Beauty blog: Lipstick saves Kathy's night out

I learnt a valuable lesson last night: it turns out that a good lipstick can save any outfit from the depths of style despair, even if you apply it using your smartphone screen in a train station...

Setting the scene...

I found myself rushing out of the office to meet my friends for a celebratory night out. Looking down at my outfit, I knew that an oversized white T-shirt with a grey zigzag print, grey jeans and a pair of tan sandals weren't quite going to cut the mustard if I was hoping to keep up with my friends in the style stakes. I definitely needed to add something bold to my workday look.

City style

Fortunately for me, living and working in a capital city has its advantages, notably the fact that most shops tend to stay open a lot longer here than they might elsewhere. This makes picking up a (very) last minute beauty item after work a quick and easy task. Last night, my impromptu shopping trip only made me ten minutes late, and seeing as I tend to average a 20-minute delay, this was a slight improvement.

So what did I buy?

A burgundy-coloured (not blue) lipstick, of course... Well, I'd seen Kiera Knightley on the cover of Harper's Bazaar's September issue with a similar shade and I just thought to myself "why the hell not?"

It's a bold colour for sure, but given that I was wearing some pretty neutral colours, my new, colourful lipstick created a great contrast with the rest of my outfit. I didn't even get any on my teeth! The only other make-up I was wearing (after rushing to work in the morning... can you see a pattern emerging here?) was a coat of black mascara so my red, almost purple, lips stood out.

Getting philosophical?

After I'd had a good look at myself in a shop window, I began to ask myself "Is lipstick more than just a handy make-up weapon?" and I think the answer has to be yes.

It seemed to me as though my new, colourful lips had transformed my look completely. Now I was no longer wearing a jeans and t-shirt, I was 'rocking a casual-chic look.' As I rushed through the train station to meet my friends, I suddenly felt as though I had metamorphosed into... well, exactly what I had become, I wasn't too sure... but I was now something pretty snazzy.

My attitude was different, too, it seemed; I no longer worried about my clothes because I knew my lipstick was great. So then I asked myself "is this lipstick my real outfit and everything else is just an accessory?" I'm not sure so about the answer to that one.

A powerful pout

It all depends on your outfit, but if you chose the right shade, you can make a colourful pout the focal point of any look by styling your outfit and make-up to contrast or compliment it. In that sense lipstick can definitely be a whole outfit.

All I really know for sure is that you probably shouldn't leave the house, or the office, wearing nothing but lipstick...