Fashion Me Fabulous

Who: Moschino Cheap and Chic What it made us think of: That corner of my bedroom wear all the clothes, accessories, makeup and new purchases pile up after I clean off my bed and desk so I can sleep and work. What we liked: Quirky prints, lace, polished patchwork, pleated skirts, pretty vivid pastels, bow shoes, pops of neon What we didn't: Doilies sewn to clothes, patchy Muppet fur; I liked the military inspirations, but they didn't fit with the collection. Who: Burberry Prorsum What it made us think of: A city girl trying to transition to a new life in the country What we liked: Jackets, owls, bow belts, owl belts, ruffle skirts, peplum, tailored puffer coats, booties, gloves, pops of yellow, exaggerated shapes What we didn't: Some of the layering was too bulky Image source: style.com

I love getting dressed up, but I hate buying clothes and accessories especially for an event. It costs so much money, and things often never get used again. To remedy the closet wastelands of bridesmaid and prom dresses, many web companies have popped up with rental services for everything from designer handbags to wedding dresses. (Best of all, most of the companies do professional cleaning so you get out of laundry and dry clean duty too!) Special Occasion Dresses Rent the Runway: This service has the largest selection of dresses. Rent the Runway offers designer looks perfect for prom, bridesmaids, weddings, galas, balls, New Year's Eve, a really important interview (dress for the job you want not the job you have!) and any other special event you can think of. The rental price varies based on the retail cost of the gown. If you want to wow in this $745 Carmen Marc Valvo gown (pictured top right), you can do so for a $125 rental fee. Sadly, sizes top out at a 12 for most items....

Over a year ago, one of our readers asked us where she could find an accordion pleat skirt. Trouble was that at the time, all the accordion pleat skirts were expensive designer items. This season, they've finally trickled down to the reach of more shallow pockets. I can't wait to buy the heck out of this trend.  Top: vintage style print skirt, Forever 21 $22.80 knife pleat color block skirt, The Limited $69.90 gold pleat skirt, Urban Outfitters $24.99 (Down from $70!)  Bottom: knife pleat maxi skirt, Mod Cloth $47.99 box pleat color block mini, Mod Cloth $49.99 black tonal dot skirt, Mod Cloth $42.99 zig-zag pleat skirt, Anthropologie $79.95 (50% off!)

Who: Meadham Kirchhoff What it made us think of: The best five-year-old's dress up party ever. What we liked: sequin skirts, glitter shoes, chiffon, funny patches, glitter tights, Star Trek makeup What we didn't: furry coats, tinsel things Who: Kinder Aggugini What it made us think of: Country club attire by Kids R Us What we liked: the prints, color, a-line skirts, the series of sheer overlay dresses, What we didn't: the prints, gold lipstick a'la paint huffers, foot-fattening shoes Who: Louise Gray What it made us think of: London's 80s club kids go to work. What we liked: graphic prints, graffiti prints, wild hair, new wave makeup, tights What we didn't: Yes, the styling is a retinal attack and some of the pieces are over the top, but I'd put a lot of these separates in my closet. Image source: style.com and vogue.com .

becca and I were saddened by the lack of dramatic ball gowns at this year's Academy Awards, but there was still plenty to enjoy on the red carpet. Michelle Williams and Jessica Chastain scored the most memorable looks of the night. Major points for Michelle breaking out of the neutral crew neck mold even if I actually don't much care for the cut of her gown. The color is superb on her, and the ruffles also stood out in a sea of sequins. The pink clutch is a cute touch with a coral dress. Jessica's dress fit her perfectly, and the ornate beading and embroidery were unique on this red carpet. Sometimes detailed gowns don't work through the camera's lens ( ahem Rooney Mara), but the high contrast worked in photos and, no doubt, in person. TV personalities Nancy O'Dell and (uhg) Kelly Osborne also looked pretty fabulous. Usually the TV hosts tend to look more prom or they just can't get a stunner of a dress. Nancy's cheerful yellow with black lace overl...

McQ has always been a wayward child. Alexander McQueen's "sporty" line often didn't have any connection to the creative forces behind the house's eponymous line. This year it's come back under the McQueen umbrella and is being designed by Sarah Burton. She's pushing it where we always wanted it to go: signature McQueen styling at more affordable prices. The nipped waists, strong shoulders, and full skirts are here. There's a mix of the feminine and masculine. The attention to detail is lovely with embroidered moss and velvet leaves, but nothing in this line took a crew of ten people three weeks to hand stitch. Who: Giles What it made us think of: The servants at overgrown Bramble House try to stay respectable even after the fire that destroyed the East Wing. What we liked: burn prints, bramble cutouts, frock coats, pink shoes, bias-cut ruffles Who: Marios Schwab What it made us think of: A day at the races. What we liked: dramatic hats, ...

