We all want to feel like we have a sense of style all our own. Even so, there are some celebrities — okay, lots of them! — whose fashion senses we totally love. These ladies have an amazing sense of personal style. Of course, the good looks and money don’t hurt, either. It was difficult task, but we’ve each picked just one as our celebrity style icon. Here they are!

Laura’s pick – Kate Bosworth: Picking my favorite celebrity icon is proving to be near impossible, because the fact is this: I have about 20 of them! Kate Bosworth is definitely among my faves of the moment. Whether dressed for a red carpet event, or a casual stroll through the streets of Los Angeles, she’s guaranteed to look chic from head-to-toe. And, lets face it, she has the natural beauty to compliment her stunning wardrobe!

Tamra’s pick – Kate Hudson: No matter if this gal is glammed up in a gorgeous gown from Versace or Oscar de la Renta, or dressed down in jeans (or anything in between), she always looks grand.  Her laid back attitude, bombshell smile and fun-loving personality just add to her awe-worthy style!

Nicole’s pick – Mischa Barton: As my celebrity fashion icon, I will have to pick Mischa Barton. Her trendy, alternative, look has inspired me to be more creative with my own fashion selections. While Mischa certainly loves her couture, I tend to favor her casual and semi-formal looks. She always manages to have amazing oversized tote bags, the best fitting skinny jeans, and of course glamorously chic dresses that I will always dream of wearing!

Natalie’s pick – Zoe Kravitz: Zoe Kravitz spans a ton of different styles effortlessly – glam, boho, high fashion, and edgy, just to name a few. Even so, she still manages to have a unique, definitive look. And she’s definitely not afraid to take fashion risks. At only 20 years old, she rocks bright red lipstick better than almost any adult I’ve seen!

Whether you like it or not, hot pink makes a statement…a bold statement. While the color itself may be tricky to pull off, these fabulously chic items and tips will make you the official expert on this hot hot trend! Plus, Cake not Coke blogger Hillary has even more fashion trends and news she wants to share with you!

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you may have noticed that Hot Pink is quickly becoming the ”NEW” red! With any quickly growing trend, you must proceed with caution…you don’t want to invest in a trend only to see it fade faster than Harem pants! I have selected a few classic pieces in Hot Pink that will still be HOT no matter what’s in or out!

Styling tips:

• Hot Pink fashion accessories are great to brighten up any evening look, or perk up a day dress!
• Sultry and sophisticated–a hot pink cocktail dress is a great alternative to the classic “little black” dress.
• If you are not naturally brown or tan… Please add some color to you skin before wearing a stand alone hot pink outfit!
• Hot pink is a seasonless color: the hues are both cool and warm. Feel free to invest in a great pair of pumps or handbag to be used all year.

Top Row:

Michael Kors KORS Scorpion

Tarina Tarantino Crystal Pave Heart Necklace

Henri Bendel Wide Hot Pink Cuff

Middle Row:

Henri Bendel Milliner Patent Shoulder Bag

Rare Fashion Hot Pink studded dress

Bottom Row:

Alexander Wang Hot Pink Cut-out Blazer

Christian Louboutin Hyper Prive shocking pump

Adam Lippes Silk Georgette Shawl Collar Jumper

First, this beautiful mesh dress was spotted in Alexander Wang’s Spring 2009 RTW show. Next, we saw it on some pretty notorious characters. There was Kanye West’s then girlfriend, Amber Rose — known for her urban chic style. She added her own personal touch to this could-be-fancy dress. Model Missy Rayder even posed in the dress for Alexander Wang’s lookbook. We think she looked quite stunning!

So, after some pretty decent exposure, Topshop was inspired to create their own modified version of the dress. They copied Wang’s ingenious stitchery on mesh combination, however, they added their simplified triangular pattern to the dress. Oh, and they shortened the sleeves. Very different…we think not. Wang’s original cost a whopping $955, while Topshop’s product sells for a fraction of that $90…okay, we can sort of see the incentive to go cheap.

Finally, Shop It To Me located the skirt version of this dress, authentic Alexander Wang and all, for a discounted $377.50. Now we know this price cannot compare to Top Shop’s $90, but we think it’s a happy medium between jaw dropping runway prices and mass produced items. Plus, the skirt still has all the great details of the dress: exposed zipper, replicated pattern, and of course you can’t beat the quality!

