Fashion Week has ended in New York. I scrambled around from show to show, read every review and watched every moment of the TV coverage. I wanted to see everything.

The clothes, the incredibly chic models and the celebrities that line the front rows of the shows make this one of New York's most glamorous weeks. For the first few days it all feels like one big decadent party. But as the week progresses, the seriousness of the shows becomes increasingly obvious. As mind boggling as it seems, the fashion and beauty trends for spring 2010 are being determined right now, more than a year in advance.

I know many of you are thinking that the fashion shows are irrelevant to your everyday life. You could not be more wrong. Perhaps you won't be buying the pricey designer numbers featured on the runways or wearing the perfect coifs and makeup of the models, but they will influence your visits to neighborhood shopping malls, beauty salons and drugstores. The shapes and colors of the clothes, hair and makeup for spring have all been determined by this week's shows.

Certainly there are differences in the quality of the goods, but on close observation, the look of fashion's and beauty's most expensive items are very similar to their more reasonably priced counterparts. You really don't have to spend a fortune to look your fashionable best.

Sometimes the designer clothes shown are outlandish. More than a few items will never be seen off the runway except on the most daring. There was one overwhelming trend this season, however: a return to femininity. Most women today don't have the funds to be frivolous with their clothing or beauty budget. At this point in time, looking feminine, beautiful and stylish makes sense for all women maintaining or pursuing a career--or for those just wanting to look incredibly chic. This doesn't have to cost a fortune, but it does take time and effort. Woman who don't take care of their appearance look like they don't care about themselves or their lives. I know this isn't always the case, but this is how it is often viewed by others. It is well worth the time it takes to look your best. Here are some easy tips suitable for every occasion.

1. Get up a half-hour earlier than usual. This will give you more time to get ready to face the day. Have your beauty potions out from the night before. Clean your face thoroughly and apply appropriate products to keep your skin looking bright and vibrant.

2. Make sure your hair is shampooed, conditioned and styled. Never walk out of your house with dirty or tangled hair. Nothing says "I don't care about my appearance, my self or my job" more than hair that is not well groomed.

3. Always put on makeup. At the very least, lipstick and mascara are a must to look alive.

4. Tweeze your brows or whatever else needs to be shaped or eliminated.

5. Check for roots if you color you hair. Dark hairs peeking through are more acceptable than grey roots. Grey coverage must be maintained because grey roots can create the illusion of thinning hair.

It's not easy to look good all the time. In fact, it's almost impossible. Looking good takes time and effort. I often think of one of my client's grandmothers who, upon bringing in her granddaughter for her first set of highlights, told her, "It's not easy to be a great beauty." Except for the lucky few, no truer words have been spoken.