The one bad thing about fashion week? It’s a total tease! It will be months before Marc Jacobs’ cozy-chic coats, Tibi’s structured sweatshirts, or Prabal Gurung’s military-inspired peplum jacket hits stores.
But the good news is, just about every beauty look we saw at New York Fashion Week can be had right now. That’s the beauty of beauty-instant gratification.
And this season’s instant gratification comes by way of old-school rebellion.
Punk Hair
Punk was a major inspiration for both hair and nails. It looked like dozens of Joan Jetts walking the runway at Marc Jacobs, where the ‘dos were short and spikey (and sometimes quite mullet-like). At VPL, the hair was equally edgy. Stylist Bob Recine worked with Phyto and T3 tools to create a look that was slicked back on one side and stick straight on the other. Faux Mohawk, meet your match. It appears we now have the faux skater-partially-shaven-head.
Punk Nails
What would a punk haircut be with out a manicure to match? Fortunately Deborah Lippmann showed up at the Lela Rose show with a new polish called “I Wanna Be Sedated,” which comes out this July. It’s a rebellious mustard yellow with a texture that’s, quite appropriately, a bit rough. Other colors in Lippmann’s Punk Rock Collection include “Pretty Vacant” and “I Fought the Law.” Kate Spade also countered her feminine styles with edgy nail art, embellishing long, neon and black nails with gold studs.
Not about to get punk’d? The runways also offered plenty of prettier, more wearable trends.
Chocolate Lips
Oxblood lips returned to the runways, but with a richer tint for Fall 2013. Shows like 3.1 Phillip Lim and Dannijo featured a burgundy pout with brown undertones that gave off a romantic vibe.
Ombr Buns
We know, we know, enough with the ombre! But this time it doesn’t involve hair dye at all. At the Dannijo show, celeb stylist Johnny Stuntz used LUXHAIR WOW Pony Fall extensions (you can get them on Beauty.com) to add a lil’ something extra to the models’ natural hair. To recreate the look, don’t worry about matching your color exactly (that’s where the ombr comes in) and pin a hairpiece into your ponytail. Then twist all the hair into a bun, as you normally would and spritz with hairspray (Johnny used L’Oreal Paris Elnett Strong-Hold hairspray). We kind of like the idea of swirling in two slightly different colors of extensions — maybe a blond and a reddish shade — for an even more obvious ombr effect.
Low Ponytails
We’re also seeing a lot of ponytails in the coming months, which is always good news for those of us who like to get up and go. Slicked back and gathered at the nape, low ponytails have been a force in the last few weeks. Not only did they make waves at the Alexander Wang and Trina Turk shows, but Beyonce also wore one to the Grammys.
Twisted French Manicures
For nails, the French manicure gets a new incarnation. Reverse Frenchies (or half-moon manis) returned to the runways in edgier hues, but we also saw a whole new twist on the classic two-tone design. This new version of the French has a border on the top and the side for a look that’s totally mod. The French manicure’s distant cousin emerged at the VPL show, where Deborah Lippmann used “Modern Love” as a base color and then painted a thin border on the top of the nail and the inside edge with “Stormy Weather.”
Bright Eyeshadow
Punk isn’t the only part of the ’80s making a comeback this fall. Bright blue, orange, green, and red eyeshadow and liner turned up all over the runways at shows like Jason Wu, Rebecca Minkoff and Thakoon. Line the lid with a cobalt hue for a more wearable take on the trend, and dust along the bottom lashes as well for a modern twist.
Cat Eyes
The cat eye continues its reign, but for Fall 2013, the eyeliner trick is bolder and more pronounced. Makeup artists at Monique Lhuillier and Anna Sui shaded in thicker lines, while Jason Wu, Mara Hoffman and Emerson focused on the cat eye’s signature winged tip, with a more exaggerated line.
Red Lips
Red lips aren’t going anywhere. The classic lip shade brightened up too many runways to count, adding a chic finish to an array of looks, from grungy to preppy, minimalistic to opulent. To update the look, take a cue from Oscar de la Renta and J.Crew’s models and add a glossy finish to your bright red pout.
Abstract Nail Art
Nails continue to be one of the runways’ main accessories, but the nail art this season is more artsy and abstract. Some of our favorite nail designs came from queen of cool Rebecca Minkoff, who offered fun but modern manis decorated wtih squiggly lines.
Pretty Faces
We welcomed the return of pretty, natural makeup this season. While we love the bold, boundary-pushing looks from season’s past, it’s always nice to see a few beauty trends that will easily translate from the runways to real life. The trick to pulling this look off is in creating a flawless complexion using a tinted moisturizer or light foundation that lets your skin breath. From there, it’s all about the blush to highlight your cheekbones.
Intricate Braids
Braids are also back (notice a lot of trends from spring are here to stay?). The update for Fall 2013? They’re getting more intricate and less perfect. Rodarte and Alice + Olivia both showcased more elaborate braided designs that had a slightly undone feel for a cool update to the middle school look. We also saw braids popping up in unexpected places like the back of a voluminous updo at Caroline Herrera.
Check out more highlights from New York Fashion Week Fall 2013 below.
By Amelia Mularz
Gossip Zoo 