The summer colors tended toward fun and bright turquoises, pinks, and greens. No matter what color names the designers give them, the trend this year is very much in the gold tones. Burgandy, rust, wine, camel, and dark chocolate brown.

However the two hot colors for fall are purple and green. The green is a continuation of the summer, but warmed up a bit with burnt olives, celeries, and a darker celadon. The trend color of the season is purple and the warmer the purple the better.

The makeup industry very closely mirrors the trends of the fashion industry. The color palettes this fall are golds, peaches and plums. As with anything in color, remember to choose colors that are right for your skin tone.

While green is the fashion color of the minute, it is one of the most difficult colors for most people to wear. One can quickly go from looking vibrant and on top of the game to looking sickly by just wearing the wrong color. Purple is a lot more forgiving so if one is not sure what colors work for him, he should steer away from green, try the purples and if all else fails, contact a color consultant.

Indra A Books, author of this and many other lifestyle articles, is the owner and founder of ON THE GO 4 U, Personal Shoppers & Concierge Service in the Washington DC metropolitan area. The company’s creed is to provide its clients with the ultimate life management experience. In addition to its shopping and concierge services, ON THE GO 4 U also publishes a monthly e-zine and conducts workshops on wardrobe, entertaining and decorating.

During these tough economic times everything is more basic with less embellishment. Style and glamour is achieved by the fit, silhouette and coordination of the clothing into wearable outfits. This trend is a departure from casual dressing and returning to a sophisticated, feminine glamour. The wardrobe will be built on neutral tones such as black, navy, charcoal, brown or bordeaux to give maximum mix ‘n match possibilities. This is a new era of elegance.