Fashions in Footwear from the Renaissance Through Victorian Times:

The origins of your Weitzmans, Kork-Easesand Cavallis Fashionable cavewomen 15,000 years ago had more in common with us than you might think - sandals were their footwear of choice and they were even made of leather, just like the shoes of today.But footwear didn't really become a fashion choice until the Renaissance began in Italy in the early 15th century Yes, the best shoes in the world have been made of Italian leather for more than 700 years now!

One thing you probably wouldn't guess about those Renaissance fashion plates is that they had a little punk rock in them - slashed clothing in super bright colors was the height of fashion back then, and the trend extended to footwear. Fashionable everyday shoes of the time resembled modern day ballet flats (and you thought Kate Spade invented them!), except that they were slashed to reveal different colored fabric underneath.

Another popular shoe was the chopine, a style which first took hold among the courtesans of Venice. Chopines were the world's first platform shoes, and, just like your Donald J. Pliners, they were chosen to give the wearer added height. Chopines stayed popular through the Elizabethan/Jacobean period, up until the early 1600s, and during that time the soles were made of cork. Yup, if you invented a time machine and used it to go visit Queen Elizabeth I, you could wear your Kork-Ease to court and fit right in!

During the Restoration, which ran from around 1660 through the early 18th century, pointy-toed shoes with slender high heels akin to stilettos were the in thing. (Clinton and Stacy would approve!) Clogs were also introduced as fashionable footwear during this period - yes, they predate the 1970s.

Women wore boots back then as well, but only for horseback riding, making the Restoration the first known instance of the equestrian trend. Fashion was dominated by the French during the Rococo period (1715 to 1775), and the most recognizable fashion accessory of that time was a "Louis heel," a "waisted" heel that was splayed at the base. Shoes of this style are not that different from what we call wedges. They look quite modern and their wearers were as proud of them as we are of our Roberto Cavallis.

Believe it or not, stilettos were also worn during the Revolutionary War, though probably not by women who were running from British soldiers. Sandals were worn during this period as well, but the naked feet were covered first with silk cloth for modesty's sake. Grecian sandals appeared in the early 1800s, and they featured the same long ribbon ankle ties that we see today. In the Victorian period, boots were the most popular form of footwear, and toe styles went in and out of fashion - first rounded, then pointed, then squared with rounded corners. Elastic-sided boots first made their appearance in this era, though they probably weren't as comfortable as our Stuart Weitzmans. Side-laced boots and the high-buttoned shoes that goth girls favor were the most common street footwear, and while indoors, people wore mules without heels.

Sources: www.historyoffootwear.com

Kate Hudson's got a new man, a former teen queen and her stalker make headlines, who's trying to convert Miley Cyrus to Scientology and what's the real reason that Ashlee Simpson made $1.4 million from her wedding pics?

It looks like Kate Hudson is feasting on *Sheryl Crow*'s leftovers... and loving it! The A-list actress, Kate Hudson, is obviously way over her ex-boyfriend, Owen Wilson, by the looks of the photos from Cannes that surfaced this past week. She and professional cyclist and Tour de France champ, Lance Armstrong, were spotted at a party in Cannes engaging in some very public displays of affection. Afterwards, the two headed to Monaco and enjoyed a romantic boat ride. that was also snapped by the paparazzi. No word yet on whether the two have officially admitted to being Hollywood's latest couple or not.

Perhaps you've wondered along with countless others why a major celebrity magazine like People would shell out the reported $1.4 million for exclusive pics of Ashlee Simpson and *Pete Wentz*'s wedding. At best, Ashlee Simpson, who is best known for her Saturday Night Live lip-syncing gaffe and being Jessica Simpson's little sister, would be considered a B-lister. So why would People Magazine offer the Simpson camp a deal that's normally reserved for Hollywood A-listers like *Brad Pitt*? Well according to inside sources, the deal from People Magazine came with one condition - that Tony Romo had to attend the wedding with on-again/off-again girlfriend, Jessica Simpson. After all, it's Jessica Simpson and her romantic trysts that sells magazines, not Ashlee Simpson. No wonder People Magazine plastered a photo of Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson caught freak dancing on the cover of the magazine right under the Simpson-Wentz wedding portrait!

