Attention Little Monsters: Mama Monster is here to make your holiday wishes come true!

In case you were unaware, Lady Gaga and Barneys New York have teamed up this holiday season to bring New York shoppers, and Gaga fans alike, GAGA’S WORKSHOP. A unique spin on your traditional Santa’s Workshop, GAGA’S WORKSHOP will take over and transform the entire fifth floor (we’re talking 5,500 square feet of Gaga madness, folks!) of the Madison Avenue Men’s store into a colorful and vivid shopping holiday shopping treat for people of all ages.

Comprised of of several elaborate shops, Barneys New York shoppers will be able to peruse and indulge in a variety of product categories, including candy, toys, collectibles, apparel, jewelry and holiday gifts. These exclusive products have all been designed through a collaboration between Lady Gaga, Nicola Formichetti and Eli Sudbrack, and 25% of all sales will benefit the Born This Way Foundation, the recently founded organization by Lady Gaga her mother, which focuses on youth empowerment and equality.

While GAGA’S WORKSHOP has yet to open, the shop’s microsite has launched with a countdown to the opening of the Madsion Avenue pop-up shop on November 21st at 11:59pm. Each day of the “12 Days of Gaga” will showcase a different limited edition product for pre-sale and available while supplies last. For today’s kick-off of the 12 Days of Gaga, they have released a Gaga Face Cookie, priced at $15. Lastly, Barneys New York has launched a Facebook Sweeps where fans can enter to win one of 30 “Golden Tickets” to the launch party and ribbon cutting of GAGA’S WORKSHOP.

To learn more about GAGA’S WORKSHOP and the 12 Days of Gaga, visit gagasworkshop.com.

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The Rachel Zoe Project is back! The new trailer for The Rachel Zoe Project debuted, and it looks awesome! Basically, we can expect more of the same fashion frolicking, with a few added twists thrown in to change things up. Major drama surfaces as Brad leaves the styling team and Rach has to find assistants to fill his shoes. Rachel takes on some of her biggest projects ever, including super-fun gigs like styling Kim Kardashian for a photo spread. And, of course, Rachel is pregnant! Let the maternity fashions commence. Expect lots of mayhem, and plenty of Zoe-isms, like “Bananas!” and “I die…” Can’t wait until August 2! [Source: HollyBaby]

Marilyn Monroe’s dress pulls in a whopping sum at auction. Marilyn Monroe’s iconic white dress, the one she wore during the subway scene in The Seven Year Itch, was sold at an auction over the weekend and pulled in an astonishing amount of dough. How much exactly? Well, it was expected to go for $2 million. It actually went for a whopping $5.6 million! Now, I totally get that this is one crazy-cool dress to have in your collection, but I can’t even fathom that sort of cash for just one frock. You could basically buy out Fifth Avenue in NYC! Anyway… the buyer hasn’t been identified yet, but needless to say, I’m sure he or she is very happy with this purchase! Win. [Glamour]

Versace for H&M is coming soon! Possibly the biggest news of the week and the piece I am completely ecstatic about, H&M and Versace just announced a collaboration to hit store shelves in November! The one-and-only Donatella is spearheading the collection, so I know it’s going to absolutely thrill all of us fashion lovers. H&M’s creative adviser, Margareta van den Bosch, released this statement:

“Versace is one of the most important brands of recent times, and their collection for H&M will be glamorous and flamboyant – everything Versace stands for. Donatella Versace is sharing with us iconic designs from the archives. This is such a celebratory collaboration and it is perfect for the party season.”

If that doesn’t get you jumping up and down, I don’t know what will. I’m planning to be first in line when the looks launch on November 17. [New York Daily News]

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If you love Rodarte and Black Swan, then get ready for this; 6 of the tutus designed by Rodarte and worn in the Academy Award nominated film will be on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles (MOCA). The exhibition, “Rodarte: States of Matter” opens March 4th. Check out Fashion Etc. for the full story!

There is drama in Fashionland! This morning Fashionologie reported that designer John Galliano was arrested in Paris last night after assaulting a couple at a bar. Until further investigation, Dior has suspended the designer and put a halt on his March 4th show in Paris.

Speaking of fashion shows…New York Fashion Week showed us the bold and dramatic. If you caught a glimpse of London Fashion Week, then you know things got even bolder and more dramatic. Get ready to get your drama on this fall, as The Fashion Spot shows us 10 Bold Beauty Looks from London Fashion Week.

