Show-Mania Pt. 2

New York's first fashion week at Lincoln Center is officially over. Seems to me it was a rousing success. Now the fashion and beauty elite head to London to do it all over in a new locale. (More on that later in the week).

I have to say that I am truly excited by all the new beauty and hair trends. And I'm even more thrilled that most of them are totally wearable and easily replicated for the non-model genre. As I mentioned, there a few distinct themes floating around backstage: bright pops of color and a very simple and pretty no-makeup look. As for hair - simplicity ruled the runway and braids are here to stay. I'm all for simple hair and I adore a good braid, be it a tiny side braid or more of a messy I-just-woke-up-with-major-bedhead braid a la the Lela Rose show.

One of my absolute favorite looks was the Rag and Bone show. I have said before that I sweat. I don't glisten or glow, I sweat in the most unladylike of ways. Well, my fellow sweaty Betties, rejoice with me- the backstage team at Rag and Bone has made sweaty sexy! In the hot summer months when the city is 100+ degrees with 1000% humidity, it's hard to not look like you desperately need a shower. However, by following the R&B lead, you can look like you intentionally left the house that way. The hair was pulled back with a black American Apparel headband and tied into messy, wet-looking knots, which is exactly how my hair would look on a sticky summer evening. And the makeup, oh Gucci Westman, thank you for showing the dryness-impaired ladies that we too can look just as lovely as everyone else in the heat. The skin was dewy and cheeks lightly flushed like you'd just run up several flights of stairs, or got stuck on the non-working a/c car on the subway. And the defined, glistening brow...love, pure love.

Another of my favorite runway looks was the Lela Rose show. Hair guy extraordinaire, Ted Gibson, has done it once again. The messy, roughed up braids are just gorgeous. It's a second day hair lover's dream come true. This look is ready for the beach or a night on the town. And the bright red-orange lip strikes again. Ladies, buy your mandarin colored lipsticks and glosses now, this look is everywhere (see Lela Rose and Cynthia Rowley images below).

Marc by Marc Jacobs also showcased an orange lip in matte version. The models were sporting a rosy cheek and bleached brows so as not to distract from the bright lip. And who ever thought frizz could be cool? Apparently, hair god Guido, that's who. Guido and team had quite a bit of work cut out for them seeing as intentionally creating frizz is a multi-step process. Product was added, then hair was wrapped around large bobby pins in a figure-eight pattern, then it was flatironed while wrapped around the pins (creating a very kinky, tight curl), once the pins were removed the hair was brushed out to create a pretty ball of fluff and pinned back a bit near the face.

Two more looks I fell head over heels for were the Proenza Schouler show and the Preen show. And they could not have been more different in their beauty direction. The PS team created a schoolgirl with an edge look. The skin was clean and fresh with a dark, very defined brow taking center stage. The hair was an unkempt, french twist that looked like it was coming loose. All in all a pretty easy look to recreate. My french twists typically come undone shortly after the labor intensive session it took to create. At least now my shoddy workmanship will be fashionable.

At Preen the barely-there shade of blue used on models lids was dreamy. The soft, muted pastels were almost angelic. Blue shadow isn't the beauty pariah it once was. If done right it's quite flattering. And man did Preen get it right. A soft baby blue eyeshadow mixed in with a taupe lead into a touch of dusty rose blush finished off with a natural colored lip to complete this sweet look. It was enhanced natural beauty, so of course, the hair was very natural looking as well. The soft waves look like they were created by simply air-drying hair after a shower. How easy is that? I'll definitely be wearing this look, probably long before spring.

(all images via Style.com)