The Guide to Everything Fabulous

Sorry Everyone!

2008-12-27T13:59:00.001-05:00

You may have had trouble linking to our new location, but everything's fixed now and all the links on this page are updated. Once again, it's theguidetoeverythingfabulous.wordpress.com

And We're Outta Here

2008-12-12T17:50:00.003-05:00

Bye Bye Blogger! We can now be found at theguidetoeverythingfabulous.wordpress.com

Day and Age

2008-12-12T17:22:00.000-05:00

I don't believe there's a single person in the world who doesn't like the Killers. And now that it's finally here, time to review their new album!

Here's the first single released off the album, Human.

for the rest of the tracks, click

My personal favorites were Spaceman, an upbeat, dancefloor track, and This Is Your Life, even though the music itself is really more interesting than the lyrics, since its backed by a great bass line, as well as a sort of tribal-chant.
Other tracks include Losing Touch, a jazzy, smooth listen, Joy Ride, which transports you back to the 70's with its disco-y feel. The album then slows down a bit with A Dustland Fairytale, a sad ballad. But it picks up again quickly with I Can't Stay, which features steel drums and acoustic guitar for a fun medley. Neon Tiger is somewhat reminiscent of Sam's Town, and when followed by The World We Live In, I found it kind of like a slump in the middle of the album (more about that later). In Goodnight, Travel Well, is like seven minutes of reflection, and I'll bet if you really listened to it you'd find a lot of meaning (but I unfortunately didn't have that kind of time.)
As for the bonus track, A Crippling Blow, the beat almost made it 60's reminiscent, and its also an amazing display of vocals from Brandon Flowers!
With every new album, there are some songs that jump right out at you. These are usually the singles; the hits. Its the other songs, the songs that take a few listens to sink in, are the ones that really resonate. So if I just dissed your favorite song, don't be mad, I just haven't had time to appreciate them fully.

Movin' On Up

2008-12-12T15:32:00.003-05:00

Well fabulous readers, after some careful consideration we've decided that, after one last post here, we're relocating elsewhere. Details are still being worked out, but stay tuned for our new link, plus that last post!

Wishing

2008-12-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Santy Clause...

OR ELSE.
from top:Influence by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, Marie Antoinette, 30 Rock Season Two, Gossip Girl Season One (amazon.com) Double Breasted Sweater, Messenger Bag, Kill City Jeans (urbanoutfitters.com)

Silence & Noise/Coco Chanel WILL Cut a Bitch

2008-12-05T20:56:00.004-05:00

Leave it to Karl Lagerfeld to be so random as to resurrect the silent film genre. But of course, talking is apparently so last season. In the clip, Lithuanian (holllaaa) model Edita Vilkeviciute plays a young Coco Chanel, perhaps in response to Shirley MacLaine's laughable portrayal on Lifetime earlier this year. This version has plenty of silly moments of its own (including a Poiret diss! Now that's old school) but it works much better when associated with the typical jaunty feel of silent films. Throughout the course of the film:Coco chain smokes, verbally abuses a delivery man, and participates in a little bit of PDA. And I think we can all agree that it is bad ass. Here's to Coco Chanel, O.G. (original gangsta) Those interested in seeing it for themselves can direct themselves here. (Just a tip: it doesn't seem to work in firefox and you'll have to click the little volume level graphic at the bottom right corner to get the music.)
picture from racked.com

Yokoo-ooo

2008-11-29T13:11:00.002-05:00

The Pembroke Cowl in Charcoal, available for $115

In the Winter, you're never fully dressed without a scarf. Ever since Rodarte made knitwear cool again, it is suffice to say that it is precisely that which has been on everybody's mind. I recently stumbled upon Yokoo, a popular Etsy (a modern-day craft bazaar, for those unfamiliar) seller who makes covetable chunky knits in the form of scarves, hats, and even bows. Her prices range from $30-$150, making them perfect gifts for your upcoming holiday of choice. What could possibly be more fabulous than handmade knitwear for your loved ones? To see some of my favorite pieces, click

The XL Cozy in Grey with Bumble Bee Stripe,$110

The Basic Warmer in Grey Marble,$42

The Cranberry Cozy,$70

The Cambridge Chain,$95

The Minnie Bow in Grey,$30

Oatmeal Cowl,$145

The New Yorker, $110

Are You Cold?

2008-11-28T16:07:00.004-05:00

My Favorite Jackets From This Fall's Runways

Although it's been months since the Spring collections debuted, you might have noticed that it's a cold, cold world out there. It's true, Winter has unoficially arrived, along with the frigid air. If you can't beat it, embrace it! Here's a little bit of inspiration to guide you on your way to fabulous. See? We don't call us The Guide to Everything Fabulous for nothing!

Yigal Azrouel

To see the rest, click

Behnaz Sarafpour

Marc by Marc Jacobs

Cynthia Rowley

Luella

Vivienne Westwood Red Label

Obedient Sons & Daughters

Derercuny

Burberry

D&G

Blumarine

Etro

Moschino

Gucci

Balenciaga

Comme des Garcons

Stella McCartney

Yves Saint Laurent

Sonia Rykiel

Antonio Berardi

(I LOVE this one so much I wanna take it behind a middle school and get it pregnant)

Thank you and stay fabulous!

Something We Can All Be Thankful For

2008-11-27T21:48:00.000-05:00

15-year-old Kate Moss, Reppin' the Indians/Native Americans

With Thanksgiving being today, I think we should all take the opportunity to remember what we are (or should be) thankful for. So it is without further ado that we present the things we are most thankful for.

Joey

This blog, and the person who writes it with me.
The world of fashion, which never ceases to inspire.
Readers, because they make writing much more important.
Christmas, because it's the most genius thing ever:get people to buy you things even though you didn't do anything.
The bad economy, because it gives people something to talk about. "YES, I am provocative."
Oh that last one reminded me, 30 Rock, for being amazing.

Meg

My crazy family
Their cooking
Text messages (Can't live without them!)
My fab partner in blogging
The few returning readers we get

Thank you everyone! Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving!

December Magazine Covers

2008-11-20T16:06:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! As you can see, we've been revamped, and it's back to business.

Harper's Bazaar

Lindsay Lohan

To see the rest, click

Vogue

Jennifer Aniston

Interview

Cate Blanchett

Nylon

Lily Allen

i-D

Leona Lewis

Teen Vogue

Kristen Stewart

Marie Claire

Jennifer Connelly

Glamour

Nicole Kidman

Cosmopolitan

Jessica Simpson

Dazed & Confused

Kate Somers

W

Blake Lively

Reminder

2008-11-19T18:10:00.002-05:00

Pushing Daisies is on tonight (Thursday the 18th) at 8:00 on ABC. If you don't watch it I will personally hunt you down and kill you.

The Circus Comes to Town

2008-11-18T19:34:00.005-05:00

I think Britney herself said it best with "It's been awhile." Although it's been only a few years since she last tore up the charts, her erratic behavior was better at selling tabloids than albums. Now that she's really back this time, she's got a solid album to prove it. In fact, you'll be glad to know that lead single Womanizer is one of the lesser tracks in comparison. Womanizer feels flat when compared with the hyper, chantey feel of songs like the salacious If U Seek Amy (try saying it out loud, or rather in your head if there are people around.) Elsewhere, she succeeds with the confident Kill The Lights, cooing "is that money in your pocket, or you're happy to see me?" in reference to her famed experiences with the paparazzi. Surprisingly, one of my favorite moments comes in the down-tempo techno track Unusual You. It's gentle without being contrived, and still remains a standout. Speaking of standouts, there's also the title track Circus, with a chorus sure to be on everyone's lips in a matter of days; the introspective Blur where Britney admits she "can't remember what I did last night;"the chaotic Mannequin, which is actually downright experimental for arguably the most mainstream artist in the world; and the bass-slapping Lace & Leather, which feels like a tongue in cheek take on a Prince/Janet Jackson sound-a-like. The duds? My Baby, although certainly sweet, is one of the more boring songs I've heard in a while and Out From Under tries too hard to be emotional. Otherwise, it's a great album that I would definitely recommend as well as give the The Guide to Everything Fabulous stamp of approval. Circus hits stores December 2nd.

Won't You Run And Tell Your Boyfriend

2008-11-10T19:46:00.003-05:00

Just when you think everything possible has been done to denim, another trend sparks. Over the summer, Katie Holmes embraced the trend of boyfriend jeans, an idealized fit that emulates gender-bending in the jean department. Her insistence upon wearing them daily for what seemed like a month sparked a major discussion. But it wasn't her who pioneered the trend. In fact, its emergence in fashion can probably traced back to Alexander Wang's Spring 2008 show. It was that season that, in his runway debut, he sent Chanel Iman down the runway in a loose fit among a sea of skinny jeans. Those seemingly failed to take off, but it wasn't long until the look was adapted into "peg-leg" with the ankles being cuffed to create that tapered silhouette that is currently all the rage. Now the trend is fully taking off, thanks in part to them being fully embraced by the fashionably inclined. But when we're seeing drop crotch pants, loose fitting jeans, and pajamas on the runway; does this means that the lines between comfort and style are finally blurring?

Bah Humbug

2008-11-04T16:23:00.003-05:00

When I was handed a holiday-themed cup at Starbucks this morning, it was difficult to hold back my rage long enough to slurp down my drink. For some reason, the powers that be have decided that as soon as Halloween ends, Christmas begins. Pretty soon, the holiday commercials will be replacing the political ones as the most repetitive and annoying. Before you get the wrong impression, I'm all for Christmas. If anyone's excited to trim the tree and deck the halls, it's me. But every year it seems to come earlier and earlier. The two month long build-up leads more to fatigue than excitement. Another problem I have is that most of it is a way for people to make money, not necessarily in the spirit of Christmas. Not to mention how hurt Thanksgiving must feel about all this. Why can't we focus on Indians and pilgrims, for at least a couple of weeks? After Thanksgiving, I give you the green light to spread your holiday cheer.

SAVE PUSHING DAISIES!

2008-11-02T09:40:00.003-05:00

For some reason, the TV universe is so unbalanced that there's room for about a million CSI spin-offs and a new version of Knight Rider, but heavily favored/highly superior shows struggle to stay on the air. The latest of this kind to face the chopping block is Pushing Daisies. Known for its twisted plot lines and timeless romanticism, Pushing Daisies premiered last Fall to favorable critical reviews. It quickly built a small but passionate fanbase, averaging 9.42 million views last season. But it became a victim of the writer's strike and didn't return to finish up the season. So when it premiered again this fall, the ratings dropped to 6.10 million. Now, the rumors are rampant that the show might not get a full season pickup. I shudder to think of a world where I can't get my weekly dose of saccharine sweet murder-mystery. But luckily no action has been taken yet. There's still a few things you can do. For a listing of those things, you can go here. And, please, if you aren't already watching this show, start now.

More Sage Wisdom From Fake Karl

2008-11-01T14:24:00.002-04:00

Describe the "impossible smell" of the reporter at your show.
Coke. As in, genuine coke. With sugar. Eww.

Pretend like you're firing me from this blog. What would you say?
You are demode. You filthy demode person. You filthy, rotting demode person. You are DEMODE!

You recently discovered that you have a daughter. Do you have any
plans to discover any more children in the future?
You know, there's this Irish girl who offered...maybe she'll become number 2. We'll see.

Your Cafe Press store is amazing! Who does the drawings?
I do them in my sleep, actually. I don't sleep...which contradicts that, hmm? It's a pity that we have found CafePress demode, and therefore, may shut it down.

If you had a magazine what would it be called? Feel free to give details.
It would not have a name. Cats do not need names; and this magazine would be a pretty chic cat. It would not be made out of "paper" per se, but quilted Chanel tweed (yes, we can do that).

What did you dress up as for halloween?
I dressed up as.....Karl Lagerfeld. People say "you look JUST like Karl Lagerfeld!", and I go "of course, hmmmm?"

What does Martin Margiela look like? I know you know.
A total queen.

I hear you've got a thing for rap music. Who is your favorite rapper and why?
Can I have two? Of course I can; I'm Karl Lagerfeld. Dan Le Sac Vs Scroobius Pip. Hilarious; witty; chic.

Give us your trend report. What was the main trend at the spring shows?
Trends? Ugly clothes. Transparency. Transparency to see people's ugliness.

What is your favorite kind of girl scout cookies?
Cookies contain calories. They are PLASTIC.

If you were thinking a color right now what would it be?
Mm....Telephones....to lick.

What do you do to get inspired for your collections?
I don't! Inspiration is a word which only the mediocre designers use. I prefer not to talk about the collections at all; I say: shuttup and work. (More then a few of them need this advice, hmmm?)

Hi

2008-11-01T14:21:00.000-04:00

Regular posting will resume later today.

Treat Yourself This Halloween

2008-10-30T19:19:00.005-04:00

There's something about holidays that brings out the cheesiness in all of us. Suddenly we find ourselves wanting to re-watch the classic movies, repeat our usual traditions, and (most importantly) snack on foods that are heavy on the nostalgia. But Halloween ha s few foods to call its own other than candy, if you even consider that a food. But luckily we here at The Guide to Everything Fabulous are on a mission to change that. We've selected two ideas that would definitely go in the treat category this Halloween.
The first one comes from Meg:

Here's a wonderful, after Halloween snack (to help with the disposal of any leftover candy) Just pop some popcorn in the microwave, open the bag, and mix in some bite sized pieces of chocolate candy! My faves are milky ways, three musketeers, and junior mints, but you can just use whatever you like/have on hand. Its really great for a scary movie party.

To see my recipe, click

The other one I'm afraid I can't take credit for, but I discovered it here

"Soft Pumpkin Pretzels
1 1/4 cup warm water plus up to 1/4 more as needed
1 teaspoon unbleached granulated sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups unbleached white flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup atta flour (whole wheat chapati flour)
1 teaspoon olive oil
kosher salt, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds for garnish

For Boiling:
8 cups water
2 tablespoons baking soda

1. In a big bowl dissolve the sugar in 1 1/4 cups warm-to-the-touch water.
2. Add the yeast and let sit a few minutes until the yeast "blooms."
3. Stir in the canned pumpkin.
4. Stir in the flours and salt and mix to form a dough. If the dough seems too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until it comes together--you should be OK without it.
5. Hand knead for ten minutes, or five minutes in a mixer with a dough hook.
6. Put the olive oil in a big bowl and turn the dough around in the oil until the sides of the bowl are oiled and the dough is covered in a light film.
7. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled about 50 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 475F.
9. In a pot with high sides (the water will foam up once the pretzels are added), bring 8 cups of water to a boil with the baking soda.
10. Divide the dough into six even pieces. One by one, carefully roll them into a coil that is 19" long and about 3/4-1" thick. Carefully twist each rope into a pretzel shape and pinch the ends of the rope to the body of the pretzel so they stay in place.
11. Boil three pretzels at a time for one minute, flip over with tongs and boil the second side for another minute.
12. Place on a Silpat or greased cookie sheet and lightly blot off any foam with a towel.
13. Quickly sprinkle with seeds and salt so they stick to the moist dough.
14. Bake for 15-25 minutes, until deeply browned on top."

Sounds Delicious, No?
Anyway, once again, enjoy your Halloween!

Tricks to play on the treaters

2008-10-29T17:14:00.004-04:00

Staying home on halloween waiting for trick or treaters to show up just sooo unfab... BORING! This post is for those of you, like me, who are too old to trick or treat, too young to die. (I'm not being morbid, its a That 70's Show refrence if you didnt catch that!) Why does the question, "trick or treat?" have to be one sided? I'm not telling you to scare the candy out of small children, I'm just saying mess with their heads a little.

If you're friendly with the kids in your neighborhood, and they can take a little abuse from you, you can do what i do. Buy one bag of smarties, and one bag of dum dums to hand out. When the rascals show up, make a big deal out of who deserves which candy. ("Susie gets smarties, but oh no, Billy gets a dum dum!") Feel free to substitute smarties with nerds if you're feeling extra insulting.

The next pranks are my personal favorites from this site- http://www.madnessmansion.com/tricks.htm

-Fill a briefcase with marbles and crackers. Write on it, "Top Secret" in big letters. When trick-or-treaters come, look around suspiciously, say, "It's about time you got here," give them the briefcase, and quickly shut the door.

-When you answer the door, look at the trick-or-treaters, act shocked and scared, and start screaming your head off. Slam the door and run around the house, screaming until they go away.

-Answer the door with a mouthful of M & M's and several half-eaten candy bars in your hands. Act surprised, and close the door. Open it again in a few seconds, and insist that you don't have any candy.

Now if you go to that link, you'll also notice #12 (Get a catapult. Sit on your porch and catapult pumpkins at anyone who comes within 50 yards of your house.) Im not advising you to actually fling large vegtables at pedestrians, but there is a market for pumpkin catapults if you ever feel the need to build one. A few years ago i actually was dragged to a pumpkin flinging festival in Deleware, which turned out to be somewhat fun. Who knew? http://www.punkinchunkin.com/main.htm follow that link for details.

The Guide to Dressing Fabulously For Halloween

2008-10-28T19:30:00.002-04:00

Think you're ready? Then

Now that Halloweek is in full force, Meg has enlisted me to set the readers on the right path to total fabulosity on the big day itself. If you don't have a costume planned yet, you're going to want to read this (we can fashionably late in our planning as well, can we not?)So I've set out with our dear readers in mind to demonstrate examples of the perfect costume. You're welcome.

On The Runway

Rodarte

Betsey Johnson

Luella

D&G

Prada
pictures from nymag.com and style.com

What The Fashion People Are Wearing

Behati Prinsloo

Rachel Ballinger

Derek Blasberg, Daria Werbowy, and Yesim Ak

Cory Kennedy

Lauren Davis

Heidi Mount & Hilary Rhoda

Jay Massacret

Kate Sennert
pictures by Kathy Lo from coacd.blogspot.com

What The Designers Are Wearing

Giorgio Armani as Fred Astaire with Jessica Stam as Ginger Rogers

Donatella Versace as The Princess from The Princess and the Pea

Karl Lagerfeld as a rapper

Alessandra Facchinetti (I'm weeping) as Pierrot

Michael Kors and Vlada Roslaykova as L.B. Jefferies and Lisa Carol Fremont from Rear Window

Donna Karan as a force of nature

Alber Elbaz as James Bond

Laura and Kate Mulleavy as cats with Caroline Trentini

Roberto Cavalli and Coco Rocha as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With the Wind
pictures from Harper's Bazaar, scans from thefashionspot.com

Pull a Nylon With a Literary Reference

my scans from Nylon October 2008

Icons Among Us
costume choices you can believe in

Edie Sedgwick

Rachel Zoe

Grace Jones

Blair Waldorf

Grunge

Have a Great Halloween! Go out and RE-PRE-SENT!!!!

Fabulous Halloween Programs (For Your Viewing Pleasure)

2008-10-27T19:38:00.005-04:00

Here are my favorite movies for Halloween

Scream

For more Movies (and TV) click

Carrie

The Haunting (1963)

And for those of you who don't have such strong stomachs

The Haunted Mansion

TV

There's the classic staple of Halloweek

Charlie Brown

The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror is different every year. Always fun.

That 70's Show

Last but not least, Alvin and the Chipmunks!

Joey's Favorites

Ugly Betty-Season 1, Ep 5: The Lyin', The Watch, and The Wardrobe

Sabrina the Teenage Witch-Season 2, Ep. 7:A River of Candy Corn Runs Through It

The Office-Season 2, Ep. 5:Halloween

You're Invited

2008-10-26T15:53:00.003-04:00

DIY decor day

2008-10-26T13:03:00.000-04:00

See this? wanna make this? (yes you do)
click

For those of you asking, "what the heck is that?", it's a rock ok? ( I can't take full credit for this idea though, these books got me started- http://www.linwellford.com/ordering.html) There are some upsides to rock pumpkins, like they don't grow mold like real pumpkins (and if your basement/attic is like mine you might have experienced fake pumpkins growing mold as well... yeah, ew) They also don't cost you a dime!
So basically you just find a smooth river stone, which is as easy as taking a walk in the woods, and then just go to town. Then you'll need orange, brown, and green acrylic paint. First you paint the whole rock orange. Sketch the face out in pencil, before filing it in with brown (or black) paint. Next add the green stem, and maybe a leaf or a vine. Then I highlighted the features by outlining the with a lighter brown. Lastly, you might want to spray them with some clear polyurethane to ensure the paint doesn't peel.

Another thing you can make, if you can find some smaller, rounded stones, is this creepy eyeball. Or you could make a whole pumpkin patch! Go crazy... Its Halloweek after all!

Happy Halloweek!!!

2008-10-25T13:00:00.001-04:00

The countdown has started, and I am oh-so-excited! In just seven more days, its my favortie holiday!!! So I'm taking over and turning this into a weeklong celebration!!! (Joey had his fashion week, now its my turn.) You aren't going to want to miss a minute of this.

ok, and for those of you who aren't so in the spirit yet, I've made you a playlist-
Halloweek

Happy Haunting!!!
~Meg

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

2008-10-24T18:01:00.003-04:00

I'll be the first to admit it;I'm a sucker for fast fashion. Quality concerns be damned--H&M is almost godsent in a vast mob of tasteless mall stores. So I'm always happy to see a chain store expand its horizons. After Gap became the new old place to shop this season, it looks like there's another one hot on its heels. American Eagle, best known for providing khaki shorts and polo shirts to clean cut teens, gave a presentation of its forthcoming "spring break" collection recently. And I have to say, I'm reasonably impressed! They're not quite replacing H&M and Gap, but as they say Rome wasn't built in a day. Naturally I'm more impressed by the womenswear. It comes across as sort of a more attainable version of Topshop's Bananarama-inspired show. But the menswear still looks pretty reminiscent of the old American Eagle. If they really want to woo me, they'll step it up on that level. Here's to the next season! To see some pictures, click

pictures from fromthedeskofphyllis.blogspot.com

November Magazine Covers

2008-10-19T22:09:00.003-04:00

Ah yes. The leaves are on the ground, there's an election coming up, and pretty soon the fabulous will be layering away. You'll do anything for fashion until you're in 30 degree weather. It must be part of our survival instinct or something. Anyway, it's almost November, in case you missed the point. And that means it's time for magazine covers!

Harper's Bazaar

Drew Barrymore

To see the rest, click

Vogue

Reese Witherspoon

Interview

Josh Brolin

Men's Vogue

Daniel Craig

Nylon

Paris Hilton

i-D

Lara Stone

Teen Vogue

Rachel Bilson

Marie Claire

Courteney Cox

Glamour

Keira Knightley

Cosmopolitan

Lauren Conrad

Dazed & Confused

Grace Jones

Vogue Paris

Vanessa Paradis

Muse

Hilary Rhoda

W

Angelina Jolie

We Rock

2008-10-18T15:18:00.003-04:00

I've only furtively expressed my love and obsession with both Tina Fey and 30 Rock, but the time has come for me to yodel my profession on the top of a mountain. When I watched the first episode of 30 Rock, I foolishly decided it wasn't for me (yet continued to watch Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.) But as I kept hearing great things about it, I bought the first season on DVD and caught up with season two. And behold, an intense but justifiable fixation was born. Unfortunately, last season saw the coming and passing of the writer's strike that paralyzed TV for months, and the second season was cut short. So, I was forced to wait anxiously for this third season to come. When it finally came time for the shows to come back, I discovered a terrible thing. 30 Rock was not coming back until October 30th. It was hard to be strong, but I've held on so far. Luckily, Oprah will grace the show with her almighty presence on the second episode back. Until then, us junkies will have to get our fix from either Tina Fey's Sarah Palin on SNL or the newly released second season DVD.

