Now that I have a pretty fair idea of the kind of style I’d like to employ in my personal life, I’ve been spending some of my off-time playing on polyvore, putting together looks that I enjoy and would wear. On pinterest, there are lots of outfits, but there’s always been one or two elements (usually way-too-high-heels) that I’m not keen on. So the solution, obviously, was to just make my own.
Someone mentioned something in one of my facebook groups the other day that really got me thinking about energy typing again. I posted a photo of my new haircut, which unfortunately featured my not-so-good old glasses (that are going to be changed SOON!). Someone commented on the glasses specifically and said she’d like to see more upward movement with my glasses, and that she saw me needing more upward energy.
Upward? Isn’t that, like…Type 1 or 3?
Nah, I hate those types.
Or do I? Maybe this lady is on to something.
Aaaaand…so off to the world-wide-web I went, yet again, to do some more exploration on energy typing.
I always kind of assumed that I must be a 2 (or 4 at one point or another, or a 2/4 or 4/2) because I’m a naturally introverted INFJ. But one thing about the INFJ is that they’re the most extroverted of the introverts. And don’t get me wrong, I do love people. I love to be around them, and have fun, and engage in conversations about all kinds of topics. I get very animated and excited when I’m talking about something I have great passion for. But eventually enough’s enough, and I really do need some down-time.
Type 3 didn’t sound like this kind of energy to me, so I started looking into Type 1. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that I have a LOT in common with Type 1 energies, and even a lot of their physical features! Here’s a checklist for the different types that I worked over in GIMP to show where I lie:
Now that I know a lot more about my face shape and geometry, this test was a lot easier to do, and my results were dramatically different than what I thought I was last time I did it. Perhaps some of it was wishful thinking; after all, I’ve always seen the quiet, serene, gentle woman as the epitome of femininity, and I do long to be seen as that. But now that I know that my face is heart-shaped, so much about how I see myself has changed. And my answers to this quiz have changed a lot, as well.
From totaling up the scores here, I can see pretty clearly that I’m a 1/2/4/3. And to some degree this makes a lot of sense to me. I found these word lists that describe the traits of certain types. Since I only found Type 1 and 2, I’ll post my results here, with positive and negative personal traits shown.
Type 1:
Type 2:
Lots of answers on both. I can see why I thought I must be Type 2 for the longest time.
Between long and weird hours working at my new job, I’ve been doing a lot of pinteresting stuff regarding my personal style, what I feel looks best on me, and what expresses who I want others to see me as. And now I’m trying to figure out how I can do a kind of capsule/staple wardrobe (on the cheap, because hey, I’m broke!) that will encompass the ideas I’ve been learning about myself and what I’m drawn to.
So this post will talk about what I’ve found and what I would like to slowly start gathering up.
I’ve come to the realization that I must be through with trying to be something other than myself. And what I am is a lot of things. Cute. Feminine. Girly. Shy. A bit naive. Youthful. Indeed, most people think I’m at least ten years younger than my age, if not fifteen years younger! I need to stop fighting this and embrace who I truly am, and I feel like this style will nicely encompass that. The term ingenue really does apply to me, and this is my personal take on that idea.
The look, generally, would be fitted cardigans (likely mostly neutrals in order to match things better and be more versatile) over equally fitted tank tops in various colors for more visual interest, paired with slim fitting pants that are ankle cropped or capri length. My best necklines are a softened higher square neck, boatneck, or high crew style. V necks are…not good on me. Skirts…well, I haven’t decided on those yet, although I’m leaning more fitted (but still long to conform to my personal modesty standards).
Cute shoes (of course!) are a must. Flats, if I can ever find some that will fit my fat feet, should be cute, and I also love Mary Janes with a passion (and currently own a pair of black ones). Adorable, whimsical accessories, such as necklaces, dainty dangly earrings, and charm bracelets. I have also become somewhat obsessed with what’s called “ear crawler” style earrings. They are super adorable! Also featured would be hats, namely cloche style hats, which I find absolutely fabulous and utterly adore. I haven’t decided on belting yet, but I think I may have to actually buy a skinny belt and try it to see if the look works on me.
Anyway, here’s a visual.
So. We see a lot of different stuff here, but I think it’s an amazing put-together look. If I were to sum up this look it would be:
Just like with everything else, I’ve been giving some consideration to the looks of things. Today I’m contemplating my TMIT (The Most Important Thing) regarding makeup.
