Fashion Me Fabulous

Shop: Coralie Beatrix by Sophie Pearl Why We Love It: Holidays can be a bit taxing on one's budget. Add party attire to the gifting and food budgets and suddenly the holidays are breaking the bank. That's why I love the convertible wrap dresses from Coralie Beatrix. They come in rich colors like Sea Star Plum, Emerald Island and Sailor's Delight Red. These dresses can be worn a variety of ways. Go demur with flutter sleeves for the office party, choose a sassy one-shoulder look for the party your hosting and get daring with a strapless, sweetheart neckline for New Years Eve. All this from one dress! Price Range: Wrap dresses cost between $79.99 & $149.99 More Info: Orders take 2 to 3 weeks to ship which means you'd get it just in time if you order now. Plus sizes, maternity and bridal variations are all available. Favorite Items: Octopus Convertible Wrap Dress- Sea Star Plum Satin $79.99 (pictured); Emerald Island Octopus Convertible Wrap Dress $79.99 ; Bermud

Where can I get tickets to Chinese Fashion Week, because these outfits are awesomely insane . Two things I love have joined forces! Photographer Peter Lippman staged photo replicas of  old paintings, and he added some Louboutins to each. (NSFW) The Hairpin (which I'm loving) has a column called "Ask A Clean Person" (which is revolutionizing my dirty life) and said Clean Person has much to say about your smelly, scuffy, dirty shoes . Conquer the beehive hairdo with tips from A Beautiful Mess. Tea With The Vintage Baroness shares my love of Miss Lemon's spot on 1930s wardrobe in Poirot . If you want to follow my sewing adventures, I'm posting weekly lessons learned and projects finished at In Which Paris Sews .

A few weeks ago, I bought two long sequin tanks on clearance at Express. I bought them to add a little texture to my normal cycle of outfits and to cover my back draft. Unexpectedly, people have been crazy-go-nuts for these shirts. I've been wearing them with jeans and sweaters I've worn 60 times and suddenly people think they've never seen any of those clothes before. Generally, I let them peek out from under my tops. If you're sensitive about the size of your hips, buy a shorter, high-necked sequin top to draw attention to your face instead. They're also fantastic under the sheer blouses or thin jersey. The pictured sequin tee is $59.99 from Express . It's available in four fantastic basic colors -- pale grey, black, ivory and ballet pink. Although with all the holiday sales going on right now, you can easily find such a shirt for under $20.

We're especially thankful for you, and we'll be back Tuesday! Happy Thanksgiving by fashionmefabulous featuring knit tops

It's time for our annual gift guide round-up. Last year , we put together a link list of all our gift giving ideas. This is our updated list to help you with all our fashionable holiday gift giving. Some of our product links may be out of date, but the ideas are still there. This year we've rounded up unique fashion gift ideas , personal gift card options , 8 stocking stuffers under $30 , and practical gift ideas that are sure to please. For the Do-It-Yourself-er out there, we've got lots of links to fashionable DIY gift ideas from last year and an entirely new list from this year. (Also, check out all of the posts in our DIY section for more tips and ideas). Two years ago we did gift guides for a variety of fashionable ladies (and girls). Find perfect gifts for that stylish teen , fashionable friend or magnificent mom (or aunt or grandma) in your life. Movies and books are popular gifts, check out our guide to fashion movies and fashion books (for even more fashion

Some people are tricky to buy for. If aren't the type for practical gifts or handmade treasure, try one of these unique gift ideas. They are sure to wow, or at least intrigue, the receiver. Unique Fashion Give Ideas by fashionbeccafabulous 1. Color Block Tights, Happy Socks, $25 Fun tights and socks are a great go-to gift even if you don't know someone all that well. They can be pretty easy to come by at major department stores too. These color block tights are a whole new level of fun. . 2. Raspberry Giraffe Shower Cap, Dry Divas, $26 Shower caps either look like those sad disposable numbers found in hotel room or like something your grandmother owned (and not in the cool vintage way). Dry Divas makes shower caps in fun prints and bright colors with bow and jewel embellishments. They come in three sizes: standard, child and bouffant (for ladies with lots of hair). It's a cuter way to keep your 'do dry. . 3. Morse Code Necklace, COATT, $36 Morse Code isn't just for

As there's a neon red version of the "Belina" by Sacha London , I considered putting them in last week's colorful boots post. However, I thought the red version looked more like something from a child's dress up kit whereas the grey ones are very city chic. The little silver rimmed pearl buttons and slender heel look so very refined, as well they should at $275. I'd love to see them with Black Halo's Jackie O dress or a tweed skirt and cashmere sweater. Unfortunately this is a fantasy land for me because grey suede cannot live in harmony with Indiana weather. So will one of you lovely readers who live in a warm climate but like to pretend you have seasons please buy them and live my fabulous dreams for me? Class Act by fashionmefabulous

Five words made me interested in Once Upon a Time : From the writers of Lost . True to form, the writing and acting are top notch. If only someone would hire a competent costumer designer. (Maybe all that money went to sets, particularly to awesome wallpaper.) The men are doing fine with nice brocade frock coats and, in the case of Rumpelstiltskin, an awesome crocodile coat. The fairytale women, however, are almost a costume department afterthought. Photos really don't do the badness of the costumes justice. They look like cheap polyester satin for Fashion Bug prom dresses. Often they rely on feathers for embellishment but the poor women end up looking less graceful and more molted. And don't even get me started on the Claire's Boutique costume jewelry. At least they're getting the real life clothes right. The evil queen/mayor has an excellent stock of business dresses and Emma, the savior of the town, loves her sleek motorcycle jackets. I have a denim moto jacket

Librarian by fashionmefabulous Give: We've got stocking stuffers for $30 or less and a gift guide for the practical giver . Trend: Jael Paris found a chic cheat for the contrast collar trend , and our Etsy shop of the week has even more collar options. Shop: Pick up playful pretty print dresses for party season and colorful boots to brighten the coming grey winter days. Vote: Tell us if you love or loathe this Mod Cloth party dress . Also, vote for your favorite everyday bag and let us know what your perfect bag looks like.

Last night on Project Accessory, the designers were challenged to create an everyday bag for real women. The designers had to accommodate all of the tiny, picky details the women required in their handbags. I found it interesting (and a bit disheartening) to watch the designers struggle to create these ideal handbags. Perhaps that explains why I can't find the perfect bag in stores--even custom made bags struggle to live up to needs and expectations. Diego, a purse designer, ultimately won with the pictured design because of his attention to detail, his client and expert skills finishing a bag. Here is a round up of handmade bags from Etsy. Many of these designers take custom orders so you might be able to get your perfect bag even if these aren't quite it. Which bag most fits your style? What do you look for in a "perfect" bag? TomTom Leather Messenger Bag by themeantambourine Vegan Leather Zipper Purse by TRACCEbags Leather Satchel w/Strap by Adeleshop XL Boho Shoul

Shop: Luminia Why We Love It: Jael Paris' post about this contract collar accessory , reminded me of an Etsy shop I'd stumbled upon a while ago. It's full of collars! Best of all, most of the collars cost under $20 with a rather modest US shipping fee of about $5 (considering the shop is based in the UK). The collars are all Peter Pan style and rather twee, but there are some edgier options. Also, most of the styles with bows can be orders sans bow. I'm loving this leather-look studded Peter Pan collar ($29.21). Price Range: Collars range from $19.47 to $29.21 More Info: Get updates and see customer photos by following Luminia on Facebook . Favorite Items: Lace Peter Pan Collar Necklace, $19.47 Gold Detachable Peter Pan Collar, $19.47 Leopard Print Detachable Peter Pan Collar, $19.47

Every year my mom asks me what I want and what I need. And each Christmas I have one box of fun and one box of practical. Of course, socks were a bummer as a kid, but now that I'm an adult and have more of a grasp of the price of things, I really appreciate the practical gift. If you're practical like my Mom, here are some things fashionable women are always in need of: Socks I always need more plain colored socks, more knee socks, and more argyle socks. I wear them so much, they're all thin in the heel if not holey in the toe. If you're worried your giftee already has enough socks, spoil her with some in wool, modal or cashmere. Tights If it's not socks, it's tights. Tights have the disadvantage though of being a bit fragile. I could always use more of the colors I have and more colors to add to my rotation. Camisoles As with socks and tights, camis are worn nearly every day and as such receive heavy washing. So chances are good your giftee could use mor

