NYE 2012: Sparkle in style with Dress Therapy

I don't know about you guys, but I love the fun and excitement of dressing up on New Years Eve. There's something about the new year that makes you want to wear something just a little bit special. Let's face it. When you look especially gorgeous it can totally change your whole attitude. And there is nothing like a new dress to put that spring back in your step!

If you frequently shop elegant pageant dresses or cocktail dresses chances are Dress Therapy may already be on your radar. I know I have been lusting after *this* dress for a minute now. If you have not heard of Dress Therapy yet- Go. NOW. lol. I just love their selection of formal wear and undergarments that work well under said formal wear. Their prices on Spanx are slightly less expensive than in the department store so this is also something a girl can appreciate. The many prom dresses available would dazzle even the pickiest of teenage girls...and it makes me sooo jealous this website didn't exist when I was prom age!!! They also carry several styles of heels, many of them embellished with chunky glitter or rhinestones-both of which are very popular right now.

 Dress Therapy has so many beautiful dresses it can be a little intimidating trying to find your perfect dress.
So for this post I enlisted the help of a few stylish friends and came up with the ultimate list of must have NYE dresses. I also put together 3 makeup looks that I feel go great with these dresses and just NYE in general. So without further ado here are my NYE looks:

"The not-so-classic LBD"


Available for purchase HERE

Available for purchase HERE

I cannot say enough good things about these two Sherri Hill dresses. Neither are too short yet they are just short enough to be daring. They are fun, sparkly, and both are flattering styles. The gems on the top dress are just amazing. The second dress is what I'd describe as sophisticated fun. Both of these stunners would make any gals NYE a night to remember.

The makeup look I chose for these dresses is kind of  'old Hollywood glam meets gothic'. I used a lot of the champagne-y and warm highlight shades in my Tarte for True Blood Pallet, along with a golden toned blush, winged black eyeliner, thick eyelashes and a deep purple lip. Deep purple lipstick is popular this winter I have noticed. It's edgy and makes your teeth appear whiter. I'm digging the trend.

Remember to keep the eyeshadow soft and light since you're wearing such a dramatic lip color.


The 'Pop of color'

Available for purchase HERE



Available for purchase HERE

I picked these dresses because they both have a lot of deep metallic color and sparkle to them. I love wines, purples, and peacocky shades of blue for this winter. They are so flattering against many skintones and yet are still so vibrant. I love that Dress Therapy has a better selection of plus sized dresses than you will find elsewhere.

The makeup I chose for this look was a shimmering wine colored eye paired with a matching lip, pale pink blush, and just a little bit of glitter. I started out with a super sparkly deep brown from a company called Jujubeads called 'Dark Soul'. Again I used my Tarte pallet but this time I went for V. and Waitress. Then I used an amazing sparkling white shade from My Beauty Addiction called Snow Globe as a highlight. I finished it off by packing on Abigail Boutique Designs Big Papa. I blended it out and then packed on more Big Papa with a moist brush. I made my own lip gloss by mixing a tiny bit of Big Papa with a clear balm. Adding a little bit of glitter is totally optional.

And last but not least... 'the ultimate NYE party dress'.



Available for purchase HERE



Available for purchase HERE



They're sexy. They're silver. They're sparkly! What more could you ask for really? Both dresses have sweetheart necklines which tend to compliment voluptuous bustlines as well as smaller busts. Both of these dresses just glimmer and for me... that's what a New Years Eve look is really about. Wear one of these only if you're prepared to have all eyes on you ;)

The makeup I chose was easy. A simple silver and black smokey eye. I used the two sparkly black shades in my Tarte pallet to make my crease, Then I packed on Abigail's Boutique Designs Hidden truth all over under the crease and on 2/3rd of the eyelid. I used this shade because it adds an iridescent navy blue sheen as well as some gold tones. The gold tones give the silver on top of it sort of an antiqued color. I packed on Starchild from the Tarina Tarantino Starchild Pallet all over the inner eye and lid. I finished my eyes off using MBA Snow Globe and ABD Ice Queen as a browbone highlight. I kept my blush and lipstick a peachy nude shade with some gold tones.

There you have it! Perfect party dresses for your NYE 2012 bash. Which dress are you dying for?? Get to it and check out Dress Therapy out HERE




In accordance with FTC disclosure policies I need to mention that I received compensation for this post. All opinions stated are my own and in no way influenced by receiving compensation. 

Work to play: Purple eyes in 3 steps

I've been slacking on my makeup looks again lately. So..I figured now would be a good time to put up the 1st in a series of tutorials that features build-able looks that will take your eye makeup from day to night.

These are meant to be easy, simple and take only a few minutes for those times when you want to change your makeup but do not have much time or many products to work with.

First up is: Purple



1. Start with clean primed eyes.

2. Use a soft brown toned purple to define your crease and "V" area of the eye. I used the color 'Gargamel' from Abigail's Boutique Designs because it looks more or less purple depending on how much you blend it. I made the crease slightly deeper in shade and just blended it down over the lid a little bit.

 

3. Take a highlight shade ( I used Ice queen) and pat it into the inner corners of your eyelids, and sweep over your brow bones, For a shiner, more defined look you can also use a little to highlight the center of your eyelids. Finish it off with one coat of black mascara.

A perfect natural look great for work or school.

Okay now you want to kick it up a notch and add in a little bit more color, but you still want to keep your color light enough for daytime wear. No problem!

1. Take a slightly damp (NOT WET) brush and use a shimmery mauve-toned purple. I used Princess Purple in this look all over the lid and blended up into the crease. Using a damp brush will unleash the hidden shine within this color, and make the existing colors shimmer. Use a small angled brush to line underneath your eye as well.

2. Take a light lavender shade and blend it from the inner corner  into the center of the lid. I used Smurfling from the smurf collection- which is actually a pretty sparkly color so I just used a little bit. You can use it dry for a more subtle shine or wet if you'd like to see more of the sparkles. I used mine dry here.

3. Add on another coat of black mascara and you're good to go!

Last Part! You're ready for a  night on the town and need more of a purple punch....


1. Use a deep blueish purple shade to deepen the crease and the "V" of your eyelid. I chose Sonic Boom and blended it well with a fluffy brush using a circular motion.

2. Using a black liquid or gel liner make a very thin winged line above your lashline. Skip lining the bottom since we already have purple eyeshadow acting as an eyeliner there.

 

3. Define your brows, add a pair of false lashes or another coat of mascara and you're ready for whatever the night has in store for you!

finished :)