Good news! For once we can discuss military without having to take sides in a heated debate, because this fall military has surged onto the fashion runways as one of the hottest trends. Now find your perfect military coat and spend an evening as the sexiest admiral in the fashion navy!

Aerin Lauder is a chip off the grandmother block. Estée Lauder always wore classic and elegant styles from Givenchy and Ungaro, Aerin’s staples are Tracy Feith and Chloe, Calvin Klein, YSL and Gucci, a collection of Manalo shoes and her grandmother’s vintage Hermes Birkin bag.

Be careful, though, because it’s a riot out there. When reaching for bracelets, platforms and earrings galore, consider this: Too much color can make you look like a fruit basket. Opt instead for neutral accessories like pearls and sculptural metals. Wood bangles and beads are ideal for that Vuitton safari vibe, while black and white geometric baubles make for perfect Warholian pop. Do go ahead and pile it on. This spring, glamour is in living color.

This year, I am resolved: I will only buy the very best. It may sound lavish, obvious even, but in the face of gloomy economic times I’m taking a vow to wait for true love before opening my wallet. Suffice it to say, 2009 is not a year for indulging in every platform shoe or designer collaboration du jour—no matter how much I crave a Lanvin for Acne denim trench. So, looking to last year’s highlights and remembering that true style is an investment, I give you my fashion and beauty favorites for 2008. Going forward, small luxuries are the name of the game.