The Oscars Red Carpet Accessories - 2013

I'll admit, I've been a bit underwhelmed from what I've seen on the Red Carpet at this Oscars  this year...There seemed to be a lot of black, and no shortage of sequins, but to my disappointment, not a whole lot of colour.

As you know, I love styling and accessorising, so I thought I'd review some of the accessorising at the 2013 Academy Awards Red Carpet. Along with some sneaky photoshopping, you can see my styling suggestions on this blog. All the jewellery listed in this post can be found on Perle's online jewellery boutique: www.perlejewellerymakeup.com.au

Let's start with....Reese!

I looovvved Reese Witherspoon's old Hollywood glam hairstyle. Her locks looked luscious and classy, her makeup was kept elegantly simple, whilst her cobalt blue fishtail gown took centre stage. My only disappointment with her look was that I would have liked to see something more dramatic for her jewellery. Because her lips were so nude, I felt she needed an extra pop of colour/drama close to her face as the strength of hue in her dress was quite strong against her creamy complexion.

Nice to see Jen splash out in a juicy colour!

Jennifer Aniston tends to play it safe with black, so I was pleased to see her bold and bright in a gorgeous blood-orange strapless gown. My comments are similar to my Reese review, the dress was such a striking colour, but there wasn't much colour on her face. It would have been great to see her play it up a bit and go for something a little bolder than silver earrings....not that they didn't look nice, but I always love adding a pop of colour!

Next on the carpet is Charlize Theron 

Normally, I love what Charlize wears on the red carpet, but this year was a little too modern-minimalist for me. Her short hair, tiny earrings, and neutral makeup could have been glammed up a bit to offset her white gown. Her makeup was flawless, however perhaps a smokey eye, or bold lip colour might have been a good alternative. The dress, although plain, was quite elegant in it's structured form and she did wear it well. However, I am not a huge fan of low strapless gowns and minimal jewellery because the look is too bare and fleshy for me. I think this gown would have looked amazing with a sparkling statement necklace. 

Welcome to the carpet, Jennifer Garner...

Whilst I was initially a little undecided about Jennifer Garner's choice of dress, the more I look at it, the more it grows on me! And I do love the addition of a sparkling choker necklace. I think it was a really good choice for this strapless gown. It adds a richness to her look, and teamed with soft, tousled hair, she really does look very elegant, and I love that she chose to wear a colour! 

If you want to create a similar look to Jennifer, see my necklace selection below:

Stripes and Glitter for Halle Berry

My verdict is still out on this one. I think I like it for the most part- my eye is drawn to it, so I guess that's a good thing. I'm not so convinced about the geometric shoulder pads, but aside from that, it is quite an elegant gown. Her skin looks flawless and her accessories are pretty good. If I had styled Halle, I may have chosen slightly different earrings. Whilst her black teardrop earrings weren't offensive, they did seem quite a heavy-looking choice to wear with a dress that already had a lot going on. 

And now for my favourite dress of the night!

Not having seen the movie Anna Karenina I will admit, I didn't know who Alicia Vikander was  until now (thank goodness for Google!).... Alicia looked so poised and regal in this stunning beaded gown. I loved the colour, I loved the gold accent belt to pull in the waist, and I loved her soft, pulled back hair style and her simple accessories. She looked absolutely gorgeous...my red carpet winner I think! ;)

There's not really anything I would change, she could have gone a teeny bit more bling on the earrings, but that's just cause I love the chance to add extra sparkle!

How about you? What was your favourite Oscars dress this year?

If you would like some styling or jewellery advice regarding a special event that you have coming up, I'd love to hear from you!

 Feel free to send me your questions via email: perlejewellery@hotmail.com

#oscars2013   #academyawards2013   #redcarpetfashion  #celebritystyle   #celebrityfashion   

What does "Natural Makeup" look like? - PART 1: The FACE

When I receive a new booking, I always like my clients to fill out a questionnaire so that I can get a better idea of what they like and what their desired makeup style is.

One of the questions I ask is "What style of makeup do you want on your wedding day?" Without a doubt, the most common response I get for this answer is "natural" or "I'm not sure, I don't wear much makeup". I can completely understand these two responses, and I appreciate that it can be a daunting task to decide on a makeup style if you don't know much about makeup or have trouble describing the types of looks that you do like. I have written this blog with the hope that it will shed a bit more light and give brides more direction on what makeup style to choose for their wedding look.