<p>Sources:<br> People, http://people.com<br> Celebitchy, http://celebitchy.com<br> TMZ, http://tmz.com

celebrity gossip

Wedding bells rang last Saturday for Ashlee Simpson and the trapped-for-now Pete Wentz. The couple tied the knot in a private wedding ceremony at Joe and Tina Simpson's LA home. The wedding was truly a family affair with dad, Joe Simpson performing the ceremony, sister, Jessica Simpson serving as maid of honor and Pete Wentz's pet dog, Hemingway, as ring-bearer. Then, of course, there's the rumored bun in the oven that may or may not have also been in attendance.

The Simpson-Wentz wedding reception had an Alice in Wonderland theme, which seemed to suit the style of taste of both the bride and groom. Thankfully, there were no drunken outbursts by Jessica Simpson or lip-syncing incidents by the bride. Although, there were reports that the older Simpson sister did engage in some hot & heavy PDA with on-again/off-again boyfriend, Tony Romo.

Elsewhere in the world of celebrity love......Troubled rocker, Amy Winehouse, and her husband, *Blake Fielder-Civi*l, celebrated their 1st wedding anniversary this past weekend in true rock & roll fashion - alone. The couple was unable to be together on their anniversary due to the fact that Blake Fielder-Civil is currently in jail and is not allowed to have visitors on Sundays. Amy Winehouse did manage to pop in for a belated wedding anniversary visit on Monday. Afterwards, she treated herself to a celebratory anniversary lunch of takeout for one.

Another couple that wasn't celebrating this past weekend was Shania Twain and her producer/husband, Mutt Lange. How shocking was it to hear that Shania had split from her husband of 14 years, Mutt Lange? It's easy to forget about Shania Twain since she lives in Switzerland most of the time, but this news is huge!

The ironic thing about this split is that the couple originally moved to Switzerland because of rumors that their marriage was in trouble. And now it seems that the split was actually caused by an affair that Mutt Lange was having with the secretary and manager of the Switzerland chateau where the couple resided. In fact, some say that the secretary has left her husband as well and that she and Mutt Lange are currently together. Sounds like a bad Lifetime movie, doesn't it?

What makes this news even harder to take is that Mutt Lange has been so instrumental in Shania Twain's success. He's co-written and produced practically every country-pop hit that Shania has ever had. Who knows what this split will mean for Shania's future career.

And finally, one country star who learned some important life lessons from his very own public split is Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year, Kenny Chesney. You might remember Kenny Chesney's short-lived marriage to Renee Zellwegger back in 2005. Neither Kenny or Renee have remarried since their breakup, but both reportedly remain close friends. In a recent interview, Kenny revealed that when he is ready to marry again he'll be sure to give the marriage 150% and not go into it as unprepared as he did the first time around.

Sources:TMZ, http://tmz.com, People, http://people.com, Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/index.html, Just Jared, http://justjared.buzznet.com/

If I could pick a fashion show anywhere in the world to visit, Amsterdam International Fashion Week would be near the top of the list. The last time I visited Amsterdam was for a high school class trip, and due to the vices that are readily available in that fine city, we were not allowed to go out unchaperoned-in fact, we weren't allowed to go ANYWHERE except for a tulip garden and a diamond factory.

The truth is that Amsterdam is a hotbed of fashion these days. In fact, the red light district itself is experiencing a makeover, as a project called Redlight Fashion Amsterdam has given some of the best and brightest young Dutch designers the opportunity to live and work in former brothels rent-free, and this initiative is expected to make Amsterdam International Fashion Week one of the most innovative fashion showcases ever.

The next AIFW will be held from July 19 through July 28, 2008 inside the Westergasfabriek, a cultural center housed in the national landmark former gasworks for the city of Amsterdam. Some of the designers expected to host a fashion show at AIFW include Blue Blood Denim, Marlies Dekkers (an internationally renowned lingerie designer), Oilily children's wear, and Antoine Peters.

The fashion show I'm most looking forward to at AIFW July 2008 is the whimsically titled Super Trash, though. That name made me hold my breath, expecting a Dutch version of Heatherette, but it's actually chic, streamlined and wearable, which is quite a feat in the city that brought the world Viktor & Rolf. Super Trash's January 2008 show featured tones of cream, black and plum àla Chanel, with LWDs (little white dresses) worn over satiny-textured leggings and styled with finger-tip length black jackets with asymmetrical necklines.

The vibe was simultaneously modern and classic, and they even gave cowl-necked sweaters a sense of style. The only look that fell flat looked like a model in a cat suit with a serape blanket wrapped around it, but we'll forgive them one misstep.

