The Blackberrie

You Snood You Win

2009-09-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

Forget those ubiquitous mohair beanies....the snood is the next hip headwear for the winter.

Yes, Please

2009-06-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

Full preview of Alexander Wang's accessories collection here. Below are The BB selects:

Final Word: Nuff said.

Queen's Day

2009-05-14T14:13:00.000-07:00

New Orleans has Mardi Gras, Brazil has Carnival and the Dutch - well, they have one of the biggest street parties in the world.

Queen's day—a Dutch national holiday celebrated each year on April 30th in honor of the late Queen Juliana's birthday—calls for an excuse to dress up in orange and party. Every year about one million people travel to Amsterdam for the celebrations where as much of the partying occurs on the canals as the streets.

I was fortunate enough to go this year and experience it first hand and it true Dutch fashion, on a boat for eight hours. Before our water excursion, I perused the "free market” or vrigmarkt, with a glass of champagne in hand. On this day, every store/individual is allowed to sell their wares on the street. After a few glasses of bubbly I picked out an old tin sign and a set of beautiful baroque pencils in a matching box for 3 euro!

All aboard! Time to drink Heineken on a boat equipped with two DJ's, confetti cannons and a saxophonist. Can you tell that they take this holiday very seriously? At the end of the day I came to the conclusion that A) the Dutch are one of the friendliest and welcoming people and B) they can seriously party.

Final Word: Whether or not you make it to Amsterdam for Queen's day, I recommend you stay at The College Hotel which has 40 rooms and is run by college students, pop in for a smoke and lunch at Barney's Uptown, grab a hot croquette from a Febo vending machine, and for the best steak frites and beef tartare north of Paris, make a reservation at Le Garage.

Why? Because I heart you. MET EDITION

2009-05-06T13:23:00.001-07:00

BB Exclusive: First Look At May 14th Matthew Williamson for H&M

2009-04-28T13:39:00.001-07:00

We already know that the initial delivery of Matthew Williamson for H&M sold out in about .2 seconds last week. We also know that the actual launch party happens tonight and the buzz around it is about equivalent to that of the collection. But don’t let either of these items lead you to believe that MW4HM is yesterday’s news. In reality, it is quite the contrary—the best is yet to come.

If effort to temporarily beat the heat this past weekend, we serendipitously stumbled upon—or were granted—a super sneak-peak at the yet-to-be-released May 14th H&M delivery.

Last week the fashion rags reported ga-ga gals cashing their unemployment checks and getting fired from their jobs to get their hands on the first delivery, now they’re going to wish they had held out for round two (apart from also wishing they had not spent their unemployment checks and gotten fired from their jobs, but that’s a separate issue).

Where plenty of peacock prints and Daria-dominated ad campaigns defined the first delivery, the May 14th collection capitalizes on what Matthew does best; vibrant prints and beautiful embellishments. From encrusted leather vests to floor-length tunics and tiered embellished gowns, this collection looks like it hailed from London Fashion Week, not 59th & 5th.

In fact, many of the resemblances to the actual Spring 09 runway collection are quite uncanny. And when priced from $125-$250, you can totally understand girls wanting to spend their last dime. They should have just saved a nickel for what is still to come.

Final Word: Don’t mind my ghetto pics seen here. It looks awesome in person and you’re going to want it all. In fact, it might not be a bad idea to get on line now.

Go, Go Ask Alex!

2009-04-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Final Word: Check out Racked giving our girl AWill some love today! The majority of the public thinks she's "perfection" and we happen to agree.

Go Ask Alex: Racy Rompers

2009-04-23T14:31:00.000-07:00

Dear Alex:

Every night I put on boy shorts and any old vintage t-shirt to go to bed, and frankly, I'm getting quite bored. Although I don't see myself prancing around scantily-clad in negligees, I would certainly like to spice up my ho hum nighttime uniform.

-Boring in the Bedroom

Dear BITB:

First of all, you can look sexy without looking like an 18th century call girl. In fact, many runways were filled with boudoir-inspired nighties this season. I think a good place to start would be with the romper. They're adorably sexy without being over the top, a perfect leap from boring boy shorts. Take a look at my options below.

Good Luck!

This organic piece is so soft, you'll never want to get out of bed.

We love the playful polka-dot pattern on this sheer, black and white option.

With a vintage belt and boots, this jacquard romper could work for night and day.

Touchably soft tri-blend cotton, sexy halter spaghetti straps, and a vivid green color add up to an option we simply can't resist.

Moss: "Dead is the new black"?

2009-04-21T15:01:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you’ve incorporated your Blackberry into basically every aspect of your daily life. Beyond phone calls, text messages, work emails, personal emails, BBMs, Facebook, Tweets, Googles, daily forecasts, daily horoscopes…the list goes on (and quite extensively), I also use my Blackberry as my daily alarm clock. Therefore, it’s the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see in the morning.

One of the adverse affects of this addiction (and there are many) is that you really can’t control what you wake up to. For me, it’s usually annoying emails from my West Coast colleagues or the new delivery at Bergdorf’s (which they love to send at 6 AM). But the other day I woke up to the subject “Dead is the new black,” and opened up to the creepy image seen here.

While still rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, I was left trying to figure out what ghost of email sign-up past was sending such a cryptic communication so early in the morning. Who is pitching me death? And why?

As it turns out, the email was from Moss, the home design store in Soho and LA. I had bought my friends a wedding gift there a while back and have received very sporadic, very random emails from them ever since. So they weren’t trying to pitch me death, they were trying to sell it—in the form of finger puppets no less, an obvious vehicle for selling death if you ask me.

The commemorative finger puppet series, called Gone But Not Forgotten, “pays tribute to six of those who crossed over in 2008,” including Yves Saint Laurent, Heath Ledger and Charlton Heston; each is adorned with either a halo and angel wings or devil horns and a tail (I am going to guess halo, horns, horns for those listed). And while I assume they are attempting honor those no-longer among the living, I can't help but think they've done quite the opposite.

Final Word: Since we're selling death these days, this six-some can be yours for a cool $75! So the next time you’re stumped in that someone-that-has-everything gift giving scenario maybe creepy finger puppets are the way to go. I would bet my life they don’t have these. Available at mossonline.com.

For All The 'Fellas

2009-04-16T09:53:00.000-07:00

As much as I hate to admit it, I can honestly say that giving someone the once over has become second nature to me. I’ve come a long way in my attempt not to pass judgment based solely on how someone dresses (I’ve been known to roll out of bed and into the office on more than one occasion), but, for guys, there’s still one faux pas I just can’t forgive: bad shoes.

Too often, I’ll come across what seems to be a well-dressed guy only to glance downward and see the cuff of his pants hitting what I imagine is a cobbler’s worst nightmare: a pair of boxy, square-toed leather things with a heel that may or may not double as a hockey puck.

The extent of a man’s wardrobe can only reach so far, for we all have the same basic items to choose from that essentially boil down to a shirt and pants (I know many of us will go on to elaborate on these basics, but as this post is about what’s on the feet, I digress). Any old Joe can pair a button-down shirt with some tailored jeans, but to me what truly separates the Joe Shmoes from the Joe Jonases are what he chooses to step out of the closet in, literally.

Overcome by fantasies of warmer weather approaching, I recently stumbled upon the perfect pair of kicks to enhance any guy's burgeoning summer wardrobe: The Ace Hotel Palm Springs Shoe, a limited edition style born from the collaborative efforts of the Ace Hotel, LA art mag Arkitip, and NYC-based shoe label Generic Man. Nothing says summer-cool like a pair of fresh white sneakers, and the Ace Hotel shoe's eye-catching perforated body not only gives it instant street style, but also functions practically by giving your little piggies a chance to breathe. And at only $85, these will hardly break the bank, leaving you with plenty of funds to still cover your summer share.

Final Word: Gentlemen, take your style a step in the right direction this summer by treating your feet to these sweet sneaks, which you can pre-order now at www.arkitip.com.

Yes, This Exists

2009-04-15T11:24:00.000-07:00

Just in case you're still struggling to figure out how to "meet new people online for casual encounters, flirting and relationships" via Facebook, or dare I say, Myspace, you'll be pleased to learn that www.fuckbook.com will launch tomorrow with the above mission statement.

While Facebook employs the vague "poke" in order to test the waters of a possible relationship, Fuckbook goes all the way by using the endearingly creepy "wink" in order to woo possible mates. On Fuckbook, you'll be happy "to find other like-minded people, that share the same interests and conceivabilities of a relationship." Hmm, I wonder what types of similar people I'll be delighted to meet on Fuckbook? Certainly the types without pesky real jobs where their employer could monitor their web searches.

Fuckbook looks much like any other social networking site, except for its garish pink color and search parameters that will allow me to look for an Asian female between 18 to 99 years old whose fetishes include furries, voyeurism, tantric sex, and "prefer not to say" (uh oh -- that can't be good).

Final Word: Maybe I'm behind the times because I don't tweet, but for now, I think I'll stick to Facebook. As appetizing as Fuckbook's groundbreaking features appear, I'm just a little worried about the clientele I'll be winking at.

Why? Because I heart you.

2009-04-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

loving an era..instead of an icon this week.

Polyvore: Making Dreams Come True

2009-04-14T08:44:00.001-07:00

When we were little it may have been Duck Hunt. Later, it became Madden. In college, it was Grand Theft Auto and as of the late, it’s been Guitar Hero and Rock Band. We’ve always been around video games, and sure, we’ll partake for a round or two (usually for flirtatious purposes) but we never connected with them the way the boys did.

It’s probably because those weren’t our dreams. We didn’t want to shoot things or become pro-athletes or rock stars, we had no interest in picking up prostitutes and later lighting them on fire. We wanted to create, make things pretty. Dress things up. But nobody was out there selling us a dream about how fabulous we could be (although we did live vicariously through Jem). That is, until now.

I randomly stumbled upon the site Polyvore, and although I doubt its business plan would ever describe it as such, it’s basically a video game for fashionistas, both the actual and the aspiring.

If you ever wanted to be a market editor, art director or just a hobbyist at putting things together, this is the place for you. I can’t tell you exactly what the purpose of the site is and how they make money, but that is not my concern right now.

What I do know is that they have developed a technology which allows you to create editorial-like fashion spreads by simply pointing, clicking, dragging and resizing. You can do so with their set of stock images or import your own. Each image is attached to the retail site from which it came (Net-a-Porter, ShopBop, etc) and after you have created your commercial collage the items appear on the side bar for purchase.

You can also export these creations, which they call a “set,” to your Facebook or MySpace accounts and share them with friends outside the Polyvore community, which consists of 3 millions users, average profile is 21-year-old female (shocker).

Many of the sets are very impressive! I was confused at first because I couldn’t possibly believe they were user-created, but that’s actually the beauty of the site. The only thing that might be more fun than creating your own set is being inspired by the work of others! No, forget that, creating your own set is way more fun.

Final Word: The image attached is my first attempt at creation. And while clearly I did not miss my calling as an art director, my picks are so DMoney. Try this out for yourself and leave the weblink to your set in our comments! So fun. You may never leave your desktop.

Point & Flex: Karl Lagerfeld for Repetto

2009-04-09T13:31:00.001-07:00

Today marks the first availability of the Karl Lagerfeld and Repetto shoe collaboration. Repetto has been manufacturing ballet flats, in various forms of fashion and function, for over 60 years in Paris. As an homage to the brand’s ballerina past, Mr. Lagerfeld has included a removable “tutu” in his design.

This is a perfect approach to Spring 09’s party-at-the-ankle, business-on-the-bottom approach to footwear. If you’re feeling particularly fashionable, add the tutu. For a more straight-forward approach, strip down to just the leotard. Or in this case, strappy sandal.
The shoes are available in flat sandal ($435) and platform versions ($550), both styles come in black and white.

Final Word: Available exclusively at Bergdorf’s, American Rag and Colette starting today.

A Harem of Harems; Abstain or Embrace?

2009-04-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

I have always appreciated the British sense of humor and the Spanish sense of, um...adventure? I am not exactly sure what my standout feature is for the Spanish. When I think of Spain I think of Gaudi, pork, and Mango. Oh! And Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which kind of means Penelope Cruz, which also means Mango, which means when I think of Spain I really only think of Penelope Cruz (and Gaudi and pork).

Anyway, British, Spain, Mango, whatever, this all brings me to my point (were you concerned I didn’t have one?), which is my take on the harem pant, which began with today’s take on Mango’s harem-pant-skirt as perceived by The Guardian UK:

“When a piece of clothing requires clarification, you know you're in trouble. On first look, this new item from Mango was taken for an innocent skirt. But further inspection revealed it to have leg holes, hovering in line with the hem. It looked like a denim nappy - then word reached us it was a harem-pant-short. Surely now the crotch, which has been falling steadily over the last two years, has dropped as low as it can go?”

Courtesy of today’s WhoWhatWearFashion Week edition, our old college crony and Paris-based L’Officiel editor, Sabrina Marshall, displays exactly how this trend should be worn, with only the subtle hint of harem.
While the crotch hangs lower than your typical tapered trouser, there is nothing MC Hammer (impossible the avoid that reference on this topic) about this look. By pairing the pants with basics she touches on the trend while looking fundamentally fashionable all at the same time.

(But this is also the same person who wore minks to our freshman year dining hall and she pulled that off too. So needless to say, this still doesn’t mean this should be attempted by the masses).

Case in point, the Mango short/skirt/pant. Mango is Spain’s answer to fashion en masse. But unlike Topshop or H&M, it has really never been known for high-fashion. So while the harem trend has trickled down as far it is can go, it should still only be attempted by those at the top.

Final Word: Most harem-wearers fall somewhere safely in-between French fashion editors and Mango misery, but I'll abstain completely. I cut some holes in my skinny jeans and now I feel so Spring 09.

Save Who?

2009-04-04T12:36:00.001-07:00

I recently stumbled across what I thought to be a mysterious "Save Anna" sticker (as in Vogue editrix, Anna Wintour) on a random trashcan in the meatpacking district. Being The Blackberrie's in-house web archaeologist, this curiosity provoked me to dig a little deeper.

Upon further research, I discovered the image was part of a larger campaign by controversial artist, Christopher Sauve. While I've since learned that the Anna image dates back to the December, we conveniently have a new fashion femme in the throes of danger to discuss.

Who could it be you ask?

I was caught off guard when I saw that the newest face is none other than one of our favorite love-to-hate, hate-to-love reality TV star, Whitney Port. Supposedly the image was Suave's reaction to Whitney's latest plea: "I break down a couple of times a week, at least. It gets overwhelming. Sometimes I think that I can't take this anymore. I just want to live a normal life."

Oh, Whitney. Was that before or after you decided to do the Cosmo cover? Don't get me wrong, I'm totally into the whole Andy Warhol inspired designs - I mean, "I died" over the Rachel Zoe Bananas t-shirts.

Final Word: Anna and Rachel is one thing, but Whitney?! If she needs saving, then all of pop-culture does!

Go Ask Alex: Military

2009-04-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

Dear Alex:

Why is it that Chrisophe Decarnin insists on making the most amazingly wearable yet insanely unattainable collection for Balmain? Every model for Spring 2009 is donning that glamorous rocker-girl look I love and covet every day. I've been known to drop the dough when it comes to couture, but $12,000 for a military jacket?! It's bordering on preposterous! Please Alex, help me find a stylish, more affordable alternative.

-Begging For Balmain

Dear BFB:

We at The Blackberrie understand your suffering, as we too adore everything that Mr. Decarnin conjures up (it's a race between Balmain and Balenciaga - right now they're neck and neck). But don't fret my pet! Here is a slew of other, attractively priced cadet-inspired jackets for you to choose from:

Marc by Marc Jacob's baby blue jacket lends a touch of femininity to a tougher, military-inspired option.

With a sleek, stand-up collar and regal looking tail, this Chris Benz option is a true homage to Sgt. Pepper.

Bright red and gold buttons really makes this Smythe coat pop.

A bomber silhouette gives this See by Chloe jacket wear-it-everyday appeal.

Puppetmaster: Martin Glenn

2009-04-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Martin Glenn is a man who knows his toys. Glenn, a photographer and avid music lover, uses figurines of his favorite rock stars (found online and at toy stores) as his subjects—a seemingly funny combination, but actually a serious endeavor that comes quite naturally to Glenn. Glenn’s last exhibit, Toying with Reality, is a collection of photos featuring his ‘icons’ against a backdrop of famous scenes and imagery. The Blackberrie had the opportunity to sit down with Martin and pick his brain…

(RN) Why toy with reality?

(MG) If you look at any of the “rag-mags” out there (US Weekly, People, etc), the paparazzi are indeed toying with reality, because what they are photographing is not reality, it’s mostly staged, just like any reality show. How come you never see pictures of cool people like Johnny Depp or Kate Winslet? Because their people don't need the pay of a tip off to photographers about what Starbucks their clients are going to that day, because they are talented and are actually busy living reality, unlike Lindsey Lohan.

(RN) What inspired you to play with dolls and cameras?

(MG) For starters, they are toys or figures, not "dolls". My mom has dolls, I have figures. HUGE difference. I took a random toy I had bought to France with me when I went to see Lance [Armstrong] win his 6th Tour in 2005. I took a few shots of it along the way, kind of a random assignment for myself. Being a big music and toy fan, I began collecting a lot of these figures the last few years. My buddy in Williamsburg had a great graffiti wall next to his building and I just thought it would be fun to shoot Biggie in front of it. That photo started the whole thing. I never had an end in sight, until friends started to see the photos hanging in my apartment and suggested I do something bigger with them.

(RN) Is each piece based on a real, existing photo?

(MG) Some like the John Lennon shot, is based on a real photo and others like Public Enemy is a take on the U2 Joshua Tree. Almost all have some sort of reference. Jimi Hendrix is from Seattle, so that's why he is in front of the Space Needle. Motley Crue used to party at the Rainbow Room on the sunset strip in LA a lot, so they are in front of the sign. Metallica is from SF, so I used the Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop.

(RN) Which is your favorite or was the hardest to produce?

(MG) The fun thing about the project was all the stories behind each photograph - none were necessarily hard. I can tell a five minute story about each photograph and how it came about, who was there, where I shot it, what time of day it was. Jimmy Page, 5:30am in Arkansas outside of the haunted Crescent Hotel. The Beatles in Anguilla. Kurt Cobain in front of the house where he killed himself. Public Enemy in Joshua Tree National Park in CA. The Biggie shot is probably my favorite, just because he started the whole thing.

(RN) What are your future plans?

(MG) There is ALWAYS a future plan - if you don't have one, then you better get busy living. I have a few more ideas that I plan to execute in the next year for sure, but you'll just have to come and see when it’s ready.

(RN) Just for kicks- NY is NY because....?

(MG) It's the BIG TIME. I tell anyone that just moves here that line, "Welcome to the Big Time.” This city gives you a confidence and an inspiration that I don't think anywhere else can. Nowhere in the world intimidates me now and that’s an indescribable feeling - only one you can get by living here and being a New Yorker.

(RN) What band could write the soundtrack to your life?

(MG) Hands down it’s the four fellas from Dublin, Ireland. U2. They've been with me throughout, they've changed sounds and direction when I've changed, and that’s a true soundtrack to a life. I value their lifelong commitment to each other, as I'm that way with my friends.

Final Word: Check out more of Martin’s work at moontowerindustries.com

Why?! Because I heart you.

2009-04-03T09:43:00.001-07:00

Style Spy: A View From the Top

2009-04-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

Check out our exclusive photos from inside the highly anticipated Topshop store opening in downtown Manhattan before its doors opened to the public TODAY!

Here is just a glimpse at a few pairs of shoes out of hundreds and styles, colors, shapes and sizes on the 3rd floor.

Some of the hottest trends I noticed for summer include straw fedora hats, Kate Moss’ iconic leopard print and sexy but simple dresses that can go from day to night in a flash.

Final Word: If you haven’t been, it is a must but I would recommended waiting a few weeks until the mad rush is over and the store is restocked.

Cheap Monday through Sun-Day

2009-04-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

First they brought us well-fitting, on-trend, $60 denim. Now Cheap Monday has launched its’ first-ever line of sunglasses, the Clairvoyant Collection.

True-to-form, the styles are desirable and the price-point very digestible. These $35 shades are perfect for those of you who can’t seem to hold onto your Ray-Bans AND those of us that can’t seem to hold onto our cash-flow.

Final Word: Available at Alter in Brooklyn, act fast as they are selling out and are not available online. Call 718.349.0203 and they’ll be happy to ship them same-day via UPS.

Paper Dreams

2009-03-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

In a world where friend requests have replaced awkward first impressions, pokes have replaced flirtatious winks and Twitter has replaced the right to personal musing, it is easy, if not inevitable that we will soon retreat from the real world altogether to co-exist in a virtual cyberspace where one never has to interact with another human being again.

That was then. Recently there has been a backlash among the cultured youth who are craving something real. Many of my friends have taken to not accepting pin requests, commiting "Facebook suicide“ and actually picking up a phone to (gasp) talk. But none of these well-meaning actions can compare to the ultimate representation of nostalgic, traditional correspondence—the written card.

Cards have always represented something more than a piece of paper. Whether it is an invitation, a thank you note or the ever-elusive love letter, that small piece cardboard, however slight, represents the thought and time taken to write to someone you care about.

Cue Downtown STATionary. Created by Emmett Shine (artist/photographer and co-founder of LOLA New York), this whimsical line of greeting cards were spawned from Shine‘s everyday sketches. Why greeting cards? "I like greeting cards because they are a two part joke or story - an opening and a closing. It is fun to do the most basic storyline in a way that is a bit off-setting, or seemingly non-linear.“

Each card displays one of Shine’s drawings with a tongue in cheek message inside. For the flippant fashionista? A pair of Wayfarers with the message "Ur so cool.“ For the aspiring rocker? A guitar and an amp. There’s even one for the perennial hipster, complete with a fedora and skinny jeans. Printed on recycled paper, these quirky cards are the ideal alternative to Hallmark’s pre-packaged gush. But to Shine the message is simple, like his cards. “My ideas come from walking around, friend's conversations, childhood inspirations, and sometimes just doodling."

Just because the name proclaims a downtown vibe does not mean this stationary is just for those living below 14th Street: "It‘s making fun of high-brow and low-brow at the same time in a way that both brow levels can appreciate, with winks at the same time.“

Final Word: Downtown STATionary is available exclusively at TheBlackBuoy.com and The Smile, NYC.

Fall in Love All Over Again: Green Day Hits The Stage

2009-03-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

I grew out of musicals at about the same time I grew of out Steve Madden platform loafers. And while I have since vehemently discarded anything resembling a chunky sole, I can still recite, by-heart, basically every show that ever hit the New York stage. This is partially due to my alarmingly adept audio-memory, but it’s mostly because I loved them. And when you really love something you’re bound to grow up, but you may never truly grow out.

Having said that, I nearly started blushing when I read that Green Day (another past/present/future love) is teaming up with "Spring Awakening’s" Michael Mayer to develop their 2004 album “American Idiot” into a musical. Lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong tells The New York Times “It doesn’t make a lot of sense, but that’s what I love about it. When people see it, it’s going to be my wildest dream.” My thoughts exactly.

The yet-to-be-elaborated-on production, also called “American Idiot,” is scheduled to debut at California’s Berkeley Repertory Theatre in September. No word on whether it will make it to our Big City, but if the 12 million copies of the album sold, the Tonys behind "Spring Awakening" and the success of shows like The Who’s "Tommy" are any indicator, I doubt we’ll have to transverse the nation to further stimulate our obsession. Which is good, because I already have a major crush and I am not into long distance relationships.

Final Word: Since we’re talking about old loves (or is it just me consumed with that lately?), "Whatshername," the final track on “American Idiot,” is the perfect place to begin revisiting the album. I already, obvi, know it by heart.

The Money Shot is The Money Shot

2009-03-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Final Word: The Moonstruck Collaboration. Image by DMoney, editing by KirillWasHere.

Why? Because I heart you.

2009-03-27T14:07:00.001-07:00

Go Ask Alex: Tribal

2009-03-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

The Blackberrie is excited to announce that we’re expanding our team. We have a lot of amazing new projects in the works (you just wait) but our first official debut comes from our girl AWill with her soon-to-be reoccurring column, Go Ask Alex.

AWill is our resident web archaeologist. She’s excavated the cyber goodies to find you all diamonds in the rough. Each week she’ll take couture taste and match it to contemporary cash-flow. Let’s see what she’s dug up for her maiden mission:

Dear Alex: I am totally smitten over the tribal-inspired jewelry on Marc Jacob’s runway for Louis Vuitton’s Spring 2009, but I have yet to find anything that comes close at a decent price. Can you please recommend some pieces?
-Desperately Seeking Louis

Dear DSL: Since it’s my job to scour the market for our stylish readers, I have managed to dig up a few pieces that are definitely tribal-esque, but won’t break the bank.

Word of advice: as these are meant to be statement pieces, don’t pile on all my suggestions at once for fear of looking like a true warrior princess. One or two will suffice!

These red and black stone hoops are reminiscent of Cleopatra.

Paired with a white cotton dress, this black resin necklace is so chic for summer.

Oversize wooden bangles smattered with coral and turquoise beads.

The crystal stone on this wood cuff adds that cool shot of art-deco glam.

You don’t need King Tut’s treasure to keep it tribal this season. AWill's got you covered.

Final Word: When in doubt, Go Ask Alex, email inquiries to theblackberrie@gmail.com.

Why the 90s Are Back

2009-03-25T11:17:00.000-07:00

Earlier last week D$ gave us a few reasons why the 90s are back in full effect. Here are some pics from my birthday party to drive that point home.

Art Battles is Victorious

2009-03-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

We’re all familiar with the phrase work-in-progress. Regardless of how and to what it’s applied it consistently connotes incomplete, unfinished, ill-suited for public consumption. We don’t read books before they’re bound or hear songs before they’re recorded, we barely look at a Facebook photo before it’s been cropped, resized and retouched. Our role is often limited to viewer of the polished product, not voyeur to the process; they never let us watch.

This is the appeal of Art Battles, a freestyle art competition that is uniquely reliant on audience participation and approval. At Art Battles, creation is celebrated and transformation encouraged. And while the final product determines the winner, the entertainment relies on the interim.

I attended my second Art Battles Friday night at Le Poisson Rouge. My first was about 4 years ago. It was held at a random empty space in Soho, music was playing though a DJ may or may not have been present, they were serving cold beers out of a cooler.

Nearly half a decade and an MTV special later, Art Battles has raised its' profile. This time, DJ Jus Ske hit the ones-and-twos and Danny Simmons--creator of Def Poetry Jam--MC’ed. Though apart from that and the venue swap, not much has changed. The formula doesn’t need much tweaking.

During Round One, entitled KongZilla, NYC-based artist and Art Battles creator Sean Bono battled three unknowns to determine who would advance to the finals. The artists were provided a live model as well as cardboard cut-outs of both King Kong and Godzilla. They each created their own vastly diverse interpretations of the male/female struggle as the equally diverse audience looked on.

With a colorful celebration of the female model, NYC-native and University of the Arts graduate, Andre “Dre” Trenier, advanced to Round Two. There he battled the most recently victorious Art Battles alum, Leif McIlwaine, an “aerosol artist” from Salt Lake City. The two went head-to-head on large black-and-white canvases and freestyled into the night.

By the time they were done a divided audience was unable to determine a winner, a sudden-death over time ensued, taking us well past 2 a.m. I believe a victor was eventually determined, but I can’t even recall who it was. Once you’re involved in the process, you become far less concerned with how it turns out. You’ve already gotten your fix.

Final Word: For more information on Art Battles visit their website. Images on this post have been provided by KirillWasHere.

I Got The Blues

2009-03-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

Whether I am the first person in the world to discover this or the last, I don’t really care. But after much effort, downloads and QT with T-Mobile I have successfully synched my laptop and my Blackberry using Bluetooth. I am now able to have an Internet connection on my computer wherever I have a data connection on my phone.

This is pretty much blowing my mind right now because A) I had been living without Internet in my apartment for about six months (ironic, right?) and B) I had previously been led to believe that Bluetooth was only used by crazy Euros attempting to anonymously connect in public. So I guess it makes sense that it would serve another purpose.

Final Word: Take that Time Warner. I knew I could live without you. Next up, figuring out how to watch Gossip Girl on my refrigerator.

That's Like, So Ten Years Ago

2009-03-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

Us gals at The Blackberrie are celebrating all things 90’s this week. We’re whipping out our best Calvins, Keds and Scrunchies to celebrate N-Bizzle’s birthday tonight with a bash strictly dedicated to the decade of our youth.

But we’ve been so consumed with finding our mini-backpacks and figuring out how to feather our bangs that we nearly missed the obvious—the 90’s are back! Or at least it's starting among the fashionable set.

French fashion magazine Jalouse—one of our faves—has dedicated their entire April issue to the pre-millennium decade, while MTV is re-launching the Cindy Crawford classic, House of Style.

To elaborate on the latter, TeenVogue.com just released an exclusive interview with host Chanel Iman (Bar Rafaeli shares the duty).

When Teen Vogue asks the 19-year-old model if she watched the original she replies, “That was before my time. I was born in 1990! So no, not really.”

Now how old do you feel? Though upon further research, Chanel Iman was actually born in 1989. So if 19-year-old supermodels are lying about their age, how are we supposed to deal with reaching our mid (mid)-twenties?

Final Word: I would harp on that for a while, but I have matte mauve lipstick to locate. Outie.

Betty & Veronica: Why? Because We Like (are unhealthily obsessed with) You

2009-03-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Final Word: Thank you Terry Richardson.

The World According to Alber

2009-03-18T08:52:00.000-07:00

Lanvin designer Alber Elbaz is a man after our own hearts. In the recent feature on Mr. Elbaz in The New Yorker's Style Issue the jovial createur was quoted saying: "The highest compliment a woman can recceive is, 'My God, she looks smart!' Not that 'she's sexy,'". We could not agree more.

Final Word: The writer went on to say, "Designers make women look thinner or prettier. Elbaz has the power to make women appear more interesting." Only one more reason why we love Lanvin.

Jane and Serge: Why? Because We Like (Love) You

2009-03-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

Final Word: An homage to the chicest couple possibly in history and an homage to the chicest girl I know DN...love you!

She’s Baaaackk

2009-03-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here is an image of Michelle Trachtenberg (carrying a Nancy Gonzalez bag) from yesterday’s set of Gossip Girl.

SPOLIER ALERT: Georgina is back. And she’s paired up with Chuck Bass, which means bad news bears across the board.

How many more skeletons could Serena possibly have it her closet?

S does allude to an incident in Santorini in an upcoming episode (yeah, we’ve seen it). To which N-Bizzle replied “we’ve already seen Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants, how much worse could it get in Greece?”

Final Word: It can’t possibly be worse than that, but Georgina means things ain’t pretty. Can’t wait.

PS-Shout out to my hometown girl Kate French for cameo-ing as Chuck Bass’ elusive love interest, Elle. You GG-go, girl.

Blackberrie Exclusive! Straight from Paris

2009-03-12T12:56:00.000-07:00

A spy for the Blackberrie just sent us exclusive photos straight from the runway at Louis Vuitton. As it's happening now! We love the Donnie Darko references! You saw it here first. Eat your heart out Style.com :)

Thigh High

2009-03-12T07:18:00.001-07:00

What is the hottest trend below the belt? Tight, thigh-high boots. Exhibited here by style trailblazers Lauren Santo Domingo and Emmanuelle Alt, this unapologetically sexy look is all about the boots and meant to be worn with simple pieces like a black sweater or mini dress- and perhaps a fur as our girls did here.

And who says DIY is dead? According to Style.com, Santo Domingo (above) took her own pair of over-the-knee Brian Atwood boots, which were originally brown, dyed them black, and added inches of leather with a garter belt for extra S&M appeal. Meanwhile, the ever-fashionable Alt paired hers with harem pants to create and east-meets-west look to go Lady Gaga for.

Final Word: Not so blind item? A little birdie told us that a certain New York uptown socialite-cum-reality TV villain found her own pair of haute hooker heels at Stuart Weitzman for a mere $535. Sometimes style reveals itself in the most unexpected places...

Rx for Perfection

2009-03-11T14:38:00.000-07:00

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? Wrong. Well, not when it comes to beauty. We can all always use a little extra enhancement, especially in regard to our skin care regime.

I’ve recently discovered that one of the most missed steps is makeup primer (who knew?) and Cover FX recently launched ClearPrep FX to fill the pre-foundation void we never knew we were missing.

I’ve been using the product for a little over a week now and have already noticed a change in my skin. It not only softens, but helps maintain your foundation throughout the day without creases or drying.

Although the product is technically targeted toward oily and acne-prone skin, it’s actually beneficial to all skin types. And unlike other acne-related products, it has not dried out my tendency-to-flake face, rather it provides extra moisture.

Not to mention, I’ve been break-out free since I began. Prevention without drying? I didn’t know it was possible…

Final Word: You learn something new everyday. But it’s not everyday you learn about something you can’t live without. Buy now at Sephora.com, thank me later.

RELAPSE: “Oh daaarhling, go fetch mummy her pills…”

2009-03-11T09:21:00.001-07:00

It never made a huge splash stateside, but I imagine most people reading The BB are familiar with AbFab. I actually think I did a multi-media presentation on the show for a women’s studies class in college (I don’t think, I know, just hesitant to admit…major nerd status).

The 90s-era award-winning BBC sitcom was the brainchild of writer/leading-lady/comedienne Jennifer Saunders, who played Eddy, a chubby, chain-smoking, binge-drinking, 40-something PR firm owner obsessed and consumed by all things young, hip and in her distorted opinion, fabulous.

Her equally washed-up cohort is Patsy, played by Joanna Lumley, a leggy, blonde, nymphomaniac ex-fashion model, still basking in the glory of her swinging sixties glow, still searching for next great party, buzz or lay. Think a far more crude, more British pre-cursor to Samantha Jones. And then add twelve drinks, some pills and a joint.

The combination of these two women and these two characters is what propelled the show to cult status. But eager for a ride on the post-SATC gravy train, an American remake is now in the works.

These are the first images released from filming. The US prime-time version will star Kirsten Johnson (3rd Rock from the Sun) as Patsy, and Kathryn Hahn (Revolutionary Road) as Eddy. Hmm.

I mean, you don’t see us trying to turn Britain’s wildly successful comedy The Office into an American TV show? Or touching other 90’s classics like 90210?

Exactly.

I don’t know where they come up with this remake stuff…

Final Word: To sum up my American AbFab opinion in a sentence, if I had to guess, its no “Lacroix, daaarhling.”

Working Girls

2009-03-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

Paris Fashion Week is without a doubt the most important moment in fashion. Not only because the world's top designers reveal what trends are to come for Fall 09 but because it-girls of all catwalks of life make the pilgrimage to the City of Lights to flaunt the hottest styles at the hottest parties first. The news is not happening on the runway, rather it is sipping a Rose Royale at the Bar at Plaza Athenee or getting down with Olivier Zahn in a smoky corner at Le Baron. Paris is where style-philes discover what they will be donning in the months to come.

Two years ago it was bandage dresses a la Christopher Kane (NOT Herve thank you very much). Last year it was scandalously slashed short frocks from Balmain. And this year the fervor for Christophe Decarnin has not abated with the hit from his Spring 09 runway show, the molded blazer. From Colette's dinner bash for Alexander Wang to Roberto Cavalli's store opening, chic filles everywhere were rocking Balmain's style warrior look armored in his mighty suit. With accented epaulets, this tailored jacket is meant to be paired with the skinniest jeans (and legs) you can find, as Vanessa Traina and Dasha Zhukova exhibit perfectly here.

Final Word: A clear nod to Decarnin's obsession with strong women who are not afraid to flaunt it if they got it, this look is not Melanie Griffith in Working Girl, but a peek at the powerful women of the future, it's just a matter if you're ready to work it.

Where the Sun Don’t Shine

2009-03-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have been a relative hermit for the past 6-12 months, so I am not exactly a nightlife aficionado. But based on the times I have gone out, I was beginning to feel like people were not partying as hard, or as much, as they used to.

Perhaps that false negative was due largely to the fact that my random sample was taken at night. Yes, at night. I thought that was a good place to begin assessing nightlife. Well, this past weekend the Saturday “brunch” at Merkato 55 shed some light on the subject. And trust me, you’re going to need your shades.

After a live performance by the Gypsy Kings the real party started. You couldn’t possibly survive at ground level so everyone in the room found some chair or table to crown their personal pedestal for the afternoon. The rosé and magnums of champagnes flowed freely, complete with firework arrivals to upstage the 4th of July.

Every club kid, scenster and professional partier I have ever known, met or laid eyes on were in attendance in their full fist-pumping form. Champagne was being sprayed, girls were getting grabbed and guys looked as though they would never pull themselves away from the hedonism at hand. It was 4pm.

I couldn’t decide if I should embrace, deny or depart. Going to “brunch,” I figured we would eat (call me crazy) but since we arrived on the later side there was none of that. So needless to say, the rosé went to my head a little faster than usual. And, when in Rome...

Or my version of that, which means bop up and down on a chair until I find a familiar face that I want to talk to and retreat to a corner, which is actually what I did. But for those of you who are down to get down, Merkato 55 is just the joint for you.

Final Word: There’s really no hangover when the party ends at 7pm (as if that crowd went home). But either way, sleep it off and work up an appetite for actual brunch on Sunday. Just make sure you brings your shades. Merkato 55, 55 Gansevoort Street, NYC.

TwitterBerrie

2009-03-09T10:03:00.001-07:00

Hey Readers,

The Blackberrie has officially gone to Twitter! Check out style inspiration updates and musings on Twitter.com and let us know your thoughts!

Username: The Blackberrie

xo
BB

Dree Hemingway: The Kin Also Rises

2009-03-06T09:20:00.000-08:00

Copy-catting isn’t usually my steeze, but I must say that I was quite inspired by today’s WhoWhatWear “Girl of the Month” Dree Hemingway. As far as her beauty and style are concerned, they speak for themselves. So I guess I’m more into addressing her pedigree.

I don’t usually encourage the glorification of celebu-spawn, but a Hemingway is in quite a different category from Rumor Willis or the Geldof girls (not to discredit Live Aid, Bob).

Maybe it’s because I was just watching Woody’s Allen “Manhattan,” where her hauntingly beautiful 17-year-old mother Mariel co-stars as his under-aged girlfriend.

Also, there was a time in my life when I wanted to name my first daughter Brett Ashley, after her grandfather Ernest’s leading-lady in “The Sun Also Rises."

Lastly, I would answer several Proust questionnaire inquires with 1920’s expat Paris, Hemingway, Picasso, Fitzgerald. Not exactly Ashton and Demi, so you get the point.

But back to Dree. She is a model and we understand why (I am still trying to wrap my brain ahead the whole Lydia Hearst thing). Her beauty and style actually deserve recognition. And, she smiles! We love that. Also, did I mention she’s a Hemingway?

Final Word: With all of our digital living and faux-cyber socializing, I’m into any present-day remembrance of the Café Society. Or maybe I just like her plaid and her JBrands. Actually, hold that thought, I just got a BBM…

Lauren Hutton: Why? Because We Like You

2009-03-05T14:44:00.000-08:00

Final Word: A little dose of inspiration courtesy of Dinyell (we’ll revisit that B-Berrie alias later), as for now, just enjoy the perfection.

Throw Some Discounts in The Mix

2009-02-27T09:45:00.001-08:00

The Intermix warehouse sale is going on now. It started yesterday, but that's when all the crazies come out. There's still tons of designer merch available including Stella, Chloe, Proenza and Matthew. Also, great to stock up on basics like Elizabeth and James blazers, Jbrand skinnies and Vince sweaters all priced below 3-digits.

The sale will continue now through Sunday at the Metropolitan Pavilion. They don't restock daily but they've been known to slash prices and run specials as it gets closer to the end.

Final Word: Definitely worth a weekend visit. 125 W 18th Street, between 6th and 7th. Fri & Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 10am-6pm.

Lo for Linds

2009-02-26T11:50:00.001-08:00

These are new images of Lindsay Lohan taken by Hedi Slimane. As we all know, LiLo is the subject of constant criticism. For her weight, for her antics, for her complete non-existence of a youthful glow…but there is one thing we can never criticize about this girl, and that’s the fact that she pretty much has the world’s greatest rack.

She is the only girl I know (and by know I mean don’t know) who can go from happy and healthy to painstakingly emaciated without tailoring a cup size. In her early days, this sparked implant speculation, but we’ve since determined that is simply not the case. She’s just been blessed with the world’s most bountiful bust (and by blessed I mean that’s really the only thing she has going for her right now).While the images are artful and actually kind of hot, it’s still pretty tragic that she has to constantly objectify herself to maintain any type of spotlight outside the tabloid media. We all remember the Marilyn Monroe/New York mag stunt.

Lindsay’s actually a talented comedic actress with a strong likability. She was once America’s young, freckle-faced sweetheart! My, how times have changed.

Final Word: Ditch SaMAN, eat a pizza, call Tina Fey, and for Christ’s sake, keep your top on. We already envy your cleavage, time to show us what else you got.

Yrusha: Francophile Style

2009-02-25T11:52:00.000-08:00

When it comes to fashion, the French just do it better. This, we already know. To further support this absