Spring 2010 Preview

It might be snowy and cold outside right now but I am ready to start looking at the Spring collections and I am already looking forward to warmer weather and being able to spend more time outside. In the December issue of allure, they had an article from backstage at the Spring 2010 fashion shows and they gathered all the major trends of the upcoming season into one article. Using that article as a guide, here are the 10 major trends that we should be seeing this Spring.

#1 Colorful Shadow - The most vivid example of spring's happy mood: the candy-colored eye makeup. In heaviest rotation were shades of violet, turquoise, orange, and mint green, in a range from pastel to electric. But non were so intense that they appeared clownish. "We're applying these colors with a light hand so that nothing looks exaggerated," said Pat McGrath at Dior.

#2 Orange-Red Lips - This season's red lips contained a healthy dose of orange. Whether matte or shiny, the shade was usually paired with little more than mascara and a bit of foundation. In describing the women with lacquered poppy lips at Prada, McGrath said, "They are super-femmes fatales."

#3 Swirled Updos - The prettiest updos were also the least complicated: Stylists simply gathered the hair, wrapped it into a gentle twist or knot, and pinned it in just enough spots to set it. "It's meant to look like the bun is somewhat falling out," said Eugene Souleiman at Dolce & Gabbana. "That's what gives it a light feeling."

#4 Braids - Not since Cher in the '70s have thick braids looked so cool. At some shows, they were made from long extensions. At others, the look was sweeter, with the braid placed high on the head. Sam McKnight summed up DSquared's chunky braids as "youthful, casual, and just sexy enough."

#5 Intense Lashes - To exaggerate the lashes, many pros layered mascara on the top and bottom lids. Some even employed kooky tricks, such as stacking two strips of false lashes at Marc Jacobs or wedging fabric between the lashes at Louis Vuitton.

#6 Muted Shadow - "Dusty colors offer a more delicate way to do smoky eyes," said Peter Phillips at Fendi. The pros used soft shades of brown and gray - sometimes matte, sometimes with a touch of shimmer - then loaded on the mascara. These quieter colors look fantastic with big, spiky lashes," said Phillips

#7 Mauve Lips - Spring's pink lips were of the more grown-up variety. Shades of mauve looked sensual when paired with bedroom eyes or when the color had a superglossy finish, as at the Fendi show, where Phillips described the makeup as "a late-'70s girlish look."

#8 Head Dressers - At some shows, the accessories in the hair outnumbered those on the body. Combs, barrettes, and headbands were piled on - and all were striking. At Chanel, each model wore a different accessory which McKnight described as "sexy and coquettish."

#9 Rumpled Hair - "Hair this season is a little disheveled," said Guido at Versace. Two stylists separately referred to the trend as "glamorous grunge." To create this laid-back look, stylists simply blow-dried the hair while tousling it, then used a large curling iron to make relaxed waves.

#10 Shimmery Skin - The effervescent spirit of the season translated into skin that literally glowed. Some artists achieved this with beige or off-white shimmer blended on the cheekbones, the nose, and the bow of the mouth; others simply rubbed clear gloss or moisturizer on the skin to produce a natural-looking sheen.

Couple of thoughts...My hair is rumpled to being with so maybe this Spring I can make it's natural texture work for me. I loved the bright colored shadow trend, I already own a bunch of mint and lilac shadows so I have a head start on this trend. I already love intense lashes so I am all about that and also all about the muted shadow trend. This will be my kind of Spring...

photo courtesy of Versace and Allure