Super Trash was created by Amsterdam natives, but originated in Los Angeles before relocating to take advantage of the Dutch city's creative renaissance, so if they picked up a little of the effortless American separates sensibility to temper their avant-garde Amsterdam tendencies along the way, more power to them. Super Trash's fashion show was as chic as anything I saw at New York Fashion Week, and I can't wait to see what they do for spring.

David Cook was crowned this years American Idol last night at a celeb-filled American Idol finale. The AI producers managed to drag out some real golden oldies for last night's show - including Donna Summers, George Michael and ZZ Top. But thankfully the Jonas Brothers were also on hand and managed to balance out the age thing out a little bit.

In a sad bit of news, some unfortunate information surfaced this week about a former American Idol contestant. Apparently Luke Menard was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

And it looks like there's trouble in paradise for BFF's Danny Noriega and Ramiele Malubay. You might remember how Ramiele cried when Danny Noriega was voted off. There was talk of how the two planned to move to LA and be roommates, but looks like that plan is off. And to make matters worse, Danny had to beg his way into the American Idol finale. When he initially tried to get tickets he was told that the show was full. Poor Danny.

Guess who's going vegan for three weeks? *Oprah Winfrey*! She's made a pledge to go on an all-vegan diet for the next three weeks, so her personal chef is having to work overtime trying to come up with edible vegan dishes that the Queen of Talk will actually eat. So far, so good, but you know as well I do that as soon as the 21 days are up Oprah will be gobbling up a big, fat, juicy hamburger.

Jessica Alba pulled a Mariah Carey this past Monday and secretly married her long-time boyfriend, Cash Warren. In fact, Jessica Alba's wedding was so hush-hush that even her own brother didn't know about it. He only heard about it when he was contacted by the press for a statement regarding the quickie nuptials.

And speaking of celebrities imitating other celebrities - did Cameron Diaz pull a Britney Spears? I realize that pulling a Britney Spears could refer to any number of bad behaviors, but I'm talking about the shaving your head on a whim incident. Cameron was recently caught completely bald by paparazzi. Not to worry though, it turns out that she was actually just wearing a cap while filming a scene for her new movie, My Sister's Keeper, in which she plays the mother of two daughters, one of which is suffering from leukemia.

Guess which Hollywood celeb has baby fever? Paris Hilton. Now we've all heard the rumors of how Paris Hilton wants to have a baby before, but it looks like this time she's really serious. She's been dating her current boyfriend, Benji Madden for a little over 2 months, but already she is talking about marriage and babies. In fact, she even went as far as to say that she wants a baby within the next 12 months. It looks likes Tinkerbell's reign as Paris' baby is about to come to an end.

And could it be that Keanu Reeves and Winona Ryder are Hollywood's next power couple? Star Magazine recently reported that the two have gotten extremely close while filming their new movie together. Is there really romance in their air for Keanu and Winona or is it just a publicity stunt to boost both of their profiles?

Sources: OK Magazine, http://okmagazine.com, Star Magazine, http://starmagazine.com, Celebitchy, http://celebitchy.com,DListed, http://dlisted.com, Seriously OMG, http://seriouslyomg.com

celebrity gossip

Fashions of today's popular television shows.

The average person watches their favorite nighttime TV shows in their pajamas or in sweatpants and a t-shirt, while longing to have the wardrobe that their favorite actress or actor has on the show. Fashion plays a huge part nowadays in television shows. A lot of people get their style tips of the latest fashions from their favorite TV show. So, let's take a look at the different shows that influence the style of today.

Ever since "Gossip Girl" aired early this year, young women have been copying the fashions on the show. The girls on "Gossip Girl" only wear the best in fashion. Knee-high boots, tights and tunic dresses are common fashion staples for the girls on the show. Urban Outfitters is a popular place for the clothes seen on "Gossip Girl," even selling the leggings and knee-high tights that Serena has worn on the show. Accessories also play a big part in the fashion. Layered necklaces are a big trend. A Ralph Lauren belt works good for giving a waist when wearing a tunic top. The must-have handbag is the Coach Legacy bag, which comes with all the trends of chunky buckles and vintage leather.

For a woman who is slightly older, she may look at the TV show "Desperate Housewives" for her fashion tips. The women on "Desperate Housewives" - especially Edie and Gabrielle - are always decked out in the latest fashions. Summer dresses by Chloe are often seen on the women. Pair them with a pair of Jimmy Choos shoes and you'll be a desperate housewife in the making. For a more casual look, get a pair of Beverly Jeans or Seven For All Mankind jeans and pair them with a Nannette Lepore blouse or camisole. The clothes on "Desperate Housewives" have a wide range of styles. You can keep it sexy like Edie or more casual and put together like Bree.

