Style: What's Hot and What's Not

Here are some of the things I have seen recently on Style.com and sofeminine.com and also at the Elle, Seventeen, and cosmogirl websites for their trends and upcoming beauty looks.
MAKEUP:
It seems that there are several trends going on at once for makeup. Gold and shimmer eye makeup are in style as well as the striking looks of plums for the eyes and bright reds for the lips. The holidays are coming so some looks are very glamourous retro and back to the 1940-50s with bold lips and shaped brows and mascaras--which are now tinted. Other looks  are very natural and casual with sheer gloss and pink eyeshadows and fuller brows. Whichever you choose, it should be well done but not overdone. Hair for going out is big curls in updos of many kinds so that it almost looks folded into bows and giant swirls.Hair for everyday is parted with bangs and a tiny bit messy or strictly straight.
FASHION:
For fashion, leggings are great ways to keep your legs warm in style. Tights are in fashion for the same reason. Slouchy sweaters, fake fur in moderation and skinny jeans will keep us warm this winter. Layer but do it carefully so you don't look like a shedding moose.  If it reminds you of the 1980s, like bubble skirts do,  it might be on the trend track. Plaids are fun and military looks are ok in moderation. Rich fabrics and glitzy looks are a result of the Marie Antoinette craze. There is some more attention coming to a fitted figure for springtime and nice weather. Again it sort of reminds us of the 1950s hourglass. Shoes are either very tall stilettos with pointed toes or very flat like ballet flats in cute fabrics. Wedges are still in if they have a little flair.  I would say the two decades influencing our styles for winter and spring 2007 are the early 1950's and the 1980's.
MODELING:
Poses seen on several fashion websites vary depending on what the goal is for the photo. Health  shots are usually  action oriented and sometimes outside. The models are usually doing something specific that is stereotpically healthy like playing ball, running, exercising. These shots show more of the body than say a beauty shot which is usually a close up shoulders up or headshot. Beauty shots also have lots of makeup, more jewelry and very stylised eyes. Health shots are natural looking on the makeup and no jewelry except rings or earrings. Fashion shots are made to look like runway shots or posed torso shots. Shins to forehead show but not always the face. Why? Because the fashionable new clothing is the star and the focus!
(copyright Dec. 6, 2006 JMA)
I believe we can all be beauties with brains!