Fashion Me Fabulous

Episode two of Under the Gunn didn't give us too much more insight into how the rest of the show will work, but we did get to see the mentors round out there teams. Each mentor has four team members that they will nurture and help become the winner. The designers who showcased in the second audition round were a pretty good bunch. I might even like them more than the first group. Instead of a pre-selected bunch of fabrics, these designers got to run around and grab fabrics from barrels. I actually like the pre-selected fabrics a la the ingredients basket on Chopped better, but Project Runway and its spin-offs like to make designers scramble. Sam, pictured first in the slideshow, was probably my favorite of the night. He did a good job of showing who he is and realizing his vision. My least favorite was Isabelle, pictured second. She was far too dramatic, lost and annoying. Also, she wouldn't follow rules when it came to times up, and Tim had to drag her model to the runway...

As much as I've griped about the resurgence of 90s fashion, I greet the return of ear cuffs with open arms. I love funky, weird jewelry anyway. (If you follow our Facebook , you know I've been posting mad amounts of celebrity ear bobbles.) Why not wear earrings in a new (old) way? This round is bolder and flashier than my 1996 "Celtic" silver-toned cuff too. If you are considering buying into this trend, read the fine print. For those of you who've never taken the piercing plunging, many of these styles just hang or clip in place. Some styles, however, require a piercing. Often these earrings are not sold in pairs, as they are meant to be worn alone or asymmetrically.   Top: pearl ear cuff/stud, Amazon $27 dangling black beads ear wrap, Amazon $20 black dragon wrap and stud, Amazon $30 dangling spikes ear wrap, Macy's $18.50 rhinestone ear wrap, BCBG Max Azria $36 Bottom:  sunburst ear wrap, BCBG Max Azria $24 (also available in silver ) disc ear...

Shop: Laura Galic Why We Love It: Jael Paris showed me this shop, and it is amazing. I want almost everything in it. It was really hard to narrow things down to avoid putting everything in the favorite items section. The clothes are stunning. The coats and jackets will make all other coats and jackets look inferior. It's all just so pretty. Price Range: $50 - $500 (Some items are expensive, but not for what you're getting. These are designer level clothes at department store prices.) Favorite Items: (click through the slide show below to see some of our favorites.) View this collection on Polyvore Etsy Shop of the Week: Laura Galic by fashionbeccafabulous on polyvore.com Pictured: Sabrine Jacket $150 ; Rebecca 2 Jacket w/ removable skirt $220 ; Dalia Jacket $140 ; Ruffle Skirt $70 ; Magda Suit $200 ; Ghertrude Jacket $170 ; Beatrice Jacket $265 ; Monica 3 Dress $150 ; Mina Jacket $180 (also pictured above)

The Grammys should be a place where people are expressive with their clothing. After all, musicians don't need to fade into a role the way actors do. Few of these people are fashion house faces. They are their brand. So why with the quiet? Are these people shy? (Is the wonderful Kacey Musgraves trying to disappear? You beat Taylor "Award Machine" Swift, girl! You were so cute at the CMAs!) Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are not shy. Macklemore went dressed all in green 'cept his slipper shoes, those are gold. Ryan Lewis swapped a leopard mink for houndstooth suit. Who else thinks it's cute when friends coordinate their outfits? Katy Perry was one of the few artists who tried something fun. Most people seem to not like her dress because it's too literal, but my issue is more that the parchment color is too close her skin tone. (I also think the dress would be better with a full, opaque skirt.) In contrast, the burgundy ballerina dress with snake detail she wo...

Generally, I am not a Chanel fan, but I rather like this show. Of course, it's not very Chanel , either. Corsets? This is what Jean Paul Gaultier would make if he had Karl's job. Speaking of Jean Paul Gaultier , I loved his 1940s butterfly show. Certainly one of his most romantic and beautiful shows in years. Alexis Mabille , also with the butterflies. This beautiful plan would have worked better if the butterflies and clothes weren't generally the same color. It's still a beautiful effect and with beautiful gowns. beautiful beauty beautifuller Not to be outdone in the fabulous head market, Schiaparelli had fun with feathers and netting for a series of truly lovely fascinators. Wondering where our Grammy coverage is? Check back tomorrow after I've finished sorting through all the pictures. In the meantime, keep track of more couture on our Facebook page. Image source: style.com and vogue.com

The other day, my husband was clicking through a list of funny links. Most of them led to fake websites for silly products -- like an inflatable muscles t-shirt -- that would eventually disappear to be replaced by an Old Spice ad. Then he clicked on an ad for Meggings . Hubby laughed and laughed, then wondered where the Old Spice ad was. Old Spice never came, because Meggings is a real website selling leggings for men. (Side note, can we please stop calling stretch pants leggings? It's confusing the "leggings are not pants" issue.) Credit to the model for looking like he's having a blast in his solo mission to revive 80s glam band fashion.

