Gisele just hit the big 3-0, but her new spread in September’s Harper’s Bazaar UK proves that she’s not yet past her expiration date (Heidi, on the other hand…). “The Body” works her usual magic in the cover story, flaunting her artfully tousled golden locks and peekaboo black ensembles for all they’re worth.

Sophia Neopitou-Apostolou styled this season’s trends to perfection on the Brazilian bombshell, putting lace details, sheer pieces and lingerie-as-outerwear looks on center stage. Chunky gold accessories and vertical lines (see: the railings and buildings in the shoot’s urban background) further accentuate the clothes’ sleek, body-conscious silhouettes.

There was a point in time at which I would’ve never—and I mean NEVER—taken style tips from Nicole Richie. I’m sure you know the Nicole Richie to which I’m referring, but just in case, here’s some visual evidence of her cringeworthy former self:

For years, her look represented the perfectly awkward storm of poor fit, too-tan skin and mismatched accessories. Then, in a flash, Nicole revamped her image and bowled over Hollywood with a swan-like fashion metamorphosis. Her quirky-chic ensembles made the weekly style pages with astounding regularity, impressing fans and naysayers alike.

Alas, her personal life wasn’t quite as put-together as her new-and-improved wardrobe; she endured an all-too-public up-and-down battle with her weight and got busted for driving under the influence in late 2006 (believe it or not, she’s still attending court-mandated driver’s education classes for the offense).

Shortly after her arrest, however, Nicole cleaned up her act, channeling her energy into a stable long-term relationship with Good Charlotte rocker Joel Madden. This relationship resulted not only in the birth of two little ones–could her life get any more picket-fence?—but also in the formation of a non-profit called the Richie-Madden Children’s Foundation.

Nicole’s newfound calm soon manifested itself in her career. Half a year after the birth of her daughter Harlow, she parlayed her reputation for boho-chic street style into an appropriately-named vintage-inspired jewelry line called House of Harlow 1960.

This collaboration struck the perfect balance between high and low, earning serious industry cred from the involvement of storied jeweler Pascal Mouawad and accolades from trend-obsessed bargain hunters. (After all, most of the collection tops out at $100—as Nicole says, “I like things to be eclectic and comfortable.”)

As of this week, AKIRA shoppers can get their hands on HOH goods online (can’t you just hear the collective squeal of excitement echoing around Chicagoland?).

It’s difficult to winnow down offerings that are already so spot-on, but if I had to pick favorites I would choose the following:

1. The Peacock Statement Ring, featured in the new AKIRA lookbook picture above: There’s nothing prettier than a real peacock’s splayed plumage—but this enameled version comes pretty darn close. I would pair this with a whimsically-printed blue dress and gold wedges—it’s strong enough to make an outfit pop.
2. The Gold Locket: I’ll admit that I’m a total sucker for any and all lockets—there’s just something so charming and antique-y about them—but you don’t have to share my level of obsession in order to love this piece. It’s sizeable without bordering on the obnoxious, and could work with a button-down and jeans or a silky maxi.

1. The Hatter Company’s Leather Buckle Hat, $19.90 - This natty tan fedora certainly makes a style statement, but its classic leather strap keeps it from looking overdone. Plus, you’ll only be slapping down a Jackson for this sucker–could the price point be any more reasonable?

2. AKIRA’s Beaded Neck Chiffon Top, $36.90 - This blousy tank draws attention to the universally-appealing clavicle area and features a peekaboo cutout back. It’s the perfect transition piece: skimpy enough for summer but dressy enough for fall.

3. Qupid’s Lacee Heel, $46.90 - These booties walk the line between edgy and girly–they would work just as well with a blousy top and dark jeans as they would with a banded skirt and structured top.

4. AKIRA’s Gathered Jersey Dress, $38.90 - Are you picking up on my current ardor for black? I’ve been wearing a few too many floral tube dresses lately–it’s time for some clean lines and monochromatic colors.

1. Julie Christie’s ice-queen chic in the 1965 film Doctor Zhivago. Christie’s already-otherworldly beauty is accented wonderfully throughout by jewel-toned dresses, chunky sweaters and generous layers of fur. No one has ever looked better traipsing through barren landscapes in below-zero temps.

2. The searing green and aged luxury of this abandoned Cuban mansion. I love that its backstory will forever remain in the realm of the imagination.

3. Blogger Karla DeRass‘ fearless approach to style. Who else would’ve thought to wrap a sash around one’s breasts and call it a day? Plus, her short haircut makes normally-inconspicuous details–diamond earrings, a vintage necklace, a peekaboo tattoo–take front stage.

4. Stewart Shining’s bright, sun-dappled shot of Devon Aoki lounging on a couch. This is how we all want to look on a dog-day afternoon: refreshed, breezy and elegantly rumpled.

5. Belgian artist Ben Heine’s half-drawn, half-photographed compositions. He’s been heating up the blogosphere with his Surrealist- and pop art-inspired work.

1. Classytrash of Chictopia in a loose vintage jacket and Jeffrey Campbell’s Mariel wedges (available at shopakira.com). She says she’s “looking lazy” in this shot–but if that’s lazy, we’re all screwed. I love her expert mix of patterns and solids, loose and tight, retro and cutting-edge.

