It Feels Like FALL!

New York temps are at a 71 degree high for the day and I woke up and read ELLE's August issue / Fall 2013 preview

And I have to remind myself, this is a fluke and not time for jackets and cute sweater. But soon, my pet, so very soon....

Elle Magazine Has Embraced Women of Color in 2013

Last week we got quite excited at the "It Can't All Be Dior" offices when Kerry Washington was the Elle Magazine June cover gal. Finally a woman of color stands there to lure readers. We remarked then how appropriate a subject she is since she's in a crazy popular show with a loyal following (ie: built in fan base = built in readership = money$$$) 


Well with natural journalistic intrigue, we went back and happened upon a nice trend: Elle has put three consecutive women of color on their covers 

Rita Ora KILLED it in couture on the May 2013 cover

And Nicki Minaj got the "natural" treatment for the April 2013 cover 

Now, it is true that Rita Ora was one of a series of covers for May 2013 featuring current musical ladies that rock, but of the three possible covers, TWO were women of color (Alicia Keys being the second and Adele being the white gal) 

And it is also true that Claire Danes, Jessica Biel and Taylor Swift have rounded out the year as thus far, but to paraphrase Meatloaf: 3 out of 6 ain't bad. 

Finally!

Kerry Washington lands a huge fashion mag cover 

(Kerry Washington causing a Scandal in Marc Jacobs on the cover, June 2013 ELLE) 

A HUGE hit show, a role in an Oscar winning movie and the latest Tyler Perry cash machine, a great sense of style and charisma for weeks... there's no reason Kerry Washington shouldn't be all over the place right now. 


Oh except that whole whitewash of fashion thing. Right. 

Let the Spring 2013 Editorials Begin!

With this Dolce & Gabbana Roman centurion print silk full skirt with sheer dot blouse 

This just screams ELLE 'First Look' section come Spring 

(Yes, I've finally got back on board the Spring shows.... boy am I behind!)

“If I had poetic inclinations,

I’d pen a succession of odes about the

perfect tuxedo trousers.”

         ♥    ♥     ♥   ♥ 

-Iman in her premiere issue of her new online magazine,‘Destination Iman’ 

DON'T: Your First Handbag Should Not Look Like a Shelter Blanket

Sorry Rag & Bone 'Pilot' bag. Try again. 

Scene of the Time: New Years 2012

For New Year's, Mr Taurus and I celebrated with a quiet, intimate little affair at home. Bowls were scattered with symbols of luck in the new year: basil, oranges and peanuts

The table featured a light dusting of homemade confetti crafted from  Lancôme and Fendi ads from the December ELLE

My mother's thank you cards sent to us serves as impromptu seating cards

And we popped a bottle of champagne I'd saved from a styling gig to toast the successes of 2011 and the new triumphs ahead for 2012

Happy New Year! 

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!

October ELLE Make No Sense

Never has a model covering a fashion magazine made less sense

(You're ok Adriana, but why the October beach setting and granny styling?)

With so many female led new television programs on the Fall schedule, there's any number of strong ladies who have projects to promote (Christina Ricci, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Christina Applegate, Kat Dennings, hell even Rachel Bilson!)

(We know Kat can do it!)

Plus new music from Little Dragon, Tori Amos, Mates of State and Rihanna. Ri-Ri takes good cover, darling

In short, far from me to begrudge a model reclaiming her rightful place, but now? And, I know this gonna sound bitchy, but the Victoria's Secret models? Really? Meh. If you're gonna do it, ELLE, put the real ladies up: MariaCarla Boscono, Karen Elson or Kate? Moss may have something to talk about.

Umm This Be Good: Hearst Magazines for a Mere Abe Lincoln!

Check it out $5 for a one year subscription to any of your favorite Hearst pubs, including newly acquired ELLE

Linky link:  https://subscribe.hearstmags.com/subscribe/crosssite/76899

Adele Gives Good Face on British VOGUE

But that's about it 

(Rumor has it Adele is more than just a floating head!)

 Why is it, fashion magazines, when you choose to showcase larger beautiful women they always get the major crop? 

