Your dress may be an inexpensive LBD from a discount shop, but no one will notice if you're wearing fabulous designer tights.

This holiday season, times are (ugh) still tight, but the opulence and flashy glamour of the 20s and 30s speakeasy culture are in. The way to follow the trend without breaking the bank is to focus on your accessories: make them as eye-catching as you dare. Textures, dark jewel tones, and all things that sparkle are your friends, and we just love these Cynthia Rowley tights.

Also, as with other accessories, you can get them for a far more frugal price than, say, a Cynthia Rowley dress. The tights range from just $15 for Antique Dot Tights to $250 for the breathtaking Embellished Tights shown. It's a smart way to buy into a designer who might otherwise be out of your budget.

Now, go spend your money on presents!

One of our favorite young designers is no stranger to fusion lines. Christian Siriano has teamed up with Payless to design several lines of edgy shoes and Victoria's Secret to create a line of makeup in Mediterranean hues. But now the star designer is bringing fashion to the public in a completely new way. In just another testimony to Siriano's business savvy and creativity, he recently released a line exclusively sold on his website, with six limited edition pieces all under $200. Now, finally fashionistas everywhere will have an opportunity to own their own authentic Christian Siriano piece. What makes the line truly luxurious, other than the delicate silk fabrics and gorgeous drapes, is that the line was inspired by his own Spring/Summer 2010 collection, which had models walking on water in seafaring colors and swaths of oceanic prints. By creating high-quality, affordable pieces taken from his same runway fabrications, Siriano is clearly out to revolutionize the fashion industry.

We spoke to Christian more about this in depth, and why he decided to incorporate these shapes. "The collection is very similar to my ready to wear collection," Siriano tells Luxist. "The fabrications are the same but the shapes are simple and very easy for women to piece into an existing wardrobe. Also these shapes are a limited collection and are not available anywhere else. Therefore the price is able to target the younger and fashionable Christian Siriano Fan."

Siriano says that he created the lower-priced collection for one reason alone: "We receive e-mails everyday, all day from fans who cannot afford anything over $200. It is my way to have my brand more accessible to women everywhere. That is the main goal at the end of the day, to have women wearing my clothes, feeling fabulous."

Our favorite piece is the Oceanic Scarf, a print taken straight from the runway, which is sure to add a fabulous pop to any monotone outfit this season. Check out the rest of the line in detail below. Click here to shop now, because these pieces won't last long.

The zipper was first invented, in a rudimentary form called the "Clasp Locker", in the late 1800s by a man named Whitcomb Judson. Many years later, in the early 1900s, it was perfected into the creation we know today by Swedish immigrant Gideon Sundback and was used mostly to fasten boots. The term "zipper" stuck after B.F. Goodrich used it in a name for a pair of boots showcasing the device, and then zippers slowly but surely worked their way into the fashion world as a closure technique that's quick, easy, durable, and effective -- particularly In 1937 when in the "Battle of the Fly" the zipper beat out the button as the favored way to close men's trousers.

Today zippers are everywhere, in every house and on most people in some form or another at any given time. And today fashion designers not only commonly use zippers in their collections but often the zipper is the focal point, there as much for looks as function. See the gallery below for some of our favorite examples.

Who is James? And why should we care about about his clothes? Because James Andrew, a New York-based interior designer, is hip, effortlessly cool (or so it appears), sports python loafers sans socks, can carry off a mint green suit, and wears Gucci like there's no tomorrow. For proof, and to see what other designers he has in his closet, check out Andrew's aptly named blog, What Is James Wearing?.

It's a vicarious read, and even better are the photos. Andrew models his outfit at whatever fabulous locale he's frequenting (he must rely on the kindness of strangers to take his photo) and then describes what's going on in the photo, followed by a breakdown of his outfit. It seems Andrew does quite well as a designer, because unless he has a personal shopper to do the legwork, he has a whole lot of time, and no doubt funds, to spend on his attire.

Andrew has two handsome whippets, Rupert and Nigel, whom he loves and shows off now and then on the site. I bet come winter, when it's time for their coats, they are the best-dressed dogs in NYC.

[Thanks, Shira.]

