Backstage at the Peter Som Fall 2011 collection, a clean and neutral face and bold lips paired with roughed-up, ladylike hair was a gorgeous take on the Real Housewives of the early '60s.

MAKEUP: Tom Pecheux for MAC Cosmetics
HAIR: Styling Eugene Souleiman for Wella; dyed extensions by Aura Friedman for Wella
NAILS: Jackie Saulbery for Zoya
SNAPSHOT: Tippi Hedren after "The Birds"

THE SCOOP: Peter Som's Fall 2011 collection is ladylike and tailored, so the designer wanted makeup and hair that kept the models from looking too mature and "done," but still feminine with a twist.

"The hair is late-'50s, early-'60s quirky housewife, with a rawness to it. It's a deconstructed half-up 'do, that looks as if I've done the wrong thing to," Souleiman told StyleList. What that description translated to was a a half-up bouffant pulled back into a twist with custom-colored ombré extensions added for length and fullness.

The MAC team, led by the venerable Tom Pecheux, created a look that focused on the lips, which were layered with matte red lipstick and then burnished with metallic powders in silver and melon. "Peter was inspired by Cindy Sherman's photographs. The look has a chicness and femininity to it, but also humor, which is a reflection of what's happening with the clothes," said Pecheux.

GET THE LOOK - MAKEUP: All products by MAC. Pecheux left the eyes and face mostly clean, but gave the cheeks a bit of color and highlighted the temples with a dusting of Pigment powders in Melon and silver. "I want the eyes to be innocent and pure and the skin to look a bit bizarre, like the girl is really a robot underneath," explained Pecheux.

The lips were the focus and required several steps: first a layer of red lipstick, then a bit of translucent powder, followed by both silver and Melon Pigment powders to create a strong metallic iridescend purple shade, completely transforming the original red.

GET THE LOOK - HAIR: The girls were treated to hair extensions died two shades lighter than their original color, so they look ombré, with darker roots and lighter ends. Souleiman parted the hair slightly off-center and pulled the front side pieces tightly back into a half-up ponytail, while leaving the front midsection to be teased for volume. After the front section was teased, it was rolled into a semi-bouffant twist and pinned.

GET THE LOOK - NAILS: The Zoya team applied a neutral shade of pinky beige with a hint of shimmer, called Sally.