I know that I'm way late to this game, but multiple factors have contributed to my growing obsession (many steps past love) for Kate Moss. As a fashion follower, she was always in the mix as a big player in my consciousness, but I never really investigated further. After becoming obsessed with everything about her wedding and subsequently reading articles and interviews, I was already part way down the slippery slope to fangirlville. As she continues to get better with age, my obsession grows (I mean, come ON). 

I was excited to hear that she was posing for Playboy because, like Marilyn Monroe, the original centerfold, Kate is classy and professional who makes smart decisions about when to take her clothes off for the camera and who to take them off for. There was no bottle blonde weird half shirts and porny poses in this shoot. It was pure classy, arty perfection. Not like it was going to be anything else. I wanted to repost for reference. All photos (there are more! and she is more naked in them!) from WhoWhatWear.com via Playboy. 

By now, it's obvious that I wish Olivia Pope was real and that I go into a shallow depression every week once I'm done watching Scandal. There is just so much to learn from her, especially from her carefully thought out wardrobe choices (which aren't fictional!). Olivia is always walking purposefully to destinations around Washington, D.C. putting out fires, and it's not a city without seasons. Most of the Scandal year, we see Olivia in a number of different coats, and when you see a nice, well-tailored coat over an equally nice outfit, it's inspiring to up your outerwear game.

I hate coats for many different reasons, but I now understand the need for nice looking outerwear. When I see Olivia patrolling the city streets in various lengths, colors and styles of coats, I'm reminded that coats can really enhance a look, or ruin one when they're not quite right. Take some notes from Olivia, then fill the several empty hangers in your coat closet. I didn't realize how many coats a person really should have until I moved to Chicago, (short, long, casual, formal, sort of casual/sort of formal...my head will start spinning) and though they're not cheap, they last and are an important investment. Once you get to a certain age or stage in your career, that slightly too small puffer coat that doesn't quite cover the bottom of your blazer or cardigan just doesn't quiiiiite match your sophistication level. Or at least the one you're trying to convince people you have achieved.

Olivia is always well-equipped for any level of chill, and her coats always look nice with her outfits. They're long enough to cover whatever is underneath and they can trick someone into thinking they are actually part of her outfit, which is the key. Whenever you get a coat, it should be versatile enough to wear with several different outfit combinations. Shorter and longer nice coats are extremely important for wear over both dresses/skirts and pants, and the neckline of the coat should complement the type of clothes you usually wear. If a lower cut neck opening adds confusion to your look, get one with a high neck closure. If you have an abnormal waist and a belted coat doesn't look quite right, get one that's well tailored using buttons and darts and ditch the belt. 

Most real humans don't need quite as many coats as Olivia, but she has such a variety and wears them so thoughtfully that it's a good idea to use her for guidance and to kind of shop a look for you. If you're meeting someone new during the colder months, the coat is their first impression of how you present yourself, so make it as good of a choice as Olivia always does.

Shop some Olivia look-alikes for her feminine, structured and indulgent outerwear look. Try this, this and this for some similar looks (I'm pretty sure that trench is one she's worn on the show). And if you can't get her Burberry duplicate, Gap has a worthy reasonable alternative.

Tonight was everyone's favorite men want to be with/women want to be situation: the Victoria's Secret fashion show. This sparkly, pink, musical runway peppered with celebrity models and a crowed filled with model celebrities and fashion people is the most commercialized of fashion shows/parties and undoubtably a great time. The zoom-happy, televised version will air December 10th on CBS when the country (and world?) can get backstage and showtime close-up shots of giant wings, gravity defying platforms, mind bending lingerie contraptions and the result of models' grueling show beauty and diet preparation (aka non-human perfection). Until then, we'll have to do with our favorite square, filtered visuals and crippling FOMO.

And check out #VSfashionShow for lots more Instagrams from behind the scenes and the runway.

Jennifer Lawrence eclipsed fellow famous Jennifer Aniston in hair cutting news last week when she appeared in pictures in a fresh pixie cut while kicking off the press tour for Catching Fire. Reactions were unanimously shocked and decidedly mixed on the new look, and Lawrence claimed damage from dyeing as the reason for the dramatic chop. I was on the end of not thrilled when I first saw the cut in the picture on the left and later that day in shots from the cast's Google Hangout. I think that Jennifer Lawrence is beautiful in a very unconventional way and this pixie did nothing to complement her face. Also, never forget Kate Gosselin. But when I saw the first red carpet photos of her hair styled in a sleeker, younger and much more flattering style, I was floored. Though the Dior she wore to the world premiere of the second Hunger Games, threatened to steal the attention from her face, I don't think it does (despite the backless, drapey, sparkly, ankle length situation going on below the neck). Her face looks natural and fresh and her hair looks so cool and fits her personality much better. This just goes to show how important styling is. And that whoever was responsible for her San Francisco press day probably shouldn't be given the privilege of styling her hair again.

