SICKA THAN AVERAGE

Han Solo

Here's a sneak peak at Jenny Han's offerings for summer '08, which mostly consists of silk camisoles and coquettish dresses in bold hues (tobasco reds, azure blues, marigold yellows, and signature prints in greens/blacks and reds/blues/purples). The collection boasts modern design touches like tiered columns, bandeau bra lines, flutter sleeves, and inverted pleats.

The line, which was launched in LA in the fall of 2004, takes the most feminine of silhouettes but reinvents them by adding a more contemporary sensibility — for example, overlapping layers add volume to the top half of an otherwise basic halter dress, a pleated halter strap adds elegance to a light green mini dress, and dainty epaulettes add a tougher feel to a billowing blouse. Each piece feels like it was efortlessly designed (even though, looking at the complex embroidery and pintuck embellishments, it's clear that they were expertly and painstakingly tailored). Part of Han's allure is its clever use of elegant yet sexy materials (silk, cotton voile and lace among them). Each garment is so soft that it literally caresses your skin (imagine that: beauty without pain!) and makes you feel like the ultimate sex kitten (and I mean that in the least trampy way possible!).

My faves for summer are this 100% silk mini skirt with its banded sash waist, and the embroidered appliqué pintuck dress with its lush silk material and deep red hue.

Banded sash flippy mini skirt, $84; Appliqué pintuck dress in tobasco red, $92. Visit http://www.jennyhan.com for stores.

Keep 'Em Guessing

GUESS by Marciano has teamed up with the EMA (the Environmental Media Association), an organization that mobilizes entertainment industry folks to utilize their respective platforms as a means to educate and mobilize others about environmental issues. So, basically, the EMA leaders reach out to the tree-killing, paper-shoveling folks at magazines and newspapers (guilty as charged), the plastic-abusing, CD-hoarding music industry folks, and the chemical ingredient-loving beauty and fashion peeps, and educate them about the havoc they're unleashing on the planet. And,hey, their efforts seem to be working -- every e-mail I get lately has that "be conscious of the environment before printing this e-mail" warning (it's a baby step). And every fashion house in town is going green (which could potentially be a fad but, even if it is, at least it's one with positive consequences).

What I respect most about the GUESS GREEN collection is that it indicates a long-term commitment to raising awareness about these issues. For one, they're giving 10% of the proceeds from the sale of GUESS GREEN denim to the EMA. Secondly, they will be gifting customers who make purchases of $100 or more with a reusable tote bag (made with an untreated, non-woven fabric and decorated with water-based ink and organic pigments)-- if they bring the tote during future shopping trips, they automatically get a 5% discount (which gives people incentive to use these totes instead of relying on plastic bags).

And, of course, there's no better incentive than the fashions themselves. There's this 100% organic cotton tank top, which celebrates the universal cause every potential pageant winner is pledged to: world peace (except that, in this case, it's not a cop-out from a vapid, tiara-coveting femmebot).And, if you look closely, you'll notice that's a close-up of Africa, which pleases me to no end.I love how effortless and hand-drawn it looks -- gives it a one-of-a-kind feel, don't you think? The boot-cut, organic cotton jeans are also fly (check out the shape of the back pockets and the elaborate stitching), and they're manufactured to minimize carbon effusions and the usage of any hazardous chemicals (processing consists of a simple wash and rinse).

The line will be available in April 2008 but, unlike its competitors, GUESS by Marciano isn't just offering this as a limited-edition run to save face for Earth Day -- no, April is the starting point for a line they plan to expand and fold into their already successful brand. So consider this your introduction.

Tank Top, $29. Jeans, $178. Visit http://www.guess.com.

Religious Experience

As my dawg Pitbull (pun intended) said, money is a major issue, so I'm not even gonna front like I can envision buying this sucka in the near future but, hey, dreamin' is free, right? Anyhoo, I'm desperately coveting the Stella Weekender handbag by True Religion (yes, the cult brand that purveys of some of the most booty-friendly jeans out there).

Though it's made from patches of vintage-looking denim (the most casual, not-accepted-in-the-club fabric out there), this handbag manages to look as high-class as any of its snooty leather and suede friends (meaning it can hop on first-class with the best of 'em). There's something about the crisp white leather straps and the sparse white stitching that makes the bag's colors really pop and adds a certain sophistication to what would otherwise be deemed a casual bag. Another elegant touch: the meticulous, white-on-white criss-cross stitching on the handles.

