Fall’s biggest fashion shift comes in the form of a move away from girlish shapes and styles - the trapeze and bubble dresses so popular in recent seasons, and those inescapable bows and flowers of spring - and toward more mature dressing.  Gone are little girl pastels, and in their place are lush jewel tones and dazzling brights.  The fall shows from Marc Jacobs and Gucci featured perfectly coiffed, impeccably made-up, and sharply dressed models who seemed to come straight from the 1940s. 

 Unfortunately, capturing this look without looking overdressed is no easy feat.  Some suggestions:

Polished accessories are vital to fall’s new ladylike look.  Wearing too many accessories at once should be avoided, but you can’t go wrong with a structured handbag,
lace-up heels, or elbow length gloves.

Shoes by Jeffrey Campbell; gloves by Portolano.

Dark colors are always sophisticated, but bright colors add a modern twist to the 1940s looks so abundant on the runways.  Particularly timely are red, turquoise,
mustard, and cobalt.  For the less daring, bright accessories look timeless when paired with a little black dress.

 Dress by French Connection.

At the moment, we are in the midst of Fashion Week, and that means we are at that tricky time of year when Fall’s trends have ceased to be exciting and Spring’s trends have yet to develop. So who better to look to for style inspiration than the models who wear those new Spring fashions first? From backstage casual to afterparty glamor, here are some key looks to make your own.

Deep green

A dress in an emerald shade is perfect for the transition from fall to spring. Chanel muse Irina Lazareanu wore a jewel-tone frock to a fashion week fete, and Cynthia Steffe’s
version is just as stunning.

Quirky hair accessories

Dior and DKNY model Jessica Stam wore an oversized schoolgirl-style hairbow backstage at BCBG’s Spring show. These clips by Full Tilt have a similarly sweet effect.

Sheer layers

VOGUE covergirl Agyness Deyn wore a sheer dress to a Calvin Klein party, and similar looks are popping up all over the runways. This one is by Adam+Eve.

Black and white prints

Prada model Irina Kulikova turned heads in a newsprint dress backstage at Miss Sixty. You too can stand out from the crowd in this look from ABS.

After a typically dressed-down summer, the Emmy Awards always mark a return to the Hollywood glamor of awards season. Stars no doubt spent thousands of dollars and countless hours on their hair, makeup, and gown choices for the show, hoping to look flawless and spark trends. Some managed to go above and beyond the rest. The night’s standout looks:

America Ferrera

Bright blue is such a statement color that it requires both elegance and stylistic simplicity. America’s Monique Lhuillier gown accomplishes this with apparent effortlessness, as does this Vera Wang dress.

Katherine Heigl

A classic white dress is infallibly chic for the transition from summer to fall. This one by Stripe captures the mood of Katherine’s Emmy look.

Felicity Huffman

This dress, by David Meister, is simple and sleek, but its plunging neckline draws plenty of attention. Try a similar style like this one from Nikka.

Jenna Fischer

Jenna’s Zuhair Muhad gown subtly incorporates bold metallics into an otherwise subdued ensemble. This dress by BCBG MaxAzria does the same.

Rebecca Romijn

Romijn’s vintage drop-waist Guy Laroche dress exemplifies fall’s Poiret-inspired 1920s trend. You too can get in on this trend with this embellished evening bag by Whiting and Davis.