Red Raider Runway

 With the hiatus over, Red Raider Runway's student features are back! It is now spring, but in Lubbock that does not always mean warm weather and sunny days every day of the week! For this month's feature I was actually going to spotlight several different students on campus, but this person happened to stand out every day I saw her, so this feature goes exclusively to Ciara Rocha! Ciara Rocha is a junior Retail Management major and she is from Lubbock, Texas.
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 One of my first posts on this blog was a "This or That" post comparing different types of eyeliners: pencil, liquid, etc. On this edition of "This or That" I decided to focus on eyebrow products. Bold eyebrows became a huge trend a few years ago so there's a variety of different types of products available to choose from. Eyebrows frame your face and give your face definition - it's one of those steps that, if forgotten during your makeup routine, is instantly noticeable - and not in a good way. That's why it's important to try and figure out which type of product works best for you.

There are two types of brow pencils: wooden and mechanical. The first type is not shown simply because I don't own any. When I first started filling in my eyebrows I started with a wooden pencil, but I quickly found that using a wooden pencil would constantly make my eyebrows look too thick, too dark, or weirdly matted in places. It just looked too thick because the tip of the pencil got dull fast so it got broader. I thought maybe I just have a heavy hand but all the problems I had with the wooden pencil didn't happen when I used mechanical pencils.
I switched to mechanical brow pencils such as the Anastasia Brow Wiz or the two pictured above. The Your Best Friend pencil above even comes with a built-in brow brush on the other end which makes pre-shaping much more convenient. These types of brow pencils work so much better in evenly distributing the product and has much better precision when shaping your brows since the tips tend to be thinner. However a thinner tip may also mean you're covering less surface area at once so it takes a little longer to fill them. My biggest complaint about these pencils is that the product runs out too fast so I constantly have to keep buying them shortly.


Pomades are my personal preference for brow products because you get the most bang for your buck. You need an angled brush for this product, but I just bought a small drug store one rather than the suggested Anastasia brush because it was three times the price, and the cheaper one does the same job just fine. This product covers surface area really well with just a little bit of product and doesn't make my eyebrows look weirdly matted. The angled brush also helps shape them to precision as well. Pomades last an incredibly long time, I think to this day I haven't finished my first jar and it's been about two years almost? It's really long lasting and it hasn't even dried out yet (which is a problem with products in a jar like this) so it's definitely the best bang for your buck.

Sometimes, thick, dark or defined brows are not someone's thing. Sometimes all someone wants is just a little tint and a hint of definition to eyebrows, and that's where brow gels come in. These are new products to me, and I sometimes use them as a "finishing" product after I've done my eyebrows and use the gel to keep all the hair in place. But others only use this product to give their eyebrows more color and it looks just fine. Whenever I've just had my eyebrows threaded I think they look so good they don't need to be filled in at all, so sometimes I use a gel to add a hint of color. I've used the above Benefit one and a Mac one and both work similarly. I think I'd prefer the Benefit one because the brush was smaller so it allowed me to shape each section of the eyebrow to perfection, but they were both good options.



The truth is, the main difference between all these products simply comes down to convenience. All of them work well and do work the way they're supposed to. It all comes down to what you prefer. How meticulous do you want to be? Are you the type to stand there and make sure every last hair is in place or do you accept that your eyebrows are sisters and not twins? How often do you want to have to go out and replace the product? How long are you willing to stand there and fill them in? Do you like a dark bold look or is a subtle color better? All of the products work great, so it's other outside factors that go into choosing which is best for you in the end.

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Now that the rules of business professional and the differences between business casual have both been covered, the next step in dressing for business is how to develop your own style. People often mistake business wear to mean "boring," but there are many different ways to spice up your look for the office. The best part is that of these tips can be interchangeable between business professional and business casual so it works for both types of environments.
















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Now that you've mastered the basics of business professional wear, it's time to tackle the next issue that often comes up in the workplace: business casual. It can honestly be stressful wondering how to pull off looking professional without being too casual. (It should be noted that business casual is different than "casual Fridays.") Thankfully, the key to business casual is based on the fundamental rules of business professional wear, which were already covered last week!



Business casual is like a mullet: business in the front, party on the back. Except in this case, it goes: business on the top, party on the bottom, or vice versa. That's it. That's the big secret to pulling it off. When you go business casual, only one part of your outfit should be casual to achieve the right balance for the workplace.







This outfit offers the alternative option of business on top, casual on the bottom. A long sleeved collared shirt alone would be an appropriate top for this outfit. However since this shirt did not have a collar, I paired it with a cardigan to polish the look. For the bottom, khakis are still preferred for business casual, but if jeans are worn they should only be dark jeans. No light wash or distressed jeans at all! Shoes with peep-toes are allowed for business casual, however strappy sandals or heels should still be avoided.


So there you have it! Business casual no longer has to be this ominous, ambiguous dress code now that you know this simple rule to follow! Stay tuned for more posts in the #BusinessSeries all month long! Follow @RedRaiderRunway on Twitter where business inspired outfits will be retweeted for inspiration!



