Go Ahead, Match Your Lips to Your Tips

Matching lips and nails at Carolina Herrera’s SS15 show. Photo: Getty Images

As we near the end of New York Fashion Week, it’s clear that less is more. Designer after designer has shown off their spring collections on models with bare faces, without mascara, blush, nail polish, or even much going on hair-wise. And then Monday, both Zac Posen and Carolina Herrera broke the mold, matching nail polish to lipstick for a retro-glam look.

Posen showed off sophisticated monochromatic silhouettes in red, white, and black. Kabuki, M.A.C.’s lead artist, wanted the lips to reflect the collection, so he used layered the brand’s Lipmix in Red ($15) over Lip Pencil in Cherry ($16) in a very precise, graphic shape. Keri Blair used two coats of Studio Nail Lacquer in Shirelle ($12) with a topcoat of Studio Overlacquer ($12) to give the models’ nails an identical cherry glaze.

Carolina Herrera’s show also featured red dresses, lipstick, and nails. Diane Kendal said the makeup was “classic Carolina,” with a strong lip in shades of red from M.A.C. to complement the outfits—and the nails. Essie’s expert, Michelle Saunders, deviated from this season’s omnipresent neutral nude nails in favor of Brick Oven ($8), a dark red, on both fingers and toes.

With London, Paris, and Milan fashion weeks still ahead, it’s early to call this dated look the big trend of the season, it’s been a long time since the modern woman made the conscientious decision to pair her manicure with a like-colored lipstick. And in a cherry red hue, perhaps it’s not corny after all, but classic.