The Academy Awards are synonymous with Hollywood glamour and a time when our favorite stars grace the red carpet in the best (and sometimes worst) fashion.  FabSugar has compiled a slideshow of the 50 Most Iconic Red Carpet Looks for you to re-visit and get you ready for this Sunday’s ceremony.

The weekends are a perfect time to tackle a few projects at home – like organizing your makeup case or nail polish collection! Stop by I am Style-ish today to watch her short video on Nail Polish Organization and how you can keep your nail polish collection neat and organized just like hers. Also, if you’re looking  to add a few more color options to your collection, head over to SheFinds for a rundown of  the Hottest Spring Nail Colors.

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Can’t wait to meet them? Here’s a sneak peek into the lives of these chic ladies:

About Tiffany

Tiffany Ish grew up in Seattle and got her fashion sense at an early age from her fabulously stylish mom. A successful independent blogger (check out I Am Style-ish), Tiffany’s mission at Smarter.com is “to have fun with it and write about things that make her happy.”

As a “vertically challenged” person, Tiffany hates shopping in the petite section of the store, so she gets a lot of her clothes tailored to fit perfectly. She’s also got a dainty size-5 foot (lucky lady) but can never find shoes. When she does find them, she wants the heels HIGH.

Tiffany joined the ranks of fashion fiends straight from her mom’s closet, and her love of very high heels was cemented in high school when she borrowed a pair of Mom’s Guccis for her prom. Her other life-changing style moment — getting eyelash extensions. “I never have to deal with mascara again, and I always have fabulously lush, long lashes!”

A few notes from Tiffany:

Personal style: girly and classic with some trends mixed in. I love Miu Miu shoes and accessories, as well as Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Dior and Christian Louboutin (hello, red soles!)
Current style craves: skinny jeans (or jeggings), big cocktail rings, stacks of bracelets, sky-high pumps, bold pink lips, light-colored blazers
Style pet peeves: ankle socks with heels (very few people can pull that off), flip flops (acceptable as beachwear only)
Favorite brands/stores: Nordstrom, particularly the Via C section, is my favorite store to shop in. Barney’s, Shopbop, Net-a-Porter.com, Madewell, J. Crew. Brands: Elizabeth & James, See by Chloé, Vince.
3 things you never leave home without: lip gloss, eyeliner and blush

About Sharon

A born and raised New Yorker, Sharon is style editor for The Fashion Spot and New York Editor for Beauty Snob, and her mission at Smarter.com is to the share the fruits of her beauty obsession.

Sharon has been a fashionista since kindergarten, when she put together elaborate layered looks. In fifth grade, she was sent home for wearing a hot pair of silver booties — her first high heels. In sixth grade, she got a Moschino black bag, which she still has.

In true fashionista fashion, Sharon’s Manhattan apartment has two massive closets and a walk-in stuffed with her fabulous fashion finds, including hundreds of pairs of shoes, handbags and two overflowing vanities with jewelry. She’s also got two huge shelves filled with makeup and beauty products, and is on the look out for more.

A few notes from Sharon:

Personal style: edgy-classic. I love shopping the more cutting-edge pieces from minimalist brands like Ports 1961 and Jil Sander and mixing them up with contemporary finds from Elizabeth & James, Patricia Field, Kimberly Ovitz, Rebecca Minkoff and Halston Heritage.
Current style craves: a chunky gold men’s Rolex and the Cartier love bracelet
Style pet peeves: pinky rings
Favorite brands/stores: Intermix, Bergdorf Goodman
3 things you never leave home without: hand cream, ChapStick, perfume

About Belinda

Belinda is a Cali girl to her core. A self-taught, self-proclaimed style critic, she was the Content Editor at Organize.com before bringing her fashion sense to Smarter.com. Her mission is to offer insights, style tips and inspiration — and to share her real-life fashion experiences. If Belinda sees a fabulous look on the street, she awards a mental Fashion Bravo — and she may take a quick pic to share on her blog.

You won’t find Belinda sporting many prints, because they change so quickly, but she can hardly resist black and white stripes. And while Belinda tried out her first heels at 14, in typical Cali style, she usually prefers more comfortable footwear — including flip-flops.

