New Single-Note Floral Fragrance Collection from Crabtree & Evelyn = Heavenly

Known for their pioneering botanical formulations since 1972, Crabtree & Evelyn has long embraced the riches of the natural world with beauty products made from fruit, flower and plant essences that smell as gorgeous as they feel. (We're totally obsessed with their new triple-milled Avocado & Olive Oil "Heritage" Soap which leaves hands soft & moisturized, no matter how obsessively you wash 'em.)

The line was originally inspired by 17th Century English naturalist & conservationist John Evelyn, who traveled throughout Europe and lived by the motto: "Explore everything. Keep the best." Like this gorgeous new collection of four single-note scents - Lily, Lavender, Rosewater & Iris - all glamorously packaged and completely delicious. They really so smell like a garden in full bloom: Lily brings to mind spirit and creativity, while lavender is uplifting & refreshing; spritz on Iris for a more adventurous feel, and if you're feeling girlie, few scents can compete with graceful Rosewater for sheer femininity. The matching Bath & Shower gels, Body Creams & Body Lotions are free of nasties like parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol or mineral, relying instead on a custom-blend of English flower extracts, including peony, elderflower & magnolia, to leave skin soft, supple and oh-so-glamorously scented.

Available at Crabtree-Evelyn.com.

- Lesley Scott

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This Spring & Summer, Why Not Match Your Bag & Shoes?

Can you guess who these chic bags & fabulous coordinating footwear are by? 

HINT:  The company recently brought on culty fave bag designer Rafe Totengco as Creative Director to work some of his luxe magic on upscaling the look of the line without sacrificing the friendly pricepoint which is such a huge part of their appeal.  Color us obsessed...not to mention cheery in dip-dyed denim ankle-ties with a turquoise straw bag (perfect with a summery frock in Honeysuckle, 2011's Color of the Year), serene in ivory flats & matching clutch as our go-to neutral, and colorfully coral with touches of brick red & caramel to spice up the safari fashion moment we're currently enjoying.

For the Big Reveal & to start shopping - CLICK HERE.

- Lesley Scott

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Vile John Galliano Racist Rant Caught on Video. Will it Affect the Way You View His Work?

Unfortunately, for us, that's a big yes.

When we first heard rumblings about an inebriated encounter with a couple in a Parisian bar, with the flamboyant Galliano apparently calling a woman a "dirty Jew face", while odd, it seemed like pre-Fashion Week, um,...whatever. But then we saw with our own eyes his latest rant caught on video (thanks for the heads up, Dawn Del Russo!) by a pal of the Italian girls he was insulting at the next table, again at the La Perle bar. "I love Hitler!" he slurs at them (they're not Jewish). "People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers, would all be fucking gassed." Obviously stunned, one of the women replies with "Oh my God" and then asks the drunken designer if he has a problem. "With you. You're ugly." Asked where he's from: "Your asshole." (via Racked & TheSun.co.uk)

We have no words.

- Lesley Scott

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SPRING SHOPPING: White Jeans Done Right

1. Dries Van Noten dip-dyed jeans (available through farfetch.com) 2. Old Navy linen-blend shirt   3. Nine West "Enning" (now available for pre-order from NineWest.com!)  4. vintage Pierre Cardin sunglasses   5. vintage Chanel chain belt   6. Yves Saint Laurent "Roady" Bag

Even though the actual calendar says spring has barely sprung, in Fashionland it's a different story...& high time you started planning your summer wardrobe! White is a huge trend this season, and we've been totally enamored with this pair of dip-dyed white jeans with a glamorous wide legged cut from Dries van Noten since they strode down the runway.  SOME TIPS: Unless you're tall, don't rock wide-legged pants with a flat...unless you just want to look wider. Which you don't. So repeat after us: The wider the pant, the taller the heel.  Which needn't be a matchy-matchy white; in fact, pairing white with shades of ivory, eggshell & off-white looks softer & more sophisticated (not to mention a tad easier to keep clean).  A spunky chain belt adds some graphic punch, and the soft blue of the top looks casually chic so you don't look like you're trying too hard, while stealthily highlighting the extremely cool dip-dying on the jeans.

- Lesley Scott

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Fashion Inspiration from the 2011 Oscars Green Room: 1940s Hollywood Elegance Extraordinaire

Before gracing the stage at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, the presenters and winners relax backstage in a temporarily-transformed oasis created by a noted designer selected by Architectural Digest. For 2011, AD chose Michael S. Smith, who was previously appointed in 2010 by President Obama to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House. For Hollywood's big night out, Smith looked back to the 1940s and the elegant library of famed studio executive Jack Warner (as in Warner Bros.), who obviously knew how to relax in style!

We were inspired to create an ensemble keyed off the luxe monochromatic vibe of the room, the sophisticated color palette, & mad-elegant furnishings. In particular, the muted metallic touches whisper rather than shout "silver screen siren" but a vibrant pink notebook adds a fun splash of color, plus it's pretty much mandatory for jotting down your acceptance speech. Here's where to get the look:

Is the Jimmy Choo 2011 Campaign an "Homage" to Guy Bourdin or Merely a Blatant Rip Off?

