I love your dress!

I had a roommate who used to copy everything I wore. If I got a pair of funky new jeans, she'd run out and buy them; if I got a vintage suede jacket, she'd go out and replicate it as best she could (for example, she'd get a new suede jacket of the same color). My mom would say that I should take it as a compliment and be flattered, but it just made me crazy.

For me, fashion is a way of expressing myself and who I am. Being a "fashion twinsie" makes me physically and psychologically uncomfortable. So much so, that if I had twins of the same gender, I wouldn't dress them alike.

I haven't had someone "Single White Female" me to the extent that my old roommate did for quite some time, but now I'm facing a different—though similar—problem. There's a woman in my (very small) town who's trying to dress her kid like my daughter. Again, I'm not so cool with it.

If I buy my daughter something in a certain brand, she'll ask me what it is and run out and buy the whole line. So I avoid it like the plague. When she senses that I think the brand is no longer cool, she tries to find out what "label" my daughter is wearing. Once, she even asked my daughter (who was 12 months old at the time), "Where did your mommy buy you that?" I'm tempted to start ripping out tags.

All I can say is ARGH! I don't know how to get over this, take it as a compliment, and move on. I'm worried this kid (via her mother) is going to be copying my daughter's style for the next 15 years.

And that's not where it ends. The fashion stalker isn't just interested in my kid's clothes any more—she's interested in mine. I had coffee with her this morning and she was wearing an outfit a little too similar to one I had worn last week.

How do you feel about fashion copycats? Got any words of wisdom to impart?

Hello perfect invention!

Created by a woman (Andrea Padilla) who loves heels (just like me), Spare Soles look like ballet slippers, but can crumple up and fit in the palm of your hand. Padilla's idea was born after one too many barefoot moments after the pain endured from uncomfortable shoes. Oh do I understand that!

They have a waterproof and skid-proof sole, so if your feet are killing you, just slip into these and wear outside. And they come in a little bag so you can store in your purse for emergencies.

Feet relief!

They come in quite a few colors and pricing starts at $15.

You can purchase Spare Soles online here or email retail@sparesoles.com or call 858-354-1160 to get info on a retail store near you.

What shoes do you run to when your feet hurt? What do you think of Spare Soles?

No Line Low-Rise Thong

Victoria's Secret

The answers to the question of how do you get rid of panty lines without a thong absolutely cracked me up. Never before have I seen such creative—and, let's face it, genius—solutions for avoiding visible underpants...

• TheHairNazi: You could wear a slip...

• Luvschocolate: One word: SPANX.

• Admckenzie: This is why pantyhose and girdles still rock in my book!

• Motherofanaries: If you're not too comfortable with thongs, you can go with the boy shorts. Depending on where they sit on your butt, they're way less noticeable, especially the lacy ones. They just have to fit right.

• Beachmamaof2: Victoria's Secret has panties that are called "No Lines." They're made with SUPER thin material.

• Admckenzie: I have a slinky nightgown that I second as a slip. If you have one of those, that might work, or a long tank top, if you can get away with that.

• Anonymous: No Line wedgie-free panties. I bought a pair for an arm and a leg at Victoria's Secret and they were OK. Then I bought a cheap pair at Walmart and they rocked!

And my all-time favorite answer to the question of how do you get rid of panty lines without a thong...drum roll, please...

• Anonymous: Self-inflicted wedgie with the panties you are wearing. LOL!

Yikes! Would that even work? Sounds painful. How do you get rid of panty lines?

Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage courtesy of InStyle

I'm a basic dresser, meaning I don't play with color too much mostly because, well, it hurts my head to think about if I'm getting it right or not.

My friend Leila is a color master. She is also a fashion designer, so it makes total sense. She wore an emerald green dress to our friend's wedding with purple-ish fuchsia shoes and it was the perfect combination.

Luckily our friends at InStyle magazine offered up an easy guide on 9 Ways to Make Your Wardrobe Pop.

If you love navy and white, as seen on Kiera Knightley, InStyle suggests pairing it with one of these four brights -- purple, green, yellow, or fuschia.

If you love stone and gray, as seen on Leighton Meester, try wearing it with muted lavender, peach, pink, or blue.