The simple fact is everyone's "natural" is different because our personal tastes are all subjective, and everyone's facial features and complexions also differ. In my opinion, "Natural" refers not only to the way in which a product is applied, but also to the colours chosen. You might have a look that is as natural as your own skin, or you might have full makeup applied which looks "natural" because the colours chosen seamlessly blend in with the naturally occurring colours in your complexion. Neutrals and Brown tones as eyeshadows and soft pink/peach coloured cheeks would be considered "natural" as they are colours that naturally occur within the pigmentation of the skin. However silvery/charcoal eyeshadows and hot pink cheeks on the other hand, would not be considered "natural".

I am wary of overloading you with too much information, so I will be posting a 3-part blog on Natural Makeup. This blog post is PART 1 and covers the different types of foundation you can choose from.

Hopefully at the end of reading this series on natural makeup, you will know exactly what to ask your makeup artist for!

PART 1 - NATURAL FACES

Everyone has their own version of "natural foundation", so I've outlined some different types of application to help you decide what is right for you:

Natural Look #1 - LIGHT SHEER COVERAGE

A sheer coverage of foundation or tinted moisturiser. This look is good for people who like to show their freckles, and also works well on people who have near flawless skin with minimal blemishes. Concealer can be applied to any darkness around the eye area or redness/pigmentation/blemishes if required.

Natural Look #2 - MEDIUM COVERAGE
Medium coverage foundation is slightly thicker consistency than sheer coverage. This is generally the most popular application for bridal makeup as it has greater coverage over pigmentation and spots, and can be built up in layers. Medium coverage foundations can come in liquid or cream formulas. It still feels light on the skin, but it helps to even out your skin tone for photos and provides a smooth base for the rest of your makeup. Medium foundation can be worn in a  matte or dewy (fresh-faced, slight sheen) finish. For a matte look, the foundation is set with powder to eliminate unwanted shine and oil on the skin.

Natural Look #3 - Full Coverage

Full coverage foundation (or photographic makeup) is designed to cover everything and will photograph flawlessly if applied correctly. It is often applied by building up layers of foundation and setting powder. It is also great for "sculpting" the face using contouring and highlighting techniques,  which looks amazing when photographed with studio lighting.  Full coverage foundation is great for night time occasions when the natural light is less harsh- sometimes daylight can make this makeup look too fake or unnatural. It's best for people who don't mind looking like they have makeup on!

Stay tuned for PART2 - NATURAL EYES and PART3 - NATURAL LIPS

My adventures from 2012!

The year of 2012 had plenty of highlights (as well as some challenging moments too) for me and my work, and this post is a chance for me to reflect on all the things I have to be thankful for.

I have met so many beautiful, interesting people through my work during this past year. I think that one of the perks of my job is getting to meet lots of new people from different backgrounds and life experiences. I love hearing stories about what they do for work and seeing them light up when they talk about the special people in their lives.

I don't know why, but for some reason I find it fascinating listening to people's stories about what they do to fill their days. There are so many jobs out there that I've never even heard of, and yet through my work, I get to learn about them and how they fit into the city's daily grind. It's really lovely when I hear someone speak with passion about what they do and genuinely are content in what they do for work. I have a really strong belief that because we spend so much of our life working away the hours, it's essential to enjoy what you do for a living. I hear some of you saying that "work isn't meant to be fun", but I disagree. I work on the rule that 80% of my work time needs to be fullfilling and enjoyable (tasks like doing makeup, graphic design, making jewellery, photography, the "creative" stuff for me!), and about 20% of my work time is slightly more mundane tasks like book-keeping, chasing up supplies, writing up receipts, editing etc). I feel really blessed to be doing a job that I love and am passionate about.

I've made-over a lot of clients in my time working as a makeup artist, including Teachers, Doctors, Engineers, Hairdressers, Social workers, a Cirque-Du-Soleil Stage Manager, an Olympic Athlete, Psychologists, Physios, Stay-at-home mums, Secretaries, Lawyers, Musicians, Dentists, Models, Graphic designers, aspiring Actors, and Retailers; those from Adelaide as well as clients from interstate. It is always interesting to hear what they do and listen as they share stories about their life. 

In 2013, I'm looking forward to working with past clients again, as well as getting the opportunity to meet a range of new faces and hear about their lives.

I hope that 2013 brings with it job satisfaction, good health and contentment for you and your loved ones.