Last week, Jael gave us her annual fashion picks for top Oscar nominees . Now that we know what they actually wore, we're putting it to a vote. Who picked better? Us or them? Rooney Mara told Ryan Seacrest that this Givenchy Couture was chosen yesterday morning. I can't imagine picking an Oscar dress was easy for her. I'm sure so many designers were vying for her to wear their gowns, and it was her first big Oscar night. I kind of like her dress. I certainly like it a lot less in photos than I did on television. The detail and movement are lost in the pictures. I like our picks for her better. I especially would have loved to see her in a color. What do you think? poll by twiigs.com Michelle Williams looked darling in her coral (I know if looks reddish in most photos, but it's coral) Louis Vuitton dress. I really liked it. It's hard to pull off all those ruffles. Jael was hoping for a big ball gown, and I think the Oscars are certainly missing that. However,...

Naturalizer closed up shop in my town, leaving my feet sad and shocked. Their website offered me comfort in the form of these "Jada" brogue detailed heels . They're genuine leather with a stacked wood heel, cute ribbon laces and a clearance price of $70 (over 50% off!). Now should I get the teal or the burgundy?

Warm Colors by fashionmefabulous Check out our post on how we would dress the Oscar Nominees , and check back tomorrow for some thoughts on what they actually wore. Opinions: We want to know what you think of New York Fashion Week makeup , and we're wondering is you love or loathe granny panties . Also, what are your thoughts on this week's Project Runway All Stars ? Leather: You don't want to over do leather clothing and accessories, but great classics like leather jackets and leather sneakers are always good investments. Shopping: Check out our Etsy shop of the week, Goldenponies for stunning handcrafted shoes. Also, score a great look from H&M Online for around $150 . New York Fashion Week Zac Posen, Donna Karen, Monique Lhuillier Marc By Marc, Marc Jacobs Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta Anna Sui, Betsey Johnson, L.A.M.B. Rodarte, Jeremy Scott, Threeasfour Red Valentino, Ruffian, Suno Carolina Herrera, Proenza Schouler, Altuzarra Thom Browne, Tory Burch, TSE A...

Who: Marchesa What it made us think of: Angels battling demons to bring souls to heaven. What we liked: Feathers, lace, embroidery, the fantasy, shoes, the fact that they even through in a couple day dresses. Who: Badgley Mischka What it made us think of: Silver Screen stars living in the capitol in a dystopian future lounging in their fabulous boudoirs. What we liked: The main collection was presented with the diffusion line, Mark & James. I loved the mix of day clothes with fabulous gowns, all of which came from the same inspiration. (This is how you do a diffusion line). The mix of pajama styles with glamour was stunning as were the art deco details and metallics. What we didn't: The hair could have been better, but it sort of worked with the mood. Who: Jenny Packham What it made us think of: Lauren Bacall ("You know how to whistle, don't ya, Steve? Just put your lips together and blow.") What we liked: 1940s style, embellishments, daring V-necks, ...

Who: Prabal Gurung What it made us think of: A superhero who is being tempted by evil but eventually chooses to use her powers for good. What we liked: Everything. Who: Diane von Furstenberg What it made us think of: It was classic DvF, but this time the designer got playful with puzzle prints, clocks, lips and hands. What we liked: The fun prints, the quirky clutches, classic dresses, bright colors What we didn't: Baggy at the hips jumpsuits, sporty details on otherwise classic coats Who: Jason Wu What it made us think of: The Asian and military influences reminded me of a Modern Mulan. What we liked: beautiful brocades (mixed with sporty quilting), buttons, tassel earrings, belts What we didn't: Furry arms, costume-y hats Image source: style.com

When Project Runway All Stars began, I was so excited to see the level of talent and fashion. However, the designers are now tired and so are the challenges. It doesn't help that the judges keep eliminating the wrong people. (Rami, we miss you). The designers were trotted off to the UN to see all the flags. Then they were given six flags to chose from. They were told to make a design that was inspired by the flag. It wasn't clear if the design also needed to represent the country of their flags. The judges didn't even seem positive on that rule. The challenge could have been cool if the designers had all the flags to pick from or maybe if they would have had too all work from the same flag. I'm not sure what made the producers pick the flags they did, either. It seemed a bit random. Joanna came in to critique the designs in progress. This is the portion of the blog post where I would like to thank Joanna. She asked the male designers why they so frequently create looks ...