Herve Leger is a brand synonymous for bandage dresses, starlets, and every it name you can imagine. The dress shape and tightness has been replicated but never duplicated, and thus we still drool over every new style with each season.

Rihanna and Khloe Kardashian wore the Fall 2010 white dress with lace up details recently to display their love to the brand (and their curves). Riri wore the style out to celebrate Katy Perry's upcoming nuptials, whereas Khloe wore it to celebrate her anniversary celebrations. Funny that the color worked into the wedding theme unwittingly (or was it?).

Bring out the scorebooks my dear Ladies and Gents of the Jury. Who did it best?

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It girl Blake Lively experimented with fashion again on the runway for Spike's TV Scream Awards. She chose a gray two tone dress with a camel leather embellishment running down the middle.

The dress looks like there are three pieces to it, and they were added together in haste. Blake still pulls it off though, when she stands still. All of the photos of her from the event seem to show her fidgeting (or did she pose like this on purpose?) with the skirt of the dress to show off her gams, when they look just as fabulous peeking out of the skirt on their own.

Photo Credit: HotCelebsHome

She matched her heels to the neutral accent on the dress and kept the accessories to a minimum; a smart move for an ensemble that already has a lot to say.

The verdict in the courtroom is questionably innocent, but with some sort of parole. I need to see a toned down mini or classic Grecian drapery at the next event to make it up.

What do you guys think?

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How many of y'all caught the Screen Actor's Guild Awards today? I caught my share of award shows for the month by watching the Golden Globes, so I logged in online to catch the fashions. Were they smashhhiiiiinnnn? :)

I have some opinions about the above mentioned shows, but I got just one question for you. How do you feel about Niecy Nash's getup?

I really like the beaded (or is it sequin-ed?) band on her dress and the black material overall. Makes her look silky smooth and slender in the midsection. The only qualm? I'm not sure how I feel about the ruched white part. I don't know if there's lots of push up, if she just has a lot to work with up there, or if she was better off having a lace overlay on it, or an all black dress.

What do you say Ladies & Gents of the Jury? Is this dress flattering or fattening?

In the past year (and I'm talking the last 360 odd days and not just 2010 y'all), the emphasis on 'real models' and 'real shapes' has been growing. Of course, in a world where the advertising has veered so far from being the epitome of the majority of its customers to an extreme in the present; that is for the most part unattainable. I know there are plenty skinny girls who are so without the help of a finger down their throat or a two carrot and one grape diet of the day. I also know most of the women in the world are not suited to just one formula and for the majority have extra meat on their bones. You know - the more to love.

Glamour had a photo shoot with plus sized models, Seventeen and Teen Vogue offer a plus size body type variation when doing outfit suggestions, Dove had (and still does) have a 'Real Women' campaign, and the list goes on. In the end it will not be worth a mention, and that's a good thing. When we stop oohing and ahhing over a 'normal' model gracing the big name mags that land at 'normal people' mailboxes and accept it as the new norm, it will be the best type of change.

Bobbi Brown has long been a cosmetics line that has the variety every 'normal' woman needs for her collection. The brand has (in my humble opinion) the largest range of skin tone and skin flattering everything - from lip glosses to foundations. So why the surprise when the makeup artist looked to everyday people for her new campaign? I'm not surprised. I'm loving it.

She kept it in office (I believe) as some of them have their positions listed. You can also click over to check out the Pretty Powerful Women and get to know them all.

It's time for court again, and today we will be discussing the precedent of white eyeliner. Used as a decorative liner to 'open up your eyes' when used for the waterline, the liner should give you a bit of a doe eyed, mod lady look.

I like to use a bit of white shadow stuck in the inner corners of the eyes, because using white liner on my waterline makes me look odd. As far as actually lining your lids with white liner? Hmm, that's a bit odd for me.

I found a defendant though, enter Sophie Monk.

What's your verdict? What's the best way to use white liner? Or lock it up for good?