Thank you all for your unwavering support over this past year. I really appreciate every one of you getting on board and supporting me and my business.

Warmest Wishes,

P.S. I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite images from my work year of 2012.

Bridal Styling with Perle Jewellery and Makeup

If you haven't already noticed, I LOVE all things bridal, and I am so passionate about bridal styling with beautiful accessories and picture-perfect makeup.

When it comes to weddings, so much of the beauty comes from the small details- the bits and pieces that someone has painstakingly created, designed and put together for that overall Wow factor. My job is quite a lot like that too I guess. I love it when brides come to me with details of their gown/wedding and ask me to create jewellery especially for them. It gives me a real sense of pride that they would value my opinion and my creativity in such a way, and trust me to come up with a design that is personalised to their taste.

In a recent bridal photoshoot, I was able to put my creativity to the test, from concept to final product. I took inspiration from the stunning beauties in the 1940's- Glossy red, luscious lips, and sultry, defined black liner on the eyes. For the hair, I chose to create a deep side part with softened barrel curls, pinned up to one side with a gorgeous handcrafted headpiece, made by me :)

 1940's Glamour inspired beauties

For the hair accessories, I created a stunning headpiece using pieces of lace as the base, and *lovingly* hand-stitched every bead and crystal until my hands were well and truly cramped. The result however, was beautiful- a radiant headpiece that sparkled with elegance and class. Finished off perfectly with birdcage netting for the veil, this headpiece looks wonderful on its own as well as with the veil.

For the jewellery, I wanted to keep things classic, but with a bit of a modern twist. For the brides wrist, she wore a gorgeous multi-strand ivory pearl cuff with a feature pendant- just enough sparkle to look stunning against the gorgeous bouquet of flowers!

The bridal gown was so beautifully detailed, with a soft, feminine sweetheart neckline. Our gorgeous model, Kirstin, had a stunning decolletage, so I didn't want to over-complicate things with a heavy necklace. Instead, I created a lovely pair of drop earrings using Cubic Zirconia pendants which finished off the look beautifully.

The end result is this stunning compilation of Kirstin's natural beauty, with 1940's inspired glamour hair & makeup, teamed together with sparkling, custom-made accessories.

DRUMROLL Please..............

 Check out those gorgeously defined eyes!!

Intricate detail within the headpiece- And yes, every bead was hand-stitched!

And as you can see below, the pearl cuff bracelet looks divine alongside the brooch detail on the bouquet.

If you would like to receive my special bridal styling treatment and look fabulous on your wedding day or for a photoshoot, I'd love to be involved! 

Please send an email enquiry to: perlejewellery@hotmail.com

A special thanks to our lovely model bride, Kirstin- a true beauty inside and out.

Flowers lovingly created by: Flower Emporium, Adelaide, SA
www.floweremporium.com

All jewellery pieces and makeup artistry was created by Katie Dawson from Perle Jewellery & Makeup.

Photography was also taken by Katie Dawson.

My Other Love - Jewellery Design

Busy at my "work station". Beats working in an office for me any day!

My Formal Necklace- Yr 12, 2004

So far, my other blogs seem to have focussed on my passion for makeup artistry, but today I want to share with you the other part to my business which is of equal passion and importance to me. 

I have been designing and creating jewellery for a long time now....  :)

It first started when I was in year 12 at highschool, and I wanted to create something unique to wear with my formal dress. It was important to me to have something special and unique, that no one else would be wearing, and on top of that, my dress was "orange" so not the easiest match for accessories at the time. 

What initially began because of my need for formal jewellery, soon turned into a fierce passion and obsession. I was attracted to the beads, all of the different colours, shapes and sizes, and how they could be put together to create something fabulous. But even more than that, it was a relaxing therapy for me. I really owe a lot to this passion of mine, as it saw me through the stresses of year 12 and beyond. I would often retreat to the backroom of my parent's house, where they had graciously allowed me to sprawl my entire bead collection out on a blanket on the floor. I would prop myself up against the couch and bead for hours, quite literally. My mind would wander off to other things- my assignments, my exams, my relationships with friends and family- but I was doing something positive so it was a good time for me to process things whilst creating at the same time. 

