Trend-Filled Thursdays: 90210 Then and Now

Brenda. Kelly. Dylan. Brandon. If you grew up in the early 90s, chances are you watched at least a couple episodes of 90210. And if you're like this beauty chick, you're super-excited for the new version that started this week! While I'm reserving judgment on whether I'll watch after three or four episodes, I -- of course -- couldn't help but compare the updated makeup looks to the ones made famous by Brenda, Kelly and Donna as I watched the pilot. (Though I know I definitely preferred the old hamburger joint Peach Pit to the newer coffeeshop version.) So this week's Trend-Filled Thursdays column, of course, focuses on the looks then and now!

THE HAIR

The Old Way
Bangs, bangs, bangs. Kelly had 'em. Donna had 'em. Brenda sure as heck had 'em. Whether cut thick and straight across the forehead or done up in the (unfortunately) famous crest, big hair was it. Teasing each and every strand into place was the thing to do back in the day, and the ladies of Beverly Hills did it better than most. (The good thing about Brenda's fringe? At least it hid any traces of forehead acne.)

The New Way
So you thought bangs had gone the way of the stirrup pant, did you? Well, guess again! They're back with a vengeance -- but this time, they're so much more subtle. Kansas transport Annie sports long, feathered bangs that are parted to the side and hang ever so prettily at mid-cheek. The end result is soft and feminine, with just a touch of coy and a dash of intrigue.

THE SKIN

The Old Way
Casper the Friendly Ghost? He would have fit right in at West Beverly High. Kelly and Brenda were shockingly pale, even when laying out at the beach on summer vacation. Way before the tanorexia trend hit stride, their milky white skin played in drastic contrast to their hair and makeup, from dark hair to vampy lips. To play up the paleness even more, the girls' skin seemed almost matte and powdered, instead of glowy.

The New Way
Can you say tan? Every gal at West Beverly these days seems to hit the beach -- or the tanning beds -- on a daily basis. Dark is the order of the day here, and skin seems to almost glisten and shimmer. No more matte skin in Beverly Hills! I just hope they're a) using sunscreen or b) doing a faux glow! And please, please, please, keep them looking more natural than Donna ever did with the muddy, brownish orange shade on her skin.

THE LIPS

The Old Way
Red. Crimson. Scarlet. Cherry. Whether going to class or using fake IDs to try and get into the hottest new clubs, there was only one word on the girls' lips. Red. And since this was the age of the goth look, after all, it was only appropriate that lipgloss never came anywhere near their pouts. We're talking full-on lipstick of the mattest, almost chalkiest variety known to (wo)man. To this day, I'm still searching for the perfect shade that would give me the look these girls all exuded so effortlessly.

The New Way
Gone is the sultry deep red lip of seasons past. Here to stay is a glossy peach lip that's sweet, sassy and supremely sexy. Popular girl Naomi, rebel child Silver and new girl Annie all sport some version of this trend. Whether peach, coral or apricot, gloss is applied heavily and thickly but still somehow remains wet and juicy looking. Something tells me I can totally pucker up for this look, since I already have about 40 peach glosses knocking around in my makeup bag.