Feature by our Editorial Assistant Colleen

New Year, new look?

Every year we make resolutions that for some reason or another doesn’t always pan out. One move could be to try out a new short hair do for the coming year.

If you don’t like it, well you could also grow it back out or if you can’t wait that long, grab some hair extensions to change up your look. Female Hollywood celebrities do it, why can’t you?

Now not everyone can rock Rihanna’s famous short bob so maybe if you’re more sceptical of what sort of short hair cut would look best on you, try something a bit easier to manage.

It’s true that Rihanna and Katie Holmes are in their 20s, but they have really done a lot of get women running to their hairdressers begging for a shorter hair cut.

>>>> If you have over 35, these female Hollywood celebrities over 35 should inspire you if you plan on going shorter in the coming year:

You might want to try something sleek like Victoria Beckham’s short hair cut. Just make sure that whatever look you decide to go for, you have the tools to help you achieve the look.

So a short styled and fresh look like Renee Zellweger’s might need some products to keep her wavy locks in check. Maybe some volumising spray is what you need or maybe just some serum to add a bit of shine.

Don’t forget that Gwyneth Paltrow longer angular bob would be quite stylist and still versatile if you want to go for a change that’s not as dramatic. Jenny McCarthy is another one who sports her short blonde bob very well.

Sharon Stone also sports her short hair cut quite well and it suits her features perfectly.

Charlize Theron (she’ll be 35 in 2010) has always sported short hair beautifully and she’s sported short hair as a blonde and a brunette.

I’ll round out the list with Sharon Stone, Halle Berry, Lisa Rinna, Kelly Carlson (she’s shy of being 35 and rock that short hair so well), Helen Mirren and Dame Judy Dench who all wear their short hair perfectly!

It’s interesting that Halle grew her hair and used extensions to give off a fuller look, but she never was able to look as good with long hair as she had with her rocking short-short hair!

All you really have to do it make sure to blow-dry your hair straight after a shower and maybe use a straightening iron to smooth the rest of your hair out. The short bob is much more of a time saver when you don’t have to worry about mountains of long hair that takes hours to dry.

Whatever celebrity inspired look you choose, just look at what a youthful look a shorter hairstyle can do for you.

It is the New Year after all, so go out dare, take a chance and be daring!

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Christy Turlington is now 40 (born January 2, 1969)! The 1980s supermodel looks as flawless today as she did when I first saw her on the cover of my favourite fashion magazines as a teenager.

I’ve featured Christy as a Beauty Match Celebrity Pick a few times because I think she’s aging so well. I also am quite partial to the fact that she’s part Latina (as I never hesitate to highlight other compatriots and her mother was from El Salvador), but I’m really partial to the fact that she re-entered the modelling business in her late 30s and today in her 40s she’s the face of Roberto Coin jewellery, Chanel, Escada and Maybelline Cosmetics.  The mother of two (she has one boy and one girl with actor Ed Burns) is busier now than she ever was and she’s still the picture of perfection.

To celebrate Christy’s 40^th birthday and to kick off the year on the right foot, W Magazine has created an online slideshow tribute to the supermodel and did a flashback of her modelling career.

If you’re a big Christy Turlington fan, you’ll love this and if you don’t know Christy very well, this will be your chance to discover a beautiful woman who’s aging so well:

Here’s the slideshow W Magazine created: Eternally Gorgeous: Christy Turlington.

Here are some more visual reminders of how beautiful Christy Turlington is and how well she’s aged with the years!

Christy Turlington as the face of Roberto Coin:

Christy Turlington as the face of Escada:

Photos from Escada

Christy Turlington as the face of Maybelline:

Christy Turlington as the face of Chanel:

Here’s a short advert featuring Christy Turlington for Maybelline:

Here’s another advert featuring Christy for Maybelline:

One more of Christy for Maybelline:

Christy Turlington explains how she got started as a model:

This is a montage of different photos of Christy Turlington’s modelling career (it’s no wonder she’s a supermodel … she’s simply beautiful!):

I’ve reviewed Christy Turlington’s line of Ayurvedic Skincare products Sundãri’s and you can read more about them here:

Christy Turlington’s restorative hair treatment

Sundãri’s ‘Special Skincare Edition Gift Set’ contains healing Neem

Sundãri wants everyday to be ‘Earth Day’ and help create a healthier (and prettier) world!

Sundãri gift set in honour of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Photos from Maybelline

Armed with the retailer of choice for First Lady-elect Michelle Obama, I attempted to be more recession-smart and try my hand at shopping online for a few deals.

I hit two major online retailers: eBay and J.Crew. This was my first time buying anything from either retailer and my experience was vastly different from one retailer to the other.

I’m a fairly small dress size, BUT I have long legs, I’m tall, I have a small waist, and I have curves. This makes buying a bit of a nightmare in many cases because it’s quite rare that I can buy something without trying it and I have to try-try-and-try again before finding items that fit because designers cut clothes that fit women who are short and who have the same hip-to-waist ratio.

That said, I was still willing to have an open mind about it all and see if I might be lucky with online shopping since I wasn’t finding the style/quality/price point I was looking for where I live!

Here’s my J.Crew experience:

I spent so much time on the J.Crew site that I almost knew the item codes by heart. I also ordered their catalogue in the hopes that it might be easier to evaluate if a particular style would suit me or not.