2. Katy Perry at Toronto’s ETalk show in a fringe-front dress and studded cutout heels. A spot-on interpretation of the one-shoulder trend–and the heels give her great (foot) cleavage.

3. Tricia G. of Lookbook in a prairie-chic ensemble. She manages to look pretty, folksy and sexy all at once–is that even normal? Bonus: You can snatch up her strappy Michael Antonio wedges at shopakira.com.

4. Rumi Neely of Fashiontoast in a trippy long-sleeve mini, lethal geometric pumps and jet-black sunglasses. Out of the world, huh? To top things off, she designed the dress herself.

5. I had to give a shoutout to the guys–this is Alexander G. of Lookbook (from the Land of Lincoln, no less) in a bold all-black look. One commenter hit it on the mark when he branded Alexander a “male Mary-Kate”.

P.S. So it’s not an outfit…but amazing, nonetheless. On the hands of British supermodel Agyness Deyn. (Wasn’t I just raving about neon nails?)

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It’s not every day that a men’s shoe makes my heart go pitter-patter. (To be certain, the Ivy League-educated, banjo-playing, impossibly dreamy possessor of said shoe had a little something to do with that pitter-patter. But not everything. I promise.)

Sly snap of aforementioned “dreamy” TOMS fan (he was
my teacher during the first month of study abroad in Italy). I
realize that this is more than a little creepy. Deal with it.

Even though TOMS aren’t particularly feminine, they don’t clash one bit with my girly-girl sensibilities. In fact, I much prefer the clean-lined Classics to the new wedge (as they say, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”).

Available in the men’s and women’s departments at shopakira.com.

Keira Knightley donning the red Classics & laughing
with Blake Mycoskie, TOMS founder and “Chief Shoe Giver”.

There’s something universally appealing about the spare, foot-hugging look of the flats. Not to mention the myriad of inspired prints that the geniuses over at TOMS have splashed all over the shoes’ uppers in recent seasons.

The product of a collaboration with Ralph Lauren Rugby.
Blake talks about this landmark partnership here. (You might not be
able to tell from the pic above, but he bears a perturbing resemblance
to my beloved Italian professor. Coincidence? I think not.)

TOMS played its part in the 2008 presidential
elections with politically-skewed kicks.

A bright array of TOMS

My personal faves: the silver TOMS (I’m such a magpie–put
sparkly things in front of me and I squeal with glee). Seems like other
people are equally enamored; I can’t find a pair in size 7 for the life of me.

Average customers have gotten in on the fun by printing the solid-color Classics with their own designs.

Two of the results of a McAllen, Texas “Style Your Sole” event. “Style Your Sole”
is an integral part of the company’s whip-smart marketing plan; attendees all over the
the country meet to flex their creative muscle & customize white canvas TOMS.

As it would happen, AKIRA is holding its very own “Style Your Sole”
blowout on Saturday, July 10. Stop by the Diversey store for free eats
& drinks and the opportunity to take home a pair of personalized TOMS.

The brainchildren of Toronto-based illustrator Darryl Graham.

Looks aside, TOMS are must-haves for their slipper-like comfort and their socially conscious message. Wunderkind Blake Mycoskie conceived of the brand’s compassionate business model during an eye-opening trip to Argentina in 2006.

Blake and Alejo Nitti, the brand’s original Chief Shoe Maker,
in front of the barn where TOMS were born.

The traditional Argentinian “alpargata” shoe, on which TOMS are based.

Dismayed by the poverty of resources that he witnessed in the local population–in particular, the lack of appropriate footwear–Mycoskie wondered how he could possibly lend a hand. Tossing aside the idea of a non-profit charity, he theorized that he could successfully sustain a business by selling and donating shoes in equal measure. Others believed in his simple but ingenious plan, and today his “One for One” campaign–one shoe given for one shoe purchased, that is–is going strong. To date, 600,000 children in Argentina, Ethiopia, South Africa and the US have benefited from Mycoskie’s “Shoes for Tomorrow” (TOM-orrow…get it?).

Hanson joining Blake on one of the first TOMS shoe drops in South Africa.

Could these shoes possibly get any more rad than they already are? Well, yes: the JoBros just endorsed the brand by going barefoot for a day. If you weren’t a believer before…well, you should be now.

Prepare to die.

Not in the literal sense, of course–but of style-induced lust, à la Rachel Zoe.

If you think I’m exaggerating about the extent of JC’s genius, just look at his stuff. It’s equally stunning on  models and mere mortals:

The killer Charli clog wedge, available at shopakira.com

Chictopian “cayleem” pairing this season’s military trend
with the fierce Alley wedge, available at shopakira.com

Lookbooker “Just Jac” in a summer-appropriate
romper, GaGa-esque Alexander Wang shades and the
must-have Snick wedge, available at shopakira.com

In the year 2000, Jeffrey started the line out of his home garage. JC employees–many of whom hail from the Campbell family–have busted their butts for the brand since then, swiftly transforming it from a start-up enterprise into an international obsession.

