Is It Wind Swept Hair Season Yet?

Or do I need to hire someone to follow me around me with a wind machine? 

Either way, ads like this one from Reed Krakoff remind me of my favorite thing about Spring: windy, unpredictable days scampering about the city. 

Groundhog, you better get on page! 

Opium Wars

Yeah, yeah, yeah the fashion blog-a-sphere was all abuzz over the just released Emily Blunt YSL Opium ads and I will admit this is a beautiful shot

And I really like Emily Blunt (even if she hasn't quite found a proper follow up to her cobra snark assistant role in "The Devil Wears Prada") but let's compare her "white woman at the day spa" ad with those of other famous Opium girls

1. Sophie Dahl in 2000

I grew up in the era saturated with Tom Ford sexuality. He just had this way of shaking off mature labels and dousing them in sensuality (hello Estee Lauder?!) His current fragrance ads have continued this streak even if they feel a little more focused on youthful mischievous sex than the sophisticated, dominant style that used to be his trump. 

2. Jerry Hall in 1977

Jerry is the iconic face of Opium and one of the many women of the 70's that made Yves Saint Laurent the man to wear to feel sexy and confident. Jerry, while fully clothed is writhing about those silks and velvets in pure ecstacy. Maybe it's the heady oriental she's wearing, maybe it's the thoughts of the lover she'll send home wearing it. 

3. Kate Moss in 2003

Kate has that way of transcending labels. She's just as comfortable schilling dime store makeup as she is reinventing time tested luxury perfumes. These stolen moments of an off duty peep show girl are pure sex, sweat and secrets. Alluring. 

4. MariaCarla Boscono in 2006

Even ice blond MariaCarla radiates. The way her body looks so plush, so soft and smooth conveys the fragrance's hold on the wearer: you are now enveloped in it, unable to escape even if you wanted. Her playful tease of the rope let's you know she's not really the type to turn down such an offer.






5. Karen Elson in 2010

Karen can't resist. She's hooked on Opium and is now willingly giving herself over to her intoxicating new master.





6. Linda Evangelista in 1998

In full man drag, Linda is still slick and sexy. The aggressive nature of such a door opening scent is played up here. Nothing is delicate: the walls fiery red, the tufted couch is royal purple and Linda is androgynous. There's fantasy represented of both the Orient and the S+M power play of an addiction in this ad.


All in all another reminder that actresses, even ones we like, should leave the modelling work to models.

Thanks for the Ad?

People, missing the point of how they make any money, always complain that magazines are all ads. Well, the November issue of  W  has a whole editorial scattered throughout the magazine of fake ads shot by Steven Meisel and starring Joan Rivers, Karen Elson, and the incomparable Linda Evangelista

And yes, that's a nip slip. 

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.

Thanks for the Ad: YSL Flashback

That's one glamorous collect call

MET Ball? Glad I Went to Kylie

Pouring through the photos of last nite's CFDA Ball at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I am not feeling love at first sight

(I just won't be able to get this hideous frock out of my head!)

And there was something generally missing from the evening. Where was the pomp? The drama? The art? We're celebrating a man who made a dress out of medical slides here people!

(That's Karen Elson for crikey's sake!)

Some people delivered

(Anna Dello Russo)

(Ashley Olsen and Christian Louboutin)

(Naomi Campbell)

But there were too many meh looks on too many c-listers

(La La got an invite? What was Angie Martinez busy?)

The crowd was thick with folks in their finest Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors as if they were celebrating Junior prom, not one of the greatest design minds of recent fashion

(Wait - why you there? And why you wearing Tory Burch?)

(Jessica Stam's been practicing her prom queen acceptance speech ever since she picked up her Tommy Hilfiger dress at the mall)

Ok, this  Michael Kors fuchsia number on Brooklyn Decker at least embraced the color trend so strong for Spring but people this is the MET Ball! You can where whatever you want and you're encouraged to be adventurous!

But let's end on a high note (cuz it can't be that the above dress is "ok"). 

Friend of Alexander McQueen and never afraid to take risks Daphne Guinness won the evening as best dressed in McQueen

And really that more than makes up for all the Maxxinistas in the room!

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!