I found it was quite difficult to understand if items would fit me or not. It’s not because there is a lack of sizing measurement instructions, but it’s so two dimensional for me and I’m so used to looking at an item to know if it’s my size or not.

I’m also really particular when it comes to quality of fabrics, and here again looking at a computer screen or catalogue does little justice to the product you’ll receive by mail.

Although I had very little understanding of what I was going to get, I still ordered the following items from J.Crew:

1) One black merino cardigan

2) One light grey merino cardigan

3) One silver skirt made from Italian fabric

4) One J.Crew special edition t-shirts

>>>>>>>> Here’s what I thought of my items:

1) One black merino cardigan: I was very surprised at how thin the yarn was. It seems like it was only one ply of merino wool and J.Crew was selling it for $88 USD … that didn’t sit very well with me.

2) One light grey merino cardigan: The colour was difficult to evaluate online and in my catalogue. When I received it, I didn’t need to even open the package to know that the colour was sooooooooo wrong for me and it was going to wash me out terribly. Once again, I found the fabric very thin.

The colour of the sweater below had NOTHING to do with the colour of the sweater I received:

I usually opt for cashmere sweaters because I’m always cold and they keep me very warm, but when it comes to wool sweaters … I’ve been buying Banana Republic merino and I’ve always been impressed with the quality and durability. Banana Republic’s merino sweaters are nice and thick and they fit beautifully so you can imagine that the whole time I was trying on my J.Crew sweaters at $88 USD, I was comparing them in my head with my Banana sweaters that usually cost about $80 CAD.

3) One silver skirt made from Italian fabric: I had to order a size 4 and a size 6 to find out which would fit. The size 6 was way too big and the size 4 did fit, but it was really (REALLY) shiny and with my curves I felt the skirt spoke before I ever opened my mouth. It didn’t wow me one bit. Interestingly enough while watching “What Not to Wear” a few days after ordering my skirt, I noticed that Stacy London was wearing the same skirt and she had paired it with a purple silk shirt which was my plan as well. Truth be told, I was aiming for a look I had seen on Wendy on Lipstick Jungle (played by Brooke Shield). I thought the skirt was a bit pricey for what it was at $175 USD.

Here’s the Lipstick Jungle look I was aiming for … but with a silver skirt:

4) One J.Crew special edition t-shirts: The J.Crew t-shirt was my biggest disappointment because the fabric looked incredibly cheap and it was practically see-through. If I’m going to pay $55 USD for a t-shirt (and I don’t mind because I’ve done it before), it’s got to be a pretty good looking t-shirt and the fabric needs to look like it’s a quality t-shirt. If my H&M or Gap t-shirts look better than a $55 t-shirt … there is a problem. I was actually so insulted by the poor quality of the t-shirt that I sent J.Crew a note telling them as much.

The models in the J.Crew catalogue have no curves so it’s interesting to see how differently things fit on them. The silver skirt I bought sat on my hips like a fabric drapes a bottle of Coca Cola while the skirt on the J.Crew model sat on her like a skirt hangs on a hanger – not the same look.

I returned all of my J.Crew items about 4 days after receiving them and the cost of shipping them was pretty hefty at about $20 … after all I had already paid shipping and duty fees to receive them and nothing fit properly.

Note: You have 30 days after receipt to return them or else you get a J.Crew credit instead of a full refund … I wanted to make sure nothing delayed the return process so I rushed to the post office.

Once you’ve returned the items, you have to keep checking with J.Crew to ensure they’ve received them within the deadline and you then need to ensure that you receive your full credit. I had to call three times until I did receive all my credits. I should also point out that during my last conversation the overly polite J.Crew consultant, she started telling me that she didn’t see the two additional return item I was talking about and just hearing those words made my blood boil because all my five items had been returned in the same box at the same time and I had proof from the postal office that they had been received and signed for by J.Crew and this was my third call.

I considered trying to see what J.Crew’s cashmere sweaters looked like, but I thought about the ordeal of getting a super-thin sweater and having to return it because it wasn’t to my liking.

If I lived in proximity to a J.Crew store, I think the experience would be dramatically different because I’d be able to try the clothing and look at the pieces and evaluate the colours and not have to wait to receive the items at my home before being able to decide if I actually like what I see.

I’m sure this might only be bad luck on my part since J.Crew sells millions of dollar of clothing each month via catalogue and online, but I thought it was worth sharing with my readers!

Here’s my eBay shopping experience:

I decided to focus on accessories on eBay, since it was my first time and since a number of people I knew had warned me about authenticity and designer clothes on eBay. I thought that accessories would be a good place to try my hand at this before graduating to some more robust eBay shopping.

1) I spent an entire Saturday evening browsing the eBay site in an attempt to become a bit more familiar with the whole concept. I searched for all the designers I could think of and I was amazed at how many items were on sale. I was also quite amazed at how many new items were being sold and I was shocked at the condition of some of the used designer items and how many people were still willing to bid on these items.

2) The first item that had caught my eye was an YSL (Yves Saint Laurent) Muse bag in black patent that had a starting bid of about $300 USD. The regular price for this item is about $2195. I thought it was a steal and bid on it and found myself the highest bidder. I started hyperventilating because it was $425 and I realized I made the mistake after bidding of realizing that I had not physically seen the bag. Since this is eBay it took about five hours before someone else placed a higher bid.