Their phenomenal success stems not only from the versatility of the product–Campbells range from the indie-chic

Kate Bosworth in charmingly unkempt hair,
aviators, jeggings and JC Corps oxfords

Speaking of the Corps, they’re available in a wonderfully
unexpected part-neon pattern…very apropos of
yesterday’s post, no? I swear that was unintentional.

to the playful

Chunky boots from JC’s Fall/Winter 2010 collection–
click here for an accompanying teaser video!

Star Wars figures piling out of JC’s studded Tick bootie

to the girly

The feminine, buttery-smooth “I Want To
Bow What Love Is Like” pumps (best name ever!)

to the, well, obscene (they said it first!)

JC’s”Obscene” boots–an attainable version of
Prada’s badass leather hip waders

–but also from the irreverent tone of the company’s published material (case in point: clicking on a broken link on the Jeffrey Campbell website prompts a chuckle-inducing “Oh $#@!, this page is no longer here” message).

Several amusing excerpts from JC’s official Twitter
only add to my already-boundless love for the quirky brand.

If I’ve succeeded in my aim (that is, to turn you into a Jeffrey diehard), then you’re undoubtedly hankering for the scoop on the freshest JC finds. Well, I’ve got your back–get a leg up on the masses by sinking your teeth into these suckers! They just became available on shopakira.com (and are already earning major “Oohs” and “Ahs” on the fashion blogs).

They’re bananas!

Didja think that this summer’s neon craze was limited to clothing?

Sarah Jessica Parker in Valentino Haute Couture

Model Dree Hemingway (yep, she IS related to Ernest!) in Valentino Haute Couture

Are you sensing a trend-within-a-trend here? Valentino’s reinterpretation
of neon (including novel beige & neon pairings) has struck a major chord with celebrities.
See here for the collection from which SJP and Dree’s looks were taken.

Well, think again. As of late, neon has trickled down to nearly every aesthetic category in existence: swimwear,

The kick-butt Doutzen Kroes in a Terry Richardson shoot for June’s Vogue Russia

accessories (not just for kids–college students love to layer bright Silly Bandz too!),

nails

Some of Young Hollywood’s most controversial members nail the neon look at the MTV Movie Awards

Check out this fun segment for a more in-depth review of the trend.

…and hair (yes, hair). Last week, MK & Ashley Olsen were seen walking the streets of NYC with brand-spanking new–and shockingly fluorescent–’dos.

No matter if their day-glo locks were only intended for a photoshoot; the style statement remains the same: neon is in!

After viewing such extreme iterations of the trend, though, you might still be itching for proof that you can wear neon without feeling like a freak. Not to fear–AKIRA has you covered:

(My personal favorite from this array of shopakira.com neons is the Elastic Banded Skirt on the left and the right. I died over the yellow version at AKIRA’s Water Tower location a couple of weeks ago–very Hervé Léger, and surprisingly figure-flattering to boot! I might just pick it up for the shopakira.com 2.0 launch party on the 25th.)

P.S. Even my pristinely put-together pal Lindsay is hooked on neon (she recently picked up a bright yellow J.Crew tee for the summer season). That’s when you know it’s hit big!

For some reason, my bozo boyfriend is not a fan of the one-shoulder trend. “It just looks…asymmetrical,” he told me once by way of explanation, curling his lip into a Joaquin Phoenix-esque sneer at the sight of my outfit.

I can’t say that his reaction has had much of an effect on my wardrobe, though. In fact, I have zero desire to quench his persnickety thirst for visual equilibrium, and so continue to rock my one-shoulder looks like there’s no tomorrow. I think the style is gloriously figure-flattering—after all, what girl doesn’t like to show a little shoulder? No matter how many chips you accidentally inhale at the Cubs game with your guy, your clavicle area stays presentable. For that reason alone, I’m a fervid supporter of the one-shoulder fad.

To be honest, though, my partiality for the trend has its roots in Hollywood. The chic one-shoulder looks that have been littering the red carpet for the past few months—

Marion Cotillard in white Elie Saab at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in January

Zoë Saldaña in black Calvin Klein at the Met Ball in May

Sarah Jessica Parker in yellow Lanvin at the ShoWest convention in March

—are the real motivating factor behind my own (albeit less-glamorous) adoption of the style.

At a family holiday party, 2009

With my friend Maria in Milan, 2009

Even my favorite one-shoulder pieces wear out their welcome after a while, so I’m always on the lookout for fresh permutations of the trend—and let me just say, you can’t get much fresher than the offerings at AKIRA’s online store. I’m going ga-ga for the selections from AKIRA’s own line in particular (speaking of the devil, Lady Gaga put her own spin on the one-shoulder style by rocking a dress constructed entirely out of Post-Its—would we expect anything less?).

AKIRA’s Color Block One Dress, available here

AKIRA Black Label’s Studded Tucked One-Shoulder Dress, available here

AKIRA’s One-Shoulder Printed Dress, available here

And this summer, since I’m halfway across the country from my boyfriend, I can actually revel in them without succumbing to his aforementioned sneer—hey, at least there’s one perk to long-distance love!