Makeup this fall is sophisticated and glamorous but it may get a bit confusing on which hues are best suited for you. I will help you break down the best colors for the best skin tones to help you choose the perfect shades for fall.

The hot colors for eyes this season are khaki golds and greens, smoky shades of gray and plumy purples, mahoganies, rich browns, sapphire blues and black. If you are fair go for khaki greens and keep it swept across the lid only, sparkling cool browns are great for lining the eyes and for a smoky eye, choose granite grays with a shimmer. Try Pout Eyeshadow Duo in "Miss Scotland", Mac Teddy Eyeliner Pencil and Cover Girl Eye Enhancers in "Platina". Medium skin tones fair best with khaki golds, rich warm browns, quartz plums and deep smoky grays. Try La Femme Sparkle Dust in "33 Antique Gold", Lancome Colour Design Eyeshadow in "Couture and Click" and Revlon Molten Metal in "Scene Stealer". Dark skin will look perfect wearing shades of mahogany and deep purple on the lid, sapphire blues and blacks lined around the eyes. Try Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in "Mahogany", Loreal High Intensity Pigments in "Charisma" and Almay Intense I-Color in "Black Pearl".

Cheeks are very soft this season, so don't venture too far away from soft plums and roses. They are quite universal and balance the more bold cheek or lip. Fair skin should stick with a soft cool plum or rose like Benefit's Sheer Cream Blusher in "Shhh!!!" and go warmer for medium skin tones by trying Revlon Golden Affair Sculpting Blush in "Rose Rapture" and stick with deeper tones for dark skin like Bobbi Brown Blush in "Velvet Plum".



Lips are either nude, wine or red this season and balance is key. If you are wearing a smoky eye go for a nude lip. For a bold red lipstick use a simple wash of shadow or a slick of liner and for wine colored lips, which are all the rage, a soft brown shadow can really look elegant. Nude lipsticks should have a hint of peach for fair skin, warm pink for medium skin and mocha for dark skin so the face does not look washed out. For wine lips stick with cool berry tones for fair skin, sparkling burgundies for medium skin tones and for dark skin tones think of raisins or merlot. Red lipsticks should stay in the cherry family for fair skin, classic true red for medium skin tones and blood reds for dark skin tones.

This fall, it's all about a new modern glamor. Each new trend is sexy and sophisticated and universal to all women. The key to pulling off these looks this season is confidence. The five hottest trends now are liquid eyeliner, red or wine shades of lipstick, the new gray eye shadow hue, and strong brows. Liquid liner has made a real comeback and was all over the runways. It's easier than you think to pull off and when you do it's the ultimate alluring look.

Black makes the boldest statement, but for the faint of heart go for eggplants, forest greens or bronzes. If you have a shaky hand and can just never draw on that fluid perfect line, no worries, simply apply the liquid in short connecting dashes. Keep a small tipped concealer brush dipped into a little foundation to clean up any mistakes. I like the short wand from Mac LiquidLast Liner because it it easier to control.

If it's the eyes you want to focus one go for the new hue of grey eye shadow. It's a sparkling brown grey that resembles warm granite. This can be swept across the lid from the lash line to the crease and under the lower lashes for a smoldering smoky eye effect. My favorite is Shu Uemura Eye Shadow in "ME Brown 850". Go for a more nude lip with this look so you don't look too made up. Brows should be full and healthy (think Brooke Shields or Ally McGraw). If yours are a bit thin or simply won't grow back fill them in with a bit of brow pencil to mimic the trend. Use the double ended Lorac Creamy Brow Pencil with color on one side and a great brow brush on the other.

Another sexy trend is red and wine shades of lipsticks and the colors can look beautiful on any lip shape. For smaller lips simply choose sheer colors with a hint of shimmer. The shimmer will capture the light giving the illusion of fuller lips and the sheerness of the color will give you a hint of the trend without going full-force. Try Benefit Silky Finish Lipstick in "Guilt-Free". For those of you who want to paint on a bold opaque shade stick with creamy formulas, line the lips with a nude or clear lip pencil to keep lipstick from feathering. Try Guerlain Cupidon Lip Liner.

