Christina Ricci once called the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala the "East Coast Oscars," and she was right. It's an evening that's all about being seen. The right dress can get you talked about the for the rest of the year. So with no further ado, we present to you, our own best of the best list from the big event tonight!

Browse through the gallery to see what we had to say about each and every celebrity outfit, and drool over the amazing clothes like we did!

These are our top 15 picks of the whole night.



And here are the ladies who looked great, but night quite polished enough to make it onto the best of the best list.

We look forward to the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institute Gala every single year! We wait with anticipation to see what kinds of amazing dresses all the beautiful stars are going to wear on one of the biggest nights in fashion. But let's not kid ourselves -- we're also anxious to see whether anyone goes out on a limb and wears something crazy or horrendous. There's a lot of pressure to get it right on a night like tonight, so for those that fall, they fall hard.

Browse through the gallery to see who did not make our best dressed list. And we should clarify that some of the dresses aren't actually that horrible. But the best dressed list was full of so much gorgeousness that anything less than perfect just couldn't make the cut.

What will you wear with your short shorts this summer? We can't all pull off the Kate Moss shorts and boots look, but we also don't want to get stuck in a boring, brown flip-flop rut.

Have you spent the winter months holed up in the bathroom, trying out various beauty products to find the perfect lipstick / eye shadow / concealer / lotion / shampoo / etc.? If not, don't sweat it -- Second City Style has done the work for you.

The Second City Style Beauty Olympics have been in the works for months, with staff members and readers testing hundreds of products out and giving their honest opinions on everything from makeup to skincare to hair, supplements, fragrances, and more.

The women reviewing the products ran the gamut from stylists and editors to students and doctors, and not only did they say whether they liked or disliked the products -- they explained why. It's a really helpful guide that you might want to check out before you need your next lip gloss fix. You get those too, right?

Some guys don't really accessorize -- baseball caps don't count. They don't have the necklace, earring, scarf, and handbag options that women have. Probably most of them are pretty happy about that. However, when it comes to sunglasses, guys are right in the with the gals -- there are plenty of choices to keep you looking fashion forward.

The best thing is, you can wear them, like, every day! Without washing them! And nobody will make fun of you! I know that's not how all guys feel about fashion, but for those of you who want your style to be easy and painless, sunglasses are a great way to amp up your style without putting in too much effort.

Two of the big trends for guys this season are the continuation of the aviator and the shield as well as some funkier plastic frames, like the Rayban Wayfarer we saw popping up last summer (and in Risky Business). And, as with the ladies' sunglasses, tortoise shell is poised to step up as a big trend for the guys.

Ladies, when it comes to sunglasses, we have it good this year. Some of the trends from the last year or so have continued to be shown by the major fashion houses, and the trends that are coming into fashion this year will be easy for most of us to transition into -- it's not like we're going from bootcut to skinny jeans here.

So what's hot for this spring? We'll continue to see oversized glasses, aviators (and variations on the aviator), and tortoise shell will continue creeping in as a major player. Additionally, watch for more '70s inspired frames, with muted tones and rounded lenses. Also, keep an eye out for gradient lenses -- dark on the top half and light on the bottom. The more pronounced gradient makes a much more dramatic statement, but you can opt for a subtle change if you prefer it and still be in fashion.

I have to admit, as the week wound down for us and Austin geared up for SXSW music, I was a little disappointed. Seems a lot of people used all their good outfits earlier in the week and all they had to offer me were jeans and t-shirts. Bleh.

On the other hand, some fearless conventioneers stuck to style until the bitter end, and for that I thank them. Here's Tuesday's best.

Spring is right around the corner, and I bet you're already eying those summery sandals. But are your tootsies terrific yet? Are your piggies perfect? Are your feet fabulous?

Now, if you have the means, getting a professional pedicure is a fun and easy way to get your feet ready for those strappy sandals. Of course, there are the basic rules for the ladies, like making sure you have no visible toe hair, but you also want to try to get the bottoms of your feet smooth and ready for sandal season.

Check out the above gallery for seven tips and trends to get your tootsies ready for a close up this spring:

The classic denim company is trying its very best to look like just another cool boutique brand at this year's SXSW. Joining forces with Paris' ultra-trendy brand Surface2Air, Levi's will be co-hosting a raucous party to showcase a night of indie rock and their magical denim creations. Because there's nothing like getting liquored-up at a party with $300 jeans hanging all over the place.