And though Stella (yes, we're on a first-name basis here) can work any couture runway, she also has that free-spirited vibe that we only associate with denim (also emphasized by the funky silver True Religion tag, which dangles from a strand of thread that is, in turn, embellished with silver, turquoise and coral beads).You can dress this bag up by wearing it as a satchel, using the sturdier, buckled shoulder straps (the length of which can be altered for maximum comfort) or, you can go for an always-on-the-go feel and maximize the use of its roomy interior by slapping it across your chest and wearing it as a pseudo messenger bag. Either way, this bag is just divine.

$698; available at True Religion Stores, http://www.truereligionbrandjeans.com, Neiman Marcus stores, and http://www.neimanmarcus.com

Wedge Fund

It may be known for its ubiquitous so-ugly-they're-cute sheepskin boots (which keep your toesies cozy all winter long), but Ugg Australia is no one-trick pony. In the fall, the brand unveiled a collection of gorgeous leather boots that rivaled the likes of Michael Kors and, for spring, it's releasing some warm weather-friendly footwear that's fashionable and manages to incorporate some of the brand's trademark elements. The Espadrille and Resort collections include ballet slippers, gladiators, thong sandals, and lace-up espadrilles. One of my favorite styles is this slip-on wedge, dubbed the Margot. The criss-cross suede material is supple and soft, adjusting to the form of your foot for optimal comfort. The wedge heel incorporates suede and braided two-tone rope (a nice design touch that gives the shoe an espadrille-like feel). But the most classically Ugg element is, of course, the sheepskin insole, which makes your foot feel unbelievably snug (no calluses, homies!)

I'm not saying it's meant for 105-degree weather (that lambskin would make your foot feel like it's caught in the seventh circle of hell) but it's definitely great for those 60- and 70-degree spring days, when you just have to get your legs out of hybernation, put on a bouncy skirt or a tunic dress in a cute flowered print, and let those feet see some sunshine. And hey, if you're chillin' in air conditioned rooms all through July and August, why not let Margot be your summertime fling? Just make sure to stop your wintertime laziness and get a friggin' pedicure!

Available in light brown (pictured), chocolate brown, and black. $100; Visit http://www.uggaustralia.com

It's A Jungle Sometimes

If you've opened up Us Weekly or In Touch or logged onto PerezHilton.com more than a handful of times, you've likely seen photos of Rachel Bilson, Hayden Panettiere, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears (on a good day — not a pink wig outing) and every other Redbull-chugging, oversized shade-wearing, rehab-loving on-the-scene Hollywood starlet rocking those comfy-looking sweatsuits and thermal shirts with cute prints like bunny rabbits, ponies, sea horses, panda bears, anchors, feathers, and ice cream cones. Well, allow me to introduce y'all to Primp Clothing, a trendy, California-based activewear line created by Detroit native Wells Butler. The line, which has an '80s motif, has been around for a few years (since 2004 to be exact), and its fan base has grown exponentially — particularly now that Juicy Couture has ventured into handbags, fragrances, etc., and eased up on the chokehold it once had on the loungewear market. The pieces are playful but simple (never overdesigned) and, while they're clearly on the casual side, you can dress them up (try pairing a hoodie with a hot pair of jeans, an eye-catching belt buckle and some killer boots) or down (go fo a full-fledged matching sweatsuit ensemble and some kicks or shearling-lined boots).

And since green is the new black when it comes to fashion, Primp is experimenting with organic fabrics (not that it should surprise us — everyone from Paige Jeans to Carlos Miele, Etnies, J Brand, Tonic and H&M has unveiled an eco-friendly apparel line this year). But, since it's still relatively under-the-radar, Primp is keeping it simple, releasing only a couple of "green" items just in time for Earth Day. The standout piece is this lightweight, zip-up hoodie, which is practically an ode to rainforests. It's a gorgeus kelly green hue with an all-over print featuring purple and olive-colored Chinese Hibicus flowers juxtaposed against bright green palm leaves. Look at it for a bit and you'll feel like you're staring at a watercolor painting of a tropical landscape. It's definitely a bit of a departure from Primp's previous pieces, which were strikingly simple and typically utilized more muted colors, but it's definitely a refreshing one. Oh, and the material is so comfortable you'll feel like you're in your pajamas (always a selling point) but you won't look like you rolled out of bed (well, unless you do roll out of bed and slap it on, in which case you WILL look like that! lol).

