A fashion show is not just a fashion show for Viktor & Rolf. It's an over-the-top happening complete with song, dance, and seemingly painted-on bodysuits. For the designers' Spring 2007 runway show at Paris Fashion Week, the famously eclectic duo hired an army of ballroom dancers for an all-out revue that featured the vocal stylings of Rufus Wainwright.

As for the fashions, I thought they were pretty damn cool—veering between totally ridiculous and reasonably wearable. Viktor & Rolf showed how much you can do with a basic black and white palette, with dresses made from waterfalls of fringe, as well as star-shaped cutouts scattered over skirts and torsos. I loved the flouncy bow accents and the occasional bursts of canary yellow in the form of a fun party skirt and other pieces. To see the looks, read more

I couldn't be happier about all of the platform-style pumps that are trotting out for Fall 2006. Not only do these styles make your legs looks shapely and long, but they are also surprisingly easy to walk in, thanks to a thick heel and stacked toe bed. The glamorous, 1940s style looks great with dress pants, pencil skirts, and skinny jeans. I've rounded up some of my favorite platform pumps in both peep-toe and closed-toe styles.

Marc by Marc Jacobs Rubber-Soled Pump, $270, available here.

Stuart Weitzman Black Leather Nexpump, $275, available here.

Linea Paolo Babe Pump, $99.95, available here.

To see the rest, read more

Straight out of the designer's Fall 2006 runway collection, this Diane Von Furstenberg Ruffled Dress is made from exquisite ivory silk with a black velvet bow at the neckline and a subtle diamond pattern. The full, swingy style gets a touch of raciness with a keyhole cutout on the front, and it even has pockets! For a runway look, it's surprisingly affordable: You can buy it for $445 here. This could be a great dress for holiday festivities, or just a total disaster, depending on how you look at it. Do you love it or hate it?

If your hair is still misbehaving in spite of great shampoo, your water might be to blame. Depending on where you live, there could be very hard or very soft water coming out of your tap. Though soft water is gentler, it often makes it tough to wash all of the shampoo and conditioner out of your hair, leaving it limp and lifeless. Hard water, meanwhile, has the opposite affect: It's more efficient, but the harshness can make your hair unhealthy.

I was delighted to discover that both Lush and Robert Craig make specialized shampoos designed for very soft and very hard water. (Robert Craig even offers a free testing strip, so you can find out what kind you have.) Here's a look at the different offerings.

Designed for soft-water areas, the solid Lush Soft Shampoo Bar contains sea salt to give back the body that your hair is lacking because of the soft water. Buy a bar for $7.95 here.

To see the rest, read more