Fashion Diva: Elise L.
Hometown: Los Altos, CA
Fashion Icon: Anne Hathaway
The Look: The Young Professional

Her Words: “I work at a bank so I have to dress conservatively. But I like to keep my business young by adding something funky like big jewelry or fun heels.”

Our Words: Who says that dress codes have to be boring and professional has to be stuffy? This diva proves them wrong with volume and patterns that punch up her monochromatic style. We particularly love the bold zebra-print cuff and the classic pinstripes in a modern cigarette cut. Her look is business with a twist, and the way the modern working girl should be dressing.

The Breakdown
Top: Club Monaco
Pants: Club Monaco
Shoes: J. Crew
Cuff: J. Crew

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Fashion Divas: Vivien B. and Ing S.
Hometown: Jakarta, Indonesia
Fashion Icon: Nicole Ritchie, Mary-Kate Olsen
The Look: The Sunshine Twins

Viven’s words: “I like clothes that are simple but interesting.  For instance, a plain white shirt can look really cool if you just add a bright scarf or some big jewelry.”
Ing’s words: “I don’t have a specific style that I stick with. I decide what to wear based on what’s comfortable and what I feel like that day.”

Our Words: Admittedly, the adorable little dogs caught our eyes first. But when we saw that their owners’ outfits were just as delightful, we knew we had to stop them for a picture. These fashion students prove that you don’t have to sacrifice style for comfort. Their airy cotton dresses can’t be any easier to wear. And with just a few simple accessories, these ladies look like they just stepped off the runway. Nothing got lost in translation here – as these girls demonstrate, style crosses all borders.

The Breakdown
Vivien (left):
-    Dress: Indonesia
-    Sunglasses: Ray-ban
-    Hat: Forever 21
-    Bangles: Indonesia
Ing (right):
-    Dress: Victoria’s Secret
-    Cardigan: Singapore
-    Sandals: Tory Burch
-    Sunglasses: street vendor

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Fashion Diva: Brittania P.
Hometown: Cupertino, CA
Fashion Icon: Mischa Barton
The Look: Golden Slippers

Her Words: “I like to keep things simple like dark colors, comfortable tops, and skinny jeans. But I add little details for interest. For instance, I bought this shirt because the subtle gold trim caught my eye.”

Our Words: It’s the details that make this outfit – the slight sheen of her midnight blue tunic, the tiny gold beading that trims her top, and the easy fit of her jeans. But our favorite part has to be her bejeweled gold flats. A great outfit is all about balance, and the only way to give her dazzling ballets the attention they deserve is to offset them with uncomplicated pieces.

The Breakdown
Top: J. Crew
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: J. Crew
Ring: Banana Republic
Necklace: Tiffany’s

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Fashion Diva: Whitney W.
Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA
The Look: Zip It Up
Style Icon: The ladies of Gossip Girl (Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Taylor Momsen, and Jessica Szohr)

Her Words: “I don’t have just one style; every day is different. Sometimes I’m girly, sometimes I’m conservative, sometimes I’m edgy, and sometimes I just want to be comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt. When it comes to fashion, I’m a chameleon.”

Our Words: With her alabaster skin, form-fitting silhouette, and razor sharp pixie cut, this fashion diva stood out among the sun-kissed blondes around her. Her back was facing us when we tracked her down, so it was much to our surprise when we realized her super sexy LBD was actually a super sexy cami-skirt combo. And our favorite part of the surprise? Her skirt’s exposed zipper. Functional and fashionable – what could be better?

The Breakdown
Shrug: Urban Outfitters
Camisole: Gap
Skirt: Vintage
Necklace: Vintage
Shoes: Kenneth Cole
Bag: Kenneth Cole

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We all come in different shapes and sizes. I’m tall, blonde and never had to work hard to stay thin, while my short, brunette sister has always had to exercise and watch what she eats. Some of us love our butts, our boobs, our hips — while the rest hate those very same areas.

I see taking my friends and family members shopping as a challenge to find something that fits their unique body perfectly. Perhaps it’s a gift, or perhaps I’ve just watched too many episodes of What Not to Wear. Whatever the reason, I love showing women how to embrace their bodies and witness them light up with self confidence when they realize you can look beguiling in clothes as long as you make the right choices.

Here are my best tips on how to showcase your body and look flattering in your clothes:

Feature Presentation.
The first step to looking good in your clothes is to pick out your best feature and put it front and center. Love your cute butt? Draw attention to it by wearing a great pair of fitted jeans (just make sure there’s still room to comfortably sit). Fond of your décolletage? Flaunt it by sporting a V-neck top.

Don’t Go Baggy.
Your first inclination may be to cover up flaws with baggy clothes, but big shapes only make you look bigger. So pick clothes tight enough to show your figure, but loose enough to still be comfortable and cover problem areas.

Find Body Balance.
The rules of proportion are extremely important when choosing your outfit. Try and balance out your upper and lower half. If you’re big-busted, wear an A-line skirt to give your bottom half a little volume and pair it with a fitted top. Larger in the hips? Slip on fitted jeans with a flowing, voluminous top that hits right at the hip-line.

Camouflage.
It’s true — black can make your body appear slimmer. In fact, all dark colors tend to minimize, while bright colors highlight. So if you’re trying to cover a big bottom, don’t step out in white pants. Instead opt for dark jeans or black slacks. Don’t forget patterns – they can be your best friend or your worst enemy. If you’re short, a patterned top can draw the eye upwards and make you appear taller, and a patterned skirt can actually add curves to a boyish figure.

Go A-line.
The A-line shape works well for pretty much any body type (especially pear-shaped), so it’s a foolproof choice. If you’re out shopping and at a loss, look for a knee-length A-line skirt or dress (fitted at the hips and looser through the thighs).

Any body can look like a good body. Instead of cursing your big thighs or pear shape, learn to embrace your body with the clothes you choose. What you wear on the outside is a direct reflection of how you feel on the inside, so show everyone you’re proud of those curves with each outfit you choose!

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Fashion Diva: Alexis W.
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
The Look: Victor Victoria
Style Icon: Marlene Dietrich, Coco Chanel

Her Words: “I love mixing masculine and feminine pieces. Women have such great shape, and the structure of menswear really accentuates our figures. I also recently cut all my hair off, and I love it! I recommend that every woman cuts off her hair sometime in her life. It’s just been so liberating.”

Our Words: Though her daring haircut caught our eye, it was her haberdashery-meets-New-Wave style that kept our interest. Effortlessly cool, she even has the aplomb to make a popped collar look uncontrived. Her tight black jeans and studded belt scream rebellion, while her tailored shirt and chunky beads respect the classics. With her androgynous style, she’s a world of contrasts. But that’s a good thing – a great woman always keeps you guessing.

The Breakdown
Shirt: J. Crew
Jeans: J Brand
Shoes: H&M
Jewelry: Vintage
Bag: Kenneth Cole

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Fashion Diva: Tory C.
Hometown: San Diego, CA
The Look: Little Miss Sunshine
Style Icon: Nicole Ritchie, Mary-Kate Olsen

Her Words: “To me, the most important thing about style is comfort. My basics are skinny jeans, oversized tees, and Converses. And I like to add interest by playing with proportions and layering lots of accessories, especially big rings.”

Our Words: Blonde, leggy, and casual – she’s the quintessential California girl! The easy swing of her canary yellow vest caught our eye.  But, the closer we got, the more we realized that it was her bold statement jewelry that made the outfit.  Let this be a lesson in accessorizing, ladies.

The Breakdown
Vest: Target
Tank top: Urban Outfitters
Necklaces and rings: Flea market
Skirt: Hot Kiss

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Fashion Diva: Cheryl W.
Hometown: Orange County, CA
The Look: Jump, Jumper, Jump!
Style Icon: Rihanna

Her Words: “I’m always up for mixing-and-matching and trying something completely off the wall. For instance, I rummaged through my mom’s closet the other day and found so many cute things that just need to be cleaned. Everything old comes back – it’s simply a matter of figuring out how to fit them to your personality.”

Our Words: Maybe it’s because of her mile-long legs, but anyone who pulls off a jumpsuit in real life deserves an A+ in our books. Her modern take on this oh-so-retro look makes us hanker for one of our own. The platform sandals anchor her outfit’s easy breeziness, and the oversized belt and chunky hoops are bold enough to give just enough attitude. Simple, chic, and to the point – we love it!

The Breakdown:
Jumper: Forever 21
Belt: Wet Seal
Shoes: Aldo
Earrings: Pac Sun
Bag: Wet Seal
Sunglasses: Wet Seal

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2008 was a rough year for all of us. Economic meltdowns, heated political debates and credit crunches had the masses reeling. Personally, last year proved to be nothing short of mentally and physically exhausting.

Determined to break the negative cycle of ’08, I was ready to reprogram for the New Year. So I did what any other forward thinking girl would do—made an appointment for a haircut and a manicure at Sweet 9 on Melrose.

Sweet 9 is a young, hip salon that’s packed with style minus the pretension. Dawn Reid, stylist and owner, literally “retro”-fitted the whole place with antiques and personal touches that she scoured the city for. Each hairstylist’s station had a unique vanity and old school Belvedere chairs. The adjoining tea room and lounge area is painted a sultry red, and offers WiFi to salon-goers who are mid-workday and need to connect.

Dawn handpicks the teas that are served at Sweet 9, traveling to Chinatown in San Francisco to get some of the loose-leaf varieties that she blends herself. In addition to giving one of the cutest hair cuts I’ve had in my time, the woman makes a mean chai.

Monica, my nail guru, popped in to work over my nails as I sat on a custom designed manicure-throne. It was my first mani since high-school prom, so I opted to splash out with some dark purple vamp-ish metallic polish. Monica suggested, “rocking a big chunky costume ring,” to go with my black Marilyn Monroe dress that I planned to wear on NYE. Clutch call.

As I waited for my hair color to set, Dawn, Monica and I indulged in some serious girl talk. I’m not one for gossip, but I felt so comfortable and at home while sipping tea and chatting with these amazing, creative women.

When reflecting on her career and her inspiration for creating Sweet 9 Dawn says that, “I’ve done everything from high end to the small salons. Sweet 9 was my chance to create something that was truly unique.”

Her salon, and her work, is a reflection of her experience of working as a hairstylist around the world, from big city to small town. And unlike every other hairstylist I know, the woman understands the phrase, “I don’t want any of the length taken off.” (Can you tell I’ve been butchered a few times?)

Post-wash out and blow-dry, I must say I was delighted with my new ‘do. My highlights, of which she chose two tones to render a natural look, glimmered along with my new found smile. My friends were impressed as well, and we all toasted the New Year, and a fresh start, with a big night out downtown. I had a fabulous time dancing my way into the New Year, celebrating the beginning of something beautiful. Aah…sweet’09!

If you want to start out 2009 with a new-do, massage or mani-pedi from Sweet 9, visit www.sweet9.com. Added bonus: you’re right next to all the shops to look for an affordable new ‘fit to match your new ‘do.

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Fashion Diva: Joy P.
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
The Look: Sugar & Spice
Style Icon: Kate Moss

Her Words: “I wore a hard hat and steel-toed boots all summer working on a new building in Vegas.  Now that I’m back, I just wanted to be a girl again.”

Our Words: She’s sweetly feminine without giving us a toothache.  The structured jacket and asymmetrical haircut keep her polka-dot dress from being too saccharine.  Plus, her rolled up sleeves and draped scarf give her a casual edge that says, “Who me?  I always look this good.”

The Breakdown
Scarf: H&M
Denim Jacket: BCBG
Dress: Vintage
Shoes: Vintage Oscar de la Renta
Belt: H&M

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