So now that you've decided on where to go for your much deserved winter getaway, it's time to start packing. If you're off to the islands, you'll pack light, and if you're trekking up a mountain, you'll be packing a a little more. In either case, though, don't forget protection!

That's right, whether Aruba or Aspen, the sun is going to be strong. To help make sure that you do a little now (sunscreen) to prevent having to do a lot later (Dr. 90210), Styledash has seven days of suncare.

Sunday, Sunscreen on Your Face - We've said it before, and we aren't shy about saying it again. And again. And again. You must wear sunscreen. It seems counter-intuitive to wear sunscreen when you're going to play in the snow, but honey, it's twice as strong out there in the mountains, since you're at a higher elevation and the sun's sparkling rays hit you not only from above, but reflect off the snow underneath. A lot of moisturizers out there have a sibling with SPF. Juice Beauty's Green Apple Moisturizer is not only sun-protective, but all of Juice Beauty's products are 100% certified organic.

Monday, Make the Most of Your Foundation - Don't forget that you can go double, even triple protection out there with the makeup you use. Clinique's City Base Compact Foundation goes on creamy, finished powdery, and provides a physical barrier from the elements, as well as SPF 15.

Tuesday, Triple Protection Powder - Lots of compact powders have sun-protection, in varying degrees of SPF. Stila's Illuminating Powder is a velvety powder that has an SPF of 12. It doesn't sound like much, but don't forget that you're wearing that on top of a moisturizer and foundation that both have SPF, too.

Anne posted about a recent article in the UK Times about cashmere - what used to be considered quite a luxury is becoming more and more affordable. Take a moment to refer to the article as a good resource for understanding the differences among the different quality cashmere. While you do that, we're going shopping for cashmere, from low-cost to luxe, and you can decide where you want to put your dollars (or cents, as the case may be).

Sunday - It doesn't get any more affordable than Target, but $19.99 cashmere is stylish when it comes from designer Behnaz Sarafpour. So what the short sleeve sweater with bow detail at the neckline is a cashmere blend? So what if it's 95% cotton and only 5% cashmere? It still has cashmere in it.

Monday - If you only want to spend $19.99 on 100% cashmere, get gloves at J. Crew. In fact, if you are aiming for the highest quality cashmere, which starts with quality yarns, 2-play, and a tight knit in the manufacture, but have to stay within a budget, gloves and scarves are your best bet.

Tuesday - Maybe we'll do a little better with a cashmere blend that's more cashmere than something else. Gap's Deep V-Neck Sweater is 15% cashmere, which is why it's only $44. If you want to full cashmere, Gap has a more modest V-neck sweater that's 100% cashmere for $88.

Wednesday - J. Crew thinks that everyone deserves a little bit of luxury so they have an entire section of their site dedicated to cashmere. Their cashmere crewneck cardigan is $158 and comes in more than a dozen colors. The one shown in Majestic Purple, but I have a thing for their Heather Peppermint (light pink).

It's the sesaon of socializing, and every smart business girl k nows that socializing means networking. While you're out there charming the crowds with your sparkling smile, lovable laugh, and wonderous wit, make sure you are armed with calling cards. Don't rely on your boring business cards from work because really, do you want that darling boy in the black velvet jacket to know what you do during the day? Right. So here are seven ways to make sure he or she calls you, and a few that are insurance that they won't. (Click through on the images for shopping information.)

Sunday - Moo cards are a new customizable option that allows you to print photos from your Flickr account on a slightly slimmer card than usual. For $19.99, you get 100 cards, and they dont' all have to have the same image, you know because some of them have a picture of you (give to the boy) and some of them have a picture of you and three cats (give to grandma!).

Monday - Fabulous! An appropriate name for a stationary company whose pre-made designs are absolutely fabulous. The color palettes are intersting and the designs are some-modern, some-retro. A set of 100 cards is $55.

All this talk of gift shopping, party planning, and party-going for the Holidays, and we have hardly said a word about anothe big "thing" associated with this time of year: travel! Of course, we've pointed to a few weekender bags here and there, and mentioned that the TSA has updated guidelines for carry-on luggage, but how could we forget the most important thing of all?!?!