3) The very next day, I ran to a luxury department store to check out the style, size and retail price of the YSL Muse handbag. It’s when I had the handbag in my hand that I realized how huge it was. Needless to say that I was grateful that someone had placed a higher bid on the YSL Muse because I no longer wanted it.

4) I still continued to watch the bid and in the end the YSL Muse handbag sold for about $685 USD. It’s only a fraction of the retail price and the bag was brand new.

5) After realizing that YSL Muse bags were a bit bigger than what I wanted, I turned my focus to Marc Jacobs (not Marc by Marc Jacobs, but the more expensive bags). I saw a number of great styles, but the one that I actually really wanted was not available in a colour of my choice … they only had it at the time in black. That said, I did continue to follow the bids of many other Marc Jacob bids and I was surprised at how high used bags could fetch.

6) I decided to change focus and look at cashmere scarves. I found a few pashminas that were 100% pashmina that sold for a very reasonable price and I did place a bid on three and bought them! When they arrived I ran to a few stores to compare the quality (since they were coming from China) and the quality was excellent. I decided to keep two of them and give one as a gift.

7) Armed with this victory, I went back to trying to find a handbag. After many searches, I decided to focus on a Valentino Histoire handbag because I loved the style.

#8) I did my research on this Valentino bag and while speaking to a number of sales people, I found out it was the last bag designed by the Italian virtuoso of fashion.

9) I find it important to go to stores to check out the current bags to be able to look at detailing, logo placement (on the outside and inside), finish and the look of the dust bag … all these elements will help ensure that you are buying a real designer handbag from eBay and not a fake.

10) At first, I bid and won a purple Valentino Histoire bag on eBay, but as I was ready to pay for my so called “new Valentino Histoire handbag”, I was told by the seller that it was not exactly all that new and it had been worn a few times and had a few wrinkles. Since we’re talking about patent leather, I felt that wrinkles were not acceptable and that new should mean “new”. The seller was amazing because she agreed to cancel the transaction because she didn’t want me to be disappointed.

Here’s Jennifer Gardner (aka Mrs. Ben Affleck) wearing her Valentino Histoire bag:

11) A few days later, I saw a black Valentino Histoire bag and since I had already done my research and I was certain I wanted to buy it, I decided to bid. After a few counter-bids, I did win that bag.

12) When you buy on eBay, you must be prepared to wait for your delivery if it’s coming overseas or abroad, and in my case it took 10 business days for my bag to come from California.

13) You also have to be prepared to pay country taxes and duty fees, but if you get the item at a rock-bottom-even-way-lower-than-wholesale then you are okay.

14) My bag did arrive and I was quite nervous before opening the bag. I took one look and I knew that I had been quite lucky in scoring a great bag at a ridiculously low price (and the bag was in fact new).

15) The style that I bought is still being sold currently in stores, but the black patent style is already a few seasons old and that’s why the seller was able to price it so low … since we’re talking black patent, it really doesn’t matter because it’s a classic.

16) A few weeks later, I attempted the same exercise for a Furla wallet. I’ve been buying Furla wallets for many (MANY) years now and I really like their design, but unless I get them in Italy I find that buying them locally is quite expensive.

17) I waited for five weeks of continual searches before eyeing a great new Furla wallet in a crocodile embossed style that sells for a few hundred dollars in stores.

18) My final bid was an incredible deal and it’s not only a Furla, but it’s a brand-new-never-been-used Furla wallet.

I was quite pleased with my eBay purchases and they prices I was able to get them at.

It’s true that you don’t get that instant gratification of buying an item and taking it home with you, but given the incredible savings, I’m quite happy to wait.

If I had to summarize 6 practical buying tips on eBay, I’d say:

1) Know your items before placing bids by doing a lot of research and make sure you see the physical item before bidding.

2) Don’t be hesitant to pose questions to the sellers.

3) Make sure that the photos show the items in as many angles as possible.

4) Know what your price ceiling is so you don’t get caught up in the bidding frenzy.

5) Don’t be afraid of walking away from the item … because there will be others.

6) You need to make sure you want the item before bidding on it because you don’t want to cause a seller to miss a sale because of your uncertainty.

I have to say that given my experience, I would have no problems buying again on eBay and I intend on checking a few more items.

If you’re looking for guidelines on buying on eBay, you’ll find them on either eBay or any country-specific site like eBay Canada and eBay UK and you can also read the posts I had written on the subject after meeting with Sandra Graham, eBay Jewelry & Celebrity Style Director:

1) Get the Film Festival look on a budget you can afford!

2) How to buy and sell designer clothing and accessories on eBay?

Intro photo by pandemia

All photos of clothing are from JCrew

Photo of all accessories from eBay

The only thing I like more than watching Lipstick Jungle is talking about how much I like watching Lipstick Jungle.

I’ve reviewed the many reasons why the Lipstick Jungle style and fashion keepsme glued to my telly on Friday nights.

I wanted to remind my readers that the Lipstick Jungle Boutique on SeenOn.com has tones of the beautiful jewellery featured on Lipstick Jungle episodes and I just had to share this with other fans of the Lipstick Jungle show.

