Oh Fashion Week, physician how very inspirational you are, but also how very unrealistic! While one half of us squeals at the intricacy of some of the stunning looks produced by designers to enthuse the masses, the other half rolls our eyes, knowing that we wouldn’t be caught dead in half of them. Bold, jewelled brows were a massive hit at this season’s Paris Fashion Week, with beautiful models sauntering down the catwalks for Miu Miu and Chanel with sequins attached.
Now, not for one second can I imagine walking down the centre of Grafton Street to be greeted by the sight of some ‘wan’ with sequins stuck to her ungroomed brows. What we have to remember is that only half, if even, of the looks presented to us at any fashion week will be wearable. And so, we must remove ourselves from the eclectic sequin brow and instead turn our attentions to the other looks that graced the catwalk stage this season.
Orange based red lips are a thing of the future, being heavily featured in the shows of Marc by Marc Jacobs and Zac Posen. The key is to keep the rest of the face bare, with just a slick of mascara and a natural base. Lipsticks such as MAC Ruby Woo or Lady Danger or Rimmel Diva Red should do the trick; just make sure to use a similar coloured lip liner to ensure it lasts all day. Metallics are still staying strong in the fashion stakes, with an alternative smokey eye being seen on the catwalks for Burberry, Jason Wu and Diane von Furstenburg.
This ‘new’ smokey has a metallic sheen and incorporates colours such as emeralds, purples, gold’s and bronzes along with the classic black or grey, which can be used to make an eye colour ‘pop’. Maybelline’s Colour Tattoos are a brilliant and cheap alternative to their Nars, MAC or Armani counterparts at just over €6, and are long lasting making them perfect for nights out. Try Immortal Charcoal across the lid with Endless Purple blended into the inner corner and crease for added drama. Pink cheeks also cropped up a number of times, being used by Mulberry, Temperley and D&G as their highlighted feature. Makeup was kept natural and almost bare, with a flush of pink on the cheeks such as MAC’s Well Dressed blush.
While we could spend hours discussing the other trends that graced the catwalks of both London and Paris Fashion Week’s, I’m afraid it’s pointless as not many were wearable for the everyday. Because let’s face it, I doubt any of us will be waltzing around campus with black smudged eyeshadow falling down our faces á la Alexander Wang and Jean Paul Gautier now, will we?
Julie Kirwan
