Zip up your style and get ready for spring

Spring is on the way, so it’s time to ditch those big bubble coats for something cooler, like a hoodie.

Hoodies are the new T-shirt, especially during the in-between seasons when it’s not quite hot and far from cold. A good hoodie can be chic or street, and popular lines like Kid Robot, Juicy Couture and Free People offer a mix of both.

Starlets like Beyoncé and Jessica Alba rock hoodies often on their downtime, and so can you.

Here’s a few to show you what’s good in a hood:

CLASS IN MANY COLORS: Keep it classic and timeless with this J. Crew essential. Soft and lightweight, you can rock it with jeans or pair it with your favorite spring dress. It comes in more than a dozen colors, from deep yellow to bright ocean blue. And it can be monogrammed, so it makes an awesome gift. Cashmere Shrunken Hoodie, $178, jcrew.com exclusive

TATTOO-RIFFIC: This pop-over hoodie is perfect to pair with leggings and heels, and it’s currently the Hollywood hotness. Christian Audigier left Von Dutch to launch his very own Ed Hardy line, a tattoo culture-inspired line that is fun, sexy and takes a page from tattoo godfather, Ed Hardy. The line is loved by everyone from Janice Dickinson to the kids of “Run’s House.” Women’s Cashmere Touch Hoodie, $143, donedhardy.com

CUTE FOR A CAUSE: This cute hoodie is an everyday piece with a fun ’80s vibe. There are also matching pants. Zissou & Spike, worn by the likes of Tori Spelling and Jamie Pressly, is a line inspired by dogs, and 10 percent of the annual sales are donated to the Best Friends Animal Society. So look cute and give back. Zissou and Spike Kiss Logo Hoodie, $140, bbharrisclothing.com

With coordinating fashions, good looks run in the family

Most little girls’ first fashion icon is her mom.

Mom has the coolest shoes, the best jewelry and all that makeup. In her closet you can be queen for a day, a supermodel or even the president.

So, what’s better than dressing in Mom’s clothes? Dressing just like her. We’ve all seen the luxurious Valentino mother-and-daughter bags that Angelina Jolie and her daughter Zahara rock. Now lots of lines from Juicy Couture and Rock & Republic to Ed Hardy and Junk Food offer mini versions of the adult styles.

Here are a few sweet picks for those mommy-and-me days:

In Step Together: Wellies will make a real splash with your favorite fashionista in training. Rock these rain boots with her and teach her to have fun with fashion. Chooka polka dot rain boots for women $60, for girls $40, piperlime.com

The Princess and the T: Your princess will feel like real royalty donning Snow White with her mom. Pair it with some jeans and take your twin out on the town. Disney Couture Snow White for women $35, for baby $25, electricladyland.com

Carry It Off: Make your mini feel like a model with these cute, fun Dooney bags. She can be fashionable just like Mom without having a complete matching outfit, just an accessory to bond in style — and you can always leave your large bucket bag at home and borrow her small flap for when you meet your girlfriends for a mimosa. Dooney & Bourke Crossword large bucket $195, small flap $210, Macy’s and macys.com

Hit the parties looking festive and fabulous

We’re well into the holiday season, and that can mean only one thing: party time!
No matter what you celebrate, you probably have one or more festive events on your schedule between now and New Year’s Eve.

It’s a time to spend with friends and family and a time for fashionistas to look fabulous.

Trends this season include silver and black metallics, menswear-inspired grays, wide-legged trousers, bubble dresses and high-waisted pencil skirts.

Your best bet for holiday hotness is to build your look around a few festive pieces, like these, that will carry you through the season:

Hip Hot: Holiday Hot: Nanette Lepore Monaco dot blouse, $280 Present it:This deep V-neck silk shirt is easy to dress up with wool trousers or wide-leg jeans. With its empire waist and poet sleeves, it softens up the menswear-inspired looks, and the polka dots make for subtle festive fun. Available:Standard Style, standardstyle.com

Holiday Hot:Voll trench coat dress, $72 Present it:It’s fashion and function. With its pretty pleats and big buttons, this charming piece can be worn as a dress or a coat — and there are two front pockets big enough for your cell phone, keys and lip gloss. Available: Spool, ilovespool.com

Holiday Hot: Joe’s Jeans Wide Leg Muse, $174 Present it: The skinny jean is still sexy, but the wider leg lends a sophisticated and still alluring silhouette that moves nicely when you walk or dance. Dress them up with pumps and a silk shirt or get funky with a sequined tank. Available: Standard Style, standardstyle.com

Holiday Hot: Tomboy bow dress, $450 Present it: Covered in bows, this dress is a showstopper. Not only will you be the belle of the ball, you’ll be the best-wrapped gift. Available: Tomboy Design Studio, tomboydesign.net

Gift-giving season — it’s that time of year when we rush to stores in search of hot holiday steals

But before you make your list, think about gifts that give to everyone. All kinds of causes come paired with gift items: Tees at Nordstrom and Delia’s translate into contributions to the World Wildlife Fund; Kenneth Cole shirts support the fight against AIDS and homelessness; a line of Coach exclusives supports the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

So whatever you are shopping for, there’s probably a cause you can support at the same time. After all, charity is the new black.

Here are a few finds to get you giving and gifting:

The gift: Pink Pony Polo Match polo, $125 The giveback:, Ralph Lauren has an entire Pink Pony line dedicated to the Pink Pony Fund to fight cancer. It supports programs for screening, early diagnosis, treatment and research and helps patients in medically underserved communities navigate the complexities of the health-care system. Available: Ralph Lauren stores and online at ralphlauren.com

The gift: Guess Invisible Children tee, $24.50, tank top, $19.50 The giveback: All proceeds benefit Invisible Children Foundation (invisiblechildren.com). Dedicated to helping war-affected children of Uganda, the organization supports access to education, life skills and economic opportunity. Available: Guess stores and online at guess.com

The gift: Philosophy Inner Grace 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath, $22 The giveback: 100 percent of the proceeds from Inner Grace go to the Christopher and Dana Reeve foundation to help fund the search for a cure for paralysis. Philosophy also offers products that benefit sexual assault survivors, rain forests, cancer research and PBS. Available: Macy’s, Nordstrom and online at philosophy.com

The gift: Gap (Product) Red scarf, $75 The giveback: Half the profits from Gap (Product) Red styles go directly to the Global Fund to help fight AIDS (joinred.com). Gap has created an entire line of clothing and accessories for men, women and children to help finance comprehensive national HIV/AIDS programs, provide anti-retroviral treatment for children and adults and preventive education in Africa. Available: Gap stores, online at gap.com