Looking good.

Styledash has seven days of seven ways to look absolutely wonderful on your winter escape. We are guessing that most of us will be off to a tropical paradise, so we'll start with that today. Bon Voyage!

Sunday - I'm a little odd in that I wear full makeup when I go to the beach or hang by the pool (it's all waterproof, and besides, I never leave my shaded lounge chair under the umbrella anyway), but I do know that there are many women who go barefaced. Bad! You can most certainly go without makeup, but you should never go out without a heavy application of sunscreen both on your skin and on your lips. I have SPF in everything from my moisturizer, foundation, and compact powder.

Monday - You can't be a global jetsetter without donning a pair of sunglasses. For your island getaway, the tortoise rimmed sunspecs from Versace will fit right in with that natural setting. Versace Glam Frame sunglasses are $220 at Nordstrom.

We here at Styledash know that Christmas sweaters can get pretty old, pretty fast, even for your favorite clotheshorse Friends, so we're putting together some gift lists that go beyond the closet. We've covered those fashionably bookish friends of yours, so now it's time to make your way down your Holiday shopping list to the ones who appreciate stylish song. Here are seven CDs that very appropriately fit into the fashion world, whether it's singers turned designers like L.A.M.B. goddess Gwen Stefani or a compilation of the biggest tunes to hit the runways of Fashion Week 2006. Plus, we've thrown in a bonus because, well, we didn't want to leave a hole in the picture.

Sunday - Ever since I found myself chanting B-A-N-A-N-A-S every time I saw an apple, I have stayed away from Gwen Stefani's music. However, I adore and respect the woman for her utter goddess-without-diva-ness.

Monday - We adore Gwen for her non-diva-ness, but we love Victoria Beckham for the exact opposite reason. D.I.V.A. I was tempted to pull out one of the old Spice Girls albums, but couldn't bring myself to do it.

Tuesday - If ever she dreamt of being a runway model, now's her chance. Just throw the Music from Fashion Week CD onto the player and let her strut her stuff.

Honey, you are the hostess with the mostest, so you certainly don't need anyone telling you how to throw a great party. However, with so many things happening at warp speed all at once right now, you're in a bit of a Holidaze. Did you put the vodka in the freezer? Did you hide all the old photos of you and your family from 12 years ago in the closet? Did you preheat the oven? Good gracious, girl, did you put on a bra?!?

See what I mean? Never fear. Styledash is here to help, with a few tips (reminders, right?) on how to throw a party that will go down in the history books (or will not, depending on your perspective).

Sunday - Pick a theme and stick to it. The easiest thing to do is just pick a color, Red and green are natural choices, but don't be afraid to go with something like purple, a la Betsey Johnson! Use the color theme everywhere, from the table settings to your outfit. Okay, actually, don't match your outfit to your party decor.

Monday - Be mindul of the lighting. Guests, especially if they don't all know each other, will be more comfortable if they don't feel like they are on display or under a spotlight. Dim or turn off overhead lighting, and set the mood with strings of lights, which are festive (especially if they're shaped like snowflakes!), or lots of candles, which are flattering and warm. If you're afraid of creating a fire hazard, use LED "candles" that give off a glow and save energy.

Tuesday - Music is important. It should be loud enough to "drown out" any awkward silences (not that there would be any at your party), but still soft enough that it doesn't turn your house into a nightclub. Unless, of course, you hung that disco ball from the ceiling for a reason. My favorite music is always in the downtempo electronic genre.

If you have a wine lover on your Holiday shopping list, the most obvious thing to get for him or her is a bottle of wine, but come on, girl, that's for amateurs. We know you can do better than that, but just to help get your creative gift-giving juices flowing, we've picked seven awesome gifts for the oenophile, plus a stylish little stocking stuffer to round it out.

Sunday - If you have $3,500 and you had the foresight to put your name on a waiting list last year, you can give him a WinePod, the personal winemaker. They even send you the grapes!

Monday - Maybe making your own little stash of wine is a little outside your budget. Hey, no shame in that. Besides, Wineopoly is so much more fun because you get to buy and sell entire vineyards.