If you’ve been dying to find out how to get your hands on Wendy Healy’s (played by Brooke Shield) purple drop earrrings or Nico Reilly’s (played by Kim Raver) killer bold rings or Victory Ford’s (played by Lindsay Price) beautiful flirty glass seed bead necklace, now you can and you can get it all in one spot!

You’ll notice that at the Lipstick Jungle Boutique at SeenOn, you’ll be able to get some really incredible looking jewellery that is both stylish and original!

While you’re on SeenOn.com, you’ll also be able to shop for fashion and accessories from other TV shows like Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, 90210 (you should check out the jewellery here as well), House and Grey’s Anatomy!

You’ll find more details on Lipstick Jungle’s dazzling  here: Lipstick Jungle atthe SeenON boutique!

Photo from episode 14 of Lipstick Jungle “Let the Games Begin”

I have to say that Lipstick Jungle has had the biggest fashion impact on me since Sex and the City. The difference between the two shows is the fact that I can actually see myself wearing many of the fashion and accessories featured on Lipstick Jungle, while Sex and the City was more of a “I cannot believe she’s wearing this” reaction.

I will admit to having many fantasies about walking in 4 or 5 inch designer shoes thanks to the ladies of Sex and the City, but since I’m already quite tall and I walk so ungracefully with anything higher than 2 inches, I’ve used the show’s influence to really take my accessories to another level because Patricia Field (the show’s stylist extraordinaire) has really showed us all how bold accessories can “make” any outfit.

I will admit to watching Lipstick Jungle for the fashion and accessory features. I really like how the three main characters (Wendy, Nico and Victory) wear some of these bold fashion statements:

* Short nails and rich-dark nail polish

* Big rings

* Big chunky necklaces

* Drop earrings as daywear

* Diamonds in the middle of the afternoon

* Vintage furs

* Super-high heels

* Fashionable glasses

* Multi strands of pearls as daywear

* Vintage fashion that is stylish and not frumpy

* The softer side of the “power wardrobe”

* Beautiful handbags

The best part about this show is that two of the characters in real life are over 35 (actually over 40) and both Wendy (Brooke Shield) and Nico (Kim Raver) are always dressed to kill … it’s always sophisticated, but VERY sexy!

Lipstick Jungle is a breath of fresh air and another statement that you CAN look good as you age and being/feeling/looking sexy after 35, 40, 45, 50 or 60 is up to you.

We might not all be able to buy the high end designers featured on the show, but ladies, you can take those fashion cues to your nearest Target (Canadians call it Tarjay for fun) store and you can find the same styles at prices that suit your budget.

Here are some of my favourite fashion moments from Lipstick Jungle:

Take a look at the neckline on Nico’s dress

I love the bold gold necklace against Wendy’s purple blouse

Look at how Wendy paired those dropped earrings and that updo for daywear at the office!

The jewellery … the jewellery and the jewellery again!

I LOVE how Nico placed that big broche at her waist instead of the usual shoulder placement

Nico is famous for her big-bold-look-at-me jewellery

Nico has brought back the fashionable eyeglasses

This is the new power suit “look” ladies – see how Wendy and Nico wear clothes that command attention and respect, yet they still look very feminine and sexy:

Victory’s vintage inspired dresses

All photos are from Lipstick Jungle

I know that last week’s Presidential debate was quite crucial for our American cousins, but may I just say that the fact that it was presented during the time slot allotted to Lipstick Jungle was a tad bit disappointing for diehard fans like myself.

Luckily, the show resumed its normal course of style, drama, sex, love making and couture last night.

Since the show started again for this second season, I’ve spoken to so many women who watch the show weekly because they just HAVE to see what the characters are wearing.

I know that many of us on the Beauty Match team are glued to our TV set each Wednesday night at 10 pm EST.

This will be a short banter because photos speak much louder than any description.

I finally found out that the very talented Amanda Ross (shown here) was the stylist of the show.

I salute Amanda’s sense of style and sophistication and I wish she could give me personal style tips so I could look as stunning as the women on Lipstick Jungle.

So back to the topic at hand: Nico’s jewellery.

You know when it comes to big bold necklaces, they can either look really good or they can look really like a major fashion faux-pas.

I think the biggest style secret when it comes to wearing bigger jewellery is to keep to everything else very simple. You do NOT want your designer necklace competing for attention with any other designer items (or none designer items) you might be wearing.

When in doubt,  remember what Coco Chanel said:

“Simply remove the last thing you put on before going out”

This actually works. I always ask myself: “is this too much … will it compete with anything else”?

If you are looking for a 101 lesson on how to wear big bold jewellery, I think these photos from Lipstick Jungle should be a great source of inspiration:

Nico during a team meeting: Did you notice how the stylists paired an orange necklace with a coral sweater (which is no doubt cashmere)?

Nico during a team meeting (again): Look at how the stylist broke the colour palette by adding two gold bangles! I love big rings, but even I would not dare to wear that big rock Nico has on her right hand.

Nico having breakfast at Wendy’s house after Wendy got fired from her high powered job: This necklace takes that little simple black dress to totally new heights!

All photos are from Lipstick Jungle’s web site

I was at an event last week and started chatting with this women who had seen me at another event and she also remembered how much I LOVED Lipstick Jungle and how I could not get enough of the couture (fashion) on that show!

