Hey, guys! As you may know, I just became a brand new mama. My three-month-old son is named Everett, and on the day he was born, I resigned myself to an eternal addiction to his baby cheeks (which, much to Everett's future dismay, will probably remain long into his adolescence). Pregnancy wasn't exactly my cup of tea, but it did give me nine months to acquire a preference for a few favorite products that I'd love to share with you. I've also included a few more that have been lifesavers since Everett was born, and a couple I’m aching to try. Fellow moms and moms-to-be: What are your can't live-without-’em picks? Let me know in the comments.

Ask any stylist for his or her must-have basics, and the list will inevitably include two essentials: flattering black pants and a well-fitting white button-down. Sure, it’s easy to wear ’em together and call it a day, but really the only people who should resort to that look are the ones carrying a tray of unpronounceable appetizers at some black-tie shindig. C’mon, we know you can get a little more creative than that! To help you kick your fave neutral combo up a notch, we came up with three fun style rules to try out, then went shopping for a whole bunch of standout items in the two shades. Once you get the hang of it, the possibilities for your own wardrobe are endless.

When it comes to catching the attention of the object of your affection, you want to find an outfit that strikes that perfect balance between girly and sexy. And if you’re planning to wow him on a special night out soon—like, say, Valentine’s Day—you can never go wrong with a great dress. Here are 11 distinctly feminine options guaranteed to highlight your sweet side without giving your boo a toothache.

We here at The Washingtonian are big proponents of making the items in our wardrobe work overtime. We also have a slight addiction to makeup bags (though perhaps not quite as much to makeup), and are always a little remiss to confine the cute pouches to the bottom of our gym bag. So when a reader requested ways to get more mileage out of the cosmetic cases she didn’t have enough product to fill, we knew it was time to let you in on our favorite other way to rock ’em: as mini carryalls on Friday and Saturday night. Dump out the blush and lipstick, throw in keys, credit cards, and your cell, and voilà—your look is complete. Here are 13 options we can’t wait to take for a spin. Oh, and on second thought, keep the lipstick.

All photographs courtesy of Wantful.

The past year with your new boyfriend has been wonderful. You’ve cooked amazing dinners together, explored new neighborhoods, and had tons of fun. This Valentine’s day, all you want to do is celebrate how much you really like each other. You’ve found the perfect outfit and scored a reservation at that killer restaurant you’ve both been dying to try. February 14 is going to be great, you can just tell. The only problem: You still need to buy a present and have no idea where to begin.

Allow us to introduce Wantful, a two-month-old gifting site that could be the answer to your prayers. It takes the information you provide about the recipient’s tastes and interests and selects a range of gift ideas for you to narrow down and for your lucky special someone to pick from. At the end of the day, it’s his choice, so how can you go wrong?

Diamond studs, girly charm bracelets, heart-shaped lockets . . . come February, jewelry companies are consistently guilty of turning out predictable gift options for the lover’s holiday. It’s not that they’re not pretty—it’s just that, well, who wants to give something the giftee will see on every other girl? Off with the tiny cupids and “XO”s, we say! Look like you tried a little harder this year (and spend a lot less money), with a bauble from our roundup of unusual Valentine’s Day jewelry. From wear-’em-everywhere studs to heartbeat bracelets and dirty-word charms, we’ve got something for everyone—especially if you’ve got a sense of humor.

And remember: Unless you’re actually proposing, avoid giving rings, or small boxes that look like they could hold a ring, at all costs. Valentine’s Day is not the day to give a girl the wrong impression.

Photograph by Kip Dawkins, styling by Marcie Blough.