Me and Dianna Agron, we go way back, before she went drastic and opted for her chic bob. Prior to the dramatic change, I didn't think it was possible for the Glee actress to look better. Seriously, with bone structure like that? The girl's a 10!

In a recent interview with website Refinery 29, the 25-year-old star said that the style has actually changed her attitude about the amount of maintenance our tresses really need:

"Let [your hair] do what it wants to do. Mess it up a little, and leave it alone. It's fun that way ... I am not into perfection right now."

Not into perfection? Shoot. Sounds super easy, doesn't it? Dianna's got me seriously reconsidering my "long hair is best" philosophy.

More from The Stir: 'Glee' Star Dianna Agron Has a Weird Definition of Popular

I've had long hair FOREVER. I'm sure my fellow lengthy ladies can agree that it's essentially a wonderful security blanket. Every time I complain about wanting a change, I get too nervous to go through with it. Besides, with my face shape -- I'm convinced that a shorter style would be 100 percent unflattering.

However, Dianna's relaxed attitude toward her hair makes me a bit jealous. With long hair, you can always throw it back, but generally you can't just wear it down without doing anything to it. Short hair? A dollop of mousse here, a squirt of hairspray there, and you're ready to go! I can totally understand why some women love it so much!

Let me pose a serious question to you: How long do you spend on your hair daily, on average? For me, it's probably about 30 minutes. If you're like me, can you even imagine what we'd be able to do with the 210 extra minutes PER WEEK if we adopted Dianna's easy attitude? I could actually finish the scarf I started knitting in, oh ... November.

More from The Stir: GQ 'Glee' Photo Shoot Has Dianna Agron Apologizing (Sort Of)

Perhaps there is a way to adopt Dianna's messy motto without getting rid of length. Rather than blow dry, opt for an easy side braid while your hair's still wet. After it dries, take it out and voilà! Wave central! Not into waves? Then like I said -- slicking it back's always an option. Whatever method you choose, I think one thing's for sure: we could all benefit from Dianna's suggestion of taking it easy once in a while.

Do you spend a lot of time on your hair? How long on average?

Image via FOX

As a rabid fan of the PBS drama Downton Abbey, I find it hard to believe that these characters are fictional. They're all so real, like those in Friday Night Lights, that I refuse to acknowledge that they don't actually exist. Which is why I'm genuinely a little afraid right now of what the Dowager Countess must be thinking. Since she's totally alive and well and living in London in my mind, I'm worried that she's aghast by the latest news that PBS was trying to sell knock-off Downton Abbey-inspired jewelry, oh excuse me, my Ladyship, jewellry, on their website.

Nothing could make our Countess gasp with more fervor than the idea of her precious family heirlooms being copied and sold to unsophisticated townspeople with no titles, no property, who, god forbid, sit in swivel chairs at their, oh lord, day jobs.

The show's creator and writer wasn't happy about the jewelry line, either, and had PBS stop selling it immediately. Apparently he wasn't getting any money from the sales and you can't just go around taking copy-writ works and turning their likeness around for profit. That is a no-no.

The jewelry in question featured a “Lady Mary knotted pearl necklace and earring set” for $184.99 and a “Lady Sybil black pearl bracelet and earring set” that went for $159.99. Pretty expensive for costume jewels, but I suppose that's a moot point now.

I can see why the jewelry line was a good idea -- fans are eager to get their hands on anything Downton. So whatever the next (legal) venture is, I hope the merchandise honors the Crawleys. There's probably nothing more tasteless in their eyes than plastic pearls strung on nylon. Fictional or not, certain standards should be met. Right, Countess?

Do you love seeing the fashions and jewelry on Downton Abbey?

Photo via pbs.org

A brave scientist in Australia was motivated to study the effect that high heels have on feet after seeing a woman teeter precariously in her stilettos. Using a group of women with the average age of 25, Neil J. Cronin and his fellow biomechanic researchers studied the difference between chronic heel wearers (women who've worn heels for more than 40 hours a week for more than two years) versus non-heel wearers (ladies who generally wear flats), and the proof was in the pudding. Or should I say, the proof was in the footing.

