Victoria Beckham's Pixie
A significant change from her trend-blazing angled crop of last year, this Spice girl's new 'do softens her features and makes her look less structured, says her stylist, New York's Garren. However, Garren warns that this cut isn't for everyone. An angular face shape, high cheekbones and big almond eyes carry off the striking cut best.

By: Melissa Goldberg

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Rihanna's Trendy Crop

In order to pull off this songstress's daring cut, elegant features and a bold stroke of confidence are a must. "Rihanna's pixie cut showcases her high cheek bones and long neckline," says the star's stylist, Ursula Stephen. "What's great is that it's so low-maintenance all you need are regular trims and a great pomade!"

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Katie Holmes' Classic Crop

The perfect mixture of easy maintenance and elegance, this cut is, "very convenient for on-the-go soccer moms who aren't afraid of stilettos," says Michael Murphy, Color Director at NYC's Eiji Salon, who has worked with Mrs. Cruise. "It's modern and glam, and is perfect for both heart-shaped and thin faces with hollowness at the jowels. Stay away if you have a full face - it'll exaggerate the roundness," adds Murphy.

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Gwyneth Paltrow's Blunt Shoulder Bob

Reinventing herself this year, this busy mom's new style looks amazing worn both curly or straight. "This cut is a refreshing departure from her older, longer hair that was dragging her face down. The shorter length is more uplifiting and draws attention to her delicate features. It's perfect for oval, diamond and square shaped faces," says NYC Salon Owner & Stylist Mark Garrison.

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Reese Witherspoon's Growing Out Bangs

If you're growing out bangs, look to this starlet's clever new cut to see how it's done gracefully. "The sexy waves are useful for growing out bangs because it adds flowing transition to the different layers of hair. Cut your bangs to an angle so they sweep easily to the side, and use a lightweight gel and side part to help them stay put," advises NYC Salon Owner & Stylist Mark Garrison.

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Jessica Biel's Layered Shoulder Bob

Jessica's round face is slimmed by the playful layers of an above-the-shoulder bob, which also shows off the star's sexy shoulders. While this cut works beautifully for sweetheart and round face shapes, stay away if you're one of those gals who has to be able to quickly pull her hair into a ponytail; the flyaways can be especially testy.

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Jennifer Lopez's Modern Farrah Fawcett

If you're fickle and love to change styles often like Jennifer, a length and cut like this lends itself to trying new looks. "It has movement, softness and sexiness all at once, but allows you to create because there's a lot of hair to work with," says Juan Carlos Maciques, celeb stylist at NYC's Rita Hazan Salon. "If you want to offset strong or prominent features, this cut will soften your look," suggests Maciques.

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Christie Brinkley's Long, Classic Layers

Who says you have to cut your hair after you're 40? This supermodel shows us that long, healthy hair looks great at any age. "This sexy, rock and roll cut allows Christie to keep her length and maintain versatility for different styles. My signature "valiage" highlighting technique where I brush highlights on without foils also lifts her skin tone," says Brinkley's stylist, Ricardo Rojas of NYC's Ricardo Rojas Salon.

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Debra Messing's Layered Curls

The key to this red-headed raven's locks are long piecey layers and a youthful center part that makes her look "hippy chic," says her longtime stylist, Suave Celebrity Hair Stylist, Luke O'Connor. "There's no limits as to who can wear this look because it flows past the chin and frames the face wherever you want it to," adds O'Connor.

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Jessica Alba's Face Framing Bangs

Sexy and touchable, Jessica's bangs are "wind-swept and not perfectly laying across her forehead," says her stylist, Robert Ramos. Ramos suggests blow-drying bangs from side to side with your fingers in order to get the tousled effect. Bonus: the long layered cut works on just about every face shape and hair texture, and the styling possibilities are endless.

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We know we shouldn't laugh, but it's hard to keep a straight face when models tumble on the runway. This model slipped and fell during the Hérvé Leger by Max Azria show -- fortunately she recovered and was unhurt.

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Careful ladies, Hérvé's heels are dangerous! Not one, but two models couldn't keep on her feet during the designer's runway show. Thankfully this fallen fashionista also recovered without any injuries.

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The weekend's other major trainwreck didn't involve stumbling models, but one high-class prostitute-turned-C-List celeb who worked her way into the front row at Yigel Azrouel. Kelly Cutrone (who you might remember from The Hills) was fired by the designer for letting Ashlee Dupre into his show.

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Stylish celebs are synonymous with Fashion Week -- and this season is no exception. Julia Stiles, Hillary Duff and Paris Hilton have been turning heads -- see who else we spotted looking hot in the front row!

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Beauty trends are born backstage at Fashion Week. While designer duds and front row celebs were duking it out for the spotlight, we've been behind-the-scenes -- making sure you know what products models are using to look gorgeous on the runway. Check out our exclusive coverage.

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And let's not forget the clothes, of course. Jason Wu, who designed Michelle Obama's inauguration ball gown, showed a collection fit for the First Lady (or anyone who enjoys elegance and sophistication). See what else is hot this season -- check out Refinery 29 for more exclusive news runway reviews.

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When she was a flat-broke (but "not flat busted") student at the University of Idaho in the 1980s, Sarah Palin dressed in the frumpy-freshman's uniform of tee shirts and shorts. But by the time she took the national stage this summer, she had a chic RNC-financed wardrobe that could have paid for the $125,000 dump truck penciled into the Wasilla City budget -- with enough left over for a family shopping spree at Alaska's first Target. To see how Palin morphed from dorm-dull to camera-worthy, click on.

Heath Family, AP

Sarah Palin -- then Sarah Louise Heath -- walked off with the Miss Wasilla crown in 1984 wearing a red and white strapless confection.

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Even by 1984 standards, Palin's swimsuit for the Miss Alaska pageant was a bit modest . Here, she models a red one-piece, which she later swapped for a "Dynasty"-worthy navy sequined gown. Though Palin snagged Miss Congeniality honors in the race, she lost the title to Maryline Blackburn, the first African-American to represent Alaska in the Miss American contest.

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In 1992 -- the year Donna Karan ran an ad showing a glamorous woman being sworn in as President -- 28-year-old Sarah Palin was all bold shoulders and bright earrings as she ran for the Wasilla City Council.

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Dressed for success: Palin, as a member of the Wasilla City Council, wears the crisp blazer-and-white-shirt uniform favored by of legions of working women. Must have worked. Within 14 years, she was elected mayor of Wasilla and governor of Alaska.

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Standing along the Parks Highway in Wasilla, then-Mayor Palin was the embodiment of North Face chic as she shows how to work a basic red-and-back windbreaker.

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Forget how cold it gets in Alaska. In 2005, Gov. Palin's look in a pink Lilly Pulitzer sweater can be summed up in two words: Palm Beach.

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For her gubernatorial inauguration ball in 2007, Palin traded the librarian's up-do and black skirt and jacket that she wore to the swearing-in ceremonies for loose curls and a raspberry portrait-collar gown.

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When you're heading into the sub-zero temperatures of the Tesoro Iron Dog competition, you don't even think about wearing peep-toe pumps. Here, Palin bundles up in heavy padding, fur and lace-up boots to cheer on her husband, Todd, who has won the snow machine race across Alaska four times.

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At a "Road to the Convention" rally last August, Palin wore a basic black suit (and her old $89 Naughty Monkey peep-toe shoes) as John McCain officially introduced her as his running mate.

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The Inaugural speech may set the agenda for a new Presidential administration, but the Inaugural wardrobe sets the tone. Think of Mamie Eisenhower's exuberant pink frocks in the can-do post-War '50s; Rosalynnn Carter's recycled gown in the down-in-the-dumps '70s, Jackie Kennedy regalness in the everything-is-possible '60s. While we wait to hear Barack Obama's words -- and to see Michelle Obama's clothes -- click back on the revealing (and mostly red, white or blue) Inauguration choices of America's modern First Ladies.

The biggest shock of the 2000 Presidential election was, of course, that it took the U.S. Supreme Court to decide it. The second-biggest shock: that Laura Bush -- after two decades in one of America's shrewdest political families -- would wear such a dowdy ensemb to George's first Inaugural. Instead of bringing in one of Seventh Avenue's big guns -- Arnold Scassi primped up Barbara Bush's style -- Laura chose Michael Faircloth, a little-known Dallas designer who had been turning out her safe (and sorry) public-appearance clothes back to the 1999 Texas inaugural.

