Archive for November 2010

Entertainment

Oprah’s Favorite Fashion Things, Then and Now

Oprah‘s final “Favorite Things” episode aired this past week. If you haven’t watched the crowd reactions already, you should (or check out audience reactions from the whole last season on this awesome tumblr). Everyone went nuts. Of course, if I was being gifted a 2012 Volkswagon Beetle, an iPad, and some Le Creuset cookware, I’d be doing a happy dance too.

Having your product on Oprah‘s “Favorite Things” things list is akin to having your book chosen for her book club–meaning it will sell. And often, Oprah’s favorite stuff is beauty and fashion-related (but the fashion tends to be on the comfort-end–nothing wrong with that). Previously Oprah-endorsed favorite things like Spanx and Uggs became ubiquitous best-sellers after earning a spot on the “Favorite Things” list, according to AOL’s Small Business site. Her “Favorite Things” episode has even saved some companies from the brink of bankruptcy.

So we decided to take a look at this year’s fashion and beauty-related “favorite things” as well as “favorite things” of years past (yes, J.Lo’s velour sweatsuit was on the list in ’02). Are any of them your favorite things too?

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Fashion Is Fun

Haute in the Kitchen: Adorable Aprons, Clogs, and Hankerchiefs to Wear While You’re Cooking Thanksgiving Dinner

I like to cook, but my other half loves to cook. And he’s not lazy about it, which means my responsibilities are few and far between. That is, except for Thanksgiving dinner. I love cooking on America’s holiday because I learned the recipes from my grandma, with whom I was very close. I also love it because it’s the only major holiday I can think of that’s not about buying anything except food and booze.

But if you do like to shop–and cook–then consider this:

You don’t have to look like crap in the kitchen. Anthropologie makes some adorable aprons, and your kitchen clogs can be prettier than Crocs. Oh, and keeping your hair away from the food doesn’t require mesh netting. Try some cute kitchen accouterments so that you don’t even have to change when the guests arrive.

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Sales

Racked Dealfeed: More Black Friday Goodness From Built by Wendy, AllSaints, Bird and More

Norma Kamali
Deal: Up to 95% off sleeping bag coats, gowns, loungewear, and jersey dresses in this Black Friday follow-up to Wednesday’s one-day sale
When/Where: Friday, November 26, 10am—6pm. 11 W. 56th St between Fifth and Sixth Aves (212-957-9797)

Oak

Deal: 30% off everything in-store plus online deals on select items from 6am to noon every day. Click here for the full schedule.
When/Where: Friday, November 26 through Monday, November 29. Fri—Sat 11am—8pm, Sun 11am—7pm. Noho: 28 Bond St between Lafayette St and Bowery (212-677-1293.) Williamsburg: 208 N.8th St between Driggs Ave and Roebling St (718-782-0521)

Screaming Mimi’s

Deal: 15% off all hats, bags, and vintage jewelry, 10% off fur bests, and other markdowns throughout the store
When/Where: Friday, November 26 through Sunday, November 30. Fri—Sat noon—8pm, Sun 1pm—7pm. 382 Lafayette St between Great Jones and E 4th Sts (212-677-6464)

AllSaints

Deal: 25% off everything online and in-store. (Online sale begins Thursday, November 25.)
When/Where: Friday, November 26 through Sunday, December 5. Soho: Mon—Sat 10am—9pm, Sun 11am—8pm. 512 Broadway between Spring and Broome Sts (646-862-1832.) MePa: Mon—Sat 11am—8pm, Sun 11am—7pm. 415 W. 13th St between Ninth Ave and Washington St (no phone)

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Fashion Is Fun

Seven Questions for Alternative Apparel’s Mollie Culligan

We’re pretty keen on Alternative Apparel’s sturdy basics, but it’s always nice when a knitwear brand moves further into wovens and other markets–it means they’re ready to impress the masses.

So it’s no surprise that Mollie Culligan, AA’s new(ish) accessories director, is pretty impressive herself. Culligan, the founder and designer of mid-market handbag line Jack Rabbit is giving Alternative’s accessories section a decidedly ’90s feel–think white-washed denim, fringe–to match the grunge-tinged knits and wovens.

We recently chatted with Mollie about where she’s been, what she’s up to, and what’s next.

Fashionista: What did you do before Alternative Apparel?

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Entertainment

Natalie Portman Needed To Work On Her Thighs, Trained Over 30 Hours A Week For Sixth Months To Be A Ballerina in Black Swan

We already heard about the amazing Rodarte costumes for Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. According to Lauren’s review of the ballet thriller (out nationwide December 3), the costumes–Swarovski encrusted tutus and spider web-y warm up knits–nearly upstage the stellar, not to mention creepy, performances by stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis.

But just how they got their bodies into ballerina shape is another story. Kunis, who lost 20 lbs. for her role, told People mag that she “looked like Gollum from Lord of the Rings! … Everything was just protruding.”

Though Portman had some ballet experience (she gave up the barre at 13), she trained for six months before filming, putting in five hours a day, six days a week. And while it might seem Portman already had the perfect body to play a ballerina, she needed to work on her thighs.

