Ask Alison-Question: While I absolutely love my champagne colored wedding dress, it is a bit heavy and I’ve begun to wonder how I’m going to get through the day and night in it. I was so happy to find a beautiful and affordable dress, but do I sacrifice a night of dancing to still look pretty in my wedding dress? Any advice?
-Randi (Los Angeles)

Answer: Don’t fret! Haven’t you heard of a change of wardrobe? Celebrities do it all time for awards shows and performances so why not take a cue from their style page. I had my glorious Lloyd Klein couture gown for the wedding, the amazing photos and through the first dance and meal. THEN, it was time for the party to begin and I made a dress change. I had a short Valentino dress that was similar to my pink/peach wedding gown. This is not the time to throw on just any cocktail dress and definitely not an LBD. It would be ideal to continue the elegant look of your wedding with a dress that is within the same hues of your gown yet shorter, lighter and easier to move in, particularly for the dance floor. Have a beautiful day and hit the dance floor and cut the cake in one of these under $400 options, many of them I found through thefind.com.

Embroidered strapless flowing dress by Sue Wong-$368
Bloomingdales.com and SueWong.com

Embroidered mid-driff dress with organza petal skirt by Sue Wong-$388
Bloomingdales.com

Strapless chiffon dress by ABS-$330
Bloomingdales.com

Ivory Rosette Dress by Blush-$238
SimplyDresses.com

Lace strapless dress by Alecon, $280
Amazing-Wedding-Dress.com

A-line lace dress by Alecon, $279
Amazing-Wedding-Dress.com

Packing for vacation is always fun and when it encompasses days filled with swimming in the ocean, walks on white sand beaches and days chillin’ on a fancy boat it also brings up protection in my mind. Protection from the sun. Time to shop for the best ways to get a little shade besides SPF.

Eugenia Kim’s oh so nautical and hip, navy and white striped fedora with cream cord, $247

Hat Attack’s raffia traveler, $90
Wide brim to block the rays and roll up ready to go.

Eric Javits squishee IV hat, $198
It’s bendable, rollable and looks even better when it’s broken in. Available at Neiman Marcus.com

Helen Kaminski’s Indira canvas bucket hat, $75. I found this stylish option on TheFind.com. You won’t care if it gets wet in the ocean. Available at Bloomingdales.com

Madewell’s park bench fedora, $58. Chic and simple for days long past vacation.

A card, a phone call-those are some of the simple things mom would request from you this Mother’s Day, but this year step it up and give her a gift that really says thanks.

donni charm’s line of beautiful, airy scarves that give the perfect pop of color to any wardrobe, providing mom a great way to accessorize her day-to-day outfits. The line is designed by Alyssa Wasko in honor of her father, Donny, who passed away a few years ago. Each scarf bears a special charm, designed as a tribute to Donny who always referred to Alyssa as his “charm,” and provides a thoughtful way to keep loved ones close. Celeb mommies including Halle Berry and Isla Fisher are huge fans of the scarves, which all retail for UNDER $100. donnicharm.com

Two enterprising women teamed up to found CALM (an anagram of their names), a line of summery, pretty caftans handmade in Lebanon.

Each caftan is lovingly crocheted and sewn in the homes of underprivileged Lebanese women, many of whom are widows, of diverse backgrounds. These one-of-a-kind pieces intricately trimmed with beads and printed in bold solid hues or graphic botanical patterns are more than the perfect summer frock. The resulting caftans represent a means of financial support for the women who make them. $250, calmnyc.com

Looking for a personable, unique gift? Kindred Stones is a CUSTOMIZABLE jewelry line with necklaces for mom including the Kindred Pregnancy necklace (starting at $115), which is designed for expecting mothers (the baby’s gemstone is surrounded by smaller stones that represent each family member, and the necklace is accompanied by a small moonstone — a powerful feminine stone that promotes new beginnings, intuition and calmness) and the Kindred Tree necklace (starting at $70), which is perfect for a mom, grandma, aunt or other maternal loved one (her zodiac stone is hugged tightly by smaller stones representing each family member in this unique symbol of togetherness). kindredstones.com

Provide a place for her jewelry collection to grow. Each branch and leaf has been sculpted to hold rings, bracelets and necklaces, creating a well-ornamented tree. $70, redenvelope.com

A little out of the ordinary, but a gift that will last months and perhaps years. Instead of a vase with flowers that will be tossed after a week consider sending mom a small succulent garden. She can use it as a centerpiece, put by a window or replant it in larger pot for the patio. $45, proflowers.com

