Here's me wearing two coats of polish on an overcast day, photographed outdoors without the flash.

Chanel's new spring nail colors—specifically Chanel Particuliere Le Vernis Nail Colour—has everyone scrambling to find the perfect mushroom, taupe or putty nail polish for less, which led me to test out Complete Salon Manicure Nail Polish in Commander in Chic by Sally Hansen ($7.99 at Ulta.com). I purchased mine for $6.99 at Target.

I definitely agree with readers who tried this polish before me—the brush is fantastic because it's a little wider and flatter than most brushes, allowing for smooth, even and easy application. But the color is rather sheer, so three coats are required for full coverage. I get really impatient with nail polish, so I just applied 2 coats (3 on my thumbs, haha).

The subtle, sophisticated color is flattering and looks best on shorter nails. It looks different in different lighting situations, of course, but overall it has that slightly purplish-grey-taupe look I was going for. I would like to try something that's a little less glossy, and a little more creamy, though shine is good for hiding imperfections. I feel like I have to be super careful when applying matte colors as these tend to show every flaw.

Here are some more Chanel-inspired colors to choose from, recommended by your fellow readers!

Perfect Putty Polish Colors for Spring 2010

• 
  OPI Fiji Weejee Fawn
  


• 
  Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro Nail Enamel in Steel Grey
  


• 
  OPI The Classics You Don't Know Jacques!
  


• 
  SEPHORA by OPI Matte Nail Colour Matte Metro Chic
  


• 
  essie Chinchilly
  


• 
  SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour Under My Trench Coat
  


• 
  Opi Brights Over the Taupe
  


• 
  butter LONDON Fash Pack (saw this in the ASOS e-newsletter)
  

Photographed with camera flash OFF, indoors

Photographed with camera flash ON

Sometimes the styling and photography can be a dead giveaway with these, but see if you can spot the splurge among these four oversized python-print handbags. Would you carry one?

You may have noticed the return of Dr. Martens, a shoe that epitomized '90s grunge style. The particular pair of vintages Docs shown above is $128 at FreePeople.com, and I can say with certainty they are worth the money if you love this look. I'm dating myself here, but yes, I owned a pair in high school and I adored them. I still regret giving them away (sniff, sniff).


If you want to give this trend a test drive before you splurge on the real deal, try these lace-up military style boots for $36 at ThreadSence.com (an amazing new site from the people who brought you ShopRuche.com!).

Alternatively, Forever 21 had some Doc Marten knockoffs a couple months ago, so keep checking their site/stores in case they restock.

Will you be revisiting the Dr. Marten trend (or trying them for the first time)?

Last season's L.A.M.B. Hunter bootie retailed for $379.95 at Endless.com.


Missed out? Get the look for less now with this Faux Leather Cage Pump, $28.80 at Forever21.com.

Online sample sale site RowNine.com tends to carry reeeally pricey luxury items (think $15,000 watches), but today's sale is actually quite reasonable for a change! Just in time for Valentine's Day, RowNine is selling a nice assortment of men's fragrances, including popular scents from Burberry, Hugo Boss, Bulgari, Ralph Lauren, Versace and more. The one I picked up for my guy called simply Men by CLEAN is on sale for just $39. I did some comparison shopping online, and the exact same bottle of Clean is selling for $79 at Sephora.com. Score. If your man cares about the way he smells (or you do!), this might be the right time to shop RowNine. Standard shipping is $7.