Dior Rouge Dior in Plissé Soleil No.532, $34, available at Dior;
Dior Contour Lipliner in Automne No.844, $30, available at Dior;
Dior Diorshow Waterproof Liner in Navy No.178, $29, available at Dior;
Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow in Smoky Design No.008, $60, available at Dior.
Makeup by Lynne Schaeffer; Hair by Kyra Dorman; Video by Owen Levelle; Video edited by Christopher Michael Beer.
Photographed at King & Grove Williamsburg, 160 North 12th Street (between Bedford and Berry streets); 718-218-7500.
You've had a pretty stellar career so far, tell us how you got your start as a stylist.
"It was a very lucky chain of events. I was always interested in journalism and was toying with the idea of working at CNN. While I was waiting for my internship to start (which would have been in Atlanta), my dad decided that I had done quite enough partying on his dime, and it was time for me to get real. I went on Craigslist — yes I know, completely random and unglamorous story! I found an ad for someone needing a stylist assistant, figured this was something I could do, and ended up meeting with Mary Alice Haney. We found we had a ton of friends in common, and I worked with her until I started at Condé Nast a year later. I don’t think either she or I have been on Craigslist since!"
You must be so busy styling different celebs, what's an average day like?
"Every day is completely different. One day [my assistant Emma and I] will be on set shooting a magazine cover; the next we’ll be creating the billboard for The Vampire Diaries, and the next we'll be wading through Style.com, making selects for looks we want to see our clients in on the red carpet. One of the things that attracted me to styling in the first place was the lack of routine and the unexpected surprises that pop up on a daily basis. We definitely spend a ton of time in and out of showrooms, and the relationships we have with the PR gals and guys for each brand along with the designers are some of the closest and most important we have."
Then it sounds like you must really need a tried-and-true beauty ritual to keep your ever-changing day somewhat regular.
"The older I get, the more diligent I am trying to be with my makeup and beauty routine. When I wake up, I clean my face with warm water and then toner. I tend to have dry skin, so I hydrate with a heavy-duty moisturizer religiously! I use Dior Hydra Life Hydrating Eye Cream to help me look like I have just come back from a relaxing vacation and then top it off with a tinted moisturizer with SPF. I like to focus on one thing — eyes or, my fave, a fabulous lip! I usually get my brows tinted to keep things easy day-to-day, comb some mascara through my lashes, and then leave my lip to the last-minute, once I have decided what I am wearing for the day. I have been loving a pink lip this summer, but now moving into fall, I opt for a slightly more sultry red."
Corals, reds, and bright pinks are hard to pull off. How do you get a lasting pout?
"I always make sure to give my lips a quick scrub to make sure they aren’t chapped. Primer really does make a difference, as does lip liner. Nothing worse than smudged red lips! A good tip for making sure the color doesn’t end up on your teeth is once you have applied, put your lips around your finger and pull it out. Any stray lipstick that may have ended up on the inside of your mouth will transfer to your fingers and keep your pearly whites sparkly and fresh!"
Dior Rouge Dior in Vogue No.565, $34, available at Dior;
Dior Vernis in Plaza No.579, $24, available at Dior;
Dior Diorshow Black Out Mascara in Kohl Black No.099, $25, available at Dior;
Dior Diorshow Art Pen in Catwalk Black No.095, $30, available at Dior.
Photographed at Fitzcarraldo, 195 Morgan Avenue (between Stagg and Meadow streets); 718-233-2566.
"There is something so sexy and empowering about putting on lipstick. I remember playing with my mom’s lipstick and wishing I was old enough (and cool enough!) to have my own. My favorite shade was anything very bright — which was very hard to get out of clothing, furniture, and anything else I crossed paths with! The less-is-more approach had not quite entered my world yet. But, bless my mother, she encouraged creativity and self-expression, and she gave me free rein. Until I really did want to wear makeup at the age of 12, and then I was not allowed to until I was 17!"
"Texture, color, and staying power! It is so common to find colors you love, only to be disappointed when they go on paper-thin or overly sticky and thick. Rouge Dior lipsticks have a great consistency and eliminate time spent worrying about whether your lippie is actually on your lips!
We sometimes swipe on color without thinking how it'll work or clash with our outfits. So, we want to hear from a pro: How do you use lipstick to complement your style?
"I try to choose makeup depending on what I want from my look. I often start by deciding if I want the hair and makeup to work with the feel of the outfit or against it. For example, if someone is wearing a very simple, minimal, white jumpsuit, you can either work with the look and do really sleek hair and very matte, nude makeup with a strong, bold brow. Or, you can be more playful and fun by adding volume to the hair — then a red lip to add warmth and softness to the look and take it away from being so severe."
And, what about contrast? Specially, your outfit and makeup here at Aurora?
"The garden courtyard here is like a fairyland. They have created a vibe that feels like you are in a quaint country house in Tennessee. The imaginative designs of using old bathtubs as flowerbeds under a canopy of vines adds a mystic, romantic energy that is effortlessly chic. I guess I just like to wear what I feel. Sometimes it’s the look that makes you stand out, and sometimes it’s just the attitude. This outfit is a real statement! I adore the addition of the bright-red lipstick; it really adds an element of fun and sexiness."
How do you use lipstick to change a look entirely?
"Lipstick is such a great accessory. It can really add an entirely new element to an outfit. Jeans and a T-shirt on their own can sometimes be a bit plain, but with a great statement lip, you can instantly and affordably take your look to a whole other level. At work, I tend to lean toward a more neutral lip. I never like to feel too precious when I am getting down and dirty. but at night, I LOVE to go bold! Deep burgundies are super-sexy for fall, and fabulous pops of pinks or coral can really lift a look. And, I’ve never met a man who doesn’t like the perfect red pout."
Photographed at Aurora, 70 Grand Street (between Wythe and Kent avenues); 718-388-5100.