Tavi Takes Bazaar

A couple weeks ago I wrote about how Tavi Gevinson would be contributing a piece to Harper's Bazaar and how I worried that the integrity of the magazine might be compromised by this unusual addition. I did, however, insist that I would read her piece with an open and curious mind when the January issue finally arrived in my mailbox. Well, the issue has arrived (with a dazzling cover featuring Kate Hudson, I might add) and I have kept my promise.

I just wish Bazaar would have given us more to absorb. The piece, titled "Tavi's Take," is so short that I could neither get a sense of her writing style (edited, of course), nor fully access her ability to review the fashion collections. So, I was disappointed that Bazaar did not give its readers more exposure to the young blogger, actually. I'm surprised that I just typed that last sentence, but it's true.

In the brief intro to the very brief article, Tavi introduced herself and explained that she had only been blogging since March of 2008. Therefore, she has only really been following fashion since March of 2008. What could someone who hasn't even been following fashion for two years (??!!!??!!) possibly have to say about the collections that would be of interest to the highly fashion-literate readers of Harper's Bazaar? Well, not terribly much in this case. Tavi wrote that the Spring 2010 collections were all about being an individual. OK. "Don't get caught up in what other people think," she suggested. OK. Not exactly ground-breaking reflections, but we'll take it. That advice is certainly true when it comes to her own personal style, which, as I have said before, is honestly refreshing and original. The late Isabella Blow or fashion eccentric Lynn Yaeger would both be proud.

Anyhow, back to the collections. Not surprisingly, her favorite collection for next spring was presented by Rodarte, the label which "discovered" the young blogger and custom-made tights and other delights for her. She also briefly touched upon collections from Viktor & Rolf, Jil Sander, Francisco Costa, and Miu Miu. Nothing ground-breaking, though.

All in all, I was left disappointed with the piece, but only because it was so short. Couldn't Bazaar have given her a little more space? I want to know if she really is potential Carmel Snow material, or just a passing trend, as I suspect is more accurate. Alas, we couldn't determine this from the short article alone. Now if Anna Wintour calls Tavi and asks her to contribute a piece to appear in Vogue (not Teen Vogue; Vogue), I'll have to eat my words.

New Year's (Fashion) Resolutions

"Doing more with less." This was the motto of my former boss in the U.S. Senate. It was a terrific slogan for his organization and, it turns out, it is an even better philosophy when applied to fashion. Since we could all benefit from learning how to do more with less, I thought that would be the best New Year's resolution I could make (fashion-wise, at least) for 2010. So, here below are my suggestions for doing more with less in your own wardrobe.



** Purchase clothes the way the French do. Buy fewer, but better pieces of higher quality. You should only need a few new pieces each year. That's it.



** Become a mix-master with prints. Etro and Pucci are the inspirations here. The more pieces you are able to mix and wear together, the better (and more interesting!) your outfits will be.



** If you must have a staple, make it your most interesting piece. The piece in my wardrobe that I wear the most is not a black skirt or a navy blazer, but a crazy, green cap sleeve turtleneck with rouching and white polka dots that I bought in Warsaw for 77 zloty. It doesn't sound like it would be versatile, but it's hands-down the piece I wear the most. Learn how to incorporate a psychedelic piece like that into your wardrobe and the outfit combinations will be infinite. It's also a heck of a lot more exciting than building a wardrobe around a black skirt!



** Learn how to dress without black. This may sound earth-shattering to some, but I've found that the people whose personal style I admire the most are those who are able to turn heads and create memorable outfits without sticking to basic black. You'll be able to do a lot more with less once you leave behind the comfort zone of wearing black head to toe. Lighten up. Add color.



** Build outfits around creative accessories. Printed scarves, costume jewelery, textured tights. These are all fantastic ways to add depth and interest to even the most basic of outfits. Accessories truly do transform outfits, and they can be purchased at any price.



** Step out of your comfort zone just this once. Switch up your style. Remember when Tinsley Mortimer and Vogue fashion-writer Florence Kane traded styles? If you're always decked out in dresses and feminine pieces (like Tinsley), try adding some preppy pieces to your wardrobe the way Florence would. You can always switch back!



** Save the money that you would have spent on an expensive pair of shoes or yet another handbag and add it to your travel fund. Trust me, it's a lot more fun to shop in London or Antwerp than it is in Anytown, USA. Since I have a lot of travel plans on my radar for 2010, I really need to take my own advice on this one! Plus, it's thrilling to come across eclectic pieces that you never would have considered buying elsewhere.


I hope these tips will inspire you to create beautiful and exciting ensembles in 2010. Thank you for your readership, and I hope to see you in 2010! Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas in the Spirit of DV!