At the end of a week when some Fashion Week attendees have complained that the shows have been too safe, Anne Klein's second collection with Isabel Toledo at design helm couldn't have been more of a breath of fresh air. Toledo's clothes have their own standout esthetic; these are confident looks for women who don't need magazines or trendsetters who tell them what to wear. And just as those customers tend to be trailblazing professionals, this collection used modernized fabrics (like lacquered cotton and glazed silk) and flattering, fluid cuts to be focused, forward-thinking, and always feminine. Plus, although it wasn't an upbeat show per se, there's something about Toledo's sense of self in the midst of so many retail-driven collections which makes you want her to succeed. It just puts everyone in the good mood the way a great art exhibit does.

That mood was contagious and was felt backstage before the show as well as in the audience. "Isabel's an original," James Kaliardos, who created the makeup for the show using foundations and eye products from MAC, said. "She really is one of the few designers on earth that really do very original designs that aren't based on some nostalgia trip. She doesn't look through old Vogues and copy things. It's true design: she really creates from the pattern to the finished clothing. She channeling the spirit of Anne Klein but in her own way, which is the best way to come into a house like that."

Renowned hairstylist Orlando Pita, who worked on the show and has known Toledo since high school, agreed. "Isabel is extremely talented," he said. "It's always such a pleasure to work with people that no matter how commercial a side of fashion there is, there also needs to that element of good design and creativity. We're kind of losing that in fashion with people becoming designers more and more that aren't trained as designers-we must not lose the fashion and creativity side of what we do and Isabel is really strong at that."

Pita said the hair for the show was directly inspired by Toledo's designs. "It's very architectural and feminine minimalist," he said of the look. "It's very neat and then it gets into a drier texture in the back and we're putting extensions to make a blunt cut and the bottom. It looks very simple but it's a lot of work!"

It may sound contradictory, but the Tommy Hilfiger show which was held later yesterday didn't show much which looked new, but also made its audience feel good. With its crisp and wearable pieces in navy, white, and beige, these were clothes for average men and women instead of just the fashion crowd. It's worth noting that the show was held at Hammerstein Ballroom, where just a week earlier (although it certainly feels like ages ago after seeing a gazillion shows since) Van Cleef and Arpels held its massive fine jewelry event, which felt European and luxe. A week later in the light of day, Hilfiger's collection was packed with truly American looks for everyday, which after a week in Fashionistaville was a nice transition back to reality....


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The main topic of discussion on Tuesday morning at the Bryant Park Tents wasn't clothing but something unavoidable for most showgoers: exhaustion. After waiting over two hours for the Marc Jacobs show to begin after 11 pm the night before, it seemed like every conversation focused around being tired, needing coffee and concealer (we vote for the new one from the Body Shop, in homage to the death this week of its founder Anita Roddick), and how late people made it home the night before. As always, Marc Jacobs show was one of the week's standouts, but does making people wait that long blemish the experience so much that it's disrespectful?

Fortunately, the Carmen Marc Valvo show on Tuesday morning was worth getting out of bed for. Probably best known for his bright, attention-grabbing red carpet wear, this show had a soft color palette (a beautiful slightly metallic middle blue with lots of white) and beautiful scalloped details (literally: sea shells were an influence on the designs) on silk organza pieces. There were plenty of wearable jackets which gave the show a solid root in reality. It was the sort of show which made you hope for an occasion to have an excuse to wear these flattering, very feminine creations.

Monique Lhuillier's show, which immediately followed Valvo's, was filled with similarly ladylike and covetable designs. Her show focused on dressy, airy chiffons in soft shades of café au lait and pale gray along with black; there were flowing ruffles around the necklines which would flatter virtually every wearer, no matter what their age or figure. The audience, including LeAnn Rimes and Michelle Tractenberg, seemed to love the show, and why wouldn't they? Doesn't everyone essentially want fashionable clothes which make them look and feel great? This was a collection which delivered on those criteria with grace and finesse.


