Fashion

7 Dos and Don'ts for Your Breakup Makeover

by Michelle King

He did it. You did it. You did it, but only because you knew he was going to do it. He did it, but you had been planning on doing it. Whatever the circumstances, breakups are the worst. Unfortunately the only real remedy for heartbreak is time, which, yes, means that it's time to turn Adele off. Still, just because you need time to heal doesn't mean you have to sit around looking at the clock. There are plenty of ways to give your ego and spirits a boost right this instant. Now, that's not to suggest that a makeover — even one where you pretend you're in a rom-com montage — has the power to heal a broken heart. What it can do, however, is remind you that you — not your relationship — are the center of your life. And I was serious about Adele. Turn it off.

DON'T do anything impulsive. This is basically the number one rule of breakups. Don't call your ex at 3 AM, don't send a hasty Facebook message to him with the line "Good luck going through life as yourself" (I can tell you firsthand that he won't like that), and don't dye your hair Florence Welch red 24-hours after breaking up. Before you make any major changes, make sure you're out of the phase where you think clicking through all 824 of his Facebook pictures is a productive way of spending the evening.

DO make a change that your significant other would have never approved of. This is a simple way to remind yourself that, hey, maybe you are better off without that relationship. It's as easy as wearing high-heels or painting designs on your nails, even though he found nail art tacky.

DON'T make a change you'll have to live with for months and months after your breakup: Breakups make people go a little bit crazy; you don't need a visual reminder of that. If you're going to make a major change you might want to wait a bit. Take it from someone who got a very unflattering pixie cut post-breakup: Those things take forever to grow out.

DO bust out of a beauty or fashion rut. A breakup makeover doesn't have to mean that you're completely reinventing your look. Sometimes it's as simple as changing out of your jeans and t-shirt uniform or trying something more adventurous with your makeup.

DON'T walk around in items that you remind you of your relationship. It's impossible to get rid of every relic from your relationship, nor should you even try to do that. For weeks, months, even years, you created a life with another human, and to try and just forget about that is a bit silly. Still, if you can't look at that skirt you got on your trip to Santa Barbara without getting all misty eyed, take it to your local consignment shop. You'll always have your memories. Give someone else the purse he bought you. You never even really liked it.

DO treat yourself. Whether it's a trip to the spa or finally splurging on that Alexander Wang bag, pamper yourself with something special. It's a great reminder that you are a badass, independent woman. Cue Beyoncé.