Photo by Albert Michael/Startraks courtesy of InStyle

Love khaki and olive? Try pairing it with hot earth tones like Jessica Biel. Orange, forest green, bright yellow, and wine look amazing as an accent color.

Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty courtesy of InStyle

Check out InStyle's other suggestions on great color pairings.

I really love these looks! Which one is your favorite pairing?

In May 2009, Sheena Matheiken pledged to wear one dress for one year as "an exercise in sustainable fashion."

Now this is a woman dedicated to DIY wardrobe creativity.

Rest easy, mamas, Sheena has seven identical dresses, but every day she strives to "reinvent the dress with layers, accessories and all kinds of accouterments, the majority of which will be vintage, handmade, or hand-me-down goodies."

Sheena posts her each resulting outfit daily on The Uniform Project.

But why would she do this, you ask?

Well, Sheena is also raising money all year long for the Akanksha Foundation, a grassroots movement that supports education in India. After the year is up, all contributions will go toward Akanksha’s School Project, which funds uniforms and other educational expenses for children living in Indian slums.

I think this is awesome. Not only creativity for a good cause, but a good lesson against mindless consumerism. Sometimes you really don't need a new outfit. Why not repurpose what you already have? Just use your imagination.

Do you think this would be fun? How long could you last with only one dress and a bunch of accessories?

If you're into DIY beauty products, then you might give making your own sunblock a try. Homemade sunscreen has less chemicals than commercial brands, and some people with sensitive skin find it to be less irritating. You can make sunscreen using your favorite store-bought lotion or completely from scratch...

Instructables offers two recipes for homemade sunscreen. Please note, both recipes require adding a sun-blocking agent—either zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, which should absolutely not be inhaled. Always use gloves and mask when working with these products. Use Instructables' SPF Table to determine how much zinc oxide/titanium dioxide to add.

1. Easy DIY Sunscreen

8 oz. store-bought lotion (your favorite brand)

Zinc oxide or titanium dioxide

Add zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to lotion, using the SPF Table as a reference. Instructables suggest using a new container rather than the original lotion container to be sure that every single drop of lotion is allowed to mix with the sun-blocking agent.

2. DIY Sunscreen from scratch

8 oz. carrier oil, (olive, sunflower, jojoba, soybean, or whatever you like)

1 oz. emulsifing wax

Sunblocking agent - zinc oxide or titanium dioxide - available online

Essential oils of your choice, optional

Mixer (either handheld mixer, submersible blender, or mini chopper--NOT TO BE USED FOR FOOD AFTERWARDS)

Silicone spatula

Pastry bag or plastic baggie

Container for your lotion

Scale for accurate measuring

Gloves and a mask for handling powdered agents

Measure 1 oz. of wax into a microwave-safe container. Melt in the microwave on high heat (approx 1 minute). Add 8 oz. oil, and blend well. Add a few drops of essential oils for scent (optional step). If the mixture starts to harden, put it back in the microwave for a few seconds.

Use the SPF Table to determine measurements of zinc oxide/titanium dioxide. For example, 8 oz. (weighed) of lotion plus 8 oz. of titanium micronized dioxide (weighed) equals SPF20+. In this case, the titanium micronized dioxide is 10 percent of the original amount of lotion used (not the finished weight).

In winter, our skin is dry and moisturizing is a given, right? But come summer, the weather is warm, maybe your skin is producing oils (mine does), and you think...I don't need moisturizer. Cue the buzzer: Wrong.

There are lots of reasons face moisturizer is important all year long. Here are a few....

• You need SPF protection all year, and a moisturizer can deliver that.

• Even oily skin produces more oil when not moisturized. Face lotions help balance skin.

• Wrinkles? I know I don't want them. Moisturizing helps keeps skin youthful, longer.

• Dehydrated skin cannot regenerate and has greater chance of infection because of cracks that can be formed.

• Moisturize when skin is damp for best results -- you're hydrating skin best this way.

Do you moisturize every day?

See this video at CafeMom.

Project Runway, Season 6, is coming Thursday, August 20th at 10pm ET/PT, now on Lifetime.

Yes! I love this show! I've missed you, Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn!