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No matter how cranky their lack of sleep made some Fashion Week attendees, Tuesday afternoon snapped everyone back into a good mood. Betsey Johnson's bouncy prom influenced show was a pink party of poufy crinolines straight out of a yearbook from the 1950's. The show was admittedly a bit hokey, but it was too fun to get nitpicky about. Around the corner in its New York flagship, alice+olivia showed its trademark cool girl clothes in an inviting and whimsical presentation including cupcakes and giant cookies ala an "Alice in Wonderland" tea party. The wear-them-in-real-life dresses were terrific, but a high point of the collection was its shoes, which are the first installation of designer Stacey Bendet's collaboration with Payless. There were lots of patent pairs and wedge bottoms (from black near-flats which would be great for work to Kelly green high wedges for a night of clubbing) and even some adorably kids' designs which would make any young girl the coolest kid in the playground.

A couple hours later Heatherette showed its red, white, and blue collection at nearby Gotham Hall. Their show always feels more like a fabulous party than a poker-faced runway collection, and this year was no exception: everyone seemed to have a blast, from the audience (including editors, drag queens, and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs), the models, rapper Lil Mama (who opened the show with an energized performance), and particularly the five children who modeled Heatherette's new kidswear near the end of the show. It's worth mentioning that in the midst of the fun, there were actually a few looks which edged towards commerciality (in a good way), like a lightweight red coat and a simple pair of mens' swim trunks with a print of picnic table ants which seemed straight out of a vintage Moschino collection.

The show began with a series of white pieces and then showcased more brightly colored pieces. To balance out the clothes, MAC makeup artist Kabuki created two different looks for the models. "For the first, it's very clean black and white eyes, with a thick white eyeliner with black on the lid to get a beautiful leaf shape," he explained. "You get a really elongated eye. I keep thinking of tuxedos while I'm doing it-it has a classic feel about it with the black and white. We're just doing matte lips and making it all about the eye."

"For the second, it's just a full lash on the top and the bottom," he continued. "It's the glamour of the 'Valley of the Dolls' eye. It's just about full lashes in a wide-eyed, sunburst effect."

Afterwards, justsweet's show a few hours later in Chelsea was admittedly a bit of a downer. Although it was great people watching (with cast members from 'The Fashionista Diaries' along with a brief end of show appearance from Jennifer Lopez, who is the force behind the line), the collection was filled with type of girly minidresses we've all been living in this summer...while every other designer showed a different and newer silhouette on the runway. With the show starting at around 10 pm, Lopez' wave at its conclusion to the pit of photographers shooting the show was most people's cue that it was time for bed.


Come back tomorrow for coverage of Tommy Hilfiger, Anne Klein, and an overview of the week as a whole!

Saturday morning began with the Lacoste show, which this season marked the brand's 75th anniversary. It was just what you'd expect from this ubiquitous sportswear line: comfy but stylish pieces for men and women which pack a lot more weekend punch than just jeans and a tee. Designer Christophe Lemaire was inspired by the Pays Basque region of France, which gave the show a 20's resort feel. Lemaire fervently believes in the brand for which he designs. "There is a true originality in Lacoste," he said. "It's easy to wear but chic, sporty but elegant. It's timeless. I would say Lacoste is to sportswear what Chanel is to luxury."

Vacationing in France was the key influence of many of Saturday's shows. Alice Temperley's lovely collection of feminine pieces was dubbed La Plage Privee (the private beach.) Demi Moore and Duran Duran's Simon le Bon and Nick Rhodes were amongst those who watched the delicate ruffled and lace looks come down the runway.
The genesis of Catherine Malandrino's show, which included a standout textured dress in bright orange, was also a trip to her native France. "France is the place I get my inspiration," she explained backstage. "It was inspired by all the organic things and the lightness that you find there in the summer."

Rosa Cha's show of glitzy bathing suits also brought France to mind-in this case, the French Riviera in around 1972-but with their metal appliqués and detailing, don't try jumping in the pool with most of these pieces. To match the vibe of the clothes, MAC's Gordon Espinet created a similarly glamourpuss look. "When you think of 70's beauties, they were photographed by Francesco Scavullo: the Jerry Halls and Lauren Huttons of the world," he explained. "That woman is really glamorous and fully made up. It's sexy but not slutty, elegant but not untouchable. It's really about swimwear as fashion."


