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| October 2007 »
 In this picture, Brigitte Bardot looks pensive and melancholy -- like she just broke up with a beau or forgot to call her Mom on her birthday. Perhaps she's pondering the inflation rate of purses and wondering how a clutch like the Fendi box clutch can cost $1,490 this season? Or how the Bottega Veneta Karung fan clutch (see right) can fetch $1,980? Are you outraged by the current price of handbags? Does the idea of spending $3,000 on a purse that Vogue will hautily deem "passe!" in three months make you seethe? Post your thoughts on the current state of fashion--damn it or defend it!
Bardot photo credit: Leo Fuchs
 When Marcel Marceau -- beloved French mime --died last week, I started thinking about how he must have hated removing his makeup every night. Imagine the scrubbing and sloughing it took to erase that saucy Pierrot look he perfected. Holy merde! I can barely bring myself to brush my teeth some nights.
Sadly, dermatologists warn that going to bed without first washing your makeup off is almost as bad for your skin as sunbathing naked in India. Does that stop me from hitting the pillow with mascara and tinted moisturizer intact? Sadly, no. But my recent discovery of Boots No. 7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes has made me change my ugly ways. These cotton makeup remover sheets come in a handy plastic pouch with a flip top and are perfect for traveling. (It's such a pain to figure out which cleansers are less than 3 oz. to meet TSA restrictions.) Best of all, they have absolutely no scent and contain witch hazel and fennel. Get them here for $6.99.
 Clearly, the yellow bathrobe is having a moment. Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman both wear a monogrammed saffron wrap during different scenes in Wes Anderson's new 13-minute short, "Hotel Chevalier." You can download it and watch it here. Note that Portman's sleek gray coat was designed by Marc Jacobs for the film. 
On an equally, if not even more sexy, front: Sean Connery prefers to mimic a melting pat of margarine in this portrait painted by his wife, Micheline. You could knit a scarf with his prodigious chest hair.
Want in? Check out this velvet and terry blend from Acqua di Parma that  you can buy here for $235. Alas, that nifty "Hotel Chevalier" monogram doesn't come with the robe. I suggest you come up with your own hotel name like "Villa Erotica" or "Chateaux Minx." FYI: I just returned from interviewing Wes Anderson in N.Y. for a cover story for next week's paper. You can read all about it Oct. 7. I talked to Marc Jacobs too and he's an inspiring interview.
Photo credits: "Hotel Chevalier," Fox Searchlight; Sean Connery, BBC
 Getting married? Feeling stressed? Almost wish that you had joined a convent and said "I do" to Jesus? Calm down, wife-to-be. The Wedding Salon -- this Wednesday, Sept. 26th, from 4:00 to 9 p.m. at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills -- could make pre-married life and planning a bit easier. This bridal extravaganza will feature experts like Eric Buterbaugh (florist to Demi and Ashton), a beauty suite, and exquisite jewels by Martin Katz. No doubt, you'll glean tips from the myriad resources and best of all, there are Champagne and martini bars. The event costs $75 for two, which means bring a bridesmaid and a designated driver.
photo credit: AP
 When a man writes a sardonic ode to a leopard-skin pillbox hat, you know he understands how our style can define us. Bob Dylan didn't just rely on his lyrics to express himself. He cultivated an early look -- the thoughtful, scrawny hobo whom you yearned to serve your biggest slice of peach pie to -- and then reinvented himself as he became more familiar with fashion.
Director Todd Haynes' new movie "I'm Not There" showcases the many visages of Dylan, with actors like Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger and Christian Bale embodying the maestro. Let's take a peek at a few of his iconic styles.
In the beginning, he favored an engineer's cap, flannel plaid shirts, and motorcycle boots. Easy enough to emulate with these ruched boots from Miu Miu with a flat stacked  heel ($995; neimanmarcus.com) and this modern version of the infantry cap by Quicksilver, ($22; backcountry.com). Dylan's iconic checked scarf, worn on the cover of 1966's "Blonde on Blonde" is another easy get that works for anyone.  (Interestingly, this one on the right from Urban Outfitters is not so different from the high-priced Balenciaga version for fall. Oh, except that it costs $18 or a few mortgage payments less.)