Do you ever think that some trends out there are only for the fashionistas and famous folk? Don't get me wrong, I am almost always watering at the mouth for the latest, most expensive, and obnoxious fashions (in a good way), but I just have to admit sometimes that some items look best on my magazine pages and not on me.

My most recent vent victim? Peep toe booties. They are the most impractical concept in my mind. Why? Because the weather that I live in will either fry my toes while the rest of my foot is covered (like a slow cooker), or will freeze them as the rest of my body remains bundled up like the Michelin man. No, this trend I can admire from afar. On the girlies with no worries of below zero temperatures or those who only have to walk a handful of steps from car to door and vice versa.

And you Ladies and Gents of the Jury? What's your verdict?

Yesterday was the first day in a couple of years that I got to catch the American Music Awards, or any awards show for that matter. When I was younger I would wait for the shows months in advance like it was a holiday coming up and now I barely give it a thought.

But my girl Janet Jackson was said to perform. In between American Football madness, those words could always break me out of any spell. I awaited her opening performance and sang along to each and every song telling anyone willing to listen which song used to be my favorite (there were plenty). Janet didn't disappoint, but she didn't wow either. As a matter of fact, that was how the whole show was for me.

So why the post? Y'all already know I don't like to stand on my soapbox and spew negativity because there are so many good things to discuss. Good and questionable. Like Rihanna's new makeup.

Check out the video of her performance & more pictures after the jump.

When people speak of fashion faux pas and crimes, they often mention socks with sandals amidst the top five. I have to admit that personally, when I see socks with sandals I cringe a bit.

The trend has morphed a bit with the presence of colored stockings with summer shoes as the weather gets cold. So is there a difference?

Kate Spade lookbooks have always caught my fancy for their penchant for bright colors and using a diverse group of models in both ethnicity and age (I love me a grandma in a bright orange peacoat). The same with J. Crew. Their photos of short socks with sandals have yet to convince me though. Which brings me to the return of Ladies & Gents of the Jury.

Finally, this Thursday, Ladies and Gents of the Jury returns. As always, my apology for the delay lies with the scheduling conflicts that always surround a schedule full of beauty events and material to cover, and the exhaustion to follow. Can't hate a gal for enjoying a snooze, can ya?

I have a dear friend who on occasion likes to tear the small holes in her denim into rather huge holes that tend to expose her knees or shins. To such an extent that one time, a parental unit of sorts (this was at a younger age) approached her with concern about her well being. He said her denim made her look like she had been mugged. This was more a joke at the expense of her hole-yness :), but that just further proves that a verdict is never the same with every juror.

This week, the verdict is out on torn edges. Beyond the distressed look on denim (and now leggings), torn edges have been used as one choice to the variety of embellishments. The following two ladies are lookers who both chose edges that didn't see a sewing machine. Sienna Miller in NY (After Miss Julie Broadway opening night) and Paula Patton in NY (Angel Ball) as well.

Sienna Miller

Paula Patton
I feel like Sienna's dress took it a bit too far with the distressing to the point that it looks truly distressed. This is how I feel people look after encounters with rose bushes or malnourished petkittens out for blood. Paula's? I like it but could have done less fray. Maybe if the outside border wasn't so?

Photo Credits: Sienna - WCBS & Getty, Paula - Zimbio & Photo Agency

What do you think Ladies & Gents of the Jury? What's your verdict?

So you think you're a pro jury now eh? You are!

I'm glad my readers get the chance to prance into my courtroom day in and day out to fulfill their judicial duties. I wouldn't want anyone dodging my jury notices! With that, here's the doozy for the week:

Enter into the courtroom Miss RiRi, Rihanna
Ever the fashionista, she has a fab photo shoot for the Couture Supplement in September's Italian Vogue, and I want to know what you think!

Do you like it? What's calling out to you?

It's definitely not a commercial look, so that's out of the question. The diva in training has her gaze down, but I fear she might not have the versatility of a top model - her face seems to have the same expression in them all, no?


That of course doesn't subtract from the awesome photography by Stephen Klein or the styling... Or even the beauty!