One of the great pleasures I have about being a beauty contributor for SeenOn.com is that I’m “forced” to watch Lipstick Jungle every week so I can track the makeup and hair style trends. The second the shows ends I usually jump on my computer and I try to locate some of the couture I saw on the show.

I enjoy talking about how these women bring makeup and hairstyles to the next levels just as much as I like to drool all over the parade of designers they are lucky enough to wear each week.

Here are some of my favourite fashion moments on Lipstick Jungle’s “Chapter 10: Let It Be” episode:

1) I could not get enough of Nico Reilly’s jewel red dress with the blingged out detailing at the neck line. That dress was stunning. The colour brought so much light to Nico’s face it was insane.

2) The dress Wendy was wearing when Griffin (new character played by James LeSure, formerly from the series Las Vegas) fired her is dazzling. There’s a bit of old style and new style combined into one and the grey is the perfect choice of colour for the style of that dress.

3) Wendy’s purple shirt is not only quite à propos for the season, but it again looks stunning as a colour against her skin and the brown hair.

4) Victory looks always very chic in her vintage inspired fashion and she pulls that look off so well.

A lot of women might not know this, but you can buy a lot of the same items the characters wear on the show! Lipstick Jungle in partnership with SeenOn.com brings you the same couture as you’ll see on Lipstick Jungle (and many others of your favourite TV shows) … and you only need to shop and click for your favourite looks online!

If you’re looking for some of the hot design items from the show, you’ll find them on the Lipstick Jungle/SeenOn.com site: Shop Lipstick Jungle Fashion

On this page you’ll find all the featured designers per character: The Glam team of Lipstick Jungle

>>>>> You can catch my other banter on Lipstick Jungle here:

Lipstick Jungle is back on the screen!!!

Revelations from Candace Bushnell author of Sex and the City

SeenOn.com is my favourite new web site!

Fashion and style over 35!

‘Lipstick Jungle’ is celebrating women over 40!

All photos are from Lipstick Jungle

I got a bit confused because I didn’t realize until the morning of the season premier that the show had been moved from Thursday nights at 10 pm EST to Wednesday nights at 10 pm EST.

I’m so happy I didn’t miss one of my most anticipated season premier shows.

What can I say about Lipstick Jungle other than WOW!

When Candace Bushnell said that the wardrobe was an important part of the series because it was important for the team to portray women in their 40s who are sexy, vibrant, elegant, sophisticated and desirable … she was NOT kidding.

The ladies on Wednesday night looked spectacular – simply breathtaking.

The first season ended on a high fashion-style-and-beauty note and the new season didn’t disappoint. Between all the drama, the affairs, the careers emergencies, injecting your G-spot with Botox to hold on to your marriage and trying to ignore a billionaire that is obviously hot for you Wendy, Nico and Victory always look impeccable!

The one thing that I’ve noticed jump out of the screen was big-bold necklaces. It’s true that it’s one of the strongest trends of the season, but it’s quite different to see the look on a runway model versus seeing it on “real” women (ok – actresses).

I was dying to get my hands on the black dress and diamond studded broche Nico (played by Kim Raver) was wearing at her husband’s funeral (Nico is the blond one).

I also could not resist Wendy’s (played by Brooke Shield) blue dress and chunky blue necklace she was wearing while picking up some groceries with her mom.

The clothing in this show really shows women over 40 how to look sexy yet sophisticated, but more importantly, the stylists’ play on accessories is such an important lesson for those of us who cannot afford the private services of an A-list stylist.

I still marvel at the shoes and the heels, unfortunately, my feet were not created for high heels, but that said, I do love looking at a woman who can maneuver her way around town in four inch heels the way Nico combed the streets of New York after the her husband’s funeral.

The new season sees the addition of two new characters: Wendy’s highly critical mother (played by the legendary Mary Tyler Moore) and Victory’s (played by Lindsay Price) new publicist-slash-commercial-real-estate-agent Dahlia (played by Rosie Perez).

The new season promises in my opinion many new fashion and style reasons to keep watching!

If you’ve not been following the first season, you can catch the recap on NBC’s web site: Lipstick Jungle season 1 recap

Photos from Lipstick Jungle site

I’m enlisting your participation this week to help dress Style Correspondent Joslyn Davis for New York Fashion Week. Joslyn has her eye on three totally different über sexy designs by Project Runway designer Rami Kashou. Canadian readers should know that Season 5 of Project Runway might have only started last week (Monday, September 1^st, 2008) on Slice TV, but it’s already in its 9^th week in the US (which started on Wednesday, July 16, 2008).

Designer Rami Kashou has a distinctive sense of style than he describes as: “My personal style is a combination between dressy and casual. I like being comfortable in tailored clothes that can be worn to different occasions. I prefer to mix vintage with new as well as wear my own creations. There is nothing better than clothes that fit well from hip slacks to a well fitting shirt. ” It’s no wonder Joslyn is having such a hard time picking her favourite Rami design!

I’ve already placed my vote for my favourite Rami design for New York Fashion Week and you should also. It will take you just about two seconds to do and you get to look at great designs!

Also, when you vote you get to see the winning look on Joslyn and Project Runway’s exclusive behind-the-scenes video of the shows and cast interviews!

Cast your vote below: Rami Kashou design

You might also want to check out this video:

If you’ve never bought or sold anything on eBay, it can seem a bit overwhelming. I have so many friends who have closets packed with stuff, but who refuse to take the time to try to sell their once-loved-items on eBay on the pretext that eBay is too complicated and too tedious to learn.

Most of them have told me they have no intentions on sitting down and figuring out eBay and they’d just rather take their once-loved-items to GoodWill. Now, don’t get me wrong, taking items you no longer wear or use to Salvation Army or GoodWill is very important. It’s a truly kind and necessary gesture, but there are a number of items that you own that are worth some good money and this might be a little extra cash that you could use to offset the coming season’s purchases.

If you are unsure how eBay works, these links might be a great place to start:

How to create the perfect listing: When you’ve never created a listing, it might not be the most obvious thing when you land inside your eBay account … the “Perfect Listing” section will help you create the perfect listing that will help get your items sold quickly.

How to sell your first item: If you’ve never sold anything on eBay, “Sellers Central” might be the best place for you to start.

eBay Best Practices: The “Best Practices” page will help you understand some of the strategies used by eBay’s most successful sellers.

Sellers Tools: Once you are up and running, you’ll want to learn how to track your auction. The “Tools” section will help you figure it all out.

I’ve decided that I was going to stop ignoring the importance of eBay in helping me rid my closet of items I don’t use anymore. I have a few items that I intend on selling in the fall on eBay and I will track my progress on the site and who knows … I might inspire a few of my readers to do the same.

Buying designer wear safely:

eBay is not only a great place to sell your once-loved-items, it’s a great place to find new designer items that you’ll be able to buy at a fraction of the price of retail. The prices on eBay for many designer pieces that have been worn only a few times (and in some cases have never been worn) are considerably cheaper than any clearance sale out there. That said, when shopping on eBay, it’s important to be able to analyze a seller and determine if this is someone you want to do business with.

Here are 10 tips provided by Sandra to make eBay purchases a safe experience:

1. Learn about the product and seller. The Internet is a great place for buyers to research products and companies they’re interested in. Shoppers can also learn about a retailer through its reputation, from previous purchases, from referrals through friends or from reviews, comments and feedback left by other shoppers.

2. Before you buy, always read the item description carefully. It’s always a good idea to look at the details of a specific item, as well as the shipping costs, payment methods accepted, and whether the seller offers a return policy.

3. Ask, then buy. If you have questions about the product, contact the store or seller before purchasing either via e-mail or customer service phone number. All listings on eBay include a link in the Seller Information box to the “Ask Seller a Question” feature. Using this feature is an easy way to make sure that all your questions are answered before you buy.

4. Understand the retailer’s refund and return policies. Questions to ask include: What’s the required timeframe in which a buyer must contact the retailer and return the item? Will a full refund or a merchandise credit be offered? Can an item that has been opened be returned?

5. Pay safely online. Never use instant cash transfer services to pay for your online purchase. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know. Paying through PayPal is the safest method.

6. Protect your purchase. Programs like PayPal Buyer Protection provide free coverage of up to $315 on all PayPal transactions and up to $2,000 when you buy from qualified sellers. eBay even has a $25,000 Vehicle Protection Plan when purchasing a car online.

7. Be wary of spoof e-mails and web sites. Claiming to be sent by a well-known company, spoof email directs users to web sites asking for personal information such as a credit card number, social insurance number or account password.

8. If an offer sounds highly suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is. While Internet retailers frequently offer lower prices than conventional stores, shoppers should be guarded about unreasonably low bargain prices or unusually attractive promises.

9. Use strong and unique passwords. Good, strong passwords include a combination of letters and numbers, and are unique to the account. Just as you wouldn’t use the same key for your car, your office and your house, unique passwords are an important preventative step in the event someone obtains one of your passwords.

10. Stay safe online by safeguarding your computer against viruses. There are numerous viruses in circulation that threaten to damage your computer or spy on your Internet activities. While there is no foolproof way to protect your computer, you can minimize your risk by installing virus protection software.

One last thing I should mention is that you might want to be careful of the country were the seller lives if you are buying designer wear. The truth of the matter is some countries are well known to produce and sell well made counterfeit designer items that look real, but that are nothing more that well crafter knock-offs. You don’t want to pay a lot of money for a fake when you think you’re getting a great deal on a real designer item.

Sandra also highlighted that eBay was a GREAT place to find wedding dresses and diamond rings. There are unfortunately a number of weddings that are cancelled at the last minute or at the altar. The bribe-that-was-to-be usually is eager to get rid of any souvenirs of the day and it might be your chance to pick up great items at a fraction of the retail price.

Finally, when you’re buying any designer wear, you’ll want to go into a store and try them out to know how they fit and what a size 8 actually represents to the designer you’re interested in. This hold particularly true for shoes … if you are going to buy your first pair of Christian Louboutin online, you’ll want to try them on at a store in your area to know if “your size” is still your size with that designer.

Photos provided by eBay

The Toronto Film Festival has taken over the city and there are Hollywood Celebrities everywhere you look and there are exclusive parties every single night.

If you are invited to one of these parties, the first thing that comes to mind is the dreaded question: “what do I wear”? Dressing up for a red carpet event or a party that will be star-studded can add a lot of pressure on your wallet if you don’t know where to shop.

I was recently invited to meet Sandra Graham, eBay Jewelry & Celebrity Style Director, to get the insiders’ scoop on how to use eBay as a one-stop-shopping destination for designer wear.