808s & Heartbreak

2008-10-17T14:35:00.006-04:00

For someone who could easily be described as overhyped, with him dispersing most of it, Kanye West is having a moment. It's not that I've never liked his music before, it's just that I never really got it. But as he's become an unlikely fashion show attendee and used Sessilee Lopez in one of his videos, I've been paying more attention to him.So when I heard his new single Love Lockdown at the VMA's, I knew it was something I could get behind. His new album 808s & Heartbreak is done entirely with auto-tune, the recording tool best known for making fellow rap star T-Pain a star. With all of the songs revealed so far being related to broken hearts and star-crossed lovers, it's clear he's really going for it. I commend his artistry and ability to define a look. Last time around it was his shutter sunglasses that have quickly become a disgusting frat party staple. This time, he's sticking to his heart motif with flashing heart pins and various other unexpected touches. I'm looking forward to hearing the album on November 25th, but for those of you who can't wait that long: to hear a little preview, click
808s & Heartbreak Preview

Project Runway Finale:The Good and The Bad

2008-10-16T19:23:00.003-04:00

This season of Project Runway, as I've said before, was seriously lacking in talent. There were a few good ones in there, and luckily the final three were just right. I already gave short reviews of the final collections during fashion week, but I'll expound after seeing them again last night.
First of all, Kenley's wasn't what it should have been. If you're going to make the 50's your signature, you've really got to go for it. I didn't think she pulled it off. While the judges cried Balenciaga, my complaint about the painted dresses is just that they were ugly. Sure, she went for an interesting technique, but her paintings just looked random and ruined what could have been some successes. As for Korto, I think I gave way too harsh a review during fashion week. There were a few really stunning pieces, particularly the one with the voluminous sleeves. I could see her being extremely successful, because she fits the bill for the pack of ubiquitous designers tearing it up in sales. She makes clothes that women would want to wear, and that takes serious skill, so I commend her. Now, Leanne's was really just sensational. I was very proud of my favorite for doing so well. It was all so perfect and floaty, sort of what Erin Fetherston tried and failed to do this season. Now to discuss the results! To avoid spoilers, click
Ahh. We're in the safe spoiler zone now! So basically it went like this: first, Kenley was booted off. I hate her personality, obviously, but her designs were solid. The final collection failed to encompass her ability. Next was Korto. She was a true talent, and if anyone was gonna take it from Leanne, I would be okay-ish with her. Now, obviously, Leanne won. I hate to say I told you so (I LOVE to say I told you so) but, Leanne was one of my picks for the win after the first episode. Along with Wesley. He was prematurely voted off, but I was good with Leanne, right? Now, with an unclear future for the show, I was happy to see Tim Gunn guest judging. Heaven forbid this was the last season ever, it was a fitting tribute to the man that makes the show so iconic. No show has been able to showcase design as well as Project Runway, so needless to say I hope the legal drama is worked out soon.

Is It Time For a Change At 'SNL'?

2008-10-14T17:18:00.004-04:00

This week's Entertainment Weekly included an article about the current state of Saturday Night Live, in which Ken Tucker argued that Tina Fey's ever popular impression of Sarah Palin is hurting more than helping the show. As the rest of the show becomes increasingly unfunny, Tucker concludes that "now more than ever, [SNL] needs more hit bits that can be sliced and posted everywhere, instantly, to maintain cultural significance." What's interesting is that an election year is supposed to be prime for the show. With all of the characters that have come out of this election, they have done an excellent job so far. But the problem doesn't rest there. The majority of the show after the political sketch of the week is starting to feel increasingly sour. People tend to find faults with the show itself, claiming that it is failing to match the glory days when each sketch was a national treasure in itself. However, in my opinion, our culture has adapted itself to the point that we can no longer get our kicks out of sheer...goofiness. We've come to expect a brand of smart, wry humor that doesn't seem to fit with the format of Saturday Night Live anymore. One of the rare exceptions to this is the Weekend Update segment. While the anchors seem to be constantly changing (Amy Poehler, one of the current anchors, will leave for good once she goes on maternity leave), it always seems to find it's way back to cultural relevance. In other words, to answer Ken Tucker's original question, that's where the funny is after 11:45. This past Thursday, the first in a series of three Weekend Update Thursdays premiered on NBC. It encompassed all of the good parts of the current SNL while condensing down to a more consumable format and remaining evenly funny throughout. This begs the question: is SNL ready to change their format after all these years? Or should they keep the old one intact, but try to skim down the inane, irrelevant sketches?
picture from telegraph.co.uk

Secret Shopping

2008-10-11T11:30:00.003-04:00

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to live in the 50's? All that domestic bliss made for a shop-happy society where money was meant to be spent. Today, as the economy is scarier than anything your neighbors could possible muster up for Halloween, you're more likely to be considering the necessity of food than shopping sprees. But for those of us who'd rather starve (TGTEF does not condone eating disorders, mmkay?) than skip out on a new fall wardrobe, there's one loophole. Invitation-only shopping is a new concept in which a select few are given special codes to shop at online boutiques with some of the hottest designers in the game at dramatic reductions. Shopping almost becomes a competition, with whomever can snag it items the fastest being able to claim themselves victorious--before the remaining stock quickly sells out. Okay, at this point you're probably skipping to the end to see where this is going. So I'll just get to it! I've managed to get in at two of the best examples, Gilt Groupe and Rue La La (recent sales include Marc Jacobs and Acne Denim.) If you'd like an invitation to either of these, leave your name and email in the comments!
picture from adclassix.com
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Comme des Garçons for H&M:Coming to eBay At an Outrageuosly Inflated Price (Near You!)

2008-10-10T16:56:00.009-04:00

Is anyone else pissed about this whole Comme des Garçons for H&M business? First they announce it months before any sort of preview; then once they do that we find out that the prices are a little, um, higher than expected; and now it turns out that the only slim chance you have at procuring anything exists solely on your physical capability to be in New York, LA, or Chicago. Now, don't get me wrong, those are nice cities and all, but don't you think the rest of the country might be interested in a piece of the action as well? How can we be expected to rise above mediocrity when anything better is unavailable? Now that I'm more bitter than ever, don't mind me, to see some of the TGTEF approved pieces that could be yours if you're lucky enough to be geographically advantaged, click

Womens

Men's

pictures from nitrolicious.com

Riding The Britney Comeback Train

2008-10-08T16:02:00.003-04:00

We all know that Britney Spears has had some rough patches recently, so I've been patient with writing anything about her thus far. Well, this time, I'm convinced. There's been a few false second comings of the Britney we all know and love, but now I think she's really back.
It all started a few months ago, when, after staying relatively out of the limelight;she launched a comeback centered around the VMA's. After a whole bunch of back and forth about whether or not she'd be performing, she didn't. Instead she coherently kicked off the show and won three awards. Okay, not much of an achievement, but we're talking baby steps here!
While the smell of renewed Britney love filled the air, her record label took advantage of the opportunity and announced her next album. Circus, due December 2nd (less-than-coincidentally her birthday), was put together while she was undergoing this miraculous recovery and features collaborations in some degree with Lady GaGa, Lil Jon, Keri Hilson, and a whole long list of other equally notable people.
While at that point I was still a little skeptical, it's her upcoming video for her new single Womanizer that I'm waiting for to make my final judgment. From what I've seen so far, it promises to only further solidify her return. So join me in sitting through 20/20 tomorrow (Friday, October 10th) to see its premiere. It's been long time coming, but Britney's back!

If Real TV Were More Like Model.Live...

2008-10-07T16:39:00.004-04:00

I've been watching Model.Live religiously, and I am, of course, addicted. All the promises have been kept, and it really feels like you're experiencing the real world of modeling. Footage taken from just a few days earlier is edited into episodes that are short enough to leave me wanting more, yet satisfying because they don't feel dragged out. The difference from televised shows is clearly noticeable, mostly because it's not all happy endings. So far Madeline has failed to book any shows in Milan or Paris, and couldn't go to London at all because of a problem with her work visa. Tired from all her castings, she repeatedly told the cameramen to stop filming, before admitting that "everyone wants Cato." And it's true! Cato has victoriously been picked for a number of big shows, and continues to be the it girl of the three. Meanwhile, Austria has failed to impress casting directors and is contemplating going home. If you can't already tell, I'm obsessed, but just how much it works makes me wonder; why can't something like this be on TV? Lord knows people have tried, but America's Next Top Model becomes increasingly inauthentic, and TLC's A Model Life didn't reach the level of realism shown in Model.Live. So if this can be broadcasted online, why not on TV? Or are we actually coming to a world where online shows are just as credible?
picture from Cato's bebo account

Seasonal Wrap-Up:S/S 2009

2008-10-05T19:20:00.002-04:00

Yes, It's really over, but I thought before we continued with our normal posting I'd share some of my thoughts on the season overall. For starters, in a very broad sense it was far from great. A lot of the routine favorites underperformed this season. Blame it on the economy if you want, but I was bored by a lot of it. Save for Marc Jacobs, Lanvin, and (in my opinion) Prada, the greats weren't in true form this season. But I'm not being a pessimist here, because I kind of thought it was a good thing! It made room for other designers to steal the spotlight. My favorite collections were, in no particular order: Stella McCartney, Emanuel Ungaro, Dries van Noten, Givenchy, Gucci, Pollini, Prada, Blumarine, Etro, Karen Walker, Marc Jacobs, Proenza Schouler, Gianfranco Ferre, Armand Basi One, Lanvin, Ann Demuelemeester, Veronique Branquinho, Max Mara, Dolce & Gabbana, Missoni, Blugirl, Topshop Unique, Luella, Todd Lynn, Ralph Lauren, Zac Posen, and Jason Wu, although I have a feeling I'm forgetting some from New York. All that aside, I loved these collections, and very few of them were one of the really "big" ones.
The main theme that I noticed this season was continuity.Designers embraced an "if it's not broken, don't fix it" mentality and decided to forgo drastic changes and instead modify their greatest hits. Sometimes it worked (see Lanvin) but other times it tasted a little sour the second time around (see Balmain.) Overall, I'm hoping the designers will take the hint next season and use Fall as a launching pad for new ideas.
On the model front, things weren't as diverse as they were promised to be. Other than the predictable (Jourdan, Arlenis, Sessilee, and Lakshmi) there wasn't a real influx of color. But I am glad to see that at least we started to see something new. There weren't a ton of breakouts, but Imogen Morris-Clarke and Katie Fogarty were two who I plan to look out for in the future.
Now that this season is officially behind us, Meg and I will be returning to our previous, more diverse and sporadic posting. After doing this for almost a month I feel refreshed and I'm hoping to reinforce the fact that this is more than just a fashion blog, although fashion is obviously my topic of choice. I hope that anyone who started reading this for fashion week updates will keep coming back, and at the very least know that I am definitely planning to do this again with the Fall shows. See you around!

Today in Fashion Week:October 5th

2008-10-05T17:14:00.002-04:00

Yes, everyone, today is the very last day of the Spring 2009 shows. I'm feeling introspective, so I'll probably do a separate post later with my overall thoughts of the season, but for now the season has yet to be spoken for, because ironically some of my usual favorites land on the last day. So let's get to them!

Lanvin

Season after season, Alber Elbaz has presented his collections for Lanvin as if he has something to prove. The intensity and severity at which he has defined his vision is rare and awe-inspiring. Because of this, he has developed a devoted following that is more and more impressed with each passing show. When a situation such as this occurs, inspirations and influences become irrelevant, and the only source in interpreting a collection is the past work of the designer. Last season, Alber showed an intense show that captured a dark chic that has stuck in the minds of all followers of fashion alike. This season was somewhat of a more commercial take on that look, but the pieces are still strong enough to stand on their own. This is essential to transferring a tone season to season, and is a place where many designers tend to stumble. Nice work, Alber!

To see Louis Vuitton and Miu Miu, click

Louis Vuitton

When Marc Jacobs is having a moment, it shows throughout his collections. Last season was not one of those times, and it was noticeable through his self-titled lines as well as his work for Louis Vuitton. This season he presented a stunning show for his main line, and I'm pretty sure Marc by Marc Jacobs was pretty good too;(It's been a looong season.) By that standard, the Louis Vuitton show was also noteable this season. There was some sort of theme in there, (female warrior?) some point in history undoubtedly being referenced in a smart and witty way. It was a bright spot on the shows this season.

Miu Miu

Part of what I love about Miu Miu is that it's not Miuccia trying to avoid reusing elements of Prada's most recent show. There's a noticeable trickle-down factor, with the asymmetric half-skirts present on the runway. But at the same time, it's not a lesser version of Prada. It's becoming more and more of a separate entity, with new motifs for Miuccia. This season the clothing was occasionally decorated with images of historical figures, something that's been done before but was in desperate need of a retooling. I'm happy to say that the show did not dissapoint.

That's it for the season! See you in February for Fall 2009!

Today in Fashion Week:October 4th

2008-10-04T19:43:00.003-04:00

It's the second to last day of this "week" of fashion, and yet things aren't winding down!

Chloé

I loved Paulo Melim Andersson's work with Chloe, so I was a little bummed when he was dismissed. I am willing to give Hannah McGibbon a chance, however. The collection was ok, nothing wholly impressive, but I expected a little more of a showing of what McGibbon is capable of. So far, I miss the old Chloe.

To see the rest, including Hermes and Wunderkind, click

Kenzo

Kenzo had a cool effect to it. Sort of an up swept look that reminds me of a burning hot day in the sun. The suits were the most impressive, but the dresses were cool in their own right.

Wunderkind

It sort of had that clashing patterns Marni feel to it. Overall, I was more impressed with the styling and detailing than the patterns and colors.

Collette Dinnigan

I usually love Collette Dinnigan's stuff, and this season was no exception. It was all about Fine tuning dresses and bringing them close to perfection.

Hermès

Hermes was all about cowgirls and desert explorers. It seems to be a look that just doesn't agree with me. It just looks dated, like a collection you vaguely remember from a few years ago.

Limi Feu

I thought Limi Feu was gorgeous. It's just the kind of stuff you know would command attention on the street, in the best way possible.

John Galliano

I kept trying to figure out what was going on, but it seemed to be all over the place. It's a shame because I think John Galliano is creative and capable of so much more.

That's it! Tomorrow is a short yet extremely relevant day. Lanvin, Miu Miu, and Louis Vuitton! See you then!

Today in Fashion Week:October 3rd

2008-10-03T18:43:00.005-04:00

The shows officially end in two days, and while it feels like forever ago that New York was kicking off, it's starting to make me sad. Luckily, there are still a bunch of shows to get through, so without further ado...

Chanel
At a time when recession is on everyone's lips, Chanel can rest easy. Buzzwords like "staples" "classics" and "timeless" might as well rhyme with Chanel. Nobody knows this better than Karl Lagerfeld, who has taken to simply updating the classics every season. This means that those of us looking for something new and different will have to find it elsewhere (the Chanel runway sets get more and more impressive, for a start) However, Chanel truly is ubiquitous in its appeal, so even the most die hard modernism fan can find their kicks somewhere. For me? The headpieces and the bags were certainly highlights!

To see the rest, including Alexander McQueen & Valentino, click

Requiem

Requim had that ironic elegance feel to it. Like, a young girl who embraces elegance in a way that is still hopelessly hip. Blair Waldorf comes to mind.

Valentino

Certainly the hottest gossip of the season is that of the fate of Alessandra Facchinetti. Now, WWD is reporting that it's just about official. (However, Giambattista Valli will not be replacing her.) Last season was, in my opinion, a success from her. This season was much less of a spectacle. The clothes were pretty but didn't have staying power. They were lackluster, and something with a little more of a kick to it would be more appropriate for the brand.

Rue du Mail

Rue du Mail was dark and downtown. Nothing new from them, but I liked the corset looks!

Alexander McQueen

After last season, Alexander McQueen set the bar pretty high, and I'm sorry to say; I think he failed to reach it. I respect him for not being uninspired, but I found myself flipping through waiting for the moment I "got it." Sometimes I sort of did, but the successes were too far and few between.

Alright! Tomorrow brings Chloe and more!

Today in Fashion Week:October 2nd

2008-10-02T21:50:00.008-04:00

Oh my! I've gotta crank this post out fast today! Luckily today is precise and poignant, rather than crazy and overbooked like the past few days!

Yves Saint Laurent

Stefano Pilati was obviously just not all that inspired this season. I did think that there were some nice wearable looks that will probably sell well.

To see the rest, including Stella McCartney and Giambattista Valli, click on the post title.

Sonia Rykiel

Sonia Rykiel is always the most fun. The models get to ham it up, and it definitely doesn't hurt that the clothes hold their own either! Another great collection from her.

Viktor & Rolf

Viktor & Rolf did something a little different this season and went totally online with their show. Through the magic of the internet, they managed to make Shalom Harlow the sole model in their continuous e-runway show. Anyone interested in viewing that can go here. As for the clothes themselves? Not perfect, but definitely some keepers!

Stella McCartney

Gorgeous! It really captures a South Beach summer-type look. Definitely my favorite of the day so far!

Giambattista Valli

Giambattista Valli is rumored to be at the top of the list of potential replacements for Alessandra Facchinetti at Valentino. This is with good reason, as his clothes are so deeply embedded with a chic sense of style. This collection may just be the most compelling evidence of how perfect he'd be for the job. I'd say give Alessandra a few more chances, but definitely keep him in mind.

Celine

Pretty! I don't have much else to say. Not a bad thing, just a hmmm thing.

Haider Ackermann

Very experimental with how clothes could fit on the body and new ways to show skin.

Today in Fashion Week:October 1st

2008-10-01T18:45:00.005-04:00

OK, hey! There is a whole lot to go through once again!

Karl Lagerfeld

Karl Lagerfeld's main line reminded me a little of Chanel's most recent couture show. I have to say, nothing really stuck out like it did last season, except for a bag emblazoned with his face that reminded me of fake Karl's cafepress collection.

To see the rest, including Givenchy and Costume National, click

Andrew Gn

Andrew Gn looked very outdated this season. Everything looked like something I'd seen before.

Akris

Akris is like a dark horse vying for attention in the midst of the craziness that is Paris fashion week. But with another solid collection, hopefully it'll get the recognition it deserves.

Emanuel Ungaro

Last season Esteban Cortazar was criticized for relaunching Emanuel Ungaro without establishing a clear brand identity. This season should hush those critics. It was very Parisian it girl, possibly another one of my favorites!

Costume National

The crinkled fabric debuted at Prada is already showing up again! This time it's at Costume National. Although I favor Prada's take, Ennio Capasa did a pretty good job with it himself.

Dries Van Noten

Last season Dries Van Noten established itself as an it brand with a truly unique collection. This season is sure to expand upon that success. It's becoming cliche from me, but this is yet another favorite!

Christian Lacroix

Christian Lacroix was artfully over-embellished this season, in a time when extravagance is so rare. What recession?

Givenchy

Givenchy is another one of the it shows. While it lacked the stunning graphic appeal of last season, there were some serious heavy hitters in there, and the dress above? Perfect!

Hussein Chalayan

Hussein Chalayan is always so stunningly modern. You can't tell from the picture above, but the clothes all had the impression of being blown by wind from the side view.

That's it niños! Tomorrow brings Stella McCartney, Yves Saint Laurent, Giambattista Valli, and more! Watching Pushing Daisies because it's amazing!

Today in Fashion Week:September 30th

2008-09-30T16:53:00.004-04:00

First things first, I'd like to commend Gossip Girl on their Fashion Week episode last night! There were a few nods to the fashion crowd that I noticed, so I was very pleased with what they did. Now, there are like a million shows today, so let's get to that!

Balenciaga

Balenciaga was so boldly different this season that I cannot express admiration or disgust. I have a feeling that as I inevitably adjust to seeing this everywhere I will learn to love it.

To see the rest, including Junya Watanabe and Comme Des Garçons, click

Junya Watanabe

Junya Watanabe had an ethnic feel to it. You have to admire them for so boldly embracing the look they chose, but some of it just wasn't working. The headpieces, however, were brilliant.

Issey Miyake

Issey Miyake was still stuck in sheer mode. Like I've said, I'm ready for a new trend already, but it was still a solid show.

Ann Demeulemeester

I think Ann Demuelemeester is another one of my favorites this season. She played with ruffles and draping for some seriously covetable items.

Comme Des Garçons

Oh my god! Cotton candy wigs? I'm interpreting this as a county fair gone zombie.

Jean Paul Gaultier

The show opened with a series of ballerina-like leotards. They were minimal but I got them. What followed was a series of subdued looks that leave me with a little more worry. Do we really want to live in a world where the conservative person in the office is wearing JPG?

Véronique Branquinho

Veronique Branquinho is fantastic at what she does, and whatever that is is extremely agreeable to me. The suits alone make this another one of my favorites.

Loewe

Loewe is in the process of reinvention under Stuart Vevers. This collection, shown on mannequins, is sure to help with brand identity. It was chic and approachable, but did not forget its Spanish roots, with ruffles shown throughout.

That's it for today, but Karl Lagerfeld and Givenchy are only some of the highlights tomorrow.

Finallly a DIY

2008-09-29T19:43:00.006-04:00

Ok ok, I've been putting this off waaaaaaay too long!

This is what were going to make today!!! YAY!
If you can't see, or just don't get it, this is a jewelry hanger (I made it about 4 yrs ago...) I don't know about you but I like to have all my jewelry displayed instead of just shoved into a box somewhere. It makes it a lot easier to pick stuff out in the morning, and you don't have to worry about it getting all tangled.
So that being said, here's how you make it! (don't worry, its really easy)
Materials-
- small scrap of wood
- wooden spools
- wood glue
- paint/decorations etc.
- a screw gun
- screws
- a stud finder (optional)

So first you want to take your spools and arrange them in a line (or not... just however you want). Glue these down with wood glue. If you don't have wood glue, other glues will do (hot glue, Elmer's glue) but this is the best when it comes to hanging heavier necklaces.

When the glue dries, you can decorate it however you want. I used acrylic paints, and finished a glitter spray paint, but you can use whatever you have.

The last step is the hardest... Securing it to the wall, since it involves the ever complicated screw gun! ahhh Ladies, if you've never used one before, find someone who has (boyfriend, dad, brother, neighbor, whoever) But basically you just find the stud in the wall, and screw it on in...

If you simply can't manage a screw gun, you might be able to hang it with a picture hanger and wire. But this way will be kind of unstable. So keep that in mind...

Once its hung, just go ahead and arrange you necklaces/bracelets on it, and you're good to go!

Today in Fashion Week:September 29th

2008-09-29T16:34:00.002-04:00

Bonjour! Today is a fashion week kinda day, judging by tonight's episode of Gossip Girl, which will be prominently featuring Abigail Lorick's Spring collection, as well as boasting cameos from Michael Kors, Nastia Liukin, and Tinsley Mortimer. Their filming was all over the news during NYFW, so let's just try for authenticity, guys? Now that that's out of the way, we can move on to the goings-on in Paris, where things are starting to heat up.

Christian Dior

Dior is, well, Dior, so it can never be bad necessarily. There will always be those who worship the collection, and those who have criticisms. I don't have criticisms, but I'm not exactly worshiping it either. The hair and makeup seemed like an ill-fated attempt to top YSL last season, and the clothes were, for the most part, bland.

To see the rest, including Maison Martin Margiela and Vivienne Westwood, click

AF Vandevorst

Despite those highly questionably lips, AF Vandevorst was a classic collection that speaks true to the idea of "staples" being preached in every article about dressing in recession. Simple takes on black blazers and white shirts were shown with cut-out leggings that actually make me consider them again. Also, their rose printed lace, unabashedly old lady, shows the other side of the trend of the moment.

Undercover

From the first look I got a sort of Marilyn Monroe vibe that continued throughout. It had the classic Hollywood feel, but it was still so new, in the way that only Undercover can be.

Maison Martin Margiela

Amidst rumors that he's hoping to break things off with fashion altogether, Maison Martin Margiela showed a collection that appeared to protest against clothing in general. From a fashion standpoint, there's really nothing to judge, but visually it's packed with the kind of brilliance only present in Margiela's mind. Is this his way of transitioning into something artsier? Judging by the presentation, I hope so.

Vivienne Westwood

After going tribal last season, a somewhat subdued and all-around pretty chic collection was unexpected, but certainly not unwelcome. When designers can only rely on their quirkiness failure is bound to happen, so a show of skill is always a good thing. But don't go thinking this wasn't classic Westwood. There was still plenty of rock and roll cool to ogle.

Yohji Yamamoto

Yohji Yamamoto's signature topsy-turvy deconstructed style was reinvented with a sleek edge for Spring. This is probably my favorite collection of his I've ever seen.

That's all for today, but tomorrow is a pretty huge day with Balenciaga and Commes Des Garcons just part of the lineup!

Another TV Update

2008-09-28T19:52:00.002-04:00

When I'm not preparing my comprehensive and genius coverage of fashion week, I like to partake in the great American pastime of TV. TV is having sort of a renaissance, with the lesser programs of the season (hello Do Not Disturb and Knight Rider) either canceled or extremely close to it. TV is arguably better than what's showing in theaters these days, so I'm happy to be a viewer! I give you my thoughts on Ugly Betty and The Office, after you click

Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is one of my favorites, so I waited for this with baited breath. After the predictable but most likely necessary solution to last season's cliffhanger, Betty returned home from a cross country trip where she went to "find out who she was." Cheesy, but the checklist that Betty came up with for a more successful year served as a good outline for the episode. 1.More responsibility at work. Betty returns to a revamped Mode (Marc and Amanda stole the show once again.) only to find that Daniel's office is now a nursery, and he no longer works there. She travels downstairs to Player magazine, Daniel's brainchild and the "third bestselling no-nudity men's magazine in the country." The new receptionist got a lot of laughs, but my reaction to this change of scenery was similar to Betty's, not good. Luckily I have faith that the writers will find some way to get Betty back to where she rightfully belongs. 2.Her own apartment in the city. Betty, wonderfully naive, fell for the ways of a fast talking New York City real estate agent and ended up with the worst apartment ever. Luckily, her family pulled through and fixed up the place, and I have a feeling she'll Betty-ize it enough. 3. No more romantic entanglements. Easy enough, until she meets Val Emmich's character in her building. I think I like him better than Henry and Gio, mostly because he's pretty much Betty's polar opposite. Also of note:Lindsay Lohan began her role. I can't tell whether it was amazing or awful, really. She didn't have a lot of lines, but she was pretty funny at some parts! All in all, it's a good role for her to restart her career with.

The Office
I have to say, this just may go down in history as the best episode ever! Fan favorites Jim and Pam are finally engaged, and of course it was in front of a gas station/rest stop. My favorite character, however, is Kelly, and this was a great episode for her! There was a company-wide weight loss competition, and of course she was all over it. She went for the lemonade diet, and looked a lot like death. Hands-down the funniest moment of the episode was when she fainted on the scale. I could go on and on about the goings on, but I think I...won't. Just watch it!

Today in Fashion Week:September 28th

2008-09-27T13:22:00.003-04:00

Bonjour readers! First things first, Je suis désolé. I know I promised a post yesterday, but there were only two shows and I'm lazy, mmkay? But never fret, I will be covering the shows from yesterday today! So go grab a croissant and let's get started!

Gareth Pugh

Somewhere between Victorian and futuristic, Gareth Pugh reinforced his avant garde style with another collection that's sure to be remembered.

To see the rest, including Balmain and Nina Ricci, click

Kris Van Assche

Kris Van Assche went for that sleek, menswear inspired look. It's still effective, sure, but after a few seasons I'm ready for something new.

Anne Valerie Hash

Anne Valerie Hash wasn't bold in that color or fabric choice. She put her skills to the test with intricate draping that made for some pretty nice party dresses.

Balmain

Christophe Decarnin did the smart thing and showed a sequel to his Fall collection. This means rock and roll edge with a super delicate fit. While some looks were still definitely strong, it wasn't nearly as impressive as the last time. At some points it just got...tacky.

Bruno Pieters

I've been waiting all season to be able to categorize a show as all black and white. This is the one!

Rick Owens

Rick Owens was strikingly minimal, but the shapes were a little much. I can appreciate the off the beaten path approach, but there's a fine line to looking ridiculous.

Nina Ricci

With delicate dresses over sheer tights, Nina Ricci had a graphic appeal that I can't describe. I can definitely tell you that I like it, however.

That's it for today, but come back tomorrow for Maison Martin Margiela, Dior, Vivienne Westwood, and more!

Tv Updates

2008-09-27T11:59:00.002-04:00

"Thanks Mr. Turtle! You saved me!"
"Why are you talking to a turtle?" (lol)

It's been awhile since we've talked about our favorite shows hasn't it?
While i am super excited to start on Heroes, i must restrain myself. Because Gossip Girl has taken off in a whole new direction. It's getting back to basics with the drama, and our forecast for next week? With Dan out of the way, Serena and Blair will go at each other like old times. Overall, we love it. Although, with all this scandal, it does get to be a little much. Like the creators of the show are trying too hard to keep viewers attention.

We're pretty divided when it comes to Privileged, the other new show on the CW. Joey likes it, saying that its funny, and much better than 90210 was. But I'm bored by it. Maybe it's because the main character is just too much like myself, lol. (Come on, she even stole my name!!!)

The Heroes two hour season premiere i must say was superb!

Hiro and Ando have gotten themselves into another pickle (you gotta love them). A new character, with a new power has come into the picture. Yep, it seems the storyline CAN get more complicated after all.

Meanwhile, I think Mohinder had gotten tired of not making any progress what-so-ever with his thing, so he got a little compulsive when he finally figured out the... whatever it is that gives the people the powers. On the other hand, its going to be fun to see him in action!

Don't you ever wonder, where did they find this guy? He's such a great actor, along with begin quite intimidating. Hes just the ultimate villain!

So everyone get psyched for tomorrow night!!!

Today in Fashion Week:September 25th

2008-09-25T19:51:00.020-04:00

Oh mio! There's a lot to get through today, so please be patient with poor old Joey!
DSquared

I was pleasantly surprised by DSquared this season! It's normally one of the shows I write off, but I got a very cool 70's bond girl vibe from it.

To see the rest,including Versace and Dolce & Gabbana, click on the post title!

Max Mara

Max Mara went all minimalistic on us, with takes on the white shirt and gingham. It's another one of the highlights this season. Exactly what a Spring show should be.

Emilio Pucci

Those famously funky love them or hate them patterns took a turn for the geometric this season. It's refreshing to see brands try something new.

Luisa Beccaria

Last season it was Erin Fetherston who tried to emulate Juliet Capulet, but I think it's Luisa Beccaria who emulates her best. The classic, romantic, and girly look is timeless.

Dolce & Gabbana

Dolce and Gabbana established themselves as the latest proponent of the pajama look with their latest collection. But these aren't your comfy jammys. These are silk versions that wouldn't look out of place strolling down Fifth Avenue.

Fendi

Ah, Karl Lagerfeld. It's difficult to critique your shows without knowing that you're secretly reading every word in a private jet while an assistant serves you diet coke in a diamond encrusted goblet. But of course you deserve it, because you seem to be completely incapable of a bad collection. Who knows what will happen come Chanel time, but Fendi was good enough on its own.

Versace

Gianni Versace allegedly once said "I dress sluts," regarding his sexed-up designs. Donatella is continuing the legacy, judging by the crocodile miniskirts, but this season her slut is looking for love. She adorned the clothes with elementary-style hearts, giving a sweet touch to the seductive style.
That's it for today (and Milan), but come back on Saturday for the first day of Paris!

Today in Fashion Week:September 24th

2008-09-24T22:24:00.002-04:00

If you don't mind we're gonna skip the formalities today and condense this a little.

Gucci

Frida Gianinni found her footing last season with a sort of downtown girl on a mission look. I'm glad to see it continued this season. Although she did stumble at some parts (beach goddess just doesn't work for her.)

To see the rest, including Marni and Roberto Cavalli, click

Marni

Marni was interesting with their choice of clashing textures and patterns, but I have a lot of problems with the show.

Roberto Cavalli

I was getting ready to write off Roberto Cavalli this season, but then I saw that he did some pretty cool stuff for evening.

Iceberg

Iceberg went a little bit body-con this season. I spy the same fringe spotted at Alberta Ferretti and Jil Sander. Is this the new thing?

Pollini

In a world gone rough, Pollini makes the case for the hopelessly frilly romantic. This is my favorite show in Milan so far.

Alessandro Dell'Acqua

Alessandro Dell'Acqua was super-luxe this season. And there was more fringe! I think I'm about ready to declare it the major trend.

Derercuny

Derercuny had a really sleek look this season. I think it would've worked better in Fall.

Today in Fashion Week:September 23rd

2008-09-23T21:21:00.004-04:00

Today's the day, folks! It's Prada time at last. Let's just get to it!
Prada

Yes! Yes! Yes! Thank you Miuccia, every season you get more and more brilliant! After last season's hyper-conservative look, she loosened up a little...ok a lot (think exposed navels and bra tops) with a collection that is artfully chaotic. The phrase "method to the madness" comes to mind. There were shorts that turned in to skirts on one side (it makes more sense when you see it) and tops that loosely hung off the bottom in that perfect messy-chic way. It's sort of what Marc Jacobs did last Spring in a far less kitschy way. After fairies and nuns, Miuccia turned to fish this season, decorating the runway with them and emblazoning them on select garments. The crinkled fabric? Sure to be imitated next fall. Prada is one of the true innovators and trend setters in the industry.

To see the rest, including Moschino, Blumarine, and Bottega Veneta, click
Moschino

Moschino began by bring back the harlequin diamond patter of seasons past, continued with a 60's twist complete with dame edna glasses, and finished off with couture ruffles on ready to wear shapes. Sound exhausting? It was. But in a good way! It was flashy and bold, with bows and flowers as big as the sky. Well done!

Blumarine

Whenever I see a Blumarine collection, my mind instantly goes to Charlotte York from Sex and the City. It's proudly classic and conservative in a way that's also bold and different. My favorite was definitely the headpieces. They reminded me of the palms passed out on Palm Sunday, but in a "I saw this in an art gallery" sort of way.

Salvatore Ferragamo

I don't really have much to say about this. It was that loose feel we're definitely going for this Spring.

Etro

Fun fact:I'm head over heels in love with the pajama thing. Another fact: Etro did it big time. Pajamas as daywear were mixed in to the Etro staples and it definitely made an impression on me. It's sort of working towards that relaxed 80's working woman look, completed with loose rolled blazers with sharp shoulders.

Bottega Veneta

Bottega Veneta began its show with a slew of leatha. Howeva, I don't love leatha in the spring and summa weatha. (yup, YUP!!) That sort of put a damper on the rest of the collection, but I was impressed by a lot of it. Just please, for the love of god, leave leatha out of this.

Jil Sander

According to Cathy Horyn, the pictures from Jil Sander don't do the show justice. I can sort of see what she means, as there are hidden intricacies from delicate fringe to hidden drapes and experimentation with fit. To the untrained eye, this collection was dull, but in reality it was expertly crafted.

