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Falling into this season with the top boot trends for 2009. Featuring top brands such as KORS Michael Kors, Jessica Simpson and Stuart Weitzman. So get your boot-ie on, take that paycheck, and fill up your shopping cart at www.Zappos.com.
Xoxo
Alana and Jenn (aka BABS)

There are a lot of young woman and teenagers that look up to Nicole Richie for her style of fashion. She seems to have a laid back, yet fashionable, casual wardrobe, but then she knows how to be sophisticated and elegant for special events. She always has that slightly Boho-chic look to her clothing without looking too messy. Here are some ideas on how you, too, can look like Nicole Richie

Accessorizing is a must. If you have ever seen pictures of Nicole Richie, she has tons of accessories on any given day. Think over-sized sunglasses, chunky necklaces and bracelets, head bands and scarves, big rings and definitely scarves around the neck. She also seems to be always carrying a big handbag, sometimes a little too big for her petite frame. This large handbag from Marc Jacobs would definitely be a bag that Nicole Richie would carry.

When it comes your actual clothing, skinny jeans and black leggings are a must for your wardrobe. Also, another must are long maxi-dresses that go down to your ankles. Look for ones that have an empire-waist or a halter top and are flowing with a pretty pattern or print. For tops, Nicole seems to like looser tops that are longer. Look for longer blouses or fitted t-shirts to wear with the legging or skinny jeans. For more of a dressed-up Nicole Richie look, try a strapless short dress or even a long strapless dress with a floral pattern.

One thing that you can tell about Nicole Richie's fashion is that she loves shoes. She can be seen wearing high heeled pumps most of the time. These look great with the skinny jeans and leggings. For a more casual (and comfortable) look, Nicole goes for flat Bohemian-style shoes with embellishments and stones or flat boots like these Juicy Couture ones. For night time, keep your shoes interesting with bold colors, embellishments, high heels and interesting cutouts.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association officially votes on the awards given out annually at the Golden Globes. Unofficially, though, the ceremony is known as the first celebrity fashion show of the year. And 2009 definitely demonstrated the stars' abilities to deck themselves in their classiest clothes.

Among those with fashion-to-die-for: Kate Winslet, who looked sleekly chic in her perfectly fitted black gown (Stefano Pilati at Yves Saint Laurent). The only detraction: bonny Kate tended to tug at the top of her strapless dress. Demi Moore, attired in a white Dior that contrasted beautifully with her hair, continues to appear about three decades younger than she is.

And although she and Brad snubbed Ryan Seacrest, Versace-clad Angelina Jolie looked every inch the star in a draped gown. Special mention must go to Drew Barrymore, whose exquisitely fitted blue gown deservedly drew gasps of appreciation as she paraded down the red carpet. From her perfectly coiffed hair to her demurely clad shoes, Drew shone like a real star.

It almost seems cruel to comment on some of the truly bad fashion that showed up for the Golden Globes ... but it's irresistible. Standing out among the worst: Renee Zellweger, who for some inexplicable reason (temporary insanity?) decided to slip into a solid white bra beneath her sheer black gown. Huh? Another pitiful failure: Rumer Willis, who wore a badly fitting dress that looked as if it came from a yard sale (hint to Demi: please give your daughter a lesson in fashion!).

Then there's Maggie Gyllenhaal, a lovely girl who seems to have an unfortunate fondness for fashion errors. She began 2009 with her traditional lack of style by choosing a very peculiar print that had this volcanic eruption of fabric on her shoulder. Could someone please call in the fashion police for this hapless celebrity?

Last but not least: don't men have fashion advisors anymore? The ones on parade at the Golden Globes certainly didn't seem to. The one exception: youthful-yet-dapper Zac Efron, who chose a sophisticated tux-and-tie combo, which surely caused more than one young girl to sigh with envy at Zac's gal pal Vanessa Hudgens (whose gorgeous gown's elegance matched her boyfriend's charm).

What would a history of shoes be without mentioning Dr. Scholl's? Well, quite frankly, it would be incomplete. Dr. Scholl revolutionized the shoe industry with his unique shoe designs, which incorporated comfort and support into shoe designs that were also functional and fashionable. While nearly everyone has heard of Dr. Scholl's and his products, few people know who Dr. Scholl was and how he got started in the shoe industry.

Dr. Scholl's Biography
Dr. Scholl was born in June of 1882. His grandfather was a shoemaker, so shoes were in his blood. His entry into the shoe industry was as an apprentice to a shoe-repair craftsman. This position eventually led to a position as a shoe salesman in a shoe boutique. This job gave Scholl the opportunity to see how shoe designs of the day were negatively impacting the lives and health of his clients. This gave him the inspiration to create a line of shoes and shoe products that would be as therapeutic for his customers as they were fashionable.

After graduating from the medical program offered by the Illinois Medical College, Dr. Scholl established his own orthopedic manufacturing company. He invented and manufactured foot products that would ease the pain associated with both medical conditions and long hours spent in uncomfortable shoes.

Dr. Scholl's Shoes Are Launched
The original Dr. School's shoe line didn't launch until 1968. The original shoe and sandal designs were so popular that over a million pairs were sold in the first four years of production. One of the hottest sellers in this line was the original Dr. Scholl's Exercise Sandal. These sandals remained popular in the 1960s and 1970s, and they re-emerged as a favorite, casual shoe design in the 1990s.

Today, Dr. Scholl's shoes are still being manufactured. The rights to this shoe empire belong to the Shering-Plough HealthCare Products, Inc. However, the manufacturing license is now leased by the Brown Shoe Company. In addition to the original sandal and Dandy shoe designs, the Dr. Scholl's label is also attached to several fashionable dress and casual shoe designs including women's dress boots and men's loafers.

I've travelled in Asia for the last five years and have visited many countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan. All of these countries are vastly different in culture and tradition, and to some extent, in fashion. But one thing I discovered in all of them is the Asian women's addiction to shoes. Sure, Sex and the City's Carrie had a shoe obsession, but most Asian girls easily have her beat.

In Thailand, girls are obsessed with high-heel, strappy sandals. They're available everywhere and come in every color and design you can imagine. No fashion-conscious Bangkok girl will ever have less than 30 pairs of shoes, and many have a lot more. One of my Thai friends, Tua, has over 60 pairs of shoes and adds to this collection every week. She loves the pointy-toed shoes, the sling-back sandals and even the peeptoe shoes. She also has a pair of Mary Jane's that is to die for. Tua loves shoes so much she actually gets a rush of excitement when she finds another cute pair and can't wait to try them on. If they fit, she's transported to a place of unimaginable joy. Now that's an obsession with shoes!

In Japan, a lot of Japanese girls are really into boots of all lengths (ankle boots were popular when I was there) and stylish flats that they can walk in. Japanese girls definitely seem to be more concerned about comfort than Thai girls, who will stagger around in the highest high-heel shoes just to look sexy. Funky Mary Jane's in moss green, brown and black are a big hit in Japan, and paired with the typical Japanese flair for fashion, they do look cool.

In Hong Kong, women seemed much like the Japanese during the day. Trendy, yet comfortable seems to be the order of the day; probably because Hong Kong is a walking city. So flat shoes, low-heeled boots and Doc Martens abound. But at night, even though you'll still see many of the flat shoes around the shopping areas, if you head to the Hong Kong nightclub or restaurant scene, designer high-heeled, strappy sandals hold sway.

If you're ever in Asia and you love shoes, you'll fit right in. For Asian girls, the shoe is often more important than the clothes.

Celebrities don't always make wise decisions in the shoe department. I mean, have you seen some of the shoes they wear? Stiletto heels that are 6 inches high or platform shoes that look like you may fall over in them. But sometimes they do get it right and start a fashion trend that is actually comfortable. Take for instance boots and ballet flats.

Before you know it, Fall will be here and one staple that you should have in your wardrobe, if you want to look like a celebrity, is a pair of boots. So many celebrities have been seen wearing boots even in the summer. Now, I am not saying to go out in the scorching hot summer and pair shorts with boots like Hilary Duff did, but why not start your shopping early for fall and stay on trend with celebrities? There are tons of different styles of boots, from ankle boots to knee-high ones. There are plain boots, moccasin boots and even cowboy boots. Celebrities seem to love Marc Jacobs and his shoes. Well, Marc Jacobs makes an amazing pair of boots, and the celebrities would approve of them, as Jessica Simpson and Mischa Barton all have been seen wearing boots by Marc Jacobs.

Another big trend with shoes among celebrities is still the classic ballet flats. Ballet flats can be worn in spring, summer and even into the fall. You can even wear dark colored ballet flats into winter as long as you are not walking through five feet of snow. They are basically a shoe for all seasons. Such celebrities such as Blake Lively, Jessica Biel, Katie Holmes, Naomi Watts, Nicole Richie and Lindsay Lohan all wear ballet flats around town. For once celebrities actually got it right, since ballet flats are such a comfortable shoe. You can wear them in a variety of colors and designs. Some have adornments on them and others are just plain. One of the most popular flats is by Elie Tahari. They come in so many different colors and styles that you are sure to find one that suits your outfit and style.

The one shoulder dress has returned with celebrities.

Several celebrities have been seen wearing one shoulder dresses at events and parties. The one shoulder dress highlights the arms and the back and keeps the look sophisticated. Kate Moss is very into one shoulder dresses. Liv Tyler was seen wearing a one shoulder dress by Stella McCartney to the Incredible Hulk premiere. Other celebrities that glam it up in one shoulder dresses are Mandy Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Paris Hilton, Anne Hathaway and Becki Newton. The one shoulder dress is not the only article of clothing that is trendy with celebrities right now. Look out for one shoulder tops and blouses and also one shoulder bathing suits.

Yellow, yellow and more yellow. It seems like everywhere you turn you see someone wearing this bright summertime color. Yellow is huge among celebrities right now. Molly Sims wore a long yellow Versace dress on the red carpet, while Emmy Rossum sported a short yellow Phillip Lim dress to an event. The most dramatic yellow dress was worn by Rihanna. The dress was a long layered tiered dress by Giambattista Valli. She looked like she could have been Belle from "Beauty and the Beast." Shirts and shoes in yellow are also very trendy right now. If you are unsure about wearing a yellow dress, opt for a yellow shirt or add a splash of color to an outfit with yellow shoes. Just don't pair your yellow with too much black, as you may end up looking like a bumblebee.