Have you seen Precious star Gabourey Sidibe on the cover of this month’s Ebony?

I’m loving this shot for a couple of reasons:

A) She’s a plus-sized woman who looks glamorous and stylish.  Yes, she’s clad in head-to-toe black, but she isn’t hiding.  The flattering V-neck, cool textural details, fierce shoes, and statement jewelry express a fabulous, fashionable point-of-view.  A great role model for plus-sized dressing everywhere!

B) She looks confident, happy, and fun.  (See “not hiding” above.)  When was the last time you saw a starlet of any size projecting this much full-hearted joy on a magazine cover?  More, please!

Now compare that to the cover of this month’s Vanity Fair:

Much has been said about its stunning lack of racial diversity, and as far as I’m concerned, every bit of that criticism is valid.  Most glaringly absent is Gabourey Sidibe.  I have mixed feelings about her film, but if such a widely praised, Oscar nominated performance isn’t enough to make her part of the “New Hollywood,” what is?

The ladies on this cover (lovely and talented as they are), are not only the same race but also fall within the same narrow age and weight ranges.  Beyond that- with all due respect to Annie Leibovitz- this photo projects the same tired, ethereal wanness that bores me to tears!  Can someone please smile?  You know smiling, right?  The universally recognized sign of good will?

This is hardly “New Hollywood.”  Try “Miss America 1951.”  When your vision of diversity is including equal sprinklings of pretty young blondes, brunettes, and red heads, you’re not representing America (or Hollywood) as it is today.

A simple comparison of the two magazine covers really says it better than I can, though.  People know modern and confident when they see it!

The internet is giving a lot of coverage to this weekend’s big game, and when it comes to the millions of parties that will be going on Sunday night, most of the focus is on the food.  (I’m definitely making this scrumptious looking dish from The Pioneer Woman.)

Now, far be it from me to ever imply food isn’t important, (believe me, I think food is really, really important), but I appreciate Jaime at The Fashionable Housewife taking on the question of style.  Because what’s the point of slaving away in the kitchen if you can’t look cool and collected during the game?  That’s like the icing on the cake, right?  Making everyone think you can whip up a feast without batting an eye?

Taking Jaime’s thoughts into account, I think I’ll be sporting something like this:

That’s a model from a shoot we did for our Painters Shirt, but her look meets many Super Bowl style requirements.  Casual?  Check.  Chic?  Check.  Tailored enough to look pulled together yet loose-fitting enough to allow comfortable snacking?  Check!!!

So what about you?  Have you given much thought to how you’ll dress for the game?  And don’t you feel that while we’re obsessing over what to serve our hungry masses, we ought to give just a few moments to making ourselves look chic, confident, and stylish?

Can vivid color chase the blues away?

Did you hear about that British researcher who declared this past Monday (the 18th) the most depressing day of the year?  Monday wasn’t so bad for me, but today is leaving something to be desired.  Isn’t Wednesday more of a challenge than Monday on the average week?  I mean, Monday is so full of promise and verve.  By Wednesday, you’re equally removed from Monday’s optimism and Friday’s earned reward.

Of course, it could have something to do with the massive storms in LA today.  We Angelenos simply aren’t prepared for this weather and don’t cope very well.

Anyway, if you’ve got the winter blues, I highly recommend you read this post by Angie at You Look Fab.  She suggests a fashion-based antidepressant (that doesn’t involve any pharmaceuticals!).  And I say Bravo to that!

The other morning, I actually yelled at the TV. I was getting dressed and listening to a Today show feature about smart money management. It was all going along sensibly until the end of the segment when the commentator bemoaned, “Some people are returning to bad spending habits.” As evidence, she cited a $46,000 purse, recently advertised in a Saks catalog. I couldn’t help asking, “Hi, have you ever been to Saks?” True– when I hear $46,000, I think “college fund” not “purse,” but there’s no harm in looking, right?

I cringe when people start critiquing others’ spending.  I’m just not going to judge someone who wants a really expensive (okay, exorbitant) purse– even if my priorities are different. Yes, everyone’s more careful with money these days (generally a good thing), but that’s no excuse for fashion fascism.

That was then... (Carrie Bradshaw of HBO's SATC)

Still, there’s no denying that restraint is our new ideal, shoving out the excessive tendencies that dominated the last 10 years or so. Our First Lady is the best example of this  new disciplined fashionista (dischinista?). She’s known for her sassy ensembles of Talbots and J. Crew ancestry, and when she steps out in designer apparel, it’s someone you’ve barely heard of, attainable rather than aspirational.

Naturally, this hasn’t escaped the notice of fashion royalty. Who can forget Oscar de la Renta’s snide comment to WWD: “You don’t go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater.”

Well, I’ll remember that the next time I meet the Queen.

and this is now. (Michelle Obama's official White House portrait)

For once, though, it appears that Oscar is on the wrong side of trends, since even the highest-end retailers are revamping their private labels, hoping that consumers will bite. There might be something more than practicality at work, though.  According to the Wall Street Journal,  there’s a seething consumer anger towards “the cult of glitz and boom-style spending,” and notes that, “While that went beyond fashion, (luxury) department stores… have been hit hard by the backlash against the sort of overspending and focus on fancy brands that they promoted.”

I get it; personally, I feel a little buzz whenever I score a great deal.  But do you think we lose anything in the process?  When everybody’s focused on the bottom line, is there any room for romance?  Or has leisurely browsing the newest designer apparel become as old-fashioned as the typewriter?  And are you missing the Carrie Bradshaw-like devotion to excessive fashion, or are you welcoming our new, more restrained attitude towards style?

While discussing current trends with some friends, I encountered one that got a unanimously negative response– the romper.

I mean, everyone hated it.  ”It looks like something you’d be forced to wear if you were a roller-skating waitress,” said one friend.  Another derisively referred to it as a “onesie,” which, I suppose, it is.

But since I like a challenge, it got me wondering:  Is it possible to wear this ubiquitous trend with style and sophistication?  My conclusion is… maybe.

First, you have to find a good-looking romper.  Just like cooking, you’ll get much better results if you start with quality ingredients.  I like this piece that recently appeared on SheKnows.com:

Great color, classic wrap styling… I think we can work with it.  Let’s call it Exhibit A Romper.  Of course, on its own, it just looks like something that will get you sent home from your sophomore algebra class.  But here’s what I’d do to take this piece from Miley to Jackie…

1.  Make it an outfit by adding other pieces. I’d love to see this with a longish bolero (maybe taupe?).  And it needs a belt, which will mitigate that “onesie” effect.  For extra style points, wear the belt over the bolero.

2. Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. This is the most fun part, of course.  Exhibit A Romper is definitely crying out for a fabulous statement necklace.  Here’s some ideas:

You can go with something Chic, like the Hana Necklace:

Or pure pretty, like Adore by Natalie’s Green Garnet Necklace:

But I might try this funky option, the Eve Necklace by Avant Garde:

Then I’d top it off with a stack of cool, casual bracelets, like these:

3. Wear the right shoe. Exhibit A Romper is quite a little temptress.  She’s calling out, trying to get me to suggest the It Shoe of the moment, the gladiator sandal.  But keeping it real, that’s just one trend too many.  Plus, all that gladiator styling just shortens the leg.  I’d prefer classic strappy sandals with a slight heel.  They’re guaranteed to keep the whole look timeless and more importantly, they’ll lengthen your legs.

Which brings us to the crucial point.  If you want to wear this look well, you’ve got to have great legs.  I’m talking great– as in “sometimes people mistake me for Tina Turner” legs.  If you don’t love your legs or feel self-conscious about showing them off, move along to the other big trend of the summer– the maxi dress.

But if you’re feeling daring enough for the romper, the ideas above should help you pull it off with aplomb.  So will I be trying it this summer?  Hmmmm…. Maybe if I find the right one.

And after I’ve spent about 123456789 hours on the stairmaster.