I'm a fan of all the rich, shiny, cozy and classic holiday dresses that come around this time of year, but if I'm shopping for a new dress I like to find something that will stand out. With all the playful prints around this fall, I love the idea of picking a unique print to stand out in a crowd of typical holiday fare. Top Row: 40s Print Midi Dress, ASOS, $71.88 Cat Print Wrap Dress, ASOS $97.04 Artist in the Woods Floral Dress, LuLu's, $35 Middle Row: Painted Plaid Dress, Anthropologie, $148 Parrot Palm Midi Dress, TopShop, $140 Snow News is Good News Sweater Dress, Modcloth, $89.99 Bottom Row: Blueberry Nights Dress, Modcloth, $79.99 Brushstroke Dress, YOOX, $125 Pitcher of Perfection Dress, Modcloth, $91.99

This is Fashion Me Fabulous' fifth winter and thus the fifth post I've done on colorful boots. I've gathered you like colorful boots. I shouldn't be surprised. One of the first steps to having a great wardrobe is to jazz up your footwear. Curiously, I don't know anyone who owns colorful boots. (Aside from my superhero friends, but your secret identity is safe with me, Rachel!) Do you have colorful boots? What's your favorite outfit to wear them with? Show us on Facebook ! Top: red button knee boot, Miz Mooz "Siri" on Endless $239.95   purple button knee boots, Poetic Licence "Toughen Up" on Endless $199 blue platform lace up boot, Steve Madden "Carnaby" at Nordstrom $99 (sale) olive knee boot, Aetrex "Essence" on Zappos $199.95 pink combat style boot, Betsey Johnson "Caylin" on Endless $189.95 Bottom:  burgundy lace up knee boot, Madison Harding "Siouxsie" on Endless $194.12 blue buckle flat b

Good things come in small packages. These tiny treasures are stocking ready, but that doesn't mean they're side show gifts only. They're chic enough to be the main attraction. Make little packages look lux by wrapping in petite boxes, customized Christmas stockings (from the dollar store!) or reusable makeup bags and clutches. Make a big bang on a budget with these diminutive delights. Stocking Stuffers for $30 or Less by fashionbeccafabulous on polyvore.com 1. Classic Go-To Pallette, Bobbi Brown, $25 This tiny compact contains three eye colors, two lip colors, a high shimmer lip gloss and a mirror in a container not much bigger than a lipstick compact. These essentials easily transfer from daily purse to evening clutch to overstuffed carry on without taking up too much room. . 2. Pure Shea Butter Vineyard Rose, L'Occitane, $15 Fair trade, 95% Certified Organic Shea butter enriched with rose hips oil touts 50 uses including lip balm, cuticle cream, raw runny nose re

If you don't want to spend the money on a contrast collar shirt but still like the trend, ASOS is currently stocking a variety of collars. These are my favorite sort of accessories: unexpected, off-kilter and versatile. My favorite of the bunch is this gold sequin collar . Just look at how interesting the model's dull grey sweater suddenly is! Plus this one can be turned around and worn as a bib necklace too. It has an overall ancient Egypt vibe, and I really want to wear it with a strapless blue dress. This trendy accessory is on sale for $35.94.

Mod Cloth is touting this "Draping Devotion" dress as part of their holiday party collection. I wouldn't wear this to a party. To me, it's sort of Little House on the Prairie gets fancy crafty with table cloths, and that's not meant as a slam at all. I really like the dress as the shiny patterned base to a boho look. Here I've roughed it up with riding boots and a leather jacket, but a chunky knit cropped cardigan and heavy wedges would also work. Both looks are certainly for the eccentric, but this eccentric heart can look on the dress with fondness. It's My Party Dress, I'll Boho If I Want To by fashionmefabulous What do you think of this dress? Is it party perfect or can it be transformed into something else ?

Fall in the City by fashionmefabulous Loving & Loathing: I'm loving Cam's Dress from the season premiere of Bones and these affordable alternatives . We want to know if you love or loathe the anorak coat trend . And we're horrified by these denim hip huggers . Giving: We've got a budget-friendly DIY gift guide and a selection of gift bag alternatives from Etsy . Shopping: Check out our round up of autumnal scarves , and, Ozetta, an Etsy shop full of unique handmade scarves . Also, check out this perfect bag for fall .

