Simon Doonan Keeps the Fashion Flock in Check

“Today’s peacock is tomorrow’s feather duster.”

-  Simon Doonan            

Women's Wear Daily

Good Advice: Lindsay Lohan's "The Canyons" Reminds Us of a Good Lesson

It's almost the end of the work day

Don't Look Back!!! 

Book Club: Jenna Jameson's "How to Make Love Like a Porn Star"

Man, it's been a long time since I book clubbed. Since my last entry I have covertly read books about "The New Jim Crow", The Mayan Empire and Tuesday Weld (yup, that's the mix in my head. Don't be jealous.) 


Well now I wanna share with you this little gem of a memoir from notorious and glorious porn star turned accused (but acquitted!) assaulter Jenna Jameson 


And while no one 'round these parts is advocating a life of porn,  this self-made woman sure has some really good career advice no matter what your path (Pick a goal, focus on it, always be on time and professional, make friends with the behind the scenes people, be nice to everyone no matter how "small" a role they seem to play, etc) 

Oh yeah, and sex. There's sex advice too

I hear that! 

(Jenna Jameson "How to Make Love like a Porn Star" hardcover, $23 at Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/Make-Love-Like-Porn-Star/dp/0060539097/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1367515900&sr=8-1)

Nina Garcia Knows a Dior Can Change Everything

---- Marie Claire Creative Director, Nina Garcia, on her start at Mirabella Magazine and keeping perspective in this wacky career of fashion journalism  

Good Advice

It's Spring. Renewal. Motivation. Forward! 

Time to make the donuts. 

(Thanks Uptown Cory for this inspiration!) 

“See now it’s almost impossible to have any style at all without the right dogs, I think”

-ISAAC MIZRAHI,
(Watchin “Unzipped” for the Umpteenth time, preparing for Polly Mellen speaking with Fern Mallis at 92Y tonite)

Good Advice

     "Stop staying up late and watching 'Dancing with the Stars' and 'The Voice' people!" 

-Homeless man at top of subway steps Monday morning advice

I Can Dig It

(Photo: Oprah.com) 

They say nothing's harder than finding a needle in a haystack. 


As an amateur reseller,I say, "Bring on that haystack, honey!" You never know where a Brikin is hiding. 


This mentality was reinforced and rewarded yesterday when Mr Taurus and I stumbled across a end of season vintage courtyard sale. A vintage store stacked piles of end of season deadstock in its courtyard and swung open the doors to the general public. Each item: $3. 


We couldn't resist. Others in line did not share our enthusiasm. Excessive mounds of misshapes can be daunting, true, but for me and my partner (and burgeoning business partner) the thrill is in the hunt. And hunt we did, honey. We found some real kills in the drifts of duds and all was fair game. Bargain hunters came and went but none preyed like our party. Most felt instant intimidation or laziness and gave up before they really began. More for us. 


All in all we walked away with over a dozen chic car coats, tailored trousers, men's bomber jackets and sleek pencil skirts.  

To the scavenger go the spoils. 

“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’ 

Good Advice: Kate Moss Says Bunk Off

'Sometimes I go to work. Sometimes I go to work hungover. Sometimes I don’t turn up at all. People love that. They don’t know what to expect,' 

 -Kate Moss to newly anointed Radio1 breakfast host, Nick Grimshaw

('I shall try my best to make it in, love. Really I shall.')

Good Advice: Mollie Parnis Didn't Do Fast Fashion

“I’ve always had a theory that good designing doesn’t mean dresses you have to throw away every year. Things shouldn’t go out of date overnight.”

(Model in Mollie Parnis dress from Conde Nast Archive) 

My week has been composed of many classic fashion ladies with quick tongues. With the recent uproar over cheap, fast fashions made in sweatshops, this little nugget from American designer, Mollie Parnis, seems ever prudent.

Somebody Snatched up Tickets to See Polly Mellen Speak

Legendary editor Polly Mellen is giving a lecture with Fern Mallis at the 92Y in December and I cannot think of a better birthday present to myself.

