Be the smartest, sexiest girl in town: Candace Bushnell didn't just invent Sex and the City--she's living it to the hilt. As her new book hits stores, the author shares her ballsy playbook for fabulousness.(YOU YOU YOU)

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Ever since she penned her landmark "Sex and the City columns--which led to a best-selling book, one of TV's biggest hits, and a blockbuster movie--Candace Bushnell has deftly navigated the glittery surface and gritty underbelly of New York City society. Her observations have "also resulted in four other juicy books, the latest of which, One Fifth Avenue, was just released. And they've helped her formulate some genius rules for getting 'ahead.

We have to warn you: Her tips are more stiletto-pointed than rearm and fuzzy. They're 'also not for the faint of heart, because Candace got what she wanted the old-fashioned way: by working her ass off. So let other women use tired tactics or lame shortcuts to hustle their way to the middle. You can play it Candace's way and stake your place on the food chain ... at the top.

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IT'S A (LIPSTICK) JUNGLE OUT THERE

Not surprisingly, Candace thinks great style is key to survival.

* "Your clothes should say Hey, I'm here to work, not I'm here to take your job/sleep with the boss/cause trouble. You shouldn't come across as high-maintenance or ...