If there's one hot color I should know about for fall, what is it?
—Grace S., Miami

As much as Vogue says that the special It color for fall 2009 is red—the mag even gave us a Little Red Riding Hood spread this month featuring Marc Jacobs' crimson cape from this season—it kind of isn't. Why? Two reasons: (1) Red is always in, really; and (2) It's not the biggest color of the season according to ME. And the people I spoke with.

"The hottest color we saw on the fall runways was an asphalt gray," says Roxanne Valinotti of Creative Nail Design, the nail colorists who worked most of the big fall fashion shows. The color is featured in much of the '40s-inspired fashion we're seeing this season, plus, of course, in nail color, such as CND's own No. 542, aka Asphalt. Wow. Truly a color for our recession. I feel so...cheery. (For the record, the red "trend" also hasn't been lost on CND. Witness No. 527, aka Scarlet Letter.)

Given the neutrality of this color, the edgiest way to wear it is on your nails or in your makeup. But there are, of course, also boots, handbags, dresses—you can even add it to your hair, if that Vogue Red Riding Hood spread is any indication. Let your imagination soar—if you don't get too depressed first.

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