October Magazine Covers

2008-09-23T20:00:00.000-04:00

The covers this month have surprisingly eclipsed their much-hyped September counterparts. So I hope you won't mind that I took a little extra time this month to make sure I got a full spectrum of covers!
Vogue

Rachel Weisz 9 /10

To see the rest, click

Harper's Bazaar

Kirsten Dunst 7/10

Numero

Stephanie Seymour 6/10

Muse

Elsa Sylvan 9/10

Interview

James Franco 7/10

V

Eniko Mihalik, Malgosia Bela, Anna Selezneva, Daria Werbowy, Frankie Rayder, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Natasha Poly, Sunniva Stordahl,Christy Turlington, Agyness Deyn, Naomi Campbell, Lara Stone, Anja Rubik, and Eva Herzigova 10/10

Men's Vogue

Barack Obama 5/10

Nylon

Zooey Deschanel 8/10

i-D

Natasha Poly 7/10

Teen Vogue

Zac Efron 4/10

Marie Claire

Lindsay Lohan 7/10

Glamour

Rachel Bilson, Ali Larter, & Diane Lane 6/10

Cosmopolitan

Kate Hudson 3/10

Dazed & Confused

Abbey Lee Kershaw 9/10

Vogue Paris

Anna Selezneva 10/10

Today in Fashion Week:September 22nd

2008-09-22T19:04:00.003-04:00

Ciao! It's day two of Milan Fashion Week, and my imaginary jet lag is a thing of the past. Now, I figured I'd better do this quick before I get cranky and write all bad reviews. Let's get to it!

C'N'C Costume National

There was definitely a look to Costume National's diffusion line's show this season, but it wasn't much to brag home about. The sheer fabric thing is really really getting old after countless interpretations, and I would hope that the designers are planning on ditching it for further innovation. Overall, the collection was hit and miss, with a few solid looks that I can support.

To see the rest, including Giorgio Armani and Burberry, click

Giorgio Armani

Basically the same as the Emporio Armani show from yesterday:The clothes were neither bold nor innovative, but deductive reasoning tells us not to expect these qualities from an Armani show.

Pringle of Scotland

I wasn't expecting much, so I didn't get much. The collection embraced a sort of wave-like paintbrush stroke emblem that showed up on tops and dresses. It wasn't terrible;It wasn't great.

Burberry Prorsum

Burberry this season didn't have a definitive look, but rather a collection of separate looks that function better individually than as part of a collection. Some highlights for me were definitely the dip dyed trench coats and perfect drop crotch pants.

Alberta Ferretti

Alberta Ferretti was all about fluidity, from the copious amounts of fringe to the loose fitting jackets. It's a good example of a designer coming up with an idea and sticking to it, something I wish would become the norm.

Missoni

Missoni surprised me this season! There were new structured shapes, and yet it remained completely Missoni. My favorites were the 50's-esque dresses (pictured above) and a little jacket adorned in some kind of studs.

D&G

D&G is usually something like a younger, less dramatic interpretation of the main event at Dolce & Gabbana. This season was all nautical, which bodes well for Thursday's show. As for today, although I can see some looks working, I'm afraid it was a lost cause.

I think that just about does it for today! Come back tomorrow for Jil Sander, Moschino, Blumarine and......................................................................
Prada!!!!!

Today in Fashion Week:September 21st

2008-09-21T21:11:00.002-04:00

Helloooo! Fashion week has moved to those distinctive Milano cookies in Italy, (Prada!) where things are gonna start getting serious. There are heavy hitters every day, and I can't wait to cover it all!

Blugirl

Should we nominate this for fiercest interpretation of Little House on the Prairie ever? Blugirl rarely gets the recognition deserved, but hopefully it will this time!

To see the rest, including Gianfranco Ferre and Moschino Cheap & Chic, click
Just Cavalli

Just Cavalli is, well, tacky. This season was, well, tacky. Cavalli loves him some cheetah print, so good for him!

Emporio Armani

Armani is more of a clothesmaker than a tastemaker. His collections are never bold enough to be revered, but are wearable enough to attract a dedicated customer. This season I saw some hints of new ideas, from the ever present harem pants to the now standard sheer fabric.

Moschino Cheap & Chic

Moschino Cheap & Chic, despite the ironic name (I mean COME ON people we're in a recession! Panic!!), is just as fabulous as it's mama bear/brand Moschino. I'm not sure what the rainbow printed silk was all about, so we'll just chalk this up to an off year.

Gianfranco Ferré

Gianfranco Ferre was the main event today now that it's been revamped by the designers behind 6267. Roberto Rimondi and Tommaso Aquilano showed a brilliant, architectural, sculptural collection that promises big things for the future of Ferre.

Wowww this time difference is confusing me. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be posting Missoni, Jil Sander, Costume National, Burberry, and more!

Today In Fashion Week:September 19th

2008-09-19T19:47:00.004-04:00

There's only one show to cover today, so I thought I'd double stuff this post (yes, Billy, like oreos.) I found London pretty dull this season so I don't have much to say about the shows. But this isn't strictly a bad news bears post, because fashion "week" is far from over. Milan starts on Sunday, and with it comes PRADA!!! I'm so excited, I'm so excited, I'm so...scared. Actually I'm not scared at all because Miuccia always turns it out, but you get the point. And then the 27th is Paris, and there's too many exciting shows to list. Model-wise there are a lot of exciting prospects for Europe. Natalia Chabanenko, Sessilee Lopez, Lakshmi Menon, Anna Gushina, and Imogen Morris-Clarke were all standouts in New York in my mind. Sessilee and Lakshmi are sure to book more big shows, along with their fellow new ethnic-friendly girls Jourdan Dunn and Arlenis Sosa-Pena. The whole diverse runway thing didn't exactly work out in New York, but I have a feeling it'll show up more in Milan and Paris. Ok, I feel like I'm rambling a little now. On to the..show!

Josh Goot

Josh Goot is one of the breakout British designers, and this season he went a little subdued. It was all very minimalistic, with floaty chiffon in graphic prints. Big surprise: I didn't love it. Oh well, here comes PRADA

Catching Up With Joey and Meg

2008-09-18T20:55:00.008-04:00

Meg
listening to- the ting tings and pink... and that new song by kevin rudolf, feat lil wayne, let it rock

watching- gossip girl and heroes! (premiering this coming monday) monday= new best tv day!

reading- honestly? the arts section of last sunday's newpaper...

wanting- a pair of harajuku lovers sneakers, (were gettin kinda shoe obsessed here)

eating- tuscani pasta from pizza hut! its amazing!

drinking- deer park h2o, now with eco-friendly bottles

hating- summer being over

loving- getting ready for the upcoming fall holidays

Joey
listening to-Lykke Li

watching-last night's Project Runway

reading-The Devil Wears Prada

wanting-Grey Chucks

eating-Cake!!!

drinking-Coke Zero

hating-London fashion week

loving-Nylon & Vogue's October covers

Today in Fashion Week:September 18th

2008-09-18T18:22:00.004-04:00

Danielle Scutt

Danielle Scutt's show brings to mind that quintessential tough girl that also played muse to Topshop's show. Although there are some looks I'm quite fond of, some of the influences needed a bit of reeling in. Topshop wins this one, but it was a close call.
To see the rest, click
Erdem

Erdem this season was kind of like the ghost of formal events past. One minute I thought First Communion, then it was Quinceanera.Needless to say, it was all over the place. I'm not sure why anyone would want to emulate this look.

Duro Oluwu

Duro Oluwu set himself up bad with a print that was really just ugly. Luckily the collection found its footing somewhere along the way, but it'll never recover enough to be remembered.

Vivienne Westwood Red Label

Being able to describe a Vivienne Westwood collection would be an amazing ability, and it's not on e I'm sure I possess. Let's just say this:there were plaid prints,there was draped silk, and there was toplessness on the runway. Whoever wants to take a stab at the inner workings of her jumbled brain can be my guest.

Today in Fashion Week:September 17

2008-09-17T22:22:00.003-04:00

Hello Friends! London Fashion Week may be winding down, but we still have plenty to talk about today!

Richard Nicoll

Richard Nicoll is one of my favorites in London, so I was super stoked to see what he came up with. He did color blocking and jewel tones, and a wee bit of draping. The clothes are nice, but I'm not really drawn to anything so far. I do love the headbands, however.

To see the rest, including House of Holland and Nathan Jenden, click

Armand Basi
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Armand Basi is my favorite show in London so far. It was concise and his vision for the season was clearly defined. He worked with the omnipresent sheer fabric and embraced the drop crotch pant full on. It kept getting better as I looked through.

House of Holland

Oh.

Let's just say it was horrible. I don't have the patience.

Nathan Jenden

I'd like to think of this as "quirky sophisticated." It's like a little girl playing dress up with her mom and dad's work clothes and coming out fabulous!

Well, that's it for today, but come back tomorrow for Daniell Scutt, Doro Oluwu, and Vivenne Westwood Red Label!

Today in Fashion Week:September 16th

2008-09-16T19:00:00.003-04:00

Hello childrens! If everything goes smoothly, this post will be on time today! Fingers crossed. Also, today we are officially halfway through London Fashion Week! Time flies when fashion week is only five days.

Adidas by Stella McCartney

What do you get when you mix a world class designer with a ubiquitous line of athletic apparel? You would hope something fun, inexpensive, and fabulous, but this season that's not the case. If I saw these pieces next to regular Adidas clothes I probably wouldn't be able to tell them apart.

To see the rest, including Eley Kishimoto & Giles, click

Aquascutum

Aquascutum began gauzy and light, and gradually transitioned into darker and heavier, with little flashes of Prada last season. I can see them going far if they play their cards right.

Eley Kishimoto

Eley Kishimoto is always girly, quirky, edgy and wonderful. This season was no exception, and the colors popped like a crayola box.

Christopher Kane

If I were at Christopher Kane's show, I probably would have written something like "interesting...different..." in my notes. He's got skill, no question about it, but his attempts to be edgy resulted in costume-like fur trim and the kind of cheetah print you'd find on pajamas at Target.

Louise Goldin

Lousie Golden did her usual intricate folds and added sheer rolled-sleeves under almost everything.

Giles

Giles Deacon went a little bit futuristic this time around, with weird virtual reality helmets and pacmen on dresses. Two things I hope to unsee:the quilted silver fabric (it looks like something Project Runway contestants would be forced to use in order to be "innovative.") the camouflage (unacceptable under any circumstances.)

Alright, that about does it for today, but come back tomorrow for Richard Nicoll, House of Holland, and more!

Today in Fashion Week:September 15th

2008-09-15T23:20:00.002-04:00

Today is arguably one of the more eventful days of London Fashion Week, and I don't have much time to write this, so let's just jump in to it!

John Rocha

John Rocha's show showed only a little color and nothing entirely new, as London tends to aim for, but the classics never hurt anyone!

To see the rest, including Luella and Todd Lynn, click

Luella

I'm a little dissapointed by Luella this season because it feels like more of a rehashing of what we've already seen from her and less of an innovation on her part. But luckily, a "bad" Luella is still some of the best.

Marios Schwab

Marios Schwab had sort of an outdoorsy feel to it. From brown suede to utilitarian pockets, I got the feeling of a camping trip gone chic. Just how it was executed was maybe not exactly my style.

Temperley London

Temperley London went a little overboard on ruffles and details, but the concise looks were standouts otherwise.

Todd Lynn

Todd Lynn was a little bit McQueen this season, showing a bunch of different takes on the suit, as well as elements of transparency and a few nice black dresses.

Paul Smith

Paul Smith was at some points great and at others a celebration of table cloth chic. I was impressed with the suits, however.

Today in Fashion Week:September 14th

2008-09-14T17:44:00.005-04:00

Break out the english breakfast because Fashion Week has moved itself to London! London Fashion Week, in my opinion, is vastly underrated, most likely because there are no big names to provide surefire hits. But this also encourages a carefree spirit, in which the designers unleash plenty of creativity and whimsy.