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The French Riviera and the 1970's have been big influences so far this Fashion Week, but cartoon characters? "I was inspired by Charlie Brown's crazy zig-zag striped sweater," Issac Mizrahi said to explain the genesis of the party dress he created for one of Friday's runway shows. "I've always adored that garment. It has etched itself into my psyche indelibly."

That inspiration makes complete sense when you consider the dress was made for the Snoopy in Fashion show, a fun group show held in the Bryant Park Tents. Mizrahi, as well as designers like Betsey Johnson and Heatherette, created pieces for the show which will be auctioned on ebay starting on October 1, with proceeds going to Dress for Success. "I support Dress For Success because I think they help women get their lives back on track in a very simple way," Mizrahi said.

The dress was Mizrahi's only runway look this season: he's showing his collection this time around without the hoopla of a runway show. "I decided this season to create a little book with pictures of the collection," he explained. "For my customer right now it seems like a great tool. I like going my own way as a designer and a good way to enhance that is to think of each collection as a separate entity. This collection screamed for a photo shoot and screamed to be kept off the runway." If you're screaming to see it, go to www.isaacmizrahiny.com.

Backstage before the show, guests enjoyed a proper bartended bar and food courtesy of the Food Network. Elsewhere in the large backstage area, Heatherette's Traver Rains and Richie Rich were getting ready to show their creation, a Snoopy bridal gown made of small stuffed animals. "How can you say no to Snoopy," Rains smiled. "Our dress is a Heatherette conconction: we took little stuffed toys and sewed them together with rhinestones and sequins with a pouf skirt."

Who's their favorite Peanuts character? "I always liked Peppermint Patty the best," Rich said. "I thought she was the most scandalous. She was kind of mean on Marcy and I love that-it was cool."

Behnaz Serafpour's Spring 2008 collection was classy and sophisticated but wearable (as long as your pockets are deep enough to afford these high end pieces.) The show started with some burlappy looks (which brought to mind a somewhat organic theme to the show, for which invites were sent solely via email instead of on paper to conserve trees); Some pieces had a vintage feel, like mustard colored separates and a series of looks with coral flower details. It was clothing which was super-elegant but felt like it didn't try too hard-this is what the glamorous woman at the next table at lunch at the Four Seasons just threw on that morning. And somehow Serafpour managed to maintain some of her trademark elements, like delicate ribbon details, while feeling like she'd taken a major step forward.

The show's makeup, created by Lancome makeup artist Gucci Westman, was glamorous but wearable. "I was thinking Valley of the Dolls combined with a natural, sexy beauty," Westman said. "Everything is peach and coral with a glossy, light lip. I haven't done a glossy, light lip in a long time-I thought that would be nice. It's sexy.

Westman and Serafpour collaborate for the show every season. "I love working with her in terms of our communication," Westman says. "I feel like I always understand what she's going for. It feels like we have a good working chemistry. I always feel like when she says one thing, I know where to take it, which is really important when you're working with designers. The most important thing is that they feel like they're communicating their message."

A few hours later, J Mendel showed a super-sexy collection for Spring/Summer back in the tents. "This collection was very much inspired by the polished sexiness of the photography of Guy Bourdin," designer Gilles Mendel explained backstage. "There's a mix of the couture element that I always put into the collection-sophisticated and sleek-with in this case a lot more sexiness. It's a little more naughty."

How is he going to celebrate once the show is done? "I'm going to go home, take a hot bath, have a glass of champagne with very close friends of mind, and go to sleep," he said." "I'm so tired! I think I'm finally going to have a good night's sleep!"

Other designers showing on Friday included Tracy Reese (who showed many pieces which seemed just too heavy for spring, plus some cute print dresses), Chaiken (whose first show under a new design team was a bit drab, but had a nice Bianca Jaggeresque white pantsuit early in the show), Cynthia Rowley (whose palette of white, beige and blue underlined what the colors of the week have been), and Buckler (whose cheeky menswear always makes for a fun show.)

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One distinct advantage of this season's moved up Fashion Week schedule is the ease at which you can imagine wearing the summery looks on the runway as it's 80 degrees and humid outside. So far many collections have included flowing lightweight fabrics in pretty prints-exactly what you can imagine putting on to go to one of the many parties of the week.

Some of the loveliest dresses yesterday came down Carlos Miele's runway. With Frank Sinatra singing "The Girl From Ipanama" on the loudspeakers, the show featured beautifully cut dresses in lime and champagne, many featuring a snazzy starburst of embroidery called a fuxico. Miele always creates wonderful eveningwear; This season's pearl colored gowns would look as appropriate on a bride as they would at a black tie party.

Badgley Mischka's show also showcased (as it typically does) the team's trademark evening dresses, but yesterday's collection also included crisp little short sleeved jackets which would look great for a daytime lunch or meeting. Don't be surprised to see actress Teri Hatcher in these pieces-she sat in the front row and seemed to love it.

The feel of the show was inspired by a vintage European resort vibe. As designer Mark Badgley explained backstage, "We started out with an easy, languid, French Riviera feeling then we added a lot of crispy 70's tailoring to it."

Why the seventies? "There was just something about the way women put themselves together then," James Mischka said. "It's very soft but tailored at the same time. It was really elegant and a great look."

Like many of the evening looks, the color palette was soft and pretty. As Mischka put it, "There are a lot of neturals in the collection. For sportswear it's mostly neutral and then for evening we go into pretty midtone pastels and a lot of ombres where we go from pale to dark." The makeup look, created by MAC's Tom Pecheux, mirrored the softness of that palette with some added glamour courtesy of bright pink lipstick.

How do the designers explain their broad fanbase, which spans the Olsen Twins through Teri Hatcher? "Today it's not about age-it's more about an attitude," Mark Badgely reflected. "I think if a woman really loves clothes she's going to love our clothes. Young girls are dressing more sophisticated and older women are continuing to look great as well."

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Another show which left much of the audience wanting to wear everything which came down the runway was Adam Lippes' show at DIA Art Center in Chelsea. After three years of designing under the name adam+eve, Lippes has redubbed his collection simply Adam, and has continued to build on the positive momentum (and critical acclaim) of prior seasons by showing beautiful, effortless pieces which make you long for a summer weekend at a chic Hamptons beach house to wear them all.

With the name change, a recent induction into the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and his first boutique set to open next month in New York, it's been a big year for Lippes. "I feel almost like I've graduated," he said. "I started three years ago with t-shirts, which is an amazing part of my business and the foundation of my business, but I've grown it into a collection. This is what I always wanted to do: start with the perfect t-shirt and build a collection around it. It's been an evolution."

Lippes felt showing in the midst of New York's vital art gallery scene made sense for the collection, which included pieces inspired by artist Morris Louis. "I find that there are two things which inspire me: art and my friends," he explained. "I have a lot of great art memories from [former art space] DIA-it's just the perfect space to show the clothes: It's where the clothes might live."

The hair and makeup for the show worked in sync with the clothes. "It's very clean hair," explained renowned hairstylist Kevin Mancuso, who squeezed doing the show between his many clients at the Rita Hazan Salon and a shoot for Vogue. "It's contained with a braid, but it's done in a very soft way, so there's a little sacky feel to it. It's almost like the model carelessly did it herself, but with my hands. We've just come out of a period where hair was so rough and so over the top with volume, things have now become a lot less intentional. This has a bit of spontaneity to it."

The show's makeup, done by MAC's Romy Solemani, also shared the clothing's easy feel. "It's very much an American, fresh, gorgeous, sportswear kind of girl," she explained. "The collection's really beautiful; there are a lot of sorbet colors, so I tried to keep the makeup a little more neutral. We used caramelly, taupey colors all over: It's polished, but still fresh and chic."