The high heel wearers' feet, calves, muscles, and tendons were royally messed up. Even when they took off their shoes, they habitually walked less efficiently than those women who generally wear flats.

Told you heels were the devil.

Basically, heel wearers tire more easily than the flat wearers -- their calf muscles have been shortened and strained by all those hours keeping their feet perpetually flexed in their shoes and their toes forever pointed.

Bottom line? Rocking those towering heels will make you more susceptible to muscle and joint strains. The solution to that problem is simple -- wear heels less often. I know it's easier said than done for some women who can't leave the house without two or three inches between their foot and the ground, but it might be worth it in the long run. 

What Cronin and his colleagues failed to address, however, is that heels are not only dangerous, but impractical, uncomfortable, and should be burned. I'm not a big heel wearer because here in New York, there's too much walking to do to be bothered with any sort of discomfort. I gotta be on the move, yo! No time to waste complaining about my dogs barkin'.

Heels have a time and a place, but I don't think they're worth their pain, and now that we know they're hazardous to our health, let's just all agree to show off our natural height in some cute flats and call it a day.

How do you stay comfortable when wearing heels?

Photo via muohace/Flickr

Rihanna's always one to push the envelope, style-wise. Remember her crazy, fire-engine red hair? Or her inexplicably vulgar necklace? Well, the pop star's at it again. Except this time she can't undo what she's done. She got "Thug Life" tattooed on her knuckles, as an homage to the late rapper Tupac Shakur, who had the same phrase tattooed on his stomach.

To be honest, the letters look more like scars or burn marks than actual ink. I wouldn't say this is Rihanna's finest moment. And I would say that she'll probably wind up regretting this.

Think about some of today's pop stars for a second -- Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga. They all are constantly pushing the envelope when it comes to their appearances. Their clothes, their hair, their nails -- they're all over-the-top in some way -- and it's like they're in competition with one another. Who can be the most outlandish? But some of Rihanna's recent decisions have just been in kind of poor taste (not saying a dress made out of meat is classy, but you can take it off).

Now, I love tattoos. I have one myself. I'd get more, but I can't decide on anything I love that much. I think women with "sleeves" are bad mama jamas, and dudes covered in them are sexy. But there's just something about Rihanna's new tat that's kind of off-putting. Perhaps it's because it doesn't look like an actual tattoo. Perhaps it's the location. Or perhaps it's the fact that it's in the wake of some other bad decisions from Rihanna. (I get wanting to stand out, but a necklace with the "C" word? Come on, girl.)

Doesn't matter what I think, though. I'm not the one who has to live with it. Rihanna does. So, hopefully her feelings on it will always remain much different than mine.

Do you like Rihanna's tattoo? Do you have any tattoos that you regret?

Image via avrilllllla/Flickr

On Glee, Lea Michele plays Rachel Berry, just about the most put-together and preppy teenager ever. In the latest ad campaign for Candie's, the 25-year-old actress is throwing her Mary Janes to the side and channeling her bad side. Lea Michele's making her big debut as the brand's spokeswoman for their 2012 spring collection exclusively at Kohl's, and let me tell you something -- she's looking H-O-T. 

Babes like Alyssa Milano, Kelly Clarkson, Fergie, Vanessa Hudgens, and my personal fave, Britney Spears have all represented Candie's in the past. However, I don't know if any of them ever looked this fierce. Dare I say it, Lea's campaign may actually make me head over to the teen section at Kohl's! I mean it, these looks are seriously adorable.

Check out this behind-the-scenes look from Lea's Candie's photo shoot and see the sexiness for yourself:

That first dress she's wearing in the interview, the red sheer long-sleeve, and that off-white lace top from the closet scene are definitely my favorite pieces. Don't you just love the return of vibrant colors to spring fashion after a dreary winter? I could totally use some more color in my wardrobe a la this collection.

Honestly, I think I like the clothes better because Lea's attitude in them is so fun. Lea looks like she's having fun in the Candie's swag. I can only hope that I'll feel that way when I slip it on, right? Whether or not the clothes are your style, there's no doubting Lea rocked the shoot. Check out more Lea and the entire Candie's line at the Kohl's website.

