Do It Yourself Event Glam (Without Breaking the Bank)
Black tie weddings? Work galas? Networking parties? All require a level above that every day glam!! Here is how I do it myself without paying tons of money!!!
Hair
Good Hair, Don’t Care
Buy Your Hair
I have long but not thick hair so I struggle with some hair styles, simply because I don’t have enough hair to make it work. I bought Hidden Crown Halo Hair Extensions for wedding and have not stopped using them since!! You just send them a picture of your hair and they match your color! Having that volume is probably the most important part of doing your own hair.
Pinterest & YouTube
I cannot stress enough, do. your. research!! There are so many incredibly talented creators out there! Learn from them! I have gotten so many good step-by-steps from both Pinterest and YouTube.
One Tool Does NOT Fit All
I cannot say this enough…One hair tool will NOT create all looks. I have 3 different curling irons, a straightener and, if it was the 90s I would call it a crimper, but now they’re called wave tools. No matter how you hold your straightener you are not going to be able to curl your hair the same way as you would with an actual curling iron!
My FAV tools (and obviously all available at Ulta)
Hot Tools - I inch Professional Gold Curling Iron
Hot Tools - Pro Artist 24K Gold 3 Barrell Hair Waiver
Accessorize
Accessories can cover up any mirage of mistakes and elevate any hairstyle!
Makeup
Practice Makes Perfect
Falsies Are A Must
You don’t have to spend a fortune on a good pair of false lashes. My go-to is Ardell Naked Lash #421. Super natural looking but gives a good amount of volume and length. It just makes any eye makeup pop.
Pro tip: Not all eyelashes are created equal! Before you put the falsies on place them on your natural eyelashes and fit them to your eye. Trim off anything that doesn’t look or feel good. If falsies don’t fit your eyes they will be very uncomfortable, and no body wants that!
Again YouTube and Pinterest
Seriously, so many talented makeup artists doing step-by-steps now. I spend hours just watching their magic!
A Bold Lip (when applicable)
A bold lip doesn’t work with every formal fit but when it does, DO IT! And keep re-applying, especially if there’s a dinner involved. Nothing ruins a good face of makeup like a smudgy, half-applied lip stain. My favorite brand is Stilla! They have so many different colors. I probably have 20 of them in my makeup drawer. They aren’t a lipstick in the traditional sense. They go on like lip-gloss but feel a bit like lipstick when on. And they wear for HOURSSSS!!!
Do Your Nails
Unkept nails can really ruin any look (glam or otherwise). Please don’t leave partial, chipped nail polish on for an event. It just looks messy and unnecessary. Just as much as a good nail can pull your outfit together, bad nails can really drag it down.
Now a days you definitely don’t have to pay for a manicure (though I loveeeee a good mani/pedi) there are plenty of amazing do-it-yourself manicures out there now-a-days. There are two different routes I take when doing my own nails. Either the old school, but back and better then ever, glue on nails, or you can paint your nails yourself. I do a mix of both. I have a come to find, I simply cannot paint my own fingernails. I don’t have the hand-eye coordination to do it, so glue on mani for me it is! My toes are a different story! I do paint my own toes using a all-in-one gel polish. It lasts for weeks and takes 20 minutes max.
My favorite products (and again, all available at Ulta):
Glamnetic - Ma Damn - Press-On Nails
Outfit
Make it Memorable
Don’t Spend A Fortune
If you have read my blog before you know my take on SHEIN but I have to say, I have gotten some really great formal dresses from them!! I am a total believer of re-wearing outfits and creating new looks with favorite pieces but when it comes to formal wear, I really don’t re-wear any of the pieces. Too many pictures are taken at these types of events and memories made in the fit to re-purpose. So why spend a ton of money on something you are going to wear once?!
A couple of my other favorite go-to shops:
Rent-The-Runway Seriously the best thing to come to formal ware in the last 5 years. Why spend $1,000 on a dress when you can rent it for the weekend for $150…
When In Doubt, Overdress
I am a firm believer in overdressing and, I think most of my family and friends would say, I have no problem doing it in my everyday life. Though, if overdressing makes you uncomfortable, usually the invite to the event states what the dress code for the night is - cocktail, formal or black-tie, casual, etc. etc.
Casual - think garden party or brunch
Women - flirty fun lace, floral short or maxi dresses
Men - khaki pants and a casual button down
Formal/Black Tie - think prom for grown-ups
Cocktail
Women - short formal dresses
Men - suit pants and a formal button down, can do a tie, doesn’t have to
When in doubt, dress for the next assumed level up. What’s the worst thing that could happen? Seriously, I don’t know why people think they will be shunned if they accidently wear cocktail to a casual event…
3. It Doesn’t Have To Be A Dress
There are so many other options out there for formal wear.
My two most favorite replacements for a dress are:
Jumpsuit (or romper) - why did these ever go out of style?! They are essentially interchangeable for me for dresses in any occasion!!
Suit - Does anyone remember when Kourtney Kardashian wore a full 20s suit to her mother’s Gatsby themed birthday party?! That is what I am talking about. It was AMAZING! Look it up if you don’t know what I am talking about
