What on your holiday list is classic and elegant, with superb fabrics and contrasts, and blends the past, the chic, and the future all in the coveted size zero? Dresses by Catherine Malandrino. The Parisian born designer has three brilliant holiday dresses I yearn for this season: the black V dress, the black 3/4 sleeve dress and the red halter dress.

Malandrino’s sizing is a near perfect fit for smaller women. Her desirable size zero — available online and occasionally at her Sunset Boulevard store — is a straight zero; however, sometimes her designs need a touch of tailoring, well worth your time and expenditure; her designs will make you look and feel truly fabulous.

Malandrino’s shop on Sunset Boulevard has a wide selection. If you live outside of Los Angeles, use the store locator on her website, or simply shop her online store. You can also find her dresses at Saks.

Or peruse the dresses online at Shopbop.

Catherine Malandrino
8644 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90069
310-360-1037
Map

My favorite part of the holiday season? Shopping for the perfect dress, of course.

This season, I’m gushing for the fantastically designed, brilliantly hued, ultra-flattering, perfectly low-cut neckline Lyne dress by Trina Turk. It’s simply — stunning. When accompanied with a spectacular necklace you — and your bust — will look their holiday best.

Attending a holiday brunch with the gals or the in-laws? Ogle the Trina Turk Siam dress. A dazzling, kaleidoscopic paisley palette splendidly rendered in silk, the Siam is a holiday-perfect dress that you can wear year-round. Flattering and sophisticated, it’s bona fide to go with all of the shoes and boots stashed away in your closet.

Both the Lyne and Siam dresses are available online and at Turk’s shops in L.A. and Palm Springs. If you are in the N.Y. area, check out her new boutique located at 67 Gansevoort Street, between Washington and Greenwich Streets, which opened December 6th.

Feeling a bit more daring and festive? Consider Tibi’s strapless chiffon dress. The flattering cut will make your legs look longer and your bust fuller and who doesn’t love that? Bring on the gams, girls.

Visit the store locator to find Tibi in your city. Online you can find Tibi’s strapless chiffon dress on Net a Porter.

‘Tis the season to be shopping! Yep, it is holiday sale time and serafina has the sales. The best sales serafina readers should consider for this week and next are:

Planet Lulu
Planet Lulu is having an online sale this Tuesday 11/28. Its by invite only so you best sign up asap. There’s lots of new stuff to choose from — denim, pajamas, watches–you name it. And what’s great is the free shipping hour. Need more info? Check out their MySpace page.

Lily McNeal & Twelfth Street
There is a two day Lily McNeal and Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent sample sale Downtown this weekend. Additional designers include: Mimo, Pink Dice, Garcon, Kerry Cassill, Denner and Pink Vogel.

The Cooper Building
860 Los Angeles Street Ste 415, Los Angeles, CA 90014
213-622-5399
Friday 12/1 10am-7pm and Saturday 12/2 11am- 4pm
Map

Billion Dollar Babes
BDB has a wide variety for all of your holiday shopping. A couple of my favorite designers featured this month are: Alice & Olivia, Geren Ford, Wendy Hil, Ya Ya and Tree. And honestly what’s better than shopping with a martini in hand?

Should you want to shop the Friday 12/1 VIP sale check out their website to sign up.

Barker Hangar
3021 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90405
Friday 12/1 5pm-9pm and Saturday 12/2 9am-5pm
Map

Joie
Joie’s sale has an abundance of tops, jeans, cargos, dresses and more. Discounts are as much as 85% off retail. I’ve got my list and I’m checking it twice!

2323 East 52nd Street, Vernon, CA 90058
323-277-3900 (ex.573)
12/8 12noon- 6pm and Sat 12/9 8:30am-4pm
Map

Raw 7’s bold, couture streetwear — think rock ‘n’ roll meets Kate Moss — includes velvety-soft cashmere tops with original artwork and beading, cashmere slip dresses, and luxurious beanies and scarves — everything a gal wants for posh (and cozy) holiday gatherings. Remix high-quality leather, silk, and cashmere –- seriously, softer than a newborn’s tush -– add intricate naughty meets nice stitching and beading, blend well, and you have Raw 7, whose designs are literally wearable works of art.

And the best part of it all: the XS runs 0P, and they fit me perfectly. Sleeves aren’t too long and no tailoring is needed. I’ve added a few Raw 7 designs to my holiday wish list. I have been a very good girl, indeed.

In Los Angeles you can find a selection of Raw 7’s cashmere sweaters at Sophea Parros in Pasadena and Thousand Oaks.

Online the sweaters can be found at Revolve Clothing, Couture Candy, Nordstrom, and Blue Bee.

Theory is one of my all-time favorite clothing lines for office wear. They carry petite and small sizes in jackets, dresses, and tops, and 00-4 sizes in pants. Always exemplar, Theory never disappoints. As a P or 00 in the company’s sizing, the tops and pants fit me to perfection. The line caters to a hip, younger audience, and translates seamlessly into the workspace. When I want to look polished and professional at work and client meetings, I rely on Theory.

The downfall? The pant legs are always too long. This means my tailor must spend a bit of quality time with the length, in addition to removing the pockets.

Several stores in L.A. carry Theory; however, few carry the smaller sizes. Below is a list of stores and outlets in Los Angeles and Southern California that carry sizes 00 and 0.

If you like outlet shopping, Theory has two outlets in Southern California and one in Las Vegas. The Desert Hills outlet in Cabazon is by far the most accommodating, with an affordable selection. About an hour and a half outside of L.A., it is well worth the drive.

Aching for Theory outside the L.A. area? Their Web site has a store locator. And should you prefer the mall, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdales carry this sophisticated line.

Online:

Shop Bop has a fantastic selection of Theory for the office and for play.

Stores:

Bloomingdales - The Beverly Center Bloomingdales has a large variety of petite sizes and a great selection of slacks. Manned with fantastic buyers, I always find a varied selection. Not to mention, the accommodating sales staff will pull everything off the rack and into your dressing room should you ask.

Saks Fifth Avenue - The selection at the Rodeo Saks had minimal pieces in 00 and 0, but carries an abundant selection of 2s and 4s.

Fred Segal
8100 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90046
(866) 654-4577
Map

Jill Roberts
417 North Beverly Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 860-1617
Map

Lisa Kline
136 South Robertson Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(310) 275-0729
Map

Theory Outlets — All outlets carry size 00 and 0.

Camarillo Premium Outlets
850 East Ventura Blvd., Space 0728
Camarillo, CA 93010
(805) 338-5628
camarillo@theory.com
Map

Desert Hills Premium Outlets
48650 Seminole Drive, Suite 912
Cabazon, CA 92230
(951) 922-1339
cabazon@theory.com
Map

Las Vegas Premium Outlets
875 South Grand Central Pkwy., Suite 1620
Las Vegas, NV 89106
(702) 386-5022
lasvegas@theory.com
Map