Lux Life Apparel recently launched an organic clothing site, Lux Green Living. (I know luxe is spelled with an "e," but this is how they spell it.) The site is just getting going, and for its first line is featuring Toggery by Kate D'Arcy, a simple, casual line with reasonable prices that the site calls "a fun, contemporary line that appeals to every body shape and is offered in all organic and sustainable luxurious fabrics." I saw only one item that cost more than $100. I randomly clicked on about 10 items, and all were made with bamboo or cotton, and some had Spandex. If you're looking for some light, breezy summer basics that are eco-friendly, this could be a place to start. See the gallery for a few items that caught my eye (too bad they don't come in petite sizes).

Rebecca & Drew, makers of the best custom shirts for women we've seen, have a brand new special for this summer: TrioPacks.

If you've worn their shirts before (perhaps ordered a custom one where you choose the fabric, cuffs, collar, embroidery, and more) we assume you're already hooked on the fit -- especially with those all-important double buttons that thwart the embarrassing side-view-peep-show which happens to other shirts when you sit. Their materials are the best, their sizes are custom by shape, height, and bra-size, and now you can get a three-in-one package of them -- It's luxury at a sensible discount.

"I rely on our classic shirts every day to get me through the week, and with the TrioPack, we wanted to create a simple, convenient, and cost-effective way to help professional women dress with ease so that they concentrate on their business at hand," says Rebecca & Drew co-founder, Rebecca Matchett.

The pack is $399, and you can pick light blue, black, white, pink, or a mix of colors. Normally the shirts are $150 - $195 apiece, so the savings are truly significant. We believe that Rebecca & Drew is raising the standards for work clothing for women, and hope that this release of a three-in-one will get more of their shirts out there, so we don't ever have to accept less.

Yes, you can have them monogrammed.

Check out our previous article on this amazing company, "Rebecca & Drew Makes Custom Shirts for Women," and visit RebeccaandDrew.com to shop!

Popular luxury fashion website, eLuxury is getting out of the selling business and is closing down retail operations. The company has issued a press release saying that they will launch a new editorial destination later this year. The website sold brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi and others. While it's sad to see eLuxury go, if you want to shop on the site, now is the time. The discounts are deep, the Dolce & Gabbana halter dress shown at right was $3,670 but is now $734. You can shop now through June 26.

Lately there are so many celebrities designing apparel, shoes, wine, fragrances, and so on, it's hard to keep up. Can't read all the tabloids and style rags? We're here to help.

Here are a few celeb designers we've covered recently: Gwyneth Paltrow - apparel; Fergie - shoes; Charlie Sheen - shirts; Scott Weiland - apparel; Sting - wine; and Jason Timberlake - tequila.

And here are the newest I could find, though some have been around year or so: Sofia Coppola - Louis Vuitton clutches and small purses; David Arquette and Ben Harper - Propr apparel for Kitson (said to be eco-friendly); Lauren Bush - Lauren Pierce apparel; Paris Hilton - rumored to have a sunglass line be in the works, already has a shoe line; Kate Moss - apparel for UK store Topshop (a store opened in Soho recently to a crazed crowd); Nicole Richie - rumored to have a maternity line in the works, already has House of Harlow 1960 jewelry; Kimora Lee Simmons - Fabulosity apparel for JCPenney; Tori Spelling - Little Maven by Tori Spelling children's clothing; Taylor Swift - L.E.I. sundresses for Walmart; Kanye West and Rihanna - inked a fragrance deal with Jay-Z's licensing company, Kanye and Rihanna each will have their own scent; more Kanye - Nike Air Yeezy sneakers; "Bachelorette" Trista Sutter - Trista Baby diaper bags; and Snoop Dogg -- Rich & Infamous apparel.

I must stop now or risk link overkill (too late, maybe?). If you know of other new celebrity designers Luxist readers might want to check out, please share in the comments section.

Alyssa Milano has an option for female NFL fans tired of wearing oversized men's logowear but still wanting to look fashionable while supporting their team: her "TOUCH" apparel and jewelry line, available at NFL Shop.

Launched in spring 2007, TOUCH, which also includes lines for the NBA and NHL, was born out of necessity, according to Milano's Web site. When Milano, an avid baseball fan, went to games, "she wanted to wear fan gear to support her team, but found that the product mix offered in the marketplace did not address her everyday fashion needs. She felt women should be able to look stylish while cheering on their favorite team. So, she partnered with G-III Apparel Group and Major League Baseball to design and distribute a line of juniors' ladies MLB apparel." And so it began.

