The red carpet at the Costume Institute Gala was full of Halson, Marchesa and Lanvin. The gown that stole the show, and literally lit up the night, was a design by none of the fore-mentioned. Katy Perry arrived in an LED (light emitting diode) laced CuteCircuit gown. CuteCircuit’s creative director Francesca Rosealla, with the help of Katy, chose the fabrics, the cut, and even the design of the multi-colored lights.

“Fashion can be a little stuffy, so I wanted to lighten up,” the singer said of her ensemble.

Later this month, CuteCircuit plans to launch a ready-to-wear line, including a minidress that displays a variety of colors and graphics cued by the wearer’s movements.

Rest easy America, Jess isn’t running for office. Turns out, she along with other Hollywood hotties, arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the annual Correspondents Dinner. Faces like Kim Kardashian, teen heartthrob Justin Beiber, The Jonas Brothers, Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren, Michelle Pfieffer and Steven Spielberg walked the red carpet just before the event.

Pics from the Correspondent’s Dinner looked more like they were taken from a night at the Oscars. In recent years, the dinner has morphed into somewhat of a prom for stars and socialites disguised as political buffs.

It just may be the hottest summertime trend for 2010…the romper. Yes, a romper. It is a throwback to the seventies and reminds me of that show, Three’s Company (love it by the way).

The romper is a one-piece short suit that usually is sleeveless or has short-sleeves and is often times self-belted. My recent enlistment into mommyhood has afforded me a bit of knowledge on onesies, rompers and the like. I must admit, they are my absolute favorite choices for my 3-month-old. But rompers on teens and adult women, as fashion?

Celebrities like Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, Mischa Barton and Lindsay Lohan sport this style with ease. Wish I could tell you that a romper is ideal for all body shapes. Truth is, it only works well on ideal shapes…very lean and of average height, with long legs, a completely flat stomach and not much in the trunk area (that last one makes me wonder why Jess has been spotted in a velour romper).

The rompers above are from TopShop!

A $60 TopShop dress, worn by two celebs. This is probably the only way this flowered frock would get any media coverage, unless of course it makes the worst dressed list. It looks more like grandmother’s draperies and is extremely unflattering on both Miley Cyrus and Jessica Stroup.

Maybe even more disgusting than the denim blouse Miley layered up with, is the unlaced combat style boots on her feet. Stroup doesn’t fair much better, pairing her disastrous dress with a white belt and calf-length booties.

Stroup looks like a homewrecker, while Miley looks homeless.

The 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards aired Sunday night. The red carpet in Las Vegas lit up with celebs like Nicole Kidman, Faith Hill and Jewel. Some of the most noteworthy fashions were designed by Pamella Roland and worn by Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum) in hot pink and Miranda Lambert in a stunning sequined Sapphire. Along with kudos for fashion, both ladies racked up awards at the ACM’s.

Not even the luck of the Las Vegas Strip could help country music’s golden girl, Taylor Swift. Swift walked away from the ACM’s empty-handed. She was, however, dressed beautifully in  a backless, embroidered, lavender Marchesa gown. Nicole Kidman, wife of Australian cowboy Keith Urban, donned a tuxedo-style cocktail; not her typically glamorous red carpet attire.

The 80’s inspiration continues with Spring’s hottest look: NEON! These bright fashions, reminiscent of that highlighter in your desk drawer, are causing quite a stir for Spring 2010. From hotter-than-hot pink ballet flats to chartreuse blouses, this trend has fashionistas excited about the possibilities!

I know what you are thinking…who really looks good in neons? They aren’t perfect for every skin tone, so stick to the accessories. Neon bracelets or neon-accented watches are a must!

Taking a page from Avril Lavine’s style book, prom goers opt for punk-rock fashions this year! Flirty flowers and metallic tulle accents paired with a denim jacket equals the fun look shown above. The mix of these elements, blending preppy with punk, produces a style that is very different yet girly enough for prom.

Taking the formalities down a notch is key to any punk style. The addition of casual, everyday jackets in denim or leather will do the trick. The hair is also important, a ‘do that reflects that reflects your attire is a must. The spiky cut shown here is a perfect example. The entire ensemble screams ROCK STAR!

One of the season’s hottest looks is back in stock! This turquoise print by Night Moves has all the season’s best features (One-shoulder, print, sweetheart neckline, scoop back) in one gown! CB’s Limited is currently stocking sizes 2-14. Act fast…this hot little number won’t last long! Click here to order!

We’ve all seen trashy prom dresses, but an Iowa teen will actually wear trash as a prom dress. Elizabeth Rasmunson fashioned a prom gown out of Wrigley’s “5 Gum” bubble gum wrappers. She and her boyfriend Jordan Weaver began collecting the blue and white wrappers in August. The pair even had enough to make a matching vest for Jordan!

Buyer Beware! A “sale” isn’t always a sale. The practice of sale fraud is no new tactic in the retail world. In fact, it is common for a retail price to be inflated and then marked down in order to appear like a “sale” item. Pretty sneaky, ehh? Take the automobile industry for example, do you really think the list price is the actual price? I guess it is safe to say it’s a smart tactic, unless of course, you sell your merchandise online.

Web surfers can easily spot a fraud by googling (or any search engine) the item to compare prices. A true “sale” item would be priced much lower than the competition. After all, the ability to easily research before you buy is one of the many benefits to online shopping!

Not marked as a “sale”? Sale fraud can be easily disguised as a “club price” or “member deal” so be wary of those terms. The online marketplace is no place for retail tom-foolery.