Alexander Wang ‘Stretch Netting Embroidered Skirt’

Reg: $755.00, Now: $377.50

In honor of this glorious holiday, here are a few fun activities to get you into that happy-go-lucky, “Hooray, America!” kind of mood:

• Paint your finger and toe nails red, white, and blue
• Rock your American-made clothing (James Perse, Carlos Falchi, American Apparel, C&C California)
• Pull out the crayons and draw a picture of fireworks or the American Flag – hang it in the window for the neighborhood to enjoy
• Bake some festive cookies or cupcakes
• Put on bright red lipstick (even if you can’t really pull it off)
• Break out your floppy hat and kick back in a lounge chair
• Cut up some watermelon and pack a picnic – don’t forget your colorful blanket
• Make a 4th of July music mix with your favorite American singers or songs about the USA
• Take time to read the newspaper front to back – find out what’s going on throughout the country
• Buy all your 4th of July groceries from your local market
• Wear 3 different bags in one day (beach tote, cute daytime BBQ hobo, going out clutch)
• Find the biggest, baddest fireworks show in town, and go check it out!

We hope you all have a fun-filled 4th of July! Eat junk food, soak up the sun, and take silly pictures.  Show your country some love with a little red, white, and blue!

p.s. This adorable hat is on sale for just $34.99. Go ahead, get yourself a little 4th of July gift – you deserve it!

Lame

-noun, an ornamental fabric in which metallic threads, as of gold or silver, are woven with silk, wool, rayon, or cotton.

Very strange. Very bold. Very uncomfortable. Check out all these crazy places lame has been spotted:

1.       At Wimbledon? Roger Federer sported a custom made tennis outfit designed by Nike. Lame adorned Federer’s jacket, t-shirt, shoes, and even his duffle bag.

2.       For Kids? American Apparel has just added a new item to their line of clothes…gold lame leggings…for kids. Now, for just $25, your 4 year old can make this bizarre trend a little bit weirder.

3.       On Kate Moss? Kate Moss actually makes lame look rather stunning. Or maybe it was Marc Jacobs brilliant design. Either way, this is one lame number that I would actually love to own.

4.       In my own wardrobe? I think it would be deceitful for me to write this post without mentioning that I do in fact own a gold lame item of my own. It is officially titled the “shiny halter body-suit” and can be yours for $30 from American Apparel. FYI I wore it to a gold themed party, and it was my sophomore year in high school…are those valid excuses?

Recession talk is rampant, and it’s certainly not the time to be purchasing ostentatious one-time wear outfits. Learn how to maximize your dollar while still remaining chic with our Trendsetter Sally’s tips on when to save and when to splurge. Her blog Already Pretty covers everything from budget-friendly trends to self-empowering ways to make the best you visible to all.

When to Splurge

Did your mother or grandmother hit you with the “shoes, bag, coat” mantra? As in, sinking some serious cash into a fantastic coat, quality everyday handbag, or classic pair of shoes is a worthwhile investment? Well, kittens, I’m with the matriarchs, there. That old chestnut got to be old and chestnutty for a reason: It makes a heap of sense!

But which other pieces should you consider splurge-worthy? And which pieces can be done on the cheap? Here’s my two cents:

SPLURGE:
Perfect dress: A classically cut day-dress that can be dressed up or down with the right accessories, or even a timeless cocktail number that makes you want to paint on a smoky eye and haul out the martini shaker is well worth your buxx.

Sally’s Perfect Dress from Etsy vendor Liza Reitz

Signature piece: Remember that a signature piece is something that you can imagine deploying approximately every other week, and in outfits that run the gamut from hip-casual to office-friendly to out-on-the-town. Signature pieces are versatile by definition, so don’t confuse them with trendy pieces.

Sexy boots: Nearly all cultures and climates require boots at some point during the year. And while pumps are pretty, sandals sexy, and sneakers sensible, I believe that an amazing pair of boots will serve you best.

Keystone bottoms: For me, this means the perfect black pencil skirt. For you, it might mean a pair of tropical-weight wool wideleg slacks. For someone else, a navy a-line that hits just above the knee. The majority of us cycle through tops quickly, and utilize tops to experiment with color, pattern, fit, trend, layers, and texture. But a keystone bottom is likely to get worn almost as hard as an investment coat, and is therefore investment-worthy itself.

SCRIMP:
Tees: Tees frequently get ruined within a year. Less if you’re me and prone to spaghetti-sauce-related accidents. They are flimsy, simple, easily procured items that really shouldn’t cost more than $20 a pop.

