As winter is just around the corner, it’s a good idea to start pulling your styles and sense together. Here are some fun essentials to consider for this chilly season:

Tolani Lakshmi Scarves ($95), Lucky Brand Plaid Pucker Scarves ($39) ,Juicy Couture Couture Stripe Scarves with Tassles

Scarves, Hats & Gloves

Winter accessories such as scarves, hat and gloves are a fun way to infuse practicality with fashion. Why sacrifice warmth? Instead, dress up in fun winter amenities. Play on fedora hats, beanies, or ear bands–they can be both fashionable and functional.

Peacoat

Kimchi Blue Ruffle Peacoat (Urban Outfitters $138)

If you are throwing all of your money into one statement piece for this upcoming season, do so in a cute winter coat. A peacoat is a great choice because it serves a dual purpose:

1) it will go with a ton of outfits, shoes and accessories and

2) you can turn drab into appealing at any moments’ time.

Invest in something that will invest in you.

Mudd Midcalf Boots, $39, Kohl's

Cute practical boots

So while the suede boots that you have lying in your closet are REALLY cute, you have to admit they are not all too practical for the rainy season. Think of what you want to be trekking in this season and go from there. If you will be wearing a lot of skirts, you may want to invest in knee high boots. Ankle boots are great with trousers and we all know that there is a pair of Ugg’s for any kind of personality.

Tights

Maggie's Organic Grapevine Tights, $26

Who says you can’t sport skirts or dresses when the temperature drops? Outsmart the weather with some fabulous patterns and goofy colored tights. Gone is the warm weather but not our personalities. Maggie\’s Organics carry a variety of styles including opaque, patterned and even striped!

United Colors of Benetton 2010-2011 Autumn Winter Collection

Layers

Layers have been my thing this season. Experiments have left long-sleeve shirts under short-sleeve sweaters, Cuddl duds under jeans and tights, and cardigans and vests over my layers of tighter fitted layers. However you want to play it, layers can be a fun way to express your inner ski bunny.

Perspective by Amanda Holst

Fashion 101

Man makeup – a cosmetic phenomenon

British Comedian Russell Brand

Yes ladies, you heard it right: eye make-up is no longer for your pretty peepers only. Yet it’s not only the Hollywood movers and shakers that are using this man-makeup to make a statement; more and more everyday guy’s guys are stepping out of their masculine comfort zone and exploring what this new phenomenon has to offer.

This is great news for you ladies who have, in endless attempts, begged your boyfriend to let you have some fun and allow you to give him a make-over. Now, you may just find him actually wanting you to put your makeup on him, but within reason of course – you don’t want your guy coming out looking like a drag queen – or do you? Yikes!

Special Effects

Guyliner and Manscara give guys the same effects that typical eyeliner and mascara give women, yet with a more subtle outcome– it makes the eyes pop (not literally), as the bluest of blues, brownest of browns, and all of the eye colors in between are made more vibrant. Yet for the gents, the eye makeup gives them the added allure of making them look mysterious, sexy, and even a little dangerous all at the same time.

Singer Adam Lambert

Taxi Man – not what you think

Superdrug.com, the UK’s second-largest beauty and health retailer, was the first to stock and offer makeup designed just for men. With their launch of Taxi Man brand cosmetics in 2008, the company has taken the typical use of makeup that in the past has been solely used by women and by some men – drag queens, actors, and those secure in their sexuality – and have made it available to the machismos who want to go beyond the scope of social norms and explore the use of an item that has for centuries been prevalently meant for, made for, and used by women.

Metro-sexual Evolution

Rocker Pete Wentz

Progressive trend pushing the boundaries

However, as progressive as this new trend is in terms of going beyond typical social norms and gender role ideals, it may not be suitable or appropriate for all men; there will always be those traditionalists that will never leave the comfort of their strictly male and masculine identity behind- and that’s okay. Guyliner and Manscara is just another one of the 21^st century’s inventive ideas that for some will be a fun way to push the envelope, but for others, a test that will press the boundaries of conventional norms as well as the role of gender and what it means to be strictly male and strictly female. Either way, if you are, or know a guy who is willing to step out of the box and have some fun, then Guyliner or Manscara can help you take that first step. You never know, you may just like what you see.