Sometimes, simplicity is drop-dead sexy. This was most certainly the case with Anna Paquin's Brigitte Bardot inspired half up look at the recent Screen Actors Guild Awards. Of course, Paquin's plunging neckline didn't hurt her sex appeal at all, but it was her carefree coif that really caught my eye. I caught up with Vancouver hairstylist, Carolynne Collyer, to get the lowdown on recreating the look at home. With V-day just around the corner, this might be just the look to take your night from sweet to saucy—if you know what I mean? 

The who’s who of Hollywood migrated to Miami this past weekend for the Super Bowl, but at times it seemed more like an unofficial fashion week than a celebration of athleticism. Granted, it is usually pretty sweltering down in Florida, but it seemed to me that ladies were pulling out all the stops when it came to flashing skin in South Beach. It’s not really surprising that in a city known for it’s sexy women, celebrities felt like showing off a bit. Kim Kardashian is not exactly known for her demure style, but she was really pushing the extremes of short and tight (not to mention nude, which is such a hot trend right now) on Saturday night. So what about us regular ladies? Does your style morph when you visit a new city?

When it comes to fragrances I am a fairly solid traditionalist—Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle for everyday and occasionally Burberry Brit if I’m really looking to spice things up. There is a new Jo Malone fragrance chronicle on the block (just released on Monday) that has me completely rethinking my usual scent wardrobe….

Basic black and pops of jewel tones (even rather questionable orange shades) are red carpet regulars, but lately there has been a huge shift—and I mean huge— towards blush tones and nude shades being a celebrity's go-to formal wear hue. While nude is a subtle choice, these dresses have been far from simple. In fact, I think the softer shade is leaving a little more room for experimentation in texture and silhouette. You be the judge after the jump.

Back in December I made it pretty clear how I felt about holiday themed lingerie. In general, though, I have a bit more leniency for lacy Valentine’s Day getups than those borderline tarty ensembles marketed for yuletide nookie. True, V-day is a completely fabricated holiday that has been marketed into the ground, but it’s also a fabricated holiday dedicated to love—an emotion and act that sometimes calls for racy lacy bits!

For the last couple months there has been a certain trend popping up in fashion editorials around the world that I have been trying to ignore. Unfortunately, now that the shepherd of all fashion sheep (aka. Kate Moss) has adopted this look as her own I am afraid that I won’t be able to sweep it under the rug anymore. It’s only a matter of time until this doozy saturates the European hipster scene and hops across the pond to infest the North American market….

The Grammy Awards are notorious for having one of the wildest red carpets of the year. Those that usually top the best dressed lists are known to take some pretty serious risks and those that usually dominate the worst dressed list, well to be honest they stay true to form. This year, the stars played it pretty safe when it came to their red carpet wear and saved the questionable choices for their performances (Pink’s barely there nude unitard may have scarred me for life). There were no showstoppers like Jennifer Lopez’s cut down to there, tropical print Versace circa 2000, but there were still some very important style lessons to be learned. See what I’m talking about after the jump.

First things first: I never understood that joke. I mean, orange really does not sound close enough to aren’t for it to be effective. All right, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, on to the fashion element of this post. By now, all you trendsters have likely heard Pantone’s prediction that turquoise will be THE colour of spring 2010, but last week I noticed a serious drift towards the warmer side of the colour spectrum. No, I’m not talking about ravishing reds—scarlet gowns I could get behind—but not since the early nineties have I seen this much orange making the rounds. And frankly, I’m none too pleased about it.

It used to be that we only had one Olsen to worry about; Mary-Kate was clearly the wild child, dressing like a bag lady, battling eating disorders and generally not giving a flying hoot what anyone thought about it. Ashley, on the other hand, could usually be counted on to bring a little refinement, stability and class to the pair. Lately, though, it’s Ashley that has been causing me distress on the red carpet. Sure, Mary-Kate still looks a hot-mess most of the time, but I have come to expect/accept it as part of her charm. Ashley, unfortunately, just doesn't pull off the avant-garde crazy look quite as well....

Last week I showed you Murale makeup artist, Emily Benson’s, method for creating the ultimate smoky eye, but in all honesty, it was a rather involved process. Thank goodness that two of my favourite cosmetic companies have come up with pretty and perfect packages that provide us with everything we need—including step-by-step instructions—to master the look on our own. Check out my picks for the best kits after the jump.