DON'T: Phone in a Corporate Tie-In Celebration

From CFDA's Steven Kolb's Twitter, a pic of a Walmart's birthday "celebration" for Maybelline cosmetics:

And people are starting to warm up to the idea of a Walmart in New York City?

Very Important for Fall: An Absurd Hat

Look, I have been a lifelong advocate of self-expression and the wearing of accessories past, but these "Grand Hotel" bellhop hats from Louis Vuitton, I feel are responsible for this wack-a-doo trend of ridic hats on heads

Umm, Christopher Bailey, you're super cute and all, but fuzzy dalmatian print hats haven't worked since Jay Kay rode a conveyor belt around a tiny room. Not really sure they worked then....

Ladies, in the morning do you ask yourself "Am I a world famous model shot by Steven Meisel in clothes by Miucca Prada?" Or is it just me? Either way, hats with chin straps made of that itchy Easter "grass" that gets everywhere and that your cat's always eating and then throwing up are not proper toppers. Sorry. 

WARNING

Your son might be a fag**t if he reaching for your flat iron.

That Pugsley Addams look ain't helpin' his case none.

Glamour Shots

When in Maryland....

(Bang, bang, he shot me down....)

(WHAT?!)

(and... Over It)

Project Runway Season 9

Premiere is in less than an hour (that casting special does not count, honey)


Am I excited? Hmm... well judging by that desperate promo poster above that's been in every magazine and subway station all Summer long the producers thought they needed skin to lure people in. Never a good move, especially when your audience is made up of gays and gals. Just saying...

The End of the Road: Amy Winehouse

This weekend, while visiting my family in Maryland, the sad news came out that Amy Winehouse was found dead at 27. Talented but troubled, it's a sad but unfortunately not surprising loss. Amy helped usher in a 60's retro sound trend followed by Duffy, Adele and many others. Her "Back to Black" was the album of 2007 due to the cultural need for fresh music featuring a real singer.

After winning five Grammy's and topping multiple top 10 lists, the pressure was on to follow up with an equally smashing record. We will never see that fulfilled (although you know demos and unfinished tracks will be leaked) and that is a loss for lovers of music indeed.

We'll miss you, Amy.

Book Club: Furious Love

Ooh we haven't checked into our book club in a wee moment, have we? Well we chase the name dropping tome of Oleg Cassini with this little highly recommended treasure (both Mr. G and Miss L.N. have been pushing this biography's addition to the club for months)

A history of one of Hollywood's most sensational love affairs, Furious shows the trajectory of blossoming, forbidden romance to lavish marrieds on a yacht to the inevitable crash and burn. Along the way Tennessee Williams, Noël Coward, Eddie Fisher, Mia Farrow, Montgomery Clift, Robert Mitchum, Warren Beatty, Rex Harrison and a bevy of "Bluebeard" beauties get caught in the web that was Liz and Dick

(No one would blame you, Noël, for being a coward against that fearful headpiece! Yikes!)

It is, in fact, one of "Bluebeard"s b****s that is the catalyst for the (first) divorce when Burton beds Nathalie Delon, then wife of famous French actor, Alain Delon

(Satin sheets are very romantic, especially when accompanied by a green tunic. Grrr...)

I have about two chapters left; just the ideal amount for my 3 hour bus trip to Maryland today! Yay, homeward bound! 

Good Advice: It Don't Take Much to Smile

"Just remember: Having Fun, leopard blouse."

-Words of wisdom from the photographer to the model on today's catalog photo shoot.  

How Much is that Black Kittie in the Window?

And why is it everytime I walk past vintage store Alan and Suzi's on Centre Street it be closed? I can't snag this piece if you ain't open! Grrr!

Thanks for the Ad: YSL Flashback

That's one glamorous collect call

Prada Recycles

Remember this lip print skirt from Prada Spring/Summer 2000? 

Well Prada thought it fresh again, 11 years later

Resort 2012

A kiss is just a kiss, but if you ask me, I prefer the lipstick pattern from that famous 2000 collection

(Oh, Maggie Rizer, I miss you!)

But that's a little too of the time, so Miucca wisely left that to the archives to mine some other time.


Now if this was for the Spring 2012 collection or, God forbid, Fall, I'd be quick to cry afoul, but Resort lends itself to a lite, casual air, so this double dip/ double lip don't offend.

-smooch-

It Can't All Be Dior

Is It Halloween Yet?

I swear Mr. G and I are already planning our Halloween costumes and now this Jeremy Scott for Adidas skeleton print trackie jacket popped up in my email inbox as my daily suggested purchase

Ooh child, don't be a numbSKULL; this is a BONE-ified WANT! 

(Adidas Originals by Jeremy Scott skeleton print track jacket, $159 on sale at www.farfetch.com)

Should I? Lucien Pellat-Finet Laughing Skull Polo

I've been eyeing this Lucien Pellat-Finet polo at work for awhile and now it's on sale for $53.

So I ask you:

Should I take the plunge?

Tom Ford will Show at London Fashion Week

Huge coup for London Fashion Week as Tom Ford will be showing his Spring 2012 collection Sunday September 18th. 

