Don’t ask me why exactly, but I love a chunky cocktail ring worn with just about anything. It has the ability to transform jeans and a tee, old school glamorize contemporary looks and fits in right at home with retro and vintage items. From style icons like Jackie O. to Sienna Miller, all the major fashionistas seem to agree. The best part about sporting a chunky ring on your right hand? You can pretty much go sans all other jewelry because the ring is such a statement in and of itself. It also calls attention to the area most women, no matter what their size like, namely their feminine hands. And for the larger handed among us, cocktail rings somehow seem to make big hands appear downright petite.

Below, my favorite picks…. From top, House of Harlow from ShopBop, Urban Outfitters, One Garnet Girl on etsy, sakatagin on etsy and Jewelmint.

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For the skimpy haired ladies amongst us (or even just for the styling inept), bombshell locks can often seem like a far off dream. The process to getting big, glamourous, volumized waves is fairly simple however, once you get your routine down pat. The Style King is here to set the record straight or, er, wavy on getting the look.

Start with a heat protecting spray. Spritz sparingly in damp locks. Blow dry hair upside down for maximum sex appeal and volume. This look isn’t about perfection so much as it is a messy, sensual one. Use a large barreled curling iron sparingly in key spots, as in the front and sides. The, the most difficult part for some, tease, tease, tease your main with a rattail comb. Teasing is also quite easy once you get the hang of it and is an invaluable tool in styling your hair. Simply brush hair up and then back comb it, creating volume and texture. Lastly, use a gloss spray or shine serum on ends and in dry looking areas. Voila! Instant sex pot.

L’Oreal has some great products at wonderful price points that are readily available and nowadays, quality curling irons can be found at a variety of places/prices. There’s really no excuse not to go with major volume for special nights… Though you may want to keep this look out of the office.

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Who knew? The cowboy tuxedo, a.k.a. wearing denim on denim, is no longer a fashion faux pas according to fashion bibles like Marie Claire. The key concept to remember here, however, is that it has to be the right pairing or you risk looking like you just exited the rodeo. Try a light denim button down worn with a darker wash skinny jean for a chic look. A wide leg or flare jean with a tucked in shirt works as well. White denim paired with a medium or light wash is equally gorge. The idea is to make sure you don’t wear the same or very similar shades of denim OR two totally opposite washes. In other words, you want the shades to be in the same family, but not too matched or too disparate.

Another way to wear the trend is to think beyond denim shirts and jeans, towards accessories, skirts, jackets and dresses as well. For the less adventurous among us, a denim pair of high top Converse paired with a jean jacket and and printed dress could be just the ticket. Or perhaps a classic denim jacket, worn to perfection would be great with just about anything. Look for subtle denim touches in the form of cuff bracelets, hair accessories and the like as well. Will you be rocking the look come spring?

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As the fashion world is recovering from the “greige” color nail polish trend as of late, an equally neutral hue is still going strong. Namely, nude colored nails . Flesh toned polish is great in that it literally goes with anything you’re wearing because it mimics your skin tone, making your nails even more of a blank canvas for you to play around with clothing and accessories. Unlike the burgundy and navy colors of trends past, these colors will flatter every skin tone and guarantee a classy, groomed appearance, making them pretty much the perfect polish. No wonder the trend has caught on like wildfire, with celebs like Eva Mendes wearing nudes for dressy and casual events alike.

Unlike the pink tinged nudes of past polish trends, the color should be more yellow based and mimic your actual skin tone. Too tame for you? Try a French manicure with a twist. Do a nude base and do the crescent on top in black instead of white. If you’re not into matching shades to your skin or are afraid the effect will make digits look longer, make sure to pick a color two shades deeper or darker than your complexion. Can’t find a shade that suits your complexion? Mix one up yourself, by simply combining a lighter nude with a darker one or start off with a white polish base and go from there until you find your perfect match.

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Y’all probably know by now that I’m a sucker for some of the Target designer collaborations to date. Now, the first high end collabo to debut for 2012 at the superstore is sure to be a hit, from what we’re seeing. Classy and vintage-inspired pretties by designer Jason Wu will adorn the racks come early February until the beginning of March. The only downside? Hopefully, this is not another Missoni situation and there’s enough style to go around.

Shown are pieces from the collection that tickled my fancy. These are great, chic items that the average woman of any age could wear to work or to lunch with the ladies. The navy, red and mustard color palette and splashes of black will fit seamlessly into any on trend woman’s wardrobe. The accompanying accessories exude a similar, ladylike appeal with boxy purses and the like.

Wu made it be known to none other than the New York Times that unlike past designers who’ve worked with Target before, he did not design a sort of greatest hits of his high end collections for the retailer. Rather, he developed a line that could stand on it’s own and was distinct from his runway looks. The result is a pretty, feminine mix of clothing to suit any chic lady worth her stilettos.

