Fug or fab: Snood, half-scarf, half-hood

What do we think about this, friends?

 

It's called a snood, and the Wall Street Journal discusses its place in the trend spectrum this Christmas. When I first saw the word "snood," I thought they were talking about this game that I used to play obsessively on the computer (PROCEED TO LINK AT OWN RISK and OMG I just noticed I can download it for my iPhone! Life = over). Anyway, a snood in this capacity is actually a scarf-hood hybrid.

My first instinct? It looks like something my Polish ancestors wore on the docks. My mother has regaled me with stories of her youth spent wearing babushkas in Ohio, and it ain't pretty.

My second instinct? There are certain days of the week where this would kind of be awesome. Think about it. Your hair is a hot mess. Your face is broken out. You had too much wine last night and you generally feel like hiding from the world while you run into Publix for toilet paper. This could be a fierce solution to all the world's problems!

They're on the shelves affordably at Zara and H&M this season. What say you, style legions? Fug or fab?

Deal Diva Stephanie

Photo: Missoni snood, Getty Images

With Jean Straps, wearing boots is smooth sailing

You probably haven't heard the word stirrups since the 1980s or your last visit to the gynecologist. But they're back in the fashion lexicon.

The other day, I got an e-mail about a new product called Jean Straps. They're removable stirrups that hold your jeans in place while you put boots on and "keep jeans taut, minimizing bunching," the e-mail reads. They're available here for $9.99 a pair.

At first glace, I scoffed. I mean, just look at the picture. Then there's the embarrassment of revealing the elastic bands when you take off your boots.

But then I remembered last week when I tried stuffing my skinny jeans into a pair of fall boots. I pulled. I tugged. And still, there remained a lump of bunched-up denim around my ankle.

Divas, what's the bigger fashion tragedy -- straps around your feet or lumpy jeans under your boots?

Deal Diva Dalia

(Photo courtesy of Jean Straps.)

Over the knee boot: Forget it or gotta have it?

 

So, boot season is here in full effect. And I am on the hunt. This year's trend du-jour: over-the-knee boot.

They come in a variety of textures and either heeled or flat.

I've been on the fence about this look for a while and I'm just about ready to leap.  One half of me thinks slutty 80s raunch while the other side says trendy stylish statement.

What's a girl to do?

So I pose the question to you purveyors of style: OTK boot: Fug or Fab?

Deal Diva Nicole

(Picture: Elle.com/Givenchy)

She said, she said: Why I sold my wedding dress

Dalia's turn: It's no secret that I've been trying to unload my wedding dress since I tied the knot nearly two years ago. After unsuccessful attempts to sell the gown in a consignment shop and on Craigslist, yesterday someone finally said yes to the dress! A friend of a friend named LaShonda, who is getting married in May, came to my house, tried on the gown, loved it and wrote me a check for my asking price, $250.

Over lunch this week, when I shared news of the transaction with the other Deal Divas, Nicole nearly choked on her salad. "WHY?!" she gasped.

So for Nicole and all the other haters out there, here are seven reasons why I said "I do" to selling my gown.

Project Runway's Tim Gunn comes to Tampa. What to wear?

So you think you’re worthy of strutting your stuff in front of fashion guru Tim Gunn?

The host of Bravo’s Project Runway is speaking at the University of South Florida’s Marshall Student Center, 4202 E Fowler Ave., in Tampa, at 7 p.m. Wednesday. His talk is free and open to the public. For details, call (813) 974-9837 or click here.

Gunn definitely has strong opinions on what’s in and what’s a fashion “no-no.” So when you’re putting together the perfect outfit to present yourself in front of the austere mastermind, be sure to keep these tips in mind:

Michelle Obama wears crazy ugly shoes to the Yankees-Phillies World Series

So much for sports fashion advice.

As expected, Michelle Obama and Jill Biden made a joint appearance at last night's World Series opener, but their outfits aren't exactly going to land them on any best-dressed lists. The usually fashionable ladies both wore basic black pants and showed they were good sports (no pun intended) by donning the standard-issue World Series red jackets. Totally acceptable, if uninspiring.

However. WHAT IN THE NAME OF MANOLO BLAHNIK WAS THE FIRST LADY WEARING ON HER FEET??!!?! Mrs. Obama's kicks appear to be black sneakers with way-too-contrasting thick white soles. They make her pants bunch weirdly at the ankles. They look like they belong on the feet of a teenage boy at a skate park. And, egads, do I spy velcro?

This isn't the first time FLOTUS has worn some questionable, if fashion-forward, sneaks. Personally, I think Mrs. Biden pulled off a sleeker look Wednesday night with safe but solid black boots.

Click here for more images. And feel free to chime in with your thoughts on this totally unimportant, yet highly entertaining, topic.

