Thank God we only ever bet fake money, because we were positive the guest judge was going to be Kirstie Alley or Valerie Bertinelli last night on Project Runway. Instead it was a guy from the Gap. Boring!

So, after a couple of weeks of lame challenges, Bravo brought back the magic with a bunch of ladies who had been real fat in the eighties, then had slipped into comas for a few decades, during which they lost 50 or 100 pounds, and then they woke up, still wearing their favorite, now gigantic, heinous blazers from the Working Girl days.

Seriously, that's your favorite outfit? Now that you don't have to shop in the fat lady store, that's still your favorite outfit??

Anyway, the designer had to work with this crap and these not ideal models, and they came up with some bizarre shit. Hot transformer HIV guy had to leave because his mouth blew up like a Japanese cartoon character. It was sad and we were shocked that it didn't make us cry. Wilmer did cry, however. Unsurprising. He was so proud of his insane Fulton Mall outfit. Whatever. Pass the joint this way.

Flirty, sweet or girly don't seem to be words that we will be hearing come the time when the key trends are highlighted for AW08-9. In fact an 80's-90's sombriety seems to have swept over the catwalks. Typical that we've got our heads up in ruffles and pastels at the moment and suddenly quite literally, swathes of cloudy grey wool are blanketed over. However, this isn't a downer on the 'new' (let's just get it out there and say that nothing is going to be truly new or 'fresh'). Whilst I don't ally myself with one style camp or another and though I am one of those up in my head in ruffles and florals (albeit mixed with something darker...) right now, this doesn't necessarily mean I don't welcome this new season of slouchy looseness. As I was flicking through an issue of The Face from 1984 (a cool b-day pressie my boyf got.... note to self: must track down The Face issues in the months of all my friends' b-days for emergency gifts...), it had a spread about the Japanese designers like Comme des Garcons, Yohji Yamamoto landing in London, making an impact with their lack of body consciousness, redefining the boundaries of wearability. Even more commercial spreads such as this one from US Vogue 1983 'The Contrast: The Polished Style/ The Freer Spirit', shot by Helmut Newton and Hans Feurer, demonstrating how this Japanese avant garde can be worn in a way that wouldn't be too alienating.

These dark clothing cocoons, draped shapes somehow don’t look like they are swamping the women and perhaps for the new season, designers are proposing a different sort of female. The same girls wearing Miu Miu skater skirts and red bows in their hair, the Erin Featherston/Lula prototype if you will might be crushed by the looseness and heaviness of these clothes and for once it seems we are looking towards someone older and more mature to carry these clothes off. Is it a coincidence that it coincides with the fashion industry’s predictions for slower fashion? Less frippery and more substance? Quite possibly. With regards to myself, when I revert to my own interpretations of grey draped, loose version of avant garde topped off with my vintage Balenciaga coat which is quite literally a cocoon, there is a safety zone and quiet self-assuredness those clothes give me in a way that a fun flirty dress never could (not to knock those dresses as I love those too...).

So to the first few London collections...

Emilio de la Morena who was lovely enough to lend me a dress for the Gucci event from his AW07 collection has developed some interesting shapes for this year’s winter. Some will say sombre but there’s a something very attractive about the relaxed shapes and of course, picked up by an interesting choice of fabrics and detailing means loose isn’t necessarily drab.

Jean Pierre Braganza did produce a number of body-conscious dresses for his collection but then it’s never as simple as just making everything as tight as possible because he manages to combine everything with a bit of bulk and substance, creating something of a wintry wooley robot effect if that makes sense.

Topshop Unique seemed to raid old 90’s catalogues and take a lot of inspiration from 90s’ retro casualwear. I’m thinking I need to rewatch some really old Chinese TVB series such as ‘The Breaking Point’ to get myself back into this dress frame of mind.

Yesterday, I was tipped off by two very reliable sources at Calvin Klein that they are to jump on the eCommerce bandwagon this Summer. The company has recently opened five US retail locations for their White Label, and the website will stock items from the store, and possibly exclusives as well. While their underwear line already has its own site, I have to admit I am far more interested in what they make to go on top, than underneath. Although perspicacious labels like YSL already offer online shopping, its still nice to see that they're getting in on the action!-(VJ-R)

We’re pumped to welcome another great brand from the city by the bay. PopJunkie has a great collection of great designs, with a ton of detail and great print quality. You gotta check out their shirts, the prints are dope, the fabric is soft and the fit is fresh!

D.C. fashion is definitely taking flight. We can tout the only all British menswear store in the U.S. – The District Line. British fashion is always a step ahead of what we see here in the states. So, cheers to owner Marshall S. Thompson for bringing London to D.C.

Now you can shop quality, ready-to-wear and tailored menswear from The District Line without slipping on your equestrian flat boots to brave the elements. Great for having the prefect sweater or jacket delivered in time to present to your guy for the holidays.

Photo: www.thedistrictline.com

New Release, The District Line Online Store

It’s here. For months I’ve been waiting for the unfold bag from Working Class Heroes, who have made great moleskin pouches and other laptop wallets. It looked so awesome, so perfect, the best laptop bag I’ve seen and that was just from the preview pictures.

You can unfold it, fold it one way, fold it with the leather out or leather in. I think I might carry this without a laptop, even.

It’s made with premium leather and canvas. It’s got tons of pockets. It fits a 13″ macbook (yay for me!) horizontally. It fits a macbook pro or other 17″ laptop vertically.

I’m in love. ($355)

Get it from Working Class Heroes.

Share This

Whilst I pretty much followed readers' NYC shopping suggestions down to a tee, Century 21 wasn't one of those places that I planned on visiting.  I wasn't up for a TJ/TK Maxx experience where you MIGHT stumble upon a designer gem in amongst the crap, especially on the day of the Gucci event where I was feeling a little unsettled as it was. 

However, we did have to go in the direction of Lower Manhattan to Battery Park for the essential Statue of Liberty viewing (was the boyf's first time to NYC, not mine - to answer a reader's question...) so I thought I'd take a gander.  The store might look a little crusty, in terms of interiors and in some cases a little retro with the slanted curly font highlighting four floors of designer discount joy but I think a trendy revamp would sort of defeat the point of the places; which is good old-fashioned elbowing bargain-hunting madness.  Ok, it wasn't madness but it was busy for a Wednesday afternoon (where other boutiques were quiet) and there were a lot of sharp looks going on especially in the shoe section.  The bulk of people there were the middle-aged to elderly who seemed to have the smarts about this store as opposed to me who was just looking at random racks.  In womenswear, it actually made it simpler for me that it was slim pickings for the US size 6 and below as it made it easier for me to search out stuff and so I came away with a Martin Margiela yellow satin dress and a Viktor & Rolf office dress, each at a sum of $50.  The manicurist for the Gucci event wrinkled her nose when I told her of my purchases and said 'But they're last season's stuff!', which of course bothers me not a bit as my thoughts have always been 'Seasons Schmeasons!' (didn't manage to perfect my NYC drawl...). 

It wasn't remotely like a TK/TJ Maxx situation as everywhere I rifled, there was Anna Sui, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Rick Owens (a BEAUTIFUL jacket at $500 was nearly snagged.... ), Jil Sander, Martin Margiela, Vivienne Westwood to be found at prices ranging from cheapie to not overly unreasonable.  The shoes alas were a bit pricier but still bargainous if you want things at 50% off.  Definitely glad I took the gander.  Exciting shopping experience it may not be but for a rooter-outer like me, it was still rewarding.  Speaking of designer consignment, INA which has branches in Soho, Nolita and Noho is also pretty amazing in terms of range of designer and prices (I'm still not sure how I came away with nothing...) and a far less bewildering/retro experience than C21. 

Some gold and red for Chinese New Year celebrations (I postponed my celebrations until I got back to London...)  Happy belated Chinese New Year by the by...hope you ate a lot of food!  I'm planning to despite the fact that I just bought these unforgiving satin dresses...

The year was 2000, and we were in Boulder, Colorado. It seems so liberal, and so understanding, that you just can't fathom there being any laws. At least when you are just starting college, and back in town to head up to Flagstaff Mountain and lay upside down on a 45 degree angle rock and look at the city and pretend the sky is the ocean. But that comes later, after walking into random frat parties and just telling everyone that Enoch invited you, and then being led to the beer bongs. And then, we go for a walk with a road soda in hand, and we can't fathom that Dodge Durango being...wait, yes it is...it is a police car with two female cops. A few things happen which warrant a list:

• nate drops his drink and takes off running
• two of us remain, bewildered, holding our "pepsi" bottles
• we receive tickets and $100 fines
• where's nate though?
• let's try walking up the street
• "hey guys you better come inside...your homeboy's fucked up in here!"
• nate comes out of bathroom with missing teeth as a result of a fence-hopping attempt gone wrong, in which he landed on his face instead of his feet
• the owner of the house talks to us about Ray Kurzweil and pours us shots
• two days later, we hear that nate has fake teeth in place while he awaits his new permanent teeth
• we get in the car to go visit him and take pictures of what he referred to as "bunny teeth" but he won't answer the door