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It's going to be a long, gold winter. Sure, you can prepare yourself for the season's cold, but if you're the stylish type, you already know that this is the perfect season to break out the gold. It's going to be a 24-karat winter.

Whether it's fashion or beauty, home design or even food (edible gold is hot), the Midas touch rules this season. There are gold dresses, gold-highlight makeup, gold candles and dishes. Whether its gold color or real gold, we are living a new gilded age.

"Gold has never been more valuable. The renaissance of this radiant precious metal has consumed the public's consciousness like never before," said Duvall O'Steen, spokesman for the World Gold Council. "From 24-karat gold facials to gold-leaf vodka and white wine, from gold home decor to gold Blackberries and cellphones, gold is hot."

How did gold get to be one of this season's hottest hues? O'Steen said the fashion runway led the charge. "The fashion world has embraced the sunny warmth of yellow gold in fabrics and accessories and, of course, fine jewelry. Celebrities are also gracing red carpets now in bold gold cuffs and large hoop earrings, as well as long gold chains with glamorous pendants," O'Steen said. "Consumers are following suit."

And consumers are finding more than one way to bring gold into their lives. Gold fashions lead to gold housewares. "We see gold all over the runway, so if it belongs on the runway, it belongs on the table," said Colin Cowie, lifestyle, entertaining and design superstar who has many gold-dipped tabletop items in his collection for Home Shopping Network. "That is why I called it Winter Wonder Glam — to add a bit of edge and glamour to your holiday table."

Gold, similarly, has found its way from the runway to the beauty counter, with gold as cosmetic color as well as an ingredient in topical skin care. "Used in skin-care products, gold extract has been shown to stimulate cell turnover to give skin a firmer appearance," said Patricia Tortolani, senior editor at Allure magazine. "However, there are other ingredients used in skin care that are similarly effective and don't come with the high price tag."

Gold is an obvious status symbol, but it also is a warming property — whatever gold touches turns to something as comforting as it is instantly recognizable. The eye enjoys turning to gold.

"Perhaps the richness of the color gold gives us a feeling of security in these somewhat precarious and wobbly economic times," said Finola Hughes, fashion expert and host of The Style Network series "How Do I Look?" "It has a feeling of optimism, power, royalty. A reflective surface can reflect the positive around you. It is the color of kings. Plus, the actual metal is so expensive right now, it gives an aura of affluence to wear something gold toned, even if you cannot afford the real thing."

Though some may not consider it wise, gold also mixes well with another hot metallic of the season: silver. "I'm a big advocate of mixing silver and golds," said Constance White, trend expert and fashion editor for eBay. "Nowadays it's not a fashion faux pas to mix your metals."

The holidays offer a perfect opportunity for gilt tripping. Gold already is a traditional color this time of year. "Gold is a festive color, obviously, and can make an outfit feel exclusive and valuable," said Hughes, who is the host of her own style magazine, "Style Kick," for Verizon Wireless customers. "Wear a gold scarf, shoes or a cami. If you wear a full gold-sequined top, keep all accessories to an absolute minimum."

Yes, Virginia, it is possible to overdo gold, even in this special golden moment.