Demi Lovato: Highlighting Her Curves the Right Way

If you have a curvy figure like Demi, general wisdom says A-line skirts are flattering. But watch out! It can take a turn for the worst when that A-line skirt is combined with a bubble hem and shiny fabric. The gold lame adds fuel to the fire -- catching every ray of light and highlighting every bump, lump, and fold -- turning your outfit into a flaming disaster. With this combination, you've added unnecessary width to an already curvaceous area.

Want a better choice? Try a slim silhouette in a matte, dark-colored fabric. It hugs the curves you love and doesn't add to the ones you don't.

Need more help? The contrasting color at her bust draws the eye up, up, and away from any potential problem areas.

-- Her POV

Toms shoes: Heaven for your feet

Growing up in a Southern metropolitan area (no, that's not an oxymoron), I was taught to never sacrifice looks for comfort. Now as a grown adult on the West Coast, I find that certain lessons of my childhood are falling to the wayside -- and when I first stepped into a glorious pair of Toms shoes, this lesson also took a hit.

Toms are heaven in the form of a shoe. They lovingly hold and comfort your feet, cushioning each step as if walking on clouds. And while I still proudly hold myself tall and strong in my stilletos most days, how could I deny my precious feet the love of Toms for a day or so a week.

I try to convince myself that the traditional Argentinean shoe design is stylish but it will never be as flattering to the leg as a stunning stilleto. But I do take comfort that while I'm walking on clouds, so is a child in need as a result of the One for One donation program. Cheers to Toms for creating the most comfortable shoe with a great philanthropic cause for children. You've converted a true & proper Southerner. (Just don't tell my mother.)

-- Her POV

The slip-on shoe is something I never really got into, no pun intended. I grew up wearing British Knights (yeah, I did), moved on to the Reebok Pump, Air Jordans, and then Doc Martens. College footwear consisted almost entirely of Birkenstocks. No slip-ons, see? One time my mom bought me a pair of slip-ons loafers with those little tassle guys. I couldn't stand them and shoved them as far back under my bed as my little arms could reach. For Xmas one year my grandmother got me a pair of penny loafers, each with a shiny penny (can someone please explain to me women's love of gifting shoes with accessories????). "Sorry Grandma. I don't know where those shoes are. Guess I'll just have to wear my Jordans to church today."

To me, Toms are specifically a woman's shoe. I don't know if they make a guys version, but if they do, the guy that buys them probably has a pair of leather gladiator mandals in his closet, too. From what I hear they're pretty comfortable and as long as women can wear these, that's one less thing for them to complain about in my book. Cheers to you Toms from men everywhere!

-- His POV

Useless Car Features: Gas Cap Holder

I'm not really sure what Detroit, or Japan, or South Korea were thinking when they added the gas cap holder. If you're not sure what part of the car I'm talking about, go to your car and open up your little gas door to see it. Don't worry, I'll wait. Did you see it? It may be the same color as the door or a separate piece that's a different color. Either way, I think it's a useless part.

What's it for? "Without the holder the cap will scratch my car and the nice automaker man is just making sure my paint job will stay in excellent condition forever!" you say. Bull. If the nice automaker man cared about you, he'd save the assembly of the extra piece and you a few precious seconds every time you fill up by using a one-way valve design instead of a removable cap.

Besides, I've seen some car manufacturer focus groups and "I need a place to hang my gas cap" never came up.

-- His POV

Don't hate on the cap holder. Keep in mind that it came about long before the connector that keeps the cap attached to the car. I know you've seen it before, back in the day -- that guy who placed the gas cap on the roof of his car, forgot to screw it back on and drove off while it launched to the curb -- all while the gas door is still open. Yeah, you remember. He -- I and stress HE -- didn't use the handy gas cap holder on the inside of the door. That little hook that the car company gave him specifically to hold the cap so it wouldn't be forgotten.