This special, unplanned post brought to you by Scandal and its dropping a black tie event on us when we least expect it. NO SPOILERS AHEAD! I'm not sure when Olivia Pope has time to shop for black tie gowns, but we've seen her wear a few of them, and she never repeats. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised given the fashionable spin she gives to everyday workwear. And we know she has the money. We've also almost only seen her go formal in black tie, except for the one time her and Fitz...you know, in the oval office post-inauguration, and another time she opts for a short dress in preparation for a night out (we see her in her room, but I think she gets interrupted and never wears it outside? I might be wrong). Lyn Paolo, costume designer on Scandal has been quoted saying that the use of black and white in costuming represents the uncertainty of good vs. bad and who fits which description when, and nothing is more notable about the color palette than its consistent presence in Olivia's gowns. 

Her first formal appearance in season one, episode 3 (my favorite look she's ever worn) has her in an all white, halter-neck, backless number that shows what a fashion player she is, considering this is in her closet or someone is on call to get this for her. She surprises Fitz by showing up at a state dinner, and I think that dress works as an excellent vehicle for a strategic surprise. I wish I knew who designed it.

The next time we see her in a gown is in season 2, episode 7 on her way to Fitz's 50th birthday "bash" that he doesn't want and doesn't end up going to. The gown is Jean Fares and is from a previous season than when the episode was airing. By the next time we see her dressed up, it's at a fundraising gala where she's on call for a client later in season 2 (episode 15). Lines have started to be blurred at this point, and we can tell because she's in black and white. Fitz also attends this gala. Jealousy ensues. I also love that this Escada gown with a sheer lace back is reminiscent of her inauguration dress.

And since that gala, it's been a while! Until last night, season 3 episode 5, Olivia was back at it, and she really upped her game this time. This time Olivia is at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and she goes for a structured bodice Rubin Singer dress, also in black and white. And she goes with gloves to accessorize as well as a fancy hairdo. It's actually not one of my favorites by comparison, but it makes a statement and it's part of a formal dressing evolution Olivia's character is continuously going through. And it's inarguably a beautiful gown. I'm glad they stayed with the black and white theme. Going back to all white would have seemed weird at this point. And color? No. I wish there was a full length picture of her wearing it because there were several in the episode, but I can't find one as of now and Hulu isn't formatted for stealthy screenshots. If you want to be just like Liv, you can buy this dress right now at Saks and Neiman Marcus. That is, if you have 3,000 dollars lying around.

It's obviously possible to endlessly analyze Olivia Pope's wardrobe choices, but I think her formal style is interesting. Most people don't get to go to black tie events...ever, so it's interesting now that we've seen Olivia attend four different ones at different times in her situation with Fitz and other surrounding life events. Kerry Washington and Lyn Paolo do an excellent job at keeping it realistic when it comes to Olivia's income, style, personality, event and the way she usually approaches getting dressed. I love seeing what they come up with. I just still have to wonder if she has these hanging in her immaculate closet (where the clothes she wears actually hang! and they repeat them!) or if she has a personal shopper friend/former client at Saks or Barneys or some such that pulls these out when she needs them. That season 1 gown was very last minute, after all. 

Following in the much-discussed Elisabeth Moss, Anne Hathaway, Emma Watson, etc. chop department, Shailene Woodley has been added to the Hollywood pixie cut list. In preparation for her role as Hazel Grace in 2014's The Fault in Our Stars (based on the amaaaaaaazing but weepy young adult novel by John Green), Shailene chopped off and donated her very long, very thick hair (and asked others to do the same). I couldn't stop staring when I saw an Instagram photo of her on the red carpet at Elle's Women in Hollywood event for which she is one of the cover stars in the corresponding November issue. Every role she's had before has her hair long and flowing, so I never really thought about how she'd look with such a short cut, but I'm officially obsessed. I think she looks great, and it's styled perfectly here. I can't wait for her to start press for March's Divergent (and then almost immediately after for Fault, probably) so we can see what else she does with it.