You are here: Home / Archives for Extreme Colors

To Extreme or Not Enough?

Dress code as seen at a London Club in the Soh...

Image via Wikipedia

We live in a society that presents a mixed message as it relates to personal style. On one hand, we want our children to express themselves as people. On the other, we present them with rules, regulations, and restrictions in terms of their hair styles and clothing choices. While some parents support their children’s wish to dress the way they want, others feel that this freedom causes nothing more than problems. When you stop to think about how children’s fashion has evolved, you may find it easier to decide for your own child.

Consider the typical high school from the 1960′s. If you walked through the door, you would likely notice several groups or ‘cliques’ of kids. There would be the jocks, clean-cut and preppy dressed. The ‘hoods’ would be dressed distinctly differently. There may be a small sub-group, but for them most part you were either a jock or not.

Now, consider the typical high school today. There is a group for every kid. Goth kids in their heavy eye make-up and dark clothing. Nerds, who have embraced the floods and pocket protectors. Gear heads, metal heads, good girls, and bad boys. Today, our kids are able to express who they are in the way they choose to dress.

The question becomes is this a good thing or not. In reality, kids today focus so much energy on how they dress and how those around them look. They generalize personalities based on apparel. Maybe it isn’t a good thing. Maybe the schools that have created dress codes and rules about extreme hair styles have it right.

We can only hope we have made the right choice for our children.

Filed Under: Extreme Colors, Fashion, Hair Styles Tagged With: , ,

Hair Products To Stay Away From

If you want to keep your hair healthy, there are products you should definitely stay away from. Plenty of people don’t notice how bad certain products are for your hair, and it’s okay to use certain products once or twice, but there are some you should definitely stay away from.

Avoid getting perms or chemically straightening your hair. If you want your hair to stay healthy, these are definitely things you want to stay away from. Many people say that after they’ve received a perm, their hair has never been the same.

Try not to color your hair too often. If you color your hair occasionally, it’s not going to permanently damage your hair to the point of no return, but if you color it every six weeks, you’re going to see a major change in the health of your hair. If you must color your hair, never use bleach. This will destroy your hair and you will never get it back until it grows out.

Avoid products that make your hair feel gross. If you don’t like it, don’t use it, but don’t be fooled by certain products that make your hair feel amazing, because they could be simultaneously destroying your hair. Read the ingredients on your shampoo and conditioner. If you really want a healthy shampoo, look for a natural one.

Certain things that you aren’t necessarily applying to your hair may be dangerous to your hair as well. Hot tools such as curling irons and straight irons may cause heat damage to your hair, which is very difficult to get rid of. Avoid using these every day, but it’s okay to use them every once in a while.

Filed Under: Extreme Colors, Hair Styles Tagged With: , ,

Get Extreme with Red Lipstick

Nothing says daring, glamorous and extreme like bold, red lipstick. If applied properly it can be an attention grabbing makeup effect. If worn improperly, it can spell disaster. Like any extreme style, it has to be practiced before it is presented. Here are a few tips for wearing red lipstick.

Not all red lipstick shades work on all skin types. Olive skinned people look best with a strong red, Caucasian people look best with a delicate red, and ebony skinned people look best with a hint of brown in the red lipstick. Ivory skinned people should not wear red lipstick on a daily basis. It should be reserved for a very dramatic effect.

Age can be the make or break for a woman wearing red lipstick. It is not good for teenage girls, and older women can look even older if they try to wear it. It is good for younger women, but not too young.

It is very important that red lipstick does not bleed after it is applied. Otherwise it will be a very embarrassing and frightening look. Therefore, red lipstick needs a little preventative maintenance to be worn. Face powder needs to be dabbed around the outer lines of the lipstick to fill in the tiny wrinkles that are there. These little wrinkles are where lipstick tends to bleed. A lip brush is the most effective way to get the powder into the lines.

Most importantly, explore and research the various famous effects of red lipstick. Marilyn Monroe was the ultimate glamor girl, and she really made a splash with this extremely hot color. Red lips are a great contrast for black and white photography. If you’re short on time and need to go from daytime look to evening style in a flash, a tube of red lipstick can make the quick change for you with a fast, sexy change of color.

Get extreme with red and get noticed.

Filed Under: Extreme Colors, Fashion, Make-Up Tagged With: , , ,

2011 Spring Colors

Spring colors usually mean soft, cool splashes of blues, pinks and yellows. They don’t usually include warm colors typically associated with fall and winter, but this spring, designers are getting bold and doing what the color experts said should never be done. They’re mixing cool traditional spring colors with rich warm fall colors.

In 2011, spring colors will celebrate the cultures of the world by incorporating vibrant colors of Africa, Peru, India and Turkey. Bold and warm colors are always associated with these countries. That means the prim hues of springtime are about to get a kick in the pants. Designers will pair warm and cool complimentary colors to create eye catching outfits.

Combination colors to watch for are honeysuckle, coral rose, beeswax, lavender, peapod, russet and silver cloud. The silver cloud will be the neutral color that will help tie the opposing colors together. Think of the colors as elements of the sands, the sea, the jungle, the rocky shores, and the sunny meadows. These colors are organic and quite common in the natural world. It’s just this year that we’ll be wearing colors as we normally see them.

Fashion week in New York saw the 2011 spring colors debut with a 1970′s flair, and that style really suits them well. The free spirited, flowing styles of the decade of love and decadence combined with this new set of colors create an eye popping visual effect that should get the fashion smart shopper plenty of attention. It’s as if the color rules have flown out the window.

If bold color statements seem too scary for the conservative, don’t worry. There was plenty of traditional white on the runway. The styles are still flowing with a nod to the seventies, but the color is as safe as it comes for spring and summer.

Filed Under: Extreme Colors, Fashion Tagged With: , , , , ,