It looks easy enough to double wrap a strand of pearls around my wrists and layer on a bunch of necklaces and chains, but I fear that what looks very Les Fashionable on American Idol finalist (and Olsen twin doppelganger in this photo anyway), Ramiele Malubay, would look very Coco Chanel Halloween costume on me.

Regular readers of The Tastemaker Diaries are well aware of my obsessive hatred of scarves. My scorn has risen to a new level with the rise of this season’s version, the so-called scarflette.

My friend Beth drew my attention to this new trend. How could I resist opening an email with the title “Is this the new dickey?” And yes, I believe the insidious scarflette is indeed the latest incarnation of “a false shirt-front – originally known as a detachable bosom”. Check out some examples:

Why do I hate these so much, you ask? Let me count the ways:

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If there’s one trend I just can’t get behind this season, it’s ombre. It’s made appearances everywhere from the Fall 2007 runway to the awards season red carpet to the pages of fashion mags, but I can’t recall ever seeing a real, live person wearing such distinctive shading.

Ombre items are making an appearance on StyleFeeder’s wishlists, however, so it’s quite possible that I’m wrong about the wearability of this trend. Let’s take a look at some of the options people have bookmarked recently:

StyleFeeder leanneshain was the first to add this sherbet-hued confection by Michael Kors. I can definitely see the appeal of ombre for a special occasion; graduated gowns are both glam and flattering. And since you’re only likely to wear a gown like this once or twice, you’ll seem entirely of the moment.

But when it comes to high-end accessories, is ombre a good investment? Will you possibly be able to get away with wearing an ombre heel or handbag next season?

These Charles David Beatriz pumps are stunning, but I don’t know if I could bring myself to part with $195 unless I had the perfect outfit in mind for these beauties.

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