It's easy to buy Balenciaga. Prada, too. But, to a certain sector of sartorialist, the adventure of hunting and gathering unidentifiable fashion is far more thrilling: the suede vest with three-inch fringe. A Mary Quant trapeze dress with patent leather piping. An oversized lizard envelope clutch with standout hardware. A...

It's the last high-pressure fashion scenario of the year.

The New Year's Eve ensemble is a conundrum for many. An unspecified dress code commands women to step up their look, but not go over the top. Dreams of sequins, embellished cocktail frocks and satin dance in everyone's head. Which is,...

I am packing for France. In fact, I am always packing for somewhere. Traveling a lot is difficult. But, it offers a crash course in efficiency. I know how to finesse an upgrade. I know how to minimize contact with cooties. But, the most valuable lesson was mastering the high...

Summertime is all about BBQs, picnics and -- if you are lucky -- an invitation to a house by the shore. RULE: If someone is going out of their way to entertain you, you must bring a host/hostess gift. In the age of social media, many feel that a rapid-fire...

I am headed to Paris with my daughter on Friday. A serial traveler, I pack for every conceivable in-flight situation. And, I dress in way that is at once comfortable and chic. Just in case Robert Pattinson or Karl Lagerfeld should sit near us on the flight.

On the fashion...

Stop the presses. I am officially a door buster.

I will go to great lengths for style. And, am often mortified (post acquisition) at what I will/would/will endure to hunt and gather the objects of my affection. Case in point? The activities surrounding the March 8 sale of uber...

Nothing says "wow!" like an unidentifiable retro accent. Sporting something that nobody else can buy is the requisite ingredient for fashion lust.

The spring runways were filled with florals, geometric prints, wide cuffs, rope necklaces, chain belts, lace, ruffles, polka dots inspired by the '50s, '60s and '70s.... Instead of...

Accessories create attitude and deliver your point of view.

A grilled chicken breast is blah. But, when you layer it with parmesan, fresh basil, mozzarella, peas and a zippy marinara sauce, you've got a savory chicken parmesan meal. The same notion applies to style. The confluence of style elements...

Bad hair=bad day.

Since Farrah Fawcett introduced the iconic "feather" in 1976, I have been obsessed with sleek, body-licious hair. I have been high and low lighted at Fekkai, trimmed at Oscar Blandi and layered by Byron, the hot shot LA based stylist who tends to the...

Busy women can create a big style statement with a small but mighty wardrobe.

Fashion is overwhelming. And moms have little time to get ready in the morning. The result is a legion of women who have taken to wearing leisure wear as ready to wear. Every so-tired-I could-kvell mom...

Sometimes a mom has to exit stage left.

Organizing lives, keeping house, wiping butts and noses and producing science fair volcanoes with precision and a smile sucks the hours from one's day. As a card carrying member of the supremely stressed syndicate, I grow resentful that the...

Purging the clutter = closet clarity.

Women always complain that they have "nothing to wear." This claim is often made within spitting distance of a closet teeming with shirts, dresses, and skirts. The problem? Overwhelming clutter. Clothes are like lovers. Having too many exes in one place is disconcerting.

We...

She is always there for you. Listens to your woes. Teaches you how to roast a chicken. Advises you on life's ups and downs. This is the time of year to really prove your love to mama. And, to all of the other "moms" in your life. Here, from stocking...

Looking rich does not require dropping loads of cash on designer duds. The trick? Confidence, serious grooming and the ability to mix and match quality classics with on trend accents. The result is that enviable Je ne sais quo that emanated from style icons like Jackie Kennedy, Coco Chanel, Grace...

When my youngest daughter turned five, I received a karmic get out of jail free card. It read: "you are hereby released from diaper duty, nap patrol, making/consuming bland food and traveling to ho-hum locations just because they offer child care." I blinked back the hot tears of relief and...

For 2011, bid adieu to fashion bungles and material mishaps by committing yourself to leveling your wallet only on garb that adheres the definition of "investment piece." The trick? Recognizing the difference between trendy accent the fabulosity of a true fashion find. Investment pieces --an Hermes Birkin, a Loro Piano...

Adios Vacuum Cleaner. Buh-Bye monogrammed coffee mugs. Bakeware is not what we call a "good gift". What works? The gift of glamor. Here are some options to delight the most hormonally challenged woman, mom and mom-to-be.

1. Beauty Babe
Bliss Spa at Home Oxygen Blast,$84
Want...

Women always tell me how lucky I am. They gaze longingly at my full, well arched brows, waxing poetic about blessed DNA and the painful woes of the anorexic browed crowd. And I bask in their praise. At long last, my wayward thicket of facial hair had been tamed. I...

The Dow may be in the dumps but your yen for of-the-moment style is still flying high. Forget investing the paltry remains of your 401K in designer duds. The trick to staying chic on a shoestring budget? Super-accessorizing like a fashion editor.

Newsflash: The perfectly manicured goddesses who helm elite...

Packing for Como, visions of Donatella, George and Michael Kors' jet setter ad campaigns danced in my head. 16 hours later, I blink my sleep deprived peepers in dismay. Was I hallucinating or was my glamorous dream vacation more Coney Island than Capri? Instead of the beaded tunic and gladiator...