Crinkled bags aren't all that common but here's a nice one from Donna Karan. The Crosstown Studded Hobo is made of crinkled black nylon (gotta love that 'needs to be ironed' look) with smooth black calf leather trim and little silvertone stud details all around the edges. The front has a large fold-over flap and the back side has a zippered exterior pouch with trim and stud detailing. Single leather shoulder strap and 3 interior pockets. A great, casual way to fit biker chic and studs into your wardrobe this winter. $695

This is the Clio Clutch by Annie Diamantidis. Made of genuine ostrich leather and styled with a simple silhouette and understated design elements, it's a versatile handbag that can be used to dress up a daytime look or tone down a evening one.

The big surprise with this bag is the hardware: its 14k gold. An unexpected touch considering that's not the norm for designer bags these days and the rest of this clutch isn't particularly fancy or blinged out. Lined in soft suede, price upon request.

What better handbag to feature on Christmas Day than one that looks like a glimmery, glitzy present? Of course you won't be surprised that it's a Judith Leiber, a beautiful hand-painted and crystal-paved Package Clutch. Silver and gold crystals adorn the outside, including the bow detail front and center, plus it has a goldtone chain handle that can easily be concealed in the golden leather interior. And, just because it's always nice to get a little something extra, it also comes with a little golden vanity mirror tucked inside. $3,995

The Anya Hindmarch Rollin' Bag certainly has the look of a bag that's meant for someone on the go. It takes one of the season's most popular trends, biker chic, to a more delicate place with soft black leather and tiny, shiny, gold metal studs in a strict grid pattern. On the outside it has double clutch straps and a detachable shoulder strap, zip closure on top and an exterior zip pocket. The interior features a black fabric lining with another zip pocket, plus a pen holder and a key chain. Comes with dust bag, £750.

It doesn't matter what time of year it is, sugar and sweets always seem to be in abundance. Cookies, cakes, pies, candy, ice cream -- it's a never-ending temptation that we all fight (and all too often lose) on a daily basis. But in this time of concern over illness and viruses like H1N1, you might want to rethink your sugar habit and get your sweet tooth under control.

Sugar is not necessarily evil, however. In small amounts sugars (in the form of carbohydrates) are necessary for life. The problem comes when refined, processed sugars are eaten in large quantities. Too much sugar can affect your weight, your mood, your energy level, and perhaps most worrying of all: your immunity.

According to Dr. Sears ingesting 8 tbsp of sugar (or the equivalent of just two and a half 12 oz sodas) can impair the effectiveness of your body's white blood cells by as much as 40%. Sadly, most of us probably do ingest that much sugar at least a few times a week (if not daily) in the form of a soda habit, donuts, chocolate, or eating too many non-sweet processed foods that have high fructose corn syrup hiding in them (like ketchup, peanut butter, and even wheat bread). All those little sugar doses add up.

So next time you're about to reach for another bear claw or find yourself heading to the vending machine for a Mt Dew stop and think: is it worth the risk of getting sick?

Fresh and flirty, this Ribbon and Chain Print Shopper by Christian Louboutin is also a reasonable and practical bag with a classic, seasonless color palette of red and white and plenty of room for toting all your daily essentials. A canvis body (featuring an energetic print of ribbons, chains, and charms) and open top with magnetic snap closure give it an 'easy access' tote bag feeling, while the leather handles and red leather tassel accent on the front zip pocket give it an upgrade to handbag status. Silver hardware rounds out the look, $695.

A dinner party is a perfect opportunity to show off your personal style, taste, and flair for decorating. It's especially fun because it's on a small scale so you can be braver than you might be otherwise and try something new and different. There are very few rules, here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Go with a monochromatic color theme Decorating the table in nothing but luxe shades of one classic color theme like all in whites, silvers, or shades of gold can add an impressive visual impact to the meal. To keep everything from blending together choose elements that have different hues, textures, and patterns for lots of visual appeal within the single color family. Don't be afraid to mix matte pieces with glittered or sparkling ones.

Choose a theme Themes are always a fun and interesting way to decorate almost anything, and dinner tables are no exception. Holidays lend themselves especially well to themes (i.e. use personalized Christmas ornaments in place of name cards) but other themes like winter (everything in smooth white and glittering crystal), contemporary chic (minimalistic, simple, and clean with lots of geometric shapes), or just mix and match whatever you think looks good together and call it eclectic.

Focus on one spectacular piece If you have one amazing or particularly impressive item, like a centerpiece or set of glassware, then decorate the rest of your table in a way that complements and draws the eye back to it. The approach will vary depending on what your highlighting but in general the focus piece should contrast with the rest of the table either in color, texture, or pattern, and everything else should somewhat match each other.

There's something so romantic and feminine about anything fan-shaped, and that might be a big part of why I like this Fan Crystal Clutch by Rodo so much. Inspired by 1920s Art Deco, this clutch features luxe satin and crystals that fold and flow to accentuate the silhouette, with little else in the way of design features other than a crystal-embelished clasp closure and removable gold shoulder chain. Fully lined and comes in a box with dustbag, £389 (there's a black version also but I think it looks a little harsh).

Chocolate and wine, two of our favorite things. It only makes sense to pair them together, right? There are some who feel they don't mix well at all, but many people find that wine and chocolate can really enhance and bring out the best in each other. To get started remember that there are no rules, just the fun of experimenting with whatever combinations you like. There are, however, a few rules of thumb to consider.

Approach wine and chocolate tasting the same way you would any other tasting: start with the light options and move your way through the spectrum to the darker, heavier flavors. In general, the sweeter the chocolate the sweeter the wine should be, and the lighter the chocolate (consider flavor, not just color) the lighter the wine. Full-bodied, heavy red wines will best complement dark and bittersweet chocolates, while a light riesling or dessert wine will more likely pair well with a sweet milk chocolate. Many think champagne is wonderful with white chocolate.

One other aspect to think about when considering which wines and chocolates will go well together is each of their predominate and underlying flavors -- you'll get very different results when you choose varieties that have similar flavors versus those with very contrasting ones.

For those days you're not sure how you feel or what you want, the Marc Jacobs Flourescent Tweed Bag has all sorts of style elements to suit you. Black and white tweed is comforting, bright neon stone embellishments add a spunky dose of glam and color, and gold staining on the stones tones things down and keeps them from looking too 80s. Other features include black patent leather, a detachable shoulder strap, and a logo-embossed golden lock on the front flap. Magnetic press-stud fastening, internal pouch pocket, and a black satin lining. $995