In case you haven't heard about this, (a much blogged about sweep), shopbop.com is giving away a handbag-a-day during the month of October. Hurry and enter, still plenty of time … still 20 fabulous handbags to be given away as of today's date!

(**Update** The handbag-a-day contest has ended but with a $5000 shopping spree to be won, a handbag could be just the start of a whole wardrobe!)

At justjared.com they are giving away one of Lindsey Lohan's recent fashion finds: a Rebecca Minkoff “Morning After Bag” in black with black wicker. All you have to do is leave a comment (with a valid email address which will not be published). Now, how easy is that? The contest ends Tuesday, Oct. 16 at 7PM EST.

To celebrate their 100th anniversary Neiman Marcus is holding a sweepstakes in which a lucky winner will get a fab $10,000 shopping spree. The sweepstakes ends 12/28/2007.

Elle is giving away Clinique skin care

products and a $500 AMEX card to a

lucky winner at elle.com. 

And at style.com win a trip

to your choice of three

fashion capitals: Paris,

Milan or New York.

Sweepstakes ends 10/31/2007

Think you know your fashion? Bluefly.com and Lucky magazine ( more Lucky sweeps here) are holding the Ultimate Fashion Face Off. The sweepstakes challenges your fashion and style know-how. You accumulate points for correct answers to trivia questions. The players with the top 100 scores will be entered into a random drawing for a $5,000 shopping spree.

Being late to this may be a disadvantage to points accumulated but a prize is given away every day in an instant win contest so go ahead and enter. Prizes consist of all sorts of designer goodies - womenswear, menswear, accessories and household items.   The contest period is from September 11 to October 25, 2007.

Announcing the first ever Max & Chloe sample sale. Great discounts on summer and fall merchandise! Also, special pricing on fine jewelry and new collections at the sale only.

Paris was the birth place of couture when Charles Frederick Worth became the first fashion designer in that he dictated his clients apparel rather than simply following the lead of clients as would a dressmaker . It is no wonder then that French women are held in such high regard for their style.

The article French women don't get schlubby: Fashion divide comes down to classic over trendy, is a tribute to the fashion sense of the French woman. The article says that women of France are not 'fashion victims', that is slave to the latest trends, nor do they blindly follow a certain celebrity or mimic fashion ads. They focus on fewer, pricey albeit quality, classic pieces for their wardrobe and pair these with less expensive and vintage finds. They are simply better at finding their own style according to the author.

However they do have fashion icons though in a bit of a different sense from those in the US. French icons are fewer and more select. Coco Chanel, and  Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot and Jane Birkin are legends known for their style and Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vanessa Paradis and Audrey Tautou serve as mode mavens for the younger generation.

"The style seems very off the cuff," says Bourjois spokeswoman Celine Kaplan, a Parisienne-turned-New Yorker. "We don't have yet the 'celebrity' culture so fashion and style isn't dictated by celebrities who sometimes don't have the right taste levels."

Instead, French women take a few cues from fashion professionals but are even more likely to trust their own instincts, Kaplan says.

"French women don't try to look like anyone else other than themselves," says Frenchwoman Nathalie Rykiel, daughter of designer Sonya Rykiel. "They know who they are and make the most of what they have. Allure, to them, is more about a statement than physical beauty."

French life is slower and more glamorous as the article says and American life can be very fast paced and moderately to very casual (depending on the area of the country). And celebrity-stylists-fashion designers have formed a mutually beneficial relationship to fuel this consumer society. So we can look upon, be inspired by and even admire the Parisian's flair and ease of style but those same sensibilities would have to be translated to the bustle and mercurialness that is this young country's tendency. I applaud the 'effortless' fashion of the French and believe style inspiration can be found across cultures.

Tres Chic!

Jane Birkin and daughter Charlotte Gainsbourg

          Jane Birkin                          Charlotte Gainsbourg

 Audrey Tautou

Vanessa Paradis and partner Johnny Depp

pictures: 1 2