What We've Learnt: Ponytails

Long lengths are well and truly back with perfected ponytails a hit on the runway for Fall 2011.

Guido Palau worked a flawless mid-height pony for Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton while Luigi Murenu contrasted sleek with a teased tail at Gucci.


Marc Jacobs from Style.com

Louis Vuitton from Style.com

Gucci from Style.com

Low-slung and simple emanated from Ralph Lauren while Prada's heights and wispy sides kept the look soft and innocent.


Ralph Lauren from Style.com

Prada from Style.com

My absolute favourite was Valentino with their headbands and slight height oozing darling prep.


Valentino from Style.com


HOW-TO RE-CREATE VALENTINO'S LOOK

The Transcribery caught up with upcoming fashion and hair stylist Alicia Edwards who gave us the low down on how to re-create Valenitno's look.

Step One. Start by parting your hair down the centre or on the side. Follow by straightening your lengths to create a sleek finish.

Step Two. Using a comb, tie your hair back bump-free leaving a small section of hair out either side of the face.

Step Three. With everything in place, take a section of hair from underneath the ponytail and wrap it around the base using bobby pins to secure.

Step Four. Lightly run a straightener through the side sections by the face using a turning motion to create a soft wave.

Step Five. Pop a ribbon or headband around your head and secure.

Step Six. Finish with hairspray and a touch of shine mist.


Alicia recommends Sebastian Halo Mist, $37

What We've Learnt: My Favourites From Fall 2011

Without a doubt, Fall 2011 has showcased an abundance of sheer talent.

The reasoning behind my own personal favourites varies from wearability to a great spectacle.

Beginning with the mod revival at a psychedelic Alberta Ferretti and Alexander McQueen's Ice Queens with their organza trains and plush fur trim.


Alberta Ferretti (Marcus Tondo)


Alexander McQueen (Yannis Vlamos)

Not to mention Valentino's ultra-feminine preppy infusion and Burberry Prorsum's bright coats, capes and flared pants all encapsulating British style.


Valentino (Yannis Vlamos)


Burberry (Yannis Vlamos)

Mary Katrantzou perfectly balanced an array of her prolific clashing imagery and prints on high necks and wide stiffened rskirts while Viktor & Rolf, yet again, executed monochrome crisp, infallible lines and pleats over thick knits.


Mary Katrantzou (Yannis Vlamos)


Viktor & Rolf (Yannis Vlamos)

I loved Celine's covetable classics including heeled loafers, turtlenecks and longer length coats as well as Fendi's use of saffron, cobalt and mustard on exaggerated silhouettes, cable-knit tights and mary-janes.


Celine (Monica Feudi)


Fendi (Yannis Vlamos)

My Top Three
Three

I'm really pleased to say I was impressed by Australian designer Collette Dinnigan's collection. Much to the contrary of critics alike, I found the sophisticated prints, modest hemlines, fur necks and cinched waistlines to be tres feminine and very wearable.






Collette Dinnigan (Filippo Fior)

Two

Bottega Veneta's Tomas Maier harnessed the 40s and 50s with polished T-bars, texture, white tights and twin sets. Moving into the 20s, the collection then brought flapper-style dresses with intricate detail using lace and fringed hemlines.




Bottega Veneta (Yannis Vlamos)

One

Bally's cape coats, mini dresses and oversized platform buckle-up boots created a sophisticated look while the darker palette gave this Little Red Riding Hood style an extra edge.




Bally (Bally)

What We’ve Learnt: Side Plays The Perfect Part

Fall 2011 has reaffirmed last season’s side part to be one of the biggest hair trends to come.

It comes as a natural progression from the polished and perfected look we’ve been seeing this past year or so.

However, this season the side part came with some slight twists.

We saw Celine move closer to a sweeping forward-pulling combover and Jil Sander take the part to the extreme by wrapping the lengths around to create an open beehive.


Celine model by Monica Feudi


Jil Sander model by Luca Cannonieri

Alberta Ferretti reignited the mod movement with a psychedelic colour palette and a side-parted fringe curved loosely across the face.


Alberta Ferretti model by Marcus Tondo

Yves Saint Laurent’s long side part was drawn even further from the center and pulled slick across before tying into a perfect low slung bun.



Yves Saint Laurent model by Luca Cannonieri

What We’ve Learnt: A Pale of Perfection

While we’re still yet to see the entirety of Paris Fashion Week, there are a few key trends we can safely take away from Fall 2011.