My journey as a jewellery designer has taken many roads to get to where I am now. I've worked with a variety of different mediums and techniques, from glass, gemstone and crystal beads, to creating  handmade epoxy resin pendants, and now onto diamonte-set evening jewellery. I've loved creating chunky, bold statement necklaces for fashion and everyday wear, but my direction in the past couple of years has changed slightly. Working in the bridal industry with my makeup art has made me realise how much I love the styling aspect of weddings and formal occasions. I like to think that I can look at an outfit, it's colour and shape, along with my client's own style & personality, and come up with a design that is just perfect for them. Nothing makes me happier than when a client comes to me with her dress (or a photo) and says, "Make me something gorgeous that you think will match this!" Not only do I feel extremely honoured that they would trust me with such a task, but I also get so excited because it gives me the chance to really flex my creative juices. 

I'm filled with humble pride and satisfaction when I get sent photos of clients wearing my jewellery, or when they send me a note to say how many compliments they had received about their accessories at an event. When you have your jewellery made by me, know that the following statement is true:

"Katie Dawson's jewellery designs are an absolute labour of love. Every piece is uniquely and lovingly handcrafted, NOT in a sweatshop, but in creative freedom. All pieces are equally as beautiful but have a unique style of their own."

***

The "essentials" in my workroom! :)

Even Celebs Have Flaws

Hey friends,
I was thinking about some ideas for what I could write for my next blog when this thought popped into my head... I think we are so quick to judge and put-down ourselves when we look at all of the amazingly trim, taught and terrific celebrity women out there. Let's face it, we don't flip through gossip mags for a quick feel-good pick-me-up...The stories in there are hardly ever desirable. More often than not (and I think I speak for most when I say this), we pick up a mag and turn the pages, "ooohing and ahhhing", wishing and wanting to be thinner....prettier....more stylish, with personal makeup artists and hair/clothing stylists on hand, so we could look just as good as those airbrushed "celebrities" out there who seem to have it all in the beauty department. It's not exactly a feel-good read, is it??
Hence why I decided to write this blog....to reassure us all that even celebs have their flaws too.
This is in no way meant to be malicious or nasty toward celebrity women- none of us like to have close-ups taken of our pores, scars and wrinkles, but I have decided to put up some images to illustrate my point- No one is perfect, even though that's often how we view those in the lime-light....Every human struggles with insecurities and flaws at some point along their journey.


At times, clients have viewed themselves after having had their makeup done and they still feel insecure about their scars or pores. These are things we unfortunately cannot change about ourselves (unless of course you have enough dosh to visit a very good cosmetic surgeon), so what I try to teach my clients is to look past that. Only YOU see your face EVERYDAY. You pick up when a tiny new wrinkle has appeared on your once non-existant crows-feet...or when another freckle has popped up after some summer-loving. The truth is, when I see you and have had the privilege to "make-over" your face, the end product is BEAUTIFUL. It is unique- your face tells the story of the journey that you have been on, and there is absolutely no shame in that. 


Instead of being our own worst enemy and critic, make it a personal challenge today to look past those bits you love-to-hate....After all, chances are none of us notices them like you do anyway. Be confident in your own skin and the REAL beauty will shine through from the inside. Nothing is more beautiful to me than a woman who is comfortable with who she is and isn't afraid to smile and say "Dang I look good!" when she looks in the mirror. :D


Incase you need more convincing, here are those unfortunate close-ups of pores and fine-lines that I mentioned earlier, just to "reassure" you all....

The Eyes say it all

I've always had a special love for eyes. I think it's so true of the saying that "eyes are the window to one's soul." Eyes say a lot about a person and if you look deep enough, you can almost see the journey a person's life has taken. With the eyes, a multitude of expressions unfold- feelings of joy, sorrow & regret, happiness, uncertainty, and hope & love prominantly display themselves through a person's eyes. That is why they are my favourite aspect of the face, and the area that I like to spend the most time on. It's my job (and privilege) as a makeup artist to bring out the strength and beauty of the eye, to give them the attention and definition they deserve.
It's amazing how much of an affect the right colouring, shading and contouring can have on an eye. Carefully chosen colours compliment tones within the iris, whilst the depth of shadowing can either draw out small eyes, or recede larger ones, depending on the light & dark qualities of the shade. And the final magic touch, the most important beauty product (in my opinion!) a sweep of dark, creamy mascara to add fullness, length and contrast to the lighter parts of the eye--- Perfection!


Here are samples of some of my past work (and love affair) with eyes.

Examples of different use of colour shadowing and intensity: