Special Event Style

Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.

I've been dreaming of hosting a really cool fancy dress party and wondering what I'd wear. Time for a post on Special Event Style! What? You don't dream up parties and imagine the outfits you'd wear? Weird. My love for dressing up and make-up is well documented. Not unlike a roomful of five year old girls, I love getting fancy. Unfortunately, I don’t get fancy too often. Why do we save the big guns for special events? Why shouldn’t every date night be a special event? Let’s face it; getting a nice dinner out is a pretty special event.

My special event style is a lot like my regular style-just amped up a bit. I go for a little more drama, usually concentrating on my eyes, hair, and lips. Most of the things I use can be found at your neighborhood drugstore. Score! Double score is the sponsor of this post (Walgreens)which happens to be my neighborhood drugstore. Convenience FTW!

The eyes have it

YMMV, but hopefully is better than the results I got the first time I wore false eyelashes to a night out with my husband. My husband looks at my face, gestures around my head and says, “You’ve…got…something on your face.” Lovely. Whatever. I like them. It can be a bit difficult to get the hang of false eyelashes. Once you’ve found a pair of eyelashes you like (you can find full sets or individual lashes at the drugstore!), dab a bit of eyelash glue and play around. A huge tip that I learned from a make-up artist is to dab the glue on and let it sit for a little while before applying. It makes the glue slightly tackier and less likely to run and ooze all over your eye. Oozy glue is un-pretty. Once the lashes are on, apply your mascara. If you’re picking up the lashes at the drugstore, pick up an extra tube of Revlon Grow Luscious (or trusty old Maybelline in the pink tube). I always apply my mascara with a little shake. Does this do anything? I have no idea. But a make-up artist did it once, so I pretty much do it ALL the time now! Use an eyelash curler (I use a Revlon curler)-hold 10-15 seconds. And, BAM! Instant sexy.

Clearly I am not a gifted iphone photo taker. This photo was taken on our way to a gala fundraiser, which was a great reason to wear a fabulous vintage dress, get my nails done, and some fake eyelashes. Still-the eyes. Me likey.

A Sexy Smile

Now for the sexy pout. Ha! Like I’ve perfected the sexy pout. What I do know about my lips is to pick up a box of Crest White Strips (Not sponsored, this is just the brand I use) and a red lip. While you’re at the store picking up the lashes, and curler, go ahead and grab a tube of lipstick and a box of White Strips to complete the look. Now pucker up.

Up Dos

After I’ve done my make-up, I concentrate on my hair. A special event is time to try out a special hairstyle. Most sane people would probably test out a new hairsytle before the night of the veent. I like to live on the edge- or am incredibly stupid. kind of a toss-up. I usually end up with lipstick on my bobby pins…clearly I do not learn from my lessons. I always do my hair after my make-up. I think hair always looks better after you have your make-up done. Right now I’m loving high buns and loose curls ala Princess Catherine. I’d love to know what the Princess buys at the drugstore. If the secret to shiny beautiful hair can be found at a British drugstore, I’m booking a flight! Anyhow, I start with slightly dirty hair, a little dry shampoo, and bobby pins. I haven't found a dry shampoo I love yet, but I've heard good things about the Batiste and Psst brands. You can’t tell in the iphone picture above, but I had a high bun that night. That was the first night I tried a high bun; one that was helped by a million bobby pins. Thankfully now I've got my buns down to one or two bobby pins. I use the same basic premise when doing my kids' hair for their special events (typically Princess parties), a fun hairdo and bobby pins. Oh, and they get glitter hairspray!

Do you have any great drugstore items you count on for special event style? Do you know the secret to Princess Catherine's shiny hair?