Cara Delevingne. Georgia May Jagger. Sam Rollinson. Kendall Jenner. If a quick inventory of fall 2014’s most wanted runway girls is any indication, designers were looking for more than just a pretty face when it came to their show castings this season. Personality, presence, and a standout signature look were the defining beauty themes of the moment, and the same attitude carried over to the season’s best hair and makeup.
From extreme eyelashes to liquid latex shadow and graphic brushstroke lids, playful above-the-neck statements were the hallmarks of a thoroughly original spirit, and even sleek, stylized ponytails and braids conveyed a sense of purpose.
Of course the easy, everyday solution to high-impact hair is to dial up the volume on your color, whether that means going for a saturated shade of platinum, espresso, or five-alarm red. While you’re at it, why not cut a set of feathery, brow-grazing bangs?
The one exception to the bolder-is-better rule: Clean, stripped-down skin that works with the season’s lavish furs or couture-worthy embellishments—and leaves the focus squarely on you.
Photographed by Kevin Tachman1/86Woven into punkish pigtails (Marc by Marc Jacobs), loosely laced together at the ends (Emilio Pucci), or plaited to recall a pair of butterfly wings (Givenchy), braids offered up a pretty and purposeful new way to pull your hair back.
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Photographed by Kevin Tachman8/86Extreme eyelashes aren’t just for evening anymore. False strips turned up in multiples at Versace, Gucci, and Rochas, where they lent a glamorous, feline touch to even the most refined daywear. At Missoni, clumpy, morning-after mascara packed serious attitude, while Prada’s caked-on lashes conveyed a quirkier feminine sensuality.
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Photographed by Kevin Tachman17/86Surprising uses of color and appealingly off-kilter shades gave fall’s best makeup a visceral kick. Cool, muted pastels arrived by way of Chloé’s pale violet lids, while Prada’s tweaked teal eyes and stained red lips were subtly sensual. The season’s most out-of-the-box makeup medium? Glitter—which lent rich dimension to Christian Dior’s electric blue eyes, Altuzarra’s green-gold lids, and Rodarte’s sparkling mauve lips.
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Photographed by Molly SJ Lowe26/86This fall ushers in a phenomenon we’re referring to as the Power Part: Starting a full three to four inches left of center, deep side-combed hair looked undeniably chic at shows like Hermès, Lucas Nascimento, and Proenza Schouler. It’s the quickest (and easiest) way to change your look come fall.
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Photographed by Christopher Gabello36/86Models Sam Rollinson, Jamie Bochert, and Freja Beha Erichsen have made a wispy, feathery set of bangs their signature. At Saint Laurent, the look was practically a runway prerequisite: More than half of **Hedi Slimane’**s army of swingy, sixties-inspired runway girls had eye-grazing fringe—a nod, perhaps to era icons like Jane Birkin and Penelope Tree. At Miu Miu, hairstylist Guido Palau gave models a trompe l’oeil set by parting the hair down the middle, then combings each section over the forehead and tucking it behind the ears.
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Photographed by Kevin Tachman44/86High-impact shades of ice blonde, brunette, and ginger hair color dominated the collectsions, with designers like Vera Wang and Prabal Gurung casting their model lineups and even their runway looks accordingly. The message? Go bold or go home.
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Photographed by Molly SJ Lowe56/86Clean skin lent a youthful, urban ease to the season’s complex prints, luxe furs, and richly embellished fabrics. “It’s pure, but it’s polished,” said makeup artist Pat McGrath backstage at Jil Sander, where models’ fresh-from-the-facialist complexions made a quiet complement to the house’s refined runway pieces.
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Photographed by Kevin Tachman68/86From crisply exaggerated wings of liquid liner at Jean Paul Gaultier to ink-painted lids at Dries Van Noten and sharp shading at Saint Laurent, the eye of the season was dramatically defined.
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