I was fully aware before going to the event that I’d be looking at red-carpet worthy outfits, jewellery and accessories, but I truly was not prepared for what I saw (and how affordable the prices were) during my meeting with Sandra and the five models she dressed from head to toe with great eBay-finds.

Sandra Graham is truly a gifted jewellery and style expert and she has been responsible for placing some of the world’s most stunning jewellery and dresses on actresses such as Jennifer Lopez, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Reese Witherspoon, and Beyonce Knowles.  In fact, she placed the Asprey & Garrard necklace on Hilary Swank when the actress won her first Oscar in 2000.

It’s obvious that Sandra’s background makes her a sort of style magician and she surely displayed her talent during my meeting with her.

1) The first look Sandra created was inspired by British 20-something superstar Keira Knightley. If you take a look at the red trench coat and red dress you can immediately see how this look can easily go from work to cocktails without skipping a beat. The entire look including the hat and booties was about $200!!!

Sandra gave the basic black dress a second breath by removing the red trench and pairing the dress with a $15 gold colour lace shawl (lace is such a hot trend this season), a gold cuff bracelet (it only cost $5!) and a pair of Christian Louboutin gold slippers.

2) The second look was a nod to Angela Bassett (who recently received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame). This vintage dress is all about detail. When you look closely you can see that whichever angle the model stands, you can catch glimpses of the great details on the dress.

3) The third look is probably the most shocking in the sense that it’s the Marc Jacobs dress Anne Hathaway wore at the 2006 Gold Globe Awards in 2006! Yes, the SAME dress. Sandra paired the Marc Jacobs midnight blue dress with a pair of silver Louboutin sandals. The ENTIRE look cost about $250!!!

4) If you grew up flipping the pages of Vogue magazine as a teenager in the late 80s and the 90s then you know exactly who Azzedine Alaia is and how talented he is. This little (he’s quite short) Tunisian-born designer took Paris by storm in the 80s with his curve hugging designs that celebrated a woman’s body. Azzedine Alaia’s designs are making a comeback and this red dress is surely the type of dress you would expect blond-bombshell Scarlett Johansson to wear at a premier of one of her movies. The dress was paired with a pair of Robert Lee Morris earrings that were a mere $40 and the gold cuff bracelet was a real steal at $5!

5) The last look Sandra put together was inspired by South African beauty Charlize Theron. The black dress was truly a work of art. It was perfectly fitted at the back and really accentuated the waist. The flower that sat on the right shoulder was a real trompe-l’oeil for the dress Charlize wore.  If you can believe it … the dress was only $200! Sandra paired the black gown with an Alan Journo black clutch ($80), a pair of Randolf Duke earrings and a real diamond cuff bracelet ($1800).

You might not have time to shop on eBay to get your outfits for the Toronto Film Festival, but there is plenty of time for you to start browsing the pages of eBay for your upcoming charity galas and the 2008 Holiday party season!

Here are the all the photos of the eBay styles created by Sandra Graham:

The gold slippers below are Christian Louboutin and bought on eBay:

Look at the back of this dress:

This Gold Sara Covetri cuff in gold was only $5!!!

This (real) diamond bracelet was about $1800, but retail it would be at least three times the price:

This is the exact same Marc Jacobs dress Anne Hathaway wore on the red carpet:

Look at this gown … it’s simply beautiful:

This red dress will turn heads at any party:

Compare the Marc Jacob dress Anne Hathaway wore on the red carpet to the dress Sandra bought on eBay:

Photos of red carpet dresses for Charlize Theron and Anne Hathaway provided by eBay.

Last week I attended a “meet and greet” event orchestrated by P & G Beauty featuring Candace Bushnell, creator of Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle.

As you may already know, I L-O-V-E Lipstick Jungle as much as I L-O-V-E Sex and the City and the idea that I would actually be in the same room as Candace Bushnell was overwhelming.

On the day of the event, I had butterflies in my stomach, but I managed to put on my makeup, choose a designer suit appropriate for the occasion, put on my Italian patent leather peep toe flats (purchased in Florence), grabbed my Italian handbag and made my way to the Bata Shoe Museum to meet the author of the most successful female TV series and the most popular female comedy movie.

Expectedly so, the event brought out pretty much all the beauty and fashion editors in the city and the room was packed with well dressed women (and a few men) eagerly waiting to meet Candace Bushnell.

The venue (Bata Shoe Museum) was quite fitting for a woman whose TV series turned an underground designer into an international phenomenon. It’s true that Manolo Blahnik had an already successful career before he started being featured on Sex and the City, but Carrie Bradshaw’s obsession catapulted him to shoe-design-superstardom.

Candace Bushnell is exactly what you expect her to be: pretty, well dressed, funny, sporting flawless makeup and killer heels. She’s truly the typical well gladded woman you bump into while strolling on 5^th Avenue in New York City.

Candace was wearing a fantastic bronze colored suit by Marc Jacob with a sexy little top underneath the suit. She was wearing a killer pair of animal print shoes that we all assumed were Manolo Blahnik, but no one dared to ask. I noticed that Candace went with the current season trend and opted for a dark blue nail polish on her toes which complimented the tan color of her shoes quite nicely.

