How to achieve small changes that improve your style

It seems to me that the end of the year always makes me think about what we could change to start the new year full of new spirit and fresh goals. We call these new year’s resolutions I am often asked if I believe that the clothes make the man (or woman), and my answer is “Yes”. I am nowhere near being a radical in the sense that I would consider someone that is dressed distastefully a bad person, but I do believe that we live in a time when aesthetics matter and can often help open doors for us, help us reach decisions and most importantly, help us be more confident. I don’t support profound changes, because I believe that it is good to be in touch with your personal style, especially when you reach a certain age, and to know exactly what suits you. That is why I have a hard time understanding women who change the colour of their hair every month. They give me the feeling that it’s not as much about fashion as it is about being confused about who you are as a person. You can achieve a lot using small tricks; you will see a new person in the mirror while remaining true to yourself, which is key.

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Change the position of the parting. It might sound funny, but a parting on the other side makes a big difference. Why? Simply because you’re redirecting your hair, making it fall in completely new ways. Give the centre parting a try, you might get a better result using a hair iron to make the hair fall evenly.

Invest in new bags. Not just one, but three new models that have to be totally different from the ones you normally carry. The musts: a clutch, a shoulder bag and a bucket bag (if you want to be 100 % en vogue) or a larger letter bag. I would advise colours that go with your coat, which does not mean you should stick to black and brown, far from it. Also, try appliqué, gold studs, sequins. The bag has to stand out and assume the role of an art object!

Hurray for red lipstick. I only discovered it last year, I never wore it before and I still have a lot of respect for red lips. I don’t think it’s simple, but it is sexy and feminine. You should know that it takes lots of corrections, a pencil and certainly quite full, nicely shaped lips. Makeup artists say that there is a red out there for every woman, you just have to find it. Red lips are without a doubt a very interesting change that will suit most everybody.

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Modern manicure. Keep your nails tidy, so keep them relatively short, yet healthy and nicely shaped. Get rid of the yellow shades with a regular manicure and choose vivid colours, that can be dark and intense. This winter blue and forest green are allowed, give them a try. Our hands are a faithful sign of our age, so take good care of them. Attention: forget the artificial claws, they’re utterly inappropriate.

Learn to do your hair right. It doesn’t really take that much: some curlers or a curling iron, hair iron and a good hair product. I spend almost every day in a photoshoot, so I am very aware how important it is to have beautiful hair. I make an effort every day and long gone are the days when I went to the grocery to buy shampoo. Good hair products make a world of difference, so ask your hairdresser for some professional advice ‒ and most importantly, practice!

Choose the right shoes. Finding the right shoes is not impossible, but it can be a touchy subject and can become an adventure. A beautiful shoe has to have a beautiful heel. It is not round, as if you just came from the land of the elves, it is not of strange colour, it has a nice shape, which is to say it has a good shoe mould, the heel is not square, it is not made of plastic and it does not have a sole as if you dance in a night club. Change your shoes and you will be a woman with style! No, my dears, the clothes are certainly not enough.

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Glowing skin. I urge you to regularly use peeling and mask products, as they will relax your skin and make it glow. The grayness of winter time starts reflecting in our faces, so make an effort; if your skin is very sensitive, it’s better to go to a beauty salon. Not on a weekly basis, of course, it would be impossible to manage the cost and time. My must have product is the Glam Glow mask (you can buy it in Sephora or on the web).

Clear out your closet. Easier said than done, I know, and I am the first one to admit I sometimes don’t get around to it. However, I dislike a closet, bursting by it’s seams. That is confusing and all the clothes get wrinkled. Clear out your closet and say goodbye to the pieces that you no longer wear, the ones that are part of your past or your memories. It’s perfectly normal to change your wardrobe, just like tastes and ways of styling things do. So, move on and kick-start a new way of living your life.

Treat yourself to a makeup course. This is a great investment. They will teach you, how to highlight your advantages and blend in the weaknesses. If you already have this covered, try to explore new makeup paths, change your eye shadow, foundation, lipstick, find a more appropriate eyebrow colour. Makeup can drastically change just about everything and the results can be simply incredible.

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Detect the pieces that will rejuvenate you. For instance, a leather jacket; a very high heel stiletto; a shiny necklace that will open up your face so beautifully; the right shade of lipstick for a very white smile; a suitable hair colour (you shouldn’t go too light or too dark). The web can be of great assistance in the search for suitable pieces that you know how to wear. Make sure that they’re always appropriate for the occasion ‒ there is nothing worse than a woman in a mini skirt, when the situation or the age are not appropriate for a mini skirt.