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Streetwalker

Street Style: Allison’s Style is Kate Bush in Prague

Name: Allison

Age: 18

Occupation: Student

How would you describe your style? Kate Bush in Prague

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How Your Inspirational Travel Story Could Win You A Ferragamo Bag (Plus Where Selita Ebanks, Elettra Wiedemann, and More Go To Get Inspired)

Are you a fabulous jet-setter or wanderlusting backpacker with inspirational travel stories to tell? If so, Massimiliano Giornetti, creative director of Salvatore Ferragamo, wants to hear them, and your travelogue might inspire a one-of-a-kind Ferragamo W bag.

The iconic W bag is named after the company’s matriarch, Wanda Ferragamo, and is decidedly travel-inspired. “For the Resort 2011 collection I drew heavily from the Mediterranean and the new jet set crowd that holidays on the coast,” Massimiliano Giornetti said in a release. “I’m always curious to know what inspires others and how their sources of inspiration affect their daily lives and style choices. With the technology of today, the W List was created to share stories that inspire ourselves and inspire others digitally as we travel the globe at a second’s thought.”

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Fashion News Roundup

Fashion News Roundup: ADR Made a Video, D&G Are Being Indicted and The Designer of Kate Middleton’s See-Through Dress Speaks

Royal Mistake or Royal History? The designer of this dress that Kate Middleton was wearing in a fashion show when Prince William first saw her, which we have to say is pretty ugly and a bit slutty, might be worth £100,000 at this point, but the designer “probably” won’t sell it. “She looked fabulous in my dress and I think she could become a style icon like Princess Diana – so the dress could become part of fashion history,” she said. She also said she would love to design Kate’s wedding dress. We really hope not. {Daily Mail}

eBay Gets Royal: Within a week of Kate and Wills’ engagement announcement, the number of Ebay items with the terms “Kate Middleton” and “Prince William” has increased dramatically. If your interest in British royals borders on obsession, there is plenty of memorabilia to be found, including mouse pads, thimbles and wedding ring replicas. {Inside Source}

Dress Code: Apparently school isn’t the only place where miniskirts can be banned. The city council of Castellammare di Stabia, a sea town close to Naples, has approved a bylaw to ban micro-minis. {WWD subscription required}

Turning Japanese: Marc Jacobs is on the cover of Numéro Tokyo’s Jan/Feb 2011 issue, dressed modestly in a black shirt and pants. {Fashion Copious}

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Travels With Geren

Geren Ford’s Visit to El Bulli Was the Food Equivalent of Seeing Coco’s Apartment

Designer Geren Lockhart, of Geren Ford fame, is traveling up a storm this autumn, and she’s decided to tell Fashionista readers all. The second installment of “Travels with Geren” takes us to Barcelona….

When/Where: Barcelona, November 17-21

Why: Meeting up with a chef friend who worked at El Bulli for four seasons and knows the city’s food scene inside and out.

Best Meal:
Deep breath…this one is hard to answer…. It’s every meal to be honest, BUT Dos Palillos was to date the best meal of my life: 23 courses of magic at every turn. And because I was with a chef who had worked with Albert, the owner and chef, when they were both at El Bulli, it was an amazing evening, to put it mildly. You’ll find the best mojito on the planet at La Whiskeria just around the corner from Dos Palillos–if you’re there you might just see the staff of the restaurant joining you after they finish service for the night.

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Sales

Black Friday Sales We Might Actually Leave the House For

I’m not exactly writhing in anticipation over Black Friday. Personally, the combination of waking up early, crowds, tourists and waiting in line makes me want to die. I could barely handle Fashion’s Night Out and that was at night, with alcohol. I mean, sure a DVD player for 90% off sounds awesome, but I don’t think I’ll ever stand in a line at four in the morning and risk physical injury for one. However, 50% off Alexander Wang might make me reconsider. So, here are a few Black Friday sales that might actually be worth checking out.

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Entertainment

Sex and the City 3? Really?

After the complete and utter (not to mention offensive) disaster that was Sex and the City 2, can the girls really be up for making a third?

Apparently so.

“I would love to do a third film,” Kristin Davis told the UK’s Metro. “We all want to do it, I guess it’s just figuring out whether we can move the characters forward any more.” It’s a good point. What would a third look like? Sex and the City 3: Hot Hot Flashes?

Sigh. Even though no plans have been revealed to make SATC a trilogy, it could happen. The empire is a massive money maker and folks who have been fans since Sex and the City was an awesome show on HBO have an attachment to Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda.

If one good thing could come of a Sex and the City trilogy it would be watching the genius that is Pat Field take it on. Her costumes for the series and movies are always dazzling and influential. Love them or hate them, Field put harem pants on the map that summer. What will she have women wearing next?

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Entertainment

Go See Black Swan–For the Costumes and the Creepiness

Britt and I saw Black Swan last night.

The Darren Aronofsky thriller starring Natalie Portman–with costumes by Rodarte–will be released nationwide Dec. 3.

Swarovski sponsored a few screenings because Rodarte utilized the family brand’s crystals in many of the costumes.

Luckily for Swarovski, Rodarte, Aronofsky, lead costume designer Amy Westcott, and pretty much everyone involved in this film, the clothes are nearly as powerful as the performances.

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