A-LIST: Scented Secrets for the Season

Finding the right fragrance for the holidays requires a strong constitution. One foot in a department store, and a salesperson hovers over your shoulder trying to sell you the most expensive item on the counter. Or, worse yet, spritzing you in an nasal ambush. If you attempt to test a few on your search, you create a concoction that obliterates your ability to sniff a clear winner. You leave smelling like you took a bath in perfume and with a headache to boot. Let these picks make your search for the perfect holiday scent short and sweet.


1. Miss Dior Cherie ($68 for 1.7 oz lordandtaylor.com): This scent reminds me of being wrapped up in a cashmere sweater by the fire or laughing at a holiday party. The floral and musky scent, which makes it flirty sexy. Though it runs the risk of being overpowering, one spray is enough to last the evening.


2. DKNY Delicious Night ($58 for 1.7 oz macys.com): Less sweet and more spice, this scent is an ideal garnish for your New Years Eve. It includes blackberry and ginger, which create a tangy scent. Perfect for a woman in platforms or pumps, a slinky dress with an attitude to match.


3. Maybe Baby ($48 3.4 oz benefitcosmetics.com): This floral scent is subtle, as if you just put on lotion or clean laundry. It smells light like rose water, with hints of water blossoms and apricot. Perfect for a date or a just an evening with drinks, this scent does the flirting for you.


4. Pure Vanilla from Lavanila Laboratories ($56 for 1.7 oz lavanila.com): Remember as a kid making cookies when it came to measure the vanilla, and it smelled so delicious that you took a taste (only to find it bitter). This perfume delivers the same experience, capturing the scent of gingerbread houses and holiday baking (minus the bitter finish).


5. Thierry Mugler Angel ($72 0.8 oz nordstrom.com): This perfume offers a woodsy scent with a hint of honey and chocolate, which gives it a feminine profile. This playful perfume makes a great everyday scent. One user from Sephora.com commented, “It gives you confidence when you enter a room and people want to know what you are wearing.”

LOOK BOOK: Celluloid Chanteuse

Britney Spears has been making headlines since she asked us to hit her one more time 10 years ago. Since then, the pop princess has made a number of bold statements and unforgettable risks with creative costumes in her music videos and performances. Some outfits launched trends. Others just made jaws drop. With Brit on the rise again, we pay tribute to the star with her fashion risks over the decade.


Sexy School Girl: The Catholic school girl uniform from Britney’s “Hit Me Baby One More Time” video with its innocent grey cardigan and sexy staple white-button-down tied to show a little more skin made Britney Spears a hot commodity. Guys drooled over her. Girls wanted to be her. Not to mention the pink puff ponytail accessories that became a must accessory for months.


You Drive Me Crazy: Before she did go crazy, Brit looked great as a club waitress. After her video came out, hair crimpers replaced curlers and bed-head braids became a norm.


The Red Jumpsuit: A perfect example of a Britney, jaw-dropping move. This pleather jumpsuit stuck to every curve in the “Oops I Did It Again” video started jaws jabbing. Blame it on the millennium hype, but not even the Spice Girls could take a risk like this and get away with it.


I’m A Slave 4 U: While the video didn’t necessarily turn any heads, Britney’s 2001 VMA performance of her sultry song included an albino snake the size of the pop star. She looked fierce in her green bustier top, pixie-like embellishments, and rock-hard abs. This costume was unforgettable.


Futuristic Flight Attendant: This costume has been beat to death, but Britney’s take from “Toxic” is a reinvention. The halter neck with a front keyhole reveals enough skin to leave something to the imagination. The shoulder wings change up the look a bit, garnished with a tilted hat makes a Halloween costume to die for.


Bedazzled: With Britney in her prime, no one could forget her nude bedazzled body, also from the “Toxic” video. Another stunning move from bombshell Britney.


The Ringleader: In her newest video and album title song, “Circus” Britney brought back trends from the 1920s with platinum finger curls, gaudy pendant jewelry and a feathered top hat. Fishnets and a whip added a touch of naughty to her tailored ringleader suit. Once again, Brit is stealing the show.