Merci, Grazie, and Mamnoon, Donald Pliner!

While I’m drifting through this Long Hot Summer (unfortunately the version sans a young Paul Newman) my new purchase already has me daydreaming about….

….all the other fall fashion in my future, of course! Even though it’s 90 degrees, I’m giddy-upped with anticipation to slip my beloved leopard coat back on as soon as it drops to 50.

My Fall Forecast: cheetah, leopard, tiger and zebra are always dans l’air – with a firm foundation of frocks, textured tights, ruffles & billowy blouses, nubby knits, tweed and tall boots –  all dotting my autumn horizon. Let’s throw in this season’s ultimate transitional item, a chic anorak, for good measure.

In the next couple weeks, I’ll receive all (yes, all!) the September issues in my mailbox. September Cover Girls:  Halle on Vogue, Jen on Bazaar, Julia on Elle, JLo on Glamour, Hillary on InStyle (as in Swank – seriously??), MaryKate on Marie Claire, Gaga on Vanity Fair and Bieber on Teen Vogue (can’t you just hear the Bieber-pitched  ‘tween squeals?).

Young starlets will be featured on the spacious cover of W, while cameras roll for a documentary about the creation of its September issue under new editor-in-chief Stefano Tonchi. Can’t wait to see what he has up his impeccably-tailored suit sleeve!

As I eagerly anticipate the arrival of all the issues, I’ll sip some lemonade, Long-Hot-Summer-style, and secretly pray that my mags are not in the least bit creased or wrinkled. Then I’ll  pop in The September Issue to watch for the umpteenth time and imagine what Anna and Grace disagreed on this year, while crafting my Fall 2011 lookbook.

And if my lovely leopard-loving friend Sherry is reading this – borrowing my new glam cowgirl boots should be added to the front of her lookbook!

Yee-haw for Fall.

I’ve read the SATC 2 reviews, darlings, and I don’t entirely disagree. We’re not talking Oscar material here - it’s supposed to be a fun escape.  In a nutshell: we get to see the girls in their New York habitat before Smith Jared (looking hotter than ever) hooks Samantha up with a potential PR gig that gets the girls an all-extravagances paid trip to Abu-Dhabi. You had me at personal butler, champagne and macaroons.

Carrie bumps into Aidan (in what I swear is the same Middle Eastern market where Indiana Jones had a sword/gun fight in Raiders of the Lost Ark); a dreamy Dane strikes Samantha’s fancy; and Charlotte and Miranda have a heart to heart. There are some LOLs along the way - but unfortunately they’re peppered with too many cheezy, forced double-entendres.

Now back to The Prestons‘ Posh Pad! Check out this dining room, with a peek into the kitchen…

Look at the chic and cozy living room…love the table.

Love this sunlight-flooded corner….

His and Her closet.  Cute and cute.

I thought the story of Carrie and Big trying to find their footing in their new marriage was sweet and one of my favorite parts of the movie. This picture of Carrie propped up on a pretty blue ottoman (where can I get one?) is from one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

The clothes on SATC 2 were a bit of a let-down with the exception of a few cute Carrie concoctions:

Last but not least, I’ll leave you lovelies with some SATC 2 eye candy for good measure.

Who knows if there will be a SATC 3? In the meantime, all you die-hard fans - there’s always TBS.

Lately, a trend-gone-wrong that has stopped me in my click-clacks – and, if I weren’t a lady, would leave my jaw hanging – is the shirtdress. It may as well be renamed the “dress-shirt” – as in, dress that shirt up with some pants, please!

When you get it right, a simple, clean-cut shirtdress is a chic staple every girl should own. My pretty picks: Ralph’s timeless number in rich buttery biscuit and Shoshanna’s prim perfection in geranium.

The cherry on top? Pockets! Frocks with pockets make me smile & want to toss my Burberry hat in the air à la Mary Tyler Moore.

A shirtdress is also the perfect answer to that daily nagging question, “What on earth will I wear today?” as you stand in a closet stuffed with clothes and shoes. Girl, you know it’s true.

Buyer beware:  there’s a sea of wannabe shirtdresses out there just waiting for you to slip-up, so a discerning eye is critical. Don’t be fooled by cheaper fabrics that are ill-fitting and cause those unsightly in-between-button pulls. If the fabric looks and feels cheap, it probably is!

A hint that a dress is well made? You guessed it: frock pockets. Just knowing they exist makes me feel 110% sassier.

The tip du jour?  The shirtdress is a dress styled with the details of a shirt. Not a shirt to be worn as a dress. So if it looks like you’re channeling Tom Cruise à la Risky Business - call me a relic, call me what you will, say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill – you should probably put some pants on.

Holly Golightly was wise beyond her years, realizing that a lady should never be without her lipstick. I personally never leave home without it, except to go running or to the gym.

My love of lipcolor began when I was a little girl. In between playing with my Barbies I remember playing with my Mom’s makeup.

I loved the scent of her Estée Lauder and Revlon lipsticks, especially Bamboo Bronze.  It still brings back memories today.

In high school I recall Pink Champagne, Pink Foil and Silver City Pink summers with my Sis at the beach, thanks to Maybelline and Revlon. College followed and Clinique, Lancôme and Chanel were a co-ed’s best friend.

I went through a red phase during my first job on Capitol Hill.  That’s when I discovered Chanel Quatuor with my dear friend, coworker, and fellow lipstick lover, Mara. It was unanimous consent: we were smitten with the scarlett lip-quad compact.

I embraced MAC in the early 90’s.  My favorite hues were Pink Glaze, Frou, Pervette and Wuss. Back then, my sister Liz and I would dash to Nordstrom & bring our “5 empties” to the MAC counter to be recycled, and in return receive a free lipstick of our choice!

For me, at least half the fun of lipcolor is in the packaging & design. There is something so perfectly ladylike about the click! of a Chanel lipstick case.

My signature color? Pink, of course! Today my purse contains an eclectic mix of luxury and drugstore brands, from Dior Fantasy Pink to Cover Girl Pink Tutu gloss.

What if you need to re-apply your lipcolor in public? Don’t fret! Miss Manners says it’s perfectly acceptable to do so, as long as you apply it in a quick, ultra-confident manner.

Channeling Holly Golightly, I have a small mirror on the wall by the door to check my pout on the way out. She had a tiny mirror affixed to the top of her mailbox, where she kept a spare lipstick for last minute touch ups! A girl after my own heart.

So what signature color will you apply before dashing out the door?

After a long snowy winter, it looks like spring is finally near! Little Miss Sunshine has shown up fashionably late but she was worth the wait.

Do you know what that means? It’s time to think about your spring wardrobe! This season we’ll be seeing white, lemon, turquoise, fuschia, watercolor pastels, and a whole host of Liberty-infused florals inspired by blooming spring flowers.

I confess, I’ll always have black in my wardrobe. Navy, too. For a fun little challenge I created a colorful, vitamin D enriched spring palette – one without even a smidge of black. How did I do?

Now to top it off, soak up these spring colors with some pretty gems from favorite jewelry designers Meagan Kurtz of ADMK and Rachelle Céline and you’re off to a sunny start!

Sandra Bullock was gorgeous in a shimmery violet chiffon strapless Bottega Veneta gown with beautifully uneven cascading tiers. Zoe Saldana pulled off a gown that not many could – a pretty strapless Louis Vuitton number with layers of ribbons & ruffles in shades of plum and cranberry.

Rose Byrne was pretty in purple Lanvin and Fergie contained herself in a pale purple Elie Saab design that seemed at odds with her dark tresses and eyebrows. Her main accessory was (now forgiven?) husband, Josh Duhamel.

All eyes were glued to the exquisite Halle Berry as she glided across the stage to present an award in her impeccably fitted Kaufman Franco gown. You could have heard a pin drop inside the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Escorted by fiancé John Krasinski, Emily Blunt glowed in a pink-infused champagne tulle gown by Dolce & Gabbana. The asymmetrical rough layers wrapped around her frame perfectly. Speaking of adorable A-list couples – the eternally lovely Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford could not hide the fact that they’re crazy for each other.

Kate Hudson wore a dramatic structured white Marchesa dress that fit like a glove and Cameron Diaz was hard to miss in a bright red Alexander McQueen gown with black Ferragamo peep-toes.

Jennifer Garner, always gorgeous, chose a Versace gown that was too matronly for such a fresh-faced beauty. I’ve also seen Jennifer Aniston make more exciting fashion decisions – I wasn’t wowed by her black, hip-high, asymmetrical one-shoulder Valentino.

January, January, January…what were you thinking? Even Lanvin couldn’t cut it for you. That severe black dress and headband would have been mocked by Betts and Francine (as they smoke up a storm in the kitchen while the kids are napping) on Mad Men.

Kristen Bell wore a white strapless dress that fell at an unflattering point below her knee with heavy-looking black shoes and Christina Hendricks managed not to spill out of her dress – her saving grace: the craftsmanship of the gorg gown’s genius designer, Christian Siriano.

Note to Chloe Sevigny: grow up! I’m horrified at your babyfits throughout the night – first that there weren’t any “tarps” lining the red carpet in the rain and then berating a presenter in the middle of your acceptance speech for ripping your gown!  That behavior may fly on the compound but not at the Golden Globes.

The weather has been gorgeous lately, 60’s to 70ish, accented with mostly sunny skies and further accessorized with a perfect autumn breeze making her appearance. The nights are pleasantly cooler.

So what’s the problem, you ask? Wardrobe this time of year can be a challenge! The sun goes behind a cloud or the breeze picks up and you’re kicking yourself for not grabbing a sweater before heading out the door. Or, you finally wear those new boots you’ve been dying to debut with tights and cozy sweater, but once you get outside instead of admiring glances you’re greeted with sweat droplets on your forehead.

The cure for dressing in these uncertain times?  Layers. Be prepared for unpredictable changes in temp with non-constrictive pieces or ones that can be easily buttoned or unbuttoned, tied or untied, zipped or unzipped.

 So go on, go on, just walk away – go on, go on, your (outfit) choice is made.