• Happy New Year!
• Sip champagne/wine/drink/shot
• (Lather, rinse, repeat)

Start off 2011 on a headache-free note by following the hangover redux tips below. Happy New Year!

1. Champagne is obviously a must on Friday night—and mixers will also likely abound. Are there certain types of alcohol that are more prone to result in hangovers?

Alcoholic beverages that use sulfite as preserving agents, such as most wines and beers, may produce a worse hangover for most people. Sulfites are largely present in wine to protect from oxidation, which is also known to cause bad hangovers. Many drinks produce “congeners,” which are toxic metabolic byproducts that are distributed throughout your system as your liver breaks down the alcohol. Though congeners are not the sole cause of a hangover, they definitely play a part in production of a hangover. More expensive drinks tend to have less congeners because they go through a more intensive distillation process. Darker-colored drinks like wine, whiskey, and brandy have more congeners, so these drinks will probably produce a worse hangover, while lighter drinks such as vodka, gin, and white wine have less.

2. Vodka it is! Any advice on what you should eat before a night of hard partying to adequately prepare your body?

Eating regular meals throughout the day is more important than trying to consume a last-minute high-carb dinner right before you go out. Having a normal amount of food in your system will definitely help slow down the absorption of alcohol.

3. What if you’re planning a Veuve Clicquot-only type of evening? Can carbonation or bubbliness increase or decrease the prospect for a raging headache the next day?

It actually has no effect whatsoever. The reason that people tend to complain about hangovers (especially headaches) the day after drinking Champagne is because it is high in sulfites, again, to prevent oxidation.

4. So it sounds like sulfites are the big enemy here. What about dehydration and dreaded cotton mouth?

It is very important to drink a lot of fluids the day before, the day of, and in between drinks when drinking. Drinking small amounts of vodka with a high water content will also likely reduce a hangover—try a vodka and water with lime or a vodka and cranberry juice. If you don’t stay hydrated while drinking, you will almost definitely wake up with a pounding headache that could last the whole day. Not fun and pretty easy to avoid. When you get home from a night of drinking, you should also consider drinking a bottle of water before going to sleep. If you have only had a couple of drinks, take a Tylenol.

5. Do you have a fail-safe plan for the “morning after”? Any truth to the “hair of the dog” mentality?

I can’t recommend it enough—water, water, water. Even if you have to force yourself to drink it, dehydration is the biggest cause of the hangover and it is the best way to get your body back on track and to start feeling better. Also, an Alka-Seltzer is a great cure for the headaches and fatigue that tend to accompany the hangover, and supplements such as magnesium can help replace the magnesium depleted from your body while it processed the alcohol. Besides what you can consume to feel better, exercising is also a way to get the alcohol out of your system and feel more energized.

As far as “hair of the dog” goes, that’s just going to put off the hangover more than cure it. Some people may swear by it, but I wouldn’t advocate it. Instead, cure your hangover the old-fashioned way: water, a Tylenol, and a good, long run in the fresh air. Drinking the morning after a night out is just going to put more toxins in your body and wear you out.

Referenced article HERE.

1. Sky-High Hair

This retro-chic style is sure to make you stand out at any party. Polish the look with a satin headband placed at the crown, like Glee’s Naya Rivera.

2. Faux Hawk

Edge meets elegance in this softer version of the faux hawk. To recreate Marion Cotillard’s sleek half-up ‘do, use pomade along the sides and pin it back underneath the top layers. Finally, tease tresses at the roots and comb back for a soft finish.

3. Retro Waves

You can nod to old Hollywood glamour like Emma Stone with large glossy waves this New Year’s Eve. To get the look, create a side-part with a comb and place one-inch sections of hair in medium- to large-size hot rollers. Remove rollers after 30 minutes and lightly brush through for a soft finish

4. Short Cut

Looking to make a big change for the New Year? Follow Ashlee Simpson’s lead by letting go of your long locks and sport a chic pixie cut!

5. Soft Chignon

Few hairstyles are as timeless as the chignon. Put a spin on the classic ‘do by moving the bun slightly off center like Camilla Belle.

6. Ultra-Textured Tresses

What better night to sport wild “bed hair” than New Year’s Eve? To get Jessica Biel’s sexy tussled tresses, take a large-barrel curling iron (approximately 1-3/4 inches) to your hair and then generously massage thickening cream a few inches from the roots down to the tips.

7. Sleek Ponytail

Ponytails aren’t just meant for the gym! Pull off the sleek look like Kim Kardashian this New Year’s by bringing hair high at the top of your head (making sure to brush out any bumps) and securing it with an elastic band. Finally, flat-iron the tail and finish with a light hairspray.

8. Side Braid

Braids are back in a big way this season! Complete your dazzling New Year’s Eve look with the trendy, youthful side braid like Selena Gomez.

9. Flapper-Chic Hair

The new hit show Boardwalk Empire has made prohibition-era style all the rage. So ring in the New Year with roaring ‘20s flair by framing your face with finger waves.

10. Long and Polished

Sometimes the best complement to a rockin’ New Year’s Eve party dress is a ‘do left down. Get silky smooth locks like Beyonce by running a flat iron down your hair and finishing with a light hairspray.

Referenced article HERE.

1. Pop the Cork

It’s a damn shame that most people limit their champagne intake to the holidays, because there isn’t much a good champagne can’t do. A vintage-dated bottle has all the structure of a fine white Burgundy (or for that matter, a red one). Rosé champagne may be the most versatile wine in the world, toeing the line between powerful white and light red. And champagne’s bracing acidity makes it an ideal partner for a wide variety of foods. Champagne must come from the Champagne region of France; sparkling wine made anywhere else in the world must have a different name (Cava, Prosecco, etc.). Though champagne is light colored, it is usually made from a blend of two red grapes and one white. Blanc de blancs is champagne made entirely from Chardonnay. It is lighter, crisper, and better on its own as an aperitif. Blanc de noirs is champagne made from only red grapes with their skins removed, mostly Pinot Noir. It is softer and fuller-bodied. If you like dry champagne, look for Brut on the label. Extra dry means medium dry, sec means slightly sweet, and demi-sec means quite sweet. Drink demi-secs after a meal, with dessert. Nonvintage champagne has no year on the label. Wines from multiple harvests go into the blend, and bottles typically sell for $35 and under. Drink such champagne within five years of purchase. And not just on New Year’s Eve.

One nonvintage champagne to try: Bellefon Brut NV, $29.99

2. Vintage Champagne

When you want a champagne with more heft, more profundity—more everything—look for something with a date on it.

Most champagne is nonvintage, meaning it’s a blend, or cuvée, combining wine from the most recent vintage with reserves from prior years. The goal is a consistent “house style” that never fluctuates.

In great years, exceptional wines are selected for a vintage-dated cuvée. Vintage champagnes are aged a minimum of three years before release, as opposed to just fifteen months for nonvintage.

Cristal, Dom Pérignon, and La Grande Dame are “prestige cuvées”—the most rarefied vintage-dated wines, which age even longer before (and after) release.

Nonvintage champagnes skew cleaner and lighter, whereas the vintage stuff brings a toastier, more appley richness; it has a potent structure more suited to dinnertime than to the cocktail hour.

One to try: Champagne Dom Pérignon, vintage 1999, $150

3. Pink Champagne

Like all champagnes, rosé can be made only in the Champagne region of France (otherwise it’s simply sparkling pink wine). The pink hue comes from a little red wine being added to the base or from grape-skin contact early in the process.

Despite the bubble-gum color, almost all rosé champagne is completely dry. This is often indicated by the word brut on the label. Sweeter bottlings usually have the word demi-sec. Drink these after dinner or with dessert.

Rosé champagne pairs better with food than white champagne. It has a bit of the richer, firmer structure of a red wine, so you can drink it with roast duck, lamb, or even rare steak.

One to try: Nicolas Feuillatte NV Brut Rosé, $38

4. Prosecco

Think of this Italian favorite as the Everyman’s champagne. It’s generally lighter than the famous French sparkler, less refined, and much less expensive.

Proseccos are meant for drinking, not analyzing. However, some are better than others. Expect to pay between $12 and $25 for a good bottle.

Some labels say “spumante,” meaning the wine is just as bubbly as champagne. Others say “frizzante,” which means they are only lightly sparkling.

Prosecco is what’s used in a Bellini—the famous sparkling-wine-and-white-peach-puree cocktail. Of course, you could also just mix Prosecco with orange juice for an Italian mimosa—which makes more sense than using a $50 bottle of champagne, no?

One to try: Nino Franco Rustico, $16

5. Champagne’s Indie Movement

The champagne industry might be dominated by big brands, but lately it’s the tiny grower-producers that are attracting all the attention in the fizz biz.

These are small-production, artisanal wines, produced by vineyard owners who might have otherwise sold their grapes to large houses such as Moët & Chandon or Veuve Clicquot (two brands that, by the way, account for more than half of all champagne sold in America).

Although grower champagnes still represent a mere blip on the screen in terms of sales, it’s a much bigger blip than it was a few years ago, thanks at least in part to the enthusiasm of the pros.

The grower-producer is usually denoted by the initials RM—for récoltant-manipulant, or harvester-maker—on his label (although other labels will say NM; a long story that we won’t get into here), and the typical vintner in this category farms ten or twenty acres and produces maybe twenty or thirty thousand bottles per year.

They are usually gutsy, earthy styles of champagne, often dominated by one grape (typically Chardonnay or Pinot Noir), and are often deliciously affordable. I’ll go a step further: In terms of price for quality, these may offer the best wine values around.

6. Magnum Force: When to Think Big

You see those supersize bottles of wine gathering dust on backbars and store shelves and you wonder: Who buys those things? You, that’s who—at least on New Year’s. A large dinner party is the perfect—and perhaps only—occasion for the everyday wine guy to invest in magnums and their larger, biblically named brethren (like jeroboams, which hold either four or six “normal bottles”). Not only does wine mature more slowly (and taste better) in larger bottles, but the bottles themselves look impressive in hand and give your wine presentation some focus. One magnum (two bottles’ worth) easily serves a dozen, enabling you to pour the group in one shot, giving new life to the phrase “the host with the most.”

Referenced article HERE.

1. One-Shoulder Draped Dress

Banana Republic dress, ~$175 (BUY HERE)

With a chic elastic belt that cinches your waist and a skirt that makes legs look extra long, you can’t go wrong with this style. Another upside to pencil skirt shapes: They conveniently smooth a lower-stomach pooch, no matter how many patés you sample throughout the night!

2. X-Shaped Draped Dress

Rachel Roy dress, ~$89 (BUY HERE)

You can never go wrong with a Grecian-inspired sexy silhouette! With its deep V-neck, gathered fabric that hides stomach bulges, and modest length, this versatile and sleek cocktail dress is a surefire winner!

3. Marquesa Dress

Rachel Roy dress, ~$99 (BUY HERE)

This stunning Rachel Roy dress features X-shaped geometric draping, which is a very effective slimming technique. Why? Because angles are our friends, ladies. The sharp lines create a barely-there waistline, and the asymmetrical back casts a flattering light on sculpted shoulders.

4. Printed Faux-Wrap Dress

BCBGMAXAZRIA Dress, ~$83 (BUY HERE)

The plunging V-neck on this designer dress draws the eye down and in, creating the illusion of a slim waist, and the pattern framing the neckline helps you appear narrower. Genius!

5. Lacy Pleat Dress

BCBGeneration Womens Pleat Combo Dress, ~$138 (BUY HERE)

How Joan Holloway is this lace dress?! Retro glamorous with shutter pleating for figure-flattering texture and sheer, it’s also office-party appropriate thanks to the classy, ornate lace at the neckline and sleeves.

6. Trench Dress

Avenue Plus Size Trench Dress, ~$40 (BUY HERE)

It’s a trench! It’s a dress! It’s a trench dress! Its broad shoulders make your waist look smaller, while its flared skirt helps camouflage extra junk in the trunk. Wear it with show-stopping heels and your legs will be the stars of the evening!

7. Black-and-Grey Stretch Dress

Rampage Sleeveless Dress, ~$45 (BUY HERE)

This comfy shirtdress is slimming because it gives you kickin’ curves that are practically painted on! Thanks to its sleek lines, from the front you appear half the size you actually are, and from the back you’ve got the perfect, coveted hourglass shape—without even trying! We recommend strutting your stuff in sleek, black pumps to continue this dress’s inky graphic motif.

8. Sexy Leopard Dress

Leopard dress, ~$56 (BUY HERE)

Get ready to catch people staring (and maybe even drooling) when you show up at your next cocktail party. This number features a soft, stretchy sateen fabric that’ll keep you looking perfectly packaged all night long and a skinny belted pencil skirt that gives you a high, and consequently smaller-looking, waist. Accessorize this wild print with a solid color like red, purple, or green for a fashion-forward effect.

9. Pink Label Control Belt Dress

Chadwicks Shape Benefits Dress, ~$59 (BUY HERE)

With a built-in fitted slip that flattens your tummy and holds in hips and thighs, a shelf bra that supports and enhances your bust, and a high-waisted belt to draw attention to your tiniest area, this dress does it all!

10. Black-and-White Paneled Dress

Shape fx Sculpting Pencil Dress, ~$69-$79 (BUY HERE)

As seen in Oprah’s magazine, O, this pencil dress has shape-slimming side panels and a covered belt that lends a lean, sculpted look!

Referenced article HERE.