When looking for fashion tips for guys, tune in to "How I Met Your Mother." The character Barney Stinson is the epitome of a well-dressed man. Whether you are a woman looking to fix your man's wardrobe, or you are a man and you want to dress in the latest style, Barney gives you plenty of ideas on how to dress for a guy. He can be seen wearing $400 Prada dress shirts. Never seen dressed down on the show, he is always sporting the latest styles in business wear, although he is able to go from the office to the club and still look good. Most of his outfits are tailored suits. Some of the brand names he wears are Dolce and Gabanna and Marc Jacobs.

It can be quite frustrating to look at the actors on TV and wish that you had their wardrobe, but don't get too frustrated. Trends change so much and so often; from the beginning of the season to the season finale, their clothes have probably dramatically changed styles. I say splurge on your basics and go cheap with the trends. If you want to invest $200 for a nice white button-down shirt, then go ahead, but buy the $5 tights from Target.

How can you talk about fashion without mentioning "Sex and the City?" When the London premiere of the "Sex and the City" happened on May 12, all eyes were on Sarah Jessica Parker and her hat. She must have been channeling her character, Carrie Bradshaw, or else she just wanted to really stand out. Along with a strapless green Alexander McQueen dress, she wore a Phillip Treacy hat that resembled a person's garden. It even came with a huge flower and two butterflies planted on the top. What I wonder is how did she last all night with that thing on her head and who had to sit behind her during the premier of the movie?

The other three other stars of the movie also attended the London premiere, but Parker's headwear might have out-shined everyone involved.... Kim Catrall, who plays Samantha Jones in the movie, wore a stunning red Vivienne Westwood dress. She was also appropriately dressed to match her character's personality in a vibrant red cocktail dress. Cynthia Nixon, who plays Miranda Hobbes wore a sleek, long black dress from Calvin Klein. The dress was cut down low in the front, but she still looked very elegant in the dress. Kristin Davis, who plays Charlotte York in the movie, donned a vintage bright red dress. With her long brown hair down and her ruby earrings she looked gorgeous on the red carpet.<p>For the actual movie, the well-known stylist Patricia Field returned to dress the cast. You can be sure to see the famous designer's clothing , such as Dior, Vera Wang, and Oscar De LaRenta, make an appearance on the women. In fact, the wedding gown that Sarah Jessica Parker's character, Carrie Bradshaw, is wearing in the advertisements for the movie is a satin Vivienne Westwood creation. In other parts of the advertisement, Carrie can be seen wearing a Burberry belt and sporting a Chanel handbag. In one of the most visible advertisements for the movie, Carrie is seen in a white Ralph Lauren vest and pants with a pink top and black tie.

Anyone wanting to stay on top of the oncoming fashion trends for the oncoming seasons, might want to pay close attention to this flick....keep your eyes peeled!

Why Miami Swim Fashion Week is worth attending, and why Rosa Cha is the highlight of the swim fashion shows.

The pickings for fashion shows in the United States are slim over the summer, but there's one event worth getting excited over (especially if you're slim yourself): Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Miami Swim. It may not have the suspense of a Marc Jacobs fashion show at New York Fashion Week (will the audience have to wait longer than two hours for the show to start?) or the drama of Viktor et Rolf at the Paris couture shows (will the key looks resemble hang gliders?), but I can't think of a more relaxing fashion show for mid-July.

Miami Swim Fashion Week will be July 18 through July 22 at the Raleigh Hotel, a super-chic South Beach boutique property with one of the world's most stunning pools. It kind of resembles a stylized pineapple with scrolls, but it defies explanation - go to their Web site http://www.raleighhotel.com and look for yourself. If you score an invite, you too can lounge around under black-and-white umbrellas drinking mojitos with South American millionaires while models walk by in the world's most stylish swimwear. Now that's my idea of a fashion show!

Designers showing at Miami Swim Fashion Week include ANK by Sabino, Ashley Paige, Badgley Mischka, Becca, Cia Maritima, Eduardo et Donna, Rosalia, Jacquelyne Love, Bella Mar Swim, Miss Bikini, Parke & Ronen and Jessica Simpson. I'm particularly curious about the latter, since if anyone can design a swimsuit that flatters large-busted women it should be her. However, the Miami Swim fashion show I'm most interested in is Rosa Cha.

