On the newest addicting reality TV show, MTV's Styl'd, five sassy junior assistant stylists compete to land a spot at the Margaret Maldonado Agency in Los Angeles, CA. The show follows 'em for two months as they dress celebs like Kim Kardashian (fab) and Tyler Hilton (drool).

We're three or four episodes in, and in true reality style, the drama is already escalating: one mondo broken rule, one stylist fired (and now back on probation), one crashed car, and one potential no-no relationship! We're at the edges of our seats, and we love it.

We caught up with three of the junior stylists--Tara Ahmadi, Gary Samulian and Cody Conti--and in the spirit of the holidays, asked them for their best advice on how to survive this holiday season and stay stylish with the long winter ahead:

What are 5 key pieces every woman should have in their closets this winter?

Tara: This winter, every woman should bring out the rouge and dig into her closet for anything that evokes a little Alexis Carrington. Following that, a mohair cardigan, a leather jacket, thigh-high leather boots, a tuxedo jacket and a white mini-dress will get her through even the harshest of winter nights.

Cody: A classic little black dress, a classic black or grey suit, two staple skirts--one short and one long--a pea coat or vintage-inspired blazer, and great shoes. You only need two pairs--great boots and classic high-heels.

Gary: Cashmere pashmina, your favorite pair of dark denim either baggy or skinny, a conic leather jacket, grey suede ankle boots and a white T-shirt.

Do you have any tips on how to stand out when wearing so many bulky layers?

Cody: Keep it tailored and simple. Otherwise, all styles of knits and cashmere sweaters, crew neck, turtleneck, hoodie, or tunic will keep you trendy. I recommend this season's pea coat with a warm scarf as a stylish top layer. Just stay away from a long belted sweater, especially over layers--it tends to make everyone look like a sack of potatoes!

Gary: It's so fun to layer. Experiment with different colors like gray, navy, black and taupe. And, mix materials like suede with cashmere and wool.

What kind of statement accessories do you recommend that are both affordable and wearable?

Tara: I recommend women try fun statement accessories like chains. Body chains, a la Bliss Lau, are unexpected underneath a plunging neckline or backless dress. There are many DIY versions on Etsy.com for cheap. Also, boot chains are another affordable and wearable way to jazz up even the most simple pair of shoes. You can even use vintage necklaces or chains from Home Depot to make a plain-jane boot into a one of a kind piece!

Gary: For a statement accessory, I always think it's best to keep it simple. I really like skinny, layered rings, and also to mix metals like gold, rose-gold, silver, and black gold.

What advice do you have for women to decide which trends to invest in?

Cody: Pick up trends that are classic and priceless--ones that will never go out of style. And always have fun with accessories!

Tara: I think women should invest in wearable pieces, not necessarily trends. If a trend can seamlessly translate into a woman's wardrobe and personal style, it is worth splurging on. If not, she should save her money to build a strong basic wardrobe foundation and then play around with cheap high street trendy pieces.

What, in your opinion, is the ultimate fail-safe holiday party outfit?

Gary: My ultimate holiday outfit would be a black leather pant, with a stacked platform boot. I would add a fun colored tweed jacket, with a printed festive blouse underneath. Then layer on the jewelry and accessories, and top it off with a fur shawl!

Cody: The little black dress. This kind of dress will emphasize your best features. Also, you can use great accessories to make it look different and fun. If you truly want to mix it up, I'm loving olive green and purple for this season--don't be afraid to add a little color.

Personally, we love the body chains and the olive green. To see these junior stylists in action, tune in to MTV's Styl'd on Tuesdays at 11 p.m. EST!

--Venus Tsang

All of us know what it's like to invest in a pair of amazing shoes--whether they are a must-have pair of Christian Louboutin's (they're a total splurge, but we'll have them forever and then pass them down to our daughters) or a sexy pair of Giuseppe Zanottis that will turn heads. And, being the bargain-seekers that we pride ourselves on being, we'll go searching for the best deals around before we make that unbelievable purchase.

However, with the rise of many online outlets that offer huge selections of shoes to drool over, the risk of buying shoes from a designer scam Web site is significant. Too many women have been duped into buying a pair of "authentic" designer shoes at discount prices only to find that they aren't authentic at all. To make matters worse, the scam site won't accept a return.

To help you find real designer footwear, one of our favorite Web sites for all things shoe-related, The Shoe Goddess, just launched a scam alert page. The section will caution readers about sites that sell counterfeit goods. "While people know about the counterfeit issue, few realize how prevalent it is in the world of the Internet," says The Shoe Goddess founder, Florence Azria.

In addition to it being a problem because these women lost the money they shelled out for non-returnable counterfeit shoes, the fake shoes that are being sold are often times made in factories with underpaid employees in horrible conditions. This completely takes away from the craft and work that goes into making a high-end pair of shoes, while supporting ill treatment of factory workers!

Ladies, be careful before you spend the money to buy the shoes that you always dreamed of owning. Head over to The Shoe Goddess to see the growing list of scam sites to avoid. And if you've been a victim of a scam site or know of one, don't forget to ask The Shoe Goddess to add them to the list.

--Venus Tsang

Of course you remember Christian Siriano--he's that super-awesome, flamboyant designer who won Project Runway's fifth season. We consider him to be the most successful Project Runway winner to date--his runway shows have been highly successful, not to mention major celebs have been spotted wearing his fashion-forward creations on red carpets and at high-profile events, including models Heidi Klum and Caridee English.  

With such a great vision for style and a keen eye for all things fabulous, we can breathe a sigh of relief because his book is on the way. FIERCE STYLE: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self will be in stores in three days. Let the countdown begin!

In the meantime, here's a little tease (in the form of Siriano's quick tips on how to shop sales)...

• Go in January. Boutique and department-store employees always need a sale after Christmas, so they'll treat you like royalty--on top of selling you something fabulous at a discount!
  
  
• Get on mailing lists. Whenever you find a store that you like, ask to be added to their mailing list. You'll be the first to know when they're having a sale and be one step ahead of other shoppers. (Shopping as a competitive sport--I love it!)
  
  
• Don't obsess over sales. If you do, you'll miss out on things. Lots of pieces don't ever get marked down and things sell out, so enjoy your sale shopping, but don't go crazy.

--excerpted from FIERCE STYLE: How to Be Your Most Fabulous Self by Christian Siriano (with Rennie Dyball) from Grand Central Publishing, on sale October 5, 2009

I have a dozen (fashionista) friends who live in (a box) New York City. Their main problem: No closet space. They're all jealous of my walk-in shoe closet (ahem, former pantry)--you see, I live in New Jersey and have the luxury of (errr) space.

To help my sad fashion mavens with their shoe woes, I suggested that they get themselves shoe racks or shoe organizers. Their response: They look insightly in hallways, over doors and in bedrooms in broad daylight.

They're right. So, to help them out, I went on a hunt for a shoe solution that isn't 1) unsightly in hallways; 2) doesn't hang over doors in an ugly fashion; 3) innocent bystanders won't be offended by--even if it is, in fact, in their bedrooms.

The solution: Shoes Under, a space-saving shoe organizer. Right now, you can get two of them--each holding 12 pairs of shoes--for only $10 (plus shipping and handling, of course) at ShoesUnders.com. And the best part is, they have a zipper, see-through cover so you will protect your fabulous heels and flats from dust, moisture and bugs. But, you can still see them during your shoe search.

How are your shoes organized?

--Ysolt