Books make great, affordable gifts, and the book topping every stylish gal's wish list this holiday season is Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. It's not a book about their lives so much as it is a book about their influences, as the title suggests, which means we as readers are granted access to intimate interviews with some of the most influential designers, artists, and photographers in the world. Revealing conversations with Diane von Furstenberg, John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, Christian Louboutin and many many more will entertain and inform any fashion addict. And for Olsen fans, there are plenty of pages of original material by MK and Ashley and photographs of these child stars-turned-style icons.

I can't wait to get my hands on a copy (a not-so-subtle hint to any friends and family who might be reading this post), so if Santa doesn't bring it to me, I'll happily plunk down $22.22 at Amazon and buy it for myself!

Shop it: Influence by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen at Amazon.com, $22.22

My sister-in-law turned me on to these amazing handmade organic soaps by Abbey Brown, a Chicago-based soap artisan, and I guarantee they will make a great gift or stocking stuffer for anyone on your holiday shopping list—especially friends who are passionate about being green. My sis tells me that when Abbey became a mom, she had trouble finding natural soaps that didn't severely irritate her young child's skin. So she took matters into her own hands and began experimenting with her own homemade soaps, which turned out to be a huge success.


I've tried Fields of Lavender, a smooth fragrant soap handcrafted with pure, unrefined and organic saponified oils of olive, coconut, palm kernel, shea butter, castor bean and apricot. Distilled water, and a natural blend of essential oils of lavender, lemon and rosemary round out this recipe, which results in a soap that's great for the face, hands, body—even hair. My other favorite is Chamomile Babe, which is actually intended for babies but I figure my skin can use some TLC, too. Freshly dried chamomile, macadamia nut, and Vitamin E star in this soap.

You can buy Abbey Brown soaps at my sister-in-law's amazing online store, bebybaby.com for $5.95 each or 3 for $15.

Target has two more designer collaborations on the horizon for accessories: Lily Band and Sulaika Zarrouk will design a limited edition handbag collection called Felix Rey for the retailer that will be available from March 29 through June 14. Then, footwear designer Trish Carroll is creating a limited edition shoe collection called Miss Trish of Capri for Target, which will be available from April 5 through June 14.

I'm kinda indifferent towards both designers, but they might translate well to fast fashion because...how can I put this...even their pricey designer stuff looks kinda cheap. Felix Rey does bows, sequins, patent leather, leopard. Meanwhile, Miss Trish of Capri creates costly thong sandals for Palm Beach housewives adorned with shiny trinkets shaped like seahorses or jewel-encrusted starfish. So who knows, both collabs could be cute at Target where the pricetags will happily match the designs.

Above left: The Felix Rey black sequin 'Melody' bow clutch (NOT Target) at Bluefly.com, Was $140, Now $70.99; Above right: Miss Trish of Capri Sandal Swim Jersey in Silver (also not Target) at RevolveClothing.com, Was $217.00, Now $55.00

Many of us will be traveling over the holidays, so I thought I'd share some tips for chic travel style. During a recent flight to Chicago, most of the chic travelers I spotted were wearing boots, a tailored wool coat, a warm scarf, and a cross-body bag. Yes, in my East Coast winter uniform, I fit into this category as well. It's not a look that will turn heads, but I think it's certainly a smart casual way to dress while traveling. Here's why:

Layers are key to keep up with the changing temperatures as you move from the outdoors to the indoors, as well as the uncertain climate on the plane. Start with a cami, add a long sleeve layering tee, then something like a boyfriend cardigan or wrap sweater, and top with your wool trench or peacoat. That's what I wore and I was cozy as a clam.

Flat or low-heel tall boots that you can easily slip on and off as you go through security are warm, comfortable and stylish. Tall shaft boots take up so much luggage space, too, which is why I always wear mine on the plane. They're also versatile enough to go with any outfit you might pack.


A cross-body bag keeps your arms free and secures essentials like your ID and boarding pass close at hand. I recently purchased an amazing modern-vintage cross-body by Fossil at Marshall's for $49 (originally $138). Made from genuine leather, this bag will only get better with time.

A warm, oversized scarf can double as a shawl and adds interest to an otherwise simple, neutral outfit.

A little bit of flair goes a long way--add a knit beanie, fingerless gloves, or legwarmers to show your fab fashion sense. Carefully selected colors can also speak volumes. I went with boring black this season because I got a great deal on my Honee coat at Marshall's, but I saw some ladies sporting taupe, gray, off-white and teal with fantastic coordinating accessories.

Limit jewelry and metal accessories as these will only slow you down. I was stubborn and wore a wide belt with metal grommets, and a ton of stackable bracelets, which I had to remove at the security checkpoint. Also make sure you're not carrying any liquid or gel makeup/beauty products over 3 ounces, as these could get confiscated.

How do you travel in style?

One way to save money on gifts this holiday season is to get crafty and make them yourself. In the December 2008 issue of Martha Stewart Living, the Queen of Crafty has some tantalizing recipes for homemade bath and body treatments. I'm thinking of whipping up a batch of body scrub, which uses only four ingredients. The base can be made from either Epsom salts or sugar that is then colored with a touch of food coloring and scented with your favorite essential oils. Keep reading for the complete how-to.