Five Fashion, Makeup and Hair Trends to Kick Off the Fall Season

This classic sweater style has been seen before in both the 1970s and 1990s and, like all good fashion, it has reappeared twenty years later. This trend is no exception for a beautiful sweater such as the one pictured. I remember as a kid of the 90s, my mom received a set of matching sweaters meant for my sister and me that were reminiscent of the Fair Isle style. Until now, I never thought of them as a cute fall and winter staple. It’s too bad the originals don’t fit me anymore! No worries for you though because this style can be found in many places. Pair it with a chambray or solid button-up for a preppy look, or with a flowy skirt for a more bohemian style.  

Remember those flashy plaid outfits that Cher would wear in the movie “Clueless”? Well, that style has returned for this season, much to my dismay. I have never been a fan of the “tartan plaid,” and I don’t know if I ever will be. It just reminds me too much of a private school’s uniform I suppose. However, for those of you that want to try this out, it’s kind of an all-or-nothing style. You have to commit wholeheartedly to the plaid and accept it. Try layering a few different pieces (like a chiffon top with a faint plaid pattern and a bold plaid blazer) with your favorite trousers or jeans and strut your stuff. Confidence is key with this trend. You don’t want the patterns to overwhelm you!

I personally love styles from the 1950s, and when I was flipping through Glamour magazine and saw this trend, I became intrigued. You may be asking…How would I wear this? Would this even look good on my body type? Well, I would recommend pairing the skirt with a pair of wedges and a flattering blouse. The one benefit of this style skirt is that it looks good on EVERYONE. It sits on your waist and accentuates the smallest part of your body. Hello, curves! Modcloth seemed to have some cute vintage style options, as shown in the photo below.

Summer is gone and with it went the light, pastel, and girly floral patterns. This fall, you should opt for a dark palette of colors and pair them with dark accessories and pants. The dark colors make it more vampy and “fallish.” Maybe a floral pantsuit (like the one Gwyneth Paltrow is rocking) is a little too much for you, so go find a cute dress and pair it with some tights, black boots, and a knit beanie for a more wearable look.

This is not a really new style for most of us. Skater skirts can be found in H&M, Forever 21, and most department stores pretty easily. I included this because it is the same silhouette as the 1950s full skirts, but is just slightly shorter. So if you still want your waist to look tiny, but don’t feel like the t-length will flatter you, try this option! It would look so adorable with a pair of combat boots and a chunky sweater contrasted with delicate accessories.

1. Cat eyes were seen on many runways for this fall, and I know what most of you are thinking. I SUCK at making a cat eye with my eyeliner. Well, there is good news—you’re not alone (yes, I too struggle with this). In the picture of Cara Delevigne above, the cat eye shape was created with black eye shadow. This is so much easier than using traditional liners. All you need is some scotch tape and a fluffy blending brush to achieve this look. Simply place the tape at the corner of your eye and angle it in the direction that you want your cat eye. Then put your shadow of choice on the fluffy brush and gently blend from the outside corner of your eye to the edge of the tape. When finished, take the tape off gently and voila! You have your cat eye. You can also use any color eye shadow you want; you are not limited to black!  

2. Taylor Swift was pivotal in making the red lip trend popular, and I doubt that it’s going anywhere anytime soon. When using a bright color like this, make sure to keep the rest of your makeup relatively simple; let your lips be the star of the show.  Using a red lip liner in addition to your lipstick or stain will also keep the color lasting longer.

3. Orange eye shadow was seen on the runways this season as well. Some used more dramatic colors with a hint of orange as a pop of color while others just placed the pumpkin shade all across the lid. This color also is extremely flattering for brown and blue eyes!  

4. One way to change up your hair for the fall is to get a haircut! It sounds so obvious and simple, but for a lot of us it can be very difficult. This past month I got my bangs cut like TSwift’s and I about had a meltdown when I couldn’t style them the way I wanted. I finally figured it out though, and I look completely different! I came back to campus and some people didn’t even recognize me. This just proves my point that changing up your hair can do wonders for your overall “look.” You just have to bite the bullet and trust your stylist!

5. In addition to red lips being on trend this season, wine colored lips have also made a reappearance. This vampy color can be a little more difficult to wear, but it screams fall and winter. Try going for a lighter berry color if you are unsure and gradually work towards finding a darker shade to suit your skin tone. Then just rock it all season long!

I hope these tips have sparked some ideas in your head for this coming season because it will be here before you know it!

xoxo

Christina

• fall
• fashion
• hair
• makeup
• trends