Want to change/update my look - any suggestions?

[music_and_poetry]

Hey all,

 

Thought I'd turn to the LS community for this one! I'm looking for suggestions to update/change my look! I want to do something different and fresh but I have absolutely no ideas on how or what to change

 

I can't do anything extreme (unnatural hair colors, facial piercings, tattoos) because of my career but I'm totally open to suggestions and ideas! Feel free to be as critical or creative in your responses!

 

Oh and here's some pictures of me currently

 

Me 1

Me 2

[Ninjainpajamas]

When it comes to changing your appearance as a woman, it usually comes down to hair, clothes and make-up.

 

My personal preference with make-up is a more smooth/natural look with lighter/softer coloring (basically not the make-up women/teens get inside of a mall from those people looking to do make-up), rather than trying to make your features "pop". Unless of course you're going out and you're just going for this overall prettied up look, that I can understand, but for everyday probably not.

 

For my personal taste, your eye-liner is a bit too dark/much, especially compared to the rest of your make-up which makes it look more noticeable, and although it brings the attention to your eyes but I'm looking more at your eye-liner than your eyes. In pic 1 your make-up is more balanced, but for pic 2 it looks like a bit too much.

 

I'd say add more color to your make-up/eyes/eye-shadow overall, decrease the eye-liner black crayon thing, and focus more on the lashes but if you go with mascara make sure the rest of your face can mellow out the darkness of your eyes, it has to blend or match, don't just go with these super make-up eyes and little else...and that's about as far as my advice goes in that realm.

 

Clothes...they make a big difference, problem with a lot of women though is they're trying to dress for the size they want to be rather than the size they are, which can leave you looking like a compressed package of sausage. Trust me, that is not more flattering than clothes that fit you well and compliment your body even if they're a little bigger, get over it, they're bigger but fit better and make you look like you can breathe, because sometimes some women look like they're about to burst like a tire.

 

You should look comfortable and relaxed in your clothes but also wear clothes that compliment your figure, not too big, not too small, taper at the right part of your waist and sometimes women have a certain kind of outfit or type of clothing that they wear that is not flattering but for some reason they love. And to be honest I am not a big fan of the coffee table cloth design liner shirt, with the turquoise tank-top...I REALLY don't like those things, I see women wear them though more in Europe than in the states and I'm not a fan...if you're going to wear a top, just wear one actual top without the throw thing and make it something light and airy.

 

Hair...your hair kinda looks like it's not sure if it wants to go short or long, like it can't make up it's mind. I'd say if you were to go with a longer cut then make it even all the way around but shortens in the front like a Jennifer Anniston type of look. Go with the length that rests around your shoulders that kind of drapes over your shoulders.

 

Otherwise make it the length where the hair is about dropping below the chin area by a few inches or so, you can even make it look a bit bouncy/airy, giving it a little bit of fullness and width.

 

These are just suggestions of course, I'm only critiquing you because you've asked (not really but kind of) and in my mind these are more minor things/suggestion than major make-overs. I don't think I'd go with any major hair color changes. In pic 1 you have it all coming together rather nicely, so it's not like you're in dire need of a make-over or anything just a change if you like to open up your options, or try doing something a little differently, only thing I would burn with fire is the coffee table cloth shirt thing.

[FitChick]

A simple change that would have the most impact is to have your eyebrows professionally shaped. They are over plucked and make you look older. Watch a few eyebrow tutorials on youtube as well.

[writergal]

Try a bob haircut with a fringe bang straight across your forehead. Here's some examples.

[Eternal Sunshine]

Try a bob haircut with a fringe bang straight across your forehead. Here's some examples.

 

Love love love that hair cut.

[music_and_poetry]

Wow I love all the suggestions!

@Ninjainpajamas I agree with you about the make-up. I am starting to feel like as I get older that the dark liner may be too much although I really do enjoy making my eyes “pop”. That’s my facial feature I like to accentuate. I need to find another way of doing this that might tone it down a notch. Hair you’re also spot on about. I can’t decide between long or short :\ I want to be able to put it back in a pony tail but I also have very thick hair that gets unmanageable and loses its shape once it gets TOO long. I’m laughing about the coffee table shirt comment. Funny thing is, I’ve gotten so many compliments on it from other people! Lol

 

@FitChick I actually get my eyebrows threaded every 3 weeks. They are naturally thin but the threading shapes them. Even when they are grown, they do not grow very thick. That’s why I usually thicken them with an eyebrow pencil.

 

@WriterGal I LOVE those haircuts and looks but it seems like every time I try straight across bangs it looks HORRIBLE on me. I don’t know why. I’ve tried it 3-4 times in my life and it just doesn’t seem to work for me. I have a large forehead and I’ve always just gone with side bangs *sigh* here’s a picture of me with really awful bangs from about 5 years ago lol. Here’s a picture to prove it.

[Haydn]

Don`t mess with your eyebrows. They are great.

[MidwestUSA]

A simple change that would have the most impact is to have your eyebrows professionally shaped. They are over plucked and make you look older. Watch a few eyebrow tutorials on youtube as well.

 

 

 

Seriously over plucked on the inside. Will they grow back?