I just learned about the line when I saw a TV ad during a Sunday night football game; it seems the NFL partnership is fairly new. This line includes 245 products that range in price from $16.99 - $89.99.

View the gallery for some examples. Most of the products are available for multiple teams.

NY Daily News Fashion (the poor man's Vogue?) ran a blurb a few days ago featuring Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a $250 pair of Chanel two-tone pantyhose. As Carrie Bradshaw would say, I couldn't help but wonder, what the heck was she thinking? Is her accountant on board with this kind of spending in a recession? But then I realized she might not have purchased them. The more famous and wealthy celebrities become, the less clothing and accessories they buy for themselves. Companies send them free items to advertise -- I mean, wear and use and enjoy. But as for SJP, and this legwear, I don't know. She's known to be highly professional, so maybe she did indeed buy these for herself.

During SJP's SATC days, you couldn't open a fashion magazine with reading about her wonderful style, classic glamour, etc. Then came her inexpensive Bitten line, which I haven't heard much about since its debut. The News item gives SJP props for getting back on the fashion track, but hits a sour note due to some not-very-nice comments from readers about her personal life (perhaps NSFW).

The ankle boot is a big trend this fall and Azzaro's version is sure to make you feel like a princess. These Enchantment boots look fairly classic in black suede from the front, until you notice the subtle crystal trim lining the almond-shaped toes, which leads your eyes around back to the 4 1/2" heels covered thick with luxe shimmering crystals! You'll need very few other accessories to make an outfit complete when wearing these beauties, and you're guaranteed to feel like a million bucks. $2,135

A few days ago I had the privilege of being a guest of American Express at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2008 in NYC. Aside from agonizing over what to wear (and realizing that of course no one was looking at me), it was a fun experience, and one I'd likely never get to have without this invite. As an AmEx guest, I got to go to a special "Skybox" to view the DKNY Spring 2009 show along with about 20 AmEx Platinum Card members, who were there (at the cool price of $700 each) to enjoy the day's events and luxuriate in special amenities as part of AmEx's "By Invitation Only" program. Also on hand were staffers from various companies associated with AmEx, who made sure the guests were comfortable and enjoying themselves. I chatted with one guest, who took advantage of the complimentary hair and makeup services that morning. She did have excellent hair. The room was too dim for me to see her makeup, but I'm sure it was lovely.

AmEx, a major Fashion Week sponsor for the second consecutive year, has long associated itself with fashion icons. On display in the tent's main lobby, front and center, was an AmEx booth that featured three iconic photos, used as part of AmEx's "I'm a Card Member" ads: Sammy Davis Jr., Diane Von Furstenburg and Venus Williams. Word is the photos changed throughout the show. Other sponsors also had booths in the main lobby, from the usual suspects, such as Judith Ripka and the Italian Trade Commission, to unexpected companies, such as Office Max and M&M's.

Make a quiet statement of individuality with these men's ties from Hlaska. At first glance they appear to be fairly standard patterns and stripes, but look closer and you'll see a definite scientific influence, especially to do with the stars and solar system. Available in light to dark colors, you can be wearing stripes that double as strings of dna helixes or binary code, or even the rings of Saturn.

We'll leave it up to you whether you want to enjoy your somewhat geeky (said with all the love in the world) fashion statement in relative silence, or go pointing out the details to everyone in the office. $125

Via acquire

The Beckhams have a knack for getting themselves into the spotlight, so it seems a little out of character that Victoria Beckham's
debut as fashion designer will be happening in a very quiet and private way. Instead of showing off her new upscale dress designs via the catwalk at New York Fashion Week she will instead be showing them by appointment only over a period of several days.

Why she's going with such a quiet launch isn't clear, although if the dresses are successful I'm sure we'll all get to see them soon enough. Expect price tags for the collection to be upwards of $1200.

Fashion stylist Phillip Bloch is moving on from simply fixing people's clothes to designing them from the ground up. He's teaming up with the contemporary Emma & Posh to come up with an all-cashmere collection for this year's holiday season. And if you're excited about this first attempt you'll be happy to know that both sides say this is only the beginning of what looks to be a long-term partnership. Look for the Phillip Bloch for Emma & Posh collection in stores like Henri Bendel and Fred Segal with price points around $108-$188.