One look is a flawless alabaster complexion which consistently comes hand-in-hand with autumn/winter fashion.


Carolina Herrera by Luca Cannonieri


Calvin Klein by Luca Cannonieri

Forget the summer glow, matte-perfected skin creates the ideal canvas for simple refined beauty or the best in bold lips.


Jil Sander by Luca Cannonieri

What We've Learnt: Neon Lips

If there’s one image from the shows that the world remembers it would have to be photographer Luca Cannonieri’s shot of Fendi model Julia Saner via style.com.



Take a look at the 70s blow-wave, full brows, pared-back matte complexion and, of course, those neon lips perfectly executed by Chanel make-up extraordinaire Peter Philips.

Jil Sander and Marni also set bright lips to be the next cult trend. Beauty editors from around the world took note of standout colours including the hottest of pink and the brightest of tangerine.



Jil Sander model from style.com



Marni model from style.com

They’re ideal for summer and manage to give every face suffering dullness an instant pick-me-up. A word of warning: keep your base and eye make-up relatively netural to avoid an overload of clashing colours.

For a pucker with a punch, try:



YSL Rouge Volupte in Extreme Coral, $55

For those of you who don’t dare ditch the classic crimson, I've found a rouge that reaffirms why every woman’s beauty staple should be the seductive red lipstick.

When I recently attended Vogue’s Fashion Night Out, every person I passed commented on the lovely beauty editor Sigourney’s lip colour. Her pout was graced by the presence of Chanel’s Rouge Coco in Cambon, $50.



For those of you still looking for your sexy shade of red, Cambon is ideal for those who can’t get enough of a creamier textured lip colour. Rouge Coco is a personal favourite of mine and I always have it at the ready for an instant hit of glam.

What We've Learnt: Dewy Complexion

One of the biggest beauty winners that emerged from this season’s shows have to be the perfected complexion.

Flawless faces were highlighted by dewy complexions with matte make-up taking a side role to its fresh and glowing counterpart. Channel Jen Hawkins and take this on as it's ideal for summer and it comes hand-in-hand with sunscreen and the trusty bronzer.

Luca Cannonieri's shot of model from Bottega Veneta

The matte base didn’t go completely abandoned and for those of you with oilier skin who like to keep their face from showing signs of shine - this is for you!


Luca Cannonieri's shot of Calvin Klein model

The concept of understated glamour transcended minimalism and the jersey dress, which I’ll get in to another week, to the skin. It achieves a pared-back look and allows you to make bolder statements with other features.

Whether you prefer a dewy base or a shine-free complexion, you can’t go wrong this season. With the help of a product that suits your skin, you’ll be set for summer.

How to dew it right:
- First thing's first, be sure to use a sheer liquid foundation.
- In addition, using a highlighter and bronzer to contour will add glow and definition.
- Remember to use a glossier lip colour to bring out that super fresh look.
- Be wary that adding too much moisture will cause your make-up to melt, so invest in a top primer (more about primers later).

What We've Learnt: Heels With Socks

Miu Miu’s Miuccia Prada has the uncanny ability to constantly create new forms of icon and excitement through her designs. At the first sight of the label’s embellished cable-knit socks, we all knew that the world would soon embrace heels with socks.

Jak & Jil's amazing Tommy Ton's shot from Paris SS11 Fashion Week

An honourable mention must go to last season’s Burberry Prorsum which incorporated the look into their collection making the label an even bigger household name for its use of knots, drapes and socks.



The word for winter? Socks and pumps. With this erratic weather making us question, ‘Is it Spring? Winter? Monsoon season?’ – we can value the brighter side which is that we’re able to embrace this trend and layer it up.

Personally, I'm a below-the-knee girl while others, like Burberry, exemplify why above-the-ankle is just as seamless. With over-the-knee boots still in trend, this concept is sure to be adopted as a staple of many style-savvy women. Pair them up with your shorter skirts or shorts for the best take on this baby and don't be afraid to pull 'em up or scrunch them down.

Remember: The rule of thumb here is to wear thicker knits with more cumbersome heels leaving tight-knit socks to the thinner heels.

Not sure you can pull it off? Ease in to it by popping knee-high boots over your socks with the tops of them peeping out from the boot. Same rules apply here with the type of knit you go for, cumbersome boots to thick-knits and slimmer/tighter boots are best accompanied by tightly-woven socks.

Louis Vuitton gets it right