Before his stint dressing Laura, Michael Faircloth's claim to design fame was creating outfits for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, so perhaps it's not surprising that his Inaugural gown was all about fireworks. Though Mrs. Bush preferred a tad more coverage than the pom-pom girls, her satin and lace gown, laden with Austrian crystals, was far too matronly for a 55-year-old -- even a 55-year-old ex-librarian. br/>

Is it any wonder that Oscar de la Renta has become something of a house designer for modern White House occupants? After earning his Washington stripes (and stars) transforming Hillary Clinton, he was tapped by Laura Bush for the 2005 Inaugural. The results: different party, same polish. For Bush II, de la Renta turned country-club Laura into a D.C. swan with a delicately beaded ice-blue gown that accented her curvy body and creamy skin.

Chic, simple and with a hemline that flattered, Mrs. Bush's 2005 oath-of-office outfit was a stand-out winter-white coat and dress by Oscar de la Renta. However, it took a village to dress the Bush clan for all the events: Carolina Herrera made a taffeta shirtwaist for the hot-ticket Black-Tie-And-Boots gala; Peggy Jennings created a crystal column for the Candlelight Dinners, and Badgley Mischka turned twins Jenna and Barbara into saucy but sexy First Daughters.

Even before Hillary Clinton got to Washington, she (and her ubiquitous headbands) made it clear that fashion was not at the top of her agenda. And how. Her 1993 Inaugural designers were a raft of Arkansans who earned unanimous not-ready-for-prime-time reviews. Her first transgression: the dizzying plaid suit by Connie Fails for the swearing-in. Bad enough that it violated every keep-it-simple rule, but Hillary topped off the outfit with a decidedly un-Jackie chapeau that many compared to a flying saucer.

If she had known that Inauguration Day would be a metaphor for her early years as First Lady, Hillary Clinton might have re-thought her gown. For her highest-profile star turn, she chose an overwrought crystal-covered confection by Arkansas designer Sarah Phillips, done in a shade of purple last seen lining the royal family's robes. It got more pans than her health care plan.

Thank God for second acts. Hillary ditched the hat, the plaids and the frump for Clinton II and dialed up Oscar de la Renta, who made a coral swing coat and suit that were sophisticated, if not daring. Meanwhile, no longer the awkward adolescent, 16-year-old Chelsea wore a long blue coat that she doffed to reveal a mini-skirt -- and long dancer's legs.

Forever banishing the purple princess, Hillary's 1997 Inaugural gown was a charming variation on one of Oscar de la Renta's runway pieces -- an embroidered gold tulle t-shirt dress that she reinterpreted with longer sleeves, higher neck and just a tad less oomph. Still, with upswept hair and minimal fuss, Hillary exuded more chic than she had in all of Bill's first term.

By the time George H.W. Bush landed the presidency, Barbara Bush had moved 28 times in 45 years, so in swapping the Vice President's digs for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., she was more about function than form. Ditto for her clothes. For the 1989 swearing-in, the Silver Fox chose a straight and sensible turquoise coat over a white dress, both from ladies-who-lunch designer Bill Blass Never one to waste, she paired the dress with an 8-year-old lavender coat for a trip to Canada weeks later.

When you're making millions and have teams of people dedicated to making you look beautiful, it can't be that hard to work the red carpet - right? But celeb after celeb has proved this theory wrong. Who was obsessed with showing off her fake baby bump? Who was a StyleFoul for six months straight? Who flat out scares us? Browse the gallery and find out!

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She's cleaned up her act now, but that doesn't mean we can ignore the constant stream of StyleFoul that Brit Brit sent our way during the earlier half of 2008. Ugly extensions, panty-less crotch shots and glazed over eyes was her daily uniform for quite a while there.

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We love Posh Spice and her fembot ways. Most of the time her style is a little crazy but somehow amazing. However, these thigh-high stripper boots with a twist (they have no heels) are too much. Victoria needs to learn when to leave well enough alone on the runway.

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Nelly is known for being unique. So when she dyed her hair blond we half expected her to start losing weight and turning herself into yet another Paris Hilton clone. The tone washed her out completely! Thank goodness she's already back to brunette.

