Scouring the Web today, I noticed that Steven Alan just debuted a revamped website and, along with it, lots of great new spring pieces that are a slight departure from his signature super-charming shrunken oxfords and sweet ruffled undies. Now he's expanded the range to include striped jersey tanks, my favorite of which also features patch pockets printed with concentric squares. The effect is kind of hypnotic, and the stark black-and-white palette furthers its cool op art vibe. I'm also loving his new collection of Bermuda shorts, especially this pair in a preppy, menswear-ish plaid.

Like many people, I find myself buying slightly different versions of the exact same things over and over again. Cashmere cardigans and ballet flats fall into this camp for me; I've got loads of each, distinguished by colors and materials that run the gamut. I have a similar penchant for tops with dramatic collars (the bigger the better!) and white blouses, and it's an especially happy occurrence when the two merge in one garment, as is the case with this Alexander Wang piece. It has the most beautiful, elaborately accordion-pleated ruffle that goes all the way around the neckline, and it's made of delicate, creamy silk. The sleeves balloon ever so slightly with a little more pleating at each cuff, and the sum of all this is you end up looking a wee bit like a modern-day Mozart, in the most chic and romantic way possible. I would undo the top couple buttons to add some sex appeal, and, as you can probably guess, add some flats and a cardigan too.

Perversely, despite being plagued by my own clutter control issues, I am actually quite good at editing down other people's stuff. This skill has been put to the test a lot in the last couple of months, as I somehow ended up streamlining two friends' closets (one in L.A., one in New York) and also took a trip out to Vegas to help my father-in-law move, a Herculean endeavor composed of sifting through everything he'd amassed after 40 years of living in the same house. So now I'm turning to the totally dysfunctional, grossly overflowing state of my home closet. Of course, my fantasy purchase of 2008 is custom-designed California Closets. Ideally, I'd have lots of built-in cedar drawers, row upon row of shelving to stack all my sweaters, endless individual cubbies for all my shoes, and I've even started to imagine what accessories I'd add to trick things out even further. Topping my list of obsessions are these ridiculously pretty verbena-scented drawer liners by the Soap & Paper Factory and a complete set of these handsome cherry wood hangers monogrammed with my initials from hangers.com—both of which, come to think of it, would make really excellent housewarming gifts.

Though Laguna Beach is probably known best, clothing-wise, for bikinis and cute sundresses, it turns out that it's also home to a shop called Anastasia, which has some of the edgiest yet most compelling Japanese fashion that I've ever come across online. While its offerings are pricey, it's definitely worth checking out even if you're not going to buy anything simply because the stuff is so cool. There's a knit Tencel dress in bright marigold by Ritsuko Shirahama that's particularly stunning, with cascading layers of orange and yellow silk draped over the top half. I've never seen anything like it, and were it not $653 I'd have already bought it. I'm also loving Junya Watanabe's quirky-elegant reimagined T-shirt dress and this delicately rendered feather brooch cast in pewter by Yohji Yamamoto.

Our fashion editors first called out the appeal of a crisp white tuxedo jacket in the Next Big Things guide in our January issue, and I've been craving one ever since. I've seen a few different iterations floating around the market, and I think I've settled on this sharply tailored version with graphic black piping by Rag & Bone. It's the same one Kate Bosworth was wearing at their spring '08 show a few months back, along with slim dark jeans, a crisp oxford buttoned all the way up to the collar, and slicked-back hair, and the end result was understated and mind-blowingly glamorous. I like the idea of doing as she did and adding denim to downplay its fanciness, or going completely all-out and using it as a cover-up for a floor-length black-tie dress.

Desk lamps can be tricky, mostly because it's hard to find one that's practical but not so boring-looking that it could've been ordered out of an office supply catalog. I like this version from CB2, which is very similar in aesthetic to an old-school steel pharmacy lamp, only updated in super-glossy tangerine lacquer. Its brightness is offset by sleek lines and a rather dainty swiveling arm, so it's a good way to add a shot of color without having it overtake the rest of your space. If you're more of a minimalist, it also comes in white.

