Most of us love fashion yet hate the trampede of shopping bags and credit cards during the holiday season. Aside from dropping your dough on incorrect sizes, fits and colors at online retail shops, may I suggest fashion books as a safe and educational alternative? Thanks to the internet gods, it's easier and sometimes cheaper to buy books online than face the threat of elbows and "sold-out" signs. Here is a list of my favorite fashion books this season:

For the trendy, wardrobe-flipping best friend who seems to always be on top of the fashion world, get her a subscription to Fashion Trends - The Forecast Book, $385.

For the wanna-be do-it-yourself co-worker who needs a lesson in sewing, pick up Built by Wendy's Sew U, $17.15.

For the Facehunter and the Sartorialist stalker who longs to emulate  street fashion, pick up The New York Look Book: A Gallery of Street Fashion, $16.47.

For the arty, avant-garde fashionista who has it all, an issue of Visionaire, which is more like an art object, may be a wonderful treat.

For the budding fashion historian and collector of encyclopedias, pick up The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Costume and Fashion History: From 1066 to Present Day, $16.47.

This is the biggest week for holiday parties, both at work and with friends, and ladies across the city are all wondering "What the heck am I going to wear?" With New York's diverse retail shops, you would think that dress shopping would be easy, but I'm sure wading through racks of ugly sequinned numbers or animal prints can be a bit overwhelming. My suggestion: Stay simple, pick something you can wear again, and accessorize your outfit with shimmery tights, belts and vintage jewelry.

This American Apparel Pencil Dress can be styled to your liking, and for a mere $34 it leaves you with enough money for some sexy shoes. Urban Outfitters has some great party dresses this season, but this $54 Lux Baby Doll Dress can be worn casual without the belt or with jeans, or more formal with a belt and tights.

I can't say more about how essential the little black dress is. This sequined number from Bebe will cost you $98 but you won't need much else besides some simple jewelry. Happy shopping and good luck out there!

1. I don't mean to get all macaroni-glued-to-construction-paper on you, but I just can't help it--'Tis the season for craft fairs! For an entry fee of $1 you can hit up Bust Magazine's Craftacular and a get chance to meet Amy Sedaris.

2. For a less crowded, non-commercial feel, roll out to Bushwick, the struggling artists paradise, for the Handmade Holiday Craft Fair at 3rd Ward.

3. Squeeze in some Native American art while you shop at the holiday market at the National Museum of the American Indian this weekend. The 36 Native American artists will be selling handmade art, apparel and jewelry.

4. Fashionistas who cringe at the thought of wearing the same thing as someone else should check out the Style Market at F.I.T. for one-of-kind threads, accessories and jewelry.

5. Tired of the old dinner and bar Friday routine? Go for some baked yumminess and tea at Alice's Tea Cup II before taking in a fashion discussion at the French Institute between Pamela Golbin, a Parisian fashion curator, and Olivier Theyskens of Nina Ricci.

(Photo Courtesy of Bust's Craftacular)

The holidays are here, and you find yourself in the uncomfortable position of shopping for your girlfriend/sister/mother/homeless cat lady. Don't worry guys (or women who hate shopping), we have the perfect solution: Our Gifts for Her roundup!

For your first stop, check out the Taschen store in Soho. Paris Mon Amour ($14.99) is a collection of Paris scenes from some of the city's most renowned photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Doisneau. What girl doesn't love Paris?

Next, stop by Jonathan Adler's West Village shop for some extremely hip home goods. Mod pillows, scented candles and absurdly cool pottery all make for amazing gifts.

Finally, if your relationship is in the meet-the-parents stage instead of the maybe-I'll-call-after-the-game stage, you should consider opening up your wallet and splurging. This Hayden-Harnett "Tharpe" hobo bag in grey leather ($548) from hh design: shop is chic, subtle and perfect for everyday use.

Check out six more shopping suggestions in the rest of our Gifts for Her feature. Enjoy!

1. 'Tis the season of holiday markets! Buy some fudge, hit the Bryant Park ice rink or find a unique gift from one NYC's many crafty holiday market vendors.

2. Is there anything better than devoting your Wednesday evening to shopping at The Gen Art Fashion Sale, drinking cocktails and getting your hair and nails done? No, unless of course you're watching Project Runway.

3. Forgo Sunday mass this weekend and check out the art show by the politicking British graffiti artist Banksy at the Vanina Holasek Gallery.

4. Sunday boasts an armload of crafts and art shows. Hit up the Dirt Cheap One Day Art Fair at the Stain bar in Williamsburg or the Astoria Craft Collective Holiday Show at the Waltz Astoria.

5. Wanna have a chat with Bruno Frisoni, the brains behind the famous design house that created the stiletto heel? Hit up the Q&A with the Roger Vivier genius tonight at the French Institute.

If you sat in bed all day Friday recovering from the turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie, you missed out on the mac daddy day of shopping known as Black Friday. You're in luck though because today is Cyber Monday! Created by Shop.Org, Cyber Monday is one of the busiest online shopping days of the year and is set to bring in lost sales from over the weekend. Retailers include Target, Apple, eLuxury, Sears, Bluefly and others, many offering free shipping and discounts of up to 40 percent. Check out these great fashion buys under $200 from Bluefly and eLuxury. Happy clicking!

Photos: Cynthia Vincent Sweater $125.99, Juicy Couture Dress $197, Autumn Cashmere Sweater $130.50, Lotta Stensson Mini Dress $134.99, Juicy Couture Jacket $179, Karta Dress $199,

(Photos Courtesy of Bluefly and eLuxury)

The day before Halloween is upon us and I'm sure most of you have your packaged costumes from Ricky's ready to go. Some of us on the other hand have resorted to poking holes in our bedsheets for that old school ghost costume (go here for directions). Desperate partygoers who cringe at the sight of yarn and scissors should check out these witty Halloween T-shirt costumes instead.

Sci-fi geeks rejoice! Urban Outfitters is carrying a line of Star Wars T-shirt costumes, including R2D2 (photo, left), Darth Vader and Chewbacca.  Wanna blend in with the rest of the sexy costumes but lack the guts to pull off an apron and feather duster? This French maid costume from t-shirts (photo, right) along with the sexy nurse and sexy cop T-shirt is your answer (caution: next day delivery may be a bit pricey). Gather a crew of dancers, some white gloves, plastic switch blades and this M.J. shirt (photo, below) from Threadless and "Beat It" through the Halloween parade. Happy Halloween!

Halloween is only two and a half weeks away, so I feel the need to talk about an important issue: couples costumes. They are a blight on this sacred holiday. Ironic couples costumes can work. I had a friend who once dressed up as a bloody Roy and with his girlfriend as a white tiger, which was hilariously inappropriate and therefore acceptable.

But "cute" couples costumes just make people hate you. Nobody wants to see you wear matching knit sweaters, why would they want to see you dressed as a Hershey Hug and Kiss? Before you hit up the Halloween stores, you might want to take a look at these atrocities:

I can't really grasp the subtext on this one...

This is the worst thing anyone has ever done, ever. At least they will never have to wait in a bathroom line. Am I right or am I right? 

For those of us who were stuck in a windowless building yesterday and missed the lovely fall of snow, this weekend will be our chance to break out the earmuffs and snow boots and hit the New York scene with these five fashion events.

1. Take a stroll through Soho and the Bowery on Saturday and tour some of the scandalous brothels and speakeasies through the Dandies, Dudes and Shady Ladies walking tour. After this afternoon exercise, treat yourself to a pre-Valentines gift at the Agent Provocateur sale.

2. Now's your chance to woo fellow co-workers and potential significant others with a more than yummy lunch date at anyone of the fancy restaurants during New York's Restaurant Week. Book now or be very sorry.

3. A fan of Native American arts and culture? Check out the array of costumes and objects in the show Beauty Surrounds Us at the new Diker Pavilion in the National Museum of the American Indian.

4. Housing Works Thrift Shop is finally opened in Brooklyn! Run over to the grand opening in Brooklyn Heights today and purchase some vintage designer goods or antique furniture and donate to under served victims of AIDS in the city.

5. For some reason the Weimar Republic is just a hot topic right now. Head over to the International Center of Photography and check out the photo exhibit, Louise Brooks and the "New Woman," in Weimar Cinema and finish up the day by visiting the MET's exhibit, Glitter and Doom.

(Photo Courtesy of MathewAjay)

If you have any presents you still need to return at Bloomingdale's (or Urban Outfitters ... for political reasons), a perfect lunch stop-off is Jean-George Vongerichten's JoJo. The $24 three-course lunch special, available every day, is an affordable way to sample the restaurant's elegant cooking. Oddly, "elegant casual" defines the dress code, but barring shorts and sneakers, your new purchases should have you covered. (Photo by Sara Hadley)