Standing so close to Candace I could not help but notice how flawless her skin looked and how amazing her makeup was. She laughed it off and talked about her skin problems, but none of us could see any issues with her skin. She did reveal that her makeup had been executed by International makeup artist Paul Venoit. Paul, Cover Girl Make-up Pro Expert, co-host of “Look-A-Like” and co-host of “Canada’s Next Top Model” created a look that perfectly complemented Candace’s beauty and her bronze color Marc Jacob suit.

I was able to ask Paul for some makeup tips on what he used to create Candace’s look and he revealed that he used Cover Girl’s Dazzling Metallics #119 (a palette of copper, metallic black and golden-yellow) and he top it off with Cover Girl LashBlast mascara (one of my favorite mascaras for big beautiful eyelashes).

While chatting with Candace after the formal interview segment of the event, she did confirm that Lipstick Jungle (she is the Executive Producer for the show) is in production and the new season will start on September 25 (bravo!). We were able to exchange some of our favourite scenes from Lipstick Jungle and it seems that we both liked the same ones. The one that stuck with both of us the most was the 6^th episode where Nicco and Wendy end up going on a business trip to Scotland where Wendy blurbs out: “it’s a good thing that you are a mother” in response to Nico’s affair with the 20 something Kirby (that was such a great scene).

As a beauty editor, I’ve met so many incredible people in the industry, but I have to say that meeting Candace Bushnell has taken my love for what I do to another level.

You never know how a celebrity or successful people will be like when you meet them in person. Candace Bushnell was so approachable, so down to earth, passionate about what she does and so very normal … she’s the kind of woman that you meet and you immediately want to add her to your list of BFF (best friend forever).

* You might also want to read my friend Janine’s summary of this monumental evening. She was also part of the group of lucky few who met with Candace Bushnell: Lipstick Jungle: Beauty and Candace Bushnell *

Photo of Candace Bushnell provided by her publicist.

I just had to share this with you!

As you know, Sex and the City was all about designer couture! If you’re not ready to drop several thousands of dollars on a handbag and if the idea of renting a handbag is not appealing to you, you might consider Celebrity inspired designer bags … that won’t force you to take out a second mortgage!

You won’t believe these handbag prices!

Photo from Sex and the City movie premier

Although, I’d never be caught dead with Carrie Bradshaw’s outfits from “Sex and the City” because they were so “out there” and also because I’m about nine inches taller than Sarah Jessica Parker, I would indulge freely in most of what Victory (played by Lindsay Price) on Lipstick Jungles wears.

How many times have you seen great styles on TV and have said to yourself: “I’d love to be able to buy that”? Well, now you can easily find out where to buy it! SeenOn feature some of the most stylish fashions from the most popular shows on the TV.

Along with great clothing seen on many of the hottest TV shows (like “The Hills”, “Desperate Housewives”, “The Real Housewives of Orange County”), you’ll also be able to find out where to buy clothing seen on certain movies like “License to Wed” and “Nanny Diaries”.

I think SeenOn is brilliant because all of the actresses on the small and big screen have stylists working with them to make them look as good as possible and also work with their body types. Since most of us, cannot afford the personal services of a stylist, this is the second best option. If you see that an actress has your body type and she’s sporting a little number that you’d love to get your hands on, you simply need to check and see where you can buy it on SeenOn!

Photo from NBC’s Lipstick Jungle Web site.

Photo source: NBC’s official Lipstick Jungle Web site

On February 7, NBC will launch a new show based on a Candice Bushnell novel that is centred on the life of three best friends. Where ‘Sex and the City’ was focused on four women in their 30s and one in her 40s, Lipstick Jungle is all about celebrating women’s lives after 40!

The series will follow the life of three high-powered New York career women: movie exec Wendy (played by Brooke Shields); Nico, editor-in-chief of a hot fashion magazine (played by Kim Raver); and designer Victory (played by Lindsay Price).

Well, no doubt that I’ll be all over this show for many reasons: sexy women over 35 … always dressed to kill … wearing impeccable makeup … and pursuing their passions with much conviction.

I know it’s a bit of a departure from my usual posts, because this really deals with a series as opposed to one celebrity who is aging-well or a beauty product, but I hope you’ll agree with me that this show is well worth featuring.

Another reason why I’m so adamant about featuring this show is because I’ve read many other beauty blogs written by bloggers in their 20s and many have compared this show to the 80s sitcom ‘The Golden Girl’ (which followed the life of four women in their 60s and 80s). These younger beauty bloggers are snubbing ‘Lipstick Juggle’ in preference to ‘Cashmere Mafia’, which focuses on a group of four women who are in their mid 30s (‘Cashmere Mafia’ is directed by Darren Star,who had also directed ‘Sex in the City’).

I remember when I was in my early 20s, I could not imagine one day turning 35. And then it happened. And I know that one day, I too will be in the same age group as the leading ladies of ‘Lipstick Jungle’, so I want to make sure that women over 35 are also represented on the Internet and among beauty editors/bloggers.

After reading so many beauty blogs disrespecting ‘Lipstick Juggle’, I felt I needed to step in because this nonsense of a show featuring women in their 40s is like a throwback on ‘The Golden Girl’ is simply the point of view of girls how have not yet realized that a woman comes into her own after the age 35.

Since I’ll be watching it weekly, I’ll most likely have a short weekly summary.

You can catch a lot of great details on NBC’s official Lipstick Jungle Web site.