The Clearance Rack cannot contain itself. All the big kids are having huge New Year’s sales right now, sweeping out their winter merchandise and trying to make up for those slow holiday weeks. Many of the discounts are online only. It’s the perfect time to swoop in and score something amazing.

And let’s just start here. TSI readers know that we love this season’s booties, and we worship Christian Louboutin. Barney’s New York must know this too, because they have his adorable lace-up suede Chaperon booties on the sale page ($399, were $995, right). They’ll go with anything, but look especially cute peeking out from a perfect pair of jeans. We’re nominating Current/Elliot’s 1973 Horseshoe Super Loved blues (above left), because we love their bell-bottomed silhouette and it gives us (OMG!) another chance to dress like Katie Holmes , above right. The jeans are $99, marked down from $282.

One of our favorite trends this fall and winter is layers and folds of fabric that play with a garment’s shape and make it feel luxurious. This Nina Ricci sweater coat at Neiman Marcus is a perfect example; it’s so generously cut that we want to cocoon in it, and it’s so pretty that we want to wear it out ($662, was $1,890, above left). Though if we’re out for the evening, we want it to be in this sweetheart of a Carolina Herrera cocktail dress; the refined steel-gray color belies its shimmery danceability ($1,047, was $2,990, above right).

We know you can get Thakoon at Target now, but you can’t get this cute plaid floral collarless coat, all gentlewomanly with its silk cabbage roses and plaid overlay at Saks ($714, was $1,785, above left). Imagine how cute it would be over this classy, classic Fendi duo of a Merino knit turtleneck sweater ($370, was $925, above right) and bell-shaped Italian wool skirt ($336, was $840, left).

We have been enamored with this little gathered Michael Kors dress ever since we saw it on the runway, and we aren’t exactly sure why. It has something to do with Jackie  O., perhaps, with its magnolia print and pretty proportions. At Nordstrom ($909, was $2,295, below).

We’re carrying a slouchy, hobo-ish bag with this flattering BCBGeneration ruched jersey dress, which takes into account our holiday misdeeds and completes the cover-up with flair ($67, was $98, below left). And if it gets chilly, you’ll see us in a red DKNYC double-breasted coat, adorable with its tulip sleeves and eye-catching peplumish lines ($119, was $199, below right).

Hail a cab to Bloomie’s now, because we know you have too many bags to carry on the street. We just have a couple of things to try on here and we’re done for the day. We are crushing on this Free People hoodie, which has all the attributes of a comfy hoodie with a little more style and a little less bulk ($71, was $118, right).  We are blushing for this flirty pink silk Milly Women dress, just because it looks like a party in itself ($309, was $515, below left). And we’re grabbing this Sutton Studio cashmere robe on our way out the door, simply because it and a glass of white wine would be the most relaxing combo this side of the spa ($230, was $330, below right).

We love Vera Wang, she of the quiet, beautiful wedding dresses, the lavender ribbons, the chic clothes that are actually - OMG - wearable. She who knows that pretty is not a sin. She who peeks almost hesitantly from behind the scenes of yet another gorgeous runway show, and then designs an affordable line for Kohl’s that embodies the same philosophies.

We’re about to nominate her, however, for our 2009 Bigger Than Martha Award, given to a celebrity becoming ubiquitous enough to risk overexposure.

No, Ms. Wang is not icing cakes with fondant or replacing window screens with abandon (we hope); nor does she have her own television series (yet). But there’s no denying that she’s getting hard to keep up with. Let’s take a whirl around her world:

After two years of planning and construction, Wang finally opened her Soho store this winter, a mammoth white concoction with 40-foot ceilings and movable walls designed to showcase her ready-to-wear designs (her other two New York stores focus on bridal wear). Dozens of NY’s fashion and media glitterati attended the opening, contributing to the buzz.”I thought it was the perfect market for my kind of couture-meets-street,” she told Fashion Week Daily.

Let’s see, what else? Oh yes. She designs her wedding line (here’s a gorgeous strapless taffeta, $5,000-$8,000, above left), puts together a few runway and ready to wear collections each year (we’re loving this jeweled charcoal gown, $462), designs her Lavender Label (like this cute print wrap dress, $440, above right) and crafts the Simply Vera Vera Wang collection for Kohl’s  (who wouldn’t love wearing this to the office? Especially for $78).

You’ll also find her name on an entire collection of fragrances (Bouquet, Wishes, Truly Pink, Look, Princess and Sheer Veil), on china, crystal, flatware and gifts for Waterford (do you love her Baby Collection, $50-$295?, above left), on personal stationery for William Arthur - you can even find them at Hallmark - and even on a whole slew of bouquets for FTD (this one is gorgeous, and surprise, it’s in shades of purple, $80, above right).

Somewhere in there, she also found the inspiration to contribute a T-shirt design for Barack Obama’s Runway to Change collection ($60); Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway conduct their Bridal Wars warfare in two gorgeous Vera Wang gowns (below), and a Bride Wars contest that ends Jan. 19 will award eight (eight!) Vera Wang bridesmaid dresses to the winner, her place settings to the second-place entry, and her linens to the third-place winner.

Oh, and there’s one more little thing: On Jan. 23, she’ll be inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame. That’s right - as a junior, she apparently cut quite a figure on the ice before she turned to cutting designs in the studio. She’s nominated in the “Outstanding Candidates with a Creative Impact” category, and we think we’ve proven why.

We can’t figure out any reason for this to exist, which means we’re enchanted that it does. Neiman Marcus has a Zodiac Kitty necklace ($950, above) in 18K white and yellow gold with pave diamond trim. Look closely: The Kitty is actually a goat.

Uncommon Goods’ Zodiac heirloom pouch ($28, above left, click on Capricorn in their listing) is handmade by Washington artist Kate Golda. It closes with a handcrafted porcelain button, and is the perfect size for keepsake letters, cards and photos. Every zodiac sign comes with a tag listing three of its attributes; our darling Capricorn goat’s says “determined, hardworking, thoughtful.”

The Capricorn watch from Blue Chopsticks (above right) has miniature heart, sun, stars, moon and golden goat charms floating amid a sky chart that surrounds the analog dial ($45). Oh, and it also tells the time. Amazon offers one that’s a tad more subdued, highlighting the sun and the constellation itself ($49, was $200).

Dream Seeds is a pretty little Web site selling all manner of astrological, fantasy and new age whimsy. We’re in love with their black, white and pink stone-and-metal Capricorn amulet; the crystals are chosen for specific reasons, and no two pieces are alike ($20, below left).

Because you are a Capricorn, we know you’re not capricious in your spending, so you may hesitate before considering this Szul diamond Capricorn pendant ($489, above right). It could be an investment; have you ever known a diamond to let you down?

The January teenager in your house would love this Zodiac dog-tag necklace from Uncommon Goods; one of the recycled sterling tags has the zodiac symbol, the other is engraved with two of the sign’s characteristics (They say we’re wise and patient. We won’t disagree ($90).

Restoration Hardware’s Capricorn paperweight is as dependable and hardworking as we are; crafted in brass, it features RH’s own astrological artwork ($14, was $35). We are especially fond of the fact that the goat is lowering his head in battle, as we’ve been accused of being a bit hard-headed.

And if you really want to make a goat laugh, order the Bad Capricorn mug ($15, left) at Zazzle, which cuts right to the chase: Skeptical, Stubborn, Holds a Grudge, Never Satisfied, Anxious and eight more of our proudest moments. It’s good to be understood.

The Style Insider could stand to gain from a few fashion resolutions. Despite our sage advice for you, we’re as bad as everyone about adding new wardrobe items, getting rid of things we’ll never wear, ‘fessing up to what fits and what doesn’t, what looks good and what doesn’t.  

Thus, our collective brain trust has come up with 10 resolutions for 2009. Perhaps some apply to you: 

1. Act as if we are French. The French have it nailed when it comes to wardrobe and style (see the lovely French woman above?). A

couple of their tactics: Pare the wardrobe down to high-quality essentials that mix and match. Hold on to things we will actually wear, then take good care of them. Also, never leave the house looking like a slob. The French look as good at the grocery store or pushing a pram as they do at the theater. We frequently do not.

2. Don’t give up our mani/pedis. In a tight economy, these are usually the first style casualties. “Oh, we can do those ourselves,” we think. Well, we can’t and when we try it’s not pretty.

3. Obsess over our skin. Vitamins and supplements, peels and retinol, and high quality sunscreen for the face, be you 25 or 55. There are also great facial serums, moisturizers and other skin care essentials that don’t have to cost like Crème de la Mer. Sometimes, CVS is just as good as Bergdorf. (We particularly love all of the Oil of Olay products, and Patricia Wexler’s Skin Regeneration Serum from Bath and Body Works. But we spring for pricey Ti-Silc heavy duty sunscreen from the dermatologist)

4. Look at our most beloved, darling, favorite pair of shoes (like our black suede Donald J. Pliner booties or these shiny Prada jeweled mocassins, above left) and then go get another pair (or something almost exactly like it), in a different color. Or get two extra pairs. What good is a closetful of beautiful shoes if you never wear them because you cannot walk after 10 minutes? We must wear beautiful tall heels that are comfortable, though, because they make us confident and just a little bit taller than the boss. These Valentinos (above right) look comfy because of the platform for a little more support, as do some flashy red Lanvins.

5. Get a good eyelash curler, Sephora’s Go Curl to be exact (left). We’re wasting a lot of mascara if we fail to put that saucy flip to the tip of our lashes.

6. Pare the casual part of our closets by half. We do not need hundreds of concert T-shirts (like those below), jeans we’ll never fit in again or “fat clothes.” Fat clothes are an excuse to get fat, so we are giving them to Goodwill. (Or a resale shop if that’s an option.) While we’re talking tossing, just because something has a designer label on it doesn’t mean we must keep it. Classic looks are one thing, but that YSL sheer wrap skirt that looked wonderful 8 years ago isn’t working for us any more.

7. Think twice about a clothing item that consists primarily of feathers. If it looks bad on Madonna, how do you think it’s going to look on you?  In that same vein, don’t take wardrobe advice from a 17-year-old girl. (Don’t ask.)

8. Find the most fabulous handbag we’ve ever seen and buy it, then carry it for many, many years. We’re leaning toward a beautiful Burberry, like this degrade alligator one from their spring collection (below left), or Armani’s slinky anaconda print handbag, or — if we could have anything at all – Chanel’s “essential handbag” from the spring collection (below right).

9. Add five chic, flattering pieces to our “grown-up” wardrobe. (Oh, and stop calling them our “grown-up” clothes.)

10. Pick out one trend from the spring collections that we will incorporate into our wardrobe. We’re thinking about a single chunky, long, multi-strand statement necklace (like one from the Louis Vuitton runway show (on InStyle.com) or this from the Vera Wang spring show, above left), something in very bright pure white (like this look from the Givenchy lineup, or something from Calvin Klein - above right) or something that just reeks of spring. Perhaps a colorful floral print (here’s one by Oscar de la Renta,below left) or a bold color (like Michael Kors’ brilliant red top and belt)

(Resolutions also contributed by Diane Porter and Ashley Gilroy)

You have probably seen The Sartorialist, a highly regarded fashion blog that consists of beautiful photographs of people on the streets of New York and occasionally other international cities. (The photo above is a recent one from the site.)

Once you admire the fascinating portraits and interesting fashion choices of the Sartorialist’s subjects, you can click around an ever-growing list of street-style sites from metropolitan areas around the world. Some have barely a word to say about their photo subjects, others offer tantalizing little bits of information, and then there are those that talk at length about what and who they’ve photographed.

There’s Face Hunter (mostly London, but also scenes from other cities - photo from the site above) and The Style Scout (also mostly in London). Garance Doré is tres, tres trendy right now — a witty mix of Paris street fashion, sketches and bits of entertaining writing by the author.

Style-Arena from Tokyo is a mish-mash of all kinds of things, but this page of street styles (like the woman pictured above) is further proof that Tokyo residents may be the coolest in all the world. The Streetswalker from Tel Aviv offers translation in the “comments” window and Stil In Berlin provides the designers’ names as well as the photos’ subjects.

Here are more: Style/Clicker from Munich mostly, Copenhagen Street Style, Toronto Street Fashion, On The Corner from Buenos Aires, Hel Looks from Helsinki (a photo from that site above), Reykjavik Looks, Look at Me from Moscow (no translations, none required, a photo from that site below) and The MidWasteland, pictures of Chicago streetwear.

These sites serve as friendly reminders that fashion for men and women all over the globe - and especially in urban areas — is fascinating, edgy, colorful, creative, elegant and sometimes oddly beautiful. There is a consistent theme of risk-taking and statement-making style, from Japan to Moscow to Chicago. They make us want to mix up patterns and colors and fabrics and we’re very sure these people are not buying their clothes from big box stores in malls.

So take a tiny fashion risk for 2009. Wear something a little weird to work today.

Courtney Cox wears Chanel. Beyonce has been seen around with Louis Vuitton. Angelina Jolie plays the field with Dior, St. Laurent, Ferragamo and more. Heidi Klum shimmers in Dita (well, when doesn’t she shimmer, dammit?), and Katie Holmes throws an A-list party with Balenciaga, Dolce & Gabbana, Kors  and Armani. And we’re all over Celebrity Sunglass Finder, a site dedicated to finding out just what the stars are wearing in the way of shades. (We borrowed all the stars’ sun-shady pictures on the Finder site.)

Here are the Ray Ban Clubmasters, for instance ($104 at Best Buy Eyeglasses), and here’s Ashlee Simpson heading out for the day in them (above left). She also worships the Wayfarers (red ones in this case, above right), which are ubiquitous enough to have their own Wikipedia entry (no, we refuse to mention Risky Business. Get over it. But we will show you a picture of Drew Barrymore wearing the same shades, at right, which are $139 at Bloomie’s).

The Lindsey Lohan watch has produced pics of her in a supersize Chanel aviator (above left, $535 at Avelle),  Chloe’s 2125 model ($210 at Sunglasses Avenue), Jee Vice’s Red Hots (above right, $250 at Singer22), and the trendy Ksubi Milkas ($225 at Tobi), among others.

Hillary Duff fan? Check out her black oversize Dita Fever sunglasses  (below left, $225 at Dita Legends). You’re an Eva Longoria watcher? Track down her Prada PS52GS shades in the Bronze & Brown combo ($185 at Best Buy Sunglasses).

We don’t mean to ignore the boys. And Celebrity Sunglass Finder certainly doesn’t. Here’s Brad Pitt (below left) in a pair of Marc Jacobs 215/S glasses ($258 at Go Optic), George Clooney’s oh-so-smooth look from Oceans 13 (below right, the Persol 2243, $117 at eLuxestore), another pair of MJs - the walnut brown 215U/S - on a stubbly John Mayer, and Kiefer Sutherland (at bottom) looking oh-so-ready for another all-nighter in his Blinde Mac Steeds ($285 at Contacts and Specs). The Style Insider would put the fate of the free world in his hands anytime.

Then go get it for yourself. This is important: If you are going to make one winter investment it must be a sturdy, gorgeous pair of booties.

Whether you chose black, purple, red or white, they are the best way to dress down a fancy outfit or spice up a pair of jeans. We know we can’t all afford the gorgeous Manolos and Jimmy Choos, but they are still fun to look at for inspiration. 

We know th0se Christian Louboutin Orniron black booties (pictured at top) are to die for, but at $1,145, they truly could prove fatal when the credit card bill comes rolling in. 

The same holds true for those purple slouchy CO-OP Barney’s New York booties ($335, above left), Burberry’s ankle boots ($850, above right) or these Chloe wrap-around boots at Net-a-Porter ($760, below left).

Now, let’s settle down to earth with some spectacular booties that won’t ruin your credit rating.

We love the bondage style Gianni Bini Stomp ankle boots. You can only find them at Dillard’s — this department store made a smart move when they convinced the Gianni Bini label to sell only at their stores. The sexy booties are $129 (above right).

These Calvin Klein black suede Prosper booties are a classic take on a modern shape. Buy them at Dillard’s for $120 (below left).

The Nine West Papoose shoes are truly a steal for only $60 (above right). They may not fit your classic definition of “bootie,” but they’re close enough. We love them in both black and red. (They would look great with tights!)

Looking for something more Boho-chic? Nine West has distressed leather boots in six shades. Our favorite color is the dark gray pair. They are versatile enough to match black or brown accessories, and they’re on sale for $90, left.

Let your inner rock girl shine through with these gold studded Revenu shoes by Steve Madden. Sure, they may have 4.5 inch heels, but the 1 inch platform makes them a bit more comfortable ($130).

Our best chic ‘n’ cheap find are these sexy purple Miss Me Agnes 9 booties. No one will ever guess that you only spent $30 on these lovely shoes. You can find them at your local DSW.

We loooooove Beauty Snob, because they just don’t stop with the attitude. They pick a Casio EX-Z3000 digital camera based on how great it makes your skin look ($278 at Amazon), and their Snob Trends for 2008 obsess over Clarisonic skin care systems, ($195, above) rotating mascara wands and Thymes diffusers ($60).

A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Shannon believes in pampering, so we’re very compatible. This week she has the bubbly out with Om Aroma’s Elixir de Beaute Champagne facial cleanser ($48, above left); last week she put together a forecast of the top 10 ingredients consumers will look for in beauty products this year (Brazilian Acai, blueberries, Moroccan Argan oil, above right, and  probiotics among them).  

All About the Pretty says that among her New Year’s Expectations (not resolutions, she says), she wants her life to be “full of love, lip gloss and laughter.” This is a girl we want to take to lunch. She’s also totally freaking for the Sedu Revolution hair styler ($140, was $200), and raving for the new Bobbi Brown eye palette, with 35 matte shadows in color-wheel shades ($70).

Inspired Organics makes us want to be better people.  If we can have perfect skin and  go organic, who’s to say we can’t drink soy milk? Buy a hybrid? Start a compost pile? (We’ll get back to you on that last one). We can certainly get enthused about Mary’s top 10 organic products of 2008, which include Kimia’s rejuvenating facial system ($98, above left), Living Nature’s vitalising cleanser ($40) and Akamuti’s pomegranate seed facial oil ($10, above right). She’s an expat living in Britain, so you may have to get them to ship across the pond. But apparently it’s very worth it.

The motto for Aging Fabulous  is “This is When the Fun Starts,” so The Style Insider is sitting up and paying attention. Beth is also worshiping Clarisonic, and she’s giving one away this week. She’s wild for Smashbox’s Halo Hydrating perfecting powder ($59, above) and singles out Sephora’s Shu Uemera mascara as the one she still can’t live without ($22-$27.50).

The Beauty Addict had a busy, and somewhat tough, winter — a new job, a new house and her dad got sick. But all is better now (somewhere in there she even squeezed in a Q&A with Jeanne Van Phue, the makeup artist for the hotter-than-hot Twilight ), and we expect more of her deliciously detailed posts on such things as Philosophy’s 3-in-1 body washes ($16) and the Bvlgari white tea products at the Ritz-Carlton ($85 for a comparable set at Nordstrom, above).

And if you haven’t had enough top 10 beauty product lists to last you, you’ll want to visit Blogdorf Goodman’s counter, where the five self-professed Bergdorf fanatics each reveal their list of must-haves. We’ll do the shorthand for you: Annie’s No. 1 is Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte lipstick ($34, above left), Jessica and Angie both put Queen Medieval  lipstick ($18-22, above right) at the tops of their lists; Cavewoman picked Bond No. 9 Solid Perfume ($85, below), and Melanie’s winner is Wet ‘n’ Wild’s i-Sparkle shadow (we couldn’t find i-Sparkle, but here’s Wet -n- Wild’s MegaEyes for $2).

We’re all familiar with the lose-weight/save-money/get-organized school of New Year’s Resolutions, but The Style Insider would like to propose another curriculum: Renew your space. Whether it’s a studio loft or a sprawling estate, adding something beautiful to bring in 2009 will make you happy all year long. Just   whisper to yourself that you’re worth it:

Anna Millea creates art furniture and textiles for Artful Home and believes that art shouldn’t be confined to a wall. We couldn’t agree more, and we’re deeply in love with her wild leather pillows, which are a riot of swirls and color. We’re lusting over Earth and Sky ($145-$190) and White Dot ($165-$255), but we sure wouldn’t turn Quad Pillow #2  (top) away if we found it on our doorstep ($280).

You can have an espresso maker in your kitchen without looking like the corner barista. San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art offers the Chicca stovetop espresso maker, created of cast aluminum with a coffee-toned finish. Designed by Santi Sircana in Italy, the three pieces command a modern silhouette at the table (sugar and creamer $25 each, were $40; espresso maker $58, was $98, pictured above, left).

Remember those shiny multicolored metal tumblers we all drank out of as kids? They seemed cool and whimsical, and everything tasted better in them. We imagine the same thing happens with Vivre’s tiny  copper spice bowls, which shine with vivid colors (pictured above, right). There will never be a prettier mise en place.

The bubbles rise, your stress falls, and the LED lights radiate serenity even on the most stress-filled day. We love the Paragon’s curvy aqua bubble light, and we really want it in our home office, where it will chase away any uncooperative vibes of the day ($20, above left).

We are so curious about artisanal salts. It’s exactly the kind of thing we love to try, for several reasons, not the least of which is the cool labels and cork stoppers. Are we that shallow? Well, yes, but we really do want to cook with them too, and Red Envelope’s sampler offers us 24 salts to try that come from all around the world. ($150, above right).

Restoration Hardware is breaking our hearts with these architectural crystal obelisk bookends, so impressive in their sleek clarity and contemporary feel. If you’re a glass-and-chrome aficionado, we’re sending them by express mail ($99, below left).

You’ve created a serene space with earth tones and warm furniture, and you’re looking for a finishing piece? Visit bluedango, a Web site committed to fair trade that specializes in ceramics, pottery and home accessories designed by international artists and craftspeople.  We love the Tierra vase, with its hand-etched floral design and earthen heat ($45.50, above right).

We are so freaking out about this crazy-cute Franny pendant light at Perch Designs. We have absolutely no place to hang it, but we don’t care. It comes in seven colors. Envision one of each hanging in a studio, illuminating all kinds of inspirational work ($190)

And if you only have room for one small, exquisite piece, let it be this pomegranate nut bowl. Designed exclusively for Neiman Marcus by artist Michael Aram, it gleams in stainless steel and does a delicate balancing act between form and function. It’s the perfect example of art that not only imitates life, but enhances it as well. ($75).

But her enthusiasm for new, emerging American designers is great for the fashion industry.

Others on their list include model turned French first lady Carla Bruni (she’s perfected the art of looking au courant but not boring), Madonna (although this green feathery-fringed Gucci disaster - above - would knock her off our list), heiress Daphne Guinness (described as an over-40 Paris Hilton “if Paris understood Paris the city, not the brand.”), the rail-thin Lee Radziwill and the never-aging Barbara Walters (below left in Oscar de la Renta).

The Thread video blog on Shine also gives a high five to Michelle Obama, but, humorously, Madonna in her green fringy garb made their “Fashion Disasters” list.  Not limited to people, the terrible trends included black lipstick and baggy boyfriend jeans (think Katie Holmes, above center). They also rapped the knuckles of stars such as Janet Jackson (above right) and Paula Abdul for some red carpet choices.

Vogue Magazine’s 10 best-dressed list has a couple of names you’ll know - Blake Lively, Anne Hathaway - but the rest of their lineup consists of fabulous rich socialites or powerful but not celeb-status women (or their offspring). Truly, do you know who Sonja Van Bebber is?

The catty Fug Girls of The Cut, New York Magazine’s online fashion blog, recite 10 things they learned about celebrity fashion in ‘08. On their list: Jumpsuits look awful (even on the aforementioned Vogue top 10 lister Blake Lively, above left), poor Solange Knowles (Beyonce’s sister, above right) and some very unattractive fashion choices, and “Being on a Reality Show Doesn’t Make you a Fashion Designer” - with shoutouts to Lauren Conrad, Heidi Montag, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.

InStyle.com comes up with their 20 favorite red carpet looks of 2008, and we wholeheartedly agree with Penelope Cruz in Chanel at the Oscars, Anne Hathaway in sky blue Versace at the Venice Film Festival (above left) and Charlize Theron in a stunning black Dior (above right - both pictures from InStyle.com).

We ended our end-of-year list search at venerable WWD, the bible of the fashion industry, and their top “Fashion Moments.” The list included the news that Norma Kamali signed on to do a line for Wal-Mart; Sex and the City made a splashy show on the big screen, Betsey Johnson celebrates 30 years in the fashion biz/ Calvin Klein marks 40/Donna Karan turns 20 (oh, and Macy’s turned 150!); and pageantry of the wildly outrageous lavish Chanel and Alexander McQueen runway shows.