Gwen Morse's Beauty and Fashion Page
Beauty and Fashion Fashion Page
Looking my personal best has recently (in the past few years) become very important to me. In the past, I wasn't too concerned. I rarely (if ever) wore cosmetics, my clothes could best be described as "comfortable", and I generally was content to look and feel clean and tidy.
All things change.
First it was my clothing. Then, some makeup. While learning all about makeup, I also learned how vital skin care really is. Now, I'm adding information about all three to this page, bit by bit.
Hair Coloring
My one concession to adding some glamour to my life was to color my hair. I started by highlighting it with drugstore kits, back in high school. My hair is naturally a dark mahogany color, and I wanted it to be red. The streaks weren't enough color, so, I started using the kits to "color" my whole head of hair. When I graduated high school, and got full independent control over my hair, I began coloring it with permanent hair color kits. I started with the dark auburn ranges, and gradually worked my way through to the reddish-blonds (this took about 7 years).
Finally, autumn of 1998, I found some advice on how to use the professional developers and colorants sold in beauty supply shops. I bought the series of L'Oreal™ products and used them right after Christmas. The results were a mess. Now I know why the bottles warn they should only be used by professionals. This single process damaged my hair so badly, I had to cut it off within a month!
My brand of choice for hair coloring is L'Oreal™. It was the brand that had the shade for the permanent color kits I wanted, when I was drugstore shopping. Being fairly loyal to a particular brand, it was also the line I decided to use for the professional supplies. Even though I burned my hair using L'Oreal, I don't think it was bad chemicals. I just realize that I should have stuck to the kits rather than dabbling with things I have no knowledge of. Live and learn...
Key Links
alt.fashion is a USENET news group. This is *the* place on the internet to go for beauty and fashion advice. WARNING: They're a very high-traffic group, so, be sure to read the FAQ before asking questions that have already been covered dozens of times in the past month.
Second only to alt.fashion is the Cosmetic Connection site. Reviews of most of the major brands of cosmetics, plus monthly features (archived) discussing cosmetic tools, products, and techniques.
One of my favorite sites is The Frugal Face. This is a site that explains how to avoid unnecessary expenses in cosmetics, skin care, and other beauty-related shopping.
Important Fashion/Cosmetics Sites
This is a list of sites that are important to me. You may find them of less interest. Since I'm always forgetting what user names I end up with after registering with particular sites, I'll include my user names on these pages. Since they don't store any vital information that you couldn't get elsewhere (do you really CARE what skin type I have, or the exact shade of blush I prefer?), I don't have a problem listing them here.
Amphigory is a site for "gothic", "glam", or ultra-trendy colors and glittery products. Indiana online boutique. Also a site for magickal supplies and jewelery. Shop online. No catalogue (but there are plenty of scans of samples of the products). After several years of ordering, I have developed a good relationship with the female owner (Zevaluz). One of the best touches - lots of FREE advice on what colors would best suite me, and how to translate my love of colors into club looks or corporate understatement.
Many of the Amphigory colors look similar to Urban Decay, Hard Candy, and other 'alternative' department store lines. And, while they may not be exact matches, they're certainly in the same 'spirit' of bold, shimmery, and hard-wearing rich pigments. Zevaluz also has some understated colors perfect for office wear (very important to me, as I work in a semi-corporate environment). Many of the products are custom colors mixed by Zevaluz, herself!
- "Spy Girl" - pinkish brown. Reminds me of a 60's Mod/Austin Powers sort of color (which MAY even be where the name came from!).
- "Temper Tantrum" - a shimmery golden brown (darker than Hause Mause) soft lip gloss. This is perfect for those days when my lips feel dry and abused - a color I like with extra gloss moisture. Sticky pot gloss, it stays in place until I eat.
- Eyelites (wand glitter) - any glitter shade in a clear base. I don't like the tinted bases as much (I find I'm not precise enough in my application to look neat when I'm done). The glitter does 'travel' on me, but, I prevent it from looking too odd by adding deliberate streaks along my cheekbones and next to my nose.
- "Sunstorm" color swirl blush - one of the many multi-shade blushes out there, this one is shades of gold and bronze which leave a subtle wash of warm sparkles on the cheeks. Great for 'brightening' up the face in an office environment, where extreme colors and glitter is inappropriate.
- Amphigory colored mascara - I use this in my hair, instead of the more expensive (and similarly formulated) hair mascaras. Great for bold club effects. Obviously not recommended for the office-goth!
The lesser (but still liked) brands!
- Clinique Home Page. Samples and promotional offers sent to registered visitors. Shop online. No catalogue mentioned on web site. Registered Name: "goldmoon1". I admit that I'm hooked on their line of 'almost lipsticks', that are somewhat like thick, waxy, tinted gloss sticks. "Black Honey" (a soft violet) and "Almost Nude" (warm pink nude) are both to die for!
- Avon - not just for your grandmother! Old favorites plus a line of trendy colors for the more daring set! Shop online. Catalogue available (follow link(s) on site). No registration service.
- Urban Decay has a completely slow and sucky web page with multiple errors. However, you can shop for the lusciously grungy Urban Decay colors online (color examples of all their products)! No catalogue mentioned on web site. No registration service. I find them highly overpriced for the products you get, but, every once in a while they get in something new and funky I can't find in any other line (some examples: Skitz-o-Stix and UD 40).