(Pre-Weight Watchers, you couldn't really get the full essence of Jennifer Hudson)

(Marie Claire glee-fully put Amber Riley on its cover, but not all of her)

(Only ONE of these one time multi-cover girls has been nominated for an Oscar....)

(But they chose precious little of her on the cover)

If you honestly don't want to fill your covers with these full figured ladies, surely you have Kate Hudson's number on speed dial!

One ELLE of a Gal

"Fell in love with the girl, fell in love once and almost completely"

In a Yohji Yamamoto cage dress with polka dot Stella McCartney blouse and Sergio Rossi leather and suede boots, Emma Stone's ELLE magazine July 2011 subscriber cover is like a vision from "Barbarella" or Roman Coppola's "CQ" 


Take note, W, this is how you showcase an ingenue!

Is that You, E. Jean?

No one's getting whipsawed by confusion here, Chris Benz' Fall 2011 muse seems to be that dollface Elle Magazine advice columnist, E. Jean Carroll! 

Benz, my little Elle rabid reader, you couldn't have found a more spot on inspiration! 

French Vogue's Getting Piggy with the Talent

Watch out Emmanuelle Alt, Miss Piggy is gunning for your gig. 

According to Vogue UK, Miss Piggy will play an editor for French Vogue in the latest Muppet movie slated for February 2012. 


You just know every designer with a sense of humor is calling for a cameo! Couldn't you just see Isaac Mizrahi and Piggy at a power lunch while she's decked out in mini Oscar de la Renta and a wee Chanel classic quilted? 

(well excuse me, girlfriend. Of course you've already got a classic. How silly of me.)

(and obviously ELLE, but Miss Piggy and Catherine Deneuve together? Purrrrr)

Original article: http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/110114-miss-piggy-works-at-french-vogue-pa.aspx

Hearst and Hachette Sittin' in a Tree

It's official: Hearst is making an honest and open bid for Elle's mama company, Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S.




Hachette was looking to sell and internationally the titles of both "H" publishing empires have vast similarities, so a union in The States was the most logical path for the French company. Any growing pains should also be minimal, but will all titles emerge unscratched or meld into mutant hybrids? Afterall, Hearst has its anchor fashion bible in Bazaar and house and home title in Good Housekeeping, where do ELLE and Woman's Day fit? 





Yet it's all still very promising with Hearst's $$$ and ability to spin so many multi-media collabs and international editions successfully. Plus it'd all be worth it to see Nina Garcia's face when she runs into some old ELLE friends at the Hearst cafeteria

Thanks for the Ad: Fall 2010 Fashion

It's one of my favorite times of the year again: September Fashion Magazine Time!

Now the editorial part long ago lost its allure to me after far too many disappointingly silly actresses against white backdrops modeling clothes that could be appealing if on a real model and not some dishwater tanned blonde girl from the latest interchangeable romantic comedy (this month's roster of Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston excel at proving my point!)

(Awkward pose with claw hands in a kimono)                                  (Random Barbara homage)  




So let's look at the ads! Cuz they still sell a fantasy land where you wear heels and and a full on Look to lounge on fire escapes and traipse around the city doing fabulously chic and indeterminate tasks

I've never been crazy about Natalia V (and that pose is sooooo Benny Ninja episode of America's Top Model), but DAMN if Karen and Christy aren't making a dramatic case for purchasing a vanity and a full skirt

Anja missed her train Friday afternoon, too wrapped up instead pondering why a raven is like a writing desk

Every August, the streets of New York City are filled with European tourists. Misleading ads like this are why every single one of those Euros is holding bags from mall brands like American Eagle, Express and Old Navy 

Speaking of Old Navy, kids,  Domenico and Stefano spent a lot of money to look real cheap. And that strategy only works for Dolly

I see Anna Wintour advised Ann Taylor to dump the models and sip from the dishwater blonde actress cup 

I was a fan of all the color blocking and 60's futurism Nicolas Ghesquiere used for Fall 2010, but this ad looks like you forced your sloppy, bratty teenage daughter to go to Sears for the annual family portrait

I LOVE Angela Lindvall!

Not a fan of Guess, but kinda loving this rockabilly meets Gina Lollobrigida imagery

And Moschino got the Colonial for Fall memo, although my version will have a whole lot less c**k rings involved. Yikes!