Even though Olivia Palermo hasn’t graced our TV screens in a while, the paparazzi is still following her around. I don’t know why, but she’s stylish and I covet many of her ensembles, so I’m cool. She’s like the American Kate Middleton, but way more visually interesting (and personally I think she has better hair).

sweater - Dillards, $29.40//leggings – Newport News, $49.00//booties – DSW, $49.95//fur vest – Arden B, $19.99//tote - Kohl’s, $48.30

Sweaters have a tendency to be kind of blobby and unflattering, so I really love this colorblocked one because it breaks it up and gives the illusion of structure. Combined with some leather leggings, this becomes a cozy but still fiesty ensemble. Burgundy booties are an unexpected color choice, but it’s neutral enough to work. The fur vest is a little over the top, but that’s exactly why I love it. It should be noted, though, that the ensemble would look equally as great with a trench or peacoat. A simple black tote is a perfect accessory, or a blue or white one would be fabulous too (basically any color that complements the sweater). This is a delightful day time look that is fun and functional.

Leather is one of the biggest fabrics for fall 2010.  It is also one of the easiest to embrace because EVERYTHING can be made in leather: bags, shoes, leggings, shorts, jackets, skirts…the list goes on.  And I love it all. Leather is sexy. It’s edgy. And it makes everything look cool.

Leather items are almost magical in their ability to transform an outfit. Just add one leather piece and you’ve got an entirely new look. Pair your favorite floral dress with a structured leather belt or a moto-jacket and you’ve got a totally different style. Or add some edgy, buckled boots to a pair of skinny jeans and your favorite camisol from last season and – bam! – your look in updated. (That being said, make sure not to go overboard; you want to look edgy, not like a member of Hell’s Angels.)

Even those opposed to wearing leather (or meat dresses….) can get in on the trend, as many designers and chains are offering up a variety of faux (and fabulous) leather pieces. Seriously, there is something for everyone, and you should definitely get out there and take advantage. Not sure where to start? Here are 15 awesome options to choose from.

[Click on each image to get all the info.]

There are a lot of reasons to look forward to autumn: pumpkin spice lattes, the leaves changing color, good television, and – oh yeah – Fall fashion. September is the January of the fashion world, with designers battling it out to set this year’s trends, and magazines battling it out to report them.

The September Issues are back for another year, and bigger than ever. This month’s Vogue was over 700 pages. Glamour released its largest issue in 20 years.  And don’t forget about InStyle, Elle, Marie Claire, and Harper’s Bazaar. That’s a lot of reading material, even for a seasoned fashionista. So consider this your fashion cheat sheet. I’ve drooled over slaved over pages and pages of bags, boots, coats, and colors to bring you this seasons it items (without 497 pages of ads). Enjoy!

THE THEME: Military.

This trend has slowly been making its way into the fashion world over the past few seasons, but it’s still going strong in Fall 2010. (A fact that makes me even happier that I bought that black military inspired pea coat with gorgeous gold buttons last March for 60% off.) Try it out with a studded shirt, combat boots, or skinny cargo pants. Once you’ve got a feel for it, break out the army fatigues.

THE COLOR PALETTE: Jewel Tones.

Fall has always been about the richer colors. But last year’s burnt orange and deep turquoise shades have been replaced with deeper, darker colors, inspired by everyone’s favorite jewels. Emerald green, ruby red, and amethyst can turn a simple top into a statement piece. If you want to start small, try a suede purple pump, or a deep blue bag. Either way these colors are the perfect middle ground between passé pastels and nineties neon.

THE PRINT: Leopard.

Animal print tends to get a bad reputation. Worn in neon colors in the wrong ways, animal print pieces can often appear tacky. But this year, safari has gone chic. If you’re up for the challenge, search the racks for your perfect leopard print dress and pair it with a pair of nude pumps. New to the animal kingdom? Start with an accessory. Update your LBD with a leopard print clutch or a hot pair of leopard booties.

THE BAG: Structured.

