In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we
are reviewing the looks of some of today’s celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere).
We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
This time, we’re taking a look at Ms. Carmen Rasmussen of American Idol fame. Shown here in
her appearance for the taping of American Idol Rewind at the Spider Club in Hollywood, Carmen is wearing a tailored blouse in electric
blue satin and a black a-line skirt with a wide belt and strappy high heeled shoes. Her hair is a mane of silky, golden waves in a
softly layered style and she is sporting full make-up.
The Hair:
This petite blonde is the proud owner of absolutely beautiful hair. The color is a gorgeous
blend of golden and warm tones in a very flattering layered style. The length and the asymmetrical fringe styling of the hair makes for
a terrific balance to prevent her face from appearing too wide or round. The long loose waves are a perfect compliment to the tailored
fit of the blouse and skirt combination. However, the blue of the blouse does tend to make the hair look more “yellow” than another
color would.
Make-up:
Carmen Rasmussen is such a natural beauty it’s hard to imagine her needing much in the way of make-up.
Here we see her in a fully-executed and mostly-subdued look. The soft peachy tones of her blush and subdued pink of the lip color are
perfect to enhance the look of her blue eyes. I would have carried the effect further, using a peachy/pinkish eye shadow to make the
eye really pop, but the effect is still muted by the vibrance of her blouse.
The Clothes and Accessories:
With a well-filled-out figure on a petite frame, Carmen needs to pay heed to the vertical
lines of her clothes in order to avoid emphasizing her small build. This tailored, semi-professional look is a good start, but gets a
little side-tracked by the overbearing vibrance of the blue satin blouse. The shiny fabric pulled across her bosom makes her appear
“busty” and the horizontal focus only serves to make her appear shorter. I would have suggested something in a softer color, or at
the very least a matte finished fabric.
This would be an excellent situation for a monochromatic look, since the overall effect of
the matte black skirt, separated by a darker black (and TOO-WIDE) belt, and topped with the overly bright blouse makes her look
top-heavy. At the very least, a fitted jacket in the same black fabric would create a more vertical line in the ensemble and
minimize the overpowering effect of the blue blouse.