But don't miss the sneak peak at the new Project Runway designers during the series premiere of Drop Dead Diva — tomorrow, Sunday, July 12th at 9pm ET/PT.

Thanks for the tip, Juliet.

Thankfully WomensDay.com has put together tips from the country's best hairstylists for getting the look that you want. I mean, it's your money and your hair, right? You deserve to be satisfied.

• Stalk Your Stylist
  The best way to ensure you get a good haircut? Make sure you’re going to a good stylist. Do your homework, whether it from searching for their rep online or through friends.
• Don’t Get Too Hung Up on a Magazine Photo
  Yes, it helps to have an "idea" of what you want, but that's just it, an idea. Those models in magazines have more than likely had their hair styled for hours, and that could cause a cut to look completely different. Talk to your stylist about the type of cut it is, and listen to his/her suggestions.
• Don't Read the Magazines
  I'm super guilty of this, I mean, you get so bored just sitting there! But it's important to keep your head nice and straight.
• Don’t Micromanage Your Hairstylist
  People love to complain about overly chatty stylists, but overly talkative clients can be even more problematic, at least when it comes to getting a good haircut. If you have questions about your 'do then ask before the the snipping.
• Don’t Just Say, “About Three Inches”
  This can be left open for interpretation, and that's never good. Be specific, visually showing them is your best bet. Also, refrain from using terms like "bob," "choppy," or "blunt" unless you have a photo to go along with your description.

These are such great tips, and for more great tips on getting the hairstyle you want, be sure to check out their website.

What's your worst bad haircut experience?

Photo from Generation T

Ah the t-shirt -- a perfect example of comfort that never goes out of style. You can dress it up or down and it goes with just about everything as Cafe Suzanne writes in her ode to white tees.

But what if you wanted to mix it up a little bit? Maybe there's even a stain you need to hide? You can keep the comfort of the tee, but craft it into something more unique.All you need are a pair of scissors! And some tips from Megan Nicolay.

Megan wrote Generation T Beyond Fashion: 120 New Ways to Transform a T-shirt. Um hello! Amazing!

I love to do this with old rock t-shirts and I have just cut and tied and designed as I went. But how cool is it that there is a book to do the thinking for us?! I love the gathering you can do (step 4 below) if you are working with a shirt that is big for you.

For more ideas, 119 of them actually, Generation T's website has more styles and info on where to buy book. 

Are you going to try it?

Photo by ButtrflyTattoos

Kids love to get into our stuff. And they always have and always will. I remember when I was young, my sister and I would smear my mom's makeup all over our faces. Lipstick on eyelids, eye shadow on cheeks, mascara on...the walls!

We would even use her cosmetics as crayons. Yikes! Knowing now how much some of that stuff costs, I have to say...sorry mom!

I know there must be a lot of great stories out there....

What's the craziest thing your kid has done with your makeup?

See this video at CafeMom.

The September Issue, the documentary film about Vogue editor Anna Wintour is coming out in August. She's said to be the real-life "Miranda" from The Devil Wears Prada. Eek. Can't wait to take a peek behind the fashion magazine scenes.

Are you a Vogue reader? Are you excited to see this film?

(via Jo)

Photo from Kohls

Solid White Tee, $8.99

I love white T-shirts. I have two, and I don't know why I don't own more. They go with virtually everything, and they never go out of style.

I wear mine with jeans and a cardigan; a silk skirt, metallic sandals, and a funky necklace; yoga pants; and more. I wear it over my bathing suit as a beach coverup, and at night as a pajama top. I even wear it layered with another colored tee.

My favorite white tee right now is from J. Crew.

How many white T-shirts do you own? What do you wear with it?

Photo from Old Navy

Prairie skirts, those long flowy A-line skirts often seen with tiers like this one from Old Navy, look cute when I see them on other people, but for some reason, I have a hard time pulling the look together. I wear most of my longer skirts as a dress. Belt it and go -- or even as a long top and I wear it  with leggings.

But I love the maxi dress -- even though I know a lot of you don't like to wear long dresses. I think they are great when you are pregnant. I love that it's all together and I don't have to think about top matching bottom.

