The End of the Year As We Know It

The end of the year is fast approaching, my friends.

(Pause: am I the only one who is completely shocked by this? 2009, we hardly knew ye.)

In addition to my total and complete shock, this also means all sorts of "Best Of 2009" lists. And this year, we get an extra bonus with a litany of "Best of the Decade" lists as well.

(Wait, seriously? The end of the decade? What the what?!?)

I have been enjoying all kinds of merry list-making (hotties! movies! celebrity scandals!) but Entertainment Weekly's list of 20 Knockout Dresses of the '00s might be top of my list of favorite lists. (See what I did there?)

There were some well-known pieces, like Halle Berry's strategically appliqued Oscar dress...

... and Keira Knightley's diaphonous green gown from Atonement...

... but there were some lesser-known surprises as well. (Michelle Obama's colorful Democratic National Convention shift anyone?)

Check out the list for yourself and then come back and make one of your own.

Tell us, what were your Top Dresses of the Year? (Or the past 10 years, if you're feeling ambitious.)

It's Easy Being Green

{Image courtesy of TreeHugger}

The other day I was walking downtown and there was a man shouting out, "Learn more about green fashion!" and handing out leaflets. I took one. And it wasn't about "green fashion" at all. It was thinly veiled animal rights activism with really disturbing pictures of dead sheep on the front. My friend, Cristy, got really mad and called the guy a liar. He just smiled.

Don't worry, I would never do such a thing to you. My interest was sparked, though, so I did a little research of my own.

The first thing that came to mind when I started thinking about green fashion was recycling old clothes. Donating your little-worn items to a thrift store or consignment store is obviously an easy, green way to go. I also like passing on old favorites to people I know will love them and wear them as much as I have. You can even get some friends together for a closet swap, with everyone bringing a pile of old, but fashionable, good-conditioned clothes that are ready for a new home.

Another one of my favorite ideas is cutting up a few different favorite items and combining them to make something new. Maybe you love the design on a certain T-shirt, but it's too threadbare to wear in public anymore. Cut off the design and sew it into a new T-shirt, or even onto a collared shirt or a hoodie for something old and something new. Do you have a cardigan that just doesn't get you as excited as it used to? Sew some lace around the hems, or spruce it up with a couple handmade rossettes. And, voila! You have something new without buying something new.

If you are buying something new, but still want to limit your fashion impact, there are plenty of ways to do that, too. Stick with organic fabrics, like cotton, and companies, like Fair Indigo that provide fair trade merchandise. You can even get vegan shoes designed by Natalie Portman!

Still skeptical? Take a little trip over to TreeHugger for 7 Reasons Why You Should Care About Sustainable Fashion.

I bet you feel like a better person already.

The Big Reveal

Before we get started on the big reveal of our Dare to Design winner, let me just say WOW!

WOW! to all of the wonderful, creative, worthy designs!

And WOW! to all the thousands (quite literally, thousands) of votes we received!

And WOW (not to mention thanks a million!) to all our faithful Shabby Apple-seeds who helped me count them.

Really, you guys are the bestest.

And your wish is my command.

The winner of our Dare to Design competition is...



(Drum roll please...)



(Keep scrolling...)



(Is the suspense killing you yet?...)



(OK, fine, I'll tell...)



This adorable ditty, The Lawn Frock, from Grosgrain Fabulous!

Congratulations to the fabulous designer!

And congratulations to all of you, who can own this dress come Spring. (And who is ready for Spring? I am. Already. It is going to be a l000ng winter.)

Thanks again to all our designers, and all our voters. I am giving you a cyber hug right now. And stick around because, as always, there is lots more fabulousness where that came from.

You know?

Seasonal Sparkle

'Tis the season for holiday parties, which brings the inevitable and oh-so-frustrating question of what to wear.

This has been a topic of particular discussion around my house as of late, as my aunt and uncle were off last night to attend the White House Christmas Ball. If you think trying to decide what to wear to the company Christmas party is tricky, imagine what trying to decide what to wear to the President's Christmas party might be like.

(For inquiring minds, my aunt went with a lovely, full-skirted black satin dress, accented with sparkling rhinestone accessories. She looked perfect.)

For those of you wardrobe planning for a slightly less formal event (and my guess is that would be all of us), might I suggest some favorite new finds.

I am totally loving this sequined jacket from one of my all-time favorite online retailers, ModCloth.




This capelet can swing in any direction you need it to. Pair it with a simple white tank and skinny black jeans and heels for a casual night of Christmas cocktails, or put it on with a slinky pencil skirt and lace tights or over a Little Black Dress for a dressier look.

Other glittering looks include this black sequined top and or this more daring, shimmering cropped tank.





Another look I am really loving this holiday season is the winterizing of summer wear for a breezy, cold weather look. Take this outfit from Anthropologie, for example.




Just add dark-colored tights, a cozy sweater and knee-high boots to a lacy, summery skirt, and you have a formal Winter outfit where once only a light Summer outfit existed. I love the unexpected mix of colors and textures, not to mention the chance to reuse old favorites in a new season.

This same idea can easily be applied to more formal wardrobe items as well. You can add a ruffled cardigan and tights to a dressier sundress or skirt, for example. You can even layer tights under a pair of formal shorts and finish off the look with a belted sweater or blouse.

So, see? Christmas parties aren't so bad after all.

Tell us how you plan to get glammed up this season.
And save some egg nog for me.