Get Hilary’s look
If you loved Hilary Swank’s red carpet makeup look, here’s the insider info — straight from celebrity makeup artist Kara Yoshimoto Bua. Hilary’s look was all about the eyes. “Hilary has very expressive eyes so I wanted to draw attention there,” Bua said. To create dramatic eyes, she used several coats of the new Le 2 de Guerlain mascara on the top and bottom lashes and silvery and charcoal shades of eyeshadow from Guerlain’s spring palette. She paired this with soft pink glossy lips for an ultra feminine look.
The Guerlain products used included:
– Le 2 de Guerlain Two-Brush Mascara in Black
– Four-Colour Eyeshadow Palette in Perle d’Argent (pearl, gray shimmer, gunmetal shimmer, charcoal)
—- KissKiss Gloss in Rose Florida
– Orchidée Impériale Eye & Lip Cream
Oscar fashion
Katherine Heigl … looking red carpet worthy.
As I watched the red carpet coverage leading up to the Academy Awards show, trend expert Leon Hall’s words raced through my mind.
If a woman wants to stand out in a sea of black tuxedos, she should wear red, he once told me.
And so it went on the redder-than-usual red carpet. Two stand-outs were Heidi Klum in John Galliano and Katherine Heigl in a one-shoulder gown that showed off her curves. Others in red included Anne Hathaway, Miley Cyrus, Ruby Dee and Helen Mirren. Hathaway’s gown feaured rosette detail and Mirren’s sleeves sparkled with silver beads or crystals.
Ahh, it’s all in the details.
Regal red shared the spotlight with purple, the color of choice by Cate Blanchett and Jessica Alba, both of whom are pregnant. John Travolta’s wife, Kelly Preston, was in a strapless yellow/orange gown by Roberto Cavalli and Amy Adams donned a deep green strapelss satin gown by Proenza Schouler.
Others in strapless included Jennifer Garner, whose black mermaid-style gown featured eye-catching detail at the hem, and Laura Linney in dark blue. How do you make dark gowns stand out? A lot of sparkle at the neck.
Other trends included a few feathers (these were all over the runways for fall 2008) and one-shoulder, a look that continues to be popular for the red carpet. and on the runway. Hilary Swank in a one-shoulder black Versace with detail at the bodice and shoulder looked stunning.
While almost everyone looked red carpet worthy, there wasn’t much to go and on about either. Safe is the word that comes to mind. After a long writers’ strike and the anticipation of the granddaddy of all awards shows, I just expected more sizzle and less understated.
Fill ‘er up
Finally, a legitimate reason not to lose weight.
Dr. Rhoda Narins said extreme weight loss thins the skin, while decreasing the amount of fatty tissue, making the face appear narrow, empty and aged.
Who wants that?
Of course, Dr. Narins isn’t suggesting any of us not lose weight. She’s plugging facial fillers, and using celebrities and the red carpet to spread the word.
Narins is past president of the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and dermasurgeon to several celebrity clients.
For celebrities who endure extreme diet and exercise to stay skinny, a once full, healthy face may become sunken, hollowed and less attractive. “Since the face is the first part of the body to reflect unhealthy eating habits and dieting, celebrities are requesting fillers to ‘naturally’ plump up sunken facial features,” she said.
New filler products and techniques, according to her press release, turn a thin face into a full, healthy looking face with just a few treatments and minimal downtime. Dr. Narins said these are the most popular fillers used by celebrities.
Sculptra – Sculptra works differently than other injectable products, such as Botox or collagen, as Sculptra is injected into the tissue below the skin and is then molded to the skin to add natural looking volume. This technique can be used for sunken cheeks. Depending on each patient, three to five treatments are recommended at monthly intervals and may last up to two years.
Radiesse – When injected into the skin, Radiesse can stimulate the body’s tissue growth. This technique is commonly used for plumping up cheeks and eliminating the marionette and nasolabial lines around the mouth. Results can last at least a year.
Artefill – It is one of the newer treatments to fill in “smile” or marionette lines, and is also used to provide skin support to prevent wrinkles. With only two to three injections, Artefill can be permanent with no downtime.
Dr. Narins also offers these “dos and don’ts:
Do research. Choose a dermasurgeon who specializes in filler prodcedures. To find a dermasurgeon, go online to www.asds.net.
Do follow post-care instructions. Following instructions is as important as selecting the right doctor.
Don’t schedule the procedure during a lunch break. Contrary to many advertisements, cosmetic producedures are not something that should be pushed be rushed.
A taxi worth taking
I included this in my column on Feb. 17 in the Living section, but here it is again for those who missed it.
NEW YORK — Poor Romulus.
He huffed and he puffed and he pedaled us from 41st and Sixth Avenue to 50th and First Avenue.
When he offered to give three fashion writers a ride in his bicycle taxi, he probably thought we were a lighter load. It was dark. We were in black.
He insisted we would fit.
We piled in. Me first. I planted both cheeks on the seat. Bonnie Bing of The Wichita Eagle scooted in next, then Sharon Mosley of Copley News Service.
Romulus started pedaling.It was a beautiful night for an open-air ride. Uphill and down. Slow turns. No quick stops.
Sharon’s frantic shrill interrupted the fun and laughter. “I feel like I’m going to be ejected,” she said.
Bonnie and I squeezed closer.
When we coasted downhill, Romulus talked. He’s from Brazil and loves New York.