The weather outside may be frightful, but one of my dearest friends has some oh-so delightful tips for ringing in the holidays...in the spirit of Diana Vreeland, of course. Whether you are throwing a holiday party, preparing for New Year's Eve, or just having a quiet evening celebrating with friends and family, her over-the-top, glamorous tips are sure to get your holiday season off to a smashing start! Diana Vreeland would be proud.

Why don’t you ...rent the International Space Station for your New Year’s Eve bash this year?

Why don’t you... cover your entire bathroom in mirrored panels, to ensure that you’ve seen every angle before you walk into the parlor?

Why don’t you... perfect your ability to say “Happy Holidays” in every language imaginable so that you can send seasonal greetings to every head of state in the world?

Why don’t you... use the leftover Prosecco to wash your delicates? Flat is best.

Why don’t you... commission a broom made of horsehair from Derby winners? Cleaning up can be glamorous, too.

Why don’t you... crochet a fabulous new hair accessory for each of your holiday guests? They should be useful as napkin rings as well as lovely parting gifts.

Why don’t you... build a guest dormitory on the back of your house, so that there will be room for all of your guests after a night of too many G&Ts?

Why don’t you... hand dip currants halfway in white chocolate, and then dip the other half in dark chocolate? Leaving a beautiful ruby strip in between would tasteful as well.

Why don’t you... decorate your roofline with Gothic creature waterspouts instead of downspouts? A few flying buttressed wouldn’t hurt, either.

Why don’t you... hire a string quartet to play on your front lawn in time with your Christmas light show?

Why don’t you... carve utensils out of your turkey carcass to use for brunch the next day?

Why don’t you... install TV monitors into the children’s table, playing nothing but Reading Rainbow and Wishbone?

Why don’t you... garnish every dish with gold dusted parsley? Curly if you are serving ham - flat with turkey or beef.Why don’t you cut your rolls of wrapping paper into 2” squares, creating patchwork paper quilts around all of your presents?

Why don’t you... insist on a royal purple silk carpet leading up to your home when your guests arrive?

Why don’t you... switch the hymnals for Where’s Waldo books during an Advent service?

Why don’t you... place original Louise Nevelson collage pieces at every Salvation Army red bucket that you see?

Why don’t you... juxtapose lush organza and brushed flannel linens with miniature Christmas trees and yellow lilies for your tablescape? A few rocks, polished with sea water, can provide a geological edge.

Why don’t you... turn last year’s holiday cards into bows to place atop the original senders’ gifts?

Why don’t you... weave a new area rug out of holly & poinsettia leaves?

Why don’t you... hire a hot air balloon to throw candy and H1N1 vaccines down to the neighborhood children?

The Decade's Best Dressed

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to select the year's best dressed, so imagine how daunting it must have been for the staff of Vogue to select the decade's best dressed ladies. Fortunately, they are asking for a little assistance from their readers in selecting the ten best dressed from 2000-2009.

For each year, ten memorable dresses have been selected, with the reader being given the option of selecting one. The categories in terms of who made the list can be broken down into five categories which I have dubbed "Vogue Regulars," "Models," Fashion Originals," "Hollywood A-Listers," and "Fashion Newcomers."

Among the "Vogue Regulars" we have Aerin Lauder, Marina Rust, Lauren Santo Domingo (where would any best dressed list be without Vogue's current reigning socialite?), Sally Albermale, Margherita Missoni (wearing, naturally, Missoni), Jemima Khan, and Dr. Lisa Airan (a Vogue regular ever since she was profiled in the magazine by Amy Astley). I'm partial to Lisa Airan in this category. She has impeccable taste.

For the "Models" we have Liya Kebede, Natalia Vodianova, Alek Wek, Kate Moss, Carolyn Murphy, and Gisele. It wouldn't be a best dressed list of any credence without Kate Moss included. Sadly, Vogue did not pick her best and most memorable looks, in my opinion.

The "Fashion Originals" included Sofia Coppola, Stella Tennant (also a model), Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jennifer Connelly (featured in her scene-stealing Balenciaga number), Hope Atherton, and Daphne Guinness. My vote in this group goes to Charlotte Gainsbourg. She always looks entirely original.

All of Hollywood's A-List was included, too. Nicole Kidman, Reese, Cate, Renee, Angelina, Jennifer Aniston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kirsten Dunst (in beautiful Christian Lacroix), Sienna, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lopez (in that Versace dress), Audrey Tatou (in Chanel), Penelope Cruz, and Sarah Jessica Parker. My pick is Gwyneth Paltrow. I (almost) always love what she wears.

As for the "Fashion Newcomers" we have Emma Watson (in Burberry), Rihanna, First Lady Michelle Obama, Kate Bosworth, and Anne Hathaway. Michelle Obama certainly captured our attention as of late, but I'm not sure who the best dressed newcomer would be.