Charles Anastase

Charles Anastase's show is a prime example of the London spirit. This season he showed trends like lace and sheer fabric in a way that's still fresh and avoids cliche.

To see the rest, including Ossie Clark, PPQ, and Peter Jensen, click

Ossie Clark

Avsh Alom Gu is either making a statement or terribly confused. He showed floor length gowns in both simple colors and shockingly graphic prints.

Graeme Black

Graeme Black showed impressive ruffles and tiers with little nods to bandstand.

PPQ

PPQ attracted an audience of hipster it-girls, including Cory Kennedy and Peaches Geldolf. The show had its moments, but overall was nothing too interesting.

Peter Jensen

Stylistically Peter Jensen was all over the place, but the looks are strong enough to hold their own.

Topshop Unique

Topshop is coming to America this fall, and to celebrate they're bringing along a great collection. In one of the most convincing cases for a return to the late 80's/early 90's I have ever seen, They went for the joyously over the top looks with heart motifs, denim everything, and perfect ironic bows.

Today in Fashion Week:September 12th

2008-09-12T21:22:00.002-04:00

Today marks the end of New York Fashion week. The standouts for me have been Obedient Sons & Daughters, Karen Walker, Marc Jacobs, and Marchesa. But as we say goodbye to the city that never sleeps, we still have a few more shows to examine. Let's get to it. Shall we?

Project Runway

My beloved Leanne is finally getting her day(s) on Project Runway and with her Bryant Park offering she'll definitely win. She's the only one that really matters. But I will say, I've hated Jerell all along but his collection was better than I'd expect. Sort of a sequined embroidered pirate funfest. Kenley was good, but if she really doesn't follow collections she must have a cosmic connection with Nicholas Ghesuire and Alexander McQueen. Other than those looks she didn't really show anything with substance, but she has a specific niche that I think she could appease. Joe was trying for classic American, but ended up with "letha" and unflattering pants. Suede's collection was beyond words in the worst way possible. Korto was very disappointing, because it was the worst thing it could be:bland. Overall, the talent factor is simply not there this season, besides Leanne (I luhv yew gurl) so I have high hopes for its move to Lifetime. Maybe a little change will be good.
To see the rest, including Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, and Christian Siriano, click

Christian Siriano

This post is a little Project Runway-licious (there you go Blayne, sorry the whole..."design"thing didn't work out for you. Ask Sunset Tan if they're interested in making their show even more annoying.) I loved Christian's work on the show, so I was expecting a little more from him if he wanted to make an impression. But, putting it in perspective, it was a pretty good debut. Next time, however, I hope he'll rely on his own innovation rather than established trends.

Ralph Lauren

Every season Ralph Lauren manages to be unassuming yet elegant. He knows his customer like no one else, providing not just a brand but a lifestyle. He's created an unconventional luxury line that is coveted and accessible at the same time, and he is extremely respectable for that reason. His customers will surely be smitten come next spring when they can have their Annie Hall moment with his tan suits.

Donna Karan

I made a mental list of other designers' work I noticed trickling down, but I've decided I don't want to keep tabs on that anymore. So, that being said, Donna Karan is another designer whose appeal I can appreciate but do not personally see. DKNY was one of my favorites this season, so it's certainly not a matter of Karan herself, but the aesthetic she chooses to relay in her main line.

Badgley Mischka

Badgley Mischka was light as a feather this season, with frilly floor length gowns and plenty of high society-ready looks.

Chado Ralph Rucci

Chado Ralph Rucci was another one that did structured this season with mini skirt-suits. Jewel tones were definitely a trend for New York.

Zac Posen

I've heard a lot of gripes about this, but I actually really like it. He went for an alternative meaning to the 80's comeback with chongalicious results. If anyone can pull it off, it's the models!

Today in Fashion Week:September 11th

2008-09-11T17:20:00.004-04:00

Hola everyone! I've decided that the format I'm going to follow for the remainder of fashion week/month is going to be kind of a daily rundown.It'll be posted around 10 pm daily.It should hopefully make it a lot easier for both of us to follow! (Note:I won't be posting the full shows anymore, but if you want to see them style.it usually has the full thing up first)
Today's Shows:
Vera Wang
Best Look:

My Thoughts:
There's no question she's got skill, but I've never been a huge Vera Wang fan. This season she tried to be a little edgier, which I support, but her Marni and Givenchy "inspired" looks were a little too obvious.
To see the rest, including Calvin Klein, Rebecca Taylor , and VPL, click
VPL

Victoria Bartlett plays around with stretch fabrics and athletic wear for a ready to wear look. Each show keeps getting better, but, and I hate to be the bearer of knock-off news, the stacked star necklace?
Rebecca Taylor

Rebecca Taylor's show looks a little bit like what Lauren Conrad might put together to make an attempt at hippie-chic. However, LC aside, it's not necessarily a bad thing. The collection is easy breezy beautiful without forcing the concept on you.
Cynthia Rowley

Cynthia Rowley riffed on fall's body con movement and kept her 35 looks close to the body. Overall, it was an ok collection, but nothing particularly exciting.
Calvin Klein

Francisco Costa kept it minimalistic as always this season. The only color sent down the runway was a vibrant blue, other than that it was purely whites and creams etc. AMEN to embracing the season. Stop putting leather on the spring runways!
Tommy Hilfiger

No surprise here: classic American prep. But Hilfiger has honed his skills in the genre well enough that he's able to turn out a few smart looks among the boring.

Zac Posen and Christian Siriano will be added to tomorrow's post.

Fashion Week Update

2008-09-09T20:37:00.002-04:00

I lost my internet connection and briefly the will to live so I've decided that I'm gonna do things a little differently for the duration of fashion week(s). I'll decide what exactly that's going to be a little later. I still haven't seen Marc Jacobs!

DKNY S/S '09

2008-09-07T16:39:00.004-04:00

DKNY, among other things, has had the distinction of being the first PETA-infested show of the season. But not even overzealous and clueless (has fur EVER been shown on a DKNY runway?) protesters couldn't dampen the mood of the 20th anniversary celebrations. And I, a full supporter of Katie Holmes jeans, am loving the collection. She has an amazing ability to make fashion accessible and give it universal appeal.To see the full thing yourself, click right here please because I simply do not have the energy to put up 67 looks.

BOY by Band of Outsiders S/S '09

2008-09-07T11:54:00.003-04:00

Kirsten Dunst as the model? Huzzah, Band of Outsiders, you managed to make me go from "oh, that model kinda looks like Kirsten Dunst!" to "oh, because it is Kirsten Dunst!" That being said, their spring collection is crisp and cool.(and I kinda like Kirsten Dunst)They continue the trend of sweatpants-sexy from Alexander Wang, possibly an offshoot of last spring's YSL. Also present: more of that medium blue denim that's everywhere, questionable madras print, hoodies, and overalls! To see the complete collection, click

Alexander Wang S/S '09

2008-09-06T21:35:00.002-04:00

Alexander Wang has managed to make his brand extremely lucrative in only two show seasons. Unfortunately design is not affected by success, so his spring show was never guaranteed to be a hit. At its best, it's like a very hot day at the beach. At its worst, its like a highly caffeinated soccer mom. I admire his initiative to do something bold with presentation, but the worst way a model can look is sweaty and tired. If he's as saavy as he's made out to be, and I have faith that he is, he'll get Erin Wasson back for next season. Her sharp eye for styling brought his clothes right to where they needed to be. But I will at least say this:For such an unflattering concept, it's brilliant. To see the full collection, click

Karen Walker S/S '09

2008-09-06T20:13:00.003-04:00

I love Karen Walker. I mean I really reaallly love Karen Walker. When I see her collection season after season, it feels like we share a brain. Her clothes have quirkiness to boot, but she doesn't rely on that factor alone. This season she did enlarged animal print, pajama-chic, and more! You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen, Karen Walker and Obedient Sons & Daughters are my favorite collections so far!!!

Frank Tell S/S '09

2008-09-06T19:46:00.003-04:00

Frank Tell debuted his line last spring and received plenty of buzz. This season his 17 looks are made up almost entirely of thigh-length dresses. It's a smart move business-wise, because they're sure to be seen all over starlets next spring.But, even still, I can't help but find it a little bland. Although I suppose it has to be put in perspective. At 21, he'll have plenty of time to grow as a designer, and that starlet cred could keep him in business long enough. To see the full collection, click

Obedient Sons and Daughters S/S '09

2008-09-06T17:17:00.004-04:00

Obedient Sons and Daughters is one of the menswear-inspired labels that broke out a couple years ago. Last season they branched out in to a full womenswear line that was nearly flawless. This season I may not go that far, but I'm still willing to throw out some positive superlatives. Everything looks great, unsurprisingly, and the creamy pallet works suprisingly well! To see the complete collection, click

Lacoste S/S '09

2008-09-06T13:29:00.002-04:00

Lacoste has expanded in to a full on ready-to-wear collection in recent seasons, and this season they went for sort of a vintage tennis match look. The collection ranges with everything from one shouldered onesies for the girls to casual fitting suits for the boys. To see the full collection, click

Rachel Comey S/S '09

2008-09-06T13:03:00.002-04:00

Last season, Rachel Comey's possessed look gained rave reviews from, well, me, in my mind...While I ponder that thought, her spring collection has debuted, and so far I love it! The saturated orange and royal blue tie-dye print works perfectly with what we're seeing so far! Has anyone else noticed? Pink is back in! Or at least fuchsia. To see the full collection, click

Jenni Kayne S/S '09

2008-09-06T12:07:00.002-04:00

Jenni Kayne is another favorite of mine, because her clothes are so simple that the styling is given a chance to shine through for once. This season she did watercolor-like floral prints, denim on skirts,wide-leg trousers, and oversize mens' shirts worn tucked in to skirts or as dresses. I'm not quite a fan of the floral she used, but everything else? Perfect as always. To see the complete collection, click

Jason Wu S/S '09

2008-09-06T11:25:00.002-04:00

I've been waiting for this one! Jason Wu established himself as a major player in New York last season, and he's done it again for spring. He has his usual delicate dresses that look just about perfect for an afternoon tea, and this time he's explored the menswear influence he began in the fall with patterns, and come out with separates like walking shorts and blazers. This is one of the rare shows where I actually can't wait to see what he does next season. To see the full collection, click

Cushnie et Ochs S/S '09

2008-09-06T10:43:00.002-04:00

Cushnie et Ochs are being hyped up as the breakout Parsons duo this season, and they might just be on their way to Proenza-sized success with their simple structured dresses and perfect-fitting seperates. I don't see a clear vision of who they are as designers quite yet, but we can't expect everything from their first show.I wish them all the best of luck in establishing their brand! To see the full collection, click

Erin Fetherston S/S '09

2008-09-05T23:17:00.002-04:00

Two seasons ago Erin Fetherston was my favorite collection. There was something wonderfully whimsical and different about her ethereal debut, but she lost that certain something trying to emulate Romeo and Juliet last season. A sophomore slump is never a good thing, so this season she attempted to return to her previous aesthetic. But whether or not she was inspired is certainly up for debate. The first words that came to my mind while skimming the collection were "gauzy" and occasionally "clouds." She worked with transparent fabrics and didn't venture out of a muted palette once. And while I can't say I'm in love with it, I can say that I like some pieces. To form your own opinion (and see the full collection) click

Rag & Bone S/S '09

2008-09-05T19:51:00.002-04:00

Rag & Bone is a New York mainstay for its sleek silhouette and celeb-packed audiences. This season was pretty routine for them, doing their signature cuts in checked patterns and light wash denim. They've loosened up for the boys and instead put the girls in the skinny suits and ties. To see the complete collection, click

Yigal Azrouel S/S '09

2008-09-05T16:37:00.002-04:00

Yigal Azrouel had one of my favorite collections last season, so I'm happy to say he didn't dissapoint this time around. The girl he's envisioning for this season is a traveler, as evidenced from the cargo pants and worldly prints. He threw in some subtle ruffles and embraced the drop crotch for a few pairs of pants. The only thing I'm not getting just yet are the shoes. Boots in the spring? To see the whole collection, click

Sue Stemp S/S '09

2008-09-05T16:01:00.003-04:00

Sue Stemp's spring collection is laden with influences. From rockabilly to 70's she channels it all in to 18 looks, and it actually looks cohesive! I'm loving the flowy blouses with flowers on them, as well as the hair and makeup for sure. To see the complete collection, click

Trovata S/S '09

2008-09-05T15:46:00.005-04:00

Trovata is always an effortless take on cool girl/boy style. This time the models walked the runway in paint dipped shoes, leaving a track of foot prints on the runway. This season they showed rompers, floor length mens' shirts for women, and cuffed-sleeve blazers. The result is good but not great, or maybe just not my style. To see the complete collection, click

BCBG MaxAzria S/S '09

2008-09-05T15:18:00.002-04:00

I've always had a particular affinity for the spring collections. Fall tends to bring, at least in my opinion, useless layers that only hamper the designs. So right now is like Christmas for me, and Santa's brought some treats for all of you. BCBG MaxAzria is always the first major show, and generally sets the tone for what's to come. This season they're showing a return to that looser silhouette as opposed to last season's body con movement. They've put lots of silver and jewel tones on baggy dresses and slim fitting separates. Also notable:more jumpsuits! I'm loving next spring alreay. Plus, excellent model choices! To see the full collection, click

Gossip Girl + 30 Rock!