He kept pedaling. We wondered if the load was too much for him. Bicycle taxis are made for two, not three. Good thing Romulus is fit. The 22 gears make it easier, he said. He’s fit and polite.
We made the trip in about 17 or 18 minutes. Despite the cool night, Romulus was sweating by the time we reached our destination. The charge was $15; I paid him double. He earned every dollar, and I got twice that much enjoyment.
Romulus had already pedaled away when we realized the Italian restaurant that had been so highly recommended was closed. We settled on a cute little French bistro around the corner.
What a trip. Bonnie and I said it was the highlight of Fashion Week.
Sharon insisted on taking a motorized taxi back to the hotel.
Vera Wang
Vera Wang is a great manipulator of fabric. She twists and turns and pulls and piles it into soft puffs for in her fall collection.
While some designs for fall 2008 are a bit fussy, plenty of pieces are simply beautiful. She delivered plenty of color — yellow, hunger green, purple and orange — and fur.
One standout: A felt pleated camisole withantique jeweled neckline over a silk gauze embroidered skirt.
For those us who can’t afford Vera Wang, there’s always her Simply Vera by Vera Wang collection at Kohl’s. Many of these elements may trickle down into that collection.
And if you’re wondering what’s up with the models’ hair, so am I. How would you like to be a hairstylist and put those pictures in your look book?
Get in, hang on
I’ve decided I feel more safe on the sidewalk than I do in a cab in NYC.
Every cab I got into was like a missle, full speed ahead and dead aim for anyone in the street. Once, I even tucked my head into my chest and grabbed hold of my friend who was in the back seat with me.
I’m not alone in thinking the cab drivers are out of control. Several fashion writers had harrowing experiences. One said her cabbie kept revving his engine, as if daring other drivers to steer clear or perhaps warning jaywalkers not to make a misstep.
Perhaps that’s why I found it so pleasant when three of us took a bicycle taxi one evening. It was a load for the guy pedaling the bike, but what a blast. Read more about it in my Fashion Matters column in the Living section on Feb. 17.
Nanette Lepore’s party girl
Nanette Lepore says her fall collection is inspired by the high society party girl. Thus the tiaras on the models’ heads.
Actually, the clothes exude a sophisticated glamour that will appeal to more than society girls or party girls. Her suits feature high-waisted peplum skirts paired with short jackets. To soften the tailoring, she adds taffeta tops with bows, chiffon blouses and sequin camisoles.
Because her clothes appeal to a young, modern woman, Lepore offered them knit wear in rib coats and dresses, along with a dramatic wool twill coat over a sequin dress. It’s all about surprises.
Along with black and white, she jazzed up the color palette with berry hues — pink, fuchsia and bordeaux. There’s even a godet dress in teal, black and fuchsia for a bit of retro.
It’s party time.
Checking out Rob Lowe
What a way to end the day.
I was enjoying dinner with friends at Joe Allen, a great little restaurant in the theater district, when actor Rob Lowe walked in. The restaurant was nearly empty because it was too early for most of the after-theater crowd.
Lucky us that “Spring Awakening,” the play we had just seen, started at 7 instead of 8 p.m. The early bird gets a surprise.
I see celebrities all the time at Fashion Week in New York. Most of them are women, except for the male rappers and the I-think-he-looks-familiar television actors. I’m rarely star struck. And I wasn’t tonight.
I will say that Rob Lowe is really, really handsome. My friend called him gorgeous. He was dressed in a white shirt and suit. No tie. He looks even better in person than he does on “Brothers & Sisters.”
Seeing him was like getting a rich, decadent dessert for free.
A picture is worth a thousand words
I’ve been trying to do a video chat with Angi Bruss. Kind of a Live from Fashion Week-type thing.
Anyway, just before there’s a break in my schedule and the timing looks right, it rains. Now, that wouldn’t be a big deal except I needed to use the laptop outside the tents where the wireless connection is good.
So, even though my hair looked a mess (actually, let’s just say it was one of the new runway looks) and I couldn’t find my lipgloss and I had to sit on a wet chair and the wind made it almost impossible to hear Angi and for her to hear me, we persevered.
Meanwhile, just know that I usually look better — especially during Fashion Week.
A super day
A day dress from the Badgley Mischka fall collection.
The Giants get a have a ticker-tape parade.
I get a day of fashion. Everyone wins.
This morning kicked off with fashion shows from two heavyweights that deliver gorgeous clothes for both day and evening. The duo behind Badgley Mischka developed quite a name for themselves years ago by sending out one beautiful gown after another. Then they started stepping into clothes for day, and what a marriage.
For fall,Badgley Mischka sent out taffeta, houndstooth and glen plaid jackets paired with slim skirts and pants. Fur was plentiful, such as the gold-washed fox vest and the black beaver and sheared mink top. To please everyone, both slim and full pants graced the runways.
As with most of the shows, the finishing touch was a belt. And feathers poking out here and there.
Evening looks included a jet Lurex broacade dress with feather hem and a jet/amethyst tulle and gazar gown with a loosely gathered neckline. Fuchsia, emerald, amethyst and cobalt added plenty of bright spots.
Feathers fly in most collections, including Monique Lhuillier.
Monique Lhuillier sprinkled her collection with three strong trends — metallic, fur and feathers. Some of the gowns, such as the peacock blue silk jersey draped gown with cabochon embroidered collar, will probably show up on the red carpet.
I thought some of the coats laden with fur and embroidery were a bit heavy, but they did look regal.
Probably a bit too dressy for a ticker-tape parade though.
