Audrina Patridge, surprisingly, knows just how to work a retro red lip and waved hair

After Stephanie Pratt and Lo Bosworth revealed some questionable beauty judgement at the Emmy Awards, you’d be forgiven for tuning out all things Hills-related for a while. Which is why I somehow missed these pics of Audrina Patridge the other day—taken after a Dancing with the Stars party. (You do know she’s parlayed her Hills role into a DWTS gig, right?)

But putting aside our personal views about THAT casting decision—as well as her general acting abilities and choice in men—I think we can all agree that she absolutely nailed this retro beauty look:

Do you love?

I love. And believe me, I’m no Audrina fan. But we have to give credit where it’s due.

So many things can go wrong, folks, when one takes the road less travelled. Here, it’s swapping the usual mega-eyeliner and pale, glossy lips (not just Audrina has this habit, but everyone else in California, it seems) for lotsa lashes and a bold, matte, red lip.

And on top of that, she got creative with her hair—it’s actually a pony tail with some intricate wave-work on the side:

I’m telling you, Mad Men is infiltrating our culture BIG TIME when reality starlets are embracing ladylike looks like this. (Of course, it’s a great career move for Audrina to present herself this way—all grown up now.)

In a way, though, I’m getting a Rita Hayworth, 1940s vibe—kind of like this:

And gosh darn it, I’m going to swallow my pride and try to replicate Audrina’s Rita’s look on myself this fall. Cue the hot rollers and the red lipstick. (For the latter, may I recommend Clarins’ new lippie, called Rouge Prodige in Fusion Red? It’s divine.)

So what about you…

What do you think of this makeup?
What do you think of this hair?
Um… what do you think of Audrina in general?