Ten Things I Loved in January

2012 is already 1/12th of the way done. Let's see what things didn't piss me off this month:

1. Lemon Ginger tea from Twining's 

A right kick in the a** on a winter's day.

2. This jacket from the Fall 2012 Kenzo runway

Yeah, this could very well be a shirt, but you know my dumbness would wear it as a jacket. In 40 degree cold. 

3. Finished this book! 

Before my three month deadline! 

4. Jack's Wife Freda restaurant

Turns out, it is new. And that vegetable couscous with tangy chutney is delicious (despite its hard to swallow $16 price tag)

(Photos from i-phone by candlelight. Bugger off.) 

5. I became an uncle!

Three times over. 

6. Charlize Theron on Top Chef

That Snow White flick of hers don't even come out 'til June and she's already out there peddling it with "make me a feast fit for an evil queen" throw downs. But I'm dying to go see it, so I'll shut up. Theron knows what she's doin', wicked shillster! 

(Winning dish featured a red right hand) 

7. Madonna in her various W.E. promotional Fuckery

Speaking of evil queens...

8. Getting paid to write this pun

"Worried you'd never get your hands on a fine Robert Graham shirt like this 'Venice' style? Well with prices this good, you 'canal'."

 9. Movies about masochistic, exhibitionist peak Jane Fonda with unexplained baby cheetah cameos

10. Miss Piggy re-tweeted me

I LOVE My Color Psychic

Everyday I check my Twitter for Laurie Cabot's color therapy and tip of the day. She gives me the best advice and makes getting dressed so easy.


However, today she seems a little off her color wheel

Jesus, girlfriend!

My Heart Just Skipped a Beat!

You Say Gelato...

I say bring back Miss Piggy!


This week's make a dress inspired by ice cream with a press agent, was a cute idea, Project Runway All Stars, but that six hour constraint seemed like a real mean tack-on

However, there was some nice output this week from both of my designer dudes.





AUSTIN

Austin's knotted and beaded felt like a warm buttery concoction of vanilla and spice and showed some nice craftsmanship.








MONDO

Cool crisp and refreshing, this is the what the challenge was supposed to be all about: visualization of a flavor. Delicious and the clear winner.




Week four tally comes to:

Austin  2

Mondo 2

Milk with sour cherries?  Zero

Yuk. 

Waiting for the 'Bomb'

Harrod's has it! That elusive Viktor & Rolf  'Spicebomb'

Me want! Me want! But against the almighty Pound and cross-Atlantic shipping, I'll wait until it hits these here shores.


For now I'm taking this visual cheat sheet from V+R on how to concoct me own

That's gonna leave a rash! 

(Viktor & Rolf Spicebomb eau de toilette, £45.00 for 50 ml, exclusive to Harrod's, http://www.harrods.com/)

God This Day Couldn't Be Going Any Slower.....

Let's Put Alexis Mabille's Couture Quote to the Test

"This is couture you can really wear"   - Alexis Mabille, Style.com

Hmm... let's see

Okay let's just get right out of the way that large floral hats and painted faces are old stage tricks and never implied reality.  That swing coat, however, is quite elegant with a maxi (although I'd steer clear of the dreaded matchy matchy) but also the perfect topper for a casual look in need of a punch of refinement. Totally wearable! 

Stretch jersey dresses have been many a designers bread and butter and that rich colorblocking is right on trend. The asymmetrical shoulder bow is too long and that fringe feels too heavy, but a good whack of the scissors makes this a pretty summer evening dress with a high up wood bangle on the clean arm. Cute. 

People, I'm letting you know Easter egg colored pants are on their way. GAP, Joe's Jeans, J Crew ... so many already have this trend stocked ten to the rafters and every girl worth her 3-pack of Hanes little boy wife beaters will be sporting this look when the temps rise. The brocade here is the key twist and could transition to fall with dark suiting or angora short sleeve sweaters. 

Surprisingly youthful for a couture show, this laser cut dress is both bohemian and light and sweet. Many women turn to that flirty combination for a more polished summer look. Absolutely wearable and will be knocked off a bunch! 

Wow, did a fashion designer use real talk just now? Must be a full moon. 

Pretty Louis with an Epi Cherry on Top!

Boy, Louis Vuitton's really hittin' below the new year's resolution belt with double the temptation here. Luckily your resolve is strong. You will not open your wallet. You're saving. You will.....

Hey where'd you go?

Window at Louis Vuitton Soho, 116 Greene Street, corner of Greene and Prince

Where Have I Been? Where Has Diego Luna Been?!

I never see much of my former celeb boyfriend, Diego Luna, ever since we broke up. We had such a sweet run and he was the first in a string of beautiful brown boys that stole my heart. But soon it was 2004 and he'd just completed that superfluous Dirty Dancing sequel and alas, I'd moved on to Fabrizio from The Strokes.


Well now my former sweetie is poppin' up in Katy Perry videos

I'm obviously not on top of  the Perry video grind or else I would have realized this when this video came out in November, but this brush with loves past still gives me pause

Diego looks like his charming, goofy self posing in hats and vintage Persian lamb coats, all scruffy and shaggy haired and adorable

The dramatic Mustang crash scene only refuels this French cinema lover's passion for my little Mexican cutie

And wouldn't you know it, like my longing, Diego's spirit proves eternal! 

Enjoy!

               

Dior Does Dovima

What does a house with a revered fashion reputation do after its new head designer's debut "Melancholy Mimes from Mars" couture collection was ripped to shreds? 

Revert to what you know works, and for Dior and Bill Gaytten, that fool proof course is "The New Look"

The nipped waist and dramatic skirt flourish shocked Carmel Snow (who famously coined the style's fashion forward moniker) post World War II and this level of sophistication is even more startling now when juxtaposed against so much bunk!

Personally each of these black and white wonders gives me visions of the one and only supermodel den mother and Avedon muse, Dovima

This retro refinement speaks to the well heeled and celebutante alike (that first dress should be top pick for Rooney Mara's Oscar look. You heard it hear first!) and the critics are already applauding. Go ahead Gaytten! Just furthering the mumblings that there's no need to rush replacing Galliano.

Good Advice: New Years Diet Tips from a Purse

Ooh, Kate Spade, girl, you gonna get me in trouble!

What am I Gonna do With All These Breasts?

The Fall 2012 men's shows heralded a bunch of new directions for us guys these past few weeks, but one that was featured more than a handful of times was an emphasis on double breasted looks

Loose and layered at Raf Simons

Of course references had to be made to the English dandies that nursed this style

                   Burberry Prorsum

                                                                                          Moschino

But there were reinventions specific to 2012 like this single button row at Paul Smith

And clever double breasted inclusions in unexpected places

Like grand desert war influenced capes at Dior

 Drape front double breasted shirting at Dries Van Noten

And Napoleonic but slim cut bike influenced plush velvet vests at Balmain

Double breasted styles are not for everyone. Unless deliberately oversize like the Dior and Raf examples,  Skinny! is the operative word. 

I have a glen plaid double breasted coat I've been wearing for a while that falls beautifully in trend (I love when that happens) although I wonder how many men will cop a feel for double breasted fashions. It's not an easy style to implant without looking like a boob.