Blogging My Own Comeback: The Before Pictures
After the input started coming in on this post, I mentioned to my husband that I had never in my life before thought a moment about needing to correct for having a long face, to which he replied that when he looked at these pictures, they didn’t look to him like my face. I have since adjusted the sizing.
We all hate the typical “makeover mugshot” before photos, right?
So I tried to smile for these and pose as naturally as possible. I’m wearing normal daily makeup. I’m not going to be taking modeling classes between now and the end of this project, and all the photos will be taken by one family member or another. These are my reading glasses.
I forgot my jewelry. Normally, there’s a rather unique anniversary ring keeping my wedding band company. And I haven’t had a manicure or a pedicure for several weeks (more about that week after next according the Comeback Calendar). Neither can I see well enough to pluck my eyebrows properly.
Today’s weight: 133 lbs. (Better than I was expecting.)
This is the moment for honesty. Do you have suggestions?
(Just for fun: Christopher Hopkins’ Makeover Gallery and Good Housekeeping Look Five Years Younger Makeovers.)
You are gorgeous - some things to modernise you would be:
Cut your hair into a shorter bob style - something a little blunter no longer than touching your shoulders, preferably a little shorter - this will help to make your face look less long. Don’t go for volume at the crown or too many layers at the top - you don’t need volume there. Make sure the shortest layer is no shorter than reaching the top of your ears.
Next pair of glasses - go for a full frame (avoid half-rimless) as you have a longer face and need the bottom of the frame to balance out the length of your face. Look for a soft dusky red or re/violet colour, avoid black, it is way too harsh on you for your colouring
Don’t wear black at all - it’s too dark and draining on you and will make you look older,
Read the bit about Balance Points in Carla Mathis Triumph of Individual style - I think this neckline isn’t quite right for you.
You have gorgeous square shoulders (which I would love), show them off. You have a great body, but as your legs are shorter than your torso, it’s best to blend your shoe colour to your trousers/jeans, if you really want to wear a different coloured shoe, put a necklace in that colour on.
Keep your trousers free of interest or detail - nice and plain and simple - they are not the hero, make your tops the hero, add the interest and detail above your waist.
Love to see more photos!
I’ve got too much hair to grow to join you, but I’ll gladly follow your progress and cheer you on! BTW, how tall are you?
Wow, you are ON it! I’m impressed. You’re looking great. I’m flattered you mentioned my book/site.
I do think you can bring the cut up to mid neck and do a shorter more transparent fringe so it’s an actual COMMITMENT to the cut. And…yes…it grows.
Imogen - you don’t think I need volume at the crown? Hmmm. That thought will take some getting used to: I feel like a drowned rat if I don’t get my hair thoroughly dried upside down with enough product to create some lift there.
On the plus side, my regular everyday glasses are much more what you described.
I was thinking it was time for this top to go bye-bye, you confirmed it. I’ve had it for a few years and I think it has shrunk. And I was also planning on looking for a more blendy shoe. Not that I expected to need to be wearing full shoes already! Normally my toes wouldn’t see the inside of a shoe for another month!
Thanks for your help!
Cathy - thanks for the encouragement! I am 5 feet, 5 and 3/4 inches tall.
Christopher - you’ll be happy to know I am planning on scheduling not only the comeback cut, but also every six weeks thereafter for as far out as she is booking.
Thanks for dropping by.
Oh you Americans are obsessed with big hair! You dnn’t need height - you have a long enough face, I think if it was a bit shorter you wouldn’t feel like you need the volume.
You are so cute, no wonder you get mistaken for half your age. About the eyebrows, after reading Chrostopher’s book I bought a magnifying ( 7x or 12X) mirror case with tweezers. Hard for me to face since my eyes just started going downhill 6 months ago - I’m only 44.9 yrs old!! But it has made a huge difference - I actually have fun plucking and its amazing what I can see that just looks like blurr with my natural sight.
Imogen - I’m willing to try it. Why not?
Fran - My eyes just started going recently too. That’s why I’m switching between three pairs of glasses: these, my everyday ones with the brown frames, and my sunglasses. I’m on the lookout for a magnifying mirror. Glad to hear your success story!
A cute, longer angled bob would look fantastic. Maybe with your bangs swept over to the side. I agree with minimal layers, the less the better. I think that a cut similar to Gwyneth Paltrow would be very flattering. It is versatile enough to be worn straight, slightly tousled, or curly.
I”ve just spent 6 weeks working with an optometrist training optometry assistants in how to choose glasses frames for their clients, and during that time one of the little facts I picked up was that at the age of 40 we need 30% more light to see the same things that we could see at aged 20.
Scary hey!
You look wonderful! I honestly wouldn’t change much about your outfit — BUT perhaps a slightly lower, rounded or oval neckline? I say this because I have a roundish/oval face w/ slightly pointed chin and I look best w/ a modestly-cut v-neck — and rounded necklines don’t work that well for my face shape. You have a stronger jaw-line, so maybe a rounded neckline would . . . I don’t know the word . . . complement it?
The colour of your sweater goes so well w/ your hair — I’m all for pink — and one of these days my hair will be the same colour as yours, so since my wardrobe is 90% pink already I’m all set, heehee.
Your hair is so nice and thick, I’d grow out the layers too — it’s TONS easier to maintain when it’s blunt cut or w/ only minimal long layers. Also, your hair is thick enough that you can keep it longer! Don’t get it cut short unless you HAVE to . . . . your eyebrows look fine to me — I agree w/ the comment above on full-frame glasses, perhaps in a burgundy colour too –
One suggestion is perhaps get an elliptical trainer and use it every day (I just got one three weeks ago!) — we are roughly the same hgt/wgt — the elliptical is fun and not stressful for your joints. If i were brave enough I’d post my own before and after shots . . . . actually I’m delaying taking some “after” shots for another few months, hoping I’ll see some discernable improvement, hahaha!! love your blog, look forward to seeing more!
You’re quite lovely!
I love the square glasses on you, so I’d stick with those. They look great on your face with your face shape/features/etc. But I’m not sure I totally dig the color of the frames–a more neutral tortoise would be super chic. Then again, the color might just look odd-ish because of the flash
I like your hair cut too, although the contrast between the darker edges and the lighter middle-part looks a tiny bit messy. But meh I hate dyes, and my hair also definitely does that, so do what you want
It might be cute as a sort-of-long-bob but I’m not sure–your hair is thick enough that it might require some styling.
I think the prettiest length for nails is usually so that the nail is just as long as your finger (and not much over or they get caught in everything). So grow them out a bit? I
Even with the adjusted photo, your face is still considered to be of the longer variety - all that means is:
An oval face is length = 1.5 x width, also, the length of your nose from bridge to base is also the measurement of your forehead and also from the bottom of your nose to your chin, and I can see that the measurement from your nose to chin is longer than the length of your nose.
Your fringe cuts your face down so it doesn’t look long - this is why it works so well and I would advise keeping a fringe of some sort.
There is nothing wrong with a longer face (I too have one), all face shapes are beautiful.
Hope this makes sense!
*snicker* I have to laugh at myself - I would stake my life on the principle that all face shapes are beautiful. Still, I wonder if the bit about my mouth and chin being longer than my nose explains why I think I am not photogenic. Maybe I just need to tilt my head down a bit. But that seems so … faux. Oh well! This is still all fun.
Rosa - thanks for bringing up the thing about the mixed hair color looking messy. That’s been another thought I had, that if I cut it more blunt it might look more one color. I’ll just have to see if it takes too much work for me. I confess I have styled my hair exactly the same through various cuts for the past 10 or 15 years: blow-dry upside down, product at the crown, round brush on upper layers.