More on Lea Michele:

Lea Michele's Golden Globes Look Shows She's Not Afraid to Stand Out

Lea Michele's People's Choice Awards Look Was the Best of the Night

Lea Michele Bares Cleavage for 'Cosmo,' Parents Outraged Yet Again

What do you think of Lea's new ad campaign for Candie's?

Image via Stellarhead/Vimeo

There's a journalist in France right now who's probably hiding under the covers, wishing that she could turn back time and take back some of the things she wrote about the Obamas in an issue of French Elle. At least you have to hope she regrets her piece, because oh mon dieu, it certainly was one insensitive and obtuse article about how the First Family is thankfully embracing "white fashion" codes. She goes on to say, in an almost relieved tone, that it's great that "chic" has become a "plausible option" for the black community that's so used to wearing "streetwear."

Ugh. It doesn't stop there, though. The column also implies that black people don't have to dress, you know, entirely like white people, they can throw in some references to their "roots" with "ethnic" accessories, too, like turbans.

The editor at the mag says that the piece is being misunderstood, and I want to give her the benefit of the doubt here, but yikes -- this is just as bad as that blogger for Marie Claire who posted about how grossed out she was to see overweight people kissing, as it specifically pertained to that show, Mike and Molly, starring Melissa McCarthy. What were these women thinking?

Anyway, Michelle Obama's style is not praise-worthy because she's "dressing like a white woman"; it's admirable because she wears mostly affordable clothing that fits nicely, flatters her figure, and exudes a sense of style, comfort, and functionality. No matter if she's black, white, or purple, Mrs. Obama's fashion choices reflect on her sense of style as a professional woman, not as a woman of any specific race. It's too bad that some people feel otherwise.

What do you think of this piece in French Elle?

Photo via An Honorable German/Flickr

The smart people at Lionsgate know there's MAJOR buzz around their upcoming release, The Hunger Games. That's why, in a brilliant move, they've created the website Capitol Couture -- a fictional fashion site for the citizens of Panem.

LOVE. IT.

Fans of the book series will appreciate this detailed look at all things fashionable in the quirky Capitol ... check out this shot of Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, for example, which graces the top of the fold.

If it were possible for me to get any more excited about this movie, well, now I am!

Click through to see more from the site!

An article about Effie quotes her as saying, “The higher the heel the better. I just love love love dropping by the City Circle in my perspex-heeled metallic booties!”

OMG.

Another article shows you how to get crazified nails just like the Capitol fashionistas are wearing.

And check out this close-up of Effie's booties:

With this site, I have to admit that my excitement about seeing The Hunger Games on the big screen soars to a new level. The costume design promises to be every bit as interesting as the movie itself!

Check out Capitol Couture here, then tell me what you think of the promotional site in the comments.

Does this make you even more psyched about the premiere of The Hunger Games?

Images via Lionsgate

Reese Witherspoon is one stylin' lady who likes to change things up. The 35-year-old actress looked effortlessly chic and sexy at the Golden Globes just a few weeks ago; her blonde, wavy hair looked bouncy and playful. I'm sure it wasn't easy to get her mane to do such things; she probably sprayed the crap out of it with beach curl enhancers, root thickeners, and lightweight hairspray, then parted it in the middle, blew it dry, curled it a bit, maybe said a prayer or two, and, finally, poof! Reese looked gorgeous with bed-head on the red carpet. Now, after all that work, she's taken her hair in the opposite direction. She was spotted at an airport in Paris with a new 'do. Girl got bangs.

Her hair now pin-straight, Reese has forgone her California surfer girl waves and now has longish bangs that dust the top of her eyelids. And you know something? She pulls it off. Reese always pulls it off, though -- there's really nothing she can't do when it comes to her golden locks. Lucky "b" word.

Her red carpet hair was sexy, her new bangs look is girly, and both look good on her. Not many people have that sort of versatility, but Reese is able to change up her look with a few clip-clips of the scissors and viola! New, great 'do.

