Top 10 Image Breakers

The list of beauty faux pas is endless! After much deliberation, I finally came up with 10 most notable beauty/fashion mistakes in Singapore.

1) Chipped Nail Polish
Girlfriend, it doesn't take you more than 10 minutes to remove old nail colour and re-varnish your nails! According to a survey, chipped nail polish was cited by men as one of those things which destroys their first impression of a woman.

2) Peekaboo Bra
I just don't get it; bra straps hanging out everywhere. There are so many types of bras for different clothing styles - halter, racer back, tube etc... Invest in a good functional bra. Also, please wear a skin coloured bra under a white blouse or tee. Black or other coloured bra under white shirts are tacky!

3) Bushy Eyebrows
Get your eyebrows groomed regularly to maintain a neat, clean and polished image. A pair of well defined eyebrows will make the eyes pop beautifully.

4) Wrong Foundation
The worst mistake women make when it comes to foundation is choosing the wrong shade for their skin tone. You don't want to go round looking like you are wearing a mask! The key to choosing the right shade is to TEST the colour on your face, not your wrist. Ensure your face is fresh, clean and bare. Put a few drops of each colour along your jaw line and blend, blend, blend all the way to your neck. Let the colour set in after a few minutes, then stand near a window to see which foundation looks best in natural light. The right shade is the one that blends so well into your skin that you can't see it. If it remains patchy, then that is the wrong shade for your skin tone.

5) Grown Out Roots
Grown out roots may be hot right now in LA and New York, but we are not in LA and New York, so yours will likely be frowned upon as a beauty faux pas! If your roots have grown out about 3 cm or more, it's time to re-touch your roots.

6) Length of Pants
I have seen too many women wearing the wrong length of pants with their high heels. It's either too short that it seems like your pants have shrunk or it's too long that your heels get stuck in the hem. This creates a sloppy image! The appropriate length for pants is the hem should graze the instep in the height heel you intend to wear with them and slide over the heel at the back. (Instep is the arched upper surface of the foot between the toes and the ankle)

7) Two Sizes Smaller
Excuse me, are you in denial of your true size? Wearing clothes 2 sizes smaller is NOT going to make you appear optically tinier! By the way, size doesn't matter, it's all about fit!

8) Black Tights With White Shoes
Unless you are Gwen Stefani, don't even attempt to try this combination! Black and white are highly contrasting colours and you really need to know how to work it without becoming a fashion victim. Instead of stark white, try an off-white or pastel gray to soften the contrast.

9) Drip, Drip, Drip: Wet Hair In Public
Oh, this is definitely one of my biggest beauty pet peeve. There have been occasions where I got slapped across the face by long hair on the bus or crowded trains, so can you imagine if the hair is dripping wet! A CEO once asked me to address this wet hair issue with her staff during an image training workshop. She felt it projected a tardy impression of the staff. So, please blow dry your hair before going to work as you never know your boss may be watching you!

10) Excess Baggage
Ah, I know we, women, can be fickle-minded sometimes over what to wear but to carry a handbag, a briefcase and recycling bags all at the same time is excessive! I have seen women carrying 2 large handbags, one on each arm. Keep to a small purse and a briefcase or invest in a good quality leather tote bag. And leave the recycling bag for grocery trips!

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