We suspected the minute we walked out the door in our Union Jack dress, similar to the one made famous by Geri Halliwell of the Spice Girls, that it was a mistake. But in the mid-’90s, we were more sartorially adventurous. We felt somewhat vindicated when we saw the Union Jack dress was recently named in a British poll as one of the top 10 most iconic dresses of the past 50 years, along with Princess Diana’s wedding gown and Marilyn Monroe’s infamous white dress. Shine from Yahoo! soon responded with an American list, a timely topic with the advent of two New York City exhibitions: American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection at the Brooklyn Museum.

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When it comes to dessert, we’re not among those women who demurely protest, “Oh, but I shouldn’t!” Firmly in the “I’d love some!” dessert camp, we were delighted to discover Deborah Madison’s Seasonal Fruit Desserts (Broadway, 2010), which contains more than 175 recipes for fresh, seasonal fruit dishes — such as pies, cakes, tarts and puddings — as well as tips for the perfect fruit plate.

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We skipped a recent screening of Sex and the City 2 to attend a poolside dinner party at the Beverly Wilshire Beverly Hills hotel to celebrate the movie’s release instead. (We know — how very L.A. of us!) So, in lieu of a movie review, we’re sharing some of the great tips we picked up at the event.

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Watching personal trainer Jillian Michaels whip the overweight into shape on The Biggest Loser fills us with admiration — and a little fear. We’re not sure we’d want this drill sergeant of a fitness coach to train us, much less move in with us. But that’s exactly what she’s doing this summer on Losing It With Jillian, a new NBC series in which she plays houseguest to a different family each week.

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We’ve long admired Madonna’s sleek physique, as well as her music, of course. And while we know the Material Girl does lots of yoga and cardio, we also know she follows a macrobiotic diet, favoring grains, vegetables and fish over processed and refined foods. Now it’s easier to try it yourself, thanks to Madge’s longtime macrobiotic chef, Mayumi Nishimura, who just came out with a new cookbook, Mayumi’s Kitchen: Macrobiotic Cooking for Body and Soul (Kodansha International, 2010).

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After a season of bulky layers, we’re ready for light warm-weather dresses. Our search for coastal wedding attire and a classic LBD led us to ShopSineNY.com, the recently launched shopping site for three fashion collections: Sine, LAILA and Parameter. VIVmag readers also can get 20 percent off — including sale items — through July 4. Simply enter coupon code “VIVmag20” at checkout!

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We admit we’ve been in a lip color rut of late, usually sticking to glosses in sheer pinks or corals and putting emphasis on creating dramatic eyes. But Tom Ford Beauty’s new Private Blend Lip Color might just infuse some new lip-life into our routine. The fashion designer’s dozen shades — from nude to deep burgundy — are embossed with Ford’s initials and sheathed in elegant cases. “There is no more dramatic accessory than a perfect lip,” Ford says. “It is the focus of the face and it has the power to define a woman’s whole look.”

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As we stood outside Manhattan’s Limelight Marketplace, waiting behind a velvet rope to enter the grand-opening party for a sneak peek at the newly created shopping space, it was easy to recall the deconsecrated church’s previous incarnation as a notorious night spot in the ’80s. Upon entering, however, any traces of its legendary, often seedy club past had disappeared and been replaced with three levels of glossy kiosks selling fancy food items, cosmetics, soaps, home items and clothing.

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