With the rich fabrics & textures of Fall 2008 demanding attention, beauty has resigned to a perceived simplicity. The key to Fall is flawless skin paired with one feature accented. No other feature portrays confidence like a strong lip.


Inspired by the rich color of Oscar De La Renta's Fall 2008 collection, we chose to accent the lips in a vibrant shade of plum. Makeup artist Jeffrey Dwayne used Givenchy’s Rouge Interdit lipstick in Stylish Purple on model Nana, though complimentary shades can be found for other skin tones. We like MAC’s Plumful and Lacome’s Color Design in Curtain Call. Honestly, it’s not about the shade of plum lipstick you wear, but the confidence you exude, a lesson we can all take from Oscar's confident woman.

Oscar de la Renta was one of many designers to show plum in their Fall 2008 collection. Albeit, Oscar's plum was just a little bit richer, just a little bit more, well, plum than the others. Or maybe that's just our crush on the designer who insists, season after season, on celebrating the ever-popular concept of the 'powerful woman'. Oscar's plum appeared in the form of a trim cashmere knit sweater, high waisted wide leg trousers, and two fabulous floral print frocks. Below, two galleries, our editorial of the Oscar de la Renta Fall 08 plums, and, you know, everyone else's.

More: The Only Oscar We Care About.

More: Plum for A/W 08

This London Fashion Week marked the first ever Jaeger London collection to appear on the runway. Jaeger is a one hundred year old brand with over 90 stores in the UK and abroad, so, in a sense, Jaeger's marrying up and moving beyond its birthplace of the high street. Until 2005, Jaeger was experiencing what many established brands face after decades of successful business, namely, a slow and inevitable decline in consumer loyalty based on a stale aesthetic and aging target demographic. The brand was rejuvenated with new proprietorship and has since forged a fresh reputation after revisions in magazine advertisements, store interiors, and press strategies. Jaeger London, the high fashion off shoot of the brand is headed by designer Karen Boyd. The collection for Fall 2008 featured 1960's tailoring, much of it black, with some snakeskin prints and tassle details. What will become of Jaeger London? Only time will tell wether this snowball will keep rolling and the brand truly revitalized. We do like the narrative, and, Jaeger's newest soundbite for the staple 'Who would you want to wear your clothes?' question. Namely, “The bohemian traveller journeying first class in vintage couture.”. Below, a video courtesy of British MarieClaire which wraps up the Topshop Unique and Jaeger collections.

Image courtesy of Coutorture Member, The Shiny Squirrel.

Don't have the spare cash to invest in the Fall 08 hat/head piece craze? Don't worry, we're aware there's a recession coming on (or else you could definitiely drop thousands on a feather mohawk). If you haven't the energy to hit up the markets or vintage store's, Etsy's a gold mine. Remember: if it lends itself at all to 'crafty' you can find it on Etsy. Here's one hat that references the Fall 08 collections by Marc Jacobs (feathers), Monique Lhuillier (flappers) and James Coviello (hats) in one fell swoop. This classy piece of millinery is very inexpensive and we're pretty sure, if you tell people it's couture they won't blink an eye. Oh, fashion, you walk such a thin line!