The wedding season starts early for me this year. I'm attending my first one in less than a month, followed by one more every subsequent month—until September. Having attended a total of nine weddings last year and knowing that I'll see a lot of the same people at this year's crop, it recently occurred to me that I have absolutely nothing to wear. My new strategy is to find something that will stand out in a crowd, but not so much so that it will be obvious I'm wearing the same thing over and over again. This Diane von Furstenberg Maui dress is exactly what I'm looking for. It's classic, in washed ebony silk with a simple, gorgeously flowy cut that almost sweeps the floor. Adding different accessories will transform the look from black tie (the python clutch I hijacked from my mom's closet is perfect for this) to beachy (with earthy leather sandals). It's got a halter, which—as someone with relatively broad shoulders—I always find the most flattering, and pockets, which instantly make any dress that much chicer and cooler if you ask me.

How amazing are these Pucci shoes?? I've always loved their iconic prints, though as someone who can be a bit pattern- and color-shy when it comes to clothing, the idea of wearing them in a large dose (e.g., as a full-on dress) just didn't feel right for me. Pulling off even the rowdiest of their designs seems really doable when they're applied to classic, demure ballet flats though, and these elastic-edged, pointy-but-not-too-pointy ones couldn't be more appealing.

I'm the first to acknowledge I might have a borderline unhealthy obsession with stationery. At the office, everyone knows if they need a card for whatever occasion they can pick through the insanely large stash I keep at my desk (I may be a hoarder, but at least I share). And at home, well, is it wrong that my paper collection gets more closet space than my husband does? Part of my (admittedly weak) excuse for this over-the-top accumulation is that covering the paper market falls under my job responsibilities, with biannual trips to the New York Stationery Show to stay on top of all the latest collections and companies. I've seen everything, and my all-time favorites are by Cheree Berry, who designed Kate Spade's line of paper products before striking out on her own a couple of years ago. She's got the best aesthetic, which somehow strikes the perfect balance between sophisticated and playful. The only drawback to her work is that up until just now, the bulk of it was only available as a custom order through the designer. Redstamp.com has just made it a lot easier to buy by adding 17 of her patterns to its site. Were I not completely forbidden from bringing home any more stationery, I'd place an order for a set of these monogrammed robin's-egg blue correspondence cards that come with adorable, hand-lined, orange-and-white-striped envelopes.

It started back in October when my friend Sam first tipped me off to James Perse's Casual Tee. She raved about it, I bought it, and it is truly the best fitting and feeling T-shirt ever. One led to two, then three, then, um, four. They were so good I just couldn't help myself. I thought I could stop there, and then last week our senior fashion editor, Laurie Trott, came into the office wearing the heather gray version, which I hadn't seen before. It's the perfect color—not too dark, not too light—and to me, an amazing gray tee is as prized and wearable and tricky-to-find as a great black dress. Once you spot one that's just right you might as well buy it, given how much you'll end up using it. Now I've got my fifth James Perse tee en route and I couldn't be more excited about it.

Though on the surface I might appear normal, maybe even sort of pulled together, there are a few areas in my life where I am completely, crazy-person-level disorganized. My closets at home and my desk at work are both so shamefully messy that usually one of my more orderly, sympathetic friends ends up staging an intervention to force me to deal with my clutter. That said, there are a couple of areas where I shine at keeping it together—like my suitcase. Somehow, on the road I'm much better at being neat and only bringing a tightly edited selection of stuff. Restricting clothes to a single palette really helps, but what makes the biggest difference is this hanging cosmetics bag I picked up at The Container Store. Yes it's drab and black and plastic, but it is so supremely functional that I just don't care. There are tons of compartments to house all my stuff, from makeup to hair ties to allergy medicine and so on. Each pocket is zippered so everything stays in place, and also clear, so you can instantly assess what you brought. It folds relatively flat, which allows you to carry a large amount without bulking up your suitcase. It's so good I've taken to leaving everything in it even when I'm home, which has really improved the state of my medicine cabinet. I'm hoping to find another organizational product that will have a similarly transformative effect on my desk. If you have any suggestions, please, please let me know!