Personally, I’m a fan of the oversize tote. The idea of not being able to carry my entire life around with me is a little frightening. (How do I choose between my day planer and my Tide To Go pen?) But when I saw InStyle’s full page spread on framed satchels even I wavered. Refined, polished, and classic, the structured bag is one item that will never go out of style.

THE SHOE: Lace Up Booties.

This year’s boot? A little shorter and a lot edgier. Flat, lace up, combat boots are casual, cool, and comfortable. Wear them with your skinny cargo pants and leather jacket or with a dress if you’re looking to rough up this season’s Fall florals. The best part? The more you wear them, the better they look.

Who or what inspires your style? Many of us use movie characters (like Margot Tenenbaum) or celebrities (like Courtney Love) as style inspiration, even though, most of the time, they are being dressed from head to toe by the best stylists. Which we don’t have. And sometimes it’s damn near impossible to work their Hollywood looks into our not-so-Hollywood lives. I’ve made it my mission to tap into the mind of a fashion stylist and show you how to take your style inspiration – whatever it may be – and make it more you!

Being an Italian-American myself, I’ve always been drawn to things that rep’ my ethnicity, whether it’s contributions like calzones, or “contributions” like The Jersey Shore.  But if there’s one thing Italiano that I could never take my eyes off of, it was a little show called The Sopranos.

Unlike most people, however, I wasn’t obsessed with the drama, the people getting whacked; it was the style that kept me coming back week after week. (OK, and that other stuff, but Adriana La Cerva, too!)

Adriana La Cerva is the fiancée of Christopher Moltisanti, the nephew and protégé of the boss himself, Tony Soprano.  Long story short, after getting caught up with the Feds and having no choice but to rat out her family-to-be, she ends up getting whacked.  And somehow she still looks bad-ass during the process.

What I love about Adriana’s style is that it’s too-short, too-tight and too-much-animal-print, but still maintains some type of ethnic family values. You know exactly who she is when you look at her and, quite frankly, you know she’s hot. I love her look because it doesn’t encompass a certain era, but a certain heritage, pairing her too-short, too-tight leather dress with her gold cross.  Her look says, “I’ll work at a strip club, but I still eat pasta with my family on Sunday, too.”  She’s the kind of girl who will wear short-shorts and midriff-top instead of a skirt and polo to the play tennis, because the over-the-top Mafiosa look somehow totally works.

That’s just how things got done around there and you didn’t mess with that, capish?

Outfit Details: Tank – Target, $9.00; Skirt – Forever 21, $22.80; Shoes – Asos, $68.38; Necklace – Guess, $28.00; Jacket – Forever 21, $24.80

Just like most style inspirations, taking signature aspects Adriana’s style and pairing them with modern pieces is the safest way to be inspired by her look without looking like you’re coming from a Jersey Shore theme party. So instead of going all out with a stripper-meets-Guidette leather mini dress, I opted for a leather mini-skirt and dressed it down with a simple ribbed tank up top. It still gives off a harder, fiercer, edgier look, but doesn’t make people wonder what you’re charging for the night….

Animal print is pretty big right now (which is great news for anyone who wants to look like Adriana, as she had quite a love affair with the stuff), so if you’re feeling really bold, throw this fun leopard mini trench on top. And, of course, nothing complements a leather skirt quite like a pair of sexy, sky-high red heels (that also happen to be a way safer alternative to cement-shoes, if you catch my drift.) Oh, and if you wanna show the world your heritage, I’m loving this long, multi-strand cross. It’s modern and classic all at the same time and tops of this look perfectly.

Punk rock influences abound this season with studs, zippers, skinny black pants, leggings, leather jackets and more. Whether you go head-to-toe rocker or wear a single piece to toughen up your look, this trend is singing our song. Here are some of our favorite pieces at every price:

For more great fashion advice and ideas, check out our home-girls over at StyleBakery.

Long ago, I resigned myself to the fact that I’d never own anything by Rick Owens. Leather jackets priced in the area of my rent just aren’t going to happen, even if they’re supposedly comfortable enough to live in. Not buying it, literally. So back when news broke of an upcoming Rick Owens/Eastpak collaboration, I was definitely curious, even though 1) I was more of a Jansport kid and 2) I have no use for a backpack.

Fast forward to now, where the much anticipated bags are available on Oki-Ni. Consisting of sleek backpacks, computer sleeves, and duffels, the collection is pure minimalism, which is what you’d expect from bags designed by a label known for its high-end essentials. It’s all in the details- instead of traditional seams, the bags are produced with a revolutionary welding technology that gives them a luxurious, uninterrupted look and feel.

Basically, we’re saying don’t drag these on the pavement or leave your lunch leftovers in them overnight…

The best outfits happen when you mix two contrasting styles to create something totally new. Recently, the feminine yet edgy trend has been spotted on many celebs, including Demi Lovato and Lindsay Lohan. The leather jacket adds a tough element to a floral dress, making a new and totally unique look.

Utilize this mix and match trend in your own wardrobe to create new outfits! The key is mixing dark materials like leather or python with soft, flowing pastel cottons or chiffons. Here are some ideas for toughening up a feminine sundress with stuff you might already own:

1. Leather Jacket. Copy Demi Lovato’s above look by pairing a floral frock with a real or faux leather jacket.

Silence & Noise 2 Pocket Leather Bomber – $128 at Urban Outfitters
As U Wish Floral Sundress – $49 at Dillard’s

2. Leather or snakeskin booties. These shoes will add some edge to any look! For warmer months, switch in studded gladiator heels.

Nine West IceBlue Bootie – $60 at Endless.com
Satin Floral Dress – $24.99 at Charlotte Russe
Madden Girl Lusterus Platform T-Strap Pump – $54.95 at Endless.com

3. Leather or snakeskin accessories. Cinch the waist of your sundress with a studded leather belt, or add a python bangle or clutch.

Ted Rossi Python Medium Bangles – $95 at Vivre.com
Prezzo Baby Python Cut Out Clutch – $35 at Endless.com
Tory Burch Feather Edge Studded Belt – $225 at Tory Burch

4. Leather leggings. Planning on rocking that sundress past summer and into fall? Add a pair of leather leggings to cover up your legs and change the look. Pair with the booties you used in #2!

Floral Chiffon Dress – $44.50 at Alloy
Juicy Couture Faux Leather Leggings – $78 at ShopBop

For more fashion tips, follow me on Twitter!

Huaraches are traditional Mexican sandals or flip-flops made with woven leather straps and rubber soles. They became extremely popular due to their reputation as being long-lasting, comfortable, and inexpensive to make. Oh, and someone in the fashion world decided they’d be cool again. Either way, you don’t have to spend money on a shoe that everyone else will inevitably have – you can make a pair of the originals yourself!

Materials:
Rubber sole material, about 5mm thick
Very long strips of leather (as thick or thin as you want them).
Scissors
A hole puncher

Get Crafty!

1)    Cut out the rubber soles in the shape of your feet by tracing your feet on the rubber and cutting an inch beyond the lines so the soles are a little bigger than your feet.

2)    Make 3 holes with the hole punch in a triangle shape for the straps, one in between your big toe and two on either sides of the middle of your foot (see regular flip-flops for an example).

3)    Start stringing the first of your leather straps through the shoe. Usually one strap goes from the left big-toe hole to the right hole, then from the right hole behind the ankle to the left hole. But you don’t have to do it this way. Play around a bit and figure out which way works best for you/is most like the style you want. (Note: there will be a lot of extra strap. Do not cut this!)

4)    Tie a knot on the bottom of the big-toe hole to keep the strap in place and lace them up by wrapping the long leftover strap around your ankles and tying it  up.

5)    Personalize your huaraches by decorating them with ribbons or sequins, or just leave them as they are: ready to wear with your favorite summer dresses!

[Photos courtesy of barefootted.com]