Fashion Orbit

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Lily Allen stars in the upcoming Chanel ad campaign featuring Coco Cocoon, Chanel’s newest line of accessories and sportswear bags.

Photo credit: People Stylewatch

Remnants

Amazon buys Zappos, gives press the boot (Gawker)
The chambermaid wears Prada (Financial Times)
Esteban Cortazar leaves Ungaro (BlackBook)
Launch My Line features familiar faces (Los Angeles Times)
The newest celebrity fashion statement: bald is beautiful (All The Rage)
Lily Allen launches jewelry line (People)
The Obama Effect: Chicago turns “Milan of the Midwest” (AP)
Conde Nast assistants pitted against one another (Gawker)

Trends Not to Try: Harem Pants

I keep seeing these blog posts and articles on “how to wear harem pants,” and really, if you need a primer on how to wear something, should you be wearing it at all? In the harem pant equation of 2x + y = z, where x is unattractive fit and y is a costume-like appearance, z becomes “what the hell kind of top am I going to wear with this?”

In our current economic situation, we should all be filling our closets with pieces that lean a little more towards the classic side of things. The harem pant trend may come back 20 years from now, but do you really want to be Princess Jasmine every year for Halloween until then?

Standard pants can get a little dry, so do try a cropped pant with a slight slouch instead (we featured a couple of good pairs in yesterday’s Sale Roundup). They’re more versatile, fit a wider variety of body types, and you won’t have to shove them in storage or cart them off to Goodwill at the end of the season.

Fergie photo credit: The Insider

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Victoria Beckham takes her Louboutins out for a swing during a photoshoot for her upcoming clothing collection.

Photo credit: ICYDK

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True to form, Madonna’s new cover for her compilation album Celebration knocks off at least three people, including a former version of herself.

Photo credit: Popnography

A Lot of Look: Lady Gaga and Kermit(s)

Everyone has their breaking point. In the past I have appreciated Lady Gaga’s dedication to being a performance artist, both onstage and off.

However, there is a thin line between performance art and Bjork, and when you skin hundreds of Muppets for your capelet, that line has been crossed.

Video via WWTDD

Trends Not to Try: Granny Caps

I was blissfully unaware that people actually thought Katie Holmes’ sloppy knit beanie look was worth emulating until those darn NYC Prep kids came along. On last night’s episode, Jessie, who desperately wants to work in fashion, walked into a Charlotte Ronson interview wearing her granny cap. While I am admittedly not particularly interested in the arc of Jessie’s future career, I found myself muttering, “take off the stupid hat. Please take off the stupid hat for the interview.”

There are trends that are a little controversial, and there are trends that almost seem specifically formulated to mark you as a blind follower. Granny caps, with their propensity to instantly render their wearer frumpy, belong squarely in the latter category. Hats in general can be a little tricky to work and can be a detracting factor from an otherwise well put together ensemble, which is why most of us avoid them on a daily basis (unless weather forces their necessity).

If you find yourself desperately yearning for a granny cap despite reason and aesthetics, try a beret a la Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde instead. It’s a cleaner look overall, and will make you appear to be more woman of mystery, less bag lady.

Katie Holmes photo credit: Daily Mail

Remnants

New York no longer considered fashion capital of the world (Huffington Post)
How Stella McCartney bagged Bambi (Los Angeles Times)
“Tatiana the Anonymous Model” unmasked (Jezebel)
NY Fashion Week to have more shows (New York Magazine)
Ad sales for fashion magazines unfashionably slim (Forbes)
Olsen twins inducted into CFDA (ET Online)
Susan Boyle to get glammed up for Harper’s Bazaar (The Press Association)
Unexpected jump in Hermes sales helps luxury rivals (Forbes)

Look of the Day: Hayden Panettiere at MTV

Hayden Panettiere was well turned out for a recent visit to MTV to promote her new movie, I Love You, Beth Cooper (coming soon to DVD!). Her blush pink Elizabeth and James dress from the fall 2009 collection is not yet available in stores, which is a shame, because it would undoubtedly be getting snapped up left and right. The Olsens definitely seem to be getting it right more often than not with their line, and this dress is no exception: blouse-y bell sleeves and a boat neck are balanced perfectly by the uber-short hemline and deep V back.

Hayden kept the look from getting overly sweet by adding black Giuseppe Zanotti open toe booties (WANT), a purple crocodile Nancy Rodriguez clutch, and gold coin earrings.

Get the Look!