In 1968, Bob Dylan discovered that he had a thing for polka dots, stovepipe pants and Cuban heels. When he played the Newport Folk Festival, he shocked audiences in a get-up that was more  rocker than railroad worker.
Around this time, he also started wearing the traditional Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses. You can buy them here. Those sunglasses always reminded me of a conservative Dad behind the wheel of a wood-paneled station wagon, but Dylan managed to make them look beatnik cool. His woolly, ever rebellious hair contrasted with shirts buttoned at his throat and collegiate blazers. The effect was that of a college professor who sipped cheap red wine with his students and often slipped out into the night without saying goodbye.
In recent years, Dylan has adopted the look of an outlaw or a flamboyant cowboy sans horse. He rarely makes the scene without a dramatic hat. I prefer his earlier look simply because it was more simple. This picture of Dylan in Woodstock makes me lean in closer, but not to see what he's wearing. I just want to hear him sing.
 The color pink -- and I'm not talking about dainty, pale cupcake frosting pink - -has been deemed a statement shade for fall. Milly, Christian Lacroix and Oscar de la Renta are all showing flouncy mini frocks in look-at-me-now shades of fuchsia.
But can you pull it off if you're not a 24-year-old party girl carrying a flute of Champers? Or Holly Golightly? Heck, yes. Fuchsia is actually an extremely flattering color and it warms pale skin tones and contrasts well with darker complexions. The key to making this vibrant color work for you is to pair a hot pink dress with decidedly adult shoes like sophisticated black pumps or strappy nude stilettos. A simple, black or metallic clutch works best too. 
I love how Cate Blanchett electrified the stage at a screening recently in a classic fuchsia blouse. She paired the shirt with a black pencil skirt and so the pop on top didn't extend to her lower half. Blanchett also opted for muted lips and minimal eye make up.
If the idea of drawing a lot of attention to yourself makes you quiver, you can access the trend with an  accessory. Right now, I love this studded, pink suede evening bag from Temperley London ($720 at netaporter.com). It comes with a detachable gold chain and can double as a shoulder bag or a clutch. Hey, clutches are hot for fall too. That's like killing two trends with one credit card statement.
Oh, and keep in mind that a woman in hot pink can't be a bore. You had better have some zingers if you plan to swan around in fuchsia. Crib from Ms. Golightly -- or rather, Truman Capote, who wrote Breakfast at Tiffany's:
Holly: "It should take you exactly four seconds to cross from here to that door. I'll give you two."
Holly: "I'm not hotfooting it after Jose, if that's what you think. Oh no. As far as I'm concerned he's the future president of nowhere."
Holly: "Ah... Do I detect a look of disapproval in your eye?
Tough beans buddy, 'cause that's the way it's gonna be."
Photo credit, Blanchett: WireImage
 Sharpen your claw, kitties. And put off purchasing those Pradas for just one week. Next Friday -- the 28th --at 10:00 a.m., you'll need all your moxie for the Fred Segal sale in Santa Monica (500 Broadway; (310) 458-9940). Everything -- from Chloe to Lacoste --goes on sale at 50% off. Get there at 9:45 --there is always a line -- and head directly for the footwear section. The best shoes go first.
What will Carrie Bradshaw wear in her upcoming leap to the big screen? This first image from the set reveals that the face that launched a thousand pairs of Manolos has opted for Dior sandals, a vintage dress -- I'm guessing circa late '50s, early '60s -- and gold bracelets from Verdu. Her bag, most interestingly, comes from designer Timmy Woods.
Timmy Woods? This Beverly Hills designer specializes in handcrafted wooden purses in shapes like horse heads, dice, and dachshunds. These are the types of bags that women like Liz  Taylor or Nancy Reagan collect. The Eiffel Tower purse is available now on her website, ($338), and comes with a silk cord.
The designer carves her purses from fallen acacia trees and for each one that she uses, two more are planted. I prefer the equestrian-inspired "Horsy" bust ($320).
I like that Carrie has eschewed the $2,000 clutch that seems to be all the rage for fall. Burberry now offers a $3,000 "Knight" bag and I can only wonder when the purse market -- like our housing market here in Los Angeles -- will be due for a correction. That bubble needs to burst before we all go broke.