Surface 2 Air is actually a multi-discipline arts collective with members in New York, Paris, and Stockholm. But the fashion-oriented branch of the collaboration resides in the French capital -- of course. Like Levi's, they specialize in street wear with a big emphasis on denim. The bands and trendsters at SXSW would be S2A's ideal target market -- if struggling artists had any money. Check out the catalog.

Levi's is always looking for a way to keep appealing to the coolest of the cool, but with so many designer brands on the market, staying in the spotlight is a chore for an old-timer. Will their new partnership appeal to the chronically unimpressed crowds at SXSW? We'll have to wait and see.

[via Fashionista]

Back in 2000 or so, when I watched Gladiator for the first time, I remember it spurred a number of thoughts. Things like, "Can one person really make a difference like that?" and "Russell Crowe really shouldn't wear a shirt. Ever."

But, I'm quite sure I didn't contemplate how to bring the fashion into my own life.

Whether I planned it or not, the gladiator sandal is making a big appearance this spring. According to Style Bakery (don't you love that name? Like they're baking up yummy, fresh styles just for me!), the gladiator sandal is poised to be an "it" shoe this season.

You can pair it with casual looks, like tie-dye or denim, or get funky by pairing them with more formal looks. Of course, you could always wear a toga ...

The difficult thing about facial hair is maintaining a balance within your personal style -- not letting the beard take control. A beard that's out of control can make you look pretty silly, and you'd do better to shave that sucker off rather than be caught wearing it. I've seen cases wear once sharp-dressing, clean-shaven guys decided to grow a beard, and pretty soon it was flannel and torn t-shirts -- and they never came back.

For better or worse, stars set the tone in the world of men's facial hair -- it's not necessarily a bad thing. It allows us to take cues from them and their stylists, converting them into lessons about our own shaving techniques. When Russell Crowe grows a beard and it looks cool, every dude on the street quits shaving. Then again, sometimes celebrities screw it up -- then we can make fun of them and feel superior.

The grading system for celebrity beards is simple: it consists of 3 variables. First, is there a reasonably good balance between their facial hair and their hairstyle? Second, is the beard in harmony with the rest of the outfit? The third variable is the interpretive factor, i.e. what's the beard doing for them? and how effective is it?

Just like Lauren predicted way back in 2007, the ballet flat has stood the test of time and will continue to provide women's feet everywhere with an elegant respite from the stiletto during 2008.

For tall girls who worry about towering over their men, ballet flats are still the way to go. You can wear them without worrying about asking your date to put Tom Cruise lifts in his shoes. For those of us who live in a big city, we can feel free to walk from the subway instead of having to try and hail a cab, since ballet flats are comfortable enough for the long city treks. In short, it's pretty hard to go wrong with this great casual shoe!

Ballet flats are a fantastic way to add trends to your wardrobe as well, without looking too over the top. Get them in the it colors for the season, lemon yellow, or metallic gold. You can also find ballet flats that incorporate floral patterns (very hot right now) into their designs.

Browse to see if you like any of the cute ballet flats from this season. There's a design for every personality!

Since she's a former exotic dancer, I had expected something a bit more risque from Diablo Cody (screenwriter of Juno) at this year's Oscars. And while animal print is on the daring end of prints, there's no danger of naughty bits being exposed, and for that, I'm totally happy. In fact, I rather love her whole red carpet look -- she's funky, fashionable, and looks comfortable with her choice.

And what's even better is she has a style that regular folks can totally emulate. Do you like it? Do you want to take this look home? No problem -- here's what you do:

Penelope Cruz has no problem taking risks with fashion, and often, for her, that means playing with a variety of fabrics. This year's Oscars gown was no exception -- she had a plethora of feathers adorning her gown, and managed to make it work.

Now, I'm not about to recommend you start sporting a feather boa. In fact, I'm telling you straight up -- don't do it. However, there are lessons to be learned from P. Cruz's ensemble -- mere mortals can experiment with a variety of fabrics and adornments, especially when it's for a special occasion.

Cameron Diaz doesn't always get it right on the red carpet, and I can't say that she hit a home run this year, either. However, there were several things that she got unequivocally right, and these things you can incorporate into your very own wardrobe.

• In the pink -- Pale pink can be a beautiful hue for many, but you need to be careful that you select a shade that flatters your skin tone. Cameron looks like she just spent a weekend at the beach, so the light pink accentuates her bronze glow. If you're paler, you might want to select a pink with more color to it.