Tuesday - For a truly sophisticated gift, the crystal decanter from Baccarat is total class. And luxury. The Baccarat Oenology Decanter is $584 at Neiman Marcus.

Don't do it. Don't put you and your boy through the same torture again this year. Yes, the torture of the Christmas sweater. Hey, you may have better taste than kelly green one with reindeer applique, but still, how many charcoal/merino wool/v-neck/crewneck/cardigan sweaters does he really need?

Right.

So in order to save you both that pain, we've put together a quick list of gifts that you can tolerate and are still toys that the boys will truly love. And by "boys," I mean any male between the ages of 1 and 101.

Sunday - You would love to get him an Enzo, you really would, but unfortunately, you've spent that cool million on some hot shoes. Go with the next best thing to a Ferrari, the Acer Ferrari laptop.

Monday - Babydoll, you've got connections. You know people. Use your juice to score a Playstation 3 for your boy. In my opinion, the PS3's casing is the closest thing you're going to get to your little black dress.

Tuesday - If he's a mature gentleman who enjoys a glass of good whiskey, the Pioneer Pure Malt Speakers are a great gift, without making you an enabler. The speakers are made from recycled 50-year-old white oak whiskey barrels.

So, you're trying to tread a little more lightly on the land. You recycle all your plastic bottles and soda cans. You drive a hybrid car. You even power your cell phone with a solar cell. Good for you! But for the Holidays, you can't go back on all the good work you've done by gifting others with the same old stuff that tromps all over the environment. You can give green, and thankfully, giving green doesn't mean you have to fork over a wad of cash, and neither does it mean it has to be ugly hemp sandals. Styledash has seven ways (+1) for you to give the gift of green this season.

Sunday - Every year, you give Dad something classy for his liquor cabinet. Instead of another bottle of Glenlivet 25, why not try a bottle of Square One Vodka. It'll make a sophisticated martini a la James Bond, but is a double agent because it's organic.

Monday - Mom, like you, is a Beauty Queen, so give her "clean" products to clean her hair. Simply Organic makes shampoos and conditioners that are good for her hair, and good for the air. And it's not like you're getting her Pert from the drugstore. These are luxuries at $60.

You know it's coming. You can't avoid it. Or can you?

I am talking about "it" -- the chaos of crowds, the stress of finding "the perfect gift," and the inevitable spending over budget during the first day of Holiday Shopping hell, and you most certainly can avoid it by shopping online. There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that you can't buy online. Heck, if you can afford to buy someone a house for Christmas, you could get that online, too. Though we've already pointed you to some online stores before, here are seven places that have gift guides so you can not only avoid traffic jams, but let someone else provide your gifting inspiration. These will get you started, and of course, keep checking back to Styledash, as we'll have Gift Guides of our own over the next few weeks.

Sunday - Like every other department store that has an online presence, Neiman Marcus got their Holiday gift shopping guides up before we even had Halloween costumes on. However, we have ignored them until now, only because we couldn't bear the thought of Holiday shopping being "so over" by November. Neiman Marcus's guides are luxurious, no doubt, but they're smartly organized by unique recipients.

Monday - Gifts.com is perhaps the most interesting, and accurate way to shop for your friends and family. The site, which is not a store, but a guide, walks you through a series of quick questions in order to narrow down your recipient by gender, age, personality type, and interests, then comes back with a list of suggested gifts.

Tuesday - PersonalShopper.com is another site similar to Gifts.com in that it isn't a store. You select the recipient, and they list the gifts, e.g. For Your Soulmate, For The Perfect Hostess, and For the Sports Nut.

Wednesday - Men.style.com's Holiday Gift Guide isn't filled with gifts for men. It's for men to use as they shop for their girlfriends, wives, sisters, mothers, and others. The main list has 85 items, but there are shorter lists of bargains, as well as "25 Items That Should be on Your List."

Thursday - We definitely like those sites that aren't stores because we don't feel like we're "being sold." ThisNext.com has put together a place for users of its social shopping community to put together their own lists and share them with others. That way, you know the gifts are things that are useful to real people.

Friday - The fairy Godmother of all gifting sties, Red Envelope doesn't have gift guides because it is a gift guide. Enough said.

