Cold Hands, Warm Toesies

I think everything Rachel Bilson does when it comes to fashion is usually right. She's like my favorite child in the fashion world. Well, actually, she's among my favorite children...the list consists of Rachel Bilson, Nicole Richie, Eva Longoria, Anne Hathaway, and most of the other clients Rachel Zoe styles. Now, Britney Spears? She is my red-headed stepchild that I lock in the closet until she can figure out how the fuck to dress herself. (That shit? Still hasn't happened.)

So it's no surprise Rachel and I agreed on one thing: how incredibly to die for these platform booties from Opening Ceremony are. Paired with the right dress, or the right leggings or pair of skinny jeans, (I'm thinking paired with a flannel, but hey, get wild, go crazy, it's all you, girls) this pair of shoes ($430 at Saks Fifth Avenue or saks.com) is a great addition to your closet this Fall and Winter season.

I'll be on the hunt for more moderately priced versions, but for those of you who want to stimulate the economy and look adorable at the same time (nothin wrong with that, but your mortgage and rent come first ladies!) please rock these at will.

You will be among my favorite style children, as well.

Pick up Opening Ceremony at Saks Fifth Avenue. Also, Rachel Bilson writes a fantastic little column in InStyle Magazine. It is on LC's MUST READ list, and believe me, there are people who are leaning more towards Britney Spears in terms of fashion, and they really, really need to read her advice, pronto.

Something to In-VEST In...

Vests are everywhere...and I love the versatility of a well-structured vest. Pick the right one, in a neutral shade, with a great fit, and you can create a more Bohemian chic look, or make it look more professional and chic for a polished, Posh Spice look. Whether you're choosing to look like Rachel Zoe or more like Victoria Beckham, the choice is yours, but make sure you select a quality vest that will last season after season. Even when this trend dies down a little, you can bet your ass it will resurface again shortly after. You really can't go wrong when it comes to vest purchases these days. It's an in-vest-ment that's definitely worth making, and in today's troubled times, that's something worth looking into.

Love From A-Zoe

I have a love-hate relationship with so many things.

-Gladiator Sandals: on the one hand, they look so chic and now; one the other hand, I'm constantly worried I look like I have cankles.

-Brazilian Waxes: so many advantages, I can't even begin to list them; yet paying $80 to have a woman with a bizarre Swedish name spend time near my va-jay-jay with a large wooden stick resembling a tongue depressor with a large glob of hot wax on it isn't exactly a cake walk

-Most of the men that I meet: (do I even need to explain?)

-Bras: yes, like my Mom told me when I was 12 and would bitch about wearing a "grown up girl bra" my boobs have lived to thank me, they are still perky in all their splendor because I've bought the best (and sexiest) bras ever through the years; yet I often feel feminists of the 60's were sorely misunderstood because after a long, hot day, I want to rip mine off and throw it in a Long Island garbage can and light a match just like those bra-burning hippies of yesteryear.

-And finally, the biggest love-hate relationship of all:
REALITY TELEVISION.

However, I make an exception when I talk about Rachel Zoe Project. I love, love, love all things Rachel Zoe because my dream job in life is to be a fashion stylist. I absolutely adore fashion; I could shop all day long, I watch runway shows in awe and wonder; I read countless fashion blogs and look at photographs and read Elle and Vogue cover to cover like an archaeologist in a newfound tomb.

The new season is coming soon, and I couldn't be happier.

Rachel Zoe has styled the likes of Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, and most famously, Nicole Richie, and she helped me when her book came out (Style A-Zoe) because I had just had a lumpectomy, and didn't know for sure if I had breast cancer. I was terrified to go through chemotherapy; the possibility left me petrified. I was afraid I'd lose my hair, which is one of my trademarks, and was afraid, most of all, that I'd lose my looks, something I had always, admittedly, had a love-hate relationship with, as well.

Her book made me want to get dressed everyday and go out into the world looking fabulous, and I will always feel indebted to Rachel for giving me that reason to get out of bed in the morning and never take my life for granted. It may seem silly to some that a book about fashion is what did it for me, but in this world, we take positive when we can get it, right? After all, the one thing I'll always love, and never hate? Fashion.

Watch the new season, coming up this September, on Bravo. Check the website for more information and for times in your area.