A “Pretty” Cool Night With Molly Ringwald
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An avid reader, one of Molly’s favorite authors is J.D Salinger. In fact, GETTING THE PRETTY BACK is divided into nine chapters as a nod to Salinger’s Nine Stories.
- John Hughes movies aside, one of Molly’s favorite movies to work on was The Tempest, which she starred in when she was just 13 years-old.
- With her jazz album finally completed and set to release in the fall, Molly hopes to one day master the ukulele.
- Chelsea Handler’s first book, My Horizontal Life, was edited by Molly’s husband, Panio Gianopoulos. Panio and Chelsea will get a chance to reunite when he accompanies Molly to her appearance on Chelsea Lately on Monday, May 3rd. Tune in!
- Molly calls her writer husband Panio, “the master of transitional sentences”.
- Does Molly still wear pink? Absolutely! In fact, the actress sported bright pink socks beneath her metallic silver heels last night at her signing.
Below, check out pics of Molly’s pink socks, her spirited fans, and more!
Reading to the crowd
A fan had portraits made up for her
These girls made up "1 <3 Molly" shirts
Still pretty in pink after all these years
The Met’s Sexy New Tour Guide
Listening to the audio guide as you walk through new museum exhibition, American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity, will be like music style to your ears.
That’s because style icon Sarah Jessica Parker recorded the audio guide to The Costume Institute of The Metropolitan Musem of Art’s new Spring exhibition, on view from May 5th to August 15th, reports WWD. Curator Andrew Bolton explains the choice: “Because of Sex and the City, she is so much associated with New York and with America, and with using fashion as a way to shape identity.”
The exhibit “will explore developing perceptions of the modern American woman from the 1890s to the 1940s, and how they have affected the way American women are seen today,” says the Met website.
I can’t wait to see (and listen to) this exhibit! And I’m even more excited to see Sex and the City 2 in theaters on May 27th, and read The Carrie Diaries, on-sale tomorrow from Harper Teen!
Five Ways to Become a Designer Collaboration Champion
The Zac Posen for Target Collection goes on-sale nationwide in just three days (April 25th)! Are you ready? Let me help you. Straight from the shopping experts over at shefinds.com, here are five genius ways to get the best stuff from designer collaborations, before everyone else. We have not seen these tips anywhere else:
1. Google at Midnight: Google the product you want (e.g. Zac Posen for Target prom dress) at midnight on the Sunday the collab releases, a link should direct you to Target’s site, allowing you to beat the system and shop eight hours before they’re officially posted online.
2. Look for Lazy Store Managers: Careless employees unaware of launch dates often put designer’s lines on shelves early. We spotted H&M’s garden collection in stores a day before the launch, and heard Cynthia Vincent and Eugenia Kim’s Target collections were on shelves a few weeks before the release date.
3. Travel to a Big City: If you’re desperate, Target often plans pop-up shops for designer collabs in big cities like New York and Los Angeles a week or so before the collections are available nationwide. We’ve already shopped Zac Posen’s Target collection, and from the looks of eBay, others have, too.
4. Use text and Twitter: Last year, Jimmy Choo for H&M allowed select customers who texted HMUSA to shop the collection before the public. Follow the brand on Twitter to see if they do it again.
5. Keep collabs on your radar: Check out our fashion news section to know about all the upcoming collabs that you can’t miss out on. Here’s our short list:
Zac Posen for Target-April 25; Phillip Lim’s t-shirts for Nordstrom-May 1; Miriam Haskell and J.Crew bridal jewelry-May; Temple St. Claire Carr jewelry for Target-August 29; Tucker for Target-September 10.
Now you’re fully prepared to battle the Zac Posen for Target madness. Happy Shopping everyone!!
The (Mc)Queen Continues to Reign
While you might have had the chance to look over the exquisite clothes in Alexander McQueen’s final collection for Fall 2010–did you get a close-up of his accessories? As Nitrolicious points out, the shoes and bags in this collection are utterly breathtaking and prove once-again that the late designer was truly a genius. (Read a tribute to the designer by YIL’s Carrie).
Looking at the photos below, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but the wing-embroidered platform sandal below might be it for me:
These are also equally amazing:
What about you? Which accessories are your favorite???
How to Pronounce the Name of Your Favorite Author
Remember that time when the first Harry Potter movie came out and everybody was like, “Ohh, so that’s how you pronounce Hermoine?!!”
This is kind of like that.
Don’t make the mistake of meeting Matt Groening for the first time and calling him Mr. GROAN-ing. Study this handy author name pronounciation guide and save yourself the embarassment.
One Night Only
Mark your calendars, fashionistas, because on April 15th, the Zac Posen for Target collection will launch a pop-up shop in NYC for 24 hours only! Labeling the event a ”shopping party”, Target is bringing in a live D.J. and alt-girl band the Like for performances throughout the night. You’ll be able to shop the full collection, which doesn’t hit stores nationwide until April 25th.
Sounds like a fun night, though I’m not sure how much dancing you’ll be doing as you fight the girl next to you for that last red leather jacket. Do elbow jabs count as dancing? How about punching?
Your best bet is to memorize the collection online before you get there and then pick up one or two of your favorites before getting the &$# out of there. You can always buy the rest when it goes on sale 10 days later.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Gladiator/Sneakers: The Next “It” Sandal?
I’m both appalled and intrigued by the Nike Gladiator MD Sandals.
Though ancient roman-style shoes have been ubiquitous the past few summers, I’ve yet to see a variation quite as intriguing as these hybrid gladiators / high-top sneakers. Nitro:licious reports that these shoes, retailing for $80 at NikeStore.com, promptly sold out when they were introduced last year. Who knew?!
They’re hideous when you look at this group shot of the six color combinations offered this season, including: Monsoon Blue, Black/Anthracite, White/Metallic Silver, Lilac/Lilac-Anthracite, Dark Cinder/Dk Driftwood-Tar and Dark Driftwood/Barboque Brown.
But then when you look at this shot of someone actually wearing them, they don’t seem so bad.
These sandals will not be winning style awards any time soon, but they look mighty comfortable. I could see myself feeling grateful for them during my marathon shopping sessions. Maybe the black ones wouldn’t be so bad?
I don’t know, what do you guys think? Would YOU wear them?
The Bee’s Knees
Jeans tucked into boots is a great look. What’s not a great look, however, is the awkward bunching of denim at the knees when you try to stuff not-so-skinny jeans into boots. That’s why I was so excited to read about The Küza Strap on racked.com– it’s a device that holds your jeans neatly in place while you pull on your boots. The straps come in fun designs like Preppy Chic, Earthy Bohemian, and The Socialite, and for the Spring they are launching two new designs: Eco Fashionista and City Slicker. Though you’ll probably retire your winter boots soon, these straps are perfect for use in rain boot season! The Küza Straps costs $16 per pair and are available exclusively at Shop Küza. And, if you order now and enter “spring10″ at checkout, you’ll get 10% off your next order.
Detailed instructions below:
The Top 5 Reasons You Should Try Chatroulette
Chatroulette—the website that allows users all over the world to randomly connect via one-on-one videochat—is at once thrilling and frightening. While I have yet to try it myself, there is something just so fascinating about this (allegedly addicting) site. Let’s explore the 5 reasons you (and I) should get over our fears and try out Chatroulette once and for all:
1. Freedom to express yourself
Chatroulette offers the perfect opportunity to anonymously practice your hidden talents in front of an audience. For instance, if you’re secretly convinced you could win American Idol, but you’re too scared to audition, just log on to Chatroulette and sing away in front of strangers all over the world. Even if every person clicks ‘next’ right away, the sting of rejection is bound to fade and you’ll become a more confident performer.
2. Make a new friend!
While a good portion of the strangers you connect with on this site will be a) naked b) weird, there will also be another portion of strangers who are—like you—just trying this thing out. Who knows, maybe you’ll have a heartfelt conversation with a student in Germany, or a mother in Rome, or even your next door neighbor in Queens. There’s no other way to connect with such a wide range of people.
3. Celebrities are using it
Jon Stewart explored Chatroulette on the Daily Show earlier this month, and over the course of four hilarious minutes, he encountered the likes of Keith Olbermann, Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer, and Brian Williams. If these celebrities are brave enough to try it, why can’t we?
4. Bond with a friend
If you’re too scared to try it out by yourself, grab a friend and log on together. It’s a great way to pass an hour or two, and the experience won’t seem quite as shocking if you have someone with you.
5. Get a good laugh
No matter who you encounter on Chatroulette, you’re bound to get in a few laughs. Just check out this collection of 24 funny screen shots. Or this Brooklyn cat who keeps delighting Chatroulette users.
Bottomline: There’s no doubt that Chatroulette is a scary beast. But I think the reasons above are enough to give it a try. Comment with your Chatroulette stories!