Deal Diva Colleen

(Photos by Getty Images. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden escort New York Yankees legend Yogi Berra onto the field before Game 1 Wednesday. He's so cute! But Mrs. Obama's shoes are not.)

Real Housewives of Atlanta fashion show: dazzling or dreadful?

On my list of guilty pleasures, The Real Housewives of Atlanta ranks up there with Ghirardelli brownies and Elton John music. The reality show's season 2 finale aired Thursday on Bravo, with the ladies turning out for wannabe-designer Sheree Whitfield's fashion show. Whitfield's She by Sheree collection is just the latest in a slew of celebrity clothing lines. Here she is at the show in Hotlanta. I already know some of you will have issues with her choice of footwear.

But not all socialites are created equal. Keep reading to check out some of the styles from Whitfield's runway show. 

Exclusive Deal Diva interview with Alexander McQueen's shoes

I guess it's ridiculous shoe week. First, we showed you FitFlop's lame attempt at boots. Now, we have these little numbers from British designer Alexander McQueen, shown on the runway Tuesday at Fashion Week in Paris.

 

To understand this curious footwear, I secured an exclusive interview with the little man painted near the, uh, toe. You'll know him by his gritted teeth and forward-facing eyeball. Here's the transcript of that conversation:

Deal Divas: Thanks for joining us.

Shoe Face Man: Thank you for having me.

DD: So, um... what the hell are you?

SFM: Well, given my pending lawsuit against Alexander McQueen, I must be somewhat guarded with my comments to the press, but I will say this: I had a great life as a ceramic showpiece in the Dubuque Festival of the Arts, standing between a terrific mixed-media sculpture and a darling oil pastel. I figured I might win a ribbon and finish life on someone's shelf where the worst that would ever happen to me was some murky water and cheap grocery store flowers. But... but...

DD: I know it's hard. Tell us what you can.

SFM: But, this so-called" designer" came along, swooped me from my podium -- all the other arts and crafts were so confused and scared -- and took me to Paris. Then some skinny woman (who could have used a serious pedicure), shoved her monster foot into me and stomped my face down a cold, dark road while someone sang music about a "disco stick." Then she did some sort of weird hip pop while a million camera flashes went off in my face like I was freaking Jon and Kate Plus 8 or something.

DD: What kind of damages are you seeking?

SFM: My lawyer advised me not to disclose that. But my emotional distress is significant, and there's a chip in my lower back. I'll probably never be able to support myself. I mean that literally. I wobble.

DD: Shoe Face Man, thank you for your candor, and best of luck to you on this difficult journey ahead.

SFM: If it can help others, that's all I care about.

Deal Diva Stephanie

Photo: AP

FitFlops new winter line of boots offend our eyes

OHGODWHY?

 

Terrifying, right? But that's not all. Feast your eyes on THESE MOON BOOTS:

  
These are among the latest designs from FitFlop, those sandals that are supposed to tone your legs and  booty while you take regular old steps. There's a new winter line with five styles that cost $70 to $200 at Macys and Amazon.com. I mean, the chunky, traditional FitFlops are odd enough. I'd only wear these if I was snowed into a cabin in, you know, Vermont, unlikely to ever see any member of the opposite sex ever again. I might consider putting them on if my survival trekking through the fresh white powder depended on it, but you'd have to get me drunk first. Thank God it doesn't snow here.

I appreciate the FitFlops mission, but frankly I'd rather just bust out 30 wall squats, a coupla lunges and a set of box jumps, then throw on a pair of stilettos. But maybe that's just me.

Deal Diva Stephanie

(Photos from FitFlops)

Michelle Obama's wardrobe week: 3 out of 4 isn't bad

I've long extolled First Lady Michelle Obama's fashion choices, even when the other Divas begged to differ. But I will not -- no, I CANNOT defend the poofy, orangey tent she wore Thursday to the Copenhagen Opera House. Not only did the Obamas' attempt to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago fail, but Mrs. O failed in the fashion arena, as well. Her gown, according to the blog Mrs. O, was a pleated lame number by Rodarte.

Sorry, but I'm not a fan. The flared skirt does nothing for Michell's figure, and that shade of orange competes with her otherwise-lovely skin tone. Check out the offending dress in this shot of Lady O with Prince Albert of Monaco:

Luckily, she rebounded quickly. Here's Mrs. Obama the next day in a sunny Michael Kors sheath...

... and later on Friday, strutting across the White House south lawn in this snazzy black and white frock...

... then Saturday, when she and Barack hit D.C.'s Blueduck Tavern to celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary.

Three out of four's not bad, right, Divas? Then again, that's a C average. No way Mrs. Obama could've gotten into Princeton with grades like this.

Deal Diva Dalia

(Photos by Getty Images)