T.V. twins

TWO OF A KIND: Is it just me, or do Rachel Bilson and Leighton Meester look arrestingly similar? while Bilson was the petite brunette to Mischa Barton's lanky blonde on "The O.C.", Meester is the petite brunette to Blake Lively's lanky blonde in "Gossip Girl." Both play stuck-up rich girls who are in for some major life lessons, and both were relatively unknown actresses before being cast on their respective shows. Now if Meester goes on to date Zach Braff, they will officially be one and the same.

Mirror, mirror on the wall

WHO'S THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL? I'm not sure about that, but take this little quiz to find out which of the four lovely "Sex and the City" ladies you're most like. We've seen dozens of these before, but we couldn't resist doing our own as a tribute to the forthcomnig movie.

Kate is great

GOLD STANDARD: This December 2000 British Vogue has got to have the best magazine cover ever. It's amazingly simple yet compelling, plain yet polished. It takes a lot of daring to do a cover like this, with no tease lines, with no photo of a model smiling at the camera. But look at the reward! Something bold, memorable and fabulous. It's also inspiring: Dare to be different!

Float on

This sheer blouse with butterfly details is a steal at $19.80 from Forever 21. The store is usually hit or miss, with some super cute pieces that are convincing knock-offs of runway trends, but it also has a lot of stuff that looks as cheap as it is. But this blouse looks like five times as much as it costs, and is similar to styles found at Anthropologie. Pair it with jeans for the weekend or white pants and brown Mary Janes for work.

Runway-ready

J'ADORE DIOR: This page appeared in The Examiner newspapers on Jan. 24. With the close of Paris Fashion Week, it seemed only fitting to take a look back at the spring shows. Dior always puts on a show-stopping presentation, no exceptions. For fall he showed baby-doll looks, but last season it was all about Asia.

Just (barely) friends

We haven't watched "Pushing Daisies" yet, but we love it, if only for the casting of Anna Friel in a lead role. Friel is in the ultimate girl movie that spares no truth about the good, the bad and the ugly of female friendships: "Me Without You." In the 2001 British flick, Friel and Michelle Williams play best friends growing up in the 80s, who hate eachother as much as love eachother, and for whom there is no "me without you." Check out the new wave music and the outfits, especially when the girls make dresses out of trash bags. The film is classic, cutting and very cool.

Ga-ga for Gossip Girl

"Gossip Girl" is the first new show of the season to get picked up, and we couldn't be happier! The show looked totally addictive, and after the fiirst three episodes it's official, looks aren't deceiving in this case. The voiceover is a little lame, but we forgive Kristen Bell. It's good enough that it's made the Tivo ticker, so watch for episode updates soon to come!

A leg up

IN KNEED: Minidresses have been in style for a couple of seasons now, and the look is more popular than ever in stores. Mischa Barton is a fan of the trend, but you don't have to be model-tall to wear the style. Especially now as the weather turns colder, pair the look with tights and boots to achieve a long and lean silhouette. Stacked heel boots and wool tights work best. So dare to go (semi) bare.

Feeling fall

ALL ABOUT AUTUMN: It might still be warm out in many parts of the country, but that doesn't mean you can't get set for the colder weather by planning what to wear when it finally gets chilly. We love Old Navy's wide leg jeans this season, a flattering fit at a bargain-basement price. Pair them with a fitted blouse and a cropped or flaired jacket, and you've got an easy outfit that's comfy and cool. Dress it up with stacked Mary Janes and you're all set.