Tim Gunn, our beloved mentor from Project Runway , once again has his own show. Unlike Tim Gunn's Guide to Style , Tim isn't doing a friendlier version of What Not to Wear . Instead, Under the Gunn is to Project Runway as The Voice is to American Idol but with more camaraderie between the shows. (And technically speaking, Lifetime is still branding it Project Runway: Under the Gunn so they clearly see it as part of the same property, which is good because I like anything that brings Runway favorites back). Premise: Under the Gunn offers up three Project Runway alums, Mondo Guerra, Anya Ayoung-Chee and Nick Verreos, as mentors for design hopefuls. After initial design challenges, the mentors will select teams. By the end of the show, one mentor and one designer will win. Tim appear to be serving more as a judge and host. I'm not exactly what role Tim will play and how much the mentors will be involved, but the premise is interesting so far. Premiere: During th...

The Screen Actor's Guild awards were last Saturday. The Grammy's are this weekend. The Oscars are in a couple weeks. I may be at maximum sequin capacity. Which of these dresses do you think you'll be seeing soon? View this collection on Polyvore Pre-Fall 2014 Gowns by fashionmefabulous Please note: Marchesa, masters of froofy cake dresses, have not shown yet. I'll update the gallery as soon as they do. Either check back here, or follow us on Facebook for the heads up.

Fashion week is like an all you can eat buffet where in you absolutely gorge yourself on gowns and coats and shoes. Haute Couture (next week!) is certainly the rich dessert, like fudge cake with whiskey butter sauce. Following my food thoughts, that makes Pre-Fall an appetizer -- tiny pinwheels and pears with brie. I'm a little hungry now, so you look at these shots from Pre-Fall while I raid the kitchen. Alexander McQueen Alice + Olivia Burberry Prorsum Carolina Herrera Christian Dior Christopher Kane Erdem Oscar de la Renta Temperley London Thom Browne Valentino Valentino Viktor & Rolf If you want seconds, head over to our Facebook page . Later this week, I'll have all the Pre-Fall 2014 gowns.

If you've been watching any commercials lately, you'll know that VALENTINE'S DAY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER. The advertisements are beckoning us to indulge in chocolate (or chocolate diamonds...?), find a boyfriend (don't be ALONE!), hint for better chocolate/flowers/jewelry ("You deserve the best"), lose those last few pounds (but eat chocolate, too), etc., etc, etc... I'm not a huge fan of all the Valentine's day hype, but I do sometimes love to dress like one of those frilly heart cards we made in grade school. I also love to buy clearance chocolate the next day. If you're in need of a red dress, here are a few lovely options from Etsy: (Vote for your favorite below). Silk Mandarin Collar Dress by DemetKaratas    Dramatic Neckline Dress by Murramor    Ruffle Sleeve Dress by DanielaTabois  Red Pencil Dress by Jersa  Red Knit Dress by leninka poll by twiigs.com

Jael: Crap! I put off my Pick of the Week post for the Golden Globes and in three days it's sold out. becca: I hate it when that happens! becca: This might be a lame pick of the week, but I bought some laundry bags for delicates on Amazon. They were a great price, and washing tights, scarves, sweaters and things with beads or studs has never been simpler. I could write about that...   Jael: Did you not have one before? Have I left you in the cold darkness of handwashing all these years? I am sorry, my friend. becca: I had one, but only one. The set lets me do a bunch more, and now I have more than just one small size because it's a variety set . Jael: Jael: All these years, it never occurred to me to buy more than one. becca: I know! I lost mine. (The basement ate it) so I bought this:     Link: B&E Home Essential Laundry Mesh Wash Bag Set, Amazon, $11.99

I've been trying to write this post all week. I'm just not sure how to feel. It was a pretty great season as I mentioned last week, but I didn't get several of my Project Runway All Stars wishes. I know the world isn't a wish-granting factory, but so far All Stars has served to right some wrongs. Mondo got a much deserved win. Favorites got to come back. Designers got to shine who had been eliminated too early. This year let me down in that department. It began with the viewer vote to bring back a previous designer. Ra'mon was on the voting list, but Kate came back instead. Christopher had been a favorite of mine, and I really wanted to see his collection, but that didn't happen. Finally, Korto had been my favorite to win her season. With Christopher out of the running, my loyalties fell entirely to Korto, and she didn't win. But that's all personal stuff. Let's look at the collections. (You can click through each designer's slideshow below)...

Shop: The African Shop Why We Love It: During winter months, the grey of outside becomes oppressive. Add a "polar vortex" or whatever it was, and the whole winter thing becomes to miserable to bear. I would like to fight back with bold print and bright colors. Winter, you won't make me a sad, grey blob. Price Range: $35  - $300 Links: Facebook / Instagram: @theafricanshop1 Favorite Items: (click through the slideshow below to see our favorites) View this collection on Polyvore Etsy Shop of the Week: The African Shop by fashionbeccafabulous on polyvore.com Links: Lina Blouse $51 ; Tumble Boom Skirt $36 ; Etole Skirt $53 ; Moosum Skirt $48 ; African Print Blazer $59 ; Freeda Mid Length Skirt $53 ; Titus Blouse $43 ; Chiny Dress $68 ;  Dashiki Boom Dress $68 (also pictured above)

Two big trends emerged at the Golden Globes on Sunday: red and color blocking. (Three trends if you count the continuation of plunging necklines from last week's People's Choice Awards.) The red dresses ranged from blech to fabulous with a lot of zzz in between, but we positively swooned for color blocking. Some of it even clashed! We're so happy when people take risks with color. Scroll through our gallery below to see every dress we were crushing on. View this collection on Polyvore Golden Globes 2014 Red Carpet Favorites by fashionmefabulous Hop over to our Facebook page to weigh in on some of the night's other fashions and to drool over the jewelry.

