Saturday, September 22, 2012

How to Make Your Own Metallic Cap Toe Shoe - the look of Chanel for just a few $$



Leave it to Coco Chanel to make this classic fashion cap toe pump a timeless hot trend for Fall 2012! The best part is that you can recreate this metallic blocking yourself with an old pair of scuffed pumps and make them new again - Plus recycle and save some $$! 


You will need: masking tape, sheet of paper, tape measure, spray adhesion primer, metallic spray paint, clear glossy top spray.


  • Wipe off surface of the shoe with a damp cloth, then make sure it's completely dry before beginning.
  • Decide how much of a cap toe you want - for this pump it was 2 inches from the sole up.
  • Take out a tape measure and mark your line.
  • Use masking tape on the outside of the mark you've made to create the line.
  • Wrap any paper, a sheet of paper works great, around your shoe to make a barrier where you don't want the paint to spray.
  • Use a spray adhesive primer, found at automotive or hardware stores as your first layer. All of the spraying should be done outside, in a well ventilated area with gloves. Don't skip this step - this will differentiate your shoe from looking home-made or high fashion. This spray is a primer and will allow the paint to adhere to the shoe. 
  • Shake the can really, really well and spray 1-2 feet away. Let it dry 1-2 hours.
  • After it's dry apply the metallic spray in super light coats - at least 3 in total. Hint: try it first on the surface you are using to spray on - like newspaper. And be sure to shake the can at least 2 minutes before using.
  • Let the paint dry about 1-2 hours between layers.
  • Apply the clear gloss. It is very important that you get the gloss and not an enamel or other finish! Let this dry a few hours before removing the tape and paper.
  • Mistakes? Use a q-tip and nail polish remover.





To learn more model's secrets to looking your best and taking your best photos check out my new book Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and makeup artists on how to become Picture Perfect! Available for just $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as paperback from Amazon.com 











Friday, September 14, 2012

Drop Dead Gorgeous - Starving is NOT Sexy



Starving yourself - purposely not eating to lose weight, will actually slow down your metabolism causing your body to go into self-preservation mode. 

You may experience a short-term weight loss but your body will fight back by making you feel hungrier and begin to store fat, slowing down your metabolism. Eventually your body will break down muscle protein for energy.

What else is not sexy about not eating?

  • Loss of Hair. Malnutrition causes your hair to thin and fall out.

  • Brittle Nails. Your nails can begin to break and become brittle.

  • Bloating. Gastro motility slows and it takes longer for the gastric system to empty causing constipation.

  • Infertility. Your period can become irregular or may stop completely due to hormonal abnormalities.

  • Bone Loss. You may experience bone damage and osteoporosis even after a few months since the nutrients your body needs to regenerate are not present.

  • Depression. Due to a lack of iron from not eating, you may become anemic causing you to feel weak, tired, irritable and in some cases clinically depressed.

  • Heart disease. You can damage your heart. In some cases, dehydration and electrolyte imbalances can cause heart arrhythmias and death.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

How to Make Your Legs Look Longer - Tips to Looking Thinner



Want to look like you have legs for days? 
Wearing heels is an obvious choice, but there are a few other tricks to gaining longer, more enviable legs that you should know about!

A self tanner can sculpt your legs, hide bruises and highlight muscle tone when you apply more to the areas where there is definition. Using a second layer along the sides of your thighs will make your legs look thinner because anything darker recedes and that rule works for legs too!


Using a shimmer stick or highlighter  from your thigh all the way down your shin to your foot is one of the easiest, quickest ways to making your legs look instantly longer and leaner. Why does this work? When you highlight a straight line down your leg the eye is immediately drawn to it and will follow the long line. Instant length via a visual trick, especially when combined with contouring the outer leg.

One of my favorite products to use for this trick is a bronzer, sort of a cross between a self tanner and highlighter:
Nar's Body Glow ($59)

Crossing your legs when seated is a comfortable way to relax but take a tip from celebrities who show off their legs beautifully when they are sitting for an interview. Cross your legs and tuck the top leg slightly behind the calf of the other leg to accentuates the calf muscle.




If your legs are a little bigger than you wish, wear a hem line that ends at the thinnest part of your leg - that way people will just assume that the rest of your leg is thin too, but it's best if the hem hits somewhere just above your knee ... anything longer cuts your legs off and visually shortens your leg.


Wearing the right clothes comes into play so choose pinstriped pants, any vertical lines will make your legs appear longer. Always hem your pants to cover the heel. Again, we want the eye to continue downward as long as we can when someone looks at us which is why the monochromatic way always works - matching your hem line whether it's a pant of skirt to your heel. This is why you see so many celebrities wearing nude colored shoes - matching their skin tone to give the illusion of a longer leg.



Wear pants and shoe in same color - models off duty
I am 5'9", blessed with naturally long legs and I wear heels all the time, but not because I want to be taller! People aren't attracted to you because you are tall, in fact science says men are more attracted to women that look fertile i.e. sexy, not imposingly tall. Heels lengthen the legs for sure, but they also point the toes downward making them look more graceful (think ballerina). Heels force you to use different muscles when you walk, making your butt stick out and arching your back, pushing your chest forward. Yep - pretty darn sexy!  

What type of heel should you choose? Pointed or open toe shoes are best with an open top, otherwise known as a low vamp (cleavage for your feet!), because the goal is to see more of your foot extending the visual length of your leg ... which is why nude or skin colored shoes are best where there is no transition between skin and shoe giving you at least another 5 inches of visual leg. A square or rounded toe will have the opposite effect. If your calves are bigger stay away from spiked thin heels. Towering heels will make you look wobbly and unbalanced drawing attention to your calf. And you should try to avoid wearing anything with an ankle strap as it will make your legs look stubby. When in doubt always go simple. Having alot of straps or embellishments can make your foot look bulky and take away from the illusion of a leaner leg.


You might also like these posts:
Models off duty uniform: Click {HERE}
How to look skinnier in your photos:  Click {HERE}




To learn more model's secrets to looking your best and taking your best photos check out my new book Face This: Real advice from real models, photographers and makeup artists on how to become Picture Perfect! Available for just $7.99 on Kindle, Nook and iTunes. Also as paperback from Amazon.com