If your were watching every second of Season 8 finale of Dancing With the Stars (and, really, who wasn’t?), you might have noticed a bracelet on the wrist of winners Shawn Johnson and Mark Ballas. The former Olympic gold medalist and her partner were sporting Energy Muse Luck Bracelets, which are designed to boost luck and clarity. (Judge alert — does that constitute an unfair advantage??)

The couple wore the bracelets during the last two weeks of the competition.

In an unrelated act of deep mojo, Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson has been wearing the Energy Muse Luck Necklace. And his team? Well, they are playing in the National Basketball Association Western Conference finals. Coincidence?

The company says soccer star David Beckham, Olympic volleyball players Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, hockey players Natalie Darwitz and Kelly Stephens, and professional golfer Annika Sorenstam are among the athletes who wear also Energy Muse.

The necklaces and bracelets are made from Black tourmalinated quartz, Heishe shells, and — don’t miss this — ancient Chinese coins that invite luck and opportunity. The company says all these ingredients “unlock energy blockages and create an overall balance for the wearer.”

Sounds perfect for those of us who are “blocked and unbalanced”!

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Susan Boyle has a voice like an angel, but you already know that. (If you don’t, you need to watch this and then feel ashamed for being so out of the loop). Her jaw-dropping performance on Britain’s Got Talent catapulted her into a very bright spotlight. The YouTube video of her performance has been viewed more than 35 million times.

And, of course, because she’s frumpy and chubby with dowdy hair and big bushy dark eyebrows, the fashion world is salivating at the idea of making her over. Just do a Google search on “Susan Boyle and fashion” and you can almost hear the tut-tuts and the acrylic nails tap-tap-tapping.

We want Susan Boyle to stay the way she is. 

1) For once, just this once, how about not creating another slick, tanned, toned, stylish, thin diva. That’s what happens to every female (more…)

If you watched the Academy of Country Music Awards show recently, you may have been slightly stunned by the enormous — and we mean enormous — burgundy gown that Carrie Underwood swished up to the microphone in. The dress literally filled the stage.

It was made by designer Rafael Cennamo, and, to be honest, we’d never heard of him. After some investigating, we’re betting a lot of you haven’t either. He’s not on the big-name radar. Working out of Miami, he creates couture gowns that are detailed, complex, striking and, a bit over the top.

A couple of celebs who have worn his designs are Audrina Patridge and Rosario Dawson, but neither of those dresses were as wild as what Underwood wore, or what we found on his Web site. 

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The Style Insider admits that we’ve been over the top about the hat Aretha Franklin wore on Inauguration day. The Queen of Soul can wear anything she pleases on her head, but the Luke Song design with the giant gray bow has gotten more than its 15 minutes of fame.

It became all the rage on the internet, where it found itself pasted onto pictures of cats, pop culture figures and politicians, and it was featured again yesterday in a piece on CBS Sunday Morning.

Which is why we feel a responsibility to inform you that there has been a development in the giant-bow department. Marchesa’s fringe bow dress at Bergdorf Goodman features a strapless neckline with a gigantic bow imitating a bodice. The tiered ombre fringe skirt falls in waves from the empire waist, which you can’t really see because the bow is so very, very large.

We aren’t recommending that you buy the dress — it’s a whopping $5,500. We just want to see a picture of it on a cat.

There’s not much to say about this. We think you had to see it.

Carrie Underwood, country music star supreme, was one among many glittering gals at Sunday’s Academy of Country Music Awards. She won big honors: Entertainer of the Year and Top Female Vocalist, and that meant she got to change clothes several times.

Yes, Taylor Swift looked great in a red one-shouldered Angel Sanchez gown (left),  Nicole Kidman was stunning in a glittering black backless gown by L’Wren Scott (right), and Kellie Pickler looked like she is vying for the Dolly Parton award in a skin-tight, fishtail, gold glittering Zuhair Murad gown (below).

But Carrie changed outfits five times! She started on the red carpet in a delicate pink one-shouldered floaty Randy Rahm gown, then she performed in a sort of one-sleeved white short dress (more…)

The Style Insider’s normal routine, the way we like to do business, the habit we are in, is to show you things that you can have. We find you cute things, and let you buy them. We are enablers, and we are proud of it.

For instance, look at this cute, cute ‘20s chiffon beaded dress in summer green silk ($250, below left), all ethereal with its floaty fabric and Art Deco-like beading. Or this pretty little beige A-line appliquéd swirly bead dress ($250, below right), which practically begs for the dance floor.

Too bad.

You can’t have them.

They are all part of Kate Moss’ (in all her fabulousness, at top) Limited Edition Spring 2009 Collection for Topshop, which debuted Thursday both on the web and in her stores. And they are all sold out. All. Gone.

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We are taking a stand. We are making a decision. We are taking control of the situation.

We want long eyelashes, and we are willing to pay.

You may already be scoffing. Yes, we know, the length of The Style Insider’s eyelashes are not on par with such issues as global warming or the recession. Or even Fall Fashion Week. However, after an entire life lusting after baby-boy lashes (why, why, why do they always have the longest lashes? Could someone please answer that for us?), we are willing to throw in the towel and stage an intervention.

And intervention, in this case, apparently thy name is Latisse. (more…)