Last Nite's Party: Not Just an Hermes Bag, Honey

When Mr. G called with a "So I got an extra ticket to see Jane Birkin tonite at Town Hall, wanna go?"... I mean how else could I reply than with an ecstatic "YES!"

My eyes no longer fixed on the umpteenth Givenchy Nightingale bag I'd described on a rare Sunday office day (ooh another earned comp day off for a rainy February day) I jumped. Leapt. Shouted. My co-worker perplexed, "Wait...who?"

Flummoxed, I had to call someone who would appreciate seeing a style icon and wife to a lyrical genius: Ms. Stillrich never fails and sure enough she was over the moon on this monumental moment in my monthly. 

Joey Arias more than opened the show with a borderline coup of cooing, trilling and scatting. The four song set was over too quick and featured buoyant versions of "Why Don't You Do Right" and Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child"

Après, Ms Jane Birkin....

That B knew how to enter with my personal favorite Serge song, "Requiem Pour Un Con".

The show was a smashing one off spent with a legend of the fashion, art, music and film world. The seemingly inevitable Joey/Jane duet never emerged, but Birkin wowed the audience for over 2 hours and we left whispering "Oui.... nous l'aimons...."

Happy Birthday, Dionne Warwick!

You work that Rudi Gernreich s**t, birthday girl!


                     

Umm... This Be Good: My Sister's X-mas Carrrrd

I love my sister. Sometimes we share a brain. Knowing "Season's Greetings" is wide open to interpretation, this is the Christmas card she chose to send out this year:

This is 100% her baby too. She photographed and developed the visual concept of two drunken pirate skeletons coming back for one last celebration and to me it captures the holiday completely: live it up with those you love!


Thanks Kelly and Happy Holidays to you, too.

DON'T: ELLE's Drab Work of ART

One of the many boring Jessicas covers the December issue of ELLE magazine

but that's not even my main gripe here. ELLE's picked up this bad habit of denoting a theme to each issue of the year and out of nowhere (perhaps to time with Art Basel?) decided December is now "ART-ember", celebrating artists and the art scene.



Meh.




Strip me of my gay card and all, but I couldn't snooze faster at the mention of "ART". Yuk. So pretentious and preposterous the way those white folks flit about flapping hands and making wild gestures over adolescent splatter and nude self-portraits while onlookers nod approvingly and sip cheap magnum wine. Ugh






Sure enough I breeze through the front of book's tedious "we can make this tie together, I swear" pile up and into the well featuring a stunning China Chow in the most uninspired outfits

How is that even possible? This B's got style enough for all 12 issues!


Sadly the whole thing wraps up with the back cover's Dolce & Gabbana ad with Ms Scarlett Jo-Blank Stare

So bookend dull starlets, missed opportunities with actual women of (color!) style and pigeon holed, irrelevant concepts....

Isn't there a holiday or two going on, ELLE?  DON'T be such a Grinch!

Not Me But Lately I Want...

A Toggle Coat

Maybe it's because we're finally heading back into the cold, inclement weather after this icky run of balminess

(Raf Simons hooded long-sleeve double-faced wool over the placket toggle coat in camel, $1,134 at Park & Bond, http://www.parkandbond.com/product/76395808)

Maybe it's that reoccuring sailor chic spell I fall under

(Woolrich Woolen Mills 'Montgomery' stretch wool toggle trench, $795 at Need Supply Co., http://needsupply.com/mens/outerwear/montgomery-coat.html#)

or the way the coat walks the line between boy and man

(Shades of Grey wool blend plaid toggle coat, $363 at Bloomingdale's, http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/shades-of-grey-toggle-coat?ID=555316&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results)

Or maybe it's because boys look so good in them on the street! Purr...

Yeah, But is it More First Blush or Ribbon Pink?

A very special Christmas gift was delivered early for all our drag queen friends at It Can't All Be Dior: Women's Wear Daily reports that "Pantone, the color forecasting and matching firm, has inked a deal with Sephora to do a Pantone-branded makeup line"

(Can you just picture the compacts?)

This opens the door to unfathomable (yet precisely named) hues of yellow, purple and red the likes we've never seen. At the very least, hyper-pigmented herald MAC makeup better watch its back! 

The first of many in-store and online exclusives begins with March 2012's "limited edition color cosmetics collection... comprised chiefly of tangerine- and orange-shaded cosmetics and beauty accessories, ranging in price from $18 to $80"

Umm... this gonna be good! 

Guest Blog: Holiday Gift Guide 2011

Hey guys, make sure to check out my Holiday 2011 gift guide

http://www.twoandseven.com/2011/12/07/macs-gift-guide-personal-wish-list/

A special guest post for  fashion blog, "Two + Seven" 

http://www.twoandseven.com/2011/12/07/macs-gift-guide-personal-wish-list/

Window Dressing on the Side: Lord and Taylor's Light Box

Lord and Taylor created little peek-a-boo vignettes featuring layered lights and fabulous little baubles for every lavish lady

on your list

And a little something for the fancy fellas too

So when you're around 39th + Fifth for all those sample sales, make sure to pop by for a peek.

Is this French Connection Model Performing a Sobriety Test?

How else do you explain this bizarre-o stand on one leg and cover one eye pose he's got going on? Cuz it ain't sold me on no "House Coat", honey.

H.O.H. , H.O.H. , H.O.H.

Have I mentioned my love for House of Holland? Well if you're sending a X-mas card to Stately Grand Street Manor this year it better be this little charmer from H.O.H.

Inside reads 'HOH HOH HOH Merry Christmas'

Pack includes 4x Red and Green, 4x Green and red, 4x Black and White.

(Pack of 12 House of Holland Christmas cards, £7.99 at http://shop.houseofholland.co.uk/)