Break down the singer/actress’ beauty look so you can steal it!
Spotted: Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester looking amazing at last night’s kickoff runway show for Fashion’s Night Out! The star looked amazing VERSUS dress and rocked a dazzling makeup look to match. Check out the muted-but-colorful blue shadow on the eyes with some serious lashes and a beautiful peachy-pink cheek and lip. It was a gorgeous way to enhance her look for the flashbulbs without competing with such a dramatic cutout dress.

You might be a little afraid of blue eyeshadow but really, don’t be! It’s come a long way since the frosted nightmare of the 70’s and 80’s and it can really make both brown and blue eyes really pop. The shadows in the Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Beethoven are gorgeous for recreating Leighton’s beautiful eye.

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DuPont Lycra has featured many innovative and up-and-coming designers in its Design Gallery at WWDMAGIC in Las Vegas. The tradition will continue during the Aug. 28-31 run of MAGIC, when Lycra recognizes 10 designers and their Spring collections. Here’s a look at who they are and what you can expect from them for Spring.

BRUNO DULUC
Bruno Duluc started his own line of dresses and sportswear in January 2000 with business partner Allan Goldenberg. His unique design style is both complex and technical but always has a romantic and feminine feel. For Spring 2001, Duluc pays homage to his French grandmother, Marguerite, with a collection themed “Sci-fi Grandma.” Duluc says his fabrications will be eclectic–from Tactel/Lycra to ethylen/nylon/Lycra to rayon georgette water colored with daisies.
Wholesale prices range from $75 to $175 for dresses, $39 to $110 for sportswear and $129 to $185 for a faux fur group. For more information, contact the Creative Concepts showroom at (213) 627-4066.

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Decide whether the raincoat should have a hood. Women sometimes prefer this feature more than do men, although they can also cover their heads with a rain bonnet or umbrella.

To make sure a raincoat’s fabric is water repellent, carry a small bottle of water and pour a little bit onto a corner. If the water beads up and sheds away, the coat can withstand rain showers. (On average, a raincoat should take about five minutes or less to dry.)

Think about length when trying on coats. Short options are cute and may be fine for errands when you’re getting in and out of the car a lot, but extra length provides additional protection against rain and wind.

Choose the material of the raincoat. While raincoats are made of a variety of materials, stick with something lightweight and breathable for the most comfort.

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Use makeup to contour. A subtle bit of bronze or contour powder along the jaw and under the chin can help your face look thinner. Practice makes perfect with this technique so be sure to spend some time working with contour powder before going “prime time” in public.

Lips
For fuller faces, bring attention to the lips by plumping them up and adding color. First, line the lips in a slightly darker color than your natural shade, then apply a lipstick in a color that complements your skin tone.

Cheeks
Round faces need angles to slim down. Blush and bronzer help slim faces. With a large fluffy brush, apply the bronzer first in the hollows of your cheeks when you suck your lips together.

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Q: My need is very simple: I am going to be attending a semi-formal father daughter dance with a 1920s theme. I am trying to figure out what I should wear and am looking for ideas.

A: Here are a few ideas for you. Contrary to popular belief, 1920s fashion was rarely about fringed dresses and feathered bandeaux. Evening clothing was soft, elegant and romantic, and silk satins and chiffons were popular. What’s marvelous about the evening wear from the 1920s is that it’s surprisingly contemporary, and if you plan carefully, you can select an ensemble that you can wear again for many other occasions. The beginning and end of the decade saw mid-calf hemlines for evening, and in the mid-20s, they hovered just below the knee. Dresses were almost universally drop-waisted. Necklines as well as hemlines were often asymmetric.

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