Girl Friday: Sarah P

This is my friend, Sarah!

A talented makeup artist and photographer, Sarah has long inspired me with her fashion choices and daring makeup experimentation. She sees the connection between fashion & makeup and other artistic mediums so clearly, and uses her wardrobe and talent as a way to share her passion for art. I've often seen her wearing (and pulling off brilliantly) things that I would only dream of trying.

I'm so excited to share her interview with you all -- and even more excited to inform you that Sarah will be guest posting on The Twenty Ninth in the next couple weeks, sharing makeup tips & tricks and answering frequently asked questions about makeup. Stay tuned for that soon! But for now -- here's Sarah's interview.

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The Twenty Ninth: Tell us a little bit about what you're currently doing.

Sarah: I just recently moved to NYC to attend makeup school at the MAKE UP FOR EVER Academy. I'm in the full program, covering beauty & fashion, television & film, and stage & artistic make up. It's been awesome to learn from such talented instructors and alongside people who share my passion for this craft!

TN: Describe your style in a few words or a phrase:

S: A fusion of classic/preppy with with a little bit of indie/bohemian. Theoretically, I like to draw inspiration from all fashion genres, but those are the ones that make it into my closet most often. I'm trying to really stretch my fashion sensibilities as I've recently moved to NYC and you can get away with a lot here!

TN: How has your style evolved over the years?

S: A short style history: 

• Age 5: Received clothes as a gift for Christmas. Wailed in disappointment.  
• Age 10: Received more clothes for Christmas: my first pair of bell-bottoms (in the peak of the bell-bottoms resurgence) and a 70's inspired shirt from my grandpa.  Couldn't be more thrilled!
• Age 15: Entire closet dictated by the aesthetic of American Eagle and Abercrombie & Fitch
• Age 20-now: A hodgepodge of lots of different styles, stores, and inspirations! I really appreciate the rich experience that results from drawing from a diverse multitude of resources and inspirations.  

TN: Any fun/embarrassing clothing mishaps or stories you want to share?

S: Ummm, my whole childhood? I was pretty much a dweeb. Glasses, braces, big headbands & scrunchies, etc… I had a long geek phase.

TN: Who are your style influences?

S: As far as an inspirational person, mostly Mary-Kate Olsen. (Don't judge.) Beyond that, I'm inspired by fashion ads & magazines! W magazine, J.Crew ads, Vogue, Free People ads, musicians, etc. Also, I've recently been very inspired by NYC street fashion.

TN: Where's your favorite place to shop?

S: I love getting things for less than you're supposed to pay for them. So for me that means shopping at thrift & consignment shops (Unique Thrift, Salvation Army & Current Boutique in DC, plus a whole host of new places in NYC!), off-price stores (TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, Loehmann's, Off The Rack), and hitting the sale racks at stores with great style & higher prices (Club Monaco, Banana Republic, Free People, etc). I end up enjoying the clothes I got for a bargain the most! (i.e., a pair of leather oxfords I got for $3 at a thrift store.)

TN: How do you pick out an outfit?

S: I generally start out with either the mood of the outfit I want to wear, or think about where I'm going and what I'm doing that day, then just build from those starting points. Sometimes I'll look for one piece that inspires me, and build around that.

TN: What's your favorite thing in your closet to wear, and why?

S: Probably anything that's perfectly tailored. It just feels so RIGHT when you wear it! :-)

TN: Any shopping tips or fashion advice you'd like to share?

S: A few things:

1. Try to challenge yourself to make different silhouettes and combos with your outfits! It's easy to get stuck in a rut of buying the same type of pieces all the time. I am the first person that's guilty of wearing the jeans-and-shirt combo too often. My most fashionable friends wear the jeans & shirt combo only on occasion, not as the foundation for every outfit. Check out The Sartorialist blog for inspiration!  
   
2. Get a fashionable friend to go shopping with you! Ask them to pick out an outfit for you, try it on and see if it's something you want to try. You can also just run your fashion experiments by your friends whose style you admire.   
3. HAVE FUN!  Fashion should feel enjoyable, not obligatory. Take risks on the things that interest you. Don't try something provocative or risky just because you think you should, wear the things you like! But don't let yourself get lazy and stop caring, either. Beauty makes life much richer!

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Can't wait to share more of Sarah's tips and photos with you all in her upcoming makeup series!