Could Britney Spears be getting ready to perform at this year's MTV Video Music Awards despite her disastrous performance last year? It's sure looking that way. Rumor has it that producers from MTV are saying that they would definitely give Britney a chance to redeem herself. Of course this is after Britney's songs are getting considerable radio play (not to mention the fact that her VMA performance brought in over seven million viewers for MTV last time). I know I'd definitely watch if she gave it another go.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie may indeed be heading towards divorce, but that doesn't mean that they're totally against reconciliation. The Sun is reporting that Guy is willing to do whatever it takes to save his marriage and keep his children's family intact. Of course there are rumors that the whole reason for the split, besides the requisite "we grew apart" thing is that Guy didn't want anything to do with the Madonna's trendy religion, Kaballah, anymore.

And it looks like Paris Hilton finally made good on her promise to be a better person after completing her highly-publicized prison sentence last year. Paris donated a "very generous" but undisclosed sum of money to Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Paris' donation will be geared towards the construction of a brand new Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases. Way to go, Paris!

Speaking of Paris Hilton, guess which celeb supposedly has expressed a desire to pen her own cookbook? Why none other than Paris' BFF, *Nicole Richie*! It seems that since settling down with her rumored fiancé, Joel Madden, and daughter, Harlow, Nicole has developed her domestic side and wants to share her recipes with the world. All this from a girl who didn't eat at all for almost a year.

Cameron Diaz was seen sporting a very large and glittery ring on her ring finger after leaving popular hot-spot Nobu last week. Could it be that her relationship with model Paul Sculfor is more than a passing fling and that they could really be getting serious? Now we'll have to watch and see who makes it down the aisle first - Justin Timberlake or Cameron Diaz.

Quite a few celebrities are cutting off their locks and opting for a new shorter hairstyle. With the hot months of summer ahead, cutting your hair now is not a bad idea. There are plenty of different short styles so you can pick the one that would look the best on you. There are angled bobs, layered bobs and pixie cuts just for example. If you do choose to cut your hair like a celebrity, remember that short hair needs to be trimmed more often to retain its style and cut.

Gwyneth Paltrow is probably the best example of a celebrity cutting their hair into a shorter style. Gwyneth cut off approximately 10 inches of her hair, so now it lands right above her shoulders. She went from really long straight hair to a short style with long layers. She has been seen wearing her hair wavy and straight.

Anne Hathaway is another celebrity who just cut off your locks. She went from long hair, down several inches past her shoulders, to a cut above her shoulders. She also has been seen wearing her new shorter do both curly and straight. Her hair is naturally curly, so layers were cut into her hair to make it more manageable. If you have naturally curly hair and want a short hair cut, I would recommend taking a peak at Anne's hair before heading to the salon.

Several other celebrities are rocking the short hairdos also. Katie Holmes cut her hair into a short bob a while back and recently cut it even shorter. I think that she looks more grown up with her new style and definitely does not look like Joey Potter from Dawson's Creek anymore.

Michelle Williams also has been sporting a short pixie cut for a while too. Her short blonde locks are an extreme for most people, but it does suit her well. Other stars who are sporting the short cuts include Tori Spelling, Sophia Bush, Kerry Washington, Rihanna and Christina Ricci.

So I say, go ahead and take the plunge. Follow the trend and cut your hair. There are always extensions. Isn't that what stars do anyway?

It was one of those weeks in Hollywood where men were behaving badly. First up was Shia LaBeouf who was filming a scene for Transformers 2 at a museum in Washington D.C. While on a little break, Shia snuck into the men's restroom to smoke a cigarette. Of course, he set the fire alarm off, so security guards burst into the restroom just as Shia attempted to get rid of the evidence by tossing the cigarette into the toilet. Yeah, nice going. What is this, high school?

Fred Savage must've been taking lessons from Vin Diesel, because his wife had baby number two last month and nobody reported it. It's hard to believe that little Kevin Arnold could even be old enough to have kids. Time sure does fly. Oh, and just for the record, no it's not Winnie Cooper's baby.

