Bay Area Fashionista

Fall Make-Up: The New Eye

 in Beauty / General Fashion / Trends  tagged eye make-up / fall 2010 / runway trends / winter 2011 by

The new make-up styles for Fall 2010 bring a fresh, clean face to the Bay Area. The runways in Paris, Milan and New York showed varying colors of lipsticks and blush; yet the one common theme was the new eye. While smoky eyes and heavily made-up eyes were still present on the runways, the new, naked eye was the fresh stand out for Fall 2010. The one piece of make-up that was markedly absent from the new eye was eyeliner. Eyes were enhanced with mere mascara and light eye shadow while faces were either naked or fully made up.

Nina Ricci, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Thakoon, Peter Som, Celine and Christopher Kane sent models down the runway without eyeliner. The eyes were enhanced with mascara and pale eye shadow such as sheer gold and sheer orange. Cheeks were painted with everything from deep purple to pale pink. The lips were either bright red, bluish-pink, dark violet reminiscent of the movie Twilight or completely nude. Eyebrows were thick and enhanced with eyebrow pencil.  The nude eye is perfect for daytime and can be played up with any shade of blush. Lips can be nude, bright red or dark violet; according to your mood.

The smoky eye made an appearance at a few runway shows such as Zac Posen. Charcoal eye shadow was used over smudged black eyeliner and mixed together with a cutip to create an “I just woke up” look. Since the smokey eye has been around for several years, this may be it’s last hurrah as the new naked eye begins to take over the eyes of Fashionistas across the Bay Area.

The dark, dramatic eye was present on Etro’s and Derek Lam’s runways for Fall 2010. Dark shades of purple and charcoal painted the tops of the eyelids and reached all the way up to the eyebrow. The eyebrow was penciled in to be thick and squared off. Cheeks were varying shades of pink and purple with pale pink lips and no mascara. In order to take this look from the runway to reality, keep eyes dark and dramatic while keeping cheeks and lips light and neutral. This eye trend is best suited for evenings and parties.

Fashionistas in the San Francisco Bay Area may very well be bored with the smokey eye. The fresh nude eye for daytime and the dark, dramatic eye for evening; look to be the up and coming trends for this Fall. Try these looks out at home and see which ones flatter your face the best. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

Messenger Bags for Fall 2010

 in General Fashion / Handbags / Trends  tagged cross body bags / fall 2010 / messenger bags / shoulder bags / winter 2011 by

Messenger bags in the San Francisco Bay Area have been associated with San Francisco bike messengers over the past few decades. The image of a frantic bike messenger, wearing an army green messenger bag frantically trying to avoid cars that are making last minute right turns in front of them; resonates in the minds of Fashionistas when the mention of messenger bags comes into conversation. Interestingly enough, celebrities have been spotted wearing messenger bags over the past couple of years. The fashion world took notice and the messenger bag took the runways by storm for Fall 2010.

The messenger bag is being shown for both men and women, who may each have their own use for them. Tod’s is showing a coated canvas messenger bag that comes in both dark brown and black. The Tod’s messenger bag can worn by both men and women; and since it is coated canvas, opponents to leather will flock to this bag. So very San Francisco! Prada is also showing a messenger bag for Fall made from their signature black nylon. The Prada nylon bag looks like it can double as a diaper bag for chic mommies since it features two side pockets for bottles; water or baby bottles. Juicy Couture is showing the perfect messenger bag for the teen set this Fall which features a delicate heart design with rock n’ roll flair. The Juicy Couture bag will definitely be the bookbag of choice around Bay Area high schools for fashion-savvy teens. Henry Beguelin created a more grown up messenger bag  with clean lines and shimmery black suede. The casual winner for Fall? Donan Karen  is showing a very casual, very bike messenger vibe, black crossbody bag with a large strap clasp and broken-in leather look. The most fabulous messenger bag that may very well end up across the bodies of Fashionistas around the Bay Area is the Tory Burch Carsen messenger bag. Tory Burch gave her bag chain details on the front with an easy to adjust strap that allows Fashionistas the flexibility of wearing the bag crossbody or over the shoulder giving it a 1970’s handbag silhouette . In these recessionary times, a two-for-one deal cannot be overlooked!

The messenger bag last made it’s appearance in fashion during the late 1990’s, during the height ofMinimalism. It is a practical, casual handbag style that may not be suited for everyone. This may or may not be a trend you wish to invest in. If you do invest, look for clean lines that will not date the bag in future decades. After this trend settles down, your messenger bag could end up in the back of your closet for another ten years. Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

New nail color for Fall 2010 The IT list is in!

 in Beauty / General Fashion / Nail Polish  tagged chanel / chanel nail polish / fall 2010 by

Paradoxal by Chanel is the hot new nail color for Fall 2010; followed by Chanel’s Jade Rose. Chanel’s nail colors dominate nail polish waiting lists across the globe and this Fall is no different. Paradoxal by Chanel is the plum twist to Spring’s hot nail color Particuliare also by Chanel. The waiting lists have started in the Bay Area while Chanel cosmetic counters scramble to order more of the hot new nail color for Fall 2010. Nail color has been vampy the past few years, with the exception of Spring 2010 when shades of beige were all the rage. Chanel’s Paradoxal crosses the past purple nail polish trends with the current beige trend giving Fashionistas a plum-like neutral for Fall which blends easily with the browns from the 1970’s trend and the shades of black from the Minimalism trend.

Paradoxal is a violet beige that seems to be a cross between Spring’s Particuliare and Fall 2009’s Vendetta by Chanel. Chanel’s Paradoxal is about two shades lighter than Vendetta and about one shade darker thanParticuliare. Nail polish by Chanel has good lasting power and normally does not chip until after about four days. The dark color of Paradoxal will show wear quicker than the runner up color for the season, Jade Rose. Jade Rose is a soft, blueish pink that has not been seen in fashion for several years; if not for a decade. The pretty pink of Jade Rose works perfectly with this seasons’s vintage looks from the 1950’s and1960’s. Imagine full skirts, pretty sweaters, bow tie pumps and Jade Rose fingertips! Fabulous! It will be like taking a time machine back to City of Paris in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s on Union Square.

The wonderful thing about nail color for Fall 2010 is that Fashionistas have choices. Instead of being forced to wear vampy purple or dreary beige, there is a choice between Paradoxal and Jade Rose. Of course, Chanel’s IT colors always sell out the minute they hit store shelves. Thankfully Target has a wide array of reasonably priced nail color by both Nicole and Sally Hansen for under $10. Fabulous! Not sure which color to go with for Fall? If you feel drawn towards the 1970’s and Minimalism trends, go for Paradoxal. If the 1950’s and 1960’s vintage trends suit you, go for Jade Rose. All the trends calling your name? Ah, just buy both nail colors! Happy shopping and stay fabulous.

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