"The French have this saying, 'belle laide,' which means untraditionally beautiful, striking. Ugly, but beautiful -- that's kind of what these prints are," says Kotsiopoulos who warns that these prints work best in moderation. His tip: Wear a crazy print with jeans or shorts but keep the rest of your look neutral -- including makeup.
Eye Makeup Look: Nude eye with strong brows
Merante says, "Clean eye makeup was a big trend at the spring 2011 shows [including], Versace [where] the brows were the focus and the eye makeup was kept nude."
To get the look, apply a golden brown shadow all over your lid up to your creases. Try Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Eyecolor in Cashmere, $13. Then, using a dark brown shadow, lightly blend it into the creases of your eyes outwards. Fill in and slightly arch your brows with a color that's one shade darker than your natural brows. Lock them into place with a clear mascara. Apply two coats of volumizing mascara to the top lashes only and you're done.
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Fashion Trend: Bold color blocks
"This is the first time in awhile that the runways have been so colorful and I think it�s a reaction to the bad economy," says Kotsiopoulos. "They're making more accessible basics with beautiful bright colors for spring." To get this look, pick contrasting colors that aren't too matchy-matchy such as orange and green while incorporating neutral colors like tans and blacks to make it modern. "You can't wear head to toe color blocks, you'll look clownish," warns Kotsiopoulos. To keep the colored blocks un-clownish and classy, he says to pair it with his ultimate favorite makeup look: the winged tip. "You can't go wrong with this look."
Eye Makeup Look: Winged black eyeliner
"At the Yumi Katsura and Jean Paul Gaultier shows in Paris, the eyes were first lined with a black liquid liner," says Merante. We recommend Urban Decay 24/7 Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner in Perversion, $18.
To get this classic look, start at the inner corners of your eyes and work your way outward winging the eyeliner upward at your outer corners. "You can build the liner up to your desired thickness to suit your eye shape," says Merante. After you have the shape you want, take a black powder shadow and smoke out the crisp liquid line for a softer effect. Apply two coats of volumizing mascara on top lashes for that false lash look.
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Fashion Trend: Sheer material and lace
"I like the lace in more of a '70s romantic way like [they did at] Rodarte. More vintage-looking," says Kotsiopoulos. Try a beautiful vintage lace blouse with jeans like ones featured at Dolce & Gabbana. This look is really beautiful in a romantic way, so pairing it with pink eyeshadow works wonderfully to provide the finishing feminine touch, he says.
Eye Makeup Look: Pink and red eyeshadow
Pinks and reds were big for haute couture as they were seen at both Valentino and Nina Ricci, says Merante.
Merante suggests creating the look using COVERGIRL Exact Eyelights Eye-Brightening Eyeshadow in Vivid Greens, $8.49. "These four pink and mauve shades are sure to make those eyes pop," he says. Pick the shade you want to wear, and blend it on your lids, just to your creases and along your lower lashlines. For extra drama, line the inner rims of your eyes with a soft white or cream-colored pencil. Finish by applying one coat of volumizing mascara to top lashes.
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Fashion Trend: '70s glam
"The '70s glam was major at Marc Jacobs," says Kotsiopoulos. Think YSL, Studio 54 -- "very glamorous." Sculptural gold pieces, metallic pinks and high-waisted wide pant legs ruled the runway along with silky flowy dresses and jumpsuits. Kotsiopoulos says, "The trick with this look is to keep it modern in some way, otherwise you'll look like a weird extra on 'Charlie's Angels'." Yikes. "Whenever retro comes back, it's very important to keep your hair and makeup modern."
Eye Makeup Look: Silver metallic eyes with strong brows
Merante says, "At Prada, silver was the star of the show paired with a dark straight brow." Kotsiopoulos deadpans, "What else are you going to wear to Studio 54?"
To get this look, apply MAC Eye Shadow in Forgery, $18 from top lashlines to your brow bones. "I like to apply this shadow with my finger for a more opaque look," says Merante. Fill in brows, then brush through them with a clear brow mascara.
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Fashion Trend: Neutrals, nudes
This is a comfortable clothing trend, says Kotsiopoulos. "There's a certain look in a nude, neutral color that's classy and elegant." Doesn't it get too dull? Not necessarily, he says. "A pop of vibrant color is a great way to draw attention to your face and is a good route to go [when wearing] nudes."
Eye Makeup Look: Vibrant pastel eyeshadow
"Bright pastel eyeshadow was the biggest trend for spring 2011," says Merante. "At Dior, there was a rainbow of shades from blue, green and lavenders."
To get this look, "apply your choice of color (try Nars Duo Eyeshadow in Caravaggio, $33) from lashlines to creases. Apply the shadow with your finger for true color payoff. Define your eyes by drawing a thin black line with a liquid liner on your top lashlines and slightly wing out the lines at your outer corners. For your lashes, apply a volumizing mascara to the root of the lashes and drag out to the ends for a dense lash look."
We may not be privileged enough to sit front row at Fashion Week, but not owning a jet or answering to the name "Anna Wintour" doesn't mean you can't enjoy -- and copy -- the hottest fashion and makeup looks displayed on those runways.
To prove it, we (with help from George Kotsiopoulos, celebrity stylist and co-host of E!'s "Fashion Police" and makeup artist Anthony Merante) scoured designer collections from New York, Paris and beyond and boiled them down into a digestible Cliffs Notes format so you'll feel confident in copying this season's hottest trends.
Doesn't front row sound so overrated now? Although a coveted seat in the front row next to, say, Mr. Clooney, would be cool