Known for being an editor at Harper's Bazaar (back when it was good and not being run into the ground), American Vogue (under her mentor Diana Vreeland) and Allure, she was an early advocate of both Isaac Mizrahi and Todd Oldham.

And she's a real spitfire.

Can't wait. More tickets available: http://www.92y.org/Uptown/Event/Polly-Mellen.aspx

Carmen dell’Orefice Raises the Roof

 “If you had the ceiling falling down in your living room, wouldn’t you go and have a repair?”

-Carmen dell’Orefice, when asked about work she's had done in new supermodel documentary, "

About Face: Supermodels Then and Now"

Love her! 

Good Advice: Children, Know Your Place

Cuz, as this helpful West Village drinking hole reminds us, it ain't behind the bar. 

DON'T: Let Poor Styling Ruin Your First All Menswear Collection

Remember how excited I was that Jonathan Saunders was finally crafting a whole menswear collection? 

Well, the looks are good, albeit I could really do without the douchey model styling. The hair and those awful sunglasses and poses almost take away from a strong first foray into menswear


























Ugh and those silver shoes. So a mixed bag indeed, but one with potential if Mr Saunders can get a far better stylist on board. Here's looking forward to round two.

DON'T: Bal-ucci

Spotted this knock off bag with a glaring mistake

'tis an okay 'City Bag' knock off but it's best if you know your Balenciaga from your Gucci, counterfeiters.

Coco Rocha Gives Us All a Helpful Reminder

Don't forget to get outside and move around this weekend





And work 50 poses in 50 seconds like a premier Canadian contortionist!

Raquel Zimmermann Gives Good Face and Good Advice

In this commercial for Dior jewelry, Brazilian model, Raquel Zimmermann reads lines, forgets lines and gives out dating advice and the kind of "just be yourself" diatribe that can be infuriating coming from a model



        



But you know what else she's giving? Old style Jerry Hall style modelling

Look at all that gold and big hair, geez. And you can practically smell the lush rose notes of the Dior Addict lipstick and heady Poison perfume.


Lastly, I gotta say: B just turned 29? Lookin' good, milady. (That's pushin' it in model land)

AVON Needs Someone to Sack Them

Every day I nab my Women's Wear Daily to keep up with the soap opera that is AVON's herculean struggles to re-invent itself. Coty's takeover bid was initially brushed aside with annoyance. Now it's a plausible lifeline with AVON even being so nice as to open its books to the perfume giant for perusal. But now Coty has pulled that offer off the table, fatigued by feet dragging

"Your total lack of engagement with us leads to believe that you remain reluctant to explore a friendly, negotiated combination on a reasonable timetable," the letter of retraction from Coty states. 

The problem with this bid loss is that AVON may not find another golden hand to pull i to safety. Hurt hardest by lack of social media outlets and online resources for their sales associates, the brand seems out of touch and dusty and undesirable to buyers. 

Plus, beauty brands established and upstart, have re-focused their ad budgets. The focus is on fresh and flirty, the way a lady wants to feel about her rouge. Case in point: today on the subway I saw a Bare Escentuals bag with "I got Matte in the Sack", a cheeky little come-hither play on words especially smart considering it's a reusable tote for the client. That's gonna be a lot of "Oh I got this free with purchase from Bare Escentuals".

In the end, it may be too late for the former skin so soft titan. AVON may be purchased or fade into the bottom drawer. Coty, which has an all star fresh and fun roster of Marc Jacobs and Chloe perfumes, Rimmel London, and a sea of celeb brands, obviously has the know how and ducats to make AVON over for the year 2012 (or catch it up at least to 2006) but you gotta strike while the curling iron's hot, honey! 

To be continued, I'm sure....

Good Advice

Or possibly bad, depending on the kinda nite you're looking for.


Speaking of which, come join me and Mr G tonite for his photo show of nakies on the LES
at Krause Gallery

Krause Gallery - 149 Orchard st, New York, NY 10002

7 - 10pm