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Earlier in day, BCBG showed a just plain lovely collection of pretty dresses and silk organza pieces which would be the perfect to throw on after work to head out to a cocktail party or fancy dinner. Like the Kate Nash music which was the show's soundtrack, the looks were confident, modern, and spunky with a capital F. Just as feminine was Abaete's collection of dresses and beautifully crafted swimsuits, but its feel was straight out of a classic movie from the 1940's or 50's. Abaete designer Laura Poretsky is really hitting her stride...and, luckily for the budget-conscious amongst us, that applies to her line of shoes for Payless as well, which are unquestionably a bargain!

Alexandre Herchovitch, who's known for his uber-theatrical runway extravaganzas, also showed yesterday. His pieces were surprisingly wearable and often quite beautiful: They were unique takes on tuxedos and tuxedo dresses which would stand out (in a good, not outrageous, way) at any black tie function....

Rachel Ray also showed her collection yesterday, choosing to present the pieces at her showroom near the Bryant Park tents instead of mounting a full-fledged runway show. It was an ideal way to showcase her delicately crafted dresses and separates for ladylike ladies who lunch: metallic touches and painterly color details elevated the pieces to make them special instead of plain. The hair at the show, which was done by Frederic Fekkai Soho's Fabrice Gili, echoed the clothes. We've put in hair extensions," Gili said. "It has a lot of length and almost an Amazon look to it. We're going for a really clean look on the top with a lot of length and volume in the back. When we looked at all the clothes-the prints and the textures-we thought it would be nice to have a lot of length following the shape of the clothes. We didn't want a lot of volume on top, but the contrast follows the clothing's shape."

He said working with Roy is a pleasure. "She's lovely and has a lot of talent," he raves. "The clothes are very wearable and modern. There's no pretension-it's very real. I love the fabrics she used. And the prints are amazing!"

Come back tomorrow for coverage of shows by Miss Sixty, Badgley Mischka, and much more!

As August winds down you may be in denial that fall is approaching and want to hold on to the healthy glow of summer. Just because it's cooling off doesn't mean you have to look like it. Keep your sun-kissed look alive by adding in a few tricks to your makeup routine. At this time you may want to put away the deep self-tanners and heavier bronzers and add a lighter sunnier look. You will look out-of place with a savage tan in September so subtly is key. On the body switch to a lighter gradual building self-tanner that will look a lot softer. Jergens Natural Glow Daily Moisturizer is a perfect choice. You will maintain a healthy looking color that will feel right at this stage of the season. For the face add a bit of warmth by first applying foundation then try a cream bronzer instead of powder to the cheekbones and temples. Creams can be blended down to look very natural. Try Jouer Sunkissed Cream Bronzer and apply it with your fingers or a non-latex sponge.

On your eyes sweep on a sunset gold colored eye shadow across the entire lid to keep that perfect summer night look well into the new season. I like Lancome Loose Powder Eye Shadow in "Golden Sunrise". This will look milder and less gilded then using bronze or copper eye shadows. To transition lips into fall but still keep that beachy feel put away the bright fruity summer shades and try sheer light bronze lip glosses and lipsticks. Maybelline Shine Seduction Liquid Lipcolor in "Sunkissed" is the perfect light bronzy neutral shade. On the body for that "summer forever" look, apply a tinted moisturizer with a bit of sparkle. This will not only prolong the look of a sun-tanned body but will make your skin glow and show off definition in your arms and legs. Nars Body Glow is the perfect tinted body shimmer oil and the Tahitian smell will keep summer alive.

"I always feel like a queen," Daisy (left) who has been positive since February 1995 says, "but that day, I felt like a princess."

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Both women had light makeup done with focus on evening out ttheir skin tones and making their eyes pop to complete their beauty transformations.

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Daisy's all-over gray hair made her look older, Christo says. "When you're African-American and you have chocolate skin color, you want to go warm... I used the corrective color to turn her hair a chocolate brown and bring out the shine of her skin." He also decided to give her low 'fro more shape and texture by twisting it.

"We used two of our products -- a gel combined with a dime-sized of pomade. The gel is to hold and the pomade is to shine," Christo explains. If you want to do it at home, separate your hair into small sections and twist from the back to the top of your head. Each twist should be about a fingertip in width. Any smaller and the twist won't hold, plus, you run the risk of exposing too much scalp.

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