Blog Posts by Marie Claire

The ugly sweater party is an oldie, but definitely a goodie.The Ugly Sweater Party
If you managed to go this long in life without acquiring some horrific Christmas sweater - you know, the ones with the puff paint snowmen and the mistletoe-patterned mock turtlenecks - from your great aunt Mildred, then you may have to run to the nearest K-Mart to purchase one for this party of holiday fashion faux pas. We promise they don't cost more than $15, and the photos will most definitely be priceless.

Reverse Christmas in July Christmas in July is a time-honored mid-summer party favorite. In the summer's hottest month, people pretend it's Christmas - complete with a tree, gift exchange, and hearty meal. Well, turn the tables on this tradition with a beach-themed romp in the dead of winter. Beach balls, mojitos, everyone's favorite Christmas with the Beach Boys album, and ample sunscreen are a must. Bikinis - considering this happens to be one of the all-time worst months for six-packs - are clearly optional.

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

Trim My

A leave-in hair mask can transform your hair.Let's face it: Lustrous hair can take a lot of upkeep. Even if your stylist doesn't make house calls, fear not. "You can give your hair the TLC it needs to look its best by using items you have at home," notes Lorri Goddard Clark for the Privé Salon in Los Angeles, whose clients include Reese Witherspoon. Here, she dishes on her tried-and-true recipes for getting - and maintaining - healthy hair.

1. Feed Your Head "You can't have full, bouncy hair without a healthy scalp," says Goddard-Clark. To reduce excess oil, dampen a cotton ball with witch hazel, dab it along your hairline and part, and rinse hair with cool water. Fight flakes weekly by adding five drops of tea-tree oil to your favorite shampoo as a booster. Skip conditioner, though, and apply a detangler only to the ends of your hair - your scalp may be sensitive after this treatment.

MC Tip: Before any type of scalp treatment, check for burns from hot tools that could be easily irritated.

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid

This isn't the most festive cat we've ever seen.1. Dominick the Donkey, Lou Monte
If we wanted to hear that much braying, we'd sit next to our asthmatic uncle Fred.

2. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Elmo & Patsy
Because Nana's drinking is no laughing matter.

3. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late), The Chipmunks & David Seville
Regrettably, the Xanax is in our other purse.

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

4. Jingle Bells, The Singing Dogs
Hmmm, barking dogs. See also: reasons to move.

5. Feliz Navidad, Jose Feliciano
The only Spanish we retained from high school.

6. I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Tommie Connor
Fanning the fears of infidelity and broken marriages since 1952.

7 Bedtime Habits That Are Ruining Your Sleep

7. Mamacita, Donde Esta Santa Claus?, Augie Rios
Sparking the Santa-ain't-real conversation in homes all across the country.

8. Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
Someone's gonna yell "like a light bulb!" and think they're being cute. But they won't be.

9. Christmas in Hollis, Run-DMC
Santa

Ted Gibson recommends dry shampoo for an extra lift.

During the holiday season, it's likely you have more after-work functions to attend than you have time to get ready. Fear not. Celebrity hair stylist Ted Gibson - who has worked on Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, and Renee Zellweger's locks, among others - offers up tips to transition from the office to a festive fete.

If your hair has gone haywire since you last styled it, hair towelettes called Hair Sheets by Ted Gibson help calm fly-aways. They also deodorize and freshen your look. An easy fix that you can keep in your desk drawer, hair sheets come in packs of 10 for $25.

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

A long day at work may have dampened the volume in your hair, but don't let it dampen your motivation to go out. Gibson recommends dry shampoo to give it a lift and get rid of excess oil.

To get a sleek style, try the serum L'Oreal Shine Perfection. Running a dollop of this medium-weight product through your

Go for varied textures and fabrics this holiday season.

The holiday season is right around the corner, which means one thing: a calendar full of festivities, and a chock full of seasonal sartorial conundrums to go with it. Getting a look together for a holiday party can be tricky, but we've come up with a handy list of eight tips that we're sure will help you out. Our number one suggestion? HAVE FUN! This festive season is all about standing out - and more than a little bit of sparkle - so forget about being shy until after New Year's.

1. Start off with some statement outerwear. Chances are it'll be freezing outside when you head to your holiday soirées each evening, so a chic coat is a must have. It's the first thing people see, and you can use it to pull your entire look together. Make sure that you find one that's perfectly fitted - you can always take it to your friendly neighborhood tailor for some alterations - and if you want to step it up in the style department, try one with a fashion-forward silhouette or an interesting

Get through the party season without adding pounds!Get through the party season without adding pounds by focusing your workout on the most effective toning moves. Try this full-body routine by Alycia Kluegl, a trainer at New York Sports Clubs in Hoboken, NJ, three times a week.

BELLY BLASTERS
Crunches: Lie on your back, legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Place hands behind your head and focus on a point on the ceiling. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your upper body several inches, then lower back down to the floor. Repeat 15 times.

Oblique crunches: Begin on the floor in the same starting position. Lift your shoulder blades up while twisting so that your right elbow touches your left knee. Return to starting position, then switch sides. Repeat 15 times on each side.

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

LOWER-BODY SCULPT
Cardio warm-up: five minutes

Weighted squats: Stand with feet hip-distance apart, arms at sides, holding 10-pound weights. Squat as if sitting down in a chair. Stop when thighs are parallel to the floor, then

Bobbi Brown Bed is the perfect winter fragrance.Bed Head

Bobbi Brown Bed is a subtle perfume oil blended with neroili, orange flower, and jasmine. Just the thing if you love warmly sensual, barely-there scents - and gorgeous, antique-style bottles. ($70, bobbibrowncosmetics.com)

Mother of Dragons

Quirky-good fragrance house Demeter's newest offering, Dragon Fruit, mixes citrus notes with subtle, woodsy florals for a fresh, fruity scent that works purely unseasonal. ($6-$39, dementerfragrance.com)

Hot Coco

With darkly luminous hints of grapefruit, bergamot, rose absolute, and Indonesian patchouli, Chanel Coco Noir is one of the most wearable florientals to hit shelves in years. ($90, macys.com)

5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

Hippie Chic

Blended with lily of the valley, Moroccan rose, sugared patchouli, and sandalwood, Nicole by Nicole Richie encapsulates all that's intriguing about the designer's rich hippie, cool LA chick vibe. ($69, macys.com)

Love Story

Diane von Furstenberg's new

Try these new tactics out at the buffet table tonight! That seltzer-and-celery-stick party protocol never seems to work once the sliders and bubbly start getting passed around. Tricia Williams, NYC nutritionist and chef at Food Matters, suggests a game plan for staying slim throughout the decadent season.

1. Cut 100 to 200 calories from breakfast and lunch. A few painless strategies: drip coffee instead of a latte; brown rice cake instead of a bagel; greens instead of chips; lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil instead of dressing; lettuce instead of bread for your sandwich. (If the latter sounds extreme, consider the Korean staple dish bulgogi, where you wrap up spicy beef in lettuce. Yum!)


5 Secrets of the Highest-Paid Women

2. Add two teaspoons of chia seeds to iced tea or watered-down juice before you go. The seeds expand, so you feel satiated. Plus, they contain omega-3 fatty acids, which temper inflammation from excess food, alcohol, and stress.

3. Survey the foodscape. What looks most delicious? Zero in on that, steer