2008-09-04T19:16:00.002-04:00

Pinch me if I'm dreaming. Michael Ausiello is reporting that Leighton Meester and Blake Lively have signed on to appear in an episode of 30 Rock this coming November! Apparently, they'll be playing Liz Lemon's high school classmates in flashback sequences which reveal that Liz wasn't so nice back in her heyday. This comes after Jennifer Aniston recently filmed a cameo as a stalker and Oprah is rumored to be finalizing a deal to appear as well.

Fashion Week!

2008-09-04T16:48:00.004-04:00

Fashion Week starts tomorrow! Expect posts on Erin Fetherston, BCBG MaxAzria, and Yigal Azrouel and much much more starting tomorrow-ish! It's beginning to look a lot like fashion week...

Passing Judgement:90210

2008-09-03T20:14:00.003-04:00

Last night was the 2 hour premiere of 90210 that the CW hyped up to be "the biggest event of the year." Yeah, ok. It seems that in the midst of the hype they thought no one would notice the formulaic characters, shoddy writing, and sometimes unbearable acting. Well, CW, I noticed. The only upside was seeing Jessica Walter basically being Lucille Bluth again, which would have tasted much sweeter if this were the Arrested Development movie. But I have to say, I can handle the good girl, the rich/mean girl, and even the heart-of-gold jock. But the worst offender was surely The Wilsons' adopted son Dixon, who loves to share his feelings with whoever will listen. No I don't want to listen to him gripe about the pains of being adopted, thank you very much. And what's up with the Principal/father? Please tell me someone else caught his creepy two-face eyes. So here's a challenge to everyone involved. Surprise me! I'll keep watching until I can't bear it anymore, which might be never if things go well.
Note:Meg actually liked it, but mostly because of the music.

2008-09-03T20:01:00.004-04:00

Don't forget to watch Skins, Sundays at 10 on BBC America!

Passing Judgement:Gossip Girl Season Premiere

2008-09-02T23:04:00.001-04:00

Joey: so
omg
gossip girl
Meg: ooooo
1st things 1st
nate has sunken to a new low
Joey: lol
how so?
the lace-up top?
Meg: a married lady
Joey: lol
yeah
but also the lace-up top
to read the rest, click
Meg: lol
Joey: did you see that thing?
Meg: idk
Joey: well I did
and it hurt
but idk
I don't think that guy is really a duke or whatever
unless he's just a really bad actor
Meg: lol
hes in the book & hes legit
so i think yes
Joey: oh
well thats just gonna get boring
although
I have to say
when it seemed like blair & chuck were gonna get back together, I was kinda dissapointed
Meg: lol
Joey: because it was like they just broke everyone up randomly at the end of the season
and now everyone's gonna get back together
Meg: lol
well chuck & blair were kinda random to begin with
Joey: yeah i know
I remember how weird it was at first
Meg: lol
Joey: but now they're like the golden couple
Meg: i thought it was kinda sweet how much he liked her, but then i wuz like, wait... its chuck...
he shud b brought down a notch
so i hoped she'd say no
lol
am i evil?
Joey: lol
no
I think so too
he was like a rapist in the first episode
Meg: LOL
yeah
in the book he was never this nice
he was like that all the time
Joey: yeah
and they tried to make him like that again in the finale
but it really didn't work
Meg: lol
Joey: but how fabulous were the hamptons?
they kept having all those long scenic shots
Meg: lol
YEAH!!!!
Joey: but i'm glad
because I guess they're leaving them like now
and i want it to be NY in the fall again
Meg: lol
yeah
omg
except!!!!
ERIC
Joey: lol
what about him?
M: he's chucks mini-me
Joey: lol
Meg: its so weird!!!!
Joey: he's like a sidekick
M: lol
ooo
DAN!!!!!!
Joey: lol
ik
what a loser
M: lol
wow, ur nice
Joey: he couldn't even write his story!
M: lol
well u never have writers block
Joey: lol
M: u wudnt understand
Joey: yes I do!
M: *sobs
Joey: but he had an idea
he was just lazy
and then he had a full house moment
on the phone with his dad
M: lol
omg i LOVED the scene w/ him & serenas grandma
Joey: lol
u did?
I didn't get it
It was like
we're REALLY supposed to believe that she's had a sudden change of heart?
M: lol
yes?
Joey: that's meeting her more than halfway
she was like this evil witch in the cottilion episode

It's Like Fantastic But Rap

2008-09-02T15:39:00.006-04:00

I'd never heard a podcast before I stumbled upon Lady Raptastic in the delicious/rancid fruit smoothie that is the internet. A podcast, to clarify, is a basically something like a radio show for the internet, usually downloaded on iTunes and "broadcasted" to your iPod. If this sounds boring, it's because it usually is. But behold, there is a bright light in the podcastosphere, in the form of Lady Raptastic, an aspiring female rapper making do on odd jobs and dealing with the racism around her. And yet, she manages to make this not only a little funny, but a lot funny! Her show is jam packed with skewed views on pop culture (she recently started a campaign to elect "Barack Bin Laden,") complex anecdotes, and just sheer awesomeness. With each episode clocking in at around thirty minutes, her show is the perfect antidote for long road trips and bad days, and I promise, it's really funny! So make sure you listen and subscribe! And, here's the best part, I got the pleasure of asking her some questions on Britney, summer jams, and monkey suicide (just a note:her answers may be a little objectional) and they can be found by clicking once again on the post title...

1.First things first. What are you wearing?
I like to call it my "hown." It's a gown I wear only in the house. It's a large piece of cloth a folded in half, cut a head-hold in the fold, and wear much like a mexican wears a poncho. No bra, no underwear, no deoderant, no elbow pads, Just letting everything fall and droop freely, the way the lord Jesus God intended them to droop. My breasts is big, please.

2.Do you plan anything for your podcasts, or is it just totally improvised?
I have to do research in a dictionary to find the "Word of the Day." That is the most boring part of pre-show preparation, please. Um, other than that, I record it and throw it out to people. I am no longer concerned with quality in general ever since I lost my record deal a couple years back.

3.What are your tips for monkey suicide prevention?
Don't have no monkey babies, there won't be no monkey deaths. And keep them in straight jackets might work. Or just go ahead and kill the ones that look crazy.

4.You're an amazing rapper. Do you think the fact that you're not signed is racism or sexism?
The reason I am not signed is because back in the day, I had a bad attitude and made several people angry (Teddy Pendagrass, Clive Davis to name two). They was all ready to release my first few singles, but backed out when I kicked them in they black nuts at the single release party held at the club in my neighborhood (which I insisted on, please) because I thought they was in cahoots to rape my mother. I had seen a couple pieces of proof that are now gone, unfortunately. And my friends all said the two of them (Teddy and Clive) had "rape eyes" when they was talking to my Momma. The club was called "Mooch," but now it's a tire repair shop.

5.What's your song of the summer?
I cannot get into none of these summer jams. I am still lost in 2005: "We Belong Together" and "Lady Lumps." Call me old school.

6.Are you planning anything exciting for your 100th episode?
It would be exciting if I even MADE episode 100. Shoot. I am lazy, please. You do not know what it's like to be black, so don't try.

7.I love Hidia Roach! Will she be making any more appearances in the future?
I wouldn't mind having her back on the show. She certainly made a scene. I got about 65 emails about her, all from lawyers. They all backed down eventually (they heard about my Pendagrass/Davis incident).

8.If you could meet anyone right now, who would it be?
Solange Knowles. I think she is going ot blow up. I am not even kidding. She is the ugly one, of course. But, she co-opting Amy Whinehouse shit and she hot so she'll do very well. She gonna do Whinehouse right. Bring back that 60s shit. I want to meet her and maybe ask her for some money and slip her my rap demo. It's a new single I've been working on called "Get Yo Nuts Out My Teeth." You know even though I gave up rap to pursue podcasting full-time, I still dabble-dibble in the art form every now and then, please.

9. Are you supportive of the Britney comeback?
Yes. We need one more white person making money by copying black people.

10.Describe a typical day in your life.
Wake up. Cry. Eat a Oreo bag. Do my leg lifts in the bathroom. Shower. Put on my hown. Eat another Oreo bag. Watch Regis and Kelly (the two white people in this world I can deal with). Check email on my neighbor's laptop. Make my calls to my unemployment office. Put on a tube dress and boots. Walk to the bus stop and go to my friend Pauline's house to clean. (I am her maid). Come home 14 hours later. Go to bed. Wake up. Cry. Be black.

11.Thank you Lady Raptastic! You're a strong black woman and my personal role model.
Everybody say that and I am starting to believe it. I guess I do make good decisions and have made a life for myself other would envy. So, I am proud to be yo role model. And the role model of others.

2008-09-01T21:17:00.002-04:00

"No wonder you hate Charade,it hits too close to home."

--James to Blair on Gossip Girl, after finding out she was using him to make Chuck jealous.

Breaking News: Disaster Movie In Fact a Disaster

2008-09-01T11:16:00.004-04:00

Kim Kardashian can't act? Shocker of the century! Those critics brave enough to see Disaster Movie have given their take, and it doesn't look too pretty. So far, counting 19 reviews, its score on Rotten Tomatoes is...0%,whereas The Love Guru earned a 14%. The Jason Friedberg/Aaron Seltzer franchise of spoofs started with the decently reviewed Scary Movie in 2000, but moving on to fare like Date Movie (2006) and Meet the Spartans (2008) has only solidified their position as one of the biggest purveyors of scum in the theaters today. So please, listen to my official decree and DO NOT see Disaster Movie. You'll thank me later.
picture from latimes.com

It's Letha and I Love Letha

2008-09-01T01:27:00.006-04:00

If anyone else is suddenly finding Stella on Project Runway oddly endearing, just know you're not alone out there. And while her taste can be questionable to say the least, her beloved leather was all over the fall collection in the form of pants. Shocking, right? Leather pants bring cowboys and Ross Gellar to mind, but somehow the designers managed to avoid these connotations entirely with sleek, stylish results. This trend is certainly only for those not afraid of eliciting stares, but what's fashion without a little risk? To see the best examples,click...on the post title because I'm experiencing some HTML difficulties.

Yigal Azrouel

Temperley

Neil Barrett

Balmain

Maison Martin Margiela

Veronique Branquinho

Givenchy

Haider Ackermann

Alexander McQueen

Collette Dinnigan