Rosa Cha may sound like a chic Asian female designer, but the line was created by Brazilian male Amir Slama. No one does swimwear better than Brazilians (sorry, Jessica!), so this is the Miami Swim fashion show to watch for - and not just because it's held by the pool. There are many fashion industry people who don't even think of swim as true fashion (remember the "Project Runway" challenge where the designers were supposed to create costumes for female pro wrestlers and Ricky got blasted because his design "looked like a bathing suit"?), but Amir Slama knows how to create figure-flattering, super sexy looks that still have the look of a haute runway.

His most recent show (Spring 2008) featured Piet Mondrian-like embellishments on suits in subdued versions of colors of the moment like gray, taupe, blood red, cobalt blue and salmon. He may be single-handedly responsible for the current trend of the monokini (a one-piece swimsuit with large cutouts on the side to expose a lot of skin), and his creativity with cut is unparalleled. Some of his looks are daring, some are more traditional, but they're all head turning, especially when worn by models with actual curves. Come to think of it, I've done New York Fashion Week, both spring and fall, and I can live without the suspense and drama in exchange for all Miami Swim has to offer. Rosa Cha just may be my favorite fashion show of the year!

Sources:
www.raleighhotel.com

1446485

Am I a Sneakerhead?

2008-05-09 15:25:32

Stephanie Modkins

http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/13941/stephanie_modkins.html

Find out if you are a Sneakerhead. You'll know right after you answer a few quick questions.

In life, there comes a time when you must face the truth. It is the only way to become one with yourself; stand tall, stay on task and beat out the competition. It is the only way to really "do you" on a grand scale. So let's get down and dirty. We need to unveil the truth. We'll start with a few questions.<p><em>Do you have a <strike>sneaker</strike> shoe rack or closet?</em><p><em>Can you unscramble the following word?</em> K U N D<p><em>Are you privy to all of the underground "kicks" specialists?</em><p><em>Did you name at least one of your kids "Jordon?" </em><p>If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are a "SNEAKERHEAD." You are that man or woman who tries to incorporate a pair of sneakers in all of your wardrobe choices (even gowns and tuxes). You have several in a variety of colors. You even have a few that you don't even wear; they are kept in the original box with tags on and pulled out only for bragging rights (and occasional smelling). Yet, you aren't alone.<p>You follow in the leather clad footsteps of several famous sneakerheads like Jerry Seinfeld, Russell Simmons and Mr. Rogers. The day that you saw and wore your first pair of sneakers, you couldn't let go. You were instantly addicted. It was like a drug and we all know that certain (legal) drugs have their perks. <p>If you are a hardcore sneakerhead, you already know the benefits. Your feet are always warm. You aren't given to corns or other foot ailments that go with shiny, coifed shoes designed to make you look fancy. You always have friends, especially if you're apt to lend out a sneaker or two for the weekend. And, you are always coordinated (in your eyes). Life is pretty good. But, of course, there are always the downfalls. (Only a few...)<p>Every sneakerhead has found his or herself in a few dilemmas. You know what they are. You run out of closet space. You have an overflow of shoe boxes that need to be stored or recycled. Your feet are always sweaty. And, finally, you're cash challenged on occasion because you just had to have that new pair of <strike>sneakers</strike> shoes. Yet, these problems are minor. The perks far outweigh any downfalls. Plus, being a sneakerhead is who you are. It is part of your truth; the truth that you don't always talk about and often defend at dinner parties when your <strike>sneakers</strike> shoes don't go with your attire.<p>So, the next time you find yourself online searching for that rare pair of Jordons, feel no shame. You have finally come into your own. You are a SNEAKERHEAD. So be proud. Wear this title like a badge. And most important of all, find that rare pair of sneakers. If you don't get it, some other sneakerhead will. So it might as well be you.

sneakerhead

Those of us in the fashion industry tend to forget there's a whole country in between New York and L.A., and many who may never have attended a fashion show in their life, but still have style and taste. While we're reading WWD and obsessing over whether our cut of jeans is in or not, they're going about their everyday business, and if they're young, hip and inventive, they're creating street fashions that well-known designers will eventually latch onto and adopt for the runway. Now that fashion has become a spectator sport due to TV shows like "Project Runway" and "Ugly Betty" and books and movies like "The Devil Wears Prada," the rest of the nation is no longer content to sit back and let a handful of people on both coasts dictate what they will or will not wear. Hence the proliferation of Fashion Week in every city in the U.S. with a population of more than 500,000.

One of the more interesting of these Fashion Weeks is a relative newcomer; Detroit Fashion Week is in its fifth year now, and these shows are annual, not biannual like the bigger Fashion Weeks. Detroit may not be the first city that comes to mind when you think of a fashion show, but it has a long history of style, and Motown left its imprint on fashion in a big way in the 1960s and 1970s, an influence that's still being felt today.

Detroit Fashion Week

Detroit-based fashion photographer Brian Heath conceived Detroit Fashion Week in the hopes of creating a serious fashion industry in the city that's possibly been hardest hit by recession in the country. Detroit Fashion Week has employed a number of skilled designers, stylists, makeup artists, models, photographers and publicity people, and their youthful optimism and energy could be just what Michiganders need to regain their confidence. It's kind of like when you're depressed and your mother tells you, "Put a little lipstick on and you'll feel better!" It may not solve the whole problem but it's a start!

Detroit Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2009 will be held from Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, 2008, with most of the events being held at Campus Martius Park. One of the designers to look out for is Lasijas Miller, a 25-year-old male Detroit native who designs under the label Nethade. Miller, who also works as a fashion stylist and as such is familiar with the myriad and competing needs of performers, is a versatile designer who does sportswear, menswear and couture with equal composure.

My favorites of the looks at his 2008 fashion show were the evening gowns, which included a brown mermaid shaped gown with velvet bodice, embroidered skirt and tulle ruffles at the hem and collar (it may sound busy but was fiercely sophisticated), a silver metallic asymmetrical gown with black ribbon accents, and a black jersey halter gown with ruched satin bodice. Keep your eyes out for Lasijas Miller in years to come. If I were attending the Oscars and needed something for the red carpet, he'd be one of the first people I would call.

Well, it's been less than a week since the latest Miley Cyrus racy photo scandal broke. Her "artistic" partially nude photos didn't go over too well with parents of tweens and the backlash may be starting already. There are reports that ratings for last Sunday's new episode of *Disney Channel'*s original series "Hannah Montana" were down more than 30 percent from the last premiere. So is the dip in ratings due to the writers' strike or is it just because parents are not permitting their tweens to watch "Hannah Montana" anymore? I mean, it's not like we're talking about "Desperate Housewives" here - "Hannah Montana" is as wholesome as TV gets these days.

Oh well, if Miley Cyrus moves away from Disney we can still count on the *Jonas Brother*s to provide some wholesome entertainment. That is until one of the JoBros gets caught up in their own naked photo scandal or worse. Oops, did I say that out loud?<p>Jonas Brothers fans will love this next piece of gossip - it looks like the Jonas Brothers have signed a deal to star in their very own Jonas Brothers 3-D movie due to be released next year! Hey, if the Miley Cyrus/"Hannah Montana" 3-D movie raked in that much cash surely the Jonas Brothers can top it. Perez Hilton is already planning his outfit for the Jonas Brothers 3-D movie premiere.

Mother's Day is right around the corner and thankfully there is plenty of hot Hollywood mom gossip to go around. Britney Spears surprised everyone by actually showing up to her court date on time. This coming after a slew of missed court dates and finally having her visitation rights taken away completely. Could Britney really be getting her act together? Looks that way - the court has added more visitation rights for Britney Spears including overnight stays with her sons. Way to go Brit!

*Angelina Jolie*'s pregnancy is old news, but there are now more reports popping up that she and Brad Pitt may really be expecting twins! The reports differ - some claim that she is having a boy and a girl while the latest report from Star magazine says it's two girls. Either way, I'm sure the Jolie-Pitt clan is anxiously awaiting the arrival of the latest member (or members) of their family.

And here's a real shocker - *Lindsey Lohan*'s mom, Dina Lohan, was honored with a Mother of the Year award! OK, not really. It was more like "Long Island Top Mom," but the fact that Dina Lohan would receive any kind of award for mothering is beyond me. It makes me wonder who Dina was up against for the award. Amy Fisher's mom, maybe?

Not only that, but TMZ claims that Dina Lohan actually skipped out on a family counseling session to accept her award. Now there's a woman who has her priorities in order.

And finally, Jessica Alba did a very sweet thing for other mothers to be this past week. The very pregnant Jessica Alba visited with students at a Los Angeles high school for pregnant teen mothers. Not only did she take the time to talk to the girls and visit each classroom, but she came bearing baby gifts for all 200 girls! How cool is that?

Sources:http://tmz.com, http://perezhilton.com, http://people.com