The LOOK: 3 Steps to Summer Style

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Frank Barbosa, GoLocal Style Expert

Keep it simple, glowing and natural this season by making these three easy steps. Photo: mark sebastian/flickr.

He was the lead hair stylist on Sex and the City 2, he made Anne Hathaway fabulous on film, and now he's GoLocalProv's weekly style expert. Frank Barbosa, the Newport-based celebrity stylist, brings red carpet perspective to hair, makeup, and overall style.

June brings out a passion for fashion in everyone. Warmer weather means less clothing, so choose wisely and follow up with natural carefree hair and makeup. Just remember this: want to be hot, hot, hot? Being overdone or undone is not, not, not.

Here are the three steps to your new summer look:

1. Hair: look like you made an effort without trying too hard

Remember, natural beauty for your summer look... this means hot day ponys. Not tight, but carefree and sexy. This means flowing, loose hair even when contained - nothing too strong and pulled... that's too severe and dated.

Highlights should gradually get lighter throughout the season. You have 3 to 4 months to go, so start off subtle; not too light all at once or you're defeating the purpose. By August you will have to lowlight, and that should be saved for October.

2. Makeup: make lips and cheeks your focus for natural beauty

Lips should look healthy with sheer tones or a great lip balm. Check Origins at Macy's in the Auburn or Solomon Pond Mall for a soothing lip balm; when used throughout the day this gives a healthy lip. For the cheek: go with stains in summer; don't dry out your summer glow with powders. Tart has a great cheek stain, as does Benefit; you can pick these up at Sephora at Solomon Pond or Blackstone Valley Eyes: if you must, use mascara, but save liners and powders for dusk.

3. Clothes: think simple

It's always good to leave something to the imagination. Emphasize your best asset, or pick just one body part. Think of a classic V-neck tee with summer shorts; not putting all your business out in the summer sun is best. (Unless you're in Vegas and you know what they say about that...)

When a beauty walks by, leaving much to the imagination, it makes the mind travel to places it hasn't in a while. So become a muse to many by sparking their imaginations, and that's a classic summer beauty.

From Sex and the City 2 to Rachel Getting Married, from The Sorcerer's Apprentice to Bride Wars, Frank Barbosa has styled some of the biggest celebrities in film, TV, and theater. He's just finished styling on location alongside film stylist Alan D'Angerio on the film, The Odd Life of Timothy Green, starring Jennifer Garner. He's been in the industry for 17 years, moving from hip neighborhoods in Chicago, to Boston's Newbury St, to Bellevue Avenue in Newport. He maintains that his real passion, though, is being behind a salon chair at Frank Antonio Hair and Makeup in Newport.