Here’s How You Can Recreate SZA’s ‘Shirt’ Look

Beauty

| LAST UPDATE 11/07/2022

By Christiana Holland
SZA Shirt Makeup Look
@sza via Instagram

SZA's latest music video has hit differently this time. While the song was teased during the pandemic, we have only just been blessed to watch the entire project. SZA's makeup artist spoke with Harper's Bazaar, enlightening fans about how she captured the awaited look.

SZA, primarily known as Solána Imani Rowe, has blown fans away with her creative visuals in her latest music video. From a 14-second snippet to a YouTube sensation, viewers went crazy for how she portrayed herself in the full nearly-5-minute video. When they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, SZA's makeup artist, Naezrah, took full advantage. When asked how the bold eye look became a predominant beauty focus of the video for the Good Days singer, she revealed this wasn't her initial intention. She explained, "I just wanted SZA to feel comfortable in each makeup look and help her feel most like herself without me trying to take over her vision—makeup is ultimately just that, an extension of self." 

SZA Shirt Makeup Look
@sza via Instagram
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Of course, there is no idea without inspiration. While the yellow cat-eye swoosh became the video's phenomenon, the artist revealed she wanted to give her "options that illustrate that vibrant colors and graphics are things that we should play with more." She further revealed the makeup brands that were used, including Pat McGrath Labs, Danessa Myricks, Bolive Beaute, Glisten Cosmetics, and Blend Bunny Cosmetics. While the song's tempo has a calm and collected beat to it, the variety of scenes in the video required enough looks to tell its story. She revealed the makeup was to blame for the extended duration of filming, "it took me about 10 to 30 minutes (depending on the makeup) to switch between looks or finish one for a particular scene." Considering SZA has altered her theme as an artist, the makeup's alliance with the song Shirt helped her "express more of herself creatively (to the world), while kind of being a rebirth--a new era." After all the hard was put in, it was only right to credit a favorite look, disclosing this to be the ones seen in the opening and closing shots. More specifically, the "painterly, angular designs" were her favorite shapes for accentuating SZA's eyes. Prior to filming, she had "sketched multiple variations," preparing for the singer to have options. Thankfully, the No Love singer loved them and gave her the green light to go forward with the artistry. 

All the makeup used is available for purchase, so there's no harm in trying to recreate one of the many looks from SZA's latest video. It's safe to say SZA's look and newest melody were worth a two-year wait!

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