Saturday - Stylebakery's Gift Guides are a quick hit for the gifting gal. Their lists are broken down into "50 Under $50" (that's one that I like), The Lust List (the one I like even more), and one each For Him and For Babies.

You're a food lover who can turn out a Holiday dinner that would make Giada di Laurentiis oversized bobble-head shrink to normal. However, dinner won't taste as good if you're unshowered, wearing sweats, and running around in un-pedicured bare feet. Styledash is here to help you make sure that you're an haute hostess this Holiday season.

Sunday - No reason to risk staining your designer duds, so slip into this playful little number that looks like a halter dress but really is an apron. Unless you plan to expose your Hanky Pankies, wear a comfortable outfit underneath.

Monday - Silicone oven mitts are absolutely remarkable, but let's face it, they're as pretty as you are when you first wake up in the morning. Save those for your Friday Night-In baking, and use oven mitts from Deadly Squire that come in cute patterned fabrics.

Tuesday - Who cares what the Holiday Hair Haters say about the pony tail. Clearly, they haven't spent 72 hours straight cooking, cleaning, and thn looking fabulous in front of two dozen dinner guests. Pull your hair back with snag-free elastic bands to keep your hair out of your face and out of your food. Besides, how else will you show off those gorgeous, sparkling-for-the-Holidays earrings?

Last week, I suggested the Mullet magnets as an alternative to the traditional hostess gift of wine, candles or chocolate. But if your host or hostess has a clever sensibility but no real use for mullet magnets, I've compiled a list of a few other bizarre gifts that will earn you major points at your next dinner party or overnight stay.

Remember when Ren & Stimpy sang, "It's a log, it's a log. It's big, it's round, it's wood. It's a log, it's a log. It's better than bad it's good!"? From that moment on, logs have earned themselves a reputation of incomparable camp, a fact which is writ large in this porcelain log vase from the Curiosity Shoppe. Who wouldn't love a bouquet of fresh flowers in this cheesy woodland container?

When it comes down to it, I love a good pencil-thin mustache. And now you and your host can play Clark Gable and W. Clement Stone all night long with this set of fake stick-on mustaches from Malabar.com.


But if you are looking for something truly unexpected, you always get your charming host or hostess a commemorative Elvis and Nixon mouse pad. The mouse pad from the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace features a photograph of the King and the President shaking hands in the Oval Office.



Did you know that the Netherlands has a royal family just like the United Kingdom? Okay, so there's no one quite as hunky as Prince William in the Dutch Royal family, but they do have their own sort of low-land charm. With a tin of Queen Wilhelmina Peppermints, you can bring your kind host a sweet treat with a bizarre commemorative tin.


Give your host the best gift going: good fortune! But if you cannot make the fates listen to you, at least let your friends indulge in a round at the Prophesy Board, also from the Curiosity Shoppe.

Even if everyone you know has long given up their LP collections for CDs and iPods, there's still something to be said for the artful covers of old records. A record isn't exactly a work of art on it's own, but when you hang it on a wall or set it on a bookshelf, it comes pretty darn close. Anything by Tito Puente and you're golden.


Last but not least, there's always the diner scenes disposable place mats which feature somewhat grim photographs of 1960s era diners. I wouldn't want to eat in the joints shown in these placements, but I wouldn't mind eating on top of them.

Just remember, you don't have to spend a lot to give a great gift to your host or hostess. All things considered, creative gifts are far more valuable than any old Bordeaux, and they almost always guarantee a repeat invitation.

Kittenz, while many folks adore the attention of their own birthdays, or perhaps cherish the commercialism of the December holidays, Thanksgiving happens to be my favorite Holiday of the year. I don't know -- it probably has something to do with the food.

There is nothing I love more than spending three weeks putting my dinner into a project plan, budgeting and scheduling on Excel spreadsheets, shopping for ingredients, then spending three full days cooking. On the day of the big feast, seeing my guests' push their beyond-satieted selves away from the table and slip into food comas around the house is thanks enough.

However, I realize that guests always feel the need to bring a host/ess gift to the person who prepares a huge Holiday dinner. Look, I really do believe that there is no need, but if you insist, I really don't need another %@$#%-ing scented candle.

