It's holiday party time, which means that at least half of you are scrambling around looking for something festive to wear to that one big party. Or those three big parties! And you're also trying to figure out how to pay for holiday travel and gifts and entertaining, which means that the idea of buying a dress you will only wear once is a little stressful.Am I right?

This week, Metalia took one for the beauty team: She tested L'Oreal's Telescopic Explosion mascara. Sound enticing? Take two minutes and read her review. (Really, go read. I'll wait.)

Cardigans are big for fall 2009, but what's the strategy for making a cardi work for you? The key is to choose a shape that works with your figure, and then style it in a way that flatters your wardrobe.

I love fashion magazines; I like nothing better at the end of a long day than to curl up in bed with Vogue or InStyle and admire all the pretty things. I'm currently smitten by the gown in the Bottega Veneta ads, although they are both beyond my price range and out of my league. Fashion magazines, as Tim Gunn says, are aspirational -- they're not realistic in the least.Still, it's fun to look.

In September, Glamour magazine included a small photo of model Lizzi Miller. The photo wasn't on the cover, or even in a prominent spread; instead, it was tucked away on page 194, next to a piece about body image titled "What Everyone But You Sees About Your Body." The response, of course, was overwhelming; women were enthralled by Miller's size 12-14 body, particularly her tummy. Because she had a tummy, which was remarkable for a model in a fashion magazine.Jezebel's Margaret Hartman appreciated Glamour's attempt to include real women, but hesitantly: