To be honest I really have no idea what is in store for me for St. Patty’s this year. This tradition typically lasts for at least three days, and not all in a row. New Haven is having their parade this March on the 11th, which is a Sunday — so if you have one of those nine-to-five jobs you may want to plan ahead and call out, or plan to not get drunk. However, I will not get caught up in all the booze-ahol and drinking that will be done… No, this article is about fashion, and here I am to give you some ideas on St. Patty’s make-up. This concept of wearing green eye-shadow and liner is not to be feared; it’s not as if we’re planning on going out looking like 80s hookers, so hear me out or just check out the pictures!
Dictionary.com defines ‘eccentric’ as “deviating from the recognized or customary character, practice, etc.; irregular; erratic; peculiar; odd: eccentric conduct; an eccentric person.” My favorite word and concept, I use this a lot when describing myself. “I’m not weird, I’m eccentric! Ha!” This is the very reason for my love of Halloween; give me any cause to decorate myself majestically and I will have the bling and sparkly eyes all aglow. These looks are great, though mostly not too out there, but I do love the cat-eyes!
The looks with me and Jess, below, are dark-eye variations. I used at least three different shades of green and some black underlay in the crease. The black and darker colours go on first and with all the brushes in my arsenal there were many ways to manipulate the shades and shapes. Typically the colour goes on first, you get the look you want and then apply the black eyeliner on the top and lower lid. With the top lid, I find it best to apply with a small, thin angle brush. You can use this on the lower lid too, but another method of choice is using Rimmel Exaggerate Eye Definer. It is not quite eye pencil, not quite liquid liner and close to perfection. Dabbing lines with the eye definer and then wetting a smudger to go over the definer gives you a straight, smoky look.
Amanda’s look is more subtle and she actually had to put more on so it would come out in the pictures. She mixed greens and gold shades, lining the top lid with gold, and as you can see plenty of sparklies!
The intense cat-eye awesomeness I have going on in the next picture was done by Amanda also. Again greens and gold, but the gold was underlining my brow and the liner here was done using a dark glittery green shadow and a dampened angle brush. Creating the cat-eye look you can do the eccentric pull or a slight pull (as I like to call it). The “pull” to which I am referring to is the line drawing out the corners of the eyes. I also love that she used a silver glitter shade to underline the bottom lid liner and highlight the inside corner of my eyes. It creates a nice ‘goddess’ effect — and if you haven’t figured it out yet, I love glitter.
In essence, I have found that make up is fun and eccentricity is a vibrant spice of life. You don’t need to know what you are doing on a professional stylist’s level; you just need to have fun with it.
Originally published by Alternative Control in March 2011 — but the New Haven parade date has been updated!