Jewelry: I very seldom spend big on jewelry. It’s a matter of taste, of course. If you love the real deal and it suits your style, that’s more than valid. My argument is this: Sparkly is sparkly, and if you’re feeling broke, cheap costume jewelry can totally tide you over.

Layering pieces: I have a vast collection of long-sleeved layering tees and not a ONE of them cost me more than $10. They never get worn alone, they only ever peek out from beneath a higher quality garment, and they will always be a scrimping item for me. Garments that serve as base layers needn’t suck up tons of cash. Save your pennies for the stuff that shows.

So those are MY rules of thumb, and a good jumping-off point. Now let’s hear some other opinions. Do you think that quality tees are well worth the dough? Is blowing the wad on a great dress something you’d never do? What are your spend-and-save guidelines?

Organizing your closet can be tough, especially when you have limited space to work with and an abundance of clothing. Buford Betty has some great tips that will leave your closet meticulously neat and certainly relieve the stress of getting dressed every morning. To read Buford Betty’s unique perspective on suburban chic living don’t forget to check out her blog.

With many of us pinching our pennies these days, we tend to get a little more creative with what’s already hanging in our closets.  We can often interpret trends with the items we’ve already got.  A cluttered closet, however, can turn getting dressed into a real chore.  You think you’ve pulled something together, but you can’t find that certain top… or maybe your left shoe.    Most of us don’t have Cher Horowitz’s automatic garment locator, so what’s a girl to do?

The key to knowing what you have is being able to find it!  Get that mess of a closet reorganized and you’ll be surprised what you find…

1. Pull everything out of your closet so you can fully access your space.  Big or small, you want to be able to maximize it.  This is a great chance to toss out those items you haven’t worn in years.  Start a bag to for charity or a clothing swap.
2. Group pieces into categories. My own closet is broken up into tops (sleeveless, short sleeve, etc), skirts, other bottoms, blazers/jackets, dresses, and sweaters (all folded and stacked). 
3. Once you’ve sorted your items, begin to hang them in your closet by color.  Make sure your hangers have rounded edges that won’t stretch fabrics.  Start with whites and work your way into darker colors.  Hang any prints together next to the solids.
4. And if you’re like me, you’ve got as many accessories as you do clothes.  Group shoes and accessories together into categories.  Conserve space by using stackable shelves and boxes.

After getting your closet in shape, you’ll not only feel more organized and refreshed, but you’ll be able to find that favorite hot pink polo of yours at lightning speed!  Shopping your closet has never been so fun…

Trying to update your look? Afraid of going too overboard? Shop It To Me is delighted to announce that our Trendsetter Reachel  has some pretty keen insights into how to effectively mix and match prints. Discover how to coordinate bold patterns and still look sophisticated at the same time!  Don’t forget  to check out her blog Cardigan Empire to view amazing vintage shots and gain some inspiration for your own  wardrobe.

It is reprehensible for you to wear the same blouse with the same trousers every time you retrieve them from your closet.  Let your wardrobe crossbreed. Add some diversity to your ensembles.

To truly expand your wardrobe to its maximum potential, try the advanced mix & match technique of combining prints and patterns.  Yes, you can wear multiple patterns in a single ensemble. The trick is choosing lead motifs and supporting ornamentation. Choose one Prima Donna pattern (say a large abstract floral) and allow any other players to support it subtly (ie a neutral colored pinstripe).

Another option for multiple pattern play is to refuse them immediate contact.  Wear an ikat print blouse, a dark pair of jeans, and red polka dot shoes.  Solids provide critical white space for your ensemble.  Keeping all your patterns in the same color family can add further sophistication. The more colors you introduce, the greater chance you have of looking like Carmen Miranda.

Finally, remember it doesn’t need to match, it needs to go.  Experiment with analogous color clusters, those are colors that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel (ie yellow, green, and blue).  Create some chromatic drama with complementary colors, or colors that lie opposite of each other on the color wheel (ie purple and green).

If you are still too afraid to experiment with mixing prints, try adding some zest to your wardrobe through accessories. A patterned handbag, scarf, or stocking might be your perfect entry point.

Mixing & matching allows you to have a vast set of outfitting options, providing the rush of a new ensemble without draining a dime for the fix.

According to Forbes, the “world’s most stylish cities” are ranked as follows:

Though it’s no shock that Paris was chosen as #1, we were pleasantly surprised to find San Francisco among the top 10!

So, for the question of the day: Is living in a stylish city important to you?

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