Can’t cram enough footwear into your closet? Then you’ll salivate flipping through Nancy MacDonnell’s new shoe lover’s bible, The Shoe Book. The 380-page tome chronicles the compelling history of this functional yet aspirational accessory, tracing its origins from ancient Armenian sandals to Dorothy’s ruby slippers and beyond, and exploring the technologies and design techniques that go behind a truly remarkable pair of shoes. The book is also filled with interviews with influential shoemakers such as Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik, marvelous quotes from fashion icons like Marilyn Monroe and Sara Jessica Parker and, of course, pages and pages of gorgeous shoes, in the form of both colorful photos and original designer sketches. … //READ MORE

It’s summertime—finally!—and you’re heading out on holiday. The tickets are booked, the car’s in great shape, the cruise plans are sorted or the hiking trails are all mapped out. But, wait! Have you chosen the perfect book to take along on your vacation? If not, no worries, because we have some great suggestions for you. Whether you’ll be road tripping through the U.S. or backpacking around Europe or just sitting on your butt on a white beach somewhere (lucky you), we have some strong opinions about the reading materials you should bring along on your journey. Read on, Macduff.

1. Family Beach Holiday. A lazy vacation on the beach requires a book that doesn’t require you to think too much, but instead entertains and maybe pulls on the heartstrings. Gerald Durrell’s My Family and Other Animals is a perfect beach read. When the unconventional Durrell family can no longer endure the damp, gray English climate, they do what any sensible family would do: sell their house and relocate to the sunny Greek isle of Corfu. What follows is a funny, heartwarming account of the family’s quirky experiences with the other inhabitants of the island—not all of them human. Told with wit, humor and beautiful detail, this book will have you chuckling as you sip your fruity beach drink. … //READ MORE

Designers are throwing the book at the latest fashion accessories.

People will be hanging on your every word when they notice you bouncing around town or showing up to your next book club gathering wearing one of these literature-inspired fashions. Try a sassy purse like one that might have swayed from Daisy Buchanan’s wrist, a wise-ass tote that would make Holden Caulfield smirk, or writing gloves worthy of a Jane Austen heroine. Whether you love the classics, swoon over epic romances, or find sci-fi out of this world, there’s a novel accessory for you this season. … //READ MORE

Everyone finds themselves confused, at least once or twice in their lives, about matters of the heart. Over the course of the past few months, I’ve had around a dozen conversations with friends and acquaintances—whether they’re married or single, gay or straight, old or young—who suspect they are dating the wrong person, married to the wrong person, or coveting the wrong person. Or sometimes the problem is that they’re with a person at all, when they just want to be alone, or snuggling up to their pet chihuahua watching The Real Housewives.

Of course, the reason the person is “wrong” for them varies. They could have the wrong career, the wrong personality, or the wrong attitude about commitment. They could have incompatible personalities, incompatible work schedules, or incompatible levels of passion. Sometimes wrong just translates to crazy, or not crazy enough. There are many reasons these objects of affection are possibly not the right choice. … //READ MORE

Ombre has been hot for several seasons now, with graduated shades of a single color popping up on everything from fashion and home furnishings to nails, jewelry, hair coloring and even food. The latest hue to roll with the trend is aqua, a calming color whose popularity is swelling in preparation for those easy, breezy months ahead. Lending an oceanic air to all it touches, aqua ombre has been making waves this spring on a range of ready-to-wear and accessories. Now the look is working its way into the house, adding a playful element to window treatments, rugs, walls and other home accessories. So what are you waiting for? Let aqua ombre enrapture you this summer. … //READ MORE

You really can’t make this stuff up. Not too long ago I heard a woman in Whole Foods ask a store clerk which brand of vegan lip moisturizer had more calories. Lucky for her, the employee was super polite and actually stopped to read the tiny print on the two lip-balm labels before shaking his head and apologizing that he couldn’t help her. I can say with certainty that if she had asked me the same question, I would’ve promptly snatched the organic low-carb baguette from her shopping basket and whacked her over the head with it.

Why some women remain obsessed with calories, fat grams, carbs, inches, pounds, and God knows what other measurements we can obsess over, is beyond me. Now there are certain substances we do need to watch, such as our sodium and sugar intake, and foods we need to make sure we’re consuming … //READ MORE