Reese has worn bangs before, perhaps most memorably on the Golden Globes red carpet back in 2007, so she's no stranger to the hairstyle. It must be awesome to be able to keep experimenting with new and old haircuts operating with the knowledge, as Reese must, that there's no wrong answer.

If I had to choose, though, if someone put a hair dryer to my ear and was slowly burning me until I yelled out an opinion, I suppose I'd say that I like her lo-fi, beachy waves more than I do the blunt bangs. But until that hair dryer-wielding hostage-taker comes around, I'll just say that I love all her looks. Can't wait to see what she does next.

Which style do you like better on Reese?

Photo via Splash News

Here's the least surprising statement you'll hear all day: Kate Middleton is a fashion icon. I mean, no need to tell you that millions of women envy her polished style, and strive to emulate it themselves. And it would be pointless of informing you that every time Duchess Catherine steps out in something, the world waits with bated breath to find out where they, too, can purchase it. (Of course, such attempts are often for naught for many, as anything Kate wears sells out within minutes.)

But one tidbit you may find interesting is that it isn't just everyday women who are attempting to dress like Kate. Stores want to capture her style, also. And we're not talking no-name brands here. We're talking about Banana Republic, and the dress they just came out with, which is a rip-off of the gorgeous tan one Kate wore when meeting Michelle Obama. It's cool, though, they've dubbed it the "Kate sheath," so it's more of an homage than stealing.

The original dress, called the Shola, was made by one of Kate's favorite shops, Reiss. It sold out within minutes of Kate appearing in it (crashing the company's website to boot), and it retailed for $340. Banana's version is pretty much identical, save for the criss-cross wrapping on the bottom, and sells for $130. Both are lovely. But, just because Banana slapped Kate's name on it, doesn't mean it's not a case of one designer copying another.

I understand the little, no-name stores biting off of some of Kate's (and everyone else's) style. That's kind of their thing. Is it shady? I guess. But the clothing usually costs around $15, falls apart after one wearing, and doesn't really garner any publicity (or sales). But for a big-name store like Banana Republic to do it seems weird. Banana is just taking a design of Reiss', right? If Kate didn't wear the dress -- and the dress wasn't "named after Kate" -- would it be any different? Not really. And they'd probably find themselves with a lawsuit on their hands.

I guess cashing in on the Duchess' clothes outweighs everything else these days, though. Even originality.

Which dress do you like better -- the original Reiss or the Banana Republic one? Which celeb's style do you covet most?

Image via Banana Republic

After Snooki revealed her fresh, makeup-free face, we got to thinking that some of the biggest celebrities out there might look just as good as the Jersey Shore star does without a lick of concealer, powder, mascara, lip gloss, or the general spackle job that is their Hollywood makeup. And guess what -- we were right. This photo of Young Adult star Charlize Theron catching an early morning flight out of LAX shows that she's flawless on the red carpet and the airport carpet. But, I mean, with those cheekbones, can she ever really look anything less than terrific?

It's so refreshing to see our favorite actresses au naturel.

Charlize started out as a model in her home town in South Africa but quickly realized she had the talent and the drive to become a world-class actress. Easily one of the prettiest women in the world, she shunned her genetic good looks for her role in Monster and it payed off. Her performance spoke for itself, and Charlize won the Oscar for Best Actress.

The 36-year-old star looks great without makeup and I'm sure she'll continue to impress us on and off the red carpet. Never one to overdo it, like, say, Snooki, Charlize's beauty routine generally seems to be pretty natural. There's only one flop I can think of, and that's when she showed up looking a bit orange at the 2003 Academy Awards. Since then, though? It's been smoothing sailing.

Happy to see her natural beauty shine through, as always.

What do you think -- does Charlize look just as good with makeup as without?

Photo via Splash News

So a few weeks ago. we heard all about a fancy new deluxe treatment at Cindy Barshop's chic NYC waxing spa chain Completely Bare. For a casual $225 a pop, women can stop by The Real Housewives of New York star's spot for an, um, enhancement on their lady parts consisting of REAL fox fur.

