REMNANTS

• Christian Louboutin is currently suing everybody and their brother who dares to design a shoe with a red sole. Well, that’s silly, you say to yourself. Trademarking the color red would be like Donald Trump trademarking the phrase “you’re fired” or Paris Hilton trademarking “that’s hot.” OH, WAIT. As Yves Saint Laurent hilariously pointed out, Louboutin can hardly be considered the originator of the red sole given that Louis XIV was pairing his pantaloons with red kicks. (New York Magazine)


• Poor Halston is having a rough month. Last week SJP broke up with Halston Heritage, and now Harvey Weinstein has similarly bailed, ostensibly to focus on lofty film pursuits like Spy Kids Part 201 (it’s 4-D!) Not only will there be no Spring 2012 collection, but Fall 2011 deliveries are potentially being canceled. (My Fashion Database Blog)


• In less heavy news, Gwen Stefani will be designing a kids line for Target slated for release this fall. I personally can’t wait to get my baby super kawaii in Harajuku Mini. (The Independent)


• In other celebrity collections that I can endorse (unlike last week), Kanye West is possibly launching a line for reals this time. He’ll allegedly be collaborating with knitwear designer Louise Goldin on a high-end women’s line. Fingers crossed that he includes affordable tees printed with some of his best Twitter expositions. (Sun Sentinel)


• Kate Spade is launching a lipstick collection and everyone is freaking out about how ‘genius’ the name is. It’s Supercalifragilipstick. Did your socks literally blow across the room in amazement? Yeah, mine neither. Also a bit debatable is the fact that the four shades are in fact lipstick/gloss combinations, not the kind of retro creamy matte shade one would expect from Spade. (Styleite)


• If Miami Fashion Week Swim 2012 is any indication, the new ‘it’ beach cover-up is pants. This is certainly better news than a sheer cropped tank top as the next cover-up trend, although apparently also on the slate are high-waisted bikini bottoms, and as Taylor Swift proved, those are just bad news all around. (AP via The Straits Times)

Above photo: Kate Spade via Styleite

Look of the Day: Emma Watson For Vogue

With the July 2011 issue, I think we’ve now firmly established that Emma Watson + anything Vogue = magic. You really have to check out the entire slideshow, because it is just perfection. I want to tear out all the pages and wrap them around me like a Slanket.

This is a pretty hard look to emulate, because with with the exception of the Solange Azagury-Partridge lips ring, it’s not like any old retailer is carrying the couture Dolce & Gabbana dress and insane jeweled Alexander McQueen thigh high boots (oh yes, my friends - those are boots). That dress is the stuff dreams are made of - it’s sort of like a beautifully ornate Christmas ornament come to life.

I LOVE Emma’s hair and makeup - the Robert Palmer girl-esque slicked back hair with smoky eyes and red lips is so dramatic yet classic. I would love to try the makeup, but in my not entirely capable hands I’m worried I’d emerge an extra from The Threepenny Opera. I turned to my friend Tamra, an amazingly talented (and hilarious!) makeup artist who’s clearly no stranger to creating kind of this editorial look for a few pointers. Here’s what she had to say:

Be ready to “dig” in the paint. To achieve this ultra sexy /glamour look that Emma is rocking you’ll need two things: strong colors that give you great pay-off and trusted tools.

For the brows - feather the brows using a product like Benefit Cosmetics’ Brow Zings (Dark). For your peepers, base the eye with a black noir cream liner, also use a waterproof pencil to smudge into the water line for that uber smoky/sultry look. Add a warm brown to the crease - blend blend blend then blend some more.

Emma has a porcelain milk-like complexion, and you’ll want to color match your skin with the right foundation (use the beauty blender sponge for hard to reach places). Set with translucent powder. Cheeks aren’t really emphasized in this image and neither is a bronzer - but if you MUST, use a warm tone along the hairline.

Define the lip with the perf red hue, then for dimension dress the siren/brick red with a clear gloss. Wahlaaaa!

Thanks T!

Get the Look!

ADAM’s Glass Jeweled Linen Tank Dress - $198 (orig. $297)

Anna Sui’s Embellished Tulle & Lace Dress - $1065

Allsaints’ Paloma Dress - $238

FunnyPeopleCo’s Embellished Tights - $15

Topshop’s Jewel Tights - $25

Solange Azagury-Partridge’s Hot Lips Lacquered Ring - $1500

Guess’ Pave Red Lips Stretch Ring - $55

Emma Watson photo credit: Mario Testino for Vogue

MAC Creates Shadow Fashion Week

Pun intended. From The New York Times:

During the five years that MAC was the cosmetics sponsor of fashion shows in Bryant Park in New York, the makeup company made headlines with press conferences attended by supermodels and lithe young dancers who wore body paint in the place of clothing. But MAC, while spending millions, had to share a rather circuslike stage with other sponsors who were competing for attention, sometimes including makers of doughnuts, cameras, toilets and Big Macs.

Now the company has decided to end its support of that event — Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, as it’s called — and will instead present its own shows at Milk Studios in the meatpacking district. Depending on your perspective, it could be viewed as a complement to Fashion Week, or a new competitor. Proenza Schouler, Erin Fetherston and Alexander Wang are among the dozen designers who have already signed on.

The event, with the working title of MAC at Milk, will overlap with the established Fashion Week, beginning Sept. 10.

As John Demsey, the Estée Lauder group president who oversees MAC, described it, the idea was to create a space for emerging and international designers at a time when they need more corporate support. The designers will not be charged for the use of the studios, whereas the Bryant Park shows typically cost around $25,000 for the smallest space.

“Not everybody wants to be in a giant tent environment,” Mr. Demsey said. “And not everybody should be.”

Does this new forum mean that Anna Wintour will be getting the fewer shows that she wants? Ms. Wintour’s wishes aside, this seems to be a win-win situation for everyone; MAC gets their own sponsored event, and emerging designers will be given an affordable option for participating in Fashion Week.

Image credit: MAC Cosmetics

Impulse Buys: The Fit Flop

Impulse Buys is dedicated to those purchases that we sometimes agonize over, occasionally rue, and generally conceal from the critical eyes of society.

The FitFlop elicited a serious giggle from me when it was first released in the U.S. Don’t get me wrong: I am just as susceptible as any other red-blooded American woman to products that make wild weight loss/get fit promises without having to actually, you know, eat right and exercise (I can’t even begin to tell you what havoc the Mega-T Green Tea “burn belly fat!” commercials wreak on my subconscious). Even though I wanted to believe, there was just something a little too gushy and incredulous about the claims of “get a workout while you walk!” Yet, despite my skepticism, the FitFlop remained.

Then last week, my one pair of house Havaianas broke. As fate would have it, that same day I received a FitFlop-centric newsletter from one of my retail subscriptions, and I had to wonder…would it really be so terrible if I were to buy a pair, just for home usage?

It can be a slippery slope when you designate something comfortable yet unattractive as something that you “will only wear in the house.” Only around the house becomes a trip or three to the grocery store, and then one day you’re wearing these things out to Sunday brunch. And make no mistake: the FitFlop is still as ugly as sin, even if you do slap some sequins on it. User reviews seem to be fairly divided on the fitness claims of the FitFlop, but most seem to agree that they are orthopedically kind to feet.

Final judgment? I will probably break down and buy a pair, but with ghost of Coco Chanel as my witness, only to be worn around the house.

FitFlop’s Walkstar Classic Thong Sandal - $49.95

FitFlop’s Walkstar III Thong Sandal - $59.95

FitFlop’s Electra Thong Sandal - $59.95

Christian Siriano to Create Limited Edition Makeup Line for Victoria’s Secret

From People.com’s StyleWatch:

Christian Siriano is no stranger to fashion collaborations, having already created a clothing line with Bluefly.com and cheap-chic shoe collection for Payless since his Project Runway win.

But this fall the designer will be following in the stylish footsteps of the show’s supermodel host Heidi Klum, who has her own signature makeup collection with Victoria’s Secret, and branching into beauty with a glam new collection of his own for the brand.

The limited-edition Christian Siriano for VS Makeup will include five shadow shades, black liner, three gloss colors, a bronzer-highlighter, makeup brush and a ruffled cosmetic bag. Prices for the collection will start at $12 for eyeliner and top out at $32 for the luxe face brush.

Well, this strikes me as overkill. I personally don’t think the cosmetics industry is for dabblers - there is some science involved, and besides, once it’s on your face, it’s not like anyone is going to recognize it as a certain brand (“is that Christian Siriano eye shadow? AMAZING!”)

The packaging, with its gold stud containers and patterned shadows, is pretty cool, not that that’s any testament to the quality. Until I hear the reviews, the only thing that could seriously lure me away from my MAC is the totally adorable ruffled cosmetics bag.

Photo credit: People Magazine