Cute, comfy tops fill Belinda’s closet. She also loves cocktail rings, because “they make the martini in your hand look so much better.” Like so many aspiring fashionistas, Belinda practiced styles on her Barbie collection when she was younger. She spent hours primping — and rarely got past the closet to actually play. In later years, she joined the Carrie Bradshaw fan club, religiously watching “Sex and the City” and taking wardrobe notes.

A few notes from Belinda:

Personal style: classic and comfortable with a touch of modernity. I look for pieces that are timeless and can become staples in my wardrobe. I love solid neutral and muted colors, because they can be easily combined with each other. I’m also obsessed with black and white color combinations — so chic and always in style.
Current style craves: all things ruffled, a chic black leather jacket, tan leather cross body bag and comfy, sexy leather boots
Style pet peeves: wearing too much makeup all the time, showing too much cleavage and leg, bras peeping out, overly boyish looks and wool socks with sandals or peep-toe heels
Favorite brands/stores: Forever 21, H&M, Banana Republic, Michael Kors, White House|Black Market, and Target has great stuff, too!
3 things you never leave home without: lip balm, hand cream and my digital camera (I’m an obsessive shutterbug!)

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The ring is a thing of beauty: a large sapphire surrounded by 16 diamonds. Queen Elizabeth II picked up the ring herself in 1981, the year Princess Diana and Prince Charles were engaged. Prince William stowed the ring away following DiÂ’s passing. But amazingly enough, despite DiÂ’s admiration and trend-setting ways, the ringÂ’s style never really caught on with the general population. Men still buy all-diamond sets for their brides-to-be, and women still want them. Which is why this weekÂ’s other engagement announcement struck me as interesting.

Jessica Simpson (God love her), is engaged to athlete Eric Johnson, suspiciously just days after ex-husband Nick Lachey popped the question to his longtime girlfriend, Vanessa Minnillo. But the really striking thing about it all is JessicaÂ’s ring: a three-stone ring with a ruby stone that is flanked by two diamonds. ItÂ’s truly stunning. Many have speculated that hers was much cheaper than VanessaÂ’s estimated $125,000 diamond mountain, but I donÂ’t care.

Like KateÂ’s ring, JessicaÂ’s has personality. Even if theyÂ’re not custom-made or million-dollar monstrosities, they are truly beautiful. Perhaps it says something about their charactersÂ… and while I would never put Jessica on KateÂ’s level of sophistication, they both seem like semi-levelheaded (enough) people who donÂ’t have their heads in the sky like so many doe-eyed celebutante brides. I think the ring says something about the man (and the woman, who surely has veto power).

Honestly, IÂ’d be more proud wearing something that was unique and innovative. Diamonds really arenÂ’t my best friend. TheyÂ’re actually kind of clingy.

What do you think? Would you prefer a big diamond or something less traditional? Sound off in the comments.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/lara604/2103964772/

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At the end of last month, Whitney Port confirmed to Ryan Seacrest that MTV had no plans to renew the show for any upcoming seasons. It was devastating news for a die-hard “City” girl like me. When everyone else was somehow addicted to its big sister show, “The Hills,” I was swooning over the East Coast style in the Big Apple. Let’s recap the awesome-ness that was “The City,” shall we?

I will admit, I was a skeptic after the first season. Whitney was working at Diane von Furstenberg with one of the most seemingly evil co-workers on the planet, Olivia. That girl stole ideas, sucked up to the boss and somehow kept getting recognition by the higher-ups. (CouldnÂ’t stand that, but with her gorgeous necklaces and perfectly pulled-together looks, it was hard not to be envious of this villainessÂ’s style-smarts, wasnÂ’t it?) And Whitney herself didnÂ’t really seem like she was loving NYC living, getting zero credit for her hard work at DVF and dating a total jerk, Jay Lyons.

I thought this show was going to die off after a few episodes. Either that, or I would forget about it and stop watching.

But the show returned for the second half of its first season completely re-vamped and much more stylish! We got to see two aspects of the fashion industry. Whitney created her brand, Whitney Eve, as an up-and-coming designer under the tutelage of tough-as-nails Kelly Cutrone. (That woman is scary, but she knows her stuff!) And on the flipside, we got to follow Olivia to Elle magazine, where she worked under Creative Director Joe Zee and alongside PR whiz Erin Kaplan, who finally stood up to her conniving ways (loved her for that).

