Marc Jacobs explains the inspiration behind the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2010/11 ad campaign that’s splashed all over fashion mags. Photographed by Steven Meisel and featuring beauties Natalia Vodianova, Karen Elson and Christy Turlington, the spirit of Louis Vuitton as a powerhouse fashion entity dedicated to luxury and finery shines through.

Mara Hoffman is the queen of easy sexy dresses in exquisite and exotic prints. Her Spring 2010 collection features quite of few of these easy-to-wear dresses that are perfect for dinner in South Beach, dancing on the sand in Ibiza or exploring the Greek islands. Bonus? Some of them can even double as beach cover ups.

Jean-Paul Gaultier has produced a high-end lingerie collection for the Italian label La Perla. The collection includes lacy corsets, underwear “which streams the body’s curves”, extra high-waisted pants and bustiers emphasizing the neck. (Because the neck is what we want emphasized when we’re wearing lingerie. Uh huh.) No surprise, the line also includes bras similar to the cone-shaped Gaultier’s suits created for Madonna in 1990.

Gaultier said, “In my latest prêt-à-porter collection I revisited the conical bras and corsets worn as outerwear. Lingerie is part of my core beliefs and my heritage. It has been nearly 30 years since I created my first corset dress.”

Hey, lingerie is part of our core beliefs, too! (BTW, IS lingerie a belief?)

With Dita von Teese making a welcome appearance–because what’s a couture show without a burlesque performer?–two pieces from this limited edition collection were shown on July 7th at Gaultier’s couture show.

Photo: Style.com

Prices range from $600 for bras and panties, while the more intricate pieces will cost around $1,200. To be sold in November.

Sometimes you want to buy an outfit that costs less than dinner, just for fun. Walmart carries a juniors line called Susie Rose that has some surprisingly cute items, so I chose a top and a skirt that I would wear to a drunken brunch (or “drunch” as one of my urbane friends calls it). The outfit below comes to exactly $20–$8 for the top and $12 for the skirt.

Ruffled Nautical Floral Applique Top

Mock Button Skirt with Pockets

This hits the nautical trend that seems to roll around every summer and both pieces can slide into fall with an additional of a cardi and boots. Tres chic and tres cheap!

Following in the footsteps (har) of Melissa plastic shoes, plastic furniture design house Kartell teamed up with Moschino to create the adorable Bow Wow flat for Spring/Summer 2011. Eye-catching and colorful, the interwoven flats with the signature Moschino bow are made of nontoxic thermoplastic and are 100% recyclable! How fashionable.

[via Design Milk]

I like Free People as much as the next girl. I consider it to be the more bohemian, festival-going, I’m-going-to-walk-barefoot-on-grass-sometime-today version of Anthropologie. That’s why I was slightly shocked to see that they sell a bag for $998! Granted, this leather mail bag is a cross-body messenger bag that’s cute but plain and definitely nothing to write home about. Plus, their other bags hover between $150 and $300, on average. What were they thinking?

House of Diehl, the cool kids of Style Wars fame–where designers design against the clock using household objects and vintage threads in a Project-Runway-on-crack fashion event–recently debuted Diehl Breakers, a line of handmade sunglasses that put cutting edge style first and function second. The unstoppable Betsey Johnson has a pair and now I have a pair, too!

You may not be able to wear them driving, but you can wear them at the following:

1. Lounging at the local rooftop pool–sun not required, but kick ass outfit is.

2. Front row at a fashion show.

3. In an exclusive booth at The Box burlesque club.

4. On an Alaskan cruise (to throw off the other tourists).

5. Auditioning to be a backup dancer for M.I.A.

6. As part of a solo performance art show at the MOMA.

7. Chillin’ with your peeps. (This one’s my favorite.)

Check out the different Breaker collections below. My fave is the “Silver Eyelids” from the Disco set, because it’s eyeshadow and sunglasses–all in one!

HoD "Tough" Breakers

HoD "Sunset" Breakers

HoD "Disco" Breakers

HoD "Candy Panes"

Fourth of July calls for fireworks,  barbecues and, of course, patriotic fashion. It’s the one day you can wear stars, stripes and three colors without looking silly. Well, you might still look silly, but everyone will have so many Pabst Blue Ribbons in them, you could wear a Ghana flag and no one would notice.

Here are a few picks to show your patriotism. USA!

This chemise from Old Navy is supposed to be for sleeping, but I say it’s for fashionably holding a beer.

Stars and Stripes Racerback Chemise

This bikini from Tilly is a cute take on stars and stripes, using pink and black while incorporating stars and stripes.

This cute finger-painted tee from Yes Style replaces stars with hearts to show your love of country (and love of your country’s soccer team. Meow!).

Flag Print T-shirt

I don’t quite know what to make of these Giuseppe Zanotti open-toe booties from Zappos. They’re either hideous or brilliant. There’s just so much going on. Stars! Eagles! Rhinestones! I have a headache just looking at them. I’m erring on the side of hideous, but to each her own.

I love this drop necklace from French Connection. It’s sleek, dramatic and is definitely a statement piece–meaning, keep the rest of your outfit simple so this doesn’t compete with anything else. I like that it has a tribal-esque feeling without being too trendy. It can go from this season to next, seamlessly and dramatically.

French Connection Drop Necklace

Wear it by the pool with a black string bikini and big rimmed straw hat or with a white form-fitting shift dress.

Get it now while it’s on sale for $41.99, down from $88.

I’ve been lusting after the J Brand Houilihan skinny cargo pants ever since they came out. They’re a great alternative to jeans and look great with platform heels or wedges. The price ($231), though made me go, “EEEEEKKK!”

Photo: Nordstrom.com

Luckily, one of our favorite juniors brand, Delias, makes a great version. Check out their Trooper skinny twill pants.

Photo: Delias.com

To more closely mimic the cropped look of J Brand’s pants, I would probably roll up the bottoms and wear them with high-heeled clogs. And at $19.99, you can put the money you save towards the motorcycle jacket you need for fall.

Orange on lips has been seen popping up on celeb lips for the past couple of years. Scarlett Johansson, Leighton Meester and Jessica Szhor have all been seen sporting the juicy shade on and off the red carpet. When used with slight smudged eyeliner and mascara as the only other makeup, it can look fresh and make eyes pop!

Two great ones to try (and at opposite ends of the price spectrum) are Mac Morange and Milani Orange Gina.

MAC Morange $14

Milani Orange Gina $3.49

Another way to try the citrusy trend is to rub just a bit of the lipstick onto your cheeks for a fresh, fun summer look!