Sharon Haver- style expert, online business success strategist for women entrepreneurs, fashion stylist, founder & editor in chief of FocusOnStyle.com

Dame Edna for MAC Cosmetics: I enjoy being a girl /boy!

Gender bender beauty continues… I saw that Aussie minx Dame Edna on Broadway on one of her hilarious Royal Tours a number of years ago with the grandmas– we all loved her humor, her neon lilac wig, and her fabu spectacles. But is she a tongue-in-chic beauty icon? Well, MAC Cosmetics thinks so. Yes, we told you about the Amanda Lepore fragrance. We love our friend Miss J. Alexander, and with size 10 feet have both loaned out her heels to boys in need through the years and have had them stretched by a few good guy friends. Hey, FOS even has some archival content about men wearing pantyhose. We are also the first to admit that some drag queens

Home Town Style: They do Christmas big in Brooklyn

Dyker Heights takes holiday decoration to new heights… Growing up in Brooklyn, NY, I was always amazed at the extensive holiday house decorations in some areas of the borough– too much was never enough to create a holiday wonderland on the front lawn. Friend and now Brooklyn resident, Mark Moskin of Salient Design photographs some of the most outrageous and brilliant Christmas house decorations around. Mark shares his shot of a “classic” house done up in true Dyker Heights style– a fave to date. True to the ‘Brooklyn does it betta’ motto… enjoy! Photo credit: ©2005 Mark Moskin/SalientDesign.com –December 25, 2008

It or Miss: Denim cut-off shorts worn with tights

Shorts + Tights (as seen on the street) Not So Good… It designer Alexander Wang started the runway to real way trend of designer cut-off shorts worn in a neo- grunge, yet very glam way, and boy those denim shorts flew off the racks at the sample sale. And yes, we both reported and loved the look, as pictured left. The Wang version works because the shorts are really not that short and more roomy, in a boyfriend fit kind of cool. The tights are dark and monochromatic which makes the leg appear longer, more slender, and edgy in a modern way. But then there are the girls on the street, as pictured above… First off, only

What not to wear… Admittedly in the land of the fashion free for the holidays, where 3D crochet ornamentations and stamped-on snowflakes are the poor excuse for something cute. I didn't happen to stumble upon these garish and homely machine made, ugly Christmas sweaters, they were proudly displayed right up front in the big store in town, waiting for some poor sole to gobble them up and gift them to Great Aunt Tilly or have same gift them to her cherished niece. Don’t. Stop. Say NO to fugly fashion. You can't even regift these shapeless atrocities. Even when worn in jest, ugly Christmas sweaters are just not funny or ironic. Demand that clothing should be both flattering to the wearer

Beauty Book Review: Face Value by Kathleen Baird-Murray…

A Novel Beauty Face Value by Kathleen Baird-Murray, a novel beauty book review In a seemingly flawless macrocosm of pretty good reads, Sapien bookcases vertically riddled with cutesy tomes from interns who gab too much or stay-at-homes who discover their latent editrix by a steady diet of watching fashion TV. What's a stylish girl to do when she wants a little chic in her chicklit, some irony, a sporadic giggle, and a really fun romp to read while not-so-patiently waiting for her flight to finally take off? She fills in the blanks... So here we have a novel (Face Value) with a fairy tale premise (how to make a splash in the glamour biz without really having a clue) by

Stuart Weitzman '5050' Over the Knee Nappa Leather Boot at Nordstrom's

Timeless style tips on How to wear Over-the-Knee Boots …without looking like you stepped in a hole I have absolutely gone wild with the new over-the-knee boots and bought myself a fabulous pair. But now that I have these amazing boots at home, everything that I try to wear with them doesn't look as good as it does on the models in the magazines or celebrities. I'm 5'5" tall and average size. I don't want to return the boots, I just want to look great wearing them. How can I make the over-the-knee boots trend work for me? (Milwaukee, WI) When worn in the right way, over-the-knee boots are fab! However, something this cool can turn very bad, like the dumpy

Secret Shoppers: Rich Chicks Covering Up Their High End Indulgences

Scrap the luxury orange or turquoise signature shopping bag and make hers a modest plain Jane… We are totally behind carrying your own eco bag to the grocery store, but this shopping bag switch is on a whole other level! The Daily Beast reports, “What Rich People Don’t Want You to Know About Their Spending” is that although the cash cows are more than happy to drop a mother lode to support their luxury indulgences, they simply don’t want to be caught red-handed walking out of tony shops flaunting the armloads of arm candy. Have they not heard of FedEx? It seems, according to the story, that “Kathleen Fuld, wife of Lehman Brothers C.E.O. Dick Fuld, stopped by the Hermes

