It's all about the backside. Some of the best bikini bottoms sashaying down runways at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim had flanks so wide they made a mockery of their flimsy string cousins. The wholesome coverage stood in condescending contrast to those barely-there Brazilian cuts that have become ubiquitous.
FASHION SKETCHBOOK
You may be taking your life in your hands these days just to spend your economic stimulus check. A friend of mine was walking on Northwest 36th Street at the Midtown Miami shopping center on a recent Saturday afternoon, when a man tried to yank her purse away. My friend yanked back.
FASHION SPOTLIGHT
It was only after helping launch her brother's website -- the recently featured in Sex and The City www.bagborroworsteal.com -- that Stacey Lapidus decided to create her own line of embellished handbags. The purses then led to jewelry, and hair accessories soon followed.
Economy: Aromatherapy Pillow Mist, $10 (Bath and Body Works locations) According to the American Sleep Association, one in 10 adults has chronic insomnia. Don't become a statistic. Spray this lavender and vanilla-scented mist on your pillow before you hit the sack. The lavender scent helps calm your nerves and relieve the tension of the day.
Myra & Co. 7313 SW 59th Ct., South Miami MiamiSpa.com, 305-661-2381 The lowdown: Myra Porter opened her first hair salon and spa in 1979, in a little house that sat on what is now the parking lot behind her current spa.
JEWELRY
As blue as the evening sky and surrounded by a constellation of diamonds, the ring caught the eye of Florida's governor. It was in the window at the Gold & Diamond Center in St. Petersburg's Northeast Shopping Center, where Gov. Charlie Crist turned to jewelry designer Hien Nguyen earlier this month to help him select an engagement ring for Carole Rome. Crist and his family are longtime patrons of the shop. The governor's father, Dr. Charles Crist Sr., is Nguyen's family physician.
MODELS
MODELS When 19-year-old Sessilee Lopez went to a casting call this spring with career-making fashion photographer Stephen Meisel, the Philadelphia native didn't know she was on the verge of making history.
What: Stacey Lapidus accessories Where: www.staceylapidus.com and Rik Rak Salon & Boutique, 305-371-5577 What we love: Magenta double-braided silk and crystal headband, $200
A little Lamborghini with that Versace briefcase? If you can't afford the new Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 with the Versace interior, this gym bag may make you feel better.
PROJECT RUNWAY
Project Runway is back, ready to ``make it work, people.'' And this time Floridians have one of their own to cheer on: Pompano Beach native Kenley Collins, one of a new crop of designers battling it out in the reality series' fifth season, 9 p.m. Wednesdays on Bravo. Guest judges this season include Diane Von Furstenberg, Sandra Bernhard, Brooke Shields, RuPaul and Rachel Zoe.
Charla Krupp is making a point. Actually, she is making many points. The style advice expert says too many women over 40 look ''OL'' -- shorthand for ''Old Lady'' -- with their rimless glasses, flat hair, heavy eyeliner, matte foundation . . .
FASHION SPOTLIGHT
Nazly Villamizar, 32, is petite and raven-haired -- and moves swiftly about her studio loft on a distinct mission to showcase her wares. Shelves and rolling racks of purses, totes and clothing outfit the large space she occupies in the Design District.
Mandarin Oriental Miami 500 Brickell Key Drive, Miami 305-913-8332, mandarinoriental.com The lowdown: The Mandarin Oriental is one of those places that reminds you that we live in a big city, not just the subtropics. But that's part of the fun.
The Miami Herald has composed a panel of readers to try products for face, body and hair. Here are their opinions: Product: Olay Regenerist Filling + Sealing Wrinkle Treatment
shirt: custom-made by Eredi Pisano jacket: Dolce & Gabbana pants: Dolce & Gabbana shoes: DSquared belt: Hermès watch: Cartier
Economy: Solid Fringed Scarf, $8.50 (Wet Seal at the Dadeland Mall, 7535 SW 88th St., Kendall. 305- 662-6102) Out of all of the must-have accessories for South Floridians, you'd think scarves and shawls wouldn't land at the top of the list. However, the hotter it is outside, the colder it usually is inside, making you want to reach for a blanket or hot chocolate. Instead, stay warm in this scarf which has metallic detail and a fringed trim.
FOOTWEAR
Oh, wondrous summer sandals, how you love to teeter atop sky-high wedges and reach strappy stiletto heights. But at what cost? Are you looking to take our soles -- not to mention our heels, arches and every other foot facet?
What: Nazly Villamizar for Ecoist Where: www.ecoist.com/nv and www.nazlyv.com What we love: Eyes bag in palm tree fiber, $198 Why we love it: Carry this bag confidently, knowing that you'll be one of the first to tote a bag made out of the remnants of a palm tree.
Dying to get your toes scrubbed with a sugar-peppermint concoction but can't stomach the triple-digit charge at a swanky day spa? The first Miami Spa event is here to help -- and just in time for the don't-call-it-a-recession recession.
Video | Swimsuit sizzle on the catwalk