Pre-order Your iPad Right Now
Today’s the first day for Apple iPad pre-orders.
Were you up all night, anxiously awaiting the 8:30 a.m. on-sale time? Did you panic when the Apple store went down early this morning?
Wait–what’s that you say? You haven’t pre-ordered your iPad yet?! What are you waiting for? I mean, if you pre-order this “magical and revolutionary product” right now, you will have it in your hands on the very first day it’s for sale, April 3rd!!
Ok, ok, I know what your problem is–you can’t decide which of the six configurations to get. Totally understandable. Let’s walk through it with this deliberately over-simplified guide from Gizmodo.com:
Based on the clever haikus presented above, it appears that the 3G, 32GB model is your best bet–a steal at only $729. What are you waiting for? Pre-order now.
Still not convinced? Check out this slightly more serious guide from the NY Times blog, Bits, posted late last night to help with final iPad decision-making. It will tell you what model is best for you, based on your needs and lifestyle.
Now you’re fully armed with the knowledge to do some informed iPad shopping. Go forth and avoid the lines on April 3rd: pre-order now. Comment with what model you’re getting, or why you’re not getting one at all.
Reserved for the Most Daring Fashionistas
You either love them or you hate them, but either way, you have to admit they’re pretty fierce: Christian Siriano for Payless runway shoes have finally landed in stores and online. Three designs are available and while they may not be your style, it’s pretty cool that you can own the exact heels from the Project Runway alum’s Spring 2010 runway show for only $79.99. They look like Alexander McQueen’s towering claw heels from his Spring 2010 collection:
(for which YourItList’s Joseph has already expressed profound love), so you can make them your personal tribute to the late designer. Check out the three designs below and buy them (if you dare!) at Payless.com.
Cut It Out Ankle Cuff Pump ($79.99)
All Done Up Mary Jane Pump ($79.99)
To the Point Printed Platform Pump ($79.99)
Get your “Project Runway” Game On!
Have you ever watched an episode of Project Runway and thought, “I could design a much better outfit than any of these hacks!?” Now you can prove it with the new Nintendo Wii Project Runway game, on-sale today.
How it works: Players receive their challenge (ex. haute couture, hip hop clothing, rock star fashion, newspaper dress, or school uniform), and design looks with pre-selected clothing items which they customize by color, length, fabric, and accessories. And just like on the show, players design the makeup and hairstyle for their model, who struts down the runway rocking the look. And if you have the Wii Balance Board, you can even walk the runway along with your model!
The best part, per WWD.com, is that after the runway show, ”pithy comments from judges Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, Michael Kors and Nina Garcia emerge on the screen. (They might say, “Where was the glamour? Where was the vision?”) Designs are then scored with stars. At the end, in the parlance of Klum on the television show, the player is either “in” and continues with the game, or “out” and must try again with another game”.
If you think you have what it takes to face the judges, pick up the game for $39.99 at most mass retailers. But if you’d like to brush up on your fashion rules first, check out one of Nina Garcia’s three fabulous style books for an insiders guide to what’s hot and what’s not.
Celebrate the DVD Release of the September Issue with Grace and André!
The surprisingly hilarious fashion documentary, The September Issue, chronicling the making of the September 2007 issue of Vogue—the largest issue in that magazine’s history—just released on DVD on Tuesday! I don’t know about you, but I cannot wait to watch Grace and Anna duel it out over and over again on DVD. Of course, I already know youritlist’s Joseph agrees with me.
Even better is that according to the NYTimes Style Magazine, the DVD contains: “90 minutes of extra footage, including a side-splitting cover-line meeting; Anna Wintour admonishing Olivier Theyskens, then at the helm of Nina Ricci, for rescheduling one of his shows (“You’ll never do that again,” Wintour proclaims); and plenty of gems from the film’s accidental breakout vedette, Grace Coddington.”
And the best news of all is that this Thursday, Feb. 25th, NYC-dwellers will get a chance to see meet some of the stars of the film! In a special discussion moderated by Vogue Contributing Editor William Norwich, director R.J. Cutler will be joined by Vogue‘s Creative Director Grace Coddington and Vogue‘s Editor-at-Large André Leon Talley at the Union Square Barnes & Noble in Manhattan (33 East 17th Street at Union Square) at 7pm. The event is free but you best get there early to get seats! The editors will be signing the special Barnes and Noble exclusive 3-disc DVD edition of The September Issue, which includes the never-before-seen “The Met Ball” mini-documentary.
If you can’t make it to the signing this Thursday (why not?) be sure to check out R.J. Cutler’s informative and entertaining Huffington Post blog, “What I Learned From Anna Wintour”, in which he shares valuable lessons gleaned from the fashion maven while filming the documentary.
Best Valentine’s Day Gift Ever
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Marc Jacobs is selling this limited-edition Mirror Heart Evening Bag for only $35!! Available in purple, red, blue, silver, gold and gunmetal, the purse sports a chain strap and fun heart pattern. This adorable purse is only available in Marc by Marc Jacob stores, so check out marcjacobs.com to find the location nearest you and head there now. Thanks racked.com for the tip!
Fashion Faceoff: Weir vs. Lysacek
Exhibit A: Evan Lysacek wears feathers
We all know what the real competition is at the Vancouver Olympics this year. No, it’s not anything silly like speed, athleticism, or technical skill. No, these games are about fashion. And the competition is heating up between the two top U.S. male figure skating candidates, Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek.
For years, male figure skating has evaded mainstream success due to its less-than-macho reputation. But Evan Lysacek, dubbed “The Less Flamboyant One” by New York Magazine, is poised to change all that with his heartthrob status and wider social appeal. That’s not to say, though, that he’s anywhere near the likes of average guy Joe the Plummer. He takes his fashion seriously and has signed on good friend and former figure skater Vera Wang to design all his costumes, which have so far included feathers, bejeweled snakes, and faux tuxedo looks.
On the other end of the spectrum is Johnny Weir. Unlike Lysacek, Weir is fully out there and he takes fashion and artistry to the max. Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy even created a custom unitard for the skater, which he was photographed in by the The New York Times–in the rear view. Then there’s the little matter of the death threats he received when he wore a strip of fox fur along the collar of one of his outfits recently. He has since switched to faux fur. Lastly, there’s this video of him dancing to Lady Gaga’s Poker Face, which you need to take four minutes to watch right now.
So who is going to win this fashion faceoff? Let’s stop talking and take a look at the pictures:
Johhny Weir gets in trouble for his fox fur-trimmed look
Evan's classy Vera Wang tuxedo
Johnny's rear view in custom Rodarte
From the pictures seen so far, I think we’re going to have to call a tie. Evan has class and a well-respected fashion designer on his side, but Johnny has a unique and daring eye on his. I guess we’ll have to stay tuned to see who wins this fashion faceoff!! Who do you think will win?
Step into the VOGUE
Imagine a world where you can flip through your favorite magazine, admire the products featured in the pages, and then go online and find those exact products for sale in all the same place. Pretty convenient, right? VOGUE thinks so. This week the fashion magazine announced a collaboration with exclusive designer-sale website Gilt Group, which will allow members to ”Shope the Issue” of VOGUE. This month, members will find the 10 editor-selected menswear looks featured in the February issue. The sale is going on now until February 8th, and includes clothes from a range of high and low-priced outlets, including Gap, Theory, and Topman.
While the Annie Hall look might not be your bag, this collaboration seems like a promising first step towards merging the print and digital realms of magazines. Especially from VOGUE, which, until recently, didn’t even have its own website. And it’s a particularly interesting announcement in light of this week’s presentation of the itampon ipad. Maybe sometime soon, we’ll all be able to read our favorite books and magazines on our ipads, click on a product to add to our cart and check out, all without even turning a page.
Zippy Style
We’re halfway through winter and already I’m sick of all my boots. I don’t want to invest in another pair this season, though, when warmer weather is just a couple months away (right? please tell me it’s going to get warmer!)
Luckily, Michael Kors has a cure for my winter wardrobe boredom with his KORS Michael Kors Frannie boot. Just a quick zip and you can transform them into ankle, mid-calf, knee, or over-the-knee styles. They’re available in Black for $368 on Zappos.com and in Camel for $357 on RevolveClothing.com. That’s not so much when you consider that you’re getting four pairs of boots that will stay trendy for many seasons to come, as shefinds.com points out. Now that’s recessionista style.
Get Your Own “Mad” Style
Long to emulate the classy vintage style of the ladies of Mad Men but unsure how? Janie Bryant, the costume designer for the show, wants to help you. Along with fashion journalist Monica Corocan, Bryant has written a new style advice book to help fans learn “how to tap into their inner ‘leading lady’”.
According to EW.com, the book will explore vintage couture, including that of screen icons from Clara Bow to Brigitte Bardot. But fear not! The purpose of the guide will not be to turn you into a costume character. Rather, the goal will be to teach you how to incorporate elements from your favorite decade into modern dress. The as-yet untitled book will land in bookstores this fall from Grand Central.
The only decision you have to make now is: are you a Betty, a Peggy, or a Joanie?
Betty
Peggy
Joanie
Badder Romance
Continuing Youritlist’s ongoing Lady Gaga coverage, I’m happy to share more evidence of Gaga’s fabulousness.
A group of dedicated fans have made a hilarious parody of the singer’s excellent “Bad Romance video.” The production value leaves something to be desired, but Gaga herself approved the remake via Twitter, stating simply: Holy S**t. Enjoy below.
How Clean Are Your New Clothes?
Think twice before wearing those new clothes out of the store!
When you go to the store and pick out some new clothes, how often do you wash those items before wearing them? Probably not that often, because they’re clean, right?
Definitely not, says a new study conducted by Good Morning America. The team bought 14 items of new clothing–everything from blouses to pants to underwear from three popular chain clothing stores–and then had them tested for germs by Dr. Philip Tierno, director of microbiology and immunology at New York University.
The results were alarming. There was evidence of extremely high counts of germs and bacteria on several items:
“On this black and tan blouse we found representation of respiratory secretions, skin flora, and some fecal flora,” Tierno said.
On a jacket, Tierno discovered evidence of feces, skin flora and respiratory secretions, especially in the armpit and “close to the buttocks,” Tierno said.
The biggest surprise came when Tierno tested a silk blouse.
There, he said, he found vaginal organisms, yeast and more fecal germs.
Eww!! Tierno said that either many people had tried these clothes on , or someone with heavy contamination had tried them on. Either way, these germs can live on these clothes for weeks, or even months!!
The lesson here is to ALWAYS wash new clothes before wearing them!
The Bold Shoulder
Ever since Marc Jacobs revived the shoulder pad trend in his Spring 2010 collection, tops with bold and bejeweled shoulders have been cropping all over stores. Babette Epaulette has designed something like that, only…different. It’s called shoulder jewelry.
According to the website, the cross-body jewelry is designed to be worn over bare skin, jackets, knits, or cardigans. Handmade in Queens, NY by designer Seville Michelle Anastos, the pieces are festooned with spikes, fringe, feathers, studs, and chains and generally cost around $150.
While this is an interesting look and a fun alternative to the statement necklace, shoulder jewelry may be one trend best left to those of extremely tiny proportions. What do you think?
Cold? Throw on a Snuggie (Suit)
Snuggle Style
Ok, we need to talk about this.
Though we mocked Snuggies when they first came out, we realized in time that they are warm and actually kind of convenient. Then we accepted Snuggie into our lives so much that we allowed them to put on a runway show at NY fashion week this year.
But I fear that the time of mockery may be back with Snuggie’s newest incarnation: the Snuggle Suit. Available for just $24.99 in four colors at JCPenny.com, the Snuggie Suit is not just a blanket with arms, but a blanket with arms AND legs. How could you go wrong with a hot pink one-piece fleece suit? Just read the online review from this satisfied customer (courtesty of bestweekever.tv):
Written By: Blessed
Location: Davie, FL
“I love that it can be worn as a lounger as much as Pj’s and you look more presentable. After getting red for Christmas last year, I immediately ordered black in two sizes and black for my mother-who is always cold. I bought my regular size in black and a bigger one so I can sleep in it an not feel restricted if it twists from rolling over. I eventually realize if I just took off the belt from my regular size, I could roll over with no restrictions, but it does tend to “flop open” and flash people – especially without the belt so I usually pin it or stick a hair clip on it if I am around the house and don’t need to be presentable – of course a cute tank top underneath would solve that problem, but I love the feel of fleece and a shirt underneath ruins the feel.
So there you have it. The Snuggle Suit, everone.
What do you think? Will you be picking up one of these?
Alter-native shopping
These studded gloves are only $24!
Covet: Rodarte for Target
This lace print dress would be great with a cardigan or a belt
This would look great over the first look. A nice layering piece.
This black dress could either be a fabulously less-expensive version of Rodarte's signature whimsical style, or it could be a hot lingerie mess.
Though the clothes look promising in pictures, I’m worried that the Juniors sizing and the Target-quality production may make these clothes less than desirable in real-life. Nevertheless, it’s worth a look.