- Beauty Of A Site - An online source for many of the salon and drugstore lines that you may have heard about, but, not been able to find locally. No catalogue. No registration service.
- Bobbi Brown Cosmetics homepage. Upscale cosmetics and accessories for sale. Catalogue available (follow links on site). No registration service. *THE* source of strongly yellow-toned cosmetics. I have found the perfect selection of powder/concealer/foundation shades through this company. Her other colors (lips/cheeks/eyes) are a bit too muted for my everyday tastes, though, they look great when I have to be REALLY professional looking.
A New Look
I had been been growing (and coloring) my hair as long as I could for about 10 years (since I graduated high school and had full control over my appearance). March of 1999 I cut off over a foot of hair. I didn't cut it because I wanted to. I had damaged it badly using a new color process at home. It was breaking and splitting like crazy.
Since I had to cut it, I decided to try a series of new looks. Suddenly, I discovered I have a neck and shoulders, which is an exciting experience for me. I'm more than a bit nostalgic over snipping it all off, but, I plan to grow it back as much as I'm able to.
One set of cuts during the end of August, 1999 resulted in a short razored style. Everyone in the office where I work thought I looked very sexy with this the cut (which was a nice ego boost). On the road, I was getting propositions from lesbians. So, I started calling it my "faux-lesbian sex-kitten cut"!!! I don't think I ever ended up with a good picture of it, but, if I find one, I'll post it.
Long Hair in 1995
Long Hair in 1996 (waist-length, FINALLY)
Long Hair in 1997 (no more bangs) - my hair was much longer than it looks, because of where the scan ends!!
Short/Dark Hair in April 1999 (sniff) - I felt very much like Donna Reed with this cut when the ends flipped up more than this...which is why it had
to go!
Just as alt.fashion is the place to go for generic style information, alt.gothic.fashion is the source of 'darker' glamour. They have a FAQ that the group regulars prefer you read before asking questions.
I don't consider myself a 'real' goth...I'm not nearly dark and elegant enough, and there's not enough black in my overall wardrobe. However, I *do* play one on the weekends, and happily call myself a 'goth-in-training'.
- Elizabethan Costuming - includes a pattern generator to design a custom pattern for a 16th century corset.
Here are some pix of me during September of 1999, in transit to/at the location of a goth club in Manhattan called "The Bank". It's not open any longer, but, it was the first goth club I ever attended, and will always be my favorite. I didn't know it at the time, but, this was destined to be my last visit there! It closed down just a few weeks later.
Unfortunately, the impressive cleavage glitter does not show up in any of the scans. I refuse to goth without it!
Calendar of Clothing
"Mode" magazine had an article on how to rebuild your wardrobe over the course of a calendar year (1999). I have followed it partially this year, and will continue to follow it in upcoming years.
- January: Lingerie. Replace all your old underthings. While the article specifically mentioned bras and panties, you might want to consider updating other underclothing (slips and specialty items) at the same time.
- Febuary: Jeans. Buy at least two pairs if you find the perfect fit.
- March: Working suit(s). Treat suits as an investment, whether you need something for the occasional big day (job interview or rare business lunch), or, six-days-a-week wear. My personal suggestion - if you find a style with both pants and a skirt, choose all three items to increase your options.
- April: Shoes. Be sure to consider extras like pedicures (if you buy open toe styles), and stockings, into your shoe budget for this month.
- May: Dress(es). Look for solid-colored shift styles that are good for dinners out, or, daily office wear.
- June: Shirts. Opt for quantity over quality, particularly with tees or sleeveless shells. Dress shirts should be constructed well enough to stay together, but, don't break the bank for top labels unless you have a job that requires it. This is a good time to pick up trendy colors and styles, as you don't expect these clothes to last more than a year, anyway.
- July: Bathing suit. If you find a flattering style that fits properly, consider buying two.
- August: Seperates. This is another month to think long-term, and invest in clothes for years to come. Be sure to check your closet to see what you already own. Avoid trendy styles, as you'll want a classical, seasonless look. Seperates include skirts, pants, jackets, and sweaters.
- September: Boots. Ankle boots can be worn with long skirts and pamts, while tall boots only go with skirts. Remember that suede is more delicate than basic leather, and brown or black is the best color to pick.
- October: Winter coat. Invest in a winter coat that will last for years to come (I'm considering a long camel-hair coat for my choice). If you already own a coat, use this month to play catch-up in another area of your wardrobe (another suit, a few more pairs of jeans, a second pair of boots or winter shoes, etc).
- November: Tights. Restock your opaque tights (look for a large 'denier' rating...that indicates how heavy the weave is, and how sturdy they are). Also, replace your old, mismatched socks, with a new supply.
- December: If you've followed the guide for the year, you should have a solid working wardrobe for work and play. This is the month to indulge in something special for yourself, in the midst of holiday shopping - new earrings, a new purse, a beaded, metallic, or velvet item. For 1999, I bought a GORGEOUS hip-length black velvet 4-button jacket and ankle-length black velvet skirt slashed up both sides. While the two items aren't a matched set, it's difficult to tell, and they look heavenly together... and on me...!
Updated: Sunday, December 10, 2000 1:05:46 PM
