You’ve finally reached the milestone: the big 2-1. This unforgettable, and for other reasons not recallable, event is a night that is sure to go down in the history books. With a night this legendary, a perfect outfit is as necessary as happy hour.
I would steer away from pink boas, tiaras and flashing “Birthday Girl” pins and opt for features that will get you noticed for good reasons. Every girl needs her birthday dress, preferably bright colored and sexy (but, most importantly, flattering), such as the mock halter dress from Forever21 featured to the left. Ruffles, glitter, cutouts, lace or other accents are up to you. Let the outfit broadcast who you are and who you plan to be in this next chapter in life. The more fun the dress, the better.
Consider what you want to do on your birthday. Whether it’s dominating Mill Avenue or conquering Old Town Scottsdale, scout out the typical dress code. Dinner with friends calls for a different uniform than a pub crawl. Mill is also considered much more casual than Old Town, while downtown Phoenix is more hip than Mill, so pick your poison.
If you want to try a total wow factor, try bright pink lips. As seen on Rihanna, pink lips give an immediate playful-but-powerful look. It’s also an easy and fun way to try something new if you don’t normally wear lip color.
Coral, red or dark lips also make great compliments to cocktail attire. Considering the occasion, false lashes are another great, and cheap, way to enhance makeup. Look for lashes that flare out at the corners. This creates a more noticeable look without having to wear raccoon-like lashes. Also, never pay more than $5 for them. I’ve found that more-expensive lashes, such as those from MAC, don’t work any better and aren’t worth the extra splurge. (Check out this step-by-step tutorial if you’re a beginner at falsies.)
One last consideration: boy shorts. To avoid a Britney Spears undercarriage exposure, make sure you wear full-coverage panties. No one wants the faded memory of their 21st birthday turning into “Girls Gone Wild.”
For questions or comments, email me at amlarso2@asu.edu or follow me @soamandawaslike.