I’ve noticed some trends and patterns in the way I’ve been applying my makeup lately…especially since I just started a new job, and my face is right out in the public by the hundreds every single day. So this will be a list of my personal must-haves for makeup to feel put together for my day.
My next step is always mascara. I have kind of lame lashes, even if they are on the dark side, and they need a LOT of help to get plump and pretty. I’m still on the search for the perfect mascara. Currently, I’m using Covergirl’s Professional in the blue tube, but it doesn’t quite give me the oomph I’d like out of my eyelashes. Two coats generally, with extra emphasis on the outer corners is my technique. My next mascara buy will be this one: Revlon’s Photoready 3D Volume Mascara. I’ve read good things about it, and since I’m on a drugstore budget, this may just do the trick and give me some amazing lashes.
Blush is something that I’m still figuring out, to be honest. In my recent post, I talked about how I had a real AHA! moment with face shapes and discovered that I’m not long or oblong or a long oval like I’d always thought (heavy emphasis on the looooong. lol), but rather, that I have a heart-shaped face. Before this, I have been doing my blush toward long face &c. recommendations, and could never figure out how it wasn’t quite right. But now that I know my face is heart-shaped, I’ve been looking into recs for how to apply blush specifically for my face shape, and I’m having a MUCH better time of things! There are some conflicting recommendations, but the one I’ve found to work the best for me is to apply blush just under the apple of my cheeks and sweep upward toward my ears/hairline. Previously, I had been applying directly onto the apples and outward. I can really see a difference in the way my face looks with just this small change! And let me add that I’m so pale that if I do not apply at least SOME color to my face, I will invariably look like I’ve had the flu lately. So blush, I think, out of all the makeup things I do, is my number one TMIT. My current go-to blush, is Maybelline’s Mineral Power loose blush in Soft Mauve. Just…please don’t spill it all over your bathroom counter!
Lastly, of course, is the lippie. Lately, I have fallen utterly in love with Milani’s Power Lip Lasting Gloss Stain. This formula is amazing on me! I love the way it feels on my lips, it’s incredibly easy to apply, and it lasts longer than any other lippie I own. It’s not sticky, flaky, drying, or goopy like Covergirl’s Outlast line, which I can’t stand but have worn quite a bit for the all-day-long lippie. Currently (and sadly) my one and only color is their Raspberry Tart (which is admittedly a tad too cool for me), and it looks like they may not be making it anymore. And I will cry if I find out that’s true. Otherwise, my next color will be Macaroon for sure, which honestly looks a lot more like Soft Summer than the Raspberry Tart does.
I left this last photo intentionally larger so that others can take a look at the color names and numbers should they find one they like and want to get one.
So anyway, that about rounds me out with makeup. Those are my real Most Important Things. I can skip all the other nonsense, like contouring (which looks like mud on Soft Summer skin anyways), eyeliner, eyeshadow, or full face foundation. Just these things are enough to make me very well put together, fresh, and cute.
All my life, I have seen myself a certain way. I always feel fatter than I look (even when I weighed 110 lbs.). I see bumps and blackheads when others see amazing and flawless skin. And I saw an oblong face when that…apparently was never the case at all!
I’ve always felt that my face was super long and kind of horsey (and honestly never cared for its shape much), but the other day I stumbled across a website that said it will tell you what your face shape is based off of actually measuring certain points through their simple program. Imagine my surprise when I found this:
Not oval. Not oblong. Heart shaped.
The irony is that I was so excited the other day when I discovered this, I absolutely gushed about it when my MIL got home. She kind of laughed and said to me, “Honey, if you’d wanted to know what your face shape was, you should have asked me. I would have told you it was heart-shaped right away. It’s so obvious!”
Head meet desk.
It’s kind of a really weird feeling when you find out things about yourself that you’ve never imagined or thought could be true. I mean, really, really weird. Barriers in my mind about who I am and what I look like are just breaking down lately, and something new is taking its place. I’m feeling like this new thing is something better than the negative way I’ve always seen myself.
If anyone would like to try out this little program (done all online), you can find it here: http://www.ukhairdressers.com/hair_move/face%20shape.asp
Miss Kitty in Color 