Sure, I thought the whole thing was wackadoodle when I heard about it the first time. But after watching Cindy jazz up a woman herself, I've got to say -- it's not as bad as I thought. If a Real Housewife says it's cool, then it's so totally got to be the IT thing, right?

OK, I'm kidding. It's still epically hilarious. But man oh man is this a video you've got to see. Take a look:

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

I have no words. I honestly want to ask Cindy Barshop if this is something that she herself would want bedazzling her vajayjay. Cindy's a woman with some good business sense. She's got to know that this is just an absolutely ridiculous concept, right?

I also have to wonder -- wouldn't this be something that, like, gets in the way? Can't you just imagine the feathers getting stuck on something? OUCHERS! Or even worse -- what if some of the fur gets caught in your zipper and you accidentally walk around with a little extra pink fluff sticking out the front of your pantalones?

I don't know ladies. I don't care how hip or chic this is or if Cindy says it's cooler than vajazzling. I know there are a lot of other things I'd rather do with $225.

Would you get your lady parts jazzed up by Cindy Barshop?

Image via SpaWeek/YouTube

Newt Gingrich may very well be the Republican nominee for president, if the latest polls are any indication -- and that means that he's getting a lot of attention right now.

And so is his wife, Callista's, hair.

I'll admit, I'm completely fascinated by her immovable hairdo. It's so very, very blond, so otherworldly in its gravity-defying perfection, that it looks like it belongs on the head of a character in a  Dreamworks film.

Callista sat directly in front of me during our CafeMom Coffee Break with Newt Gingrich a few weeks ago, and I kept sneaking peaks at her hair throughout the event. Under the lights, it practically glowed. She looked like some sort of fussy, retro angel.

I'm just dying to touch that hair!

Ahem. Where were we?

Since searches for information on Callista's hair are at an all-time high, I figured that now is an excellent time to point out a few interesting facts about her 'do that you probably didn't know.

Click through to see them!

(Duck face intentional.)

What do you think of Callista's hair?

Image via Splash News

The wine glass necklace has to be one of the best inventions ever --

Also, one of the silliest.

In theory, it's a great idea.

Wearing your wine glass around your neck leaves you free to cook, change diapers, or work on your computer.

But it also leaves you looking like, well, a buffoon.

That's why I just had to try out the wine glass necklace for myself at a trendy bar on a recent Friday night.

Yes, folks. I TOOK THAT DARE -- and while I worried I'd be shunned, I was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't the case!

There was a smart, funny crowd on hand that night, and they had lots to say about my, erm, interesting new accessory.

Check out the latest episode of "I'll Take That Dare" after the jump!

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

I loved this dare. We had a lot of fun that night.

And by the way, if you're sort of wondering what the hell I was thinking CRIMPING my hair for this episode, you should know that I took this dare immediately after taking the Ke$ha dare. We had a tight production schedule in order to get these delivered in time for CafeMom Studios' first season, so I went into the ladies' room of this trendy bar, changed out of my Ke$ha clothes, combed out the rats' nest that was my Ke$ha hair, and completely redid my makeup.

I did all of this while a bunch of uber-hip women filed in and out of the restroom and stared at me, appalled, because they had no idea who I was, or what I was doing, or why I had all of my makeup spread on the counter beside the sinks, or why I had glitter paint over one eye. One woman asked what was going on and I told her I had just done a circus performance. It seemed easier, somehow, than explaining the whole story behind "I'll Take That Dare."

But it wasn't easier.

"The circus?" she asked. "Wow! Where was the performance?"

"....Vanderbilt," I said. Vanderbilt University was about 15 minutes away, and it was, I realized too late, a highly unlikely venue for a "circus performance."

"Oh," said the woman uncertainly. "What exactly do you do in the circus?"

"I'm a contortionist," I said, wanting to be anywhere at that moment except in that restroom. I had lied my way into that situation and it was getting worse and worse.

"Oh," she said quietly, and left. I guess I'm not a very convincing contortionist.

Eventually, I finished putting on my makeup and emerged a totally different person. A wine glass necklace-wearing person!

What do you think? Would you wear a wine glass necklace?

If you want a wine glass necklace of your own, you can find them here.

