Do you have an ensemble that makes you feel like a million bucks? Something that you wear that you know will garner compliments--or just perfectly expresses your personality?

Share with us what you are wearing and what you love about it!

I know it sounds weird and I can't find a picture anywhere, but my outfit is a light peach sleeveless dress. I feel rockin' in it. I bought it at a Ross Dress for Less for under $20, and it goes perfectly with some gold stilettos (it has gold flecks in it). The color somehow makes my hair look richer, my eyes look sky blue, and my skin look perfect.

What outfit makes you wanna work it on the runway? Or just feel super smart in the classroom? Or feel powerful in the boardroom?

(I swear I picked this photo of Drew before F. Cali's leggings post; I decided to keep it anyway to show what a stunner she is on the red carpet!)

Readers, a few weeks ago I asked your opinion about leggings. Most of you agreed that I need to hang up the legging hate hat and just jump on the wagon already.

I have to say, Drew has swayed me as well! I'm posting this picture (courtesy of Popsugar as an example of how I think leggings should be worn. The 31-year-old Drew pulls this look off for several reasons. The main reason, I think, is that she's in fabulous shape. Women always look younger when they're at a healthy weight. She just has the legs for leggings-long and lean, but not too bony either. Drew also wisely pairs the leggings with a simple, flattering dress and pointy-toed shoes, which add to the long and lean look. (Ballet flats work with leggings, but only if you're Audrey Hepburn proportions.)

Drew obviously takes great care of herself, although it would have served her well to brush her hair before this shot and stand up straight. I know she's on TRL, but seriously...stand up straight, honey.

What's your opinion, readers? Is this a good look for Drew, or should she have worn something else?

Several weeks ago, a fashion-forward friend of mine showed up at an after-work function wearing chocolate brown and jet black solids, head-to-toe. My gut reaction was to cry "fashion faux pas," but after I got over the rubbernecking, I realized that her outfit worked. How it worked, I'm still not sure, but it worked.



This combination of dark solids crept a little bit onto fall 06 runways, but didn't quite amass popularity in mainstream fashion this winter. However, it's making a bold comeback, and celebrities and runway models are promising the appearance of this proud trend. And make no mistake about it---this trend is not overshadowed by animal prints, tweeds, polka dots, or other pattern that may detract from the statement it makes. It's a plain and simple combination of black with chocolate brown or navy. It's breaking one of the key rules of fashion, instilled in our heads by our moms, sisters and friends when they proclaimed loudly that we should never carry a black purse with a navy shirt, or wear a brown belt with black pants.



So, readers, what's the truth about this trend? Are you willing to abandon your preconceived notions of mixing black with navy or brown? Will you make a daring attempt to give this trend a shot?


Photos courtesy of Style.com and SFF.

As the commercial says, you can pretty much get anything you can imagine on eBay. Often you can get items you would never have imagined anyone would have, let alone that someone would be selling it and that other people would be buying it. The internet is a wonderful tool, and eBay is one of those addicting things that can sometimes be your best friend. Today I'd like to suggest a few ideas about the pitfalls and benefits of ordering cosmetics on eBay, and readers who have done so are encouraged to share their experiences on the subject as well!

1. Buyer beware. One of the great parts of eBay is the feedback system, so when you're looking at a vendor, make sure you read the feedback first and find out if this person is reputable. It will save you a world of headaches in the end. I personally will not buy from someone with their feedback kept private - it doesn't usually end well. Most vendors are all to glad to share their references with others; it's good for business. Also, and I can't stress this enough, read your auctions carefully. Auctioneers use particular words that will draw in business, but will have fine print included in the information that is pivotal to your decision. For example, a site that sells a designer perfume may be selling a knock-off instead, and while the advertising has the designer name on it, the auction is required to be very clear that it's a knock-off. There's not too much wrong with this practice, as long as the buyer knows what she is getting in the end. If you're getting a knock-off, know it, and if you want it, great. Save yourself the dough for something you really want. You should always know exactly what you're due.

2. Look for the important phrases. If you're buying a product like makeup on eBay you should take care to make sure that the auction includes the words "never used," "sealed," or, very importantly, that it wasn't ever used as a tester. Not only will this protect you from getting someone else's sloppy seconds (horrifying!) but it also protects you from getting a resealed product that could nonetheless pass on germs and other nasties. Furthermore, you should thoroughly check your items to make sure that they look untampered-with and fresh. Smell the product - bad smells could mean age or misuse. If you ever receive a product that was misrepresented as new and you're pretty sure it was used, report it to eBay right away. The company is excellent about making sure naughty auctioneers are swiftly dealt with, because offenders make the site look bad, too. Most importantly - don't use it! This is where the reputation page comes in very handy again. Look for companies with few or no negative feedbacks, and check what the negative feedback was for. Doing the research will take extra time, but it is so worth it in the end.

3. The fear of the unknown. When you purchase something on the internet, whether there are pictures of the exact product or not, you are basically buying something sight unseen, and that has a number of inherent risks associated with it. You won't know exactly what the product is like until you can touch it, try it and examine it for yourself. In the case of cosmetics, go to a store and try the product before purchasing it online. When all else fails, follow the vendor's return policy if you are unhappy with your product. This means that, before you buy, you must read to find out what the return policy is. If there's no way to return it if that neon pink lipstick isn't your cup of tea, you might not want to take the risk. On the other hand, if you deal with a vendor more than once and you're happy with the experience, you'll start to feel more comfortable dealing with them, and repeat business is a great thing for a businessowner, so you can expect that your customer service experience will often be much better than if you bought at a store. That has been my experience, and one of the reasons why I continue to shop on eBay.

4. Done correctly, you can save yourself a HUGE amount of cash. If you love the pricey stuff but can't afford it, there are wholesalers on eBay who sell just about any brand of cosmetic you can think of, from foundation to applicators to perfumes and beyond. You may run across an auction that just doesn't sound right - use your instincts. There is a big difference between shopping at a discount store for things you love and buying it out of the trunk of someone's car. Just like the real world, there are honest eBayers and dishonest ones. Use your judgement, do your research and you could be wearing the same makeup the stars do, but for a significant amount less than they spend!