There's a charming, Gidget-like quality to this Alex Gaines cashmere tunic--the beachy-preppy stripes, the in-between sleeve length that always strikes me as '50s-ish--but it's not so retro that you'd feel at all costumey wearing it. It looks loose, soft, and comfortable enough to throw on as a chic alternative to a sweatshirt, which is to say on top of a simple tank and leggings, but it's also totally work-appropriate if you pair it with sleek black trousers and heels.

I really like the is-it-lingerie-or-is-it-not style principle that's the crux of stylist-turned-designer Victoria Bartlett's line, VPL (an acronym for Visible Panty Line). It's refreshing to see a fashion brand that doesn't take itself too seriously, and while the concept is kind of cheeky, the execution is still very sharp and sophisticated. I bought one of her tops last year and can vouch for its lounge-worthy comfort. The cotton it's made out of is softer than most of my T-shirts that have already been through the wash 50 times, and though the cut is very lean, it's also very forgiving. I've been looking to add another VPL piece to my closet, and this black and navy breaker tank I just spotted on Hejfina's site is definitely next.

My friends claim that I have an uncanny, sorceress-like ability to find the most incredible bargains on designer clothing. I think this is somewhat of an overstatement, but I have managed to find some good deals. Take the Marni black, patent leather T-strap flats I've been living in for the past month. I unearthed them at Saks in Beverly Hills when I was at home for Christmas: Originally $400, I paid $150. Not bad, right? Knowing that now is the time to strike (January and February are the prime sale-shopping months, when all the fall merchandise goes on clearance), and in the spirit of sharing, I decided to comb a few of my favorite sites for what I think are some of the best deals to be had online—all at a minimum of 50 percent off.

1. 3.1 Phillip Lim Trompe L'Oeil T-Shirt (originally $252, now $63): Quite possibly the coolest take on a simple tee ever—I love the trumpet shape and the quirky two-in-one effect.

2. Gryphon Crop Admiral Jacket (originally $808, now $404): A very crisp, tailored silhouette updated with shimmery gold and silver sequins and raw-edged canvas patches.

3. Thakoon Camisole (originally $530, now $159): A beautifully draped layering piece in the prettiest barely-there, dove gray color.

4. Miss Davenporte Short-Sleeve Inca Print Dress (originally $517, now $130): The ornate print feels appealingly like a vintage wallpaper pattern, and there's a nice balance going on between the covered-up top and mini-length bottom. You could wear it all summer.

5. Loeffler Randall Helen Flats (originally $359, now $179): I feel about red flats the way I do leopard ones; it's always good to have at least one pair in your closet—especially ones as sleek and cute as these.

Agnes & Hoss, a Chicago-based accessories company that produces goods made out of the most lush, beautifully (and coolly) patterned silk, has at last unveiled a shoppable website, and I kind of want everything. The entire line is up for grabs online--until I buy a new couch, I'm thinking about rejuvenating my tired, seven-year-old sofa with a couple of these gorgeous seaweed print pillows. And while I'm at it, I might just order some of their new lavender-filled sachets and compact mirrors to keep on hand to give as gifts.

I was sick and housebound all last week and into the weekend, which resulted in a short but severe bout of depression/self-pity. To try to compensate,  I bought myself flowers—specifically, bright canary yellow tulips from the corner deli: very pretty and indeed uplifting. Then today another yellow flower caught my eye, only this time it was in the form of a top. Robert Rodriguez's halter features an exuberant three-dimensional rose composed of silk chiffon petals. It's so fresh, unexpected, and gorgeously spring-y; I've gotten over my cold, but if it comes back, I know just what will make me feel better.

The one thing you'll always find in my embarrassingly large collection of flats (they're really all I ever wear; I just can't pretend that heels are comfortable) is at least one leopard-print pair. A little bit of animal print is a great way to temper an outfit that might otherwise be too buttoned-up: I have a very distinct memory of wearing pointy-toe leopard flats on my very first day on the job at Lucky, with a crisp white oxford and slouchy gray menswear-style trousers. Many years later, I still love that look—had I not completely worn out that particular pair, I'd probably still be trotting around in them now. Since I'm about due for another pair, I've been eyeing these at J. Crew. They're a very refined take on a driving moccasin, in calf hair with chocolate-colored suede trim and a delicate button. And especially with their rubber bottoms, I can take my fear of discomfort right off the table.