Project Design is our friendly competition where we put together collection of independent designers for you to rate on your very own imaginary runway. Gift wrap and gift bags are so pretty, but they're also so disposable. Some fancy paper gift bags cost as must as fabric, reusable bags but often only get used once or maybe a handful of times at most. This Christmas, search out affordable tote bags to replace your wrapping. The gift recipient will be able to use the bag over and over. Try wrapping the gift in a personalized tote or one that fits the recipients style. You can also use the bag design give clues to the contents of the bag. For example, fill the "I Like Naps" bag with a stylish sleep mask, cute PJs, moisturizing socks and night cream. However you choose to do it, which bag would you use to wrap your holiday gifts? Stripey Tote with Heart by Goodnight Boutique Personalized Gift Tote by Personalized Gifts by J Fortune Cookie Wine Bag by Xenotees I

Shop: Ozetta Why We Love It: Handmade knit scarves, hats and accessories are a few of the things that make the impending winter bearable. They add warmth, comfort and coziness to our lives as we open the door and brave the cold winds, slippery roads and dreary days. Ozetta offers slightly exaggerated knit pieces that will allow the wearer to cuddle in and hide from the cold. Price Range: $22 - $110 More Info: Visit Ozetta's blog for more info on the shop. Favorite Items: Top Row: aztec chevron chunky cowl, $60 kaltag chunky scarf necklace, $30 noorvik thermal chunky cowl, $48 Bottom Row: yorkton chunky scarf, $65 alaskan infinity scarf, $90 beaufort chunky cowl, $60 Pictured Top: selawik cowl button wrap $55

I've been trying to write copy for the "Jasmine" shoulder bag from Melie Bianco for half and hour. For a while, I had a text block of prettyprettyprettypretty. The orange and brown one is officially the color "pumpkin," and you know how I feel about teal for fall . The shape is bold yet classic and the gold hardware is the perfect accent. I can picture this with boots, jeans and a blazer or with your favorite sweater dress.

Dr. Camille Saroyan by fashionbeccafabulous Bones is back! The first episode the season was delightful, but I kept getting distracted by Cam's dress. Jael has written before about our love for the series and for Dr. Camille Saroyan's wardrobe . She has a way of making her workwear pop. Plus, much of her professional attire is day to night ready even if most of her nights are spent working late in the lab. Cam wore this $3,200 Hervé Léger rubber effect, black and tan bandage dress . I'm guessing that's probably a bit of a stretch for Cam's budget (maybe not), but I know it's way out of reach for most of our budgets. Here are a few day to night options at more affordable prices (and a few more figure friendly options). Pictured: Ponte Sheath w/ Grey Heather Inset, Amazon, $119 Lace Print Inset Sleeveless Dress, Lord & Taylor $95.99 Knit Sheath w/ Contrast Panel, Nordstrom, $118 Zig Zig Belted Jersey Dress, Bluefly, $89 Lightweight Python Sheath, Calvin Klein

Denim needs to stop. Yes, it's a great fabric. Some would say it's the great equalizer in fashion, but (at the risk of sounding un-American) I'm sick of denim everything. Pajama jeans , denim lip stickers , denim diapers . Enough! Victoria's Secret, however, is still riding the cutesy denim train and took inspiration from all of the above with their "sexy" denim print hiphuggers . If People of Walmart sponsored auditions for the next Daisy Duke, this is what the winner will wear...as pants.

Last year I wrote a post about d0-it-yourself fashionable Christmas gifts , which seemed to be a big hit. (Check out that post since all the ideas would still be great for this year). Since the, the internet has gifted us with a whole slew of new DIY ideas for cheap and chic gifts you can make yourself. What's not to love about saving money and avoiding the holiday shopping frenzy while giving loved-ones unique, handmade gifts? Super Budget-Friendly Sometimes DIY can actually cost quite a bit more than we'd like, but doing something yourself can also allow you to transform everyday items into fabulous fashion. P.S. I Made This took scissors to 2 yards of fabric to make a cute cape . Paperclips can become fashionable earrings with the addition of some string and earring wires. A re-purposed picture frame, a small piece of chicken wire and a couple cute hooks can team up to make a wall-ready jewelry display . Jewelry Turn a shirt collar and some jewelry chain into a chic collare