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Gretchen Rossi, 30
I sit near Gretchen while she sprays her hair for her "before" photo. For 20 minutes I ask her questions while she directs a cloud of sticky vapor in a wide wreath around her head. "Gosh," I wheeze, "you don't use this much spray every day, do you?" "Yes," Gretchen says, still going at it. She likes her hair sexy, sassy, big. It takes her an hour and a half to style it every morning. ("Do you work?" I feel compelled to ask. Short answer: No.) Without makeup, Gretchen is stunning. But she always wears an arsenal: foundation, blush, powder, eyeshadow, brow pencil, false lashes, lip liner, lipstick, and lip gloss.
The hair: "A ginger haircolor will make Gretchen's light blue eyes really pop," says Paves. She likes her side bang, which Paves keeps on the shaggy bob he cuts for her on one of his wigs. The all-one-color blonde of her own hair washes out her complexion, he says, but the deeper, rich color of her bob brings out her fair skin in vivid contrast.
The makeup: For Gretchen's urban look, she wears a sheer, matte foundation that matches her skin tone, black eyeliner, black mascara, a taupe cream shadow from the lashline to the brow bone and a little taupe powder on her brows, a pink cream blush, and a nude gloss on her lips. Keeping makeup colors light and sheer accentuates Gretchen's natural radiance. Her nails are painted pale pink.
The clothes: With her supermodel figure, Gretchen is a perfect clothes hanger, says Adam. But dressing very young makes her look older than she is. "There's nothing sexier and more timeless than a waist-cinched, well-fitted trench coat," says Adam. "And navy, surprisingly, can be a very sexy color when it's paired with bold statement jewelry." The shine from the pearls and chain brightens Gretchen's face; the hat is sassy and fun, and gives her a bit of panache and intrigue. "I want to be a good sport," she says of her transformation, "but I feel like a granny wearing nylons. And I also feel boyish, too, because of the short hair. Oh, anyway, it's fun."
Trench, Burberry London. Turtleneck and pants, Ralph Lauren Collection. Hat, Granville Millinery Company. Necklace, Napier. Bracelets, Fallon.
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