My overall pick for the decade's best dressed would have to be Kate Moss. Who else defined the decade in terms of fashion better than Kate? No one else comes to mind for me. Head to http://www.vogue.com/ to place your own votes and be sure to let me know who your favorites from the decade were!

Long May Lagerfeld Reign

Near the end of "Valentino: The Last Emperor," Karl Lagerfeld says to Valentino that if he ever retires, Karl will never, never, never forgive him. He must continue working at least another twenty-five years or more, so instructs Lagerfeld. Longtime admirers of Lagerfeld feel exactly the same way. We'll never forgive him if he ever leaves Chanel. We have no problem with him leaving Fendi or abandoning his namesake line, but Chanel is sacrosanct, and there is simply no one who can replace Lagerfeld.

Why the concern over the prospect that Lagerfeld could be departing from Chanel in the near future, you might ask? Well, Lagerfeld is 76 and no longer, as my father would say, a "spring chicken." The Cut reported on this earlier in the week and, naturally, any headline with "Karl Lagerfeld" in it is bound to catch my eye. Is life without Karl Lagerfeld at the helm of Chanel even conceivable? If not Karl, then who? Who could guard the legacy of Gabrielle Chanel as well as Lagerfeld has? I have heard the name of Alber Elbaz tossed around casually, but his replacing Karl would only create another dilemma: who could replace Elbaz as the head of Lanvin? Is it possible that we have a drought of truly talented designers, those who are trained in the art of couture?

Since Valentino departed, "yes" seems to be the obvious answer. Cathy Horyn of The New York Times spoke of this concern in "The Last Emperor." If you didn't learn the craft of couture from someone who was working in the 1920s and 1930s, you are learning it from Lagerfeld's generation. Lagerfeld's generation learned this trade, of course, from Patou, Jeanne Lanvin, Cristobal Balenciaga, Christian Dior, Chanel, et al. Thus, it is up to them to pass on this craft. But, as this group of designers continue to age, the fear is that the craft itself will die.

Karl Lagerfeld is not the only remaining septuagenarian. Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren are both in their seventies as well. They might be leaving the hallowed fashion runways for greener pastures at some point, too. I would be deeply saddened with the retirement of either designer (especially for poor Ralph Lauren, since most of his clientele still continue to mispronounce his last name. It's Lau-ren, folks. Not Lo-ren, as in Sophia Loren. Geesh.), but the absence of Karl Largerfeld would truly signify the end of couture and, possibly, fashion as we know it. If you thought the death of Yves Saint Laurent or the recent abdication of Valentino was devastating, imagine what would happen if someone else was charged with preserving the legacy of fashion's greatest treasure. Unfathomable.

On the bright side, I'm fairly confident that, like my beloved chihuahua, Karl Lagerfeld is immortal, and will continue to reign at Chanel for many centuries to come. He really has no other choice.

The Best of Beauty from the Beauty Expert Herself

My best friend is a bona fide expert when it comes to all things Beauty. She has used all of the best and most user-friendly lines. She experiments with the new, trendy shades. And, best of all, she has perfectly flawless porcelain skin, so everything works well with her complexion. Each time I'm at her apartment, I gaze into her makeup boxes like an explorer who has just discovered the missing link to humanity or something equally exciting. She has it all, believe me.

So, I thought it would be helpful if she narrowed done some of the best (and worst!) beauty products. It seems like the beauty section in stores ranging from Target to Saks grows infinitely larger year by year. Who even knows how to effectively narrow down the myriad of options?

Here is where Emily comes in, dear readers. Below are her picks for the best of the best, with even a demerit included for fun. Enjoy!

1. Origins Never A Dull Moment facial scrub (http://www.origins.com/, some Macy’s stores). I started using this in college, and have flitted to many other scrubs since, but this is always a winner. Gentle enough to use more than once a week, it’s not super grainy and sets your face up perfectly for a mask. I use this once a week, followed by an Origins face mask.

2. Bumble and Bumble hair products. Yes, this is more than one, but I really can’t choose between prep and thickening hairspray. Together, they are a fantastic duo. And I am not a Hair Girl—I would much rather play with make-up than do my hair. But these two products make my hair do amazing things, and make me look like a Hair Girl.

3. Bobbi Brown blush (http://www.bobbibrown.com/, Nordstrom, Macy’s). “I love blush!” declares the makeup artist in one of her books. So it’s no surprise that her line has a rainbow of natural colors, in a variety of finishes. For myself, I prefer pale pink, pink sugar, or washed rose, followed by a swipe of her pink shimmer brick compact (which can be blush in and of itself.).

4. Bath and Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar body scrub. Smells divine, low cost, easy to find. What more can you want?

