Pretty is generally not my thing. I’ll go for dramatic, try elegant or professional, attempt fashion or even sexy, occasionally, but not pretty. I tend to find pretty a bit boring, to be honest, and it doesn’t suit neither my personality (I’m too intense for pretty) nor my appearance. It’s much easier to do pretty when you’re smaller and cuter than me.

My respect for pretty is increasing, however, and there are good reasons to go for it, including:
a) sometimes it’s just polite. Someone else’s wedding is a good time to polish your pretty skills. I know, I know, I used to think that arriving in a black pantsuit and statement hat or something red and tight was a good idea, but I’ve since grown up a bit. Although if I really hate the person, I might still do it.
b) if you’re most of the time a dramatic/avant-garde/tomboy person, choosing to be pretty is itself pretty radical. Of course, one should wear things one feels comfortable in, but I personally think it’s good to mix it up. One discovers things that way.
c) it’s pretty.

There are many variations of pretty, my version here is of the ballet-inspired variety. This is of course a very popular reference and also somewhat unfitting, as a big part of the reality of ballet is endless rehersals, pain and hard work. But purely stylistically speaking, I love the combination of pale, peachy pinks with soft greys and powder blues that is associated with ballet. And as I cannot stray too far from my comfort zone, I usually keep my pretty simple and sparkle free and wear my hair up (for casual pretty, in a bun).

When it comes to make-up, it’s very straightforward: the aim is to look prettier. So you need flattering stuff – good, natural skin, long (but not too big) lashes, flushed cheeks and a pinky-nude lip. For fragrance, I have pictured Chanel’s hair mist, because it fits the colour scheme and beacuse it’s a HAIR MIST. I think this is a very pretty notion. Many light florals would work with that mood, of course – Un Matin d’Orage by Annick Goutal and En Passant by Frederic Malle come to mind.

The side effect of going for pretty is that most people, especially of the male type, will like this look better than whatever you usually wear. Not all of them, but many. I think this is the source of my previous suspicion of prettyness – it seemed to be designed to appeal to men in a tame, unthreatening way that I find uncomfortable. But if I want to look pretty, I have decided not let men hold me back.

Pictured:
– dress by H&M – I call it my poor girl’s Dior dress: a very, very successful piece of design by H&M.
– COSMO sofa by Oot-Oot
– Chanel No 5 The Hair Mist – I recommend it to everybody who’s fascinated by No 5, but doesn’t really like it.
– Chanel Ballerina nail polish
– Burberry Lip Mist No 213 Field Rose – this is a frustrating one, as I love the colour, but it takes an enormous amount of effort to get it on one’s lips. Wearing lip balm helps.
– Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rosegold – I am an eye make-up-phobe, but these I can use and I have them in six colours (mini versions).