Maggie Gyllenhaal: known for colorful funky outfits by Dries van Noten, Lanvin, Vionnet – avant garde, boho, 1920′s. Indie chick.

Julia Roberts: mainstream American actress who almost always wears black. Not into fashion.

Have these two suddenly changed places? We showed you Julia wearing Dries twice in the last few days. Now Maggie, for an appearance on CBS This Morning for her new movie, “Nanny McPhee Returns,” showed up in a black Alexander Wang multifold slip dress. As usual, it shows off her 1920′s femininity, but it’s a little paired down for her.

Perhaps this is the effect heat has on fashion!! – Merle Ginsberg

With all this talk about Santa Monica Place, the new Bloomingdales (Nordstrom won’t open till end of August), the new restaurants that opened on the third floor (Zengo, Le Sandia by Richard Sandoval), we haven’t mentioned that there’s a great Barneys Co-Op the just opened at SM Place, too, on floor one. We checked it out and we can report it’s MUCH BIGGER than the Barneys Co-Op at The Grove, the salespeople are much nicer and more responsive, the dressing rooms are big and well designed – and the stock is full of great fall pieces. They have all of the great Alexander Wang leather bags with the grommets on bottom – they’re awesome, and they have every color ($850). They have a better selection of pieces by L’Agence (the new studded cardigan is amazing and a must have), A.L.C. (they have all of Andrea’s fall jersey dresses in every color – and they’re fantastic), Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang’s hot hot fall collection (those baggy shorts are really cute), and James Perse. For men, there’s Commes des Garcons, Rag & Bone and very well edited t shirts and jackets. For residents of Santa Monica and Venice – this is your new must-shop.

You don’t have to actually go in to Barneys on Wilshire (or Madison and 60th in NY) – to check out the great designer goods marked to sixty percent off. You can do it on their website, www.Barneys.com. One of our favorite habits this time of year is to virtually shop the sales and earmark the pieces we love – and “consider” buying them. It’s easy to sit on the purchases when they’re online – but we wouldn’t sit TOO long, as these items are very good deals, and will be flying around the world into the arms of those who can make up their minds, if we don’t. But a girl likes to dream . . . Here are things we found at Barneys.com SALE section that we think are well worth investing it, and can be worn again and again:

• - Christian Louboutin pewter strappy flats with ankle straps, marked from a steep $695 to $279.00. Comfortable and chic flats are always useful – particularly if you’re going on a vacation where you will be walking a lot, later in the summer.
• - Costume National Ankle cuff sandals in nude. These go with everything, and their “little bit of a heel” makes them good for day or evening. They went from $550 to $219.
• - Rick Owens print dress. Of course, ANYTHING Rick Owens is worth owning, and the dresses are perennial, and this one’s great for packing. We hear Italy is CRAZY for Rick Owens, and that he’s the biggest selling designer in Europe now. And he’s not even European – although he lives in Paris. $1240 to $499 is a GREAT DEAL!
• - Gregory Parkinson print slip dress. This is your go anywhere in the hot weather dress – and in the fall, you can layer it with leather. $300 marked to $119. This is just too good not to own.
• - Alexander Wang white leather bag. All Alex Wang bags are hot, and white will look good with black this fall. And for $329 (from $820), you could buy it in white, wear it for a while, then dye it black!

Actually, the weather in L.A. seems a bit more fall than summer right now. And yes, all the spring/summer clothing 2010 is down to about 60 or 70 percent off. But we prefer to think ahead! Fall is our favorite season, and of course, the best season for clothes – and Saks is doing pre-orders for some of the top fall falls now. Some are actually already in the store. Here are our picks (and pics) for some pieces at Saks you can pre-order as you dream of crispy fall days and brisk fall nights:

• - This Alexander Wang Darcy Slouchy Hobo Bag. The color is new for fall, and it will update your blacks and greys. Wang, even with his great pricepoint ($850 for this), is becoming the hippest name in handbags, as well as clothing.
• - Alexander McQueen Denim Motorcycle Jacket in pale grey: This fall is another season of motorcycle style jackets, fitted and sexy and cool – but this season, they have more texture, or are made out of new fabrics. This pale grey denim one is surprising and beautifully tailored. $1785.50 might seem like a lot for denim – but it IS McQueen – and this piece lasts a lifetime.
• - Derek Lam black leather and chiffon skirt. Yes, there’s a ton of leather around this fall, but what’s making it new is touches and insets of texture: like putting chiffon strips in this leather skirt. $1490.00, but this could be the only new piece you add to your wardrobe, it will make it all look new.
• - Elizabeth and James ruched suede wedge booties, $375. We love this color and it will make your grey and black and white pieces really stand out.

