Fall 2010
By Kelly Harkin
In an age where youth is worshipped, bottled and feigned, the young women of our generation have forgotten it is a privilege and an honor to become a lady. Things that hold a preconception of agedness such as clothes that flatter rather than reveal, dignified conduct and even lipstick are shunned.
As a 19 year old striving to identify as a woman and not a teen or a girl, I personally adopted the habitual wear of lip color in the early summer. I was glad to find that upon my return to NYC, per the sophisticated, back to the 50's tendencies of this fall, lipstick is making a comeback. What better/cooler/sexier way to look a little more sophisticated?! Even if its bright purple, the wear of lipstick is recalling a feminine identity that has been lost to lip gloss, sparkles and indifference in the past few years. The versatile thing about lipstick is, you don’t have to be subscribing to the whole 50's look of fall to pull it off, it complements any style of clothing! Whether it be a low-maintenance lip stain, moisturizing lip tint (my favorite is Lush's "it started with a kiss") or full on lipstick, an any-time-of-day color on the lip is nothing but sophisticated.
I am not a follower of trends and just because Vogue or Elle says it's "in" hardly makes my mind up for me. I do believe however that the "stylistic happenings," if you will, at present are conducive to a recurrence of lip color.
The Rosewood movement, or more correctly a revisiting of the Rosewood movement, is the policy Kanye West has initiated both for himself and for those who surround him to be seen only in suits and in a dignified light (refrain from profanity in public, good manners, "calling your grandmother," and "taking good care of your kids.") This ideal is a nod to conservativeness, the return of which is cyclically part of the ebb and flow of our society; and honestly I think society at present could do with a good dose of respect and sophistication in both dress and conduct. Obviously, a polished and dignified look and demeanor does not call exclusively for a $2,200 Dior Homme suit like Kanye does but the tucked in shirt, high waisted pant and blazer is a unisex cool I've longed to see return.
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