People always ask me where I buy my clothes and shoes. Since many of the styles I like are available from online boutiques or indie Etsy shops, I do a lot of online shopping. When I tell them this, they stare at me as if I've said I fly to Greece every weekend. "That's so brave. I could never shop online." First of all, you need to reassess your definition of "brave." Second, follow these tips and you'll be fine. Measurements, not size. I wear a size 2...or an 8. The measurements are the only  numbers that matter. If a website doesn't have measurements posted, some will provide them if you contact customer service. If a website only provides clothing sizes, I am unlikely to buy. Cut matters. My hips tend to trip me up the most when buying clothes; pants and shorts aren't high on my list of things to purchase online. But I know that as long as the waist and length work, I can buy any full skirt. Likewise, I know how different toe shapes wi...

1. This has been an excellent season of All Stars so far. Alyssa Milano works much better as host than any they've tried before. Georgina and Isaac work well as judges. Some of the guest judges are questionable, but that's because we're watching Lifetime. Zana Roberts is the only weak link. I'd like to see a stronger mentor in there. Joanna Coles was great (but she left us for Cosmo). I'm interested to see who wins. 2. This has been a tough season to know who to cheer for. I loved Jeffrey from the good ole days, but he didn't do that much I loved this season. Seth Aaron has been solid, but he's annoyed me some. It's great to see Korto back (I have no con for her). Christopher has been my personality favorite all season and occasionally a fashion favorite too. Irina avoided being a villian while Elena showed us why Lifetime asked her back because she is all about the drama. Most of the challenge were strong and produced good fashion. Like this past week...

These Simo-Time sneakers look like orthopedic shoes lined with a teddy bear. Hmm, sacrificing childhood toys would eliminate the need for socks. I'm not sure what bothers me most: the fuzzy lining, the "candy" color selections (also available in  powder blue, black, and the world's worst shade of brown), the puffy lip around the edge, or the fact that there isn't a tongue so tightening the laces would be weird. On the right person in the right setting, I probably wouldn't give them a second thought, but just floating on my computer screen -- hideous!

I hate finding cute earrings because I can't wear them. I got my ears pierced when I was nine, but after letting them grow back and piercing them again, they got more sensitive each year. I don't typically have a problem with metals, only metals that go through my ears. I'm not even sure if my ears are even still pierced because I don't have any gold earrings, which is the only type I can wear. So, no earrings for me. At least, no earring that go through my ears. Until I opened my stocking on Christmas. My mom got me these clip-on converters. You slide a post earring into them and wear it like a clip on! (They sell them for wire earrings too, but I haven't found as nice of a set online yet). I forgot to try them out on New Year's Eve, but I'm going to wear them out once the snow and ice in Michigan let me leave the house. Pictured: Gold and Silver Clip-on Earring Converters, Amazon, $11.39

My Christmas break was spent sick. When I returned to work, they sent me home. Lately, I've been loving loose sweater dresses. It's like wearing a snuggy. Now, if I had the energy to apply makeup, maybe people would stop telling me "You look terrible!" $150 Challenge: Loose Dress by fashionmefabulous bat wing sweater dress, Uniqolo $29.90 long sleeved top, Forever 21 $7.80 tapestry corduroy stretch pants, Hue on Amazon $35 lace up ankle booties, Qupid on Amazon $40 neon bib necklace, Forever 21 $8.80

Scarves, they are the lovely, warm neck blankets that happen to look fabulous. I actually need more scarves. I have several lovely ones, but I during winter, I wear them every day. I wear them all day too because my office is freezing. I also rely on them to spruce up my lazy outfits. Which scarf would you add to your closet? Marvel Comic Scarf by HandmadeReverie   Pride and Prejudice Scarf by LiteratiClub   Plaid Infinity Scarf by Azram Alphabet Infinity Scarf by Periay Elephant Infinity Scarf by Oceanscarf poll by twiigs.com

We've talked about fashion resolutions in years past. I like making goals, and the new year feels like a good time to evaluate life (and wardrobe) to decide what could be better. 1. I resolve to throw things out. I'm a pack rat so unless I want to end up on Hoarders: Fashion Edition , I have to get rid of stuff. I'm not talkng about donating things I don't wear. I'm talkng about throwing away the clothes I wear that have holes, are pilled beyond salvation or patched past reason. I'm all for being frugal and making things last, but I need to look more professional than that. I'm taking pictures of the items I need to replace, keeping the allbum on my phone and using it when I go shopping. 2. I resolve to repair my box of broken shoes. I know of a good shoe repair shop. Its by work. I miss my shoes. They've been in that box for a year. What is wrong with me? This goes to clothing I think I can repair. I'm giving myself deadlines, or I...