Luxist Guest Post: Celebrity Stylist Colin Megaro's Tips For Red-Carpet-Ready Style
Sunday night's Emmy fashions got us in a fashion-centered mood. With New York Fashion Week approaching we decided to check in with celebrity fashion stylist Colin Megaro for his tips on how to create your own red-carpet-worthy looks.Megaro is no fashion novice, he is a regular fixture on the international fashion scene and helps his clients hone a signature look, so they will look stunning for events ranging from launch parties and red carpets to interviews and first dates. He has been involved in numerous television projects, including upcoming appearances on E! Entertainment's The Shayne Lamas show and more. He has been dressing some of Hollywood's hottest talent including Daren Kagasoff from "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," Michael Emerson of "Lost" for his 2009 Emmy win, Brooke Hogan, Julie Benz of "Dexter" and Carrie Preston of "True Blood."
Let's face it: no matter who we are, we all want a taste of the celebrity life. However, real life often intrudes, and all of the upkeep can a bit out of the everyday budget. However, there are some at-home tips and tricks that will get you red carpet-ready every day.
Let's start at the top, with great hair. We all know that stars pay good money to have shiny, healthy, luxurious hair at all times. Guess what: you can do the same at home.
Know your hair texture, and "head" to your local drugstore or beauty supply and get products that work for you. For starters, I'd recommend a deep conditioner once a week -- you will love how your hair feels and reacts to styling. Dampen hair, apply deep conditioner, cover with shower cap and go about your routine for an hour, rinse.
We all know how important healthy, glowing skin is. You keep your skin looking its best, follow these simple tips. First: drink lots of water, hydration is key. Try a toning mask (look for cucumber in the ingredients) once a week, and an apricot scrub twice a week. Be sure to remove makeup nightly, and follow with a great moisturizer before bed.
Yoga is a great way to strengthen your core, tone your muscles and tighten your body. Best of all, it releases a lot of stress. Your body is going to look great and you will even sleep better, which is a great building block for overall well-being. Now let's move onto fashion, my favorite topic. As a stylist, I've got a lot of tips and tricks to make sure my clients always look great. After all, picking the clothes is the easy part – it's combining them to create custom looks that takes some practice.
One of my first steps is making sure that clothes fit: grab your new pieces, invite a friend and head off to a local tailor you trust. You can easily take a piece from drab to fab with the right tailoring. You will get a custom look which emphasizes how individual pieces accentuate your best assets.
The next trick up my sleeve is encouraging my clients to mix high-end and low-end pieces. (Think Sharon Stone on the red carpet.) It's not all about designer: the most important part is how comfortable you are in the outfit: if you're comfortable, you're happy, and happiness is always a great look.
When purchasing key statement pieces, don't be afraid to spend more money. Quality costs, but it also lasts. Each season, buy less expensive, "on-trend" accessories and jewelry, layer them on your outfit and bam -- you have the perfect look.
Confidence is key, and it's hard to project it when you're afraid of slipping on the carpet. Grab a piece of sandpaper and carefully run it several times, in a cross-hatch pattern, over the bottom of your new shoes. Creating those grooves is going to keep you walking the walk. I do this for all my clients' sky-high stilettos to lessen the chance of any mishaps.
My last tip: seek inspiration. You don't have to read every magazine, but I'm always on the lookout for new, fresh ideas, and you should be too. Reading magazines at the beginning of each season, watching fashion shows (for those of you not in the business you can see them online) and keeping up with trends. Find the looks that your favorite stars are wearing and go from there. You don't have to create carbon-copies – where's the fun in that? – but aim for a similar feeling. Take your favorite parts of the outfit (the cinched waist, the armful of bangles) and incorporate them into your look.
And remember, when all else fails: hire a stylist to create the look you want. Even though I advise my celebrity clients on their red carpet looks, a lot of my clients are everyday people looking for a fashion tune-up. It all comes down to confidence, image, and the client's happiness!