And you can see all of the episodes of I'll Take That Dare on our CafeMom Studios YouTube channel. If you like them, pretty please click on the "Subscribe" button at the top of the page --That's how YouTube measures the success of the CafeMom Studios channel.  Thanks!

Lately, I've been laying off the disastrous dresses certain actresses choose for their red carpet photo opps, mostly because there are JUST SO MANY OF THEM.

But this one?

This one takes the cake.

I present to you Shy'm, a French chanteuse who turned heads on the red carpet last night at a music awards ceremony in Cannes.

I've never heard of Shy'm, but I do know one thing about her.

She's certainly not SHY.

'm?

I also can say that this "dress" is, without a doubt, the worst red carpet disaster I think I've ever seen.

It's so bizarre, I don't really even know quite what to make of it.

What about you?

Let's start with that plastic corset.

It is, quite simply, COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS. I suspect it might even be a spray-on top. Shy'm seriously might as well be naked.

I suppose, though, that if it topped a beautiful skirt, it might not be quite so bad.

But um, Shy'm? Wrapping a sheet around your waist does not a fancy gown make.

Seriously. Who is responsible for this? They deserve a night or twenty in fashion jail!

I guess it worked for Shy'm, though. She ended the evening with the NRJ Female Artist of the Year award. And the award comes on the heels of her recent win on the French version of Dancing with the Stars.

If her latest successes are any indication, we may very well be seeing more of the scantily-clad Shy'm here in the states.

Let's just hope she leaves this "dress" behind.

What do you think of Shy'm's red carpet disaster?

Image via Pascal le Segretain/Getty Images

Kyra Sedgwick and her new tattoo wowed on the red carpet at of the Screen Actors Guild awards last night. The Closer star stunned in an orange Pucci dress, the cut-outs of which perfectly showed-off her fresh ink. Kyra told Giuliana Rancic of E! that her tat is a "family tattoo" -- it has the initials K, K, S, and T in a rectangle, standing for Kyra, husband Kevin Bacon, son Travis, 22, and daughter Sosie, 19.

I suppose if she was going to get inked, a tattoo that symbolizes the connectedness of her family is a sweet gesture.

It's probably better than getting just her husband's initials tattooed on her body -- that seems to be the kiss of death. One minute you're in love and want his name on your body, the next your scrambling to find an artist you can turn the word "Kevin" into a canoe floating on a sea of solitude.

You know that your children will always be a part of your life, that you'll always love them no matter what, so their permanency is nicely mirrored in a tattoo better than, say, a spouse or a boyfriend's would be. Or a pet, too. Those little bastards can turn on you in a heartbeat.

Also, the chances that you'll regret a family tattoo, I would say, are far less than the chance you'll regret that rose on your ankle or that infinity sign on your lower back. A tattoo that represents your love for your children is certainly a safer bet, and perhaps we'll see more moms jump on the tattoo bandwagon. I mean, Kyra's looks pretty good. She sets a nice example for the family tat, don't you think?

What do you think of Kyra's tattoo and "family tattoos" in general?

Photo via Frazer Harrison/Getty

I was kind of bored watching last night's Screen Actors Guild Awards. Okay, let me rephrase that. I was bored with the outfits at the SAG awards. Usually my favorite part, with all the drooling over gowns and star spotting, I was pretty much disappointed with the pre-show and the lack of amazingly dressed Hollywood A-listers. Except, that is -- with the women from Glee.

Lea Michele looked stellar in her silver Versace dress paired with Casadei shoes, and this season's it girl (if you ask me!) Naya Rivera has never looked better in her Naeem Khan dress with Louboutins.

The question is, though -- who looked better? In my mind, the answer is clear.

I'm team Naya all the way. Here's why: This season, I've fell more and more in love with Naya and her character Santana on Glee. She's really come out of her shell. However, as much as I love me a head Cheerio, I can't say I've ever been WOWed by her red carpet fashions, until now. This dress fits her like a glove, and her body looks absolutely outrageous. Her hair and makeup are simple yet elegant, and I would legitimately kill for an even-looking bronzed glow like hers right about now.

