And definitive proof that pizza works as a street style accessory, courtesy of Tommy Ton.
American Apparel is currently selling a menstruating vagina tee. Period. {Jezebel} Kate Bosworth talks Topshop and wedding dress-planning with Oscar de la Renta for Lucky mag's November cover story. {Lucky} Our contributor Alyssa Vingan pens a compelling story documenting her experience as a 20-something breast cancer survivor on the Tory Burch blog in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. {The Tory Blog}
See Which Fashion Schools Made the Grade: We ranked the top 50 fashion schools around the world and got the inside scoop from students. Save Your Money and Your Sanity With These DIY Beauty Tips: Did you spend a fortune on the perfect lipstick just to have it melt in your beach bag? Should have used Kool-Aid as a lip stain (seriously, it's a thing). Kleinfeld Bridal's Fashion Director Talks Trends and Tears: We talked to the famed Say Yes To The Dress boutique's Terry Hall to answer all those questions that spring up after TLC marathons. You've Got The Tickets, But What To Wear?!: Between the seemingly-infinite number of festivals and huge-name tours, summer is all about music. We'll help you decide what to wear to your musical paradise. If your weekend is less Garden-of-Eden and more Swamp-from-Hell, let the fashions of Governors Ball inspire you.
Spotted: Little J Taylor Momsen once again climbing the ranks amongst New York City's fashion Elite. Well, make that Next--the Gossip Girl star-turned-rock star has just been signed to Next Model Management.
It's official: The series finale of Gossip Girl is a mere eleven episodes away. While many a cynic may argue that the show actually ended sometime during the second season, for us die-hard Upper East Side wannabes, this news is harder hitting than a Nairtini to the head. Of course, what we'll miss most of all is the fashion. Gossip Girl has been on top of the fashion game since its first "XOXO" way back in early 2007, and as the series progressed, the characters' signature styles arguably surpassed the plot development in terms of critical praise. Between Blair's preppy headbands, Chuck's dandy suits, and Serena's gravity-defying cleavage, the influence the kids of Constance have had on street style and fashion spreads alike is undeniable. So, as a tearful ode to our favorite CW soap, here's a look back at some of the style stand-outs that have made the last five years of impossible-to-follow plot lines a little more bearable.
It doesn't really get any more glamorous than Marchesa's Fall 2012 show. Set at the Plaza Hotel, guests first had to make their way through the clump of paparazzi waiting on the red carpet for a peek at Taylor Momsen, Stacy Keibler and Olivia Palermo. It felt more like an A-list awards show than a fashion show--which makes sense since we're betting more than a few of Marchesa's gorgeous and dramatic gowns will make their way onto the red carpet soon. Once everyone was seated in the gold dinner chairs in one of the Plaza's most luxurious event spaces, the show began. Models entered through a gold-and-mirrored doorway, helped down the small set of steps by a pair of dapper gentlemen, like debutantes from an era passed.
Well, this is about five years late: The CW is finally cashing in on Gossip Girl's fashion cred with a clothing line inspired by the show, produced in partnership with LA-based contemporary label Romeo & Juliet Couture, WWD, is reporting. The collection will include embellished tops, bottoms, novelty sweaters, outerwear and draped chiffon dresses with touches of leather, pleats and prints--all of it inspired by one of the characters on the salacious show. So we're guessing there'll be a lot of bows (Blair), plunging necklines (Serena) and "funky" colorful separates (Vanessa). Let's just hope they don't take inspiration form Taylor Momsen's written-off character Jenny, who was a fan of sporting pink tutus from time to time. The line will retail for $80-$200 and will be sold in stores like Kitson, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue for fall, which is actually kind of high-end for a line inspired by a teens' show (and past it's prime, no less).
The world really is coming to an end. Between the economy tanking and London burning we have more sad news to report: Taylor Momsen has quit acting. The 18-year-old told Elle in an interview, "I quit acting, actually. I quit Gossip Girl and now tour and am in a band and that’s pretty much all I want to do. Hopefully I’ll be able to only do that for the rest of my life." Now I know for many of you this comes as a shock, what with all the acting Taylor's been doing lately--and all the rumors flying that Gossip Girl cancelled their contract with her--but be strong.
We will admit it: we still love Project Runway. From Heidi's short skirts and occasional whacked-out hairstyles to the ever-entertaining Michael Kors, it sucks us in every season (even though we pretend to be too cool for it.) But the main reason we keep coming back? Tim Gunn. We can listen to that man and his spectacular vocabulary forever. We think he is a nice person generally, but he can definitely have a sharp tongue and often has no filter when he speaks. We support this wholeheartedly. To mark the beginning of Project Runway's ninth season, we bring you a round-up of Tim's best quotes ever, in no particular order (And no, we did not include, "Make it work.")
Lizzy Jagger Photographed for Playboy: The 27-year-old model is taking up mom Jerry Hall's torch, er, bunny ears, and appears nearly-nude on the June cover. Will sister Georgia May of that enviable Hudson Jeans derriere follow in the family footsteps? {Vogue UK} Taylor Momsen and Jessica Szohr to Leave Gossip Girl: Fans of the show may be sad, but can hardly feign surprise. Momsen has been a fractional presence this season, and Szohr's Vanessa only shows up every couple episodes to aid other characters' dramatics. Vanessa also let it drop on last week's episode that she will be leaving to"'study abroad"--TV code for "I'm leaving the show and this is the best way to slip that into the plot." {JustJared} Topshop to Open in Chicago: Windy City fans of the UK import will soon be graced with their very own location. The 35,000 square foot plan makes it just slightly larger than ours here in NYC, and will be located on the busy corner at 830 North Michigan Avenue. {WWD subscription required}
After Taylor Momsen was dropped from IMG, it was no surprise to learn her reign as the face of Madonna and Lourdes' Material Girl line for Macy's was coming to an end. The homepage of the Material Girl website still says that they are "desperately seeking" a new Material Girl to be the face of the brand, and has been asking readers to write in who they think should be the next Material Girl since January 11. But the search is over. Material Girl has just announced on their twitter and then on their blog that they've selected Kelly Osbourne as the new face of Material Girl for 2011. "We’ve had a long time crush on Kelly and featured her as one of our “cool peeps” over the summer," the blog reads, "We are so thrilled." Apparently the crush is mutual. After being featured as one of Material Girl's "cool peeps" last summer, Kelly responded by writing, "to be thought of as an inspiration in that way is brilliant… I hope little girls look up to Lourdes because she doesn’t dress too grown up and she always looks so stylish," Grazia is reporting. Osbourne is a great (read: safer) choice to be the face of Material Girl.
Cathy Horyn Laments a Dull Moment In Fashion: Horyn's point here is that designers and photographers are using sexuality and gender crossovers to be shocking rather than push themselves creatively. She calls out restrictions placed on designers and publications by advertisers, as well as American society's prudish hangups about sex. {NYT} Dave Matthews Is The New Face Of John Varvatos: The campaign, shot by David Clinch, was inspired by Matthews' love of vintage instruments and his fascination with carnies. {WWD subscription required} More Details on the Royal Wedding Wear--Prince William's That Is: In the latest royal wedding news, Prince William's Italian tailor describes the groom-to-be's royal marriage shirt as "classic yet innovative" and says it will feature a high wing collar and embellished button holes. {Telegraph} Taylor Momsen No Longer A Material Girl: We're not surprised to hear that Lourdes and Madonna are "desperately seeking" a new face for their Material Girl clothing line. They are asking fans to decide which trendy young starlet should replace Momsen as spokesperson. Thoughts? Suggestions? {Styleite}
Bryce Dallas Howard Is Kate Spade's First Celeb Model: Ron Howard's daughter Bryce Dallas will be the face of Kate Spade's spring ad campaign. It marks the first time Kate Spade has ever used a celebrity in their advertising in 18 years. {WWD subscription required} The NYT's "Out" List: Cathy Horyn and Eric Wilson came up with the 10 looks they never want to see again. We're totally on board with the denim diapers but we thought Louis Vuitton's fall ad campaign was just lovely. {NYT} Kim Kardashian Posed For Playboy To Be More Independent: Kim Kardashian is on the cover of Glamour's February "guy" issue. In it she tells the mag that she posed for Playboy to assert her independence. Right... {Glamour} Lil Wayne In Jeremy Scott: Yep, this is a thing that happened. Lil Wayne rocked Jeremy Scott's Jeremy Scott x Adidas Originals by Originals Teddy Bear Sneakers from the Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. If you would like to wear teddy bears on your feet, these kicks are $328. {Upscale Hype}
Take that, IMG. Independent contractor Taylor Momsen is the face of the new John Galliano fragrance Parlez-Moi d'Amour, according to the Daily Mail.
While Dakota Fanning may have suddenly appeared on IMG's model board, another starlet has fallen off. The "troubled" Taylor Momsen, who signed with IMG in 2008, is no longer with the firm. This morning, an IMG employee confirmed to Fashionista that they no long represent the actress/singer/pseudo-trouble maker. We're guessing their last big deal with Momsen was the Material Girl campaign, which was inked long before she flashed her bandaged boobs to an audience at Don Hill's.
We never said she was cute now. Momsen is a gun-toting, flashing, gothed-out, black eye-linered former shell of her adorable three-year-old Shake n'
A little background: John is our go-to menswear writer. We like to write about Taylor Momsen a bit too frequently. He's annoyed. We respect his opinion. That's why we're publishing it. Also, it's just another reason to bring up Taylor. To the editors of Fashionista (Lauren and Leah, let’s not pretend we don’t know each other), This letter is difficult for me to write, not because my heart isn’t in it, but because the subject—Taylor Momsen—has already had far too much attention from media outlets, including this one, and I am reluctant to keep feeding the beast. I am greatly disappointed and a little disgusted at Fashionista’s continued coverage of Taylor Momsen and her band, The Pretty Reckless. Momsen’s cultivated, “shocking” antics and irresponsible behavior should earn the starlet anonymity, not attention. I am not someone who normally goes around telling people what they should or shouldn’t say, but I write about young Hollywood, and I am particularly concerned with the current celebration of this fabricated, irresponsible little phony. Originally, I wrote off her new rocker adventure as just another starlet, accompanied by legions of producers and songwriters, taking her irrepressible talent to the recording studio—just like Lindsay Lohan, Jared Leto and Heidi Montag before her—and I paid her no mind.
Paper Magazine and Express threw a party last night at fashion hot spot du jour Don Hill's to celebrate the wrap of the brand's Spring 2011 spring campaign and runway show. Never mind how Paper and Express make sense together (they don't really)--Taylor Momsen's band, "The Pretty Reckless," performed. So we had to go. The expectations for Momsen were high: She recently told Revolver that she likes a good sex tape but "wouldn't fuck Tommy Lee," so we were counting on her to do something obscene. And she didn't disappoint. During "Make Me Wanna Die," she caressed herself and then pulled down her low-cut shredded rock concert tee down to flash the audience. Don't worry, her nipples were covered by duct tape x-es (it might have been electrical tape--either way, ouch). Which also means this was a premeditated move. Unless Tay just walks around with duct tape x-es over her nipples, which, considering her proclivity for stripper-wear, is entirely possible. Either way, I was a bit taken aback. I know she's trying to be super punk rock right now but she is only 17. The models however, the ones who walked in the Express show earlier (including Jessica Hart, Eniko Mihalik, and Erin Heatherton), were completely unfazed. Probably because they're all the around the same age as Momsen, have to get naked a lot for their work, and mostly because the handful crowded in front of us (we're not sure which ones) were too busy smoking a joint.
Taylor Momsen gracefully covered Revolver magazine's October issue sporting a garter belt, stripper-esque platforms, and knee-high stockings. When we saw Anna Chapman, the Russian spy who was caught and deported from the US, on the cover of Russian Maxim, we couldn't help but notice a striking similarity. Which of these two classy ladies would you like protecting you from the bad guys?
