I was wandering the aisles of my local drug store last night when something cool caught my eye: the Umbrella Draining System ($15). I thought the standing umbrella was innovative but this takes the cake.

Living in a city where it rains often, this could come in handy. The UDS umbrella comes with an umbrella holder in the same color — choose from silver, gold, pink, purple, or red. After you're done using your drenched umbrella, simply put it in its container and let the water drip in there. Once your umbrella is dry again, drain the water out. Why didn't I think of that?!

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So many ladies have been stepping out on the red carpet in white blouses and black skirts. It's a classic look that can be worn in many instances: a charity luncheon, a dinner party, a bridal shower, a business meeting. Oh the possibilities. What makes Gossip Girl's Leighton Meester stand out in her latest black and white cookie is the skinny red belt. Conservative with a fun twist . . .

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Regardless of whether you're a diamond or pearl girl, on any given day you're likely a Marc Jacobs girl!

The same goes for me, which is why I am crushing on these vintage nude Marc Jacobs pearl sandals. They're a size 38/8, and take this pearl of wisdom: They would be a wonderful addition to your closet. Also! These aren't yellow — they are nude — so be sure to inquire further if you're interested!

Spending time in NYC has made Vanessa Minnillo more polished. Here she is leaving Pastis restaurant in a menswear-inspired look and a Marc Jacobs Stam bag; it's nice to see that she's carrying this purse even though it's no longer an "It" item. Throw in some diamond stud earrings and you have an androgynous, refined look.

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PETA announced today that Aretha Franklin is "queen" of their annual worst-dressed list.

The online poll, which scolds those who "drape themselves" in fur, leather, and exotic skins, also named Lindsay Lohan, Eva Longoria, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, and Marilyn Manson as top offenders.

Here's what PETA had to say about Aretha and the runners-up — do you agree?

• Aretha Franklin: How 'bout some R-E-S-P-E-C-T for animals? Aretha, when you waddled into the Grammys in yet another vulgar fur, you looked as if you were going to perform "I Am the Walrus" by the Beatles. You might be a queen, but you don't know jack about compassion.
• Marilyn Manson: Always draped in leather from head to toe, Manson has enough skeletons in his closet to fill a pet cemetery. As if wearing dead animals isn't foul enough, Manson says that he wears his cow-skin pants 24/7— only peeling the smelly things off to have sex. That alone should be enough to tarnish leather's dated sex appeal. Manson might only be the shock rocker's stage name, but his wardrobe is a real-life tale of blood and guts.

To see what PETA had to say about Eva, Lindsay, Kate, and Kylie, read more

Parisian fashion designer of the 1920s and 1930s, Elsa Schiaparelli, was the first to use shoulder pads, animal prints (in 1947), and zippers dyed the same color as the fabric. But that's not why I look up to her. She was a daring character, never afraid to take risks: “I have never been shy of appearing in public in the most fantastic and personal get-up,” she wrote in Shocking Life, her autobiography. On the same note, she wasn't scared to design eccentric clothing for her clients. In 1931, she created a divided tennis skirt for a Wimbledon Championship player that shocked the tennis world. That was Elsa for you!

She is most known for spearheading the marriage of fashion and art. Most notably, she worked with artist Salvador Dalí to create art-inspired designs like a white dress with a gigantic lobster, taken from the artist's lobster telephone from 1936. Though I'm sad I never got a chance to meet Elsa — she died in 1973 at the age of 83 — her work and style will always be an inspiration.

To see a gallery of Elsa Schiaparelli and her designs, read more