5. Bobbi Brown concealer/foundation/powder: Again, more than one thing. But the entire face system is great. The concealer is the best I have found for covering dark circles; the foundation matches your skin, no matter how pale or dark you are, and yellow powder does amazing things for the complexion. Plus, a bottle of foundation will last a good long time. The foundation also comes in a cream to powder compact and in a stick (great for the office or travel).

** And one thing I don’t get….Maybelline Great Lash. I keep reading about how wonderful it is. And I’ve tried it. And I don’t get it. I think it makes your lashes look scary—way too thick and clumpy. Plus, you look like you have maybe four lashes, and it’s impossible to comb through. For my money, Clinique, Lancome, and Cover Girl make much better products.

*** I completely agree with Emily regarding Great Lash. I bought it once and my eyes were so irritated that they were red for a month and so sore from itching that I couldn't wear eyeliner.

Oh, the books you'll read!

Since the end of the year is almost upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to take inventory of the year as it was in books, along with a look at what is on my book-radar for 2010.

So, here are my top ten books from 2009 in no particular order:

1. "A Dash of Daring: Carmel Snow and Her Life in Fashion, Art, and Letters," Penelope Rowlands. This was hands-down the best biography I have ever read. It made me wish that I had been born in the 1930s so I could work with Carmel Snow and the other talented people who inhabited her life (Conde Nast, Jean Lanvin, Jean Patou, Poiret, Vionnet, Balenciaga....the list goes on!). If you love fashion as much as I do, I promise that you will love this book.

2. "The Sea, the Sea," Iris Murdoch. My obsession with Iris Murdoch began with this book. It was an amazingly gripping psychological thriller. Suspenseful, complicated, and philosophical. My love for this book led me to read five more books from Murdoch this year. If you haven't read any Murdoch, do start!

3. "Jude the Obscure," Thomas Hardy. Perhaps my favorite book of all-time. Set in a fictional city modeled after Oxford, young Jude dreamt only of attending Christminster. His ambition to overcome the many hurdles keeping him from his dream were touching and inspiring. Let's just say that I can easily relate to Jude. The setting of Christminster, with all of the Oxford references, made it that much more entertaining for me.

4. "Possession," A.S. Byatt. Another of my all-time favorite books. Probably the most romantic story imaginable.

5. "The Great Railway Bazaar," Paul Theroux. This was the book that defined the modern travel narrative. Now I understand why. Theroux makes you feel as if you are along for the ride- and you will want to be.

6. "The Alchemist," Paulo Coelho. Picked up from the library on a whim, I finished this short little book in one sitting. Inspiring and encouraging. This book, while maybe a little cheesy at times, will you push you to go for your dreams and to see "the world through your own eyes and not someone else's."

7. "The Waves," Virginia Woolf. One of those rare books that one could read a dozen times and take away something different from it each time. I viewed it as a metaphor for life, with life occurring in stages or seasons, like the tide, and not as a race to the finish line.

8. "Ghost Train to the Eastern Star: On the Tracks of the Great Railway Bazaar," Paul Theroux. Theroux decided to retrace the tracks of his ground-breaking travel narrative. The reader discovers that while the journey has remained the same (with a few alterations due to strife in certain parts of the world), the traveler has changed. Just as fascinating as the first, which started it all.

9. "Bonjour, Tristesse," Francoise Sagan. I loved this book so much that I also wrote a blog entry on it. Fantastic coming-of-age story set in the south of France. Not to be missed, in my opinion.

10. "The Time Traveler's Wife," Audrey Niffenegger. I wasn't planning on reading this book, but everyone kept raving about it, so I decided to check it out. I'm truly glad that I did. This was one of the most romantic and touching books that I've read- the rare book in which the characters stay with you long after you have finished the actual book.

And, on my radar for 2010:

1. "Coco Chanel and Igor Stravinsky," Chris Greenhalgh. I'm always excited to read more about the life of Chanel. I'd like to see this film, too.

2. "Alice I Have Been," Melanie Benjamin. 2010 is shaping up to be "The Year of Alice," with everyone's excitement for Tim Burton's recreation reaching extreme heights. I'm curious about it, too.

3. "The Elegance of the Hedgehog," Muriel Barbery. I've wanted to read this for awhile, so I finally added it to my library queue. It's set in Paris, so you really can't go wrong.

4. "Committed," Elizabeth Gilbert. This book, which doesn't come out until January 5, 2010, has already generated a lot of buzz, probably due to the success of "Eat, Pray, Love" and the forthcoming movie of the same name. I'm curious to hear what she has to say on marriage after vowing never to marry again. Plus, I loved her advice in Elle to those under 25 who plan on marrying: "Wake up, slow down." Amen, sister.

So, there we have it: the year (and upcoming months) in books. I'd love to know what you've been reading! Also, feel free to send any interesting recommendations my way.