 To see Sean Penn smile is to witness a grand slam or a mauling by a polar bear. It so rarely happens. He has lovely teeth. 
But Penn's mood can pirouette faster than Nureyev. Do not ask why.
 Are hot tubs the new condoms?
The NY Times reports today that a team of urologists at UC San Francisco found that regular exposure to "wet heat" impairs fertility and sperm production. (Um, the term "wet heat" is a major turnoff.)
The study also found that men could reverse the effects in three to six months if they quit hot tubbing.
Beauty addicts, myself included, always see the jar of moisturizer as half-full. They truly hope that peptides will boost collagen. They pray that an oxygen facial could reverse the effects of two decades of sun worship and a few too many one-night stands with margaritas.
A recent study by the NPD Group revealed that Los Angeles, just behind Orange County, leads in sales volume of spending on beauty products. (The Pacific region -- including L.A., San Diego, and Orange County -- spent $1.9 billion on personal grooming products in 2006.) How much do ladies in Laguna spend per year on their beauty needs? About $473.30. Meanwhile, Angelenos cough up $464.94.
 My expectations of award-show fashion are always oversized and unrealistic. Reminds me a bit of my hopes for New Year's Eve parties, in fact. I long for the days when Cher showed up to the Academy Awards in a 50-pound Bob Mackie feathered headdress or Julie Christie wore a gold lamé pantsuit and looked ready to mate with an Oscar.
These days, the talent play it as safe as pediatricians. They have turned fashion into a precise science and clearly, the HMO model applies. Most actresses wore red, like Ali Larter, Sally Field, Kate Walsh, Felicity Huffman, and Mary Louise-Parker. Others opted for some variation on silver. (The few who deviated -- like Minnie Driver in butter yellow and America Ferrera in royal blue --deserve awards for straying from the crowd.)
What I wonder is how all of these stylists know that every other actress is wearing a certain shade? Do they call each other to compare notes before the show? I am going to find out and report back. In the meantime, here's my take on the trends that worked:
Updos add years: Ironically, it was the more mature actresses who opted for hair right out of the Age of Aquarius. Marcia Cross, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Kyra Sedgwick were just a few of the women who wore their manes loose and long. The effect was sexy and youthful. Meanwhile, young guns like Hayden Panettiere, Katherine Heigl and Jenna Fischer chose to wrestle their locks into submission and the effect was rather dowdy.
 Cuffs slim wrists: Necklaces were a no-no last night. Most actresses instead wore cuffs. The massive bracelets do shave a few pounds off the arm, as they create a Gulliver-like illusion. How about someone invents a thigh cuff?
Color steals glances: There is really no call for black on the red carpet. It's safe, staid and doesn't compliment the complexion. A few actresses opted for black, like Tina Fey. I adore Fey almost as much as Pinot Noir and would have loved to have seen her in a deep shade like moss. Black may be slimming, as they say. Maybe it's because people slide their attention to the next woman, who's wearing blue.
 Next month is devoted to breast cancer awareness, but these new polos by Ralph Lauren (in support of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer) will hopefully sell out by then. The fitted, cotton shirts -- in the most optimistic of shades -- just landed on Net-a-porter.com at $75. Best of all, 100% of the proceeds benefit breast cancer research. Now that's one way to smartly wear your heart on your sleeve.
FYI: about 1.5 million women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and over 4 million women are currently surviving the disease. Clearly, beating the odds just ain't good enough. We need to better the odds by finding a cure. I plan to send one of these polos to my sister, mom, step-moms, and all of my girlfriends. I may even buy a few for my enemies too. Lucky them!
 
Recently, the fashion world had a collective hissy fit when designer Marc Jacobs closed Fashion Week with a show that started two hours later than scheduled. (If I had a box of Junior Mints for every Hollywood movie premiere that began more than an hour late, I would be toothless.) From what I understand, some editors and buyers were particularly miffed because rumor had it the maestro was swilling Shirley Temples (Jacobs was just in rehab) at a hotel bar in New York while they awaited his show.