This prairie skirt -- part bohemian hippie, part beachy cool, seems like the perfect summer must have. Especially if you don't like wearing shorts -- you'll have a chance to wear your summer tank tops with this.

What do you think of these long skirts? What do you wear with it?

Do you want to hear something embarrassing? I wear a bathing cap every time I go swimming in the summer. What a dork, right? So not cute. But I can't help it: It's the only way I can keep my hair from going green with all the chlorine and other chemicals in the pool...

I'm guessing that the rest of you aren't nearly as nerdy, so I'm going to include a few tips here about how to repair chlorine-damaged hair.

• The Beauty Brains blog suggests conditioning hair with a product containing high levels of silicone before swimming to prevent it from absorbing chlorine. Tresemme and Pantene conditioners work great for this purpose.

• Also, it is recommended that you soak hair in non-chlorinated water immediately before swimming. This will reduce the amount of chlorinated water it can soak up in the pool.

• If, however, you want even more protection, wash hair with a swimmers shampoo containing thiosulfate, which dissolves the chlorine and prevents it from oxidizing your hair. Many swimmers swear by Ultra Swim.

• There are several home remedies you can use to repair chlorine-damaged hair. Rinsing with club soda after swimming is said to help stop the chlorine from damaging hair. Rinsing with tomato juice, lemon juice, aspirin (dissolved in water), and baking soda is said to help get rid of the green tint left by chlorine.

Has your hair ever turned green from too much chlorine in the summer?

Photo by Nick Sadler/Startraks courtesy of InStyle

Marion Cotilliard is just adorable. She's starring opposite Johnny Depp in Public Enemies. Lucky girl -- did you see the promos? Lots of love scenes.

PS: Marion is the name of one of Sarah Jessica Parker's twins!

Here she is looking so summery cute on the red carpet. That hair! Perfectly off the face for summer.

I am so jealous of her gorgeous skin.

So how can you get the pompadour look?

You can tease the underside of the hair, then smooth top layer over, yes. But InStyle has another way to get the look without making a bird's nest of your locks.

Lift the top layer of your hair and insert a Bumpit, then place the layer of hair over the comb to camouflage it.

Check out this look and more beauty tips at InStyle.

Do you like the pompadour look?

Well, as of today, it looks like 45% of you do *NOT* care for bright-colored jeans. So when it comes to denim, what colors do you prefer?

(Photos from Levi's and Martin + Osa)

Black, gray, white, faded, dark, medium, light, even bleached — you can find jeans in so many colors and washes anymore, and don't get me started on all the cuts, styles, and lengths.

Alyson over at Unruly Things says, "hip, hip, hooray!" for these new deep black sheen Levi jeans. Joslyn at Simple Lovely is tryin' out some distressed and faded Martin + Osa jeans.

Generally, I tend toward a dark blue denim, but I do love both these color choices. I find I'm pretty open minded about my denim these days. It really feels like anything goes in jean colors and washes — as long as it's not acid washed.

When it comes to jeans, do you have a color preference?

Many skin care products—particularly anti-aging products—now contain shiitake extracts because the 'shrooms are thought to:

• Reduce inflammation
• Increase elasticity of the skin
• Exfoliate
• Encourage faster skin renewal
• Provide antioxidants to protect skin
• Block skin aging proteins
• Help fade spotting from the sun and acne

Want in on the benefits of shiitake? Check out BellaSugar's list of beauty projects with shiitake extracts, including Aveeno Positively Ageless Daily Cleansing Pads ($8.99 from Walgreens.com).

Do you use any skin care products with shittake extract?

Once upon a time, and what a sweet time it was, my skin was in pretty good shape. I think I was 9 years old. OK, it has looked good after that, but between sun damage, air pollution, and getting older, it's not easy to maintain a good face.

Of course it can be done -- it takes dedication, good products, and drinking lots of water.

But some of the biggest skin complaints are duller complexion, rougher texture, uneven skin tone, loss of luminosity, fine lines, blotchiness, discoloration, and skin that is dry, oily, or a combination.

For me, I believe in washing my face day and night, using products geared for my specific needs, and getting a facial every now and then.

How has your skin changed over time? And what do you like to do to help it stay looking good?