[deathandtaxes]

hmm...so you give us close ups of your face...how are you feeling about your wardrobe nowadays?

[music_and_poetry]

Seriously over plucked on the inside. Will they grow back?

 

I don't know. Even when I wasn't getting them threaded they weren't very full or thick. My mother has very little brow hairs. She dyes hers to make them more prominent. I have heard they sell brow growth products designed to make your eyebrows grow fuller. I wonder if these work...

[music_and_poetry]

hmm...so you give us close ups of your face...how are you feeling about your wardrobe nowadays?

 

Interesting question! I generally like my clothes. I don't exactly go by trends, I pick what I think looks good on me and matches my mood. I've lost a considerable amount of weight since last year (I was at my heaviest of 215 lbs!) I've now slimmed down to about 173 but I'm still working on myself and am trying to continue losing weight. I'm in a slightly awkward stage where some of my clothes are too big. I am trying to buy new pieces as I can afford them but I also hesitate because I think I will continue to lose weight. I'm also trying to build a professional wardrobe. Problem is I can only buy 1-2 new pieces a month so I have to choose carefully. Next on my list is a fitted black blazer for my new job in September!

[Noproblem]

Highlights

 

 

Dark ash blond

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/429179039463057026/

Edited August 2, 2014 by Noproblem

[jay1983]

Highlights

 

 

Dark ash blond

Pin by Susanne on Beauty | Pinterest

 

I was thinking dark red highlights. It's a little more subtle.

Edited August 2, 2014 by jay1983

[camillalev]

Bangs. They don't have to be straight across, they can be more layered and soft. Definitely accent your eyes with a smokey eye. Don't use liner in your waterline, it looks a bit harsh. Have you gone to a stylist? They will be able to help you with suggestions in cut and color.

 

I like the bob, but I was going to suggest a longer style on you, with soft waves. I'm not sure what style you're into though. Do you have any one whose style you like? Doesn't have to be a current celeb, can be anyone. I love jane birkins style.

[Ninjainpajamas]

Honest truth: straight across bangs don't work for most women. Even if it does "work" on her it's just OK, they always look better in something else and don't often keep the look for long.

 

Also I tend to notice you have to have this like doll like/child like quality about your face, or it can make you look like you're trying too hard to look young and bubbly, making your age stand out all the more when it shouldn't...so for the most part bangs look more suitable to early 20's or below and look cute on little girls, it's like a "cute" little haircut that comes off a bit awkward on grown women a lot of the time.

 

If you have hair that swoops from one side to the next that's a different kind of bangs and that is a much better idea. I would definitely not recommend those tight helmet close cut hairstyles that box in your face for most women...you need to be very thin in the face (works with heart-shape too at times) with nice cheekbones, have an elongated neck and sharp jawline to really pull that off, as well as the haircut properly cut to be just the right length to coordinate your the shape of your face.

 

Otherwise, a shorter haircut is going to bring out your neck (if you have a short neck it'll make it look even shorter), upper back and shoulders as well as the jawline...if you've got a little chunk on the neck with a chubby face with a square shoulder frame, it's like saying "hey look at me, I'm stumpy and chunky!"..if you have a round head on top of it, it'll just look like it's dying to fall off of your neck and be used as a soccer ball. I think a lot of shorter women go for that close tight short-hair look, who have a bit of weight on their body and shoulders...it makes their body look square but with a round head and accentuates the size of their shoulders, like their head is a golf ball planted on a Tee and the grass is their shoulders just waiting for some guy to yell "Fore" and swing your head right off your neck.

 

So really take into consideration your whole body, your neck, face shape, the areas you may not want to accentuate that are not the highlights. Women tend to flip through magazines and pictures and choose haircuts randomly that they like that would never look that great on them.

 

I'd say that a medium length hair-do is the best on woman in genera and it gives you options, but I'm the typical guy that likes even longer hair but shorter-hair looks good too.

 

My personal preference is slightly curly/wavy hair rather than straight though. I'm almost afraid to say the curl around women though because when they do it they really do it and it comes out looking way done up for an every day look.

Edited August 2, 2014 by Ninjainpajamas

[Noproblem]

I was thinking dark red highlights. It's a little more subtle.

 

yeah it will suits her too

[FitChick]

Tyra Banks uses Rogaine (generic minoxidil) on her brows. Until they grow back, draw your eyebrows closer to your nose by 1/4" to 1/2". Doesn't matter if there is hair or not. Otherwise you risk looking like Joan Collins.

[mea_M]

Sure. It's simple. Looks through some mags for a new hairstyle, take a peek in your closet and see what you can mix and match up for a different look. I would not go drastic, just something subtle but different. Good luck.

 

Mea :-)

[anna121]

Agree with everyone else on the eyebrows. They need to start closer to the tear duct/bridge of your nose.

 

You have a high forehead. With your hair swooped to the side you start to look like nothing but forehead. LOL. I would try wispy bangs - your hair seems to be fine. I think you need something to minimize the forehead and draw attention to your eyes which are quite nice.

 

Re: the fitted black blazer - buy the nicest one that you can afford; if it is really fantastic it can totally change your wardrobe. Just remember, black can be harsh and aging on some people. Gray or navy is just as professional and will go with all kinds of skirts/pants/dresses.