Meanwhile, Lea looks great, but that slit is just way too much for me. It pains me to say it, too, since we're talking about a Versace here and I think the top on the silver number is absolutely 100 percent drop dead gorgeous. But when Lea walked, you could most definitely catch a glimpse of her hoo-hah if you really wanted to. Seriously, what kind of underwear was she wear? Someone has to have the inside scoop!

The slit aside, her makeup looked fresh, her hair looked that good sort of messy we all wish we could achieve but never can, and her bold accessories were pure perfection.

Either way, both of the girls looked gorgeous. Even if Glee didn't take home the SAG for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, the show's leading ladies get my vote for best dressed.

Did you watch the Screen Actors Guild Awards last night? What did you think of Lea and Naya's looks?

Image via Splash News, Kevork Djansezian/ Getty Images

Kristen Wiig is one hilarious lady, but her outfit choice for the SAG awards had some people laughing at her, not with her. The 38-year-old star and writer of Bridesmaids chose a taupe Balenciaga gown for the red carpet and topped off the look with a consequently controversial thick, black choker with chain-link detail. Fans and fashion experts alike were flipping out about the look on Twitter, calling for whomever dressed her in such an accessory to be banned from working in Hollywood ever again. Ruthless.

But, you know, I kind of liked it. I did. I thought Kristin Cavallari worked the look a few years back, and I'm happy to see a new Kristen taking the choker reigns. Plus, Lady Mary Crawley of Downton Abbey is a fan, so really, Wiig's choice wasn't so terrible, now, was it?

I think it accentuates her features nicely and makes her look regal, sophisticated, and elegant. I liked how she wore her hair up and went heavy with the eye makeup and light on the lips, too. She looked beautiful.

Now. I see where people are coming from. I'd be remiss if I didn't say that, yes, there was something off about Wiig's ensemble. The choker didn't necessarily go with her dress. The neckline of her flowing gown wasn't very conducive to a choker or a large statement necklace of any kind -- it's too busy in its own right to support any other neckline accessories. She might have been better off pairing some chandelier earrings with that dress, or, on the other hand, wearing the choker with a strapless gown. As is, it didn't quite work.

But I don't want to nitpick. Fact remains that I still think she looked darn good. Wiig will certainly attend the Oscars next month since she's nominated for writing Bridesmaids, so we'll have to wait and see what she wears on that, the holiest of the holy-moly red carpets. But if she goes with a choker again, I won't complain. Everyone else might, but I'd salute her brave choice. It wasn't that bad.

What did you think of Kristen Wiig's choker?

Photo via Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Fellow style blogger Vera Sweeney got an unpleasant surprise after ordering clothes from Dorothy Perkins, which is essentially a slightly more upscale British version of Forever 21.

She writes:

I placed my order and then a few days later received an email telling me I owed $85 in taxes to Customs. I figured it was spam and deleted it. Then I got a phone call saying the same exact thing.

Come on ... I wasn’t told I had to pay that???

In the end, I had to pay for the package to come to the US and the fees were actually MORE than my order total. MORTIFIED!

Wow, Vera! This is good information for us to remember when we're thinking of ordering from overseas retailers.

I've ordered from British retailers Topshop and ASOS and never had to pay customs, but now I'm wondering ...

Has this customs problem ever happened to you?

It doesn't seem fair to me that the website didn't make it crystal clear to Vera that she might face customs charges. Dorothy Perkins has a detailed explanation of shipping costs to every international country it will ship to -- but in order to find a blurb on customs charges, I had to actually leave the site and search for it on Yahoo!

Here's what DorothyPerkins.com has to say:

All orders are subject to checking by Customs which may delay the delivery of your order. Any additional duty or customs charges applicable in the destination country are payable by the recipient.

Even then if I had read this blurb, I would never have guessed that the amount I'd have to pay in customs would exceed the amount of the order!

I looked for more information on how customs costs are determined. Amazon.com actually has a helpful blurb on its site about customs:

The recipient of an international shipment may be subject to such import taxes, customs duties and fees, which are levied once a shipment reaches your country. Additional charges for customs clearance must be borne by the recipient; we have no control over these charges and cannot predict what they may be. Customs policies vary widely from country to country; you should contact your local customs office for further information. When customs clearance procedures are required, it can cause delays beyond our original delivery estimates.

Basically, what this tells me is -- don't ask the retailer how much it's going to be in customs fees.

They don't know.

From what I can gather, it's hit or miss as to whether your overseas purchase will be charged a customs fee -- and if it is, it can be fairly high. One regular overseas buyer of clothing and bags said she mentally adds on 20 percent for potential customs costs to the price when she's trying to decide whether or not to buy, then decides whether or not it's still a good deal.

It all seems a little crazy to me. Perhaps in the future, I'll just buy online from businesses here in the States!

How about you?

Image via Dorothy Perkins

Have you heard of Sears' Kardashian Kollection -- the clothing line designed by inspired by the Kardashians? It had toungues wagging this fall when the sisters came out with their smokin' lingerie line. If you're promoting your undies, it makes sense to pose in your undies, right?

Okay, so what about jeans? The Kollection (ooh, it hurts every time I write that) has added a new denim line -- just for curvy women like the Kardashian gals. Yay! And what do you wear to promote that line? Jeans, of course! And, apparently, nothing else. Yes, the Kardashians have posed topless. For Sears.

Okay, when we said a few months ago that this isn't your momma's Sears, that was one thing. I mean, whatever, lingerie. I guess. For a lark. Why not? But posing topless for a line of jeans at Sears? I don't know if I can take that leap with the K-sisters.

First of all, who is that image going to appeal to? Dudes, that's who. And who's going to buy those jeans? NOT dudes. So why appeal to them?

I think -- and maybe I'm way off here, I'm sure you'll let me know if I am -- Kardashian fans love the girls with their clothes on. Seeing half nakey at Sears, where you buy lawn mowers and motor oil, is just going to be weird. What if you're there with your kids, and they're like, "Mom, why did those ladies forget to wear shirts?"

Then again, this is so Kardashian. Why promote your sexy, mass-market clothing line the regular, tasteful way? That's not what they're about! Stir up some controversy, be provocative, raise some pulses -- that's what they do! So I guess this is consistent with their brand. But it's still kind of silly.

Do you think it was a good idea for the Kardashians to pose topless for their new jeans line, or is that too much?

Image via SearsStyle.com

Our little girl is growing up so fast. Kristen Stewart burst onto the scene as a gorgeous tomboy and now she's morphing into a couture fashion model. We always knew she had that high-fashion glam inside her -- she couldn't play down those cheekbones and her toned little figure forever. Perhaps her '60s-inspired photo shoot for W magazine whet her palate for getting all dolled up because she's been spotted in Paris doing a shoot for Vanity Fair. Not just any shoot, though, it looks like KStew's going to star in a spread wearing over-the-top, to-die-for couture gowns. And it's shot by Mario Testino, so you know there's going to be oodles of glamour.

No word yet in what issue the spread will be featured, but it can't be too long from now. Kristen's got a ton of movies to promote this year, Breaking Dawn Part 2, Snow White and the Huntsmen, and On the Road, so I'm sure the magazine pub date will coincide with at least one of her movie releases. It's going to be all KStew, all the time.

More from The Stir: Kristen Stewart Gets Vampy at 'Breaking Dawn' Premiere

The dress she was photographed wearing is from Christian Dior's spring 2012 collection and she pulls it off like a pro. The draping crushed silk (I think), the tulle, the feathers ... a lesser woman would get lost in all of that, but not Kristen. Maybe it's her scowl, maybe it's her severe shoulders, I'm not sure what it is, but she wears the dress like it was made for her. Which, I suppose, it could have been -- the dress was seen in a different color on the runway just a week earlier. Maybe KStew convinced Karl to just, you know, sew her one up in blue?

As Kristen gets older and explores different roles, I'm sure we'll see her continue to change up her sense of style and her taste in fashion. I'm all for leaving the hooded zip-ups and converse back in Forks, Washington.

Do you like seeing Kristen all glammed up or more low-key?

Photo via Splash News