Brody Jenner managed to get himself kicked out of L.A. hotspot Les Deux, and apparently it isn't the first time. Brody had a bit too much to drink and started acting up, so he was asked to leave the club. When he tried to re-enter, he got into a fight with a manager and the police had to be called.

Did you know that surfers are very protective about their territory? Well they are, even to the point of going against a whole crowd of paparazzi. Matthew McConaughey was being stalked by the paparazzi while he was out surfing last week and it rubbed the surfers on the beach the wrong way. A group of surfers approached the paparazzi and in true West Side Story-style exchanged words and then rumbled. The only thing missing was the soundtrack!

And it's not many times that you'll hear the names Anthony Kiedis and Britney Spears in the same sentence, but believe it or not they have something in common (besides the whole music thing). The paparazzi caught Anthony Kieids, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, riding around town with his son strapped to him in a weird looking little car ... with no seatbelt! So, I guess what Britney did isn't so uncommon after all.

Sources: Socialite Life -http://socialitelife.celebuzz.com
Seriously OMG - http://seriouslyomg.com
In Case You Didn't Know - http://icydk.com
TMZ - http://tmz.com

Any true fashionista knows that high heels are not "just" high heels. There are different kinds of high heels: Pumps, stilettos, platforms. But one of the more stylish kinds of high heels are known as French heels, named after their country of origin.

Origin of French Heels

Originally, shoes sporting higher heels were introduced in order to allow ladies to walk high enough off the ground so that their skirts remained out of the mud. However, Catherine de Medici, from the rich and famous Italian family, brought a fashion of high heels to France in 1533. But it was more than 100 years after Catherine de Medici first introduced high heels as a fashion statement that French heels were developed. And they were developed to help a man get over his Napoleon complex (of course, this was before there was a Napoleon).

King Louis XIV (1638-1715) was a rather short man. In order to achieve a height he considered respectable, he wore special high heels. His shoes were made of leather dyed red and hand painted with scenes from his triumphs on the battlefield. The heels themselves were constructed of cork and also covered with red leather. Due to the king, sometimes French heels are also referred to as Louis heels. They are five inches tall and curved so that they came down from the back of the heel, inward toward the shoe, and then outward away from the shoe for a serpentine look.

Modern French Heels

Today rather than cork, many French heels are made from plastic. The upper is made of plastic, leather or fabric, while the sole is made of a hard plastic material, although some soles are now being made of more supportive and springy materials that provide better cushioning. Additionally, not all French heels are as high as Louis's. Some of them maintain the curved heel shape, but on a shorter scale.

French heels can make a great fashion statement in any circle. And they are more practical for professional and everyday use than their straighter and higher cousins in the world of high heels.

The world's most famous pregnant 17-year-old, Jamie Lynn Spears, had her baby this past week. Her entire family, along with famous sis Britney Spears was on hand to welcome Maddie Briann into the world. Already the in-laws are laying claim on which of the baby's features look more like Jamie Lynn and which look more like Casey. The new mother and baby were driven home by police escort, but it was Britney who drew the bigger crowd. Britney was only gone from L.A. for a couple days, yet she managed to cause quite a ruckus upon her return when she and her father Jamie Spears were swarmed by paparazzi before jumping into a waiting SUV.

Another new mom who made headlines this week was Jennifer Lopez. Page Six reports that J-Lo was out on a shopping trip and has apparently fallen back into her diva ways. She not only demanded that the store close down so she could shop in private (they didn't), but then she tried on outfit after outfit, leaving a huge mess in the dressing room and not buying anything. Jennifer Aniston is playing a new role these days: most famous groupie. That's right, Jennifer is joining boyfriend, John Mayer for his UK tour. The couple will travel together from gig to gig and check out the sights along the way. Let's just hope that Jennifer doesn't go and mess up this relationship too. We know she must be getting anxious to catch up with ex-hubby *Brad Pitt*'s growing brood ...

It seems like Amy Winehouse just can't catch a break. Her father recently confessed that Amy is suffering from emphysema due to her nasty habit of smoking crack cocaine and cigarettes. It seems rather ironic that her lungs and voice got her to where she is and now they may be the thing to bring it all to a halt.

