Where there’s a resolution, chances are there’s a style solution to help conquer it.

Before you let winter doldrums and self-defeat drown your goals for the new year, check out some of these simple beauty and fashion tips for looking and feeling your best in 2015.

If you want to ...

Get in shape: Weight loss tops the list of most-common resolutions each year and often is among the most commonly broken ones, too. What you wear ― and how you wear it ― can help you look more slim and trim. Opt for tailored silhouettes that hug the body rather than baggier ones that can skew the size of a person’s figure. Also, take advantage of the athleisure and relaxed luxe trends that combine comfort and forgiving fabrics such as spandex and jersey with sharp style. Stylebook recommends the Uptown Sweats line by Pittsburgh-based designer Kiya Tomlin (kiyatomlin.com) for the ultimate cozy chic look. It features sweatshirt dresses and super flattering sweat pants and hoodies (yes, those do exist) fit for the fashionable woman on the go.

Improve your skin care: The “it” makeup trend for 2015 is to look like you’re not wearing much. No need to keep the esthetician on speed dial! There are plenty of items in the kitchen that can help you achieve flawless-looking skin. A few suggestions: brown sugar (for exfoliating), coconut oil (for its anti-aging properties) and apple cider vinegar (apply to skin to help fight acne or dilute it with water and drink a couple teaspoons each day to promote healthy skin from the inside out).

When it’s time to apply makeup, help it go on more smoothly by giving cosmetics brushes a thorough cleaning. Beauty brands sell cleansing products for brushes, but the same job can be done with water and a drugstore cleanser like Cetaphil that is suitable for sensitive skin and typically costs less than $10.

Be bolder with color: If the wildest hue you have in your wardrobe is charcoal, your style and your spirits could benefit from a color infusion. For those who are apprehensive about attracting too much attention with brighter shades, you’re in luck! Many of the colors predicted to be popular this year, including Pantone’s top pick, Marsala, are more subdued and include sugary pastels and rich neutral alternatives such as sandstone, sage and almond. Mix one into an ensemble for a pop of personality.

Get more rest: If eight hours of sleep each night isn’t doable, at least look like you got plenty of shut-eye with a cup of tea. After you drink it, place the tea bags on your eyes to help reduce puffiness and dark circles. The eyes, after all, are responsible for some of the fastest growing makeup categories in 2014, so make sure yours are a clean palette for mascara, primers and shadows.

Amp up your hair style: Want shinier hair that looks like something out of a shampoo commercial? Then pop open the bubbly! Some of the industry’s most elite salons offer champagne treatments to boost shine and natural highlights, but there are DIY options you can do at home, too. Either comb champagne through your hair, spritz some on with a squirt bottle or mix a bit with water and coat your locks with it and then rinse for silky, volumized results.

De-clutter your closet: Parting with clothes is like any other breakup: It’s tough to do but you know when a relationship (or, in this case, an outfit) doesn’t suit you anymore. Make room for new pieces by getting rid of ones you haven’t worn in the past year. If you need help saying goodbye, ask a friend for help or take advice from Marie Kondo’s bestseller “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” If it doesn’t bring you joy get rid of it, the author says. Another choice: Turn old garments into handbags and laptop cases with Pittsburgh-based start-up ReBag (myrebag.strikingly.com).

By Sara Bauknecht

(Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

(Tribune Content Agency)