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One of my favorite styles of dressing takes inspiration from the past, particularly the ’60s. Mod style is characterized by simple silhouettes, like the shift dress or the trapeze coat and skinny pants, and solid colors, plaid or geometric type prints. Think the early Beatles’ cheeky boyishness and Edie Sedgewick’s sleek and sexy legging and mini combo.  It takes it’s cues from the swinging ’60s music scene in England and the youth subculture at that time, but above all, it’s a timelessly chic, simple and flattering way of dressing.

Silhouettes like the ones mentioned above suit a range of body types and can be found at different price points. Although mod always seems to make a comeback on the runway each season at some designer’s fashion show, it’s a perennial favorite of designers like Christopher Bailey of Burberry and labels Fred Perry and Ben Sherman, being both somehow preppy and classic while also remaining somewhat street chic.

Want a taste of mod dressing? Invest in black skinny trousers or jeans, leggings, short shift dresses, a classic trench coat and a great, geometric style hairstyle (say long hair with blunt bangs or a short, angled bob ala Posh Spice or old Vidal Sassoon). Keep your eye on Liberty prints, solid jewel tones or brights as well as ballet flats and oxford style heels.

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Some of the biggest beauty complaints I hear from my female clients revolve around something that is virtually never going to change. I’m talking about your inherited face shape, or even general facial features. Whether you feel your face is too round or too thin and angular, there’s always a complaint about bone structure, which is mostly genetic. Though face shape is not permanently changeable if you’re foregoing plastic surgery, there are things you can do to visually slim out or broaden your face and features on a daily basis.

Contouring can be great for women with these kinds of complaints. While that may seem like an intimidating word to the makeup novice, it’s actually a fairly simple concept to grasp and utilize. It simply means to make certain parts of the face or body recede and look smaller, or to make other areas look more prominent and call attention to them, making the face more balanced and attractive. The basic idea is to use darker tones where you want something to recede or appear smaller and use bright, lighter shades where you want to make certain areas to look more dynamic.

For example, a large nose can be contoured by putting a slightly darker, flesh toned powder on the sides and the bridge of the nose. For an angular mug, shimmery highlighter can be applied to the cheekbone area to, well, highlight the cheekbone area. If a narrow face is your issue, extend a darker blush horizontally across the cheekbones instead of angled upwards to create the illusion of width. Likewise, if roundness is your complaint, angle a rosy blush upwards to give the allusion of angles and sharpness to the face.

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So, upon my usual perusing of Refinery29.com, I came across an intriguing article on the comeback of a hair tool most often associated with crunchy haired old women, the hot roller. Though this may conjure up images of old biddies and blue tinged locks, a hot roller set is actually a great tool to have in every long haired woman’s beauty arsenal.

They not only can make kinky, tight curls more sleek and toned down, they can add body and wave to straight hair, whether fine or thick in texture. Plus, they’re super user friendly, as Refinery’s video shows, and can get you out the door at night in under thirty minutes. Oh, and they’re relatively not that damaging to your hair as compared to other hot tools and can recreate retro looks from the pin up style of the ’50s to the disco glam of the ’70s, making them ultra versatile. Just make sure to get a reputable maker for your set of hot rollers and try to go easy on the spray for a modern look.

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The world saw a resurgence of Jennifer Lopez in the past couple of years, after she had retreated into motherhood and marriage to Marc Anthony. J.Lo didn’t stay far from the spotlight and was soon back on our radars as a judge on American Idol and then through a terse public divorce (and subsequent dating of a twenty-something year old dancer).

Through it all, La Lopez managed to recapture her glory as a fashionista and resurrected the style of dressing she knows so well… Accessible, classic but sexy and a wee bit urban while also nodding to Old Hollywood. Oh, and she carefully toes the line between sexy and slutty without ever crossing over into no man’s land. Above it all, Lopez is always glamorous and looks age appropriate in her figure flattering outfits.

To get a hint of Lopez style in your own wardrobe, go for neutrals and body conscious, solid colored pieces for every day. The perfect pair of stylish jeans, a great fitting tee and some killer hoops are ideal. Pair with some fab booties and plenty of attitude, and you’re set. For nighttime, bring out the big guns and go all out glamorous. Prints, daring cuts and chic silhouettes all have their place in Lopez’s world. Match evening ensembles to the perfect hair and makeup and really commit to the look, as Lopez does. Keep the hair and makeup on the warm toned side and find a beauty look that suits you and stick with it. After all, Lopez’s beauty style is always perfection.

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By now, y’all probably know about my liking higher end vintage. Although there are some great flea and antique markets here in Austin and in most major cities, the fleas in NYC just can’t be beat. Brooklyn, in particular, since becoming a mecca for fashion, food and culture, has two great ones, namely the Brooklyn Flea and Artists and Fleas.

Both markets carry artisanal and vintage pieces as well as great food (and people watching) that is worth checking out if you’re in the area. The Brooklyn Flea tends to have vendors who are more established and at times, higher end, while Artists and Fleas caters to a more downtown crowd, with new and emerging, vendors. Whatever your style, both of these markets are sure to have something that’s your style at any given time.

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