Couture Makeup Blog – Makeup Artist Serving San Diego and Orange County.

“A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of Life.”
― Thomas Jefferson

It’s suggestive and sexy, yet mysterious and subtle. Strike a unique balance between showing off skin and keeping things classy.

Here are a couple of tips for wearing backless show-stopping looks:

1- Accessories – chose your jewels carefully and don’t overdo it. Select one or two statement pieces, like heirloom-style earrings or a simple bracelet to add some sparkle to your look. Forget hoops or anything too flashy. For a super sexy look, wear a necklace with a drop-down pendent and flip it around so that it drops perfectly down the back of your neck.

2- Hair – Wear your hair completely up to fully show off your back, perhaps a messy bun or ponytail (to keep it young.)  Since showing off you back is the entire point of the look – show it off! That being said… it can also be flirtatious to wear your hair down and draped over one shoulder so that it hangs in front. Trust me, the fellas will be falling at your feet.

3- Lingerie – Bra straps should not, under any conditions, be visible.  And plastic straps are a big no. Also, avoid wearing a bra for at least a few hours before you wear the backless piece so that strap indentations in the skin have disappeared. There are several options, wear a bra with a very low back strap, a corset with a low back or a strapless silicone invisible bra.

4- Keep the rest of the look classy – Do not show off cleavage in front, tons of leg, or any midriff.  The backless style alone is very sexy, trust me, looking sexy does not mean showing an abundance of skin. When pairing a backless dress or top with a shorter skirt, simply throw on a pair of opaque tights to dial it down.  You will be seen as classy, fashion savvy, ladylike and very sexy!!!! 😉

A few looks to inspire…

Backless outfits remain one of my all time favorite fashion statements.  They elude sexiness while still leaving much to the imagination.  Similar to sweaters that fall off one shoulder, revealing nothing more than one’s collarbone and shoulder, yet scream sensuality and flirtation. Happy Monday… May your week be full of inspiration and beauty.

The bow — a staple of femininity — can be beautifully incorporated into perfectly age appropriate and fashion forward looks.   Wearing bows as an adult can be particularly challenging, the symbol can read somewhat young so it is important to style and integrate it into your look correctly. At Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, designers (such as – Jason Wu, Valentino, Chanel & Christian Dior ) surprisingly inundated the runway with this fun and flirty accent.  Bows were used in belts, hairstyles, bags and most noticeably as framework of an entire garment’s silhouette (example: Giambattista Valli’s Couture jacket pictured below.)

A bow is a great way to soften any type of suiting apparel such as pant suits and basic office attire. Jason Wu showed a wonderful collection that featured a bow as the center statement on several blouses. The best way to wear bows and have them look modern, is to find a piece that mimics its basic silhouette in a new and fresh way.  The clutch pictured below is a perfect example of this…the bow silhouette mixed with modern design.

I love belts that tie into a bow around the waist.  Wether it is a separate piece or the actual fabric of the garment, this look is one of the easiest ways to incorporate the trend in a modern way.

And finally, nothing goes together quite as perfectly as heels + bows! 😉 Add sexiness and femininity into any look by slipping on a killer set of heels.

And so, we have arrived, at another year filled with new dreams and new adventures! Wherever you may be in your life, in the career of your dreams or still working toward one; in the midst a breakup or madly in love; with your soul mate or still searching; in summer or winter; wherever in the world you may be, thank you for coming along with me — for beginning your mornings or ending your evenings here. Cheers to the year ahead, always remember to search for beauty wherever you can find it. May laughter make its way into the most common and everyday events of this new year. Wishing you a beautiful 2014.

xo,

Katy