Fall 2009 represents one of those really transitional years in regard to fashion and makeup trends. With the same cyclical frequency of a total eclipse, at least once a decade you will see a significant swing in fashion trends and makeup application trends that will leave you wondering “what the heck just happened”…Fall 2009 will be one of those transitions.
Of course, there is nothing new under the sun, and if you were looking for a similar decade of fashion to relate this new transition in trends, it would have to be the 1980s. If you are one of us who remembers 1980, we were living through a very similar economic recession. We had the energy crisis of the late 1970s and a sharp increase in unemployment, the S&L crisis…just to name a few of the dramatically similar events that mirror our current economic environment.
Just like the recession of the early 1980’s, women are reacting the same to the recession of today…by rebelling and pushing the nation into change. Women are tired of this recession and will stop at nothing to push us through it. It’s just like my mother always told me, if you want something done fast, leave it to a woman. This fall marks the return of the POWER WOMAN.
Top 10 Fashion Trends:
Bling:
- Sparkles need not relegated to evening. Look for shine, and metallic embellishments on everything.
Bondage Boots:
- Hip-high foot wear stormed the Fall runway, eliciting oohs and ahhs and just a little drooling.
The Cold Shoulder:
- Asymmetrical, off the shoulder necklines and cut-outs reveal sexy glimmers of skin, yet still leave much to the imagination.
Golden Girls:
- Wildly chic chartreuse dresses, coats and suits offset the season’s more quiet moments with their sunny, golden and gilded hues.
Strong-armed:
- Channeling the shoulder padded silhouettes of the 80’s, designers delivered bold-shouldered looks for Fall.
The Power Woman:
- Masculine fabrics make a sharp, powerful statement – houndstooth, herringbone, plaids, tweeds and haberdashery patterns are everywhere.
Mad Hatter:
- From demure to dramatic, hats become the accessory of the season.
Pretty in Pink:
- The sweet-as-candy color gets a neon makeover, bringing to mind the era of excess.
Black is the New Black:
- Layers and layers of gray and black. Think tailored jackets and knit dresses. The look is regal, sophisticated and powerful…not somber.
Cocoon Coat:
- nveloping and protective, the season’s outerwear serves as the perfect armor against the elements.
Makeup Trends:
It’s All About the Eyes:
- Fall 2009 colors for eye shadows are said to be nude, taupe and light gray and rich earthy tones that appear to have come right from the forest.
- Dramatic eyes will be rich graduations of purple. Look for mysterious shades of this regal shade to play up the eyes and add intense drama.
- Metallic can be worn alone for a fashionable fall/winter look.
- Eyeliner will be dark and more dramatic to balance the heavy emphasis on the eyelids.
- Black eyeliner will return along with dark shades of brown, purple and smoky grey.
- Eyebrows will be heavier so put away the tweezers and opt for a more natural eyebrow look and use a clear wax for the perfect grooming tool. Remember, a heavier brow can also make you look younger, so letting those hairs come back in serves two purposes.
- Cat-eye makeup is going to be modified in 2009. The cat-eye for 2009 is about making a horizontal line without the upswing at the tail.
Getting Cheeky:
- Contoured cheeks will be back. While spring and summer makeup for 2009 is all about a hint of color or a sheer wash of blush highlighting the cheeks, fall 2009 will bring back the contoured, chiseled look. While it won’t be dramatic, it will be just enough to make those smoky eyes the center of attention.
The Lips:
- To balance the emphasis on eyes, lips will take on a new color story of their own.
- Red lip color will retain its popularity and will be joined by rich shades of amethyst and berry.
- If you are dramatic with the eyes then tone down the lips a notch or two to avoid makeup overkill.
- Despite the emphasis on drama, a trend towards sweetly natural lips will also prevail where just a touch of clear or pale pink or peach color is used to give a naked lip look. This is the perfect look if you don’t like the heavy lip coloring.
Foundation:
- When it comes to foundation, sheer and natural is in. Mineral makeup will continue to be hot and skin that’s been gently exfoliated and moisturized to give a healthy glow will add to the look for winter. Take care of your skin and exfoliate on a regular basis to get the flawlessly natural look that will be so popular this season.
- Remember; emphasize either the eyes or the lips, not both. Leave the rest of your face neutral, with just a light application of foundation.
This year’s Fall Color Collection has something for everyone. These beautiful palettes can help you create that smoldering smoky eye, while offering you the best choices in lip colors to complement the season’s fashion must-have colors.
Have fun with color. Step out of your comfort zone and try something new. You may be surprised at the response you get by going a little heavy on the eye makeup during the day, or giving your lips a little more shine than you normally would. In the words of Madonna, one of the female icons that defined the 80’s, EXPRESS YOURSELF! It’s not a nose-job…if you don’t like it, you can always change it.
I hope you all have a great week. Be sure to check back on Friday!