Naughty Pin-Up Icon Bettie Page Dies

The saucy babe with the bangs… Bettie Page, the 1950’s pin-up icon who between girl next door shots, would throw in a cat of nine tails or two was probably known more for her legendary glamor style than her saucy S&M antics passed away at the age of 85. The model’s rich black hair with its architecturally cut bangs, perfectly groomed eyebrows, and deep red lips have been a beauty reference for more than a half-century. Madonna. Demi Moore, Project Runway's Kenley Collins, downtown glamor queens, and scads of hair and make-up artists have immortalized Bettie Page’s captivating retro chic allure that is probably what comes to mind to most young women rather than the stir her dominatrix and bondage

Thumbs down to fugly fashion gift certificates… A friend of mine came back in a sweat after spending over 2 hours in the local, rhymes with Freako’s, not for want, but out of desperation. Seems that my friend in question was the proud recipient of a $100 gift certificate that she couldn’t find a way to spend in the store known for dressing that hunky swimmer’s mom when she was in the limelight. However, my friend has quite the Barbie doll body and not typically seen in stamp-printed camp shirts, shapeless floral cardigans, or elastic waist midcalf skirts. Fashion legend Diana Vreeland embraced the notion of bad taste, but “No taste is what I’m against,” she said. Let’s just call

Men’s Metrosexual Makeover

It's not about sexuality; it's about looking great. Say ciao to the metrosexual, it's the Wow Man who rules! The TOP TEN MEN'S MAKEOVER TIPS to put the life back in your look Dear Sharon: Help! I need help to save my marriage! Can you recommend anyone in the San Francisco area that can assist with a male makeover? I'm 42, 6'3 250 lbs, and I am in a crisis situation with my wife. It's a long story but happy to tell it for some help? - Wake Me, When You Make Me Over (San Francisco, CA) Dear Wake Me, Make Me: Sweetie, your letter sounds like an application for "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," but this is not

Straight talk dish and no bologna and cheese He is Miss J. Alexander, the zany and straight shooting, model dishing diva from a zillion television seasons’ of “America’s Next Top Model” to most of you. But to me he is my old friend Alex. READ: Follow the Model Slightly outrageous but more down-to-earth and compassionate than “out there,” Alexander Jenkins stopped by our loft while he was in NY filming for an impromptu din-din, a cup of tea (sorry, we were out of honey), nasty feet talk (some things never change), and the idea to give my young son, a budding filmmaker wannabe, the opportunity to shoot, edit, and share a very raw, In the Kitchen “biographical” video, where of

GOSSIP GIRL Jewelry, Mama knows best when it comes to gorgeous baubles…

Badgley/Sneed Designs Gossip Girl jewelry What's utterly divine, rich with intrigue, terribly chic, and quite addictive? "Gossip Girl," of course! As well as its mama-lode of fabulous jewels. Frequently seen on the hit television show are some of the most fantastic rocks of genuine precious and semi-precious stones and cultured freshwater pearls in combination with mostly 14K or 18K gold findings. It's very uptown chic, so these necklaces fit the bill of elegance. And, they just happen to be have a pedigree that is very close to home... The "Gossip Girl" jewelry we love is from Badgley / Sneed Designs, the design duo that by chance is Penn Badgely's mom, Lynne Murphy Badgley and his godmother, Jan Sneed. Oh, yes

How to wear ruffles…

How to wear ruffles... Share | December 04, 2008 How to wear the ruffle trend I wanted to know a smart and not too over-the-top way to incorporate ruffles into my wardrobe. I saw so many references to ruffles in magazines, and I love the look, but I'm not sure how to put it together, please help! Thank you! (New York, NY) Stay on trend and elegant with this very feminine trend Ruffles are one of the strongest fashion trends right now, but if not put together in just the right way, you can wind up looking like an escapee from the Can Can Review! Reference, not overindulge is absolutely the stylish way to master this trend. The key to

PERSONALITY BRAND KICKSTART: Become An Authentic Superstar...

Sharon Haver

Dame Edna for MAC Cosmetics: I enjoy being a girl /boy!

Home Town Style: They do Christmas big in Brooklyn

It or Miss: Denim cut-off shorts worn with tights

Retail Remedy, Not: The Ugly Christmas Sweater Calamities

Beauty Book Review: Face Value by Kathleen Baird-Murray…

How to wear Over-the-Knee Boots

Secret Shoppers: Rich Chicks Covering Up Their High End Indulgences

Naughty Pin-Up Icon Bettie Page Dies

The Worst Holiday Gifts Beyond Regifting

Men’s Metrosexual Makeover

In the Kitchen with Miss J. Alexander- video

GOSSIP GIRL Jewelry, Mama knows best when it comes to gorgeous baubles…

How to wear ruffles…

Female Entrepreneurs: Helping You & Your Business Get Out There!