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• Annie Leibovitz in Still Life
  A nude John Lennon hugging a clothed Yoko Ono on Rolling Stone. A heavily pregnant Demi Moore posing naked for Vanity Fair.Portrait photographer Annie Leibovitz, best known for taking these famous shots of celebrities, has brought images of her professional and personal life to the Corcoran Gallery of Art.Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer's Life, 1990--2005 is an exhibit showcasing more than 200 of her photographs from that fifteen-year period. While the exhibit features images of Brad Pitt, American landscapes and the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, it is the photos of Leibovitz's personal life, from the birth of her daughters to her current life in New York, that tug the strings and give visitors a genuine peek into the private life of one of the most influential female photographers of our century.The exhibit will be open to the public until Jan. 13, 2008. Corcoran Gallery of Art , 500 Seventeenth St. NWPhoto is of Annie Leibovitz, as photographed by Susan Sontag, at the Hotel Gritti Palace in Venice in December 1994
• Trend Alert: Wear Your Skull on you Square
  If you think that the pocket square has gone the way of the ascot (ahem, dead), then think again. Thomas Pink has reinvented the charm and attitude that once graced the perfectly put together suit. Check out the shop's skull print pocket square, and dare your man to go goth this holiday. Available at Thomas Pink, The Mayflower Hotel, 1127 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.223.5390
• What to Wear: The Weekend Holiday Party
  In this post, the follow-up to my previous effort on how to dress for a weekday holiday event, you'll find dos and don'ts to help you address the much more difficult what do I wear? dilemma of dressing for a more formal weekend bash.Why more difficult, you ask?To begin, a party held on a Saturday evening means there is no Monday through Friday office dress-code to keep your gaspingly-short hemline, plunging-to-the-navel neckline and wrapped-up-the-calves clubbing heels off the "maybe I should wear this" short list. All that stands between you and an inappropriate outfit is your better judgment -- something that could easily escape you in the moment and be brought to light the following Monday when a colleague stops by your office for a little chitchat.Second, because there isn't an expectation that attendees will be arriving straight from the same professional setting, the range of what women will wear is extremely wide. Even if your invitation clearly states "semi formal," my experience with D.C. holiday parties has taught me that you're just as likely to see a sweeping satin column gown as a flirty cocktail frock or, sadly, a cherry red poly-blend "holiday suit." And finally, if your place of work is hosting its annual event on a Saturday night, chances are the digs will be pretty tony and your superiors will not only be dressed to the nines but to the 10s, 11s and if you're a K Street lobbyist or ConnAve lawyer, potentially the 12s as well. Monday through Friday is for winning these individuals over with your hard work and creative thinking; the holiday party, however, is your time to shine socially and to share with them (and their spouses) your normally-under-wraps wit, charm, sass and intriguing extracurricular interests. To do so as effectively, you need a knockout look to match that knockout personality.When choosing a weekend party look this December, keep the following in mind:DO*Opt for classic, elegant cuts*Keep cleavage and thigh-baring to a minimum*Apply more dramatic eye makeup *Get a pedicure if you decide to wear open-toe shoes*Ask your colleagues what they'll be wearing before you make your final decisionDON'T*Wear something if you haven't yet "earned the right." This especially applies to those women under the impression that the strapless neckline is a universally-flattering one*Err on the side of dressing too casually*Detract from your fabulous dress with gaudy costume jewelry*Decide to wear a pair of five-inch stiletto sandals you've never worn before*Choose clingy fabrics if you plan on dancing or eating in excess
• Tips on Giving and Giving Back
  You knew this day was coming: it's time to buy the holiday gifts. You tried to avoid it. Hoped that everyone on your list would say, "You know, don't worry about it this year." But that's not happening, Sunshine, which means you can either dedicate a bit of brain power to it now or wait until December 23 or 24 and spend five hours in two malls overpaying for 10 gifts. Either way, we have a few of suggestions:1. Your girlfriend probably doesn't look like Heidi Klum or Selita Ebanks, so do yourself a favor and forget what you saw on the Victoria's Secret fashion show earlier this week.2. If it's on a Top 10 Gifts for the holiday list, there's a good chance your father can't use it or doesn't even know what it is. 3. Buy nothing with a holiday theme. No sweaters, no ties, no mugs. No one appreciates those gifts, really. If you're still lost, come to our Toys for Tots Drive Wednesday, Dec. 12, at the Clarendon Grill in Arlington, VA. David Boris and Brian Joyner, "The Guys" behind BeBetterGuys.com, will talk about the hottest gifts for guys this year, while Project Beltway's Rachel Cothran will be providing gift ideas for women. As special guests, Amy Senger and John-Michael Scott, founders of the School of Post Modern Dating, will be offering tips for thriving (not just surviving) dating and being single during the holiday season. Come get some great insight on enjoying the holiday madness while giving to a great charity. Co-hosting will be NBC's D.C. Scene, DCStyleMag.com and Project Beltway. There will be door prizes and an auction of great prizes, with proceeds benefiting Toys for Tots. Location: Clarendon Grill, 1101 N. Highland St., Arlington, VADate: Wednesday, Dec. 12Time: 6:30 to 9 p.m.*An unwrapped new toy or donation is required for entrance. A suggested donation of $20 automatically enters you in to a raffle for merchandise valued at over $4,000. Happy Hour prices until 9 p.m., and proceeds will benefit Toys for Tots.Happy Holidays from Be Better Guys!
• Check Out Chair-man Byrne at Hemphill
  To most a chair is a functional object, meant for support and rest of the human body. To some, they're also a decorative element in living and work spaces. But to David Byrne, chairs are an instrument for artistic expression.For many years, the former Talking Heads front man has been sketching and fabricating chairs from his imagination. As with his chosen subject, the chairs seem to be representative of everyday life. Many even possess human characteristics, forcing the viewer to question if these chairs are, in fact, portraits. Byrne has given us all a chance to decide for ourselves with "Furnishing the Self -- Upholstering the Soul." The exhibit features 13 works (including 2 sculptures) and is on view until Dec. 22 at Hemphill Fine Arts. You may be surprised to realize that you too, relate to a chair.Hemphill Fine Arts, 1515 14th St. NW, 202.234.5601, Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Let the Lists Begin
  The month of December is notoriously filled with year-end lists of the best and worst of everything in show business. This year is no exception. Barbara Walters adds her opinion to the heap tonight, when she interviews her annual picks for the most fascinating people of the year on ABC at 10 p.m. Making the cut are Justin Timberlake, Katherine Heigl, former President Bill Clinton, Victoria and David Beckham and MySpace creators Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe. Heigl has been in the news recently for some interesting comments she made in the January issue of Vanity Fair about how she believes her character in this summer's smash hit Knocked Up was "a little sexist." If you ask me, it sounds like a she's looking a gift horse in the mouth. Tune in tonight to see the rest of the list and to find out who earns the number one spot on "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People" at 10 p.m., after new episodes of "Ugly Betty" (with "The Golden Girls" guest star Betty White) and the conclusion to the two-part "Grey's Anatomy" Thanksgiving episode.
• Universal Male Appeal
  I might be the worst judge of men's beauty products in the world. Don't wear 'em much. Never have. But I just might be compelled to check out the beauty bar at the new Universal Gear store in Logan Circle, which opened Nov. 27 and is triple the size of the old location in Dupont. Gear's beauty bar for guys features high-end skin care products from Kiehl's, Molton Brown, the Art of Shaving and Malin + Goetz. The new boutique will also feature fashion lines from Diesel, Hugo Boss, Ted Baker, John Varvatos and True Religion. Universal Gear President David Franco calls the space a "stunning new facility" that adds to the revitalization of the 14th Street Corridor. Check out the store this Friday, Dec. 7 from 7 to 10 p.m. to celebrate the grand opening. Universal Gear, 1529 14th St., NW
• Trend Alert: Crystal Goth
  You don't have to pr