$58. Available at http://www.shoplastyle.com, http://www.revolveclothing.com and http://www.shopbop.com in late April.

Life Is But A Beach Chair

Calling all water babies, beach bunnies, surfer gals and ocean goddesses!! If you fantasize about living by the shore, admiring the mysteries of the sea while your toes curl up in the sand, and regularly immersing your body in ocean water, you'll more than appreciate Thymes's new Azur collection, which seeks to capture the "vital essence of the sea." The product line (which incorporates everything from bath salts and body washes to hand lotions and home fragrance sprays) utilizes sea herbs, minerals and proteins from marine sources, along with evening primrose oil (an anti-aging agent), to nourish and replenish your skin.

So what the heck does that mean? Well, these clever Poseidons used ingredients like sea kelp, bladderwrack (it sounds like a UTI, but it's actually a type of brown algae) and spirulina (a variety of blue-green algae) to create these soothing products. The best part? The mix of marine-based plants with white tea, water lily, and other active ingredients yields an amazingly natural scent. These products literally smell like the open sea —well, minus the extra salt water; this is more like the vague scent of an ocean mist. So go ahead and make like you're a mermaid.

Azur Foaming Bath, $27; Azur Body Lotion,$27; Azur Body Wash; $19; Azur Body Water, $32. Visit http://www.thymes.com or call 1-800-366-4071 to order.

Umbrella, Eh-eh-eh!

This product might have you scratching your heads at first and feeling more than a tad befuddled and bewildered but work with me: once you go through all the information, you'll be hyped over just how innovative this is. So first, let me put you onto game: this right here is the Brelli, and it's a 100% biodegradable, eco-friendly umbrella. I know what you're thinking: what's the point of an umbrella if it's going to fall apart in the rain? Let me reassure you: it's not going to crumble under the weight of a few droplets (or even during a hefty downpour). It's still an umbrella, people, not some macramé paper concoction!!

So how does it work? Well, most plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose. The Brelli, on the other hand, features a bio-plastic canopy that can break down completely in a traditional landfill during a two-year period. The creator, Pamela Zonsius, hasn't disclosed all the details regarding the Brelli's chemical composition (and understandably so -- why give away your secret weapon?!), so feel free to speculate about the whens, wheres and hows behind the invention.

In terms of its fashion quotient, the Brelli is undeniably stylish: its handle and frame are made of sustainably-harvested bamboo, giving it the feel of a beautiful Zen-like parasol. Just think of the beautiful decor in Memoirs of A Geisha -- wouldn't this fit right in there?

The Brelli is available in a 37" diameter size and a 52" diameter size. Word to the wise: if you live in a crowded metropolitan area, opt for the 37" one (well, unless you have a secret desire to poke everyone in the eye!)

Available at Fred Siegel ZERO MINUS PLUS in Los Angeles and Jussara Lee in New York. Visit http://www.thebrelli.com for more information

21 Jump-Off Street

Being a shameless bargain hunter, I'm steady rifling through every tray and display wall at Forever 21. Hey, I may like to splurge sometimes, but money don't grow on trees (trust me: I tried growing it when I was a yung'un! hee hee). And I must say, in between the tired ol' plastic hoop earrings and other Avril Lavigne-in-her-Sk8r Boy-era pieces, I always find some hot necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Their selection is bananas and there's rarely anything over $10, so I basically act like a Weight Watchers reject at a Krispy Kreme paradise, grabbing for everything and hauling fistfuls of stuff to the cash register (where I inevitably have to downsize a bit).

On my latest foray into the store, I was magnetized by these two pieces. The bangle bracelet comes in a warm, pearlized beige color that gives it a certain soft, ethereal quality (and adds a bit of translucency) and the bold orange, yellow, and black designs look like handpainted, feather-y wisps of color. The bracelet has this '70s edge to it that I absolutely adore, and the color scheme works nicely with most outfits (well, as long as you incorporate some neutral earth colors).

