It’s always such a thrill looking for new brands (well, new to me) and feeling like I can dress more worldly than my usual J.Crew  and Zara finds. I found Montreal-based designer Valerie Dumaine while browsing my favorite fashion blogs and instantly gravitated towards her clean and elegant designs. Trained in London and Berlin, she started her own line in 2004. Her company is still relatively young, so snap up her collection now! Those who love crazy prints and colors might not go crazy over her collections, but upon closer look you’ll see some pretty amazing details. One of my initial favorites was the Cairo Tulip Dress made out of crushed rayon for a great texture and additional dimension. Her separates are also great because I can’t think of any two pieces I can’t put together. Best of all, all her clothes are made right in Canada and available online and at over 50 stores across the world.
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From our friends at Stylehive.com

Oh, the leather jacket. Never before has one piece garnered so much attention in the “save or splurge” category. You know the pros and cons of each by now, so let’s jump ahead to a much more exciting debate: real vs. faux leather. Faux leather is usually easy to distinguish from real, and a faux jacket can run you anywhere from $40 at Forever 21 to almost $200 at Urban Outfitters. While there are gems to be found, my guess is you’re giving up either quality fabric (not that good faux leather doesn’t exist) or quality construction– two things that can make or break your purchase. Real leather jackets, while often considerably more expensive, are generally going to be of a higher overall quality, regardless of the material, so if you plan on wearing your jacket regularly for more than one season, you may want to invest in the real deal. I’ve found several real leather jackets that retail for less than $250, and if you can dig up a coupon code or are brave enough to play the game known as “I’ll wait ’til it goes on sale,” you can snap one of these up for quite the steal. The trick is to look in places you may not normally frequent! So-called “mom brands” like Ann Taylor, Eddie Bauer, and Jones New York happen to have gorgeous leather jackets that easily rival the trend pieces you’d see in any high-end shop– at about a third of the price.

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From our friends at Stylehive

Sure, there’s no sexier quality than your stellar sense of humor, but some Halloween costumes that are meant to be hysterical are also seriously unattractive. We’ll try to ignore that time you went as “junk in the trunk” with a pillow shoved down the back of your pants… and let’s face it — the Mary Katherine Gallagher from “Superstar” ensemble definitely didn’t get you any dates. Luckily there are store-bought costumes available that will allow you to be the true renaissance woman that you are: funny, stylish, and sexy, and maybe not so crafty, but no one’s perfect. Pay homage to a comedic character like a feisty cop on Reno 911, or give fellow party-goers a dose of 80s nostalgia in a sexy Ghostbusters get-up! You may not end up looking quite as skimpy as everyone else in attendance, but hey — the goal is to show off your personality!

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From our friends at Stylehive

Quirky songstress Katy Perry chats with Karl Lagerfeld after his show at Paris Fashion Week in an exclusive interview for Elle.com. It’s certainly a rare chance to peek into the personality of one of the world’s most esteemed designers. Is he intimidating? Yes, but there is a certain warmth about his demeanor, even as he corrects Katy when she expresses her adoration for the fabric, not metal embellishment on a particular dress. The two discuss music and fashion, and we learn fun facts like what he listened to as he got dressed this morning and what song he feels describes himself best (by none other than Lily Allen, of course). His response to the requisite “if you could trade places with any designer” question is a careful mix of smug satisfaction and pure respect. Oh, and he makes jokes too! Click here to see the full interview for yourself.

From our friends at Stylehive

As if you need any new additions to your “Shoes I Must Have NOW” list, the latest invasion of sexy footwear is more flirty than ever. Lace details, cut-outs, and overlays are popping up everywhere, in both high-end and affordable brands, from demure J. Crew ballet flats to seriously fierce peep-toe booties by Stuart Weitzman. While lace and leather may more commonly conjure up visions of risque lingerie, and let’s face it — those see-through excuses for lace pants are better suited as a doily than on an actual person (unless you’re Lady GaGa), lace-embellished shoes are hot because they bring a certain sexiness without making you feel exposed. Checkout the slideshow at Stylehive’s blog to see more lacy shoe styles!