And I will admit, seeing the inner-workings of Elle was the absolute highlight of the show’s run. Haven’t you always wondered if a magazine offices look like they could be pulled right of the screen from “The Devil Wears Prada”? I have! They sort of do… and that fashion closet is divine. With all those labels — Chanel, D&G, Marc Jacobs, Prada — you could lose yourself in there for weeks.

But alas, the show is sadly finished.

I guess now I will have to find a new show to fulfill my stylish TV time. What fashionable program do you guys think I should watch now that “The City” has reached its end? Let me know in the comments!

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/shankbone/4006816875

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The look of the new shop is similar to that of their SoHo station, which differs from the white clinical approach taken in Space NKÂ’s Britain store interiors. NK has opened over 55 of these stores in their home country since launching in 1993.

What are we really hoping for from Space NK’s expansion in the U.S.? A Spa NK location — Spa NK is amazing. If you ever make it to London, stop into the Westbourne Park location for a heavenly facial. What else? A Space NK boutique in Chicago! It’s the perfect location to start a foray into the flyover states. But if you can’t make it into one of the standalones, you can always shop on Space NK’s U.S. e-commerce site.

Space NK is known for launching amazing niche and cult beauty brands, giving beauty consumers an alternative to the current mainstream options. HereÂ’s our list of the coolest brands at Space NK.

Tata Harper is an eponymous range of 100-percent all-natural, nontoxic and paraben-free skincare thatÂ’s made by hand on Julius Kingdom Farm in Vermont. The serum has gotten rave reviews.

Rococo Nail Apparel Lacquer is an amazing niche nail brand made by a London duo to professional standards. The colors are completely on trend, and even the most vibrant goes on evenly, saturated and streak-free (with no pull or drag) in just one coat. Their gold-leaf topcoat is gorgeous, either worn over another color or alone.

Kjær Weis is the first of two amazing Dutch color cosmetic brands at Space NK. Kjær Weis is a refillable, certified organic makeup system from makeup artist Kristin Kjaer Weis with amazing, architectural compacts for its high-quality cream blushes, lip tints and eye shadows.

Ellis Faas is the second of Space NKÂ’s amazing Dutch brands, and just as design-focused, if not more so. The bullet-like wands and sleek silver tube holder are streamlined ways to create an entire look with colors found naturally in the human body. Ellis Faas has lipstick (three amazing textures), blush, eye shadow (three amazing textures including the wet-look lights), mascara, concealer, foundation and powder. It is, by far, the most beautiful launch in the last two years.

Emma Hardie hosts natural skincare from über-facialist Emma Hardie of the Amazing Face system. Emma’s facials are highly coveted among the beauty editor set in the U.K. capital, and her skincare is no less lauded. Each item comes with instructions on how to best massage and manipulate your face with it. This is one of the tricks to Emma’s transformative facials. They are quick to absorb, gentle and effective.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/akiraohgaki/444886273

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What is fairtrade? PBS defines it as “a term used to describe a social-responsibility movement demanding that farmers receive fair prices for their products; also describes products that are produced by these farmers”. ThatÂ’s pretty much it — paying people a fair price or wage for their goods or services, which has not and you wonÂ’t be surprised to hear, the standard practice among corporations for a long time (wave hello to the United Fruit Company, everyone).

So does it matter to you if the Shea butter or coconut milk in your beauty products is traded fairly? Do you need Polynesian vanilla farmers to earn more or do you simply want your beauty products for as cheap as you can get them? A good point made on StyleList is that if you opt for official fairtrade you probably canÂ’t buy local. That said, a lot of local, small-batch products are going to be fairly traded — certified or not — because, well, your neighbor clearly has to earn a living wage to stay in his/her house and sell you that skin cream she/he is making, right?

The author of Superfreakonomics makes the argument that fairtrade is actually just another tier of price differentiation, meaning itÂ’s a way to create a good that cost more for those who are willing to pay for it. (HereÂ’s a recent NYTimes post on it for the academics out there).

If youÂ’re interested in fairtrade beauty and you donÂ’t want to break the bank, there are plenty of products out there. Stylelist featured a list just this week (on it were (a personal favorite) Sophyto, Mark, KiehlÂ’s, Peacekeeper Causmetics, Lush, Kimberly Sayer, Decleor and Sibu among others). And many brands both big and small, like The Body Shop, offer specific products, ranges or ingredients that have been fairly traded and have been doing so under the radar for a while because of personal conviction and/or business ethics. Other brands that dabble in fairtrade are Melvita and the ones listed on the UK fairtrade website: Akoma, Boots, Bubble and Balm, Bulldog Natural Grooming, Essential Care, Lush, NealÂ’s Yard Remedies, Organic Monkey, Urtekram and Visionary Soap Company.

Do you use fairtrade? Or do you just care about the price? Know of any other fairtrade beauty brands out there?

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/daveynin/3760127384/sizes/s/in/photostream/

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Perhaps the most popular brand starting a new maternity line is Forever 21. This fast-fashion store appeals primarily to young women around the age of 21, hence the storeÂ’s name. Forever 21 is known for making inexpensive, fashion-forward clothes whoÂ’s clothing stock changes as infrequently as weekly, but sometimes within as short a time span as only a few days. Before the maternity line, Forever 21 was already selling, in addition to a basic womanÂ’s line, a plus-sized line, a menÂ’s line, as well as a childrenÂ’s line. Now they are adding a maternity line, which is generating a lot of buzz on the Internet.

In part why Forever 21 has received so much attention for their new maternity clothes is their choice to sell these clothes only in the stores of five states: Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah, and Texas. And, as the bloggers at “The Gloss“ reveal, three of those states (Arizona, California, and Texas) top the list of the states with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy. So is Forever 21 just trying to continue marketing to its youth market? Or are those three states with some of the highest occurrences of teen pregnancy just coincidentally in the top 15 most populated states in the United States? And why would Forever 21 release its maternity line in stores in Alaska, which has one of the lowest overall populations in the U.S.?

Regardless of what you think Forever 21Â’s intentions may be, to me it seems undeniable that this new maternity line is an incredibly good idea. In addition to selling tops and bottoms that accommodate pregnancy, the line also has some essential maternity items, like inexpensive bellybands. These clothes seem so useful, as many women donÂ’t want to spend a lot of money on clothes they can and will only be wearing for a few months.

I also really like that the maternity line carries skinny jeans in addition to other closer-fitting clothes. I hate seeing pregnant women swallowed up in a bundle of fabric. Pregnant bodies are beautiful and should be shown off in an appropriate way. I also like that Forever 21 suggests that just because you’re pregnant, does not mean you have to give up wearing fashionable, fun styles.

What do you think of Forever 21Â’s new maternity line? What do you think of maternity clothing lines trying to appeal to younger, trendier expectant mothers?

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/lanbui/4704921864

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In addition to these six items, each participant was allowed to wear certain clothing as an “exception” to the six -  namely workout clothing, underwear, swimsuits, and work attire. They were also allowed to wear as many accessories as they wanted -  any shoes, purses, whatever in addition to the main six.

As people participate in the experiment, they’re asked on the website to post photos of their outfits as well as their experiences repeating their daily wear. The main purpose of this project seems to be to explore questions about how our clothing defines us – whether it is how we define ourselves through the clothes we wear or how people choose to interpret us through our fashion choices.

Interestingly, many of the participants whose posts I read stated that no one seemed to notice that they were repeating outfits again and again. One participant, a student named Glenna reported that she wore the same top two days in a row to class. As she wonders if the other students notice her clothing repetition, she blogs, “It barely matters to anyone else what you are wearing. Instead we spend so much time thinking about ourselves and how others view us.”

Along with these realizations about self-perception and self-presentation, participants seem to love how quickly they can get ready in the morning. Not having to make fashion choices free up time for them to do other things they would much rather do. As one participant, Addy, expresses, “Instead of spending 40-50 minutes each morning on getting dressed, I have a real breakfast. I even had time to make crepes today and enjoy them on my balcony!”

With these positive outcomes from the experiment, many of the participants feel its limitations. Some report feeling stifled by having picked only basic colored clothing and miss their bright colors, others feel the strain trying to wear only their six items in the midst of the incredible heat wave.

Though I’m all for the idea of contemplating how clothing defines us as well as the effects of our consumer culture, I’m not sure that this project is the solution to our questions. In this age where everything is pared down – status updates, Twitter posts – does fashion need to become equally curtailed? Fashion has always been in some ways creative fantasy.

Most people in their regular lives have very limited creative options to express how they feel or what they like, so why minimalize fashion when itÂ’s one of the last few daily creative options that every person can enjoy? When everything else in life is supposed to be consumed as quickly as possible, fashion is here to add a simple playfulness to our otherwise serious lives.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/aldrin_muya/3172474863

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