The second piece, the heart necklace, makes me think of Spain back in the day-- the lush green, red, and white hues against the deep black backdrop add a sense of drama (think of a Joan Miró painting with all its bold, contrasting hues), and the emphasis on flowers gives it a certain forbidden femininity that's sexy as hell. There's an antique vibe to this piece that makes me think of beautiful women in balconies overlooking rose gardens being serenaded by their would-be beaus -- okay, my imagination is running away from me, but you catch my drift...

Bracelet, $5.80. Necklace, $8.80. At select Forever 21 stores.

The Great Harlot

Being a ho is so 2007. I mean, really, Lil Kim was rhyming about being a ho, a slut and a freak back in the "Crush On You" days (I was in high school, for goodness' sake!) Even if you tend to get a little loose-y goose-y, you might as well demand the necessary respect by dubbing yourself a sophisticated harlot -- it's got almost as much pizzazz as the term madame, right? The word "harlot" just has a little ring to it... It's almost like a harlot could have the most lurid, steamy affairs, without her reputation being the least bit tainted -- semantaics are something else, huh? Anyway, the word has this dazzle to it -- which is perhaps why Oliver Peoples chose the name for its most glamorous collection of sunglasses.

For its 20th anniversary, the Diamond Harlot is at its very best (the style is aging like fine wine) -- available in black/yellow gold, ivory shell/rose gold and storm gray/white gold, each pair features 1.5 carats of natural, white, round-cut diamonds on either side of the frame (so they'll add some sparkle to your temples).

The oversized shades channel old Hollywood glamour (sure, the shape reminds us of Jackie Kennedy, but the vibe is more Grace Kelly meets Joanne Woodward). Can't you just picture an old screen siren rocking these shades with a lush, silk scarf wrapped around her head and tied below her chin? Forget Mary-Kate, LiLo, or any other budding starlet who alternates between glamour and slovenliness. These require a certain grace, confidence and poise, so it's not for those who could've been cast for Mo'Nique's Charm School show and they're not to be worn with terry sweatsuits, Kool aid-colored weaves, or flip-flops. I mean, if you're going to play the part of a movie star, going incognito behind these shades and dodging your pretend paparazzi, you might as well dress accordingly. So indulge your inner screen siren and that vampy (but never trashy) harlot in you.

20 Year Anniversary Diamond Harlot by Oliver Peoples, $6000. Visit http://www.oliverpeoples.com for more information. Available for purchase at Bergdorf Goodman, 212-872-8977.

Write Away!

Call me old-school but despite us being in a digital era (where almost everyone jots down notes on their Blackberrys or any other snazzy handheld devices), there's a precious quality to writing your thoughts down on paper. Think about the journals that have played such an important role in history: from the diary of Anne Frank to those of Lewis Carroll and Virginia Woolf. Or think of how we fawn over the hand-written poems of the late Tupac Shakur. Staring at those writings, visceral as they are, and analyzing the handwriting of each person (how they curl some letters, or the direction in which each word slants), makes us feel like we're being given some insight into their psyches and souls. Do you think that, if 20 or 30 years from now, we find the Sidekick notes of, say, Jay-Z or Madonna, they'll be regarded with the same reverence? I personally have a hard time seeing it.

Yup, call me nostalgic, but I like jotting down my musings on paper. And, if I'm gonna go that route, I might as well use a journal that reflects my personal style -- not some nasty office notepad in a nauseated yellow color. So if you're into funky designs, you'll probably appreciate these quaint journals by Saturate Design. The "Bling" journal features a hand-silkscreened gold-and-silver design on a 4.25" x 5.25" journal full of blank ivory pages (no lines here, so make sure you're not drunken when writing or all your sentences will come out in a weird angle!). The size is really convenient -- you won't run out of pages right away, but it's also small enough to carry in your average tote. The second design, "Favorite," features a hand-silkscreened gold horse (which looks like it ran off from a carousel!) and a cherry-colored banner with the word "Favorite." So take your pick: do you want to be a free spirit, "whose gonna ride your wild horses?" type of chick or a "diamonds are forever" dame? Either way, there's a journal to suit you.

$9 each. Visit http://www.luxepaperie.com