The cool thing about being a woman—one of the many cool things about being a woman, I should say—is that our beauty doesn’t come wrapped up in just one kind of package. We’re a powerful assortment of delectable differences: thick and shapely, athletic and muscular, tall and long-legged. Still, the fashion industry has traditionally celebrated rail thinness as the only desirable body shape. And it’s affected generations of teenage girls. (Twiggy, unfortunately, wasn’t a sensation for naught.) Continual epic fail.

Maybe we should all ship our daughters for study abroad in Israel for a semester or two. Not because of the culture or the history or the lox (though those are all certainly reason enough), but because they seem to be light years ahead of us over there in the effort to broaden perceptions of women’s beauty. 

Forgive my absence around here- I've been a little busy lately, shooting season two of I'll Take That Dare (which I can't WAIT for you to see).

I finally read over the many comments left on the last post I wrote, about the topless woman I saw out shopping when I was on location in New York last week. Some of you expressed disbelief that I actually saw such a thing, which made me laugh because the very next day, I saw ANOTHER topless woman wearing a backpack AND A PENCILED-IN MOUSTACHE. This happened, y'all. A year from now, topless woman will be everywhere and you'll laugh wryly about the time you doubted the fact that I saw what I saw.

However, this post isn't about toplessness. This post is about something else I saw everywhere in New York. Something even more exciting than bare breasts. And that something is ...

DENIM VESTS!

I wandered across a question on the web today that made me stop: "Would you pawn your handbag?" The fact that there are broke women who actually are brings up a better question, y'all. Is there really anything in your closet worth selling?

If you lost your job, and putting your favorite fashions up on eBay was the best way to pay the bills, would you be able to eat or getting evicted? I'll go first. Quick stock, and I'd be out on my American Eagle-clad you-know-what. It makes me kind of sad ... and not just because I couldn't feed the family off of what's in my closet.

It's time once again for one of my summer style secrets that never gets old -- Behold, the versatility (and affordability) of the swimsuit cover-up!

Every year, I buy a few and end up wearing them all summer long, whether I'm headed for the beach or the supermarket. Swimsuit cover-ups often can do double duty as summer dresses or tunic tops over shorts. They're breezy and cool for summer and best of all, they keep you from having to suck in your stomach all day as you would in a tank top and shorts.

For example, check out this V-neck cover-up (White House Black Market, $39.99). It works poolside on its own, or you can wear it out and about over a cute pair of shorts or skinny capris.

Check out more of my favorite cover-ups of this season after the jump- then tell me in the comments if your cover-ups do double duty.

There's nothing I love more than some star spotting. And holy SMOKES was last night's Met Gala here in New York City a sight for sore eyes! From Beyonce's feathertastic frock and Kristen Stewart's colorblocking to Mary-Kate Olsen channeling the grim reaper, check out some of the evening's most memorable looks.

Back in November when Newt Gingrich was briefly number one in voter polls, I moderated a CafeMom event with him and a room full of moms. A quick recap: Newt cried, every major media outlet caught it on video, and it made headlines around the world.

The question everyone had for me afterward was this: "Where did you GET that dress?"

I wrote about the dress here on The Stir. It was called the 3/4 Sleeve Side Tie Dress, and it was from Ann Taylor. But, as I wrote, "I have actually dubbed this dress The Miracle Dress."

And, as you'll see after the jump, it looks like Ann Taylor has done the same.

Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Since my day never really goes the way I want it to, I thought I would spell it out for my family this year. What do I want? A day off, thank you very much. This year, I'm taking Mother's Day back. Here's what I will be doing ...

May the 4th is "May the Force Be With You" day -- otherwise known as Star Wars Day -- although some purists only celebrate on May 25, which was named Star Wars Day by Los Angeles County to commemorate the original movie premiere date for Star Wars. In any case, whether you celebrate Luke, Leia, Han, Yoda, Darth, and all the rest today or later in the month, the beloved galactic series has its very own day, and that's reason to get gussied up in your best geekery.

So what are you going to wear to all the Star Wars Day festivities? We have some out-of-this-world ideas. Take a look!

Image via Etsy