Light as a Feather

Kerry Washington attends the 2nd Annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on February 19, 2009 in Beverly Hills, California.

Jennifer Lopez arrives at American Music Awards after-party on November 22, 2009.

Iman attends the The 2009 Women of the Year hosted by Glamour Magazine at Carnegie Hall on November 9, 2009 in New York City.

Rihanna makes a guest appearance on Norwegian TV show 'Skavlan' on January 21, 2010 in Oslo, Norway.

If you want to stand out form the crowd this Spring, feathers are the way forward. Nothing says, "I'm a fashion risk-taker" like a whispy, feather-tiered skirt or dress. The ladies above are already in the know. Whether it's conservative chic like Kerry Washington or abstract rebellion a la Rihanna, there are a myriad of ways to wear feathers. My favorite inspiration is from Jennifer Lopez. Turn up the glamour by pairing a feather skirt with a sequin corset for extra va va voom!

My Picks!

Left to right: Haute Hippie Elongated Feather Vest, $347.50, www.shopbop.com; Sue Wong Strapless Dress with Ostrich Feathers, $518, www.nordstrom.com; Plunging Feather Dress, $530, www.neimanmarcus.com; Haute Hippie Genuine Ostrich Feather Minidress, $394.90, www.nordstrom.com

Left to right: Feather Mini Skirt by Lia Kes, $199, www.calypso-celle.com; Laser Cut Feather Skirt by Rare, $118, www.topshop.com; Vero Moda Feather Skirt, $67.99, www.asos.com; ASOS Black Feather Skirt, $110.48, www.asos.com

Left to right: ASOS Nude Feather Clutch, $42.49, www.asos.com; ASOS Black Feather Clutch, $42.49, www.asos.com

Feathers are best done in neutral colors like nude, black and white. This look won't come cheap so be prepared to spend some money, but it'll be worth it. There's nothing worse than cheap looking feathers. Try online stores like ASOS, ShopBop and Topshop for more economically friendly items. I have the black feather clutch from ASOS and wherever I wear it I always get a barrage of compliments. Finish a "feathered" look with gold accessories and sky-high pumps.

Stacy Dash

Stacy Dash at InStyle's Gloden Globes' After-Party on January 17th, 2010

Stacy Dash and Halle Berry are making women half their edge run to the gym in utter shame. They say once you hit your mid-thirties you should stop wearing mini dresses, but why should we? These 40-year old women should get together and bottle the secrets of eternal youth. I'd buy it and then some. Scroll down to see how you can steal Stacy's flawless style from this year's Gloden Globes party scene.

Steal Stacy's Style

Dress: Posy Sequin Open Back Dress in black, $40, www.missguided.co.uk

Shoes: Luxury Rebel Suede Peep Toe Shoe Boot, $178.47, www.asos.com

Clutch: Santi Gold Sequins Clutch, $158, www.azhandbags.com

Earrings: Kenneth Jay LaneAntique Drop Earrings, $107.80, www.shopbop.com

Apart from the dress, this look will cost you at least $500! I tried to look for more economically-friendly alternatives but the cheaper stuff looked, well, cheap! I'm still in love with sequins and have been for the last 2 years. Just do a search for the word "sequins" on this blog if you don't believe me. The peep-toe boots give this look the hard edge it needs, but bring the look back to sexy with blinding earrings.

Corinne Bailey Rae covers Billboard

Corinne Bailey Rae has been MIA, understandably, since the death of her husband in 2008. But now the soulful songstress is making a comeback with the release of her sophomore album, "The Sea." The album will be in stores on January 26th, but you can get a sneak peak at Corinne's official website here. Also check out her new video "I'd Do It Again." I'm loving Corinne's longer hair by the way. The new hairstyle suits her to no end and her music sounds inspiring, though somewhat dark. Below is an Observer Music Monthly Podcast where she explains her musical inspiration behind this album. I hope she has as much success with this album as her first!

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