Not only that, you can wear any or all of these things right now, if you’re not the patient type.
We’re not, either.

Yes, androgyny is back for fall 2010 – despite a pretty girly spring/summer, with mini dresses with high heels everywhere you look. Will celebs like Kristen Stewart and Beyonce’ be wearing shorts over tights or 1940′s style trousers on the red carpet in September? We don’t think so, but we will all be seeing more women in more male clothing, tailored and in menswear fabrics. Leave it to Alexander Wang to do this trend better than anybody – making hip and street and cool, and not frumpy female politician like. His pre-fall collection is really interesting, and there are not that many pieces around. They will move fast, despite July 4th weekend being upon us, and barbeque season. Satine got in many of the pre-fall pieces now – and their regular customers are calling, emailing or just coming in and grabbing them, knowing they won’t be around long. They can have a few months to warm up in your closet, and then you can let them rip! (Not really – they’re too chic.) Satine is 8134 Third St, 323 655 0426.

All the spring and summer shoes are on sale, and the prices are cascading lower and lower by the minute. The weather’s getting warmer. And we’re talking about pre-fall shoes? Well, these aren’t any old pre-fall shoes. They’re Alexander Wang, they looked amazing on his fall runway with his tough black masculine clothes for fall – and they are going to sell out of Satine, on Third St near Crescent Heights, within days. So go in and grab them or call and order. The ones with the lower heels are our personal favorites. Cause when fall hits in September, trust us – you’ll wish you owned these.

How cool is Alexander Wang? He created the IT bags of 2009 – particularly that leather jobby with the studs on the bottom – that sold out in about a hot second. We saw them on the coolest people in NY and LA – and there weren’t all that many of them. He kept the run small. And he charges only something like $800 or $900 dollars for them, whereas many designers charge up to $2500 dollars for a leather bag. Satine on Third St. near Crescent Heights got in some Wang pre-fall bags, and the Diego and the denim blue leather “Brenda” camera bag are super cool. And we have a feeling they won’t be there by a week from now. Trust us, when you want them in September, you will NOT be able to find them. – Merle Ginsberg

The Tribeca Film Festival held a lunch for women involved with the films yesterday at the City Hall restaurant downtown, and our girl Selma Blair showed up in a stunning little print dress with shoulder detail. She’s cut her hair again and looking SO chic. We also had to show you her little black dress by Alexander Wang she wore to an opening – it’s just simply a major WOW. So far, she’s the Tribeca Film Fest Fashion Front Runner. But Jessica Alba’s also doing a good job, pairing blue shorts with black tights for a very original and trendy look. Abbie Cornish seems to have missed the memo on dressing for the cameras, but perhaps she’s still not over her breakup with Ryan Phillipe.

This is an interesting summer coming up for sunglasses. That giant bug-eyed plastic frame look in black or dark brown seems passe’and associated with the nineties and the luxury all-consumer days. What’s coming in is more round shapes, smaller looks,and of course, that Ray Ban vintage Clark Kent kind of look, that’s been around for a while. Alexander Wang, whose initial sunglass and eyewear line just arrived in stores for spring 2010, did some really innovative looks with the Ray Ban style square-ish shape. One frame has a zipper teeth plastic coating – but the one we REALLY love we saw on a woman at Joan’s on Third recently. They are Ray Ban style shaped, but go way UP on the outer corners in an exaggerated way, making the whole shape into something else. They walk the line between classic and very avant-garde, and demand a doubletake. It’s the rectangular equivalent of cat-eyed! They looked so great on the woman we saw wearing them that we are now obsessed with them – and Wang showed them on the spring runway with his clothes, too. They’re at Opening Ceremony on LaCienega and you can probably find them on the net, too. DEFINITELY worth it. They are a strong strong design statement.