LE CATCH

I view animal prints like neutrals--i.e., they're super versatile--but way more compelling. Therefore, the greatness of these J. Crew leopard print pants is obvious. The fit, I should add, is incredibly flattering. I'd dress them up with a peplum top or, if I am feeling a bit conservative, a black silk button-down blouse, or go casual with an old grey t-shirt or a lived-in denim blouse. Oh, the possibilities.

$34, asos.com

I worked on a slew of photo shoots last week for Lucky's August issue--and it was so fun to see all the pre-fall clothing and accessories. Judging from the plethora of belts that were on hand, it would be fair to conclude that they will be integral to our fall wardrobes. And it seemed the wider, the better. I'm a belt lover, myself, because I know full well how they can transform an old shapeless dress into something altogether more glamorous. This gold plate belt from Asos wields lots of prettifying power. It looks vintage to me, like something my mom would have worn in the '70s, but also amazingly modern. I'd wear it with...

1. Diane Von Furstenberg silk chiffon gown, $600, netaporter.com
2. Kendra Scott turquoise earrings, $60, zappos.com
3. Asos belt, $34, asos.com
4. Prada jeweled sandals, $1100, nordstrom.com

Many of my friends and LE CATCH fans have been emailing me their cheap chic finds (thank you all for sharing!), so I thought it would be fun to enlist some of them to contribute their "catches" from time to time. My first guest post comes from my twin sister Coliena, who's in New York for the next few weeks shooting several fashion advertising campaigns. She just emailed me this picture of her new sparkly sneakers, picked up at Steven by Steve Madden. Of course, these sneaks are a riff on the Miu Miu's I was coveting a while back. The glitter and black patent toe cap give them a whimsical flair. Since Coco is on her feet a lot shooting, these are perfect work shoes for her. She'll wear them with slouchy boyfriend jeans and wide-legged trousers. Meanwhile, since I tend to be a little more feminine, I'm going to wear my kicks with black capri pants and skinny jeans. The only hitch to this great find is that it's not available online. But have no fear: I called the Steve Madden store in the Beverly Center and they ordered a pair for me and are shipping it. In New York they are available at the Soho outpost. They cost $89.

Oh, and in case you're interested in learning more about Coco and me and our style differences and similarities, check out this cool video of us here, which recently debuted on You Tube's new channel, The Stylish.

$150, heidimerrick.com

When I saw tummy bearing bralets coming down Prada's spring runway, I decided then and there they were not for me. Too skimpy. Too daring. Too young. There's no way I could pull one off, I thought. But then I went to a cocktail party last week in Hollywood and came across the chicest woman I've met in a while. She was wearing a bustier top and a high-waisted A-line skirt. Just a sliver of her abdomen--the right (i.e., flat) part, just below the ribcage--was exposed. The fullness of her skirt helped offset the showy top, and the whole effect was rather dramatic and gorgeous and still demure. Now I am tempted to try it myself (despite my husband's guffaws). I'd wear this one with...

1. Heidi Merrick African print bustier, $150, heidimerrick.com
2. Topshop cropped blazer, $110, topshop.com
3. Mikkat Market Zebra clutch, $44, mikkatmarket.com
4. Maiyet strap sandal, $795, barneys.com
5. French Connection skirt, $114, frenchconnection.com

Asos' Fall 2012 look book got my heart beating a little faster, specifically the rich, tactile textures (velvet! leather! fur!), moody hues, printed pants, woven knits--and the sheer sophistication of it all. I visited the London-based brand's LA showroom yesterday to check out what's currently on offer, and again, my pulse raced. Here are my right-this-very-minute favorites, from these Prada-inspired flower and jewel drop earrings to these metallic print work-to-dinner trousers (for $36, no less!).

$53, warehouse.co.uk

I think the whole dressy shorts trend can be a bit treacherous. For example, you don't want shorts that are too short, especially if you're wearing them with heels. And if you are wearing them with heels, it's crucial that the shorts are polished-looking. These floral shorts allay any fears. They're flowy and mid-thigh length, almost skirt-like. And the floral print keep things sophisticated and feminine. Wear them all summer long with..

1. Oak asymmetric satin blouse, $160, netaporter.com

2. Alexander Wang washed leather bag, $725, shopbop.com

3. Rebecca Minkoff suede wedges, $295, shopbop.com

4. Warehouse floral shorts, $53, warehouse.co.uk

Something about a sporty parka over a fancy dress makes me feel like an inimitably cool street style subject (or Jenna Lyons, on her way to some fabulous gala). Wearing a dress can telegraph "too precious", or "DRESSED!," so a jacket takes things down a notch. I love how this woman, recently photographed during Sydney Fashion Week, threw on a hooded jacket over her amazing artsy-edgy Helmut Lang dress. Here are a few other parkas I'm obsessed with: a zipper-trimmed, moto-inspired anorak from Michelle Mason, a khaki hooded parka from 10 Crosby Derek Lam, and this military jacket from Zara.

Photo: Xiaohan Shen

$298, oliviarubin.com

No need to wax on about the merits of this jacket, because the details--the peplum, the studs--speak (highly) for themselves. But I will say this: it's an all-purpose statement piece that can enhance any outfit. Plus, it's by London High Street designer Olivia Rubin, who is relatively unknown in the US, which lends it a sort of inscrutable, European air. Wear it with jeans, dressy black trousers, or try something a little East Village-unexpected and pair it with...

1. Olivia Rubin blazer, $298, oliviarubin.com
2. Topshop peplum top, $48, topshop.com
3. Jerome Dreyfuss snakeskin and leather bag, $970, shopbop.com
4. Rag & Bone boots, $495, netaporter.com
5. Thakoon printed crepe de chine shorts, $295, netaporter.com

Over a week has gone by since that dinner party I threw for Lucky's editor in chief, but with all the photo shoots, deadlines, and T-ball games in between now and then, I am only now finally ready to report back on what I wore. The night was such a whirlwind: for starters, we had Look TV filming us getting ready (hair, makeup, the whole schebang), and I literally threw on my outfit as guests--including Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas--were arriving (see her pic below). I settled on a white strapless Herve Leger dress and Growze leather blazer (which Fergie died over!) pictured above in a screen shot from the video. Check it out here.

P.S. I know, I know: my outfit was far from my greatest ever, but it worked...Next time, I won't wait till the last minute!

$118, maxstudio.com

Sitting poolside at a nice hotel with a bunch of magazines and maybe even a margarita is my idea of heaven. When my husband and I went to a Mexican resort a couple of months ago, we did just that. It was so tranquil, you could literally hear a pin drop. The daily routine usually went like this: morning run, shower, breakfast, a little siesta under the poolside umbrella, then lunch time. It was around this time that I'd rouse from my chaise lounge to soak in the scene around the pool. I'd check out in a clandestine way what people were reading, and of course, scope out the fashion, too: the cover-ups to the sandals to the beach bags. Based on the ensembles, I'd figure out where people were from. Well, anyway, we are heading back to that Mexican Shangri-La in a few weeks and I imagine myself wearing this scarf print dress to the pool and then to the hotel's beach side cafe, and potentially even to dinner, too. Wear it with...

1. Max Studio scarf print dress, $118, maxstudio.com
2. Ecote suede pouch bag, $59, urbanoutfitters.com
3. Selima for J. Crew sunglasses, $128, jcrew.com
4. VC Signature buckle sandal, $175, nordstrom.com