5 Style Lessons from 2020
Happy day, reader dear!
2020 is winding down, and depending on how you feel, 2021 is either looming or filled with promise. I’m not taking sides. I’m a both/and kind of believer. If you’ve been with me a while, you already know that! Thank you for returning!
If this is your first visit, Welcome! It’s lovely to have you Chez Closet Play. I hope we can get to know each other better!
If you don’t already know me, you need to know that I’m all about learning experiences. (Even the AFGO’s.) So… To prevent 2020 from being a total style washout, I decided to look back and see if I could find any style lessons that 2020 has taught me. Lo, and behold, I found a few! Yes, some are silly, some not so much…
False lashes are life changing!
Drumroll, please! 2020 is the year I learned to apply false lashes without gluing my eyelids open. Yes. I did. Well, only ONE eyelid. AND laughed really hard at myself… Pee your pants kind of laughter. If that’s TMI, I’m sorry.
The main reason I don’t wear false lashes everyday? I don’t keep toothpicks in the bathroom, and going out to the kitchen to get one to apply the glue is often more work than I feel like getting into at 8:00 AM. I’ve already done my readings and quiet time, cleaned my zone AND gone for my run and showered. You want more?
I can go a LOT longer than I thought without a hair cut.
When lockdown came and the salons in our town were closed, I thought, Oh, my goodness… I’m going to lose my mind and take scissors to my own hair. Well, virtual friends, I did neither. Like so many others, I got shaggy and creative. And it was just fine.
Caveat: My hairdresser is AMAZING! It’s rare to find someone whose cut (for short hair) can easily last 6 weeks and still manages to look good far past that. It’s about scissor genius. Hope at Salon Sano. She’s worth driving for. Did I mention she’s a curly cut diva?
Addendum: You cannot imagine how glad I am that I decided to take the grey leap years ago! Watching oodles of women freak out about grey roots on social media was amusing… (If you were one of them, I’m sorry, but I did chuckle at your expense. I hope you can forgive me.)
I’m nicer when I like my outfit.
Yes, you’ve seen the memes, and they’re true. Clothing has the power to affect our mood. Dressing well is a form of self-care. Seeing so many men and women default into PT gear day and night makes me sad. Not just because I’m an image consultant, but simply as a person watching them slide down the slope into anger, frustration, and depression. When you can’t control almost anything else in your life, you can still control what you put on your body. And that’s POWERFUL!
I choose to use what I wear to support my goals and my mission! Not everyone else makes that choice. #thingsyoucantunsee
I CAN use an entire tube of mascara in three months.
See #1. When you wear false lashes regularly, you go through a LOT more mascara. Partially because you get used to seeing yourself ultra-lashy. Partly because you use mascara to blend your real lashes with the false ones. Thank you to Rachel, the makeup artist, who taught me that one…
And the 2020 reason? Because you go everywhere masked and eye makeup is king this year! Lipstick sales are down dramatically, but eye makeup sales are up more than 200%.
I’ve always been the woman who replaces her mascara every three months. Religiously. Because eye health, people. Until 2020, I had never used up a tube of mascara in that three month period. This year I got my money’s worth from Spring, Summer, and Fall’s mascara purchases!
I’m happy to take a Busman’s Holiday…
No other kind of holiday was happening this year! Taking a themed staycation (Even if I was taking pictures, writing blog posts, and posting on social media) was a fun way to shake up my style! The themed mini-wardrobe part of the Staycation gave me some focus and eliminated a LOT of decisions.
No wonder I like travel packing so much! I’m thinking about heading into 2021 by doing a 10 X 10 for the first half of the month. Hm. That would make it a 10 X 15. Maybe it should be a 15 X 15? It’s been chilly and I’ve been layering…
So How About YOU?
Did you learn anything about Style in 2020? About your style? Do any of these lessons resonate with you? Please share… I love to hear your thoughts!
PS: Don’t forget to replace your mascara! Your eyes AND your eye doctor will love you…
Stylishly yours,
Merry Christmas!
4 Comments
CiM
I’m with Leslie – interested in hearing more about your eyelash choice and application. I know there are plenty of videos online (I’ve watched a number of them)…but your particular Liz Take is always valuable to me.
Learning about YOUR personal experience – the toothpick you mentioned – placement of the ever-so-uncooperative-eyelashes – your thoughts/learning process – all of this I would relish. If you want to tell! π
Because: there are a number of things you’ve mentioned in passing – sometimes in comments – such as BB Cream.
BB Cream! Which emerged as the product I’ve been seeking lo these many years…never having heard one peep about it prior to your brief explanation . Your endorsement was enough to get me interested. When I tried it, I thought WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE, BB CREAM!? My skin finally looks like I always wished it would.
This emboldened me enough to try a touch of blush …and even think about adding a few eyelashes for pizazz. People keep saying I look more alive, which can’t be bad!
Bottom line: I know you are a great source for fashion / style / clothing / accessories / color / etc. Just as valuable are your “side notes” about cosmetics you’ve tried or anything else. Your experience is welcome and I’m here for it. π
Cathy in Missouri
Liz K
Thank you for the encouragement, Cathy! I might need to schedule a group Zoom for those interested in laughing and trying to glue lashes! Alive is ALWAYS a good look. Yup, if I could only have three products, it would be BB/CC Cream, Eyebrow Pencil and Blush. It would be tough call to leave the mascara behind, but the eyebrow pencil could do double duty as liner if needed… Glad to be of help!
Leslie Susan Clingan
Oh, come help me!! I need a block of instruction on putting on eyelashes. First tried the glue on type and then tried the lashes with the magnetic eyeliner. Not very good luck with either. But they do make one’s eyes pop, don’t they? Need to try again until I perfect applying and wearing them.
I still put on lip color everyday but it does seem like a waste of time and product. I just look much better with it on. I think even if my lips are covered the color makes my eyes look less tired.
You do have a fabulous hair cut. I think we all learned to s-t-r-e-t-c-h those haircuts to the max this year.
Liz K
YES! Girl, let’s do a Zoom false eyelash application meet-up! I have the feeling there’d be so much laughter that eyelids would definitely be glued open! What brand of magnetic lashes did you try? I’ve heard the ToriBelle ones are fabulous! That’s next on my “to try” list because they have brown and grey liner options, most seem only to have black which is WAY too heavy for me. I don’t feel dressed without earrings, my mom feels naked without lipstick. We all have that “thing.” You do you!