Gardens grow with a little help from Mother Nature and a lot of the right tools. This stylish garden tote keeps garden tools organized and easily accessible in one place. And more than her initials, her tote will bear her name. Add a few packets of seeds to get her started. $59.95 redenvelope.com

For the moms-to-be… Ms. & Mrs. is a mother-daughter company founded by two sisters and their mom to provide fun and functional collections for almost every modern emergency. The Labor & Delivery Survival Kit ($45) helps soothe and support moms on delivery day, providing 12 childbirth essentials (including a back massager, lip balm, slipper socks, breath mints, bubblegum cigars and more) all in a portable mesh tote. msandmrs.com

Prom season is here and time to get glam with your girlfriends. It’s no longer about poufy gowns and tacky fabrics. Teenagers are taking inspiration from what they see on the red carpet and in many cases can scoop up the same dresses worn by celebrities without the exorbitant price tag.

Pink petal long dress by Dalia MacPhee, $300
A few celebs who favor Dalia are Amber Riley, and Carrie Ann Inaba.
Available at Nordstrom.com & LordandTaylor.com

Moroccan beaded blue long strapless dress by Sue Wong, $499
A few celebs who favor Sue Wong are Anne Hathaway and Taylor Swift.
Available at SueWong.com & Nordstrom.com

Tiered bustier dress by Kitty for $79
Available at PromGirl.com

Royal blue halter dress by Dalia MacPhee, $298
Available at Nordstrom.com

After our segment at KTLA for our own “prom” photo.
Thank you Zoe, Matthew, Sophie, Isabella and Elle.

April showers may be abundant, but this is the time I wear a trench just about every day so when it rains I’m ready.

I don’t mind a bit of wet weather when stepping in puddles and staying dry are as simple as pulling on a few of my favorite rainy days items like these:

Cover up and strike a pose in one of these sophisticated trenches:

The ultimate classic trench. I bought this Burberry trench at least five years ago and it is the go-to coat in my closet.
A good trench with a removable lining can be worn all year. Perfect for keeping you dry when it rains and the ideal cover for dresses or just “make me look better” with jeans and a tee shirt.
Burberry $1,595
Bloomingdales.com

Because one trench is not enough. And the tip for belting is to not fasten the belt, but tie it.
Vince trench, $495
Bloomingdales.com

Dig this short version of the classic trench. I scooped up this stylish trench at Uniqlo for only $70.
Uniqlo.com

For casual weekends
Cole Haan, $375
ColeHaan.com

Pull them on and splash in a few puddles:

Love this one with the wedge heel. Far more sophisticated for stepping in puddles and wearing with your wardrobe.
Hunter wedge boot, $177.51
Asos.com

Nothing wrong with a bold shine during a storm.
Hunter wedge boot. $175
NeimanMarcus.com

And then you always need a chance to feel like a kid.
Sperry Topsider from Zappos.com, $68
Zappos.com

Swim suit shopping is a nightmare for most-bad lighting, cramped dressing room and altogether downward spiral. You look at yourself in the mirror and while you know you’re not Gisele, you also know you’re not Gwyneth or Jessica or perhaps even your BFF who’s the same age and has two kids.

So let’s embrace that black is back big time in swimwear and even more helpful can be a one piece swim suit with ruching. That simple pleating of fabric that distracts the eye and slims the tummy with it’s lovely detail.

Ruched Bandeau Tank, $88 from J. Crew
Jersey Lommelina Ruched tank, $150, J. Crew

A few favorites found through TheFind.com
Ella Moss ruffle strapless, $145 Piperlime.com
Fig Leaves halter draped, $90.75 Figleaves.com

Melissa Odabash, $280 Piperlime.com
Body Glove Smoothies, $82 SundanceBeach.com

As if buying the coveted bag, gold necklace or platform peep toes that celebrities are seen wearing on TV and in the tabloids weren’t enough, we, the “regular” people also want to look as good in our maternity clothes as they do. And why shouldn’t a pregnant gal look stylish. There’s no reason to drop the ball from your pre-pregnant fashionable self and pull on over sized cartoonish or boring basics when you can look GOOD. So I went on E! News to show off how you can get the stylish look that those “it” pregnant gals like Natalie Portman, Jessica Alba, Kate Hudson and Rachel Zoe are wearing and found it all on TheFind.com.

