most women aren’t. So try some highlights, add some bangs, or simply go for a straight blowout. Whatever it is, just don’t be afraid to try something new.

Accessorize

A scarf, the right handbag, the perfect little slingback heel, a hair clip, a stack of bracelets or that perfect leopard print flat – any one of these can make a statement. It isn’t just enough to have the basic wardrobe down; these statement pieces are what can bring the WOW factor to your look and to how you feel.

“The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize.” ~ Clairee Belcher, Steel Magnolias, 1989

Get unstuck in the New Year! Listen in (mp3)

Copyright Kimberly Rinaldi