Maybe it’s the blooms on our camellia tree, or the talk of New York Fashion Weekin the blogs, but I always start to get bored with my personal style this time of year. What better time to do a full makeover, right? A new hairdo, some makeup tips and a fresh outfit can kick-start anyone’s winter style blues.
Take Lisa Hill. Lisa has spent her life focusing on others, whether raising her teenage daughter or running her public relations business. Her personal style was not a priority.
“I grew up not knowing much about fashion,” Lisa says. “My mother wasn’t into it and I never really had any interest. My focus has been to raise my daughter and take care of my clients. For fun I don’t shop. Instead I’ll go for a hike.”
Now turning 50 and with her daughter, Sara, heading to college in a couple of years, Lisa is ready to “sass it up a little.” Lisa was both excited and apprehensive about having a team of professionals focus on her, but she told me, “Once I gave in to the excitement I realized I trusted the team and became more open to the adventure.”
A new hairdo
Mandy Zelinka of The Zelinka Agency got to work on Lisa’s hair. With 18 years of experience in the field and a passion for working with women in their prime, Mandy was able to assess Lisa’s hair type and what was going to complement her style.
“Spending your fifth decade with a youthful profile should be advertised,” said Mandy. She executed this by adjusting the weight of Lisa’s bob and tweaking its length to accentuate the nape of Lisa’s neck. Mandy also wove in three shades of blond to give Lisa’s hair dimension. Mandy left a bit of shadow at the root to keep the look youthful and current.
Says Lisa, “I love the warmth the caramel gives my hair and the cut is so stylish but easy enough to manage even on a rushed day.”
Makeup tips
Makeup artist Kelli Thomsen focused on Lisa’s gorgeous blue eyes. Kelli complemented them with a pop of plum and filled in Lisa’s eyebrows for definition and an eye-popping effect.
Lisa had told Kelli she needed an updated foundation for a natural look that covered but didn’t feel heavy. Kelli introduced Lisa to a vegan and paraben-free liquid mineral foundation and nude crème blush by Youngblood.
“I was surprised at how natural I looked and excited to experiment with all the natural products,” Lisa says.
A fresh outfit
After all of the salon excitement with hair and makeup, it was my turn to find Lisa the perfect outfit. I took Lisa downtown to Radish Underground. I knew that being in public relations, she’d appreciate shopping local as much as I do. I also knew she needed clothing that was accessible and not fussy.
She mentioned being absent a dress for events. The first she put on, a design byJennifer Glasgow, was perfection. Its elegant and flattering neckline and fit-and-flare silhouette would suit her needs perfectly, especially if she could pair the dress with her new Frye booties from local boutique Johnny Sole.
We finished our whirlwind day of scissors, makeup brushes and booties with Lisa telling me, “I hadn’t realized adding creativity and style to my wardrobe wouldn’t be an overwhelming chore. I now know to keep adding color, texture and different shapes into my wardrobe to keep it fresh.
“I learned it could be fun to explore new road maps for my own personal style — even at 50! I now feel empowered and confident to make better fashion and style decisions in the future.”