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Jessica got a lot of buzz for her post-baby body bounce back. Then she went ahead and ruined it all in this deformed red dress for the premiere of her overly airbrushed Campari campaign. Two thumbs down.

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Mischa is prone to style mishaps, but this flub at the Met Costume Gala was perhaps her biggest misstep of the year. The bad design of this dress somehow makes a very thin actress look like a grandma a grandma with wide hips at that.

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P. Hilt shines here and not in the good way. Her Michael Jackson-esque gloves with the sparkle/fake tan overload takes the cheese factor to a whole new level!

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The dress is big enough to fit not one, but two Olsen twins and that headband/alien communication device is downright insane making this one of the few MKO outfits that we don't adore at all.

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She's like the sun/Christmas tree don't stare directly at Cate or you'll walk away blinded.

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This short little number manage to be both confusing and fascinating at the same time mainly because for someone who says she's not pregnant, the pattern sure seems to draw an awful lot of attention to the non-baby belly!

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Before Carla Bruni was France's First Lady, she was an ultra-sexy supermodel, who made quite a stir when she posed nude in 1993. Now it seems Bruni's former image is coming back to haunt her -- a French designer has created a shopping bag using a naked photo of the former model, and she's responded with a lawsuit.

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This photo, showing a less-than-discreet Carla from her racy younger days has been emblazoned on a shopping bag by clothing designer Pardon. 10,000 of the bags have been created, but the First Lady's lawyer is calling for all of them to be recalled -- and burned.

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Team Bruni claims she has full control over her image, and is demanding 125,000 euros in damages over what "constitutes a moral and matrimonial attack." Of course Pardon is arguing that they had every right to use the photo, and it'll be up to a judge to settle the matter early this week.

If she wins, Bruni says she'll be giving the money to charity.

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At 39-years-old, America's favorite romantically-challenged TV icon has still got it. Jennifer Aniston appears on the cover of this month's GQ in barely more than her birthday suit -- but, while she obviously looks gorgeous, we have to wonder: Does this seem a little desperate to anyone else?

Because if you'll remember, Jen's been "revealing" that she's still a little bitter about her Brangelina-induced break-up -- particularly the part where Angie and Brad fell for one another while he and Jen were still married.

Not like that it wasn't totally obvious to the rest of us, but when your ex-husband's new super-hot girlfriend publicly proclaims that he wasn't faithful to you, that's gotta sting.

Of course it wasn't always this way. In the 90's Jennifer Aniston was the center of the universe -- with every man in Hollywood (and beyond) dying for a date with the adorable girl next door.

So when she hooked up with Brad Pitt -- arguably the most desirable man on the planet -- it was a romance that we'd once thought was only possible in fairy tales and impossible romantic comedies.

But by January 2005, that fairy tale crumbled to pieces. Brad and Jen had been sordidly usurped by Brad and Angie, who'd met on the set of their sexy thriller, Mr. and Mrs. Smith. By November of that year Jen was on the comeback trail, showing the world she was over the break-up by showing some skin as GQ's first "Woman of the Year."

And for a moment, things looked good. Maybe Vince Vaughn wasn't just a rebound guy after all. Sure they seemed totally wrong for one another, but if they were getting married then clearly it'd all worked out for the best. Hooray! The dumped girl has been cured!

Oh wait. Maybe not. It seems Jen wasn't ready to accept that she'd fallen from "World's Most Desirable Heartthrob" to "That Chubby Guy You Met in Line for Pretzels at the Knicks Game." And of course rumors start to circulate that she's romantically illiterate and will never find love.

And just for fun, in December 2006, almost two years after Brad and Jen had bombed, our heroine, unlucky in love, gets to relive her failed marriage while suffering through a failed engagement. Awesome!

And that led to a few pretty lonely months. Jen dated some random guy no one had ever heard of -- and it still didn't work out -- but by that point the world had grown weary of the eminent disaster that was every Jennifer Aniston relationship.

OK, time to triumph over tragedy! In November 2007 we met the new Jennifer Aniston -- ready to break free from botched marriages, engagements, friendships, and whatever -- set to devour life as a confident, secure, totally not needy (so there's no reason to be scared of marrying me!) woman in the prime of her life.

On January 20th 2009, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President -- instantly becoming one of the most significant leaders in United States history. What will he say? How will he act? And, most importantly, what will Michelle wear?

Style bible Women's Wear Daily has been wondering the same thing, and enlisted the world's most prominent designers to sketch ideas for the future First Lady. Check out our favorites from the American designers.

Women's Wear Daily

Purple is undoubtedly the "it" color of the season, and Isaac Mizrahi offers a fashion-forward option that (at least to us) seems the most in keeping with what Michelle normally wears. Bonus points for offering options for Sasha and Malia, too!

Women's Wear Daily

Regal, elegant and timeless -- a stunning formal gown from Michael Kors.

Women's Wear Daily

The First Family would certainly be the center of attention in Oscar de la Renta's trio of red, white and blue confections.

Women's Wear Daily

Peter Som channels Jackie K. to offer Michelle O a totally timeless, utterly sophisticated "winter white" gown.

Women's Wear Daily

The President-elect has sworn to work closely with both parties to unite the country. And with Reem Acra's brash, take-no-prisoners gown in Republican red, his wife could show her support for that agenda on her first night as First Lady.

Women's Wear Daily

Tracy Reese suggests a delightfully elegant, classically feminine gown for the lady of the hour.

Women's Wear Daily

Betsey Johnson's gown gives a nod to her punk-rock sensibility, while boldly embracing the patriotism of the occasion.

Women's Wear Daily

A marked contrast from Betsey's in-your-face, inauguration-ball bananza is an ultra-refined evening gown by Diane Von Furstenberg.

Women's Wear Daily

And that's just the beginning. For all 42 sketches by the world's most famous designers, .

Women's Wear Daily

Bad news for stylists, hair dressers, and any woman who's a fan of big 'ol Texas hair. A new study has found a disturbing link between your hairspray habit and an alarming birth defect. Researchers claim that boys whose mothers were around large amounts of hairspray may run the risk of being born with a genital disorder.

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Scientists at the Imperial College London surveyed women who had boys born with a condition called hypospadias -- essentially, a deformity that causes the baby's urinary tract to grow where it shouldn't. According to those scientists, hairspray more than doubled the chance that the women's children would be born with this defect.

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That said, it's not all bad news. The professor who led the study told the BBC that this new research didn't not prove conclusively that hairspray was to blame.

He went so far as to say: "Pregnant women will need to make their own choices about whether or not to avoid these kind of exposures."

But that doesn't mean dousing your head in hairspray is a good idea.

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The number of hypospadias cases has gone up dramatically over the past twenty years, and many have been blaming a chemical called phthalates. As you might suspect, this chmeical is found in plastics -- namely the plasitcs used in hairspray.

Evidence is mounting, and certain types of phthalates have already been banned from hairsprays and other cosmetics.

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You might recognize phthalates -- they've been in the news quite a bit recently, but mostly due to their ability to disrupt hormones. These revelations have led the European Union to ban the substance for toys (for quite some time).

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However, before you completely freak out, while research has shown phthalates could mess with the production of testosterone in some animals (and could therefore effect the development of the urinary tract), studies in humans remain unclear.

So, while avoiding chemicals in hairspray and other cosmetics is a good idea -- particularly when you're pregnant -- you probably won't see any official word on this for a some time.

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The Four Christmases had its Hollywood premiere last night, and plenty of A-List stars showed up looking hot and full of holiday spirit. Sissy Spacek, on the other hand, looks like she just rolled out of bed on Christmas morning. Why she opted for PJs on the red carpet, we'll never know.

Read on for more missteps and style successes.

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Reese Witherspoon, one of the stars of Four Christmases, is stunning as always.

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Jon Favreau, another star of the film, went for the cool, casual look.

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Karina Smirnoff blows a kiss to the crowd as she sparkles in this adorable blue dress.

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Minnie Driver sticks to her traditional (and often unfortunate) boots and dress combo.

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Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen go for a more classic, sophisticated approach, and look absolutely fabulous.

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Katy Mixon, another Four Christmases cast member, take a risk in this bold pink dress, but her overwhelming cuteness helps her pull it off.

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For some reason Kristin Chenoweth decided she'd come dressed as a giant present -- unfortunately Halloween was last month.

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True Bella is totally adorable, as always.

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True's fellow child actor Zak Boggan is suave beyond his years in this dressy-yet-casual ensemble.

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If expectations are high for Barack Obama, they're no less soaring for his wife -- at least in a sartorial sense. After two decades of Bush and Clinton women -- for whom style was not a sixth sense -- the inarguably fashionable and seemingly fearless Michelle Obama has trend-watchers in a frenzy. Tall and taut, with the broad shoulders and self-confidence to carry off whatever she wants, Obama has spent the past 21 months being compared to Jacqueline Kennedy. And, so far, Obama has acquitted herself well, showing off recession-friendly dresses from White House/ Black Market and pricey styles from edgy designers like Isabel Toledo, who she wore (left) last spring to a fundraiser with fashion industry heavyweights. What will she favor for the White House? StyleList takes a look at her past -- and offers some predictions for the future. And for those who think clothes don't matter, remember the words of JFK as he introduced his wildly popular wife at a 1961 State Dinner at Charles de Gaulle's presidential palace. "I am the man," Kennedy said, "who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."

Marcel Thomas, FilmMagic.com

She hasn't even gotten to the White House, but Michelle Obama has already done more than any fashion mag to make Thakoon a household name. The Thai-born designer's dresses were perfect for several major moments on the campaign trail, including (at left) the final night of the Democratic National Convention. At right, the rose-colored silk dress as it appeared on Thakoon's runway. Mrs. Obama seems to have made no changes to it -- except the addition of three her trademark pins to the neckline. (And for those who can't afford Thakoon's four-figure price tags, the designer debuts a more recession-friendly collection at Target in December.)

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No, we don't expect the new First Lady to parade her abs at the Easter egg roll. But with just a few strategically placed swaths of fabric, this delicate floral sheath by Thakoon could meet the needs of the most demanding East Wing schedule.

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Back in 1982, when Nancy Reagan wore rhinestone-trimmed knickers to a dinner at the American Embassy in Paris, she was ridiculed across two continents. So it's no surprise that Michelle Obama decided to keep her thighs safely away from the runway version of Moschino's flowered silk shorts (right). What's a First Lady-wannabe to do? Moschino took the same gray-and-purple fabric and used it to bare Mrs. O's knee's in a more Donna Reed way -- a soft shirtwaist that made her look both comfortable and camera-ready for the debut of the Obama-Biden ticket in Springfield, Ill. last summer. Surely, Nancy would have approved.

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This purple silk coat and carnival-striped dress from Moschino's spring collection strikes the perfect balance between the White House need to look sophisticated and Mrs. Obama's penchant to shake-it-up.

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If fashion tells a story, Michelle Obama's fiery red confetti-printed dress conveyed every bit of her Election Night euphoria. True, the Narciso Rodriguez sheath, modified from the runway version at right, earned as many barbs as raves -- "Maybe it looked really awesome up close?" one fashion wag asked. But you won't find a trace of disappointment on Obama's face, which glowed as brightly as her $10,275 Loree Rodkin diamond earrings.

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Narcisco Rodriguez's edgy black-and-white dress would be techy enough for the You Tube generation and graphic enough for those Dinosaur Age readers of print media.

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Tall and toned, Mrs. Obama isn't afraid to experiment. She plays with color (usually favoring brights) and shape (usually body-hugging) -- and, just when you think you've figured out her fashion maxims, she veers in another direction. The cantaloupe-colored Moschino dress that she wore to her husband's acceptance of the Harold Washington Award this fall was a softer color and silhouette than her typical fare.

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Hillary Clinton made front-page news in 1993, when she co-hosted the Governors' Dinner at the White House in Donna Karan's "cold-shoulder" dress, a dramatic long-sleeved black sheath with -- surpise! -- the shoulders cut out. We're not sure the world is ready for a First Lady in a cut-out torso, but with a bit of fabric in all the right places, Narciso Rodriguez's 'bondage" gown would be a fierce addition to Mrs. Obama's don't-mess-with-me repertoire.

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Peter Soronen's fashions are fun, flirty, and fit for a woman confident enough to show off her curves. Small wonder he's earned red-carpet time from the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Hudson and Tina Fey. He's also added Michelle Obama to his roster. At left, her white delicately-patterned dress is adapted from Soronen's houndstooth check sheath.

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