HOW TO: ROCK HIGH FASHION BEAUTY ON THE HIGHSTREET- EYELINER

In all honesty, I never feel that beauty is something with which you have to be massively "on-trend". That's actually one of the reasons why I like it so much. People tend to develop they're favourite look and stick to similar versions of it. There's a lot you can tell about a person from their beauty regime. Not that you should judge a book by it's cover, kids. There are, perhaps, certain seasonal trends and definitely generational ones (I'm thinking cat flicks and clumpy mascara in the 60s, some rather questionable 90s/early 00s staple looks that I'm ashamed to say I might have sported at a school disco or two). However, I do always find it interesting to investigate what the beauty and fashion industry deem acceptable to wear at a certain time, and I do definitely appreciate that, as an art form, it is great to be able to observe the creative expression of professional makeup artists. Let's face it though, recreating one of these editorial looks brush stroke for brush stroke probably won't get you quite the reaction you hoped for when you're walking down the street.

So, just for fun, I thought I would talk about some of the S/S14 beauty trends and give you a more wearable alternative for each one. Today I will be talking about the first trend that caught my eye (get it?!). Below are a few examples of the recurrent use of statement eyeliner on the catwalks this season.

For the most part, these looks are actually fairly wearable. There seems to have been an emphasis on unrefined, almost raw, application. Say goodbye to your neat retro liner, this is all about looking like you haven't tried too hard. As a supporter of any shortcut, especially when it comes to liner (it just takes SO LONG to get perfect!), this is absolutely fine by me. So, next time your eyeliner isn't quite symmetrical or you accidentally jog yourself and can't be bothered to start again, just assure everyone that you are bang on trend.

What would I suggest as a highstreet-friendly alternative? Well, for a real carefree and slightly softer look, swap your gel liner for a kohl pencil and smudge it slightly with a black eyeshadow to create that truly rebellious look. For a night-out, try a chunky cat flick and line your lower lashline with a glitter gel (à la Chanel). Cara's rainbow eyes (top left photo) might be overkill for us mere mortals but a coloured kohl pencil or gel to line your eyes would add a lovely pop of colour without blinding passersby. Teal is particularly hot this season and I always think that a deep plum or aubergine looks very pretty. X