Spring 2011 Preview

Oh I wait all year to write my spring season preview and to start looking at the spring collections! This is my favorite time of the year and every single reader that I have knows that. From pink lip glosses to floral fragrances and light scented body products, I am a sucker for everything that comes out in the springtime. Right after Christmas, I start counting down the days until St. Patricks Day and until the weather begins to warm up. I have consulted the December 2010 issue of Allure for the top eight trends from the runways and one of the major statements made about this season was that many of the styles from this season can be considered polar opposites. Hair goes from loose and wavy to slicked back and severe, makeup can go from very natural to fully made up. This is a season that holds a trend or two for everyone.

The top eight trends for spring of 2011...

Day-Glo Lips - "We wanted to bring color back into makeup," said Peter Phillips, the makeup artist who sent neon fuchsia and bold coral lips down the Jil Sander and Fendi runways. His shade of choice, "I like pinks with a milky undertone. If there's too much blue, it can go Barbie." "Orange is a huge color for spring," said makeup artist Tom Pecheux, who did the tangerine mouths at Marni. "A matte finish is unexpected, but orange gloss is softer."

Glazed Hair - From the shellacked buns at Versace and Prada to the tight rolls at Yves Saint Laurent, Guido's team emptied 82 tubes of gel this season. His favorite words were "shine" and "gloss". Hairstylist Orlando Pita created sleek ponytails at Giambattista Valli with hair spray instead of gel. "The hair is glossy, but you can brush it and not have to wash it the next day," he said.

Rainbow Shadows - Orange, red, pink, and yellow are excellent in a fruit bowl, but on the eyelids? That's where they appeared this spring, popping up on aas many catwalks as Karolina Kurkova. These unorthodox colors inspired some pretty unorthodox methods: At several shows, makeup artists used lipstick and lip liner to paint the lids so the color was vivid. Closely rim your upper and lower lashes with black eye liner before applying a bold shadow. It'll ground the look and make the color seem less intense.

Dark Lips - We'll spare you the Twilight pun and just say blood-red lips are stillhot. Coated with gloss, as at Louis Vuitton, they looked rich and extravagant. At Givenchy, Pat McGrath went with a matte finish for a Gothic effect. Pat on a matte lipstick with your finger - or draw on a stain with a pen applicator - and blend the edges inward. "It's a milder way to wear the color," said McGrath.

Hair Accessories - Barrettes had a moment - beaded at Chanel, wooden or golden at Rodarte, and wrapped in hair at Carolina Herrera. So did feathers, silk flowers, brooches, and black-plastic-covered buns. When decorating a ponytail, clip a barrette into the hair above the elastic, or fasten a few down the length of the ponytail, as Pita did at Carolina Herrera.

Loose Updos - "It keeps falling out!" said a model of the updo at Dolce & Gabbana. And that was the point: "I wanted it to look fragile, like hair in a Botticelli painting," said hairstylist Eugene Solueiman. At Michael Kors, Pita knotted the hair and left a chunk loose in front. Before pulling back the hair, tease it all over to create a rough surface so the style won't literally fall out.

Matchy-Matchy - Lips and nails were both shiny red at Gucci; eye shadows and nails matched at Chanel. With colors this strong, the pairings didn't look prissy. For a twist on the trend, match the colors - but not the finishes. We love matte lips with shiny nails.

Iridescent Smoky Eyes - A new twist on the smoky eye look: a luminous greenish black at Chanel, a shiny dark green at Marc Jacobs, and shimmering purple and gold at Louis Vuitton. At Marc Jacobs, makeup artist Francois Nars topped black-green shadow with Vaseline "to make it almost like glass." Less greasy: Press a touch of lip balm over your shadow.

What is my favorite of the new trends? I think that is the loose updos, I see myself making this hair style that I will use a lot in spring. I like the new smoky eye trend but I don't know how shiny I will make mine, I will have to try this one in the privacy of my bathroom before going out in it. The bright lips and shadows I might have a hard time with, I will start with the tip of using the black liner first. Lipwise, I will start with Viva Glam Gaga and see if I can work myself up to anything brighter. The deep lip shades and the matching nails and lips, I should have no problems with pulling off.

I can't wait for spring!

photo courtesy of Louis Vuitton and Vogue.com