From popular movies to TV to books and photography and ad campaigns, the entirety of Hollywood and Madison Avenue seems so set on remaking and retooling anything & everything from the past 50 years, that it makes you wonder if everyone is secretly sharing some kind of Anti-Creative Kool Aid. And the latest Jimmy Choo campaign for Spring 2011 shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin is just another fine example.

What do you think: homage or rip off?

Either way, it's worth taking a look at the original...who was a true original. Guy Louis Banarès was born in late 1928 in Paris, and abandoned the following year by his mother & sent to live with his father's parents. While his father later re-established contact with Bourdin, his mother did so only sporadically and he met her in person but once. "The only memory Bourdin had of his mother was of an elegant Parisienne, heavily made up, with light red hair and very pale skin," notes Greg Fallis on Sunday Salon.

A Fabulous Fresh Spring Green Tote from Cole Haan & What to Wear it With

This Vintage Valise Kendra Tote from Cole Haan caught our eye, most obviously for it's happenin' hue, but also the buttery soft leather, excellent construction & well-thought out design deets, and classic shape...meaning once you plunk down almost $450 for it, it won't be "out" before you've even had a chance to pay off your credit card balance. So what to wear it with to show off your style savvy? Boldly colored accessories always look fashion-forward paired with graphic black & white combinations, including stripes, florals & prints.

FASHION TIP: With a boldly colored bag and/or shoe in shades such as emerald green, cobalt blue, lipstick red, vibrant fuschia & taxicab yellow - try pairing it with:

- a black & white striped dress or jacket
- a graphic black & white floral pattern dress or coat
- a leopard dress
- zebra prints

Since we're currently obsessed with stripes-stripes-stripes, we chose this super-chic Oscar de la Renta dress. Other than picking up some of the green from the bag on our tips & toes (our choice: Zoya "Ivanka", a sparkly, metallic "mermaid" green), avoid many other touches of bright green in your outfit; not only is it way too "matchy", it makes you look like you're trying waaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard. Instead, key the rest of your accessories off the warm yellow tone of the bag's hardware with gold hoop earrings and a greenish/yellow cardi (a less obvious, not to mention more sophisticated choice than bright green). And finally, try shoes that complement the graphic nature of the stripes, but in a more offbeat way, such as python.

Here's where to get the look:

Cute Shoes & Sandals from a Rebranded Classic. Can You Guess Who?

How seriously cute would the sweet pink slingbacks be with a khaki pant or safari'ish skirt; or what about the webbed coral/orange sandal (top row in the middle) with dark denim or a floaty floral frock?  It's time for PUT YOUR FASHION I.Q. TO THE TEST! Just by looking at the shoes (ie. before your preconceived prejudices kick in), can you guess who they're by? Here are some helpful hints:

- This company was one of the first to bring engineered comfort & athletic sole into women's shoe design; to prove the point, the company prez once ran a New York marathon in a pair of their dress shoes.

- Their boat shoes are a sailing-world classic no caszh closet should be without.

- Now finally designed to look as fashionista-approved & cute as they are comfy, their shoes all weigh less than your average running shoe.

Give up...already? Oh, alright - for the answer, CLICK HERE.

- Lesley Scott

Luscious Looking Legs from a Package! aka Glamorous Nylons & Retro-Fabulous Hose

If you're stepping out this season in a ladylike full skirt, feminine top, nipped-in wasp waist, and heels...make sure you don't forget your gams!  Nylons, in the right weight and texture, make sure a would-be Glamour Girl stays properly groomed all the way down to her pedicured toes.

Tights Please has a great selection of on-trend tights and hosiery, especially if you're looking to be perfectly polished a la Mad Men, in which case, you should shimmy into either the Pretty Polly Gloss Stockings or glossy Lace-Top Hold-ups which customers have given full marks for being gorgeous, durable, and someone named "Keith" even loved for their ability to stay-up.

- Lesley Scott

Jessica Ogden for ASOS AFRICA: Cutest. Playsuit. Ever.

To promote people, the planet, and of course, all-things fashion, ASOS first launched their Green Room initiative in early 2010, recently relaunching it to mark the five-year anniversary of Fairtrade cotton - which works to ensure better prices for producers, decent working conditions and sustainability in the developing world. For their latest eco-chic ASOS Africa collection, they teamed up with Paris-based A.P.C. designer Jessica Ogden, known for her love of old & distressed fabrics and signature arts and crafts style. "I was inspired by the photographs of Henri Lartigue in France in the 20s and the spirit of the flapper girls," she notes about her trompe l'oeil tops, A-line dresses, floral-print tunics, beaded bows, embellished playsuits and scallop hem skirts. Everything in the 11-piece S/S'11 capsule collection was produced and hand-beaded by SOKO, the Kenyan collective & workshop that produces all ASOS Africa products. "I started with ethical concerns as a designer, so whatever collaboration I do, it’s important,” says Jessica. "Not to be concerned about these issues would be closing our eyes." But there's no need to close your wallet, not with everything so affordably priced between $80-$95!

We're completely obsessed with the adorable romper, and would pair it a tres French cardi in a blush hue (a more unexpected & sophisticated choice than red), glamorously glossy rouged lips, a fun, flower-festooned tote and a comfy pair of retro'ish ankle-tie red sandals you can actually play in!

Here's where to get the look: