Style can be deceiving.

When I received my June Elle in the mail, I was quite distressed to see Megan Fox on the cover in all her trashy-clothed, tattoo-baring glory.


I understand that men find her attractive, but she does not belong on the cover of one of the top fashion magazines in the country. I was so embarrassed to be holding the magazine--while wearing my beloved neon pink BCBG Runway skirt and Kors gladiator sandals--that I had to tell every coworker who would listen that I was utterly appalled by the Megan Fox "fashion" cover.

"She's got to be one of the worst-dressed women in the country," said one coworker.

"I know, she always looks like she's wearing head-to-toe Bebe!" I yelped.

"She probably is!" We snickered, and I promptly got rid of the magazine (after reading Joe Zee's column, of course).


Typical Megan Fox at the 2009 Golden Globe Awards
But that was a rude thing for me to say. I sheepishly must admit that I have two lovely Bebe items in my closet. One is a short champagne-colored jacket with large pockets and buttons purchased at the start of college, which I rediscovered in a closet on a trip home last winter and successfully paired with a sweater dress and suede boots. The other is a white linen pencil skirt that is so flattering that it makes even the shortest, pastiest legs look sleek and suntanned. You can indeed find stylish pieces in Bebe, and to say that this cover girl dresses in the brand every day is an insult to the store, especially this season. You do have to sift through racks upon racks of this:


Don't wear it. Don't wear it to yoga, don't wear it to Trader Joe's, don't even wear it around your house. Just say no.


Yeah, I can see Megan Fox wearing this dress.
But with patience, you will find this:


Bebe Military Vest, $89
Where else have we seen military jackets this spring?


Balmain, Spring 2009, Paris
Speaking of vests...


Bebe Leatherette Washed Moto Vest, $89
While I wouldn't normally advocate purchasing anything made out of leatherette, I do think that in the case of super-trendy items, it's okay to go fake. Trust me that you won't be wearing a leather moto vest in two years. (But keep it, because when your future daughter wants to wear the 80s/2010s revival look, you'll wish you had kept your cheap leatherette vest from your 9:30 Club days.) Save the leather for your feet and don't bother buying this:


Spring 2009 Rag & Bone Leather Moto Vest, $1480 at Intermix
And how about those bubblegum-colored blazers reminiscent of the early-90s?


Richard Nicoll, Spring 2009, London


Stella McCartney, Spring 2009, Paris
Again, the resemblance is uncanny--and the Bebe version might actually be more wearable.


Bebe Italian Linen Rolled Boyfriend Blazer, $111.99
In short, taste cannot be bought. But sometimes, if you look hard, a little bit of style can.

Runway photos from Style.com