After Christmas

I know that the mad rush of Christmas shopping has gotten to even the best of us but there is much sale-ing to be had. With all the left over remants of the winter and fall selections still available at a serious discount you should muster up some shopping strength and get out there! If you are seriously in need of the rest and relaxation you can check out these sales online. Just a few of my personal picks, ahh the convenience of shopping from home...

Time To Celebrate!

50% Everything Is Always Nice

Does everyone remeber my mentions of the best ass pants ever? Well, now they are on sale for 50% off at NY & Co. In fact the ENTIRE store is 50% off. So find your nearest location and head on over there now so you can make sure they still have your size. The bonus for me in all this was that I now I know that they have finally set up an online shop. Christmas wishes answered... now, I can shop from work!

When I Grow Up

I want to be like Nan Kemper! Who is Nan Kemper you ask? Well she was an American fashion icon. Not a model or designer but a possessor of all things fashion, a clotheshorse if you will. Her closet, which was actually several converted bedrooms, was filled with stacks of 362 sweaters and 354 jackets; shelves for feathered fedoras, brimmed straws and other hats; and larger displays for Saint Laurents, Valentinos, Balmains and Gaultiers, some 3,000 garments and accessories in all. Apparently I not only need to work on being the Imelda Marcos of bags I need to work on being the next Nan Kemper of fashion. Too bad my body isn't a natural dress form. At 5'9 and 110 pounds Ms. Kemper was truly something else and she definately had the money to spend, coming from money and marrying money. So with all these obstacles to overcome I think I have a long road in front of me but that doesn't mean that I can't pay homage to the inspiration for my madness. Selections from her wardrobe will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum Costume Institue. Time for a field trip!!

First Night!

It's Another "Styling" Phone

Prada is going wireless! The Italian fashion and accessories house has partnered with LG Electronics to develop an iconic mobile phone to be released in early 2007. Let's just hope it's not iconic like the Dolce and Gabbana RAZR... The first Prada telephone by LG will combine high-end technology with avant-garde design, for example, an advanced touch interface eliminates the conventional keypad. The initial launch is planned for distribution starting in Europe—first in Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, followed by Asian locations such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. So baisically good luck being one of the first! “As we do with ready-to-wear and accessories, we were looking at a break-through,” said Patrizio Bertelli, president & CEO of Prada. I suppose we shall see.

Fashion Interview Of The Century

Just incase you missed it, here are some tidbits from the Anna Wintour /Barbara Walters interview just in case you missed it like yours truly. And if you don't want to read it you can just You Tube it...

• Barbara Walters introducing Anna: “She could have been on our list most any year, but this year was tailor-made for her, since she was reputedly the inspiration for the hit film, The Devil Wears Prada. But whether it’s 2006 or any other year, fashion editor Anna Wintour seems always in Vogue."
  Barbara’s voiceover: “In the world of fashion, everything changes, except for Anna Wintour and her power. For two decades, 57-year-old Anna Wintour has reigned over the Vogue magazine empire, making it the most profitable magazine of its kind, and developing three new magazines: Teen Vogue, Men’s Vogue, and Vogue Living.”

  “We met at her New York office, where she and editor-at-large André Leon Talley were choosing photos for the January issue of Vogue featuring Angelina Jolie.”
  Anna Wintour [to Walters and Talley, as well as Vogue fashion market/accessories director Virginia Smith and design director Charles Churchward]: “She loved this look, the jeans and the trench coat.”

  BW: “Anna, you walk down the street, and everybody is wearing t-shirts and jeans. So, what’s fashion?”

  AW: “Well, jeans and t-shirts can be equally as fashionable as an Oscar de la Renta ball gown.”

  BW: “Do you think women are still interested in fashion?”

  AW: “I think that they love fashion.”

  Barbara’s voiceover: “Anna has been in love with fashion all her life. She was born in London, her father the editor of a major newspaper. She dropped out of school and got her first job at age 16. At age 25, she arrived in America, eventually landing the top job at Vogue. Along the way, she married, divorced, and raised two children. Two things seem to set her apart: her devotion to young designers and her signature look.”

  BW: “At 15, you cut your hair like this, and never stopped. So how did you know this was the look? ’Cause it’s the Anna Wintour look.”

  AW: “I’m sure it’s very boring and I should change, but every time I’ve tried it doesn’t work.”

  Barbara’s voiceover: “Meryl Streep’s brilliant performance as a fashion editor in this year’s hit film, The Devil Wears Prada, was supposedly based on Anna.”

  BW: “What’d you think of the film?”

  AW: “I thought the film was really entertaining. I mean, anything that makes fashion entertaining and glamorous and interesting is wonderful for our industry. So I was 100 percent behind it.”

  BW: “Did you recognize any of yourself?”

  AW: “Well, I’m a very decisive person. I think it’s actually helpful to people you are working with if you can make decisions, so if Meryl seemed somewhat strong, I respect that.”

  BW: “Is it true that the women who work at Vogue have to be particularly stylish, no jeans?”

  AW: “Well, hopefully everyone who works there loves fashion. We expect, we don’t dictate, a certain style of dress.”

  BW: “Anna, does the mood of the country affect fashion?”

  AW: “Absolutely, it affects fashion. We were so interested at Vogue to see how militant many of the collections were.”

  BW: “Because of the war?”

  AW: “Because of the war. There was a real sense that the women on the runways were going into battle. Since the election results in November, talking to many of the designers I feel they’re now so optimistic and thrilled at the idea of change and possible withdrawal from Iraq. So that’s going to be on the runways next September.”

  BW: “So if I were really smart and I looked at Vogue, I would be able to tell what the mood of the country was.”

• AW: “I believe so.”

Gifts For All

Sales

There are more awesome sales besides Hollywould's (starting today) this week and here they are...

• Simply stated Marc Jacobs 70% off, everything must go! Like chinchilla ear muffds or cowl neck wool flannel dresses (originally $1,300 now $390) As if we needed more reasons to love Marc. Located @ 163 Mercer St. (btwn. W. Houston & Prince)
• Today is the last day to get Leigh Bantivoglio, Tibi, and Goldenbleu (most importantly for me) for 75% off retail at their flirty and fabulous fall sale. Shop for gifts the holidays are coming at breakneck speed or just treat yourself, whatever works! Located @ 336 W.37th (btwn. 8th & 9th) on the 11th floor from 10-7.
• Starting today and going till tomorrow only Nanette Lepore’s feminine dresses ($145 to $250), coats ($250 to $300), and pants ($95 to $120) are on sale @ 225 W. 35th St (nr. 7th) on the 4th floor from 9-6.
• Continuing today and going till tomorrow Proenza Schouler is unloading fall leftovers and clothes from previous seasons; dresses are now $200 to $500 @ 120 Walker St. (nr. Baxter) on the 6th floor from 9-6.
• Till Friday Perlina is running their annual sample sale featuring a wide assortment of handbags, totes, backpacks and much more. Prices range from $10(!)-$300 @ 10 W. 33rd St. (btwn. 5th & Broadway) Suite 210 from 9-6.
  
• This Friday and Saturday Luca Luca is having their holiday sample sale! Items including gowns, skirts, pants, jackets, tops, knits, as well as handbags, and shoes up to 75% off or more. Maybe you can find some spectacular gifts for the season! RSVP at rsvp@lucaluca.com. Then head over to 19 W. 36th St. (btwn. 5th &6th) 4th Fl. from 9-7 on Friday and 10-5 on Saturday.
• Starting Saturday and running to the 21st of December (perfect for last minute gifting) is the TSE semi-annual fall sample sale offering the largest selection of cashmere, as well as silks, superfine wools and cottons are available from TSE Women, Men, Baby and Home Goods. Prices range from $50 to $300 for sweaters, $50 to $250 for pants. Located @ 317 W. 33 St. (btwn. 8th &9th) Running Friday-Thursday 9-6:30.
  
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What A Crazy Bastard!!!

"I know I'm in a room of sinners tonight," the Reverend Billy declared onstage at Cooper Union Sunday evening, moments before selecting a young woman named Zoey as a candidate for exorcism. Zoey, you see, was guilty of having a credit card. Have card, will shop... and that's just the sin Reverend Billy is trying to prevent. Backed by his Not-Buying-It Band and the 30-voice Stop-Shopping Gospel Choir, the reverend and his crew performed gospel-style songs with lyrics like "We're gonna put those Nikes down / and we'll stop shopping" as part of his "Stop the Shopacalypse" show. The event included a gift swap, audience members were instructed to bring a present found in the back of their closets for other showgoers to then use as gifts, and he also conferred sainthood on three members of "Good Ol' Lower East Side," a neighborhood conservation organization. In a riff on both consumer culture and right-wing bible-thumpers, downtown performing artist Bill Talen slips into a priest costume, the white collar he wears around his neck was purchased at a religious-supply store, to create the Reverend Billy, an almost televangelist. Talen was reborn as Billy about a decade ago, while he was living in Hell's Kitchen. Horrified by what he calls "the Disney-ification of Times Square," Talen hit the streets back then to denounce Mickey Mouse as the Antichrist. Today, his movement has grown to include events such as Buy-Nothing Day, considered by Talen to be "the high holy day" of his unique theological calendar. To celebrate last Buy-Nothing Day, a group protested in front of Macy's while a simultaneous "Traffic Jamming" session set up near the gridlocked traffic at the mouth of the Lincoln Tunnel. Sunday's East Village crowd was into it, all joining hands to direct their collective energy toward that exorcism. And for a moment, someplace, perhaps a cash register stopped ringing. -- New York Magazine

Too Good To Miss

Tomorrow Holly of Hollywould is having another INSANE SALE! And this time she really has lost her mind... Here's the deal: Wednesday - Saturday 11:30-7 @ 198 Elizabeth Street (btwn. Spring & Prince) 60% off Wednesday, 70% off Thursday and 80% off Friday and Saturday so stop by tomorrow during lunch but make sure to hit it up this weekend to see what's left. And everyday there will be $25-$50 items will new ones everyday! I can't wait.

Vouge

The Material Girl is taking her love of cheap chic one step further with H&M, collaborating with them to launch “M by Madonna,” a limited-edition, one-time collection of garments and accessories that will debut in March. The 30-piece collection, consisting of tailored dresses and tops with feminine, modern, and narrow silhouette, will be available along with the 10 or so matching accessories in H&M’s more than 1,300 stores worldwide, unlike the company’s past three designer collaborations which were only sold at top flagship stores in key cities. According to a company spokesperson, prices for the “M by Madonna” collection will be similar to the rest of the H&M seasonal collections and the pieces will reflect her “unique, timeless, and glamorous style.” “I’ve made no secret of my love of fashion over the years,” the 42-year-old singer, author, and cultural phenomenon said in a statement. “Working with... H&M was an exciting and new creative challenge for me. I’m really happy with the results and look forward to wearing ‘M by Madonna’ along with the rest of the world.” Based on the sketches that I saw of the looks I can imagine that this line has much more potential than her limited edition track suit, at least I hope.

They're Here

Just so you know the L.A.M.B. line of purses and wallets is available for purchase! Check it out...

It's That Time of Year

Ugg Australia is holding their yearly Art & Sole auction. This annual event raises tens of thousands of dollars all to benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Baiscally, it's like the NEDA auction, but instead of a variety of items up for auction things up on the internet block are boots. Don't worry these are special boots as you can see, hand painted by various celebrities. So, if you are intersted in owning a little piece of Alexis Bledel, Ashton Kutcher, Terri Hatcher, or Betsey Johnson, to name a few, bid now. My favorite, I'm ashamed to say is Jessica Simpson. But regardless, if I was a size 6 those boots would be mine!

Set Your TiVo!

What does Anna Wintour have in common with televangelist Joel Osteen and Grey’s Anatomy Patrick Dempsey? I didn't know either till I found out that all three are included in Barbara Walters’ list of the 10 most fascinating people of 2006. Others include Andre Agassi, John Ramsey, and Terri Irwin. I wonder who the #1 person is? You'll have to make sure to watch December 12 at 10:00 p.m. on ABC.

Non-Fashion Related News

I know this is completely off our focused topic of fashion but I just had to tell everyone that my photography is on display and for sale at the South Street Seaport Museum! Come see it Friday through Sunday because it's the only time they're open or if you e-mail me and ask nicely I can set up a private viewing at your convenience. But hurry it's only going to be up until the end of the holiday season...