My shoptoberfest observations re: OC - YouLookFab Forum

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My shoptoberfest observations re: OC

Isabel

Veteran

Orange County was so different, stylistically, from the areas where I live.

Every woman seemed to be wearing make up. As Aida pointed out, it was not garish or over the top. But everyone was "finished" : mascara, foundation, eyeliner, lip color.
Lots of heels and lovely walking ability. It seemed that 80-90 % of women had Louis Vuitton bags..in particular, the Neverfull. My friend in LA, who I mentioned this to, said that if it not a Vuitton, it is a high end Coach. Though I didn't see many of those...maybe I didn't recognize them. Hair was "coiffed"..again, finished. I think that I am too lazy to ever live in Orange or LA county. LOL !!!

I have decided that I am going to take a make up application lessons. I have to start now in preparing for next year !

22 replies

Latest reply was from Aida

deb

Veteran

This site has great makup tutorials.

http://www.lisaeldridge.com/video/

rachylou

Veteran

I confess to not understanding how people manage a boyfriend/husband/sig-o and make-up at the same time, on a daily basis. It is, frankly, a nasty shock to see people without make-up when you're used to seeing them in make-up. And my bf would be pretty unhappy to have lipstick on his collar.

Mochi

Veteran

I know I'm veering off-topic by saying this, but I recently read about Gwen Stefani saying her husband prefers how she looks in makeup, so she wears it all the time. Now, she is very beautiful in makeup, but still I found that quite sad. To me, when an SO expresses that, it feels to me like he's rejecting or at least downgrading how she looks naturally. (My spouse doesn't like makeup, for the record.) I had a friend who wouldn't even let me see her out of makeup. It's so weird to me.

It's funny, back on topic, that I didn't feel like people looked or dressed all that different from back in Boston, obviously apart from climate differences.

When we were "closing down" the chichi high-end mall in the evening, I was more in people-watching mode and even noticed a lot of families that were not particularly well-dressed. To me they stood out.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Isabel, Orange County is much more "finished" than LA in general. Yeah, parts of LA are very similar - Beverly Hills, areas of Santa Monica - but many go without foundation, leave their hair loose, don't wear much makeup.

Of course, there is the fact that many go through severe pains for the "unfinished" look - permed-in waves or Brazillian hair treatments, super expensive haircuts, eyeliner tattooed on... it is at once surface and symbol. A bizarre culture, I agree. I feel such a rebel for carrying my "no name" bags. lol

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I have some friends in So Cal that are Coach obsessed. And not very fashion forward in other ways, I have to say. Like sneakers with capris at the soccer game types. I just. don't. get. it.

Mochi

Veteran

One of the first bags I trepidatiously spent good money on was a Coach bag, which actually had a fantastic boho vibe. Most Coach products I find obnoxious and cannot stand.

Sandy

I have never been to OC, but I do live in Scottsdale, and we think we're a mini LA. We get that a lot here. I found that when I moved here I started to think that I also needed a Louis Vuitton bag (sometimes I still pine after one), but it's just such a money and status obsessed area. Everyone here is skinny and botoxed to no end. Sometimes I feel like a slob leaving the house in flats, but then I get over it because I'm comfortable (physically and with who I am).

san

Veteran

So interesting to read about the different cultures. I guess it has to do with what we grew up with or what we are used to, what our background is. My husband much prefers me sans makeup and with utilitarian clothing, he grew up on a farm in CO.

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Ugh, now I'm reconsidering my Louis Vitton bag I got in Vegas. Though mine is polka dotted by Yayoi Kasuma. The dot pattern overlys the logo, so you have to look hard.

biscuitsmom

Veteran

I dont leave the house without at least some makeup on, partly because I have rosacea and literally half-eyebrows It looks like I completely tweezed/shaved off from the arch outward My DH didnt know for the first 3 yrs we were together I didnt have full eyebrows! lol. I know I'll never be one of the 'chic, thin, perfectly groomed' ladies, so Im trying to learn to be satisfied, if not 'happy' with what and who I am (with YLF's help!)

Janet

(website)

Veteran

It is interesting how different areas have different norms around appearance and fashion.

When it comes to makeup, I like to wear some, but I don't think I look radically different with it from how I do without it, so I've never taken anyone by surprise. A little more even skin tone, my eyes are more defined, my cheeks have a little more color, and my lips have a slight bit more color (although I hate how I look in dark or bright lipstick, and that turns out to be a good thing since my husband doesn't care for that look either). Hubs likes how I look with makeup and without, so it's all good to me.

I just can't stand the caked-on, heavy, overly made-up look. I look at most of the Real Housewives and want to scrub their faces with a washcloth.

deb

Veteran

I was reading Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster last week, got halfway through, then forgot it on the plane on Saturday. Anyway, one of the topics was the Louis Vitton bags and how the Asians are so logo obsessed. In the Asian countries Louis Vitton is a necessity.It sounds like we are becoming the same. Although, I do not see that around my part of California.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

Sometimes I think that logos are the great human divide - those who do & those (like me) who would want to be paid to wear them. It's all very star belly Sneetches to me.
The Sneetches, by Dr. Seuss
Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars.
The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.
Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small.
You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all.

But, because they had stars, all the Star-Belly Sneetches
Would brag, “We’re the best kind of Sneetch on the beaches.”
With their snoots in the air, they would sniff and they’d snort
“We’ll have nothing to do with the Plain-Belly sort!”
And, whenever they met some, when they were out walking,
They’d hike right on past them without even talking.

catgirl

Veteran

Too funny, Isabel - I didn't notice any of that, due to my total focus on shopping with YLFers.

As for makeup, I wear only eyeliner and lipstick. Setting a low standard makes it easier to wow people with a little more effort. That's my story!

rachylou

Veteran

@ biscuitsmom - My eyebrows are so sparse! Dark, right, but sparse! The salon people always wanted to fix them because they are also wayward, but I stopped letting them tweeze. They just get thinner and thinner.

Eyebrows are a funny business.

Echo

Veteran

caro, you are probably right about the Dr. Seuss reference, but sometimes it is difficult to tell which way the bias leans. Sometimes those not carrying monogram prints judge just as harshly as those who do.

Thistle

Veteran

Caron, I love your Dr. Suede reference!

I live in Wisconsin, so warmth is king here come winter. I guess I have never really looked at the brands on others purses, so I am not sure what is popular here.

When I was in Shanghai for work, it was interesting how many ladies carried "designer" purses. Whether they were knock offs or not, it seemed like most people just assumed they were. All the ladies at our offices there knew where to get the best knockoffs at the best prices. The whole thing seemed odd to me. - purses as a sort of status symbol, but no one believing they are real - yet everyone carrying said status symbol.

It's funny because I always avoided items with a logo on them simply because it made me angry that they were making me pay to advertise their goods. I have a Coach bag, but there is nary a label on the outside of it. I even took off the metal tag on the purse strap.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Anna, I think you're safe. The LVs that are status symbols here are the classic brown monogram and the checkerboard pattern... and I'm fairly sure that many of those are fake, too. Same with the Coach bags in this particular subculture - the point is to make sure everyone knows what brand it is, quick and easy. I think your Yayoi Kasuma would go over their heads.

Isabel

Veteran

Anna, I agree with Rae. Everything I saw had the brown and tan or brown and black LV logos.

This is a fascinating thread. I LOVED the Dr. Seuss reference too ! Mocchi, the Gwen Stefani comment is completely on topic. I read that too about her. Tammy Fay Baker used to get up at 4 or 5 AM to put on her fake eyelashes every morning before her husband got up.

My husband HATES make up...but he always notices my dark circles when I don't where concealer, LOL !

Deb, I will have to read that. It sounds fascinating.

Janet, LOL regarding the Housewives...I thought of them all weekend. Though the people I saw were not so over the top.

BM !!! Hysterical ! One of my sisters-in-law has very little upper lip due to a cancer surgery. For 10 years I had no idea ! I used to never go out without mascara and under eye concealer, but that has slipped the last couple of years. Sometimes I run out of the house to pick up my kids and come right home. I am making an effort to look decently dressed...but I do need undereye concealer. The bus driver gets very concerned when I don't where concealer, LOL !!!!

Rae, your comment about working so hard to have the "unfinished" look made me think of how hard "effortless" chic is. I want to look "natural" without it being high maintenance application. That is why I am so into the skin thing now.

A totally antithetical position, was that of a female designer in Milan, who recently said that woman never take their children to school in make up, but no one would dare show up in jeans, a t shirt and sneakers......

In the end, it inspired me to be understated but a bit more polished.

Marley

Veteran

Hey Isabel - I think you got a small sample size! Where I live (in a beach community!) it is much more laid-back - board shorts, flip-flops, hair pulled back into a pony-tail, etc. etc. I think that when people go shopping they tend to dress up a little bit more than the way that they normally dress!

As far as make-up goes - I always wear it - but not very much - I actually can't imagine ever going out of the house without it! (Is that pathetic?) But, what I wanted to say is that I think it is really fun to go once each season to either Sephora or to a make-up counter and just get an update on the latest make-up styles/trends. They usually have a minimum purchase requirement - but its not very much - and in my experience it can really give you a "boost!"

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

Wow deb - that site you linked has AMAZING makeup tutorials - Thank you!

Aida

Veteran

Rae's comment about how "unfinished" doesn't equate "no work" really resonates with me. My look is partially finished, half by design and half by laziness I'm not as extreme as the examples Rae listed, though I can certainly see the appeal of that type of approach. I wear minimal make up, just mascara and tinted lip balm, but I do put more effort behind the scenes for my skin and am very lucky to have decent skin to start with. Same with my hair; I don't spend a lot of time styling it, but I do put in some non-styling work so that it'll behave well enough with this minimal approach. Of course I could do more and probably look better, but I'm comfortable with the minimal effort I put into both my make up and hair routine. Plus I very much like the "natural" look for myself, fits well with my style.