Photo Credit: Vogue Italia

I'm loving it, but who am I?

Ladies & Gents of the Jury: What is your verdict?

It's time for court again y'all.

This time we're taking it to the stage. We got Miss Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. Both are performers who appreciate a costume. From Gaga's Kermit dress and elephant headpiece, to Perry's banana boats and strawberry bustiers.

Gaga was quoted in saying:

"A girl's got to use what she's given, and I'm not going to make a guy drool the way a Britney video does," Gaga (in London) has said of her outlook on style. "I take it to extremes... It's meant to make guys think: 'I don't know if this is sexy or just weird.'" (source)

Photo Credit: Gaga Credit: Dave Hogan/Getty Image Perry Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Film Magic & UsMagazine

So my dear Ladies and Gents of the Jury the question I'm asking is this - whose wacky style is set for stage and whose is set for the loony bin? Do you like both? Do you think they're both guilty and Sonny & Cher remain king and queen?

What's your verdict?

Did y'all hear about the drama going on with Self Magazine and Kelly Clarkson's September issue? A lot of people are abuzz about how much she was photoshopped for the cover, especially for an article that was to promote staying true to yourself.

The editor of the magazine found the backlash to be significant enough to issue a response. This is what she said:

Last Friday, the Internet was abuzz with the fact that I answered the question, did you Photoshop the September issue cover photo of Kelly Clarkson? with the answer: Yes. Of course we do retouching (though it's technically not Photoshop, but that is semantics). We correct color and other aspects of the digital pictures we take and then publish the best version we can.

Here's the Self video from the shoot (though they conveniently don't have any clear footage of her below the belt)...




I am a flip-flopper on this issue. I know it gets done, but I like it done to a minimum. I'll agree to a "perfect skin tone" touch up, but not to a "half the body misconstrued." I also think being that the issue had a "staying true to yourself" theme, they should've kept it to a serious minimum and used minimizers like Spanx and ruching, and crafty posing... ya know?

What about you Ladies & Gents of the Jury? What's your verdict on photoshopping in general, and/or on this case alone?

I love me some Beyonce y'all.

Now I know we don't live in a perfect world, but something that people have heard me tsk tsk at a lot lately is the negativity and hate. I always wonder why it gives people so much joy to put other people down. Most often out of speculation and of their own low confidence. What we need to be doing is motivating and pushing each other to succeed!

I think Beyonce gets a lot of that hate, but if there are others like me out there, the good sure outweighs the bad. I always look at her and say what great things she has done for herself and how well she carries herself as a name, a woman, a business, and a brand. I also always shake my head in amazement and say I have got to commend her marketing team because they are on it. I have come to realize more and more recently that it runs in the family as I've started to pay much closer attention to her sister Solange. But that's a story for another day.

The case out for the jury is this - the Fall 2009 Dereon advertisement.

Let me put in my two cents and say that I was reading GIANT magazine to support Celia from SickaThanAverage.com for her Maxwell interview, and came across this ad. It was on two pages and I damn near ripped the magazine in half flattening it out so I could see the whole thing. I was giggling and showed everyone in the house how hot this ad looked. I'm clearly loving it.

And you Ladies & Gents of the Jury? What's your verdict?

While you're at it- feel free to check out the Dereon items on their site:

Does anyone remember this - when Lindsay Lohan was featured in an ad for Fornarina... an Italian company that is very much like the American Wet Seal.... if not - take a quick peek at the video

Photo credit: Fornarina & NYMag

Ladies & Gents of the Jury - let me hear it all!

Back with another courtroom puzzle.

Forever 21 originally started as an inexpensive clothing store that offered deals on the current trends. The store has grown equally in the past years as a bran as it has with the number of the locations they possess.

Now, to add to the men's line, as well as sections of F21 such as Heritage 1981, Twelve by Twelve, etc. comes the new collection "Forever 21 Twist - the Cirque Collection"

Here are some images for the new line.

Click on the images to check out the rest of the lookbook and to shop the website!

But most importantly, my dear Ladies and Gents of the Jury -