Natalie Portman and Jessica Alba are two Hollywood actresses who have this in common: they are both gorgeous, and they both have amazing taste in clothes. Their tastes are quite different, but both amazing – and a little unpredictable, which is a good thing. And since both are debuting new films at the Venice Film Festival right now – Natalie with “Black Swan” (she could easily win best actress at Venice, although the film doesn’t open till December in the U.S., and Jessica stars in “Machete,” which opens here tomorrow) – the looks just keep on comin’ – and get better and better. Natalie wore a fall Miu Miu strapless little dress in purple for a photocall, from Miu Miu’s fall 2010 collection. Adorable. Funny, we looked at the Miu Miu fall show and could not find this particular dress in the collection presented – but that isn’t all that unusual. Jessica attended the big Venice premier of her movie “Machete” in this smoke grey Valentino couture dress – very short in front, very full and poufy in back. We saw some of this trend at the Emmy’s (January Jones in particular), and we have a feeling it could be the new one-shoulder look in eveningwear. It’s got flirty and formal all built in.

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Just when it’s finally starting to warm up around here – the fall clothes are showing up in the stores. Isn’t this the way it always works? Miu Miu, at 317 N Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, send us pics of some the new looks hitting the store now. You will probably not be able to find these same pieces at any other store that sells Miu Miu, because the buy is always different. Some of them are very chic and would update your pieces from last year. It’s a very Parisian collection with sixties’ influences.

For the last few years, the best dressy flat shoes – the best flat shoes period – have been by Miu Miu. They do a stretchy flat with a stretchy kind of patent leather, and unlike the chic little ballet flats by Lanvin, they have adorable bows or sequins on them, and often, they are two tone – and they change every season, unlike the Lanvin ones, which are often the same. And – they are much less expensive than the Lanvin version – and they last longer. You can have your shoemaker put a rubber or other kind of bottom on them and they will never wear down – and never go out of style. These are from pre-fall and just arrived at Miu Miu (317 North Rodeo Drive (310) 247-2227), but they will also look adorable in the summer. That’s the beauty of them.

A papparazzi caught adorable Emma Roberts on a gym run – with the Miu Miu silver paillettes bag from Spring/Summer 2010 collection while out and about in Los Angeles this week. This is the cutest bag we’ve seen in a while, and it even makes your gym clothes look spiffy. Imagine what it would do for your summer whites and khakis – chic! – Merle Ginsberg

Miu Miu at 317 North Rodeo in BH is officially on sale. Let’s hope you didn’t blow your wad shopping over Memorial Day weekend. The ballet flats in the spring/summer collection are SO cute, and they may or may not be on sale at the department stores, so hit the boutique. There are satin ones in pale pink, camel leather soft ballet flats with bows, and sequin ones – a dressy alternative for those who are tall, or just hate heels. They would all look very chic with a long dress – which the New York Times Styles section recently said are definitely coming back in. And you probably know Barneys in BH is now forty percent off – if you want to hold out for sixty, that won’t happen till week two or three of June.

It may have been the dress of the evening: a Miu Miu pale rose canneté and chiffon strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline from the Fall/Winter 2010 collection with a Miu Miu clutch with jeweled clasp and Prada raso silk platform sling-back heels. We love the peplum flirty detail at the waist and hips, the shiney nude pump to go with it, and SJ’s bright orange toe nail polish. The toes help make the whole look!!!!!! Outside of Michelle Obama’s dress, this might have been the dress that shown most brightly in an evening of amazing gowns. Short and sexy always gets the most attention – even in politics. Especially in politics.

Prada and Miu Miu are both owned by Miuccia Prada and her husband Patrizio Bertolli, so there’s a lot of crossover. Like fashion devotee actress Christina Ricci wearing some of the new fall plaid Prada 2010 pieces to the Miu Miu show, which happened in Paris yesterday. Prada was in Milan the week before. Not often you get to see those fall 2010 pieces out and about so fast. Lucky for Christina, she’s so tiny, she can fit into sample size – and probably wore the new Prada pieces that were on the models last week. Ricci wore a Prada sleeveless paillette covered multi-hued plaid dress with black silk duchesse pumps. When arriving to the show, Christina also wore a Prada green and black plaid wool coat with crystal epaulettes and color. Tres tres chic.

If you’re going to the Independent Spirit Awards next Friday night (March 5), the Publicists Guild Awards lunch next Friday, or any Oscar parties, you might want to invest in some new party shoes. It’s not COMPLETELY necessary to buy a new dress – and God knows, there are NO sales for spring merchandise till May or June. But you can wear your fall blacks with some sparkle shoes and sheer stockings, and have a whole new lighter shinier look. We love these two pairs of shoes by Miu Miu for spring that are at Barneys Bev Hills right now – or on the website Barneys.com The wedge ankle strap shoe with the nude heel and glitter body doesn’t have as high a heel, and is easier for running around awards shows. (Those are $530). The second pair is a cut out glitter sandal in bronze with a higher heer, for those who want to brave the heights, and lengthen the leg. ($580). As it gets warmer out, these will also work with your summer orange dress, a white dress, or even a nice tan jacket and jeans. Instant classics.

A lot of the spring Miu Miu collection by Miuccia Prada for 2010 is filled with polka dot pants, lean tailoring, sheer tulle pieces with crystal embroideries – they are delicate and bold at the same time. Here, we’re showing you two runway looks that took place in October – but it’s interesting to see what diffuses into the company’s new spring ad campaign that breaks soon. It was shot by famed ad and editorial photographers Mert and Marcus (who started with the famed Louis Vuitton campaign), and the model here is a new face, Lindsey Wixson, whose got an interesting combo of power and vulnerability. But in these ads – what’s REALLY front and center – is the shoes and bags! Clearly, this is what is selling for Miu Miu these days. The bag’s cute, and white bags are hot for spring – but those SHOES look like something Elton John wore in the seventies. They look like a twisted ankle or broken toe waiting to happen. Delicate clothes with giant cloddy seventies shoes? Miuccia Prada has gone a bit accessories mad!