Clothing designer Pamela Barish's feminine riffs irreverently juxtaposing fabrics and cuts produce instant sassy classics. It's no wonder they're worn by the trendsetting A-list Brit society set and the rock & roll crowd with whom Barish once ran. Studies in detail, they often deliver the unexpected: Loose, lacy cuffs spring from a conservatively cut coat; a magenta silk liner peeks out coquettishly from a turquoise cocktail dress. But the secret to the sexiness of Barish's clothes is that, in this designer's world, the dress looks better on the body than on the hanger — or a hanger-thin model's frame. Each dress comes alive on the woman who wears it, engendering sexy confidence even in those of us who aren't a Size 0. Though the prices are not for the faint of wallet, if you bag one, you just might attract a man (or woman) who will keep you clothed in them forever. 1327 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice. (310) 314-4490, pamelabarish.com.

—Tibby Rothman