Fast forward a decade or so and now the car companies have wisened up and now attach the cap so they aren't lost. Don't blame the car coompanies for creating a specific place for the cap. Everything has its place. Everything has a home and that's where the gas cap belongs so it isn't lost and, yes, so it doesn't dangle around and scratch the paint.

-- HerPOV

Best Cartoon Ever: The Far Side

Gary Larson was a genius. Some artists need multiple panels when he only needed one. Some artists require full conversation or commentary and he often kept quiet. That was his genius. The cows, chickens, and fat nerdy people helped too.

I now present my most favorite The Far Side cartoon. You're welcome.

-- His POV


It's a true skill to communicate a thought so succinctly as this. If only we all could do this -- especially women. I include myself in this group when I say that it takes us too long to tell a story or make a point. Yes, a few people like a story blow-by-blow, but for the most part, I wish we all could communication as efficiently and with as much wit as Gary Larson. Kudos to you, sir.


-- Her POV

Catch a Falling Star: A-Rod hits No. 600

Today Alex Rodriguez reached a milestone in his baseball career by hitting his 600th home run. To put how rare this is in terms most everyone can understand, over 16,000 players have set foot on a professional baseball field and A-Rod is only the 7th person to gain acceptance into the exclusive 600 home run club.

Except he did it on a Wednesday afternoon when most of America was at work. It didn't happen during playoffs (55 games left to play in regular season). It wasn't against a key rival (Toronto Blue Jays). Heck, he's lucky it even happened at home in New York, except because he hit it in the 1st inning there were probably 5,000 fans still getting off the 4/5/6 subway line. Sure, Sportscenter will talk about it nonstop for the next 48 hours, and he'll be mentioned in a majority of sports blogs, but that happens almost everyday for him. By Friday, everyone will have moved on and it'll be as if he only hit #219.

At least when we stop talking about him, he can find comfort in the arms of his celebrity girlfriend du jour while piloting his yacht to a small island nation he purchased with his gazillion dollar contract.

-- His POV

It does seem that great achievements -- athletic or otherwise -- are overlooked too quickly these days, that's if they're even noticed at all. Maybe it's because we're in a media-saturated society where new news is flashed at us at every turn, every second. Or maybe we'd rather be enthralled by trivial -- yet oh so juicy -- celeb gossip.

All I know is that Bristol broke-up with Levi again, Whoopi is accused of hitting a "Real Housewives of D.C." star and A-Rod was seen out on the town with Cameron Diaz again. Ooooh, I can't wait for tomorrow's scoop.

-- Her POV

The hunt for the perfect JBrand cargos

Have you seen the new JBrand Houlihan cargo pants? I fell in love with them the first time I saw them in my favorite fashion mag and had to have them. Finally -- a feminine, slim silhouette cargo! The pocket placement and worn, lived in olive color were perfect. I scoured LA for them to no avail, the hunt for my current obsession soon turned international as I traveled for business. Seeing numerous celeb sightings in them didn't help my building obsession. I finally got my hands on them. The last store only had one pair left - cross my fingers that they were all that I hoped. Sigh. They weren't exactly the perfect fit I had imagined but I couldn't resist the purchase after all I'd been through.

Now, as I sit here, feeling perfectly stylish & current in my J Brand cargos, I have to ask -- was it worth it? And the answer -- yes. Most definitely.

-- Her POV

Chicks dig cargo pants? When did this happen? Apparently name brand designers are taking cues from frat boys I knew in college. At least I can rest easy knowing these cargo pockets are non-functional. In case you missed the memo: women don't put things in their pockets. That's what handbags are for.

Look, I'll take a second glance at a hot woman wearing just about anything. I won't be focusing on whether or not she's got pockets on the side of her pants or zippers at the ankles. I definitely don't understand the thought process behind the crazy scavenger hunt undertaken to find these guys, but once a girl puts her mind to something...

Oh, and before you ask...No, they don't make your ass look fat. The cargo pockets do.

-- His POV