Oval There!
The Oval Office has a new look! Revamped while the first family was on vacation, updates to the office include new furniture, paint, and wallpaper, all in more neutral, brown and taupe colors. Did you know that most presidents redecorate the Oval Office? Let’s see how the styles of the last three presidents stack up:
CLINTON:
With red-striped couches, gold curtains, and a dark blue rug, Clinton was clearly not afraid of color:
BUSH:
Here we see a lot of yellows and cremes. The furniture is American-classic:
OBAMA:
Our current president has chosen a sleeker, more modern look, with lots of neutral colors and comfy couches:
I think Obama’s office looks the most homey and inviting…which style do you like the best???
Get Your Gleek On
Though Glee snagged only 2 of the 19 Emmys it was nominated for last night, a new clothing line based on the hit show will surely distract disappointed “Gleeksters”. Available exclusively at Macy’s, the line will feature tees and hoodies priced from $20-$35. Find it just in time for back to school shopping in the juniors section or online at Macys.com!
And if memorizing Glee songs and dances and donning clothes based on the show isn’t enough to satisfy your cravings, ShopGlee.com tracks down the exact make and model of the clothes worn on the show and features them alongside video clips of the characters wearing the items. For example, zip into the same track jackets worn by Sue Sylvester here, and pick up Will Schuester’s v-neck sweaters and collared shirts right here.
All this Glee talk makes me very excited for the Britney Spears episode airing in September! Which songs do you want them to sing???
Dangerous Curves Ahead
Do you want to get rid of something in your wardrobe? Do you like free jeans? Are you one of 54% of women who try on an average of 10 pairs of jeans before finding one that fits? Do you like free jeans? If you said yes to any of the above, you should definitely find yourself in NYC’s Bryant Park at 10 am this Friday, August 27th for the Levi’s Wear What Fits event!
Just bring an unwanted garment to the event, and in exchange Levi’s will donate the item to Goodwill and hand you a FREE pair of their new Curve ID jeans. The Wear What Fits event will also feature a live performance by singer Janelle Monáe and a meet and greet with style guide Bobbie Thomas.
Touting Curve ID as a line of custom fit jeans that focus on shape instead of size, Levi’s says the three fits are based on their analysis of over 60,000 3D body scans and 1-on-1 conversations with real women. This entertaining video on their website explains the options:
If your jeans are too tight at the waist – you need the slight curve
If the waist fits but doesn’t flatter - you need the demi curve
If the waist fits but gaps at the back – you need the bold curve
All of these descriptions seem like a thinly-veiled way to ask: how big is your butt??? but we’ll let it go. Free jeans for everyone!
‘Cause We Are Living in a Material World…
Thanking my lucky stars I had avoided this crazy mob from the Aug. 3rd Material Girl opening day ceremony, I dropped by Macy’s in Herald Square this weekend to check out the new clothing line from Madonna and her daughter Lourdes. The spokesmodel for the collection is, of course, Taylor Momsen, and posters of the Gossip Girl sporting looks from the line appeared throughout the 7 floors of the store.
I was surprised to see how much floor-space was dedicated to the line – two whole sections – and how many individual pieces were available – everything from tops to skirts to dresses, vests, shoes, bags, jeans, and leggings. Everything you would need, presumably, to transform yourself into a true Material Girl.
The collection, which is priced from $12.99 to $40, was clearly inspired by Madonna’s wardrobe in the 1980s, though there were some current trend pieces sprinkled in, like chambray button-ups and skinny jeans. Just so I could take my YourItList readers along for the journey, I snapped some photos with my trusty camera phone:
Some cute (albeit short) skirts grabbed my eye, like this black and white-striped mini with exposed zipper, and this white studded one, which also came in black.
A surprising number and variety of vests were on display, yet all of them fell flat, including the washer-studded cowboy vest and the fur look below:
Floral was ubiquitous – turning up on mini skirts, dresses, and tops. But as much as I love floral…these leggings? Too much.
Overall, Material Girl offers lots of cute and fun pieces and the $40 price cap makes the line accessible for their target teenage girl demographic. But it seems to me that the best way to wear these clothes would be to pick up a few items and wear them separately. Like, on different days. Because otherwise, you will definitely end up looking like you just emerged from Madonna’s Hot Tub Time Machine.
If he dares wear short shorts
As a straight man who enjoys the freedom of a pair of high and tight swimming trunks, I was heartened by recent news that Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick favors Speedos over “the surfer ones.” I have no problem with baggy surfer trunks, as long as you’re actually catching waves in Oahu or Malibu; but if the only thing you’re catching is sun poisoning at the Soho House pool deck, ditch the cargo-trunks. Somewhere along the line American men abandoned the more flattering trunks that prototypical manly men like Paul Newman (you know, the guy who, at age 80, could drive a car faster, pick up more women, and make better salad dressing than you in your prime) used to sport in their day, in exchange for the current crop of amorphous bathing sacks.
There’s still time to reverse the trend this summer. Check out these alternatives to the modern American monstrosities:
These Apolis Classic swim trunks ($99) are a good gateway for guys who aren’t ready to jump straight from those roomy board shorts into the world of the banana hammock. They have a slim, above-the-knee cut, but you’ll still feel fully-covered enough to play a vigorous game of paddle ball.
Once you’ve gotten accustomed to the slimmer look of your new Apolis, these retro trunks from LA-based Lightning Bolt are a logical next step. Their designs are still surf-inspired, but the 1970s cut is more Hawai’i Five-O than Jersey shore-style bro-trunks:
When you’re ready to take the plunge into full-on Daniel Craig territory, this square cut trunk from Tulio will send a message that you’re confident in your manhood, without landing you in Borat-territory.
An Empire State of Heels
I was walking along 34th street this weekend when I was literally stopped in my tracks by the sequined heels on display in the Geox store window. I thought to myself: “Are those heels in the shape of the Empire State Building???” Indeed they were! Check out the window display below:
I simply had to find out more! After some sleuthing online, I found out I had been looking at the Geox limited edition Empire State Building heels, conveniently for sale right next to the iconic skyscraper itself.
Available in gold or silver, the 5-inch heels are covered with rhinestones to represent the skyscraper windows. The body of the shoe comes in leopard print, purple and blue sequins, or black sequins, and a choice of open or closed-toe.
With a price tag of $230, tourists may not wish to forsake their standard I <3 NY t-shirts for the heels, but they are certainly the most fashionable New York City keepsake I have seen in a while.
Don’t they just put you in an “Empire State of Mind“?
The stories behind Mad Men revealed
The wait is finally almost over… the new season of Mad Men premieres July 25th on AMC. It’s about time. The recently released Season 4 poster has been getting a ton of attention including this in-depth examination and search for hidden meaning from TV Guide.
But to find out the real meaning behind the hit show you’ll need to read Mad Men Unbuttoned: A Romp Through 1960s America by Natasha Vargas-Cooper, the woman behind the highly popular blog The Footnotes of Mad Men.
In the book, Vargas-Cooper turns her eye to everything from Lucky Strike to Madienform, gray flannel suits to Burt Cooper’s Japonism, Grace Kelly to John Cheever — and examines iconic morsels from the show and the error. Very Short List agrees, Mad Men Unbuttoned is like a little time machine that takes us, as Mr. Draper so elegantly put it, ‘to a place where we ache to go again.’”
Still need more Mad Men in your life and on your computer screen? You can download two Mad Men wallpaper designs for your computer: What’s in Don Draper’s Desk and What’s in Joan Holloway’s Purse.
Buy the book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or Books-a-Million.
Kate Spade’s New “Book” Bag
We publishing folk may be known to carry books around with us, but Kate Spade is taking the idea to a whole new (and fashionable!) level!
Coming out this August will be an adorablenew line of ”Book of the Month” clutches. The bags will feature completely original “cover art” based on classic novels, including: The Great Gatsby, Emma, The Importance of Being Earnest, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities.
Retailing for $325, one new “book” will debut every month as a kind of fashion “book-of-the-month” club.
Of her inspiration for the bags, creative director Deborah Lloyd said: “We wanted to pretend we had our own publishing house.” She hopes that women will not only wear the bags, but display them around their homes as if they were actual books.
Definitely puts a new spin on the phrase, “required reading”.
Prada for the Budget-Conscious
Pine for a Prada bag but can’t afford the price tag? Good news: Prada has just launched a new handbag collection for fashionistas on a budget. Available this month, the bags retail for $295 and come in nautical, artsy, and summer prints. For a canvas tote, this isn’t exactly a steal, but it’s probably the cheapest Prada bag you’ll find north of Canal street. And it makes for a pretty chic summer look!
Whitney Port + Elle Magazine = Ru La La
Fans of MTV’s The City know that in last week’s episode, Elle magazine recommended Whitney Port’s clothing line, Whitney Eve, for a special collaboration with designer discount site, Ru La La. Well, in an impressive display of TV/mag/online synergy, that promotion, billed the Elle Modern Designers Boutique, went on sale today (May 12th) at 11am EST.
The sale pairs items from the clothing lines of upcoming designers Whitney Port and Brian Reyes, all hand-selected by Elle editors.
Just 10 minutes after the sale opening, this Whitney Eve cream cut-out dress for $79 sold out:
Her colorful vest + shorts combo for $178 is still available, but might be too LA for us New Yorkers (i.e. COLORS):
Brian Reyes has some fun, ruffled pieces in his sale, including this gorgeous Parchment Silk skirt for $299:
And this classic little black dress with asymmetrical ruffles and back cut-out for $299:
To see the rest of the pieces, log in toRuLaLa.com. And to learn more about Whitney Port’s style, stay tuned for her upcoming book, TRUE WHIT, coming out February 2011 from It Books. Can’t wait!
Molly Ringwald gets the pretty back
The iconic Molly Ringwald shares intimate stories and candid advice in Getting the Pretty Back, a fun, stylish, and sexy girlfriend’s guide to life.
Buy Getting the Pretty Back today at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders or an independent bookseller.
To her millions of fans, Molly Ringwald will forever be sixteen. As the endearing and witty star of the beloved John Hughes classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, Molly defined teenage angst, love, and heartbreak. While remembered eternally as the enviable high school princess Claire, or the shy, vulnerable Samantha, Molly has just celebrated her fortieth birthday. Facing a completely new, angst-inducing time in her life, she is embracing being a woman, wife, mother of three, actress, and best friend with her trademark style, candor, and humor.
In Getting the Pretty Back, Molly encourages every woman to become “the sexiest, funniest, smartest, best-dressed, and most confident woman that you can be.” She shares personal anecdotes and entertaining insights about the struggle to get through the murky milestones and identity issues that crop up long after the prom ends. Whether she’s discussing sex and beauty, personal style, travel and entertaining, motherhood, or friendship, Molly embodies the spirit of being fabulous at every age, and reminds us all that prettiness is a state of mind: it’s “the part of you that knows what you really want, that takes risks.”
Lavishly illustrated by Ruben Toledo, Getting the Pretty Back is sure to charm women of all ages with Molly’s unforgettably personal, refreshingly outspoken take on life, love, and, of course, finding that perfect red lipstick.
Read an excerpt from Getting the Pretty Back, view Molly’s favorite fondu recipe from Artisanal Bistro, read an interview with Molly on Tonic.com and become a fan on Facebook.
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!
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???
Our Aesthete in New York Magazine
Further substantiating his role as an aesthete, Theodore Bouloukos, our Aestheticism columnist, found himself in this week’s issue of New York magazine.
Read Theodore wax poetic about the charms of his Carnegie Hill neighborhood, the importance of all-night restaurants, and his belief that, “Dissolute behavior in a coat and tie is always more amply forgiven,” at NYMag.com.
photo credit: Andreas Laszlo Konrath for New York magazine
Spring for these: Field Notes Packet of Sunshine
At least in New York, spring has sprung. Well, it was 93 degrees in Central Park yesterday, so technically summer has sprung. You get the gist.
I’m a huge fan of Field Notes notebooks. Like all great brands, they took something super simple (the notebook) gave it a really great design makeover (rounded edges, stellar retro typeface, rotating collectible color options) and a few nice features (grid lined paper, a 5″ ruler in the inside back cover for emergency measurements) and soon gained a following. The idea was to update the traditional agricultural memo book for the modern notebooker.
Hickoree’s Hard Goods, the best hard goods store you’ll find on the web, just got in a limited supply of Field Notes’ “packet of sunshine.” The packet–designed like another one of my favorite fetish items: vintage seed packets–contains three bright yellow memo books and a small bag of American “Crackerjack” marigold seeds with planting instructions. Back in Wisconsin, we used to line the garden beds with marigolds because of their purported rabbit repellent properties.
I don’t have a garden in Brooklyn, but if I did, I’d plant the heck out of some marigolds and carefully jot down their daily progress in my Field Notes. I’d probably even use the handy ruler to measure them. You should too.
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:
Kax
When it comes to manly legwear, jeans get all the love. Rugged fashion icons–James Dean, Steve McQueen, Marlon Brando–cemented the image of the rebel in blue jeans for the next 60 years.
But there’s something to be said for a durable pair of khakis. Their estimable his
tory may have been sullied in recent years by the likes of Old Navy cargo pants and wrinkle-free Dockers (could there possibly be a more depressing modifier than “wrinkle free”?), but it’s time to welcome them back into the fold of dependable, classic men’s casual wear. Khakis do, after all, have their roots on the battlefields and the support of solid dudes like Miles Davis, Hemingway and Picasso.
Grown & Sewn, the brainchild of former Ralph Lauren designer Rob Magness, is helping to restore the khaki pants to prominence. The Grown & Sewn “Kax” line combines design elements of classic jeans and kahakis, offering three different cuts: the Foundation, the Legend and the Pioneer. The Pioneer–with it’s high-cut pockets and turn-of-the-century silhouett–really strikes my fa
ncy. They look like pants that Whitman or Daniel Plainview would be comfortable carousing in.
Not only are Kax available online and at Barney’s New York, Grown & Sewn recently opened their own temple to the khaki pant in Tribeca (184 Duane St.), where you’ll find basic Ts and belts to complete your rugged casual look. Just don’t come here looking for pleated cargo pants to rock with your No Fear t-shirt.
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:
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.
[Insert Very Important Date Joke Here]
The Royal Premiere of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland was held in rainy London last night. As can be expected when you mix Burton, Alice and the British, some wacky fashions were on display. Here are just a few of the wild styles from the red carpet (via HuffPo), and you can check out more here and here.
P.S. Little known fact: this movie is based on a book!
Alice star and Tim Burton’s wife, Helena Bonham Carter
The UK’s Michelle Obama: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall
Singer Paloma Faith
Who wears short shorts?
We wear short shorts!
The folks over that New York Mag’s The Cut are reporting today about a disagreement between Joe Zee of Elle and Marie Claire’s (and It Books’s) Nina Garcia.
The topic: Shorts in the workplace.
Joe Zee: “I love the shorts trend.”
Nina Garcia: “But short shorts, for the office, I still don’t think it’s okay.”
Nina, darling, I adore you, but I am afraid that I will have to respectfully disagree with you on this one. I’m a huge proponent of shorts in the work place. I don’t see the difference between wearing shorts and wearing a skirt. It’s especially more exciting for the men folk, whose clothes are already markedly more boring that our female colleagues, to be able to show some leg from time to time around the office … or anywhere else.
We’ve seen some great shorts already this year. I love where they are going with this. Thom Browne put together one of my favorite looks. Though in almost all of these cases, i feel the shorts could be shorter.
Thom Browne, Spring 2010
These Calvin Klein shorts are quite cute.
Calvin Klein, Spring 2010
And while I might draw the line at wearing this to work, you can believe I’d love to get my gams in these Dolce & Gabbana precious little pants.
Sadly for these models, none of them has legs as good as those seen below.
simple shorts with a simple broach
Moral of the story: If you got it, flaunt it. Wear the damn shorts to work. Sorry, Nina.
Long Live McQueen
The world lost an incredible talent yesterday, when Lee Alexander McQueen died.
Alexander McQueen was a true visionary and his talent captured a spirit rarely seen. Like a poet, he wove patterns and fabrics to create music. Like a musician, he played with length, fit and edges to create, well, poetry. I was – and will always be – a big fan. He had style, 
wit, attitude. A post-punk f-you British attitude.
My first McQueen purchase were these incredibly ridiculous Skull shoes that I bought on the eve of Sebastian Horsley’s London book party in Fall of 2007. I remember walking into the incredible Bond Street store and knowing I’d walk out with something. I didn’t exactly just walk out, mind you. I walked out a full 5 inches taller.
McQueen was an artist. And like all true artists, he didn’t bend and was true to his vision of what fashion is, was and could be. He pushed it. Skulls became fashionable, shoes unwearable.
That’s the thing with art. There’s a mark left. An intangible impression.
I’ll miss you Lee Alexander McQueen. We all will.