Our version of Jessica Alba’s look:
BCBG Blouse
A Pea in the Pod knit vest
A Pea in the Pod black jeans
Frye boots from Zappos.com

Our version of Natalie Portman:
Laundry by Shelli Segal Dress Drapefront Maternity Dress in electric blue
Type Z red “Wicked” patent pumps

Our version of Rachel Zoe:
A Pea in the Pod black long sleeve top
7 For all Mankind “Gwenevere” super skinny black jeggings
BCBG large satchel bag
Gabriella Rocha skinny wedge heeled boots from Zappos.com

Our version of Kate Hudson:
Love Quotes scarf
Maternity white long sleeve top
Rachel Pally patterned maxi skirt (can be worn as a skirt or dress)
Flat Sandals

So cute, but soooo hairy! Penny and Lucy are adorable, sassy, and always loving. BUT, while Lucy (on right) is only 14 pounds she is a shedder. She sheds as if she were the size of a giraffe. Only hours after our cleaning ladies leave, our wood floors and the tops of our couch cushions show a fresh collage of stray fine hair. So I’m always on the search for the ideal picker upper.

I’ve tried out a multitude of products and I’ve gone through countless rolls of the sticky adhesive rollers. And finally, I’ve found a few products that help battle the shedding. Hey, it may not sound exciting, but sometimes it’s the little things that make a gals day.

From Dyson, the company known for vacuums has created the the dyson groom tool for $70 that you can use with most Dyson vacuums. I used it on the Dyson cordless model for quick clean-ups.

Lucy getting groomed. All that hair from one little dog.

Groom. Suck. Gone. That’s the motto of his handy tool that removes loose hair effortlessly and with the release of a button the bristles release and all that hair just brushed from the dog can be sucked into the vacuum. It also works well on its own and you can slide the hair right off the gadget into the garbage.

And as for our couches, Pledge, the company known for cleaning dust, has a handy, as in you hold it in your hand and with a few rolls back and forth you can pick up stray hair. You can pick it up in your supermarket cleaning products aisle for about $5.

Love when you can see the hair that gets rolled up inside the gadget. That proves to me it’s working. And my third favorite item for dog hair removal is the Swiffer. In truth, I dig the Swiffer for zipping around my house and cleaning in a jiffy.

by Marcello (our guest guy writer)

Q: If a couple is married three years and is going to get a divorce, who keeps the ring?
- Caroline, Burbank, CA

Dear Caroline:
While I haven’t checked with a divorce attorney or a priest on this – as far as I’m concerned, that ring belongs to the woman.

A wedding ring is a symbol of a loving bond that is meant to be unbroken and everlasting. When the man gives it, it is more than a simple gift; that ring is his promise. While we all know that sometimes love doesn’t last forever, the promise still stands…and he shouldn’t take it back.

Have a question of your own to ask our guy? Send it to Marcello at [email protected]

Alison: I agree, you keep the ring. Returning the ring should only come into question if you break off the engagement before you get married.

I attended a press event at The Children’s Place recently and got a chance to style some of my favorite spring trends for toddlers to tweens. From bright pops of pink and chartreuse to mixes of coral, blue and white this spring the trends for girls are not about blending into the background. Girls get to stand out in these happy go lucky prints and patterns whether it be an homage to nautical themes or a dress that looks very similar to one designed by Oscar de la Renta for us adult gals.

This prim and proper dress gets a little edge when you layer a powder blue long sleeve t-shirt and a military green jacket. It goes from fussy, sit like a lady to fidget free, run outside with your friends dress.
Utility Jacket, $24.95
Dress, $22.46

This boho chic sundress will get lots of wear whether at school or at a pool party and what better way to be cool than to add the edgy military jacket yet again.
Sundress, $18.70

Love this look that I styled, I had to buy it for my toddler muse, stylist in training, Veronica. She may be 4 years old, but she knows a thing or two about pink AND that there’s nothing wrong with changing your outfits multiple times a day whether it be for school, a play date, or just sitting down for dinner.
Striped top, $12.95
Cardigan,$10
Striped rosette skirt, $16.95

This look is posh without working hard for it. She can play kickball at recess and still score a home run in this skirt and windbreaker look.
Windbreaker, $12
Smocked floral skirt, $16.95
Rosette t-shirt, $12.95

Hamptons? Cape Cod? Lunch at the marina or on the boat? This pattern play dress is one of my favorites paired with a ruffle detailed cardigan for when the breezes blow from off shore.
Dress, $18.71
Cardigan,$19.95
Handbag, $9.95
Sandals, $15