On WWD.com, you can read Jacobs' heated defense. In it, he explains that he returned to the Mercer Hotel (where he lives) to shower because: "I stank like a raccoon!" I adore Marc Jacobs because he is a visionary and his show reflected his thoughtful and mirthful musings on the current state of fashion. I love him even more for likening his redolence to that of a rodent who appears to be perpetually wearing a sleep mask. Check out L.A. Times fashion critic Booth Moore's excellent take on that show and others in this past Sunday's Image.
Photo credit: Getty Images
 Aging is a bitch? Not when you happen to be a movie like "The Graduate," which debuted 40 years ago in 1967 and quite frankly, looks even better and resonates even louder today.
Take the famous line from Benjamin Braddock's neighbor, who may have been as much of a visionary as Frank Lloyd Wright. He says, "I just want to say one word to you -- one word: Plastics." Plastics, indeed. Who would have dreamed that Americans would spend $8.4 billion on synthetic fillers for furrows, collagen, liposuction and other cosmetic surgery four decades later?
 Mrs. Robinson's style -- leopard coat, black, seamed stockings, and a head scarf -- holds up too. Clearly, she dressed like the predator she played. Feeling hungry? I wouldn't suggest that you molest the paperboy, but a stitch or two of animal print is always sexy. This season, designers are crazy for exotic prints and the stampede of fabrics and leathers include big cat, zebra, giraffe and a preponderance of ostrich.
Personally, I like these simple low-heeled pumps by Christian Louboutin ($770, Saks.com) because they show some toe decollete and look comfortable. (Cats should never stumble because their stilettos hurt.) Pricey? Yes, but these shoes -- much like the film -- are a bona fide classic. You could even slip them on in 40 years and take long, languorous strides.
Photo credit: Top shot, Bob Willouby
 This just in: the word "chic" is one weary mot. These days, you can't read a sentence without running into it. Along with being the au courant adjective for all things fashionable, "chic" has become the unwitting and undignified alternative to S*#@, as in "Chic happens" or "What a pile of chic!"
I am saddened to report that the word wants out. Out of the dictionary, out of the argot of snippy home decorators and skinny magazine editors. Out of the Lucky magazine campaign that announces: "Chic meets Street." Even out of this blog, alas. In a prepared statement, the word passed along this message to its devout followers:
Dear people who use words,
If a language can die and a species can become extinct, I hope that I, a mere one-syllable expression with a French origin, can be allowed to rest a bit. The crazy parties, the tongue in cheek headlines, it's all too much. Whereas I was once the definitive utterance to convey something stylish and unique, I am now ubiquitous and bloated. I don't want to end up like "bling."
I ask that you respect my wishes for privacy during this troubled time.
Many thanks,
Chic
 The leather jacket has always been the sartorial equivalent of a cool, older sibling. Wear it and suddenly, you embody that idealized version of yourself. You know the type: quick with a one-liner; equally nimble with a cold stare that could stifle any bully. This season, the leather jacket is being touted as the must-have wardrobe staple. Rick Owens, Chloe, and Proenza Schouler are all showing signature variations on the icon -- from bombers to fitted, classic motorcycle styles.
What you need to remember is that leather jackets, much like big brothers  and sisters, vary in their cool factor. Don't be squeamish about the trend just because you envision yourself looking faux fierce. A bomber, like this one from Chloe ($1,155; Netaporter.com), adds a contrast in shape to the tapered point of a pencil skirt.
 On the other hand, the classic black-leather style -- perhaps best modeled by Olivia Newton John in "Grease" or Marianne Faithful from her 1968 movie, "Girl on a Motorcycle" -- need not be so hard and masculine. Over at shopbop.com, there's a  1960s-inspired quilted version by Vince, priced at $595. Alexander McQueen also offers a quilted, fitted zip-up for $4,140 at Neimanmarcus.com.
Be sure to pair your new leather with a feminine touch, which could be as subtle as a pink or floral pocket square. That way, you won't feel ridiculous when you round up the towheads and start up a minivan, rather than a Harley.
