I watched last week’s episode of The Fashion Show (slightly annoying, but will suffice until Project Runway‘s triumphant return) over the weekend and I was stopped cold by Lidia’s unfortunate red eyeshadow.
Red shadow’s been done well both editorially and on the runway – Nars’ Diane Kendal did a fantastic reddish-brown smoky eye for Thakoon’s AW09 show – but we’ve never seen it work well in real life. I think it would require a darker skin tone because on Lidia’s pale face it came off looking more rash-like than avant-garde.
Recently, a few notable brands have launched shadows in the grenadine color family and I am seriously at a loss to think of who, besides a makeup artist, would actually purchase the hues. I just can’t see this look parading down the streets without causing some worried glances or frantic calls to the CDC.
But maybe I’m just missing something. Is there a successful way to translate this trend from the runway to real life?

–MEGAN MCINTYRE