Blog Posts by Joanna Douglas, Senior Fashion and Beauty Editor

Getty ImagesFor many women, black is a go-to color when it comes to wardrobe choices, because it can be very slimming and it goes with everything. But experts say black is not the universally flattering hue we all thought it was, and that often it can actually make you look old. Ouch!

The main problem with black, according to color consultants, is that it emphasizes dark lines, wrinkles and shadows on your face--sometimes when they're not even really there. Colorist Jules Standish says, "the effect can be as serious as making women feel drained, self-conscious and introverted." To avoid this, she advises ditching hats, scarves and turtlenecks in black in exchange for brighter colors. And if you do want to wear a black top, she says to opt for one with a low neckline, or add a colorful necklace.

If you have a warm skin tone, you may want to avoid black because it actually detracts from your healthy glow and can make you look tired and aged. For women with pale, cooler coloring (think Anne

PeopleReality star Kate Gosselin must have taken Shine's "New Year, New You" to heart, and given herself an image overhaul. On the cover of the new issue of People magazine, Gosselin is sporting some new hair extensions... and dare we say we like them?

"It's good to have hair again," says Gosselin. "I never thought I'd have short hair for as long as I did. I feel like this is a fresh start, a fresh me, a fresh life… I've got it. I am now Kate Clean Slate."

Though she became known for her spiked reverse mullet, we're glad Kate left her 'do and her Ed Hardy-wearing hubby in the '00s. Besides, who has time for all that hair gel and styling when you're looking after eight kids? Hopefully changing her hair is just the first step in getting her life back on track.

What do you think of Kate Gosselin's new look? [Just Jared]

Lane BryantAwful airbrushing and photoshopping is something we would have loved to leave behind in the last decade, but sadly it has already returned. One blog noticed something peculiar about the homepage of lanebryant.com, namely the placement of this model's bellybutton. We also have to point out that she is clearly lacking a kneecap and her tummy is looking generally weird and overly smoothed out.

If Lane Bryant is a company that caters to fuller figured ladies, perhaps they should stop altering their photos and let their models appear as the real, gorgeous women that they are.

The Snuggle Suit from JCPenneyEveryone is looking to cash in on the Snuggie fad, with dozens of imitators like the Necky and now the Snuggle Suit following its footsteps. But aside from being get-rich-quick gimmicks, we think the creators of these cozy garments have latched on to a larger and perhaps more depressing trend: people don't want to get dressed!

Here in the Northeast, snow has been coming down all month, and temperatures are in the negatives with the wind chill, so it's no huge surprise that people enjoy wearing warm, comfy sweats and cuddling up with blankets. But are Snuggies and Snuggle Suits encouraging us to spend too much time sitting on our butts? And are we foregoing actual clothing when we do head outside?

Recently we've seen men, women, and children alike wearing sweatpants, track suits, and even pajamas while running errands, on planes and even out at brunch! We believe that when going out in public (not just a quick trip to the drive-through window at the bank) people should wear real

Getty ImagesWe'd be willing to bet that one of the most popular resolutions is cutting out junk food, eating healthier, and getting into shape in the new year. But what is the real goal? For many women this means fitting comfortably into their old, favorite pair of jeans. Special K cereal polled 2,200 women about this phenomenon, and the results were surprising. 35% of women confessed to owning a pair of ''trophy'' jeans that they've kept around in hopes of fitting into again one day. 29% said reaching this goal would be better than sex, 29% felt it would be better than getting a promotion, 20% thought it would feel better than winning the lottery, and 11% would prefer it to a marriage proposal. Laura Bryant from Special K said, "this shows the endorphin rush women get when they achieve their goal of fitting back into that one special pair of jeans." Seriously!

Another 10% of those polled said their jeans have even outlasted their longest relationship. Good jeans really are important to women!

Getty ImagesWe can't believe that four days later, the world is still buzzing about the glittery bodysuit Jennifer Lopez wore on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve." But then, on the other hand, we can. First off it is amazing, though not shocking, how incredible J.Lo looks after giving birth to twins. Yes, we've seen her post-baby body plenty of times, but never this, um, visibly. Which leads us to, WTF was she thinking when she decided to wear a skin-tight, nearly see-through piece of spandex on one of the most viewed television programs of the year? A horrible but completely buzz-worthy ensemble, it seems.

Check out the rear view below, and let us know what you think of J.Lo's catsuit. Here at Shine, we've agreed that it ranks somewhere between Britney Spears in "Toxic" and Marilyn Manson in "The Dope Show" on the yuck-o-meter. And perhaps wasn't the best fashion statement to make going into the new year.







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www.american-presidents.orgToday I read a really sweet blog on Huffington Post about how a reporter spotted Caroline Kennedy wearing a diamond brooch that once belonged to her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (pictured at left). The former first lady was said to have paid $100,000 for the diamond "sunburst pin" a long time ago. When the reporter noticed Caroline wearing it on a black dress at a recent dinner, she said, "my mother gave it to me."

Whether an item is $100,000 or $50, there's something so special about wearing hand-me-down jewelry. I've had my eye on a charm bracelet of my mother's since I was a little girl--not because I wanted to take it or because it was very valuable, but because it reminds me so much of her.

I do have an heirloom story to share with you, though. A few years ago, I really wanted a pair of diamond stud earrings. I mentioned it to my mother, but of course when we went into jewelry stores to look, they were all way too expensive. Shortly afterward, my mom's step-mother passed

Getty ImagesMany fans of "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker think she can do no wrong. While we'd agree that she's a good, likable actress and an extremely fashionable lady, her latest venture just plain stinks. Literally. In 2005, Parker entered the world of fragrance with her signature scent, Lovely, with huge success. In 2007 she launched a second perfume, Covet, and earlier this year she added to the Lovely collection with a trio of fragrances: Dawn, Endless, and Twilight. As she gears up for 2010, Parker has a new concept for her next scent... and it smells like someone who forgot to wear deodorant.

"I'm working on a new genderless fragrance that's not out yet," says Parker. "I can't even tell you what it's called. It has taken me three years to decide on the scent because I really like B.O. and I think it's sexy. I wanted to figure out a way to make it palatable to everybody. I was like, 'How do you get B.O. in a bottle and make an atomiser of it?'"

While we fully enjoy the