Photo from Leoluca

I want this red striped tank dress ($26) from Leoluca. Too late for a fun Fourth of July outfit but not too late for ALL... SUMMER... LONG...

Photo from Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com

You'll never guess what this wedding dress is made out of.

OK, starting guessing....

It's made from toilet paper!

Every year, for the past five years, Cheap-Chic-Weddings.com has this competition where you can submit your toilet paper wedding dress design and they choose the top three. And every year I am so impressed. You can only use TP, tape, and glue.

Ann Kagawa Lee of Honolulu, Hawaii, made the winning dress. She said her inspiration was Gone with the Wind combined with Japanese Origami. She won $1000!

What's also cool is that Ripley's Believe it or Not! will display six entries in their museums around the world.

OK, be honest. How many of you guessed it was made of toilet paper? Incredible, right?

Photo by Scott Gries/Getty

I treated myself to a pedicure last weekend and while there I got my fill of lady magazines. Glamour, with Sandra Bullock all cute on the cover, had a piece on how to achieve the fake bob. They even giggled since it's one "o" away from fake boob. I did, too.

But you can a fake bob without a lot of money and no scissors required -- all you need are some hair pins. OK, a little patience, too.

If you have long straight hair and want a wavy look like Lauren Conrad, first either set your hair in rollers or curl with a curling iron. PS: We so love the many looks of Lauren Conrad here at Daily Buzz!

When ready, tousle hair so curls look natural.

--They key is to take the ends of your hair and pin them under to create the look of a bob.

--If your hair is very long, you may need to first roll up the ends, either in small or large circles, then pin closest to scalp. 

--I found it was best to start in the middle of the back of the head, taking about the same amount of hair you would use when curling with rollers or an iron.

--You want to roll hair under and secure with two bobby pins, preferably in an x to hold it in place.

--Don't worry if you have layers and some strands hang lower -- I think the slightly messy look works really well here.

--You may want to secure with a light hairspray.

Fake bob -- really cute and great for the summer to give your neck some air.

What do you think of the fake bob look?

See this video at CafeMom.

I just finally finished watching Season 5 of The Hills, and as much as I wanted to hate that season's hairstyle, I'm obsessing on the "Lauren Conrad side braid." I love the look of that cute little braid, and it's an easy way to spice up everyday hair.

But then my almost-9-year-old niece showed up on Father's Day wearing the LC braid, and I started to question whether I could pull it off at my age.

Lauren is very into keeping a standard signature look each season of The Hills or so it seems. She wore head scarves a lot for awhile and then there was the recurring black headband. And now it's all kinds of braids.

Cafe MicheleZ shows us a sneaky way to get the cute little braid look.

And I found this very helpful tutorial: How To: The Lauren Conrad Braid.

But tell me, can women over 30 get away with the Lauren Conrad braid?

Are you planning to read Lauren Conrad's new book L.A. Candy or shop Lauren's new clothing line at Kohl's come October?

Photo from Sears

Nomad Women's Yippy, $48.95

Rain boots! If it's gonna rain all summer long (as I'm predicting it will), a girl might as well look stylish.

Rubber boots will keep your feet nice and dry and there are a lot of pretty cute ones out there—from basic black to tie dye.

I wore a pair with a cocktail dress to a fancy outdoor event this past weekend. There were tents, but no flooring, so all the other guests ruined their nice shoes in the muddy grass.

Photo from Target

Zetta Tall Rain Boots

Photo from DSW

Kamik Bohemia Waterproof Rain Boot

Photo from Walmart

Shiny Dot Rain Boots

Do you have a pair of rain boots? What are they like? Which of these is your favorite?

Strappy or with sleeves, short, long, flowing, or slim -- this one shoulder style is seen everywhere from American Apparel to the top designers.

From left to right:

• JS Boutique Ruched One Shoulder Gown ($198) from Nordstrom
• Veronica M One Shoulder Ruffle Dress ($90) from National Jean Company
• Tibi Leilani Beaded One Shoulder Dress ($395) from Shop Bop
• One Shoulder Grecian Cocktail Dress from Kitty ($95)
• Baby Rib One Shoulder Dress ($42) from American Apparel

I might have to go buy the American Apparel dress.

Do you like this one shoulder look?