From our friends at Stylehive.com

Photo Credit: PR Photos

Despite various teleprompter mishaps, the overuse of the Kanye interruption joke, and the Sarah McLachlan-induced sob fest, the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards still managed to be hotter than hot (both literally and figuratively — apparently the weather was beyond sweaty)! While 30 Rock and Madmen took home the night’s biggest prizes (surprise, surprise), everyone was a winner on the red carpet (well, nearly everyone). Blake Lively looked like her typical glamazon self in a gorgeous red gown with a seriously plunging neckline and Kim Kardashian’s dress was so skintight, she reportedly had to be sewn into it (it was worth it)! Even primetime’s funny gals like Alyson Hannigan and Jenna Fischer glammed it up Cinderella-style in dazzling strapless floor-length numbers. Checkout the slideshow at Stylehive’s blog to see how some of TV’s leading ladies rocked the red carpet last night!

From our friends at Stylehive.com

When Manolo Blahnik uses words like “exquisite, “divine,” and “perfect” to describe your shoe designs, you know you’re on the up and up (and not just in terms of heel height). That’s exactly where designer Julia Lundsten is going with her line Finsk. Launched in 2004, her collection of crazy designs and quirky, sculptural heels has her dubbed as the Eames of footwear. While attending London’s Royal College of Art she won the prestigious Manolo Blahnik Award 2 years in a row. Her inspiration from architecture and furniture is visible in the details of her shoes. Her love of furniture design extends to her way of thinking too — considering the heel and the sole as the chair’s legs and the upper as the seat, her shoes always seem to cradle the foot perfectly. With an unconventional style, the pumps, ankle booties, and boots all feature heels hand-carved from sustainable hard woods from Brazil. If that doesn’t get you walking tall, I don’t know what will!

Check out the slideshow to see some of her signature styles at our friends Stylehive

You don’t have to run marathons or have a relationship with the Stairmaster to appreciate fall’s athletic-inspired looks. Just look at Isabel Marant’s fall ‘09 runway, where sweatshirt tees go from gym to glam when paired with layered skirts and embellished ankle boots. Alexander Wang has been taking sweatpants out of the gym for a few seasons now, and given their slouchy, not sloppy cut, they could almost pass as dress pants if worn with heels and a blazer- just don’t tell your boss you slept in them the night before. On a budget? American Eagle and Free People can hook you up without the pricey membership. The key is to look for pieces with unexpectedly luxe touches (like cashmere or sequins), or pair casual ones with something more polished- in other words, leave the sneakers at home. Checkout the slideshow at Stylehive’s blog here

From our friends at Stylehive.com

Michelle Trachtenberg

At the GUESS Flagship Boutique opening in New York City, actress Michelle Trachtenberg was totally on-trend and cutting-edge. Michelle updated a basic black cowl neck jumpsuit by adding a pop of color with an oversized hot pink Giuseppe Zanotti clutch and matching hot pink nails. She wasn’t afraid to push it a bit further by adding more electricity to the look with some standout jewelry pieces including a sparkly cocktail ring, statement bracelet, and black hoop earrings. To add some length to her legs, she opted for simple black peep-toe pumps. A black jumpsuit is a super versatile, easy-to-wear item that can be dressed up or toned down to suit any occasion. Glam it up like Michelle with eye-catching accessories, or tone it down by pairing it with sandals and a few muted pieces.

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Rihanna

While Rihanna may have been hiding under her umbrella and taking a breather from the music scene ever since the Chris Brown fiasco, she hasn’t lost the following of her faithful fans… and her fellow fashionistas! A strong girl like Ri-Ri isn’t one to let a scandal get her down for long, and her eclectic and edgy style hasn’t suffered any despite her tiny break from the spotlight. From LA to NYC and beyond, she’s partied it up with pals in metallic leggings, relaxed spa-style in flowing printed dresses, rooted for the Lakers courtside in funky sneaker heels, and embraced her inner rocker-chick with moto jackets and a buzzed hairstyle. The Essence blog tracks her fashionable footsteps over the recent months as she enjoys the single life and gets ready to embrace the limelight yet again! Head over to take a look at the slideshow!

Make sure to visit our friends at Stylehive.