Arguably one of the hottest tickets of the season, Tom Ford will be a welcome addition to London Fashion Week and will join the ranks of Vivienne Westwood, Giles Deacon and House of Holland as London presenters. 

Book that flight now ladies and gays! 

Kate Middleton Should Sue

Umm... worse portrait of Kate Middleton ever! William didn't fare so well either, but jesus. And they could totally sue anyway for using their likeness to sell some beat down Lower East side champagne that's ambrosia to cherubs

(is that PINK champagne? double gross)

I looked it up and the 2000 vintage actually runs $75/bottle. You'd think they could afford at least Banksy or somethin'!

Thanks for the Ad: Rum Zinger

After dancing til 4am, I spent a work day hyped up on gin. Maybe that's why there's a boozy theme to today's posts?

When Faced with Incredible Lighting

Location: the bathroom at The Stay on the Lower East Side
The reason: originally to pee, but I couldn't resist this red light moment

Overheard Last Nite

"The boy I'm sleeping with is still obsessed with his ex, whom he feels sorry for cuz she's dealing with a bad case of scabies."

Meanwhile all I'm thinking is 

a) Why you care?
b) Why you talkin' about her?
c) Don't you go f**k her and give me scabies you ass***e!"

---A tale of romance unfolds at a nearby table. I feel itchy just thinking about it.

Happy Bastille Day!

Sarah Jessica Parker Leaving is the Least of Halston's Issues

Sarah Jessica Parker, Chief Creative officer of Halston Heritage, let it slip in the August cover article of American Vogue that her role "recently came to an end"

But with so many American labels battling for the NOW (first lady endorsed Jason Wu, CFDA winners Proenza Schouler, perennial favorite Marc Jacobs, buzz brand Prabal Gurung and more) and many European lines embracing American sportswear and 70's disco dressing, Halston's role has long been questionable

(Marc Jacobs)

Will the real Halston please stand up?   

   

                                   (Vionnet)

(Lanvin)






Unfortunately, the year 2011 doesn't allow for much laurel resting and Halston Heritage even told you upfront that it was the sum of its former glories

Yes there was in-battling between the creative and business sides, but, hello? Welcome to fashion (or really any creative artistic business). More likely is Halston's undefined role in American fashion and the world stage of dressing. 




Sarah Jessica did her best to promote the line, but I personally am not surprised at this news. Re-incarnating storied 70's American sportswear labels (Anne Klein, Bill Blass, etc.) has proven an uphill battle. This is just another example, I'm afraid. 

Damn, Why Didn't I Agree to go to Dinner with Joan Rivers Last Nite?!

(Joan Rivers tweeted pics of herself running into Kate Moss at dinner at The Wolseley)

Can you just imagine the conversation between Ms. Joan Rivers and Mrs. Kate Moss? 

And what did they eat?!

From now on Joan, if you say jump, I say "yes Ma'am!" Dang!

Three Makes It a Trend: Two Tones are Better than One

(Bally)

Menswear shows for Spring 2012 had a lot of bad pant trends with balloon cuts and pajama styles runnin' rampant. But there was one other bothersome bottom I spied: two tone pants

(Ombré style at Phillip Lim)

And whether your a chop off the old color block or an ombré hombre, this trend feels more American Apparel than Modern Man's Must to me. Surprising if we'll think of it twice

 (I think I had swim trunks just like these Marni shorts... in 7th grade!)

CURRENTly Crushin'

The other nite I spent a few hours in front of the tele watching in disbelief as the CURRENT channel showed its Vanguard series. Two episodes filled with big tobacco taking over Indonesia and other emerging economies, luring in the kids with no age restrictions and no government regulations and a second episode on Oxycontin addiction rampant in Massachusetts.


These were both thought provoking ways to spend an evening, true, but I also spied this cutie face

No, not the notorious smoking baby! But Mr. Christof Putzel, one of the correspondents for Vanguard

Cute and scruffy with hair you just wanna muss and puppy dog eyes, he wears his passion for journalism and humanity on his sleeve and turns my brain on

And being a total affable smarty pants cutie is why you win my crush of the month and why I'll be tuning in again next week

(Wait.... who's that guy on the right.....)

DON'T: Wear an Entire Collection at Once

Thank God the Franken shoes were out on loan! 

Look far be it for me to deny a lady of a certain age best known for a show from 1988 to try to steal an evening from the interchangeable whipper snappers, but darlin' this reads as crazy old Aunt Sally's gotten into the liquor cabinet again!

("Step aside Central Casting, Mama's got a photo op!") 

I can also forgive a cuckoo bird trying to shake up the red carpet. A sea of  blonde girls wearing the same cupcake dress from Marchesa gets tiring, but Dana Delaney you committed a cardinal sin at the BAFTA's Brits to Watch ceremony this weekend (PS: what the H were you doing there, anywho?!) 

DON'T wear one designer head to toe. And sure as hell DON'T wear the whole Prada runway at once

Dress

+

Purse

+

Striped Fur Stole

=

Still less embarrassing than "Exit to Eden"

YIKES!