Here are seven great hostess gifts that I would love to receive, with a bonus no. 8 for the aftermath:

Sunday, Spa Treatment - Bent over a bag of potatoes, hot dry air from the oven, a blast of cold from the refrigerator, then right back to steam over the stove? My skin could definitely use a facial and I totally need a massage, so a spa certificate will be a welcome gift to use after all the guests have left with their party favors.

Monday, More Scented Candles - Okay, so I said no scented candles, but what I actually meant was not another garden-fresh-as-summer-rain jasmine and herb candle. If it's a Demeter candle that smells like a sugar cookie or a creamsicle, I will feel appreciated.

You know it's coming, and perhaps you've been preparing yourself, both mentally and physically for the onslaught. You are going to be stretching your tight little abs to limits unknown to Denise Austin at the next big Holiday feast. If you're going to a formal dinner party, you have no choice but to slip into a sexy girdle, suck it in all night in your taffeta cocktail dress, and restrain yourself from seconds. However, if you're going to a friend's or family member's house for a casual, comfortable day of dinner and football, you can dress smartly for abdominal comfort. Styledash has seven suggestions of what to wear to your Holiday eating spree.

Sunday - The only thing I can think to wear on a day that involves non-stop eating and drinking from 9 am to 9 pm is a tracksuit by Juicy Couture because it's soft, has some give in the fabric, and most importantly, has an elastic waistband. Yes, perhaps the terry cloth tracksuit is on its last legs as fashionable wear, but for Thanksgiving and the Holidays, people aren't paying attention to anything but the dressing in the turkey and on the salad..

Monday - Thankfully, the Eiffel Tower jeans have not hit the US, so you're not going to be laughed out of your wardrobe with a pair of ultra low-rise jeans that will fit snugly around your pelvis and let your belly stretch out a little. No belt, naturally.

Tuesday - If you're more inclined to hide, rather than letting it all hang out, just go with lots and lots of loose layers.

Wednesday - Dressing up is not out of the question. You just have to be smart. A babydoll dress doesn't have a wasitline, and unlike regular empire-waisted dresses, the babydoll dress is gathered, then lets loose in the skirt.

Thursday - Wrap dresses are classy, and if they're made with jersey, they'll stretch and let you breathe after that second helping of mashed potatoes. In fact, you can slip away to the bathroom for a moment to re-wrap your dress a little looser.

Friday - Like the babydoll, a jumper doesn't have a waistline, and if you're creative, you can find one that doesn't make you look like you're eight years old. Then again, it might work if you're relegated to the Kids' Table again this year.

Saturday - The best bet for a Holiday meal is to dress sporty. Yoga pants will stretch as you eat, and since you're already dressed up, you may as well go for a walk and burn those extra 1500 calories you just ate. And that was just the salad.

We know that the iPod in its purest form is perfect -- black or white goes with everything -- and sure, we love those shiny shiny metallic colors of the Nano, but just like everything else in our stylish lives, we love to accessorize. With the iPod, we can either let the iPod be an accessory all by itself, or embellish it in all kinds of twinkly bling, designer duds, and flirty fashions. Styledash did a little shopping around the web and points you to some things we found that will make your iPod absolutely i-catching. (Consider this a Holiday shopping guide -- if you click on the individual items in the picture, you can find out where to buy.)

Sunday - We'll start by going all-in with the King of Bling, Swarovski, which Crystalmini has taken and used to adorn iPods with thousands of tiny crystals -- "one for every song" in your iPod. Your iPod can be all one color, one of a number of pre-made prints, or can even be personalized with initials or custom designs. I'll take one with an "SJG!" That is, if I had $1,499!

Monday - I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this one yet, but TuneBuckle lets you attach your iPod to a belt. If you want to go discreet, TuneBuckle even has a buckle called Full Metal Jacket that hides your iPod behind a metal plate.

Tuesday - Let's just call this the Thomas Pink Affair, because just like an affair, it's dashing on the surface, hiding something naughty underneath. This tie from English designer Thomas Pink hides your iPod on the backside.