"If it's a good sex tape, I'll watch it...I like some adult stars. I have a couple favorites. But I will say this: That Tommy Lee/Pamela Anderson vide
Coco Rocha's Really Nice Apartment: As part of Vogue's APT with LSD series, Lauren Santo Domingo takes us inside the Gramercy Park apartment of model Coco Rocha and her husband, James Conran. As you can probably imagine, there are stunning views, lots of art books, and an amazing closet. {Vogue} Tim Gunn's At It Again: Tim Gunn has already shared his thoughts on Anna Wintour. Now it Lady Gaga's turn. He told Yahoo's OMG: "Who would want to emulate that? It's not fashion. Those are costumes." Really? She's worn Armani, Gareth Pugh, Jeremy Scott, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana. Aren't they fashion designers? {Racked} Revolver is a Magazine That Exists and Taylor Momsen is on the Cover: Taylor Momsen is on the cover of Revolver magazine holding a bunch of, well, revolvers, and wearing black lingerie. We get it, Taylor--you're tough, you're old enough to make you own discussions, and you should be allowed to stay out past midnight. Now, go put on some clothes. {Huffington Post}
While the quality of Gossip Girl’s plot lines may be diminishing (Dan has a baby? Really?), the quality of the show's wardrobe is definitely stable. With the tour de force that was Serena and Blair’s summer in Paris, it might even be getting better. This is all thanks to Eric Daman, who might have the best job in the world. I mean, he gets to dress Chuck Bass. Following two of Gossip Girl’s strongest episodes to date (fashion-wise), we spoke to Eric about his amazing day job, Taylor Momsen, the only show he went to during fashion week, and his latest gig with Match.com providing first date outfit advice, some of which he was nice enough to share with us. (And FYI--if you want a free 7-day Match.com trial, click here) What qualifies Daman for such a job? He draws an interesting comparison: “Like TV, most of your date will be from the waist up.” (He recommends “something sparkly” like a necklace or earrings to decorate the oh so important above-the-waist area.) Whether or not your first date involves run-ins with Lou Doillon and balls with French dignitaries, there is no one better suited than Eric to dole out sartorial advice. His first words of wisdom? “Guys love shoes as much as girls do,” Eric insists, citing a poll that suggests a majority of men prefer that their date wear heels. However, he doesn’t necessarily want all girls to dress like Blair Waldorf on the first date. Being yourself, and reflecting that with your attire, is more important. “I think women don’t know to listen to themselves enough. Their inner voice is their best friend. I think its best to always be firm about who you are, because that's who you want to project and who you want the person across the table to fall in love with.” Still, we want to know, what would Blair wear on a first date?
Bedbugs Swoosh: The bed bugs are back (were they every really gone?). Their latest victim? The 95,000 square-foot Nike store on 57th Street and Fifth Avenue. While Nike has released a press release addressing the bedbug problem, none of the signs outside let passersby know that the store has been infested with bedbugs. Sneaky. {The Cut} Taylor Momsen Is on Fire, Literally: Taylor Momsen and her band The Pretty Reckless have released their new video for 'Makes Me Wanna Die.' In it, Momsen strips down to her underwear while walking through bits of burning debris and leaping flames. Shocking. {Huffington Post} Giles Comes To NYFW: Maybe. Following the steps of other UK designers such as Preen and William Tempest, Giles Deacon wants to show his eponymous label in New York next season rather than London. {Fashionologie}
Tim Gunn Hates Everyone, and Doesn't Hide It: Granted, everything he says is usually spot on. Gunn just shot an episode of Gossip Girl and had some not-so-nice things to say about Taylor Momsen, including: "She was pathetic, she couldn't remember her lines, and she didn't even have that many. I thought to myself 'why are we all being held hostage by this brat?'" {E! Online} Brad Goreski, on the other hand, had nicer things to say about a former co-worker named Taylor. He spoke of Ms. Jacobson's split from the company (which happened a really long time ago, but people are still about it): “I hear she's doing really really well and I think that’s great. I wish her all the luck in the world.” {Hollywood Life} Obama Gets Bush's Approval: That would be Michelle Obama, who has the style approval of former first niece Lauren Bush. Bush attended Carolina Herrera's show and said of Mrs. O, "I think [her sense of style] is great, I think it’s wonderful that she’s supporting young designers I think that's very cool.” {Daily News}