 
Jezebel.com -- a must for anyone who questions the veracity of women's media -- broke the story on the subtle (and seemingly unnecessary) airbrushing of Faith Hill for Redbook a few months ago. Did you see the "before" and "after" pictures of the 39-year-old country singer posted on the smart and delicious site? Sadly, in my opinion, Redbook always felt less disingenuous than other magazines for women. (Full disclosure: I wrote two cover stories for the publication earlier this year and the editors didn't ask me to serve up the usual, requisite, inane interview questions like "How do you feel sexy first thing in the morning?" or "Which lip balm rocks your world?")
Nevertheless, on to the next offender. In this month's issue of Glamour, the stunning, zaftig America Ferrera looks as if her arms were put in a pencil sharpener. I stared at the cover in Ralph's yesterday in shock because her head practically exceeds her rib cage in width, thanks to a Photoshop scalpel. The effect? Weird, fake and infuriating. (Clearly, this make-believe photo didn't escape Jezebel either.)
In the issue, Glamour has the nerve to ask America how she feels about being curvy. Little does she know during this interview, she ain't curvy no more.
GLAMOUR: How do you feel about being the newest spokeswoman for curvy figures in Hollywood?
AF: I don’t hate it. I feel like I’m a regular-size person — I’m a size 6 or 8, which is totally normal. Sometimes I worry more about losing weight than gaining weight, because this is how people know and accept me. I do feel like if I wanted to get in better shape, there might be a backlash of, Why isn’t she comfortable with herself anymore? So I try to figure out what my own goals are.
This type of tomfoolery needs to stop. Shame on Glamour for whittling down this actress to a mere twig of her true self.
Photo credit: WireImage
It's hot and humid. Your crisp, white slacks beckon. "No, no, no," you scold. "It's after Labor Day and you must be shelved until next summer." 
 Listen up: that tired, old rule of retiring all things white is both dated and daft. Jackie O famously wore white whenever and whereever she damn well pleased. She often anchored the look with a slim, fitted black turtleneck.
Angelina Jolie and her daughter Zahara were spotted just yesterday carrying matching white leather Valentino bags. I can't possibly endorse that you buy your child a $1,500 white purse to bury in the sandbox. That is utterly insane. But you, too, should feel free to wear white.
In fact, now is the best time to buy white accessories and clothes, as most stores discount their merchandise. Case in point: this Missoni leather striped coat--deemed "Jackie"--is now marked down to  $2,870 from $5,740 on Net-a-porter.com. It's beyond chic for the duration of September with its detachable collar, front pockets and multi-colored knit stripes.
Jolie photo credit: inf
 Unlike Fergie, Sarah Jessica Parker and other celebrities determined to "brand" their image and endorse galore, Grace Kelly abhorred the thought of bottling her signature look for the masses. In the new book, "Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures," the elegant beauty is quoted as saying: "The publicity created around my brand image, made exemplary above others, sometimes annoyed me enormously. It's tiresome to be always cited as an example."
Clearly, the notion of cashing in on celebrity was not Kelly's aim. (Okay, she was a princess and didn't need to augment her bank account.) But still, she also -- perhaps unconsciously -- encouraged women to seek out their own style in her reluctance to be a sartorial role model.
This month, expect a spate of new books to commemorate the premature death of the icon on Sept. 13, 1982, including never-before-seen photos in "Remembering Grace," which is published by Life magazine and available on newsstands. The paper doll book isn't new, but I included it just because it's fun, darling.
  
 They say black is slimming. They say big people shouldn't draw attention to themselves with bold, bright colors.
Luciano Pavarotti, known for his florid ties and garish get ups, defied them all.
He's gone. Already, I miss his voice and his eyebrows.
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In this picture, Brigitte Bardot looks pensive and melancholy -- like she just broke up with a beau or forgot to call her Mom on her birthday. Perhaps she's pondering the
inflation rate of purses and wondering how a clutch like the Fendi box clutch can cost $1,490 this season? Or how the Bottega Veneta Karung fan clutch (see right) can fetch $1,980? Are you outraged by the current price of handbags? Does the idea of spending $3,000 on a purse that Vogue will hautily deem "passe!" in three months make you seethe? Post your thoughts on the current state of fashion--damn it or defend it!
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