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New year, new you! There's nothing like a new year to motivate everyone into being better versions of themselves. While resolutions are not always easy to keep or follow, there's no shame in trying to better yourself at any time, whether it be the start of the new year or halfway through the year. This post is the first in Red Raider Runway's Business Series that will run all month long. The goal of this series is to give tips on how to dress for the job you want! Learn how to make your work attire reflect your work ethic!

When it comes to business attire, there are various different degrees of professionalism involved, from formal to business casual. However, you should always dress to impress for interviews, as that is the first impression an employer gets. It's best to be "overly" dressed than it is to be too casual, even if the job itself is casual. That's why some of the tips in this post will be the "strictest" of the rules when it comes to business wear.





Blazers are the pinnacle of professionalism. Nothing polishes your look quite like a blazer. However, if you don't have a blazer, a cardigan works just as well. This keeps your outfit looking modest yet stylish. These can be paired with any nice blouse to elevate your look. It can make an ordinary blouse look much cleaner and professional, especially if a blouse happens to be sleeveless. 


There are certain protocols to follow when it comes to blouses. If you want to wear a blouse that has no collar, a blazer or cardigan should generally be worn with it. However shirts with collars can be worn without a blazer or cardigan, but it all comes down to sleeve length. If your collared shirt has sleeves that are three/fourths length or long sleeved, it is perfectly fine to wear without a cardigan or blazer. However, if your collared shirt is short sleeved, an additional cardigan or blazer should be worn to keep from looking too casual.


This next tip should be obvious, so let's keep it short and simple. Skirts or dresses should not be too short, and slacks should be worn, no jeans! As an extra step, pantyhose could be worn with skirts and dresses, though try to avoid prints and lace designs as it cheapens the sleekness of the look.


The last item to complete the look of a business professional is shoes. Heels and flats should always be closed-toed at all times. Despite the modesty of some shoes, closed-toed shoes just look crisper and classier. Plus, you don't have to worry about unpainted toenails or any other setbacks. It should go without saying that sandals are not professional attire. 


 Now that you've gotten some tips on how to look the part, you're ready to go out there and rock those interviews! After all, it's best to fake it until you make it.


Stay tuned for more posts in the #BusinessSeries all month long! Follow @RedRaiderRunway on Twitter where business inspired outfits will be retweeted for inspiration!

Please subscribe to Red Raider Runway to receive new posts straight to your email and follow the site's social media accounts at @RedRaiderRunway to be updated on all things about the site, such as aforementioned maintenance issues! Use the hashtag #RedRaiderRunway for a chance to be seen and have your posts shared on the site's social media.
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First off, I apologize for the lack of posts the last two weeks, my laptop broke and lost everything on my hard drive, which contained the contents of the scheduled posts! I am looking into trying to salvage what I can from the hard drive but in the mean time, the show must go on! This week I decided to do another Outfit of the Week(end) post detailing what I wore for the Christmas weekend, as well as what I will most likely be wearing for the upcoming New Year's Eve! 
Please read through to the end for an upcoming announcement!!




I'm Mexican, so we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve. Normally we have a huge gathering with lots of family members, but this year we decided to keep it small with just my immediate family (which is still rather large in general) so I decided to keep my outfit casual. I think this is probably my favorite outfit of the entire weekend, not just because it was so comfy, but because it includes a lot of my personal favorites. I love doing my hair in a half-bun, I love love love those combat boots (stolen from my mom), and I love my roommate's choker. Fun fact about the flannel: I actually bought that shirt in the men's section, and I don't regret it! (Lipstick: Mac "Instigator.")

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I'm a sucker for phone cases, and a firm believer that you can never have enough. I always have a few options of cases I can switch out in case one looks better for a particular outfit or event. After all, we carry our phones with us literally everywhere we go, so why not make sure it looks just as good as we do?
My friend Lett Hernandez recently said how you take care of your phone is a reflection of who you are - and I have to say I completely agree. If your phone has lots of cracks in it or is constantly dying because you don't charge it fully, what does that say about how you take care of yourself? Phones are no longer an "option" in our lives and schedules, but a vital necessity, it should be treated with such importance. However, that doesn't mean we can't style it up while we're at it.
Over the past few months, I started noticing a particular phone case trend amongst friends, acquaintances, and even passersby. It was the liquid glitter phone case.








I saw various different types of girls owning this type of phone case: business women, sorority girls, athletes, etc. so I knew this trend did not just appeal to one particular type of woman.

Common popular phone cases usually have some sort of glitter or sparkle. Others are clear and minimalistic to keep the aesthetic of the iPhone itself. This liquid phone case can combine both of those popular trends into one phone case together. When asked why she felt compelled to buy a case like this, Jackie Castanon said, "It's pink and it's glitter." As a very social person, she also said the phone case was a great conversation starter at checkout lines and constantly received compliments for the case.



However, the main appeal for this type of phone case is its similarity to a snow globe; when shaken, glitter gently floats down slowly. This makes the case not just visually appealing but also interactive. Alyssa Riojas said, "The sparkles attracted me towards the case, as well as the soothing effect it has when you sway the case back and forth."




Since I began noticing this trend of phone cases, the number of cases I have spotted around town have only increased, which means the style has gained more popularity! As an avid phone case lover and collector, I am curious to see which trend will catch on next!



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