Sources:
People - http://people.com
Pop Squire - http://popsquire.com
NY Post - http://nypost.com
Dlisted - http://dlisted.com

A showcase of some of the most creative Los Angeles designers

The first annual "Who's Who In L.A. Fashion?" fashion show will be held on Wednesday, July 23rd at the Forbidden City, one of L.A.'s most happening nightspots at the world-famous intersection of Hollywood and Vine. Los Angeles is underrated as a hot spot for fashion, because anyone who reads magazines knows it's the Hollywood starlets who drive fashion purchases by being photographed in the garments. These days you can't make it in fashion if you don't make it in L.A.

The focus of the "Who's Who In L.A. Fashion?" fashion show is to get Los Angeles the recognition it deserves as one of the world's great fashion hubs while putting the spotlight on some of L.A.'s most creative homegrown talent, according to J. Smith, aka J.S., CEO of First Take Entertainment and producer of the "Who's Who In L.A." show. First Take has created a guerrilla marketing campaign for this event featuring videos on You Tube, My Space, AOL Video and Truveo.

The host of the "Who's Who In L.A. Fashion" show will be Vincent M. Ward, a featured regular on the show "Everybody Hates Chris." Designers featured all have urban flavor but run the gamut from the cheeky hoodies of Brown I'd Soul Fashions by Boo & Bambi to House of Syville Couture by Syville Morgan, a custom-made clothing line that sells through a membership club . Also appearing are EMEL Fashions by Michellee Liu; House of Bliss LA designs by Happy and Kristine Fernandez, a line of colorful and carefree sundresses; K Menzella Fashions by Katie, and Delis' Anna Fashions by Delissa Parker.

All of these fresh designs will be on display with the exciting backdrop of Forbidden City, an upscale-Asian themed dance club with two dance floors, multiple outdoor patios, 4 premium bars, an Asian-fusion kitchen, and a selection of VIP booths and beds for people with table reservations. Over the evening the fashion show will morph into a party and L.A.'s top fashion people are expected to be there.

Jessica and Tori give birth, David Archuleta signs a recording contract, trouble in The Hills and Shia LaBeouf's video

The Hollywood stork was pretty busy lately as two celebrity moms gave birth to little girls! Jessica Alba and Cash Warren welcomed their new little bundle of joy on June 7th and didn't waste any time joining the ranks of "Celebrities who give their kids unusual names" either - they named their daughter, Honor Marie Warren. Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, however went with Stella Doreen McDermott, which has either an old Hollywood or a country feel to it, depending on how you look at it.

Guess who scored a recording contract with 19 Records/Jive Records? Why, little David Archuleta, of course. It's really no surprise, since everyone knew the kid would end up releasing an album whether he won American Idol or not. The real test will be if David can make it through the recording process without Daddy Archuleta being banned from the studio.

Did you hear about the backyard rumble between The Hills stars Lauren Conrad and her roomie, *Audrina Patridge*? Apparently Lauren came home to find Audrina in the middle of a magazine photo shoot and flipped! Lauren was upset because she had already promised exclusive pics of their backyard to another magazine. Audrina claims that Lauren's people had been notified about the magazine shoot, while Lauren says otherwise. We all know the truth though - neither girl can stand the other being in the spotlight. With the attention that TMZ-favorite Audrina has been generating with her naked pics, Lauren better come up with something fast. Hmm, maybe now would be a good time to release that video of her and ex, Jason Wahler, that she swears doesn't exist.

Speaking of videos, Shia LaBeouf had another red-faced moment when a video from his past recently came back to haunt him. The video, which in his defense is several years old, appeared on YouTube and shows Shia LaBeouf making a derogatory comment to a male friend while playing one of those weird games that boys play. You know, the kind of game that involves drinking and slapping each other. Anyway, when Shia LaBeouf realized the tape had been released, his rep released a statement that said that Shia was embarrassed about the video. It seems that the more squeaky clean these young Hollywood stars claim to be, the more dirt people manage to dig up on them.

Sources:

People Magazine - http://people.com

TMZ - http://tmz.com

X17 - http://x17online.com

With the summer months upon us, what better time to look at celebrity bathing suits? Some celebrities opt for the teeny, tiny bikini and others keep it more modest with sporty bikinis. Some celebrities even wear bathing suit cover-ups over their bikinis. Let's take a look at the most popular styles.

The string bikini is probably the most common bathing suit among celebrities. Not everyone can wear one, though. Most string bikinis do not provided enough support for larger-chested women. One of the exceptions was when Fergie hit the beach in a red and black string bikini that had metallic rings at the top of the straps. The triangle top was actually supportive for her. On the other hand, small-chested women usually have no problem with the string bikini and the triangle tops. Celebrities like Kate Hudson, Mischa Barton and Hilary Duff have been seen sporting string bikinis. In fact, Kate Hudson had several string bikinis that she wore when she was in Miami a couple of months ago.

The halter top bikini is another very popular style among celebrities, because it is actually a flattering pick for any size. The straps on the halter top will make your shoulders look smaller and will also balance your upper body with your lower body. Most halter tops are very supportive, so you can be more comfortable if you are going to be doing some actual swimming or playing on the beach. Audrina Patridge from The Hills was seen wearing a bold, turquoise halter top bikini from J Crew. Carmen Electra sported a blue and white halter top bikini while on the beach in Malibu. Lastly, Kate Bosworth was seen wearing a chocolate brown halter top bikini with tortoise shell rings in the middle of the top.

Whatever bathing suit you choose, you need to remember one thing, do not compare yourself with celebrities. Celebrities take care of their bodies because that is their job. Be yourself, be confident and enjoy the summer!

As if the world needed another talent show, now MTV is giving Janet Jackson her own show! TV Guide reports that Janet Jackson will host this new show and go around to places like community centers and churches searching for the next big star. Seriously though, how many next big stars can there be? At the rate we're going, everyone and their brother will have appeared on a reality show at some point.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time! Celebrities are usually annoyed at the presence of paparazzi, but not when it comes to having trouble. Kate Beckinsale was out on a drive with her husband and child when they promptly ran out of the gas. The whole family bounded out of the car and asked the paparazzi if they'd kindly drive one of them to the gas station. While one of the paps drove Kate's hubby to a nearby gas station, the rest of them stayed behind and filmed Kate standing on the side of the road carrying her daughter (who seemed a little too old to still be carried around by her petite mom, if you ask me).

You would think that after going through one of the world's most public and nasty divorce, that men would know enough to stay away from Heather Mills. But alas, the ex-Mrs. McCartney has managed to get her claws into a hunky, younger guy. Her latest boy toy apparently works at a hotel and is being called "nothing more than a day care worker" by some. Day care worker or not, his toned body is more than enough to keep Heather happy and her newfound millions are enough to keep him happy too, I'm sure.

We know that Kimora Lee Simmons is pregnant with Dijmon Honsou's child, but it looks like the two are not exactly on the same page when it comes to taking the next step in their relationship. Kimora recently told People Magazine that she is "kind of" engaged, which is the same as saying that you're "kind of" pregnant. You either are or you aren't, right? Hmm, looks like celebrities have trouble getting their boyfriends to commit too!

Sources:
TV Guide - http://tvguide.com
DListed- http://dlisted.com
TMZ - http://tmz.com
News of the World - http://newsoftheworld.co.uk</a>

Platform shoes weren't just a ridiculous trend of the 1970s. Rather, they've been a form of style and status for centuries.

While most of us think of platform shoes as an often unfortunate fashion trend of the 1970s, the style actually has a long history and reached outrageous heights early on.

The earliest platform shoes were found in the ancient Greek theater and to a certain degree on the streets of Rome, although these never reached more than a few inches in height. Wooden platform shoes called geta emerged in 8th Century Japan and were the dominant style of footwear until Japan was opened to the West in the late 19th Century. Today geta are usually only worn with traditional and formal dress, on festival occasions or by protectors of Japanese arts such as geisha.

Arguably, platform shoes didn't become truly outrageous until Venice during the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries. There, women wore "chopines." These were high, elaborate and sturdy overshoes worn over a more delicate indoor shoe. Ostensibly, the chopines' role was to protect the indoor shoe from dirt, but their elaborate styles and expensive materials involved in the construction of chopines quickly made them more a matter of fashion and status, worn by women of every conceivable rank. That said, the highest chopines were seen amongst the wealthy and noble, with some shoes reaching as high as thirty inches.

Despite the ubiquity of these shoes in Venice, they were widely mocked throughout the rest of Europe, and unflattering references to them make appearances both in Shakespeare and British law of the time. For several centuries platform shoes are almost non-existent in the West as women's fashions were alternately driven by desires to be dainty or at least practical. While heels were worn frequently in this time period, they endeavored to be narrow and graceful.

The true resurgence of the platform shoes comes in the 1930s-1950s with platforms constructed out of cork and wood. These platforms rarely exceeded an inch or two in height and were usually discretely styled, unlike those of the 1970s that featured outrageous colors and platforms two to ten inches high. In the 1990s the platform made a brief resurgence with a lower height.

Today modest platforms echoing the styles of the 1930s-1950s continue to have some popularity especially for those with retro or rockabilly looks. They are easy to find, yet are far from ubiquitous.

MTV is handing out spin-off shows like candy to the cast of the popular reality show, The Hills. We first heard that Whitney Port would be getting her own "Hills"-type show, but now playboy Brody Jenner is going to be getting a "Tila Tequila"-type show, called Bromance, where guys will compete to be part of Brody's entourage. You know what would be hilarious - if Spencer Pratt, Brody's former BFF, was among the contestants!

You'll be happy to hear that the world is safe from the spawn of Paris Hilton... for this month anyway. Although there had been rumors that the heiress might be pregnant because of what appeared to be a baby bump, Paris was recently spotted partying at a club for the filming of her upcoming reality show and indulging in some drinking and smoking. So either she's not pregnant or just really dumb. Of course, this is Paris Hilton we're talking about, so it could go either way.

Jennifer Garner recently had a bit of a scare while on out with the Jennifer Garner mini-me, daughter Violet. She accidentally locked the keys in the car along with her daughter. Luckily, she was able to give directions to Violet through the window and the smart tot was out quicker than she could say "Jennifer Lopez is my almost-mommy".

And *Jessica Simpson*'s country album hasn't even been released but that hasn't stopped the tabloids from creating drama between her and another blonde bombshell country star. Jessica Simpson was recently spotted wearing a t-shirt that read, "Real Girls Eat Meat". Seems like a pretty innocent t-shirt until you consider the fact that Tony Romo dated Carrie Underwood not too long ago and Carrie is known to be very open about being a vegetarian. Hmm, this could get interesting.

Sources: DListed - http://dlisted.com, Hollywood Reporter - http://hollywoodreporter.com, Pop Bytes - http://popbytes.com, People - http://people.com, Daily Mail - http://dailymail.co.uk

Terrence Howard is releasing his debut album this fall - it's said to be a mix of pop-rock and jazz tunes. It kind of makes you wonder what an Oscar-nominated actor is doing attempting to break into the music biz. I mean, we all know how well it worked out for Woody Allen 's muse, Scarlett Johanssen, right?

Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff broke up a couple weeks ago, but the real reason for the break-up is just coming to light now. Yes, there was cheating involved, but it wasn't the Dancing with the Star pro that cheated. Believe it or not, it was actually Mario Lopez and it was with a Hooters waitress! Apparently he and Miss Hooters (Meagan Cooper) have been sneaking around for a whole year. What a pig! IF he was going to cheat, he could've at least done it with someone a little more A-list... like long-time friend Eva Longoria.

One of Denise Richards' frenemies has come forward claiming that Denise has been outright lying when she says that her and *Heather Locklear*'s friendship had ended long before she hooked up with Richie Sambora. This "friend" has phone records that prove that Richards was calling Richie while she and Heather were still friends.

American Idol judge Paula Abdul is single once again. She had been dating restaurateur J.T. Torregiani, but apparently they split months ago. He must've caught an episode of "Hey Paula!" on Bravo one night. That'd be enough to send any guy running for the hills.

Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale are expecting baby #2. They don't even know the sex of the baby yet, but they do know this - they're having a goth baby. So what better color for the nursery than black? At least that's what Rossdale said during a recent interview on E! Let's hope he just has a really weird sense of humor.

And it looks like Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden may not be heading down the aisle just yet. What's the hold up? Well, according to the Enquirer, Joel is waiting for Nicole to covert to Christianity before they marry so they can raise baby Harlow with the same Christian beliefs that he grew up with. Somebody needs to tell Joel that knocking your girlfriend up before marriage isn't exactly encouraged by Christianity either.

Sources:
DListed - http://dlisted.com,
IDLYITW - http://idontlikeyouinthatway.com,
People - http://people.com,
Celebitchy - http://celebitchy.com

Candy Spelling hits the jackpot, Kevin Federline named Father of the Year, Britney's ex claims he was stabbed and JT and Jessica Biel are moving in!

What happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas. Candy Spelling, mother of Beverly Hills 90210 star, Tori Spelling, scored big on a recent trip to Las Vegas. Like $180,000 big! Now why is it that celebs get lucky and hit big jackpots in Vegas, but normal people leave Vegas with nothing more than an empty wallet, a hangover and a possible STD? Too bad Tori Spelling isn't on speaking terms with her mom or she could've hit her mom up for a little something.

Here's another shocker from Sin City - a Vegas nightclub is getting ready to honor a certain D-list dad with a Father of the Year award. Now the fact that a nightclub is giving out any kind of parenting awards is a shocker, but the biggest shocker is that the recipient of the award is going to be none other than Britney Spears' ex, Kevin Federline. Now granted, Britney did make Kevin look like the responsible parent this past year with her crazy behavior, but are you really telling me that they couldn't find anyone more worthy of the Father of the Year award than a guy who has fathered 4 children with 2 different women?

Speaking of Britney Spears, remember her paparazzi ex-boyfriend, Adnan Ghalib? Well, Adnan claims that he has received various death threats and was even stabbed recently because he's talked about releasing a sex tape that he reportedly made with Britney. I don't about you, but flashing a knife in my face would be more than enough to get me to release any kind of video. Adnan must be in another league though because his only statement to the alleged stabber is, "You better come a lot stronger than that if you want to make a point."

And it looks like the rumors about Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel getting hitched soon might be true! The latest is that Justin has asked Jessica to move in with him -- and she said yes. And insiders are saying that Justin is definitely shopping for rings and getting ready to pop the question. Jessica Biel is of course is being smart about the whole deal and holding on to her own house, which is going to be reportedly be lived in by family members. She obviously knows how quickly Hollywood hook-ups can come undone. But friends of Justin Timberlake are saying that they've never seen him happier, so you never know, this could be the real deal for both of them.

Another Hollywood couple that is rumored to be walking down the aisle soon is Nicole Ritchie and Joel Madden. Although both Nicole and Joel have been busy with the arrival of the baby girl, Harlow, there is talk that the couple is planning a lavish wedding this summer - even as soon as June. Star Magazine is reporting that the estimated budget for the event could even hit $2 million. That's gonna be some wedding!

Sources:

Celebitchy - http://celebitchy.com
DListed - http://dlisted.com
People - http://people.com
Star Magazine - http://starmagazine.com
I Don't Like You That Way - http://idontlikeyouthatway.com

A big trend among celebrities right now is wearing a another person's face on their t-shirt. The person on the t-shirt is usually a well-known pop idol or famous celebrity from the past.

High School Musical's Ashley Tisdale was seen sporting a yellow t-shirt with a picture of Kate Moss on it. Rachel Bilson choose to keep it old Hollywood and wore a t-shirt of Marilyn Monroe. Naomi Campbell wore a t-shirt that had Prince on the front of it.

Now here's the ultimate in narcissism, Paris Hilton has been seen wearing a shirt that has her picture on the front. Give me a break. Did you forget what you looked like, that you had to wear a shirt with your own picture on it? These shirts are not cheap at all. A Steve McQueen picture shirt from Dolce and Gabbana retails for $245.

Another trend that is staying strong with celebrities is the wearing of vests by women.

Kim Kardashian was seen wearing a fitted black vest with a white tank underneath. She kept it casual with a pair of nice jeans. If you want to wear this trend, keep the vest fitted and wear it with a longer shirt underneath. There is no need to expose your stomach with this trend. Mischa Barton has been seen wearing vest quite a few times also. Vest can be seen all over the runway, worn several different ways. It can be seen paired with a dress or pants. You can even get away with wearing a vest to the office. Pair it with a cute pair of trousers or a pencil skirt and you have a perfect office appropriate outfit that looks super trendy and cute.

You can easily find cheaper vests at the mall at your favorite store and do not have to splurge on a designer one. Make sure that it fits well and you are good to go.

The last celebrity trend that we will discuss today is the maxi dress. A maxi dress is a long dress that hits the ankle or the floor. Tons of celebrities are sporting these dresses. The most popular celebrity that can be seen in maxi dresses is Angelina Jolie.

While she is pregnant with her twins, it seems like almost every picture you see of her, she is in a maxi dress. The maxi dress is her staple fashion piece. Another pregnant celebrity, Gwen Stefani, has also been seen wearing quite a few maxi dresses around.

The maxi dress is not just for pregnant celebrities though. Kristen Bell wore a blue and white maxi dress to her movie premier. Nicole Richie and Jennifer Love Hewitt also have been seen wearing maxi dresses, as well as Lauren Conrad for the Hills. The maxi dress can be strapless, a halter top, or spaghetti straps. Most are patterned with bright colors or floral. Although, this trend is not for everybody, it can be worn both casual or dressy. If you want to wear a maxi dress, you may have to try on a couple different styles and make sure that the dress is not too long on you. Also, you do not want a completely shapeless dress, as you may look like you are wearing a muumuu and not the latest fashion trend.

While today's high heels may have gone high tech for foot comfort, the high heeled shoe has a long and varied history both as a matter of fashion and practical technology.

Like many other styles of shoes, the high heel has been in use in some form for well over a thousand years, with instances of it appearing in both ancient Egyptian and Greek art. Historically, high heels were worn by both men and women in many societies, with the emergence of the popularity of the heeled shoe in late-medieval European culture tied to equestrianism (this is also true at various points for several non-Western cultures). The heel made it easier for a man to keep his feet in the stirrups.

Heels quickly became an indicator of status. As the shoes cost more to make and were generally only worn by those who could afford to be mounted, healed shoes for men quickly became a fashion statement. Women's shoes soon followed and the term "well-heeled" to refer to refinement and socio-economic status entered the lexicon.

Historical heels hit their literal height in the reign of Louis the XIV, when they were popular for both men and women. Heel heights were high and in some cases were over four inches. Additionally heels of the baroque era were significant curved , narrowing in from where they joined the rest of the shoe and curving out again. This style is still sometimes seen today, most often in historically influenced and special occasion shoes for women. This heel style is today called the Louis heel, or, less frequently, the Pompadour heel after the famous mistress of the following king.

European heel heights plummeted for both men and women after the French revolution as people sought to avoid negative associations with excessive opulence. Men's shoes maintained a moderate heel for some time after this, but increasingly became lower to the ground with the exception of certain brief fads and shoes designed for specific purposes such as the western riding boot or dance shoes with a what is called a Cuban heel.

For women, some heel largely remained the norm even after the post-revolutionary descent, although the ballet flat dominated the early 19th century.

Because of the way a heeled shoe showcases the leg, it can be noted that men's shoes lost their heel as men's clothes became less revealing of the leg (breeches gave way to longer and fuller trousers) and women's heels gained popularity as the figure was first suggested and then revealed.

Today, high heeled shoes for women are ubiquitous, not increasingly not expected in either workplace or formal settings. Additionally, the roots of the high-heel in formal and wealthy society remain. In addition to the Louis heel, a simple, discreet women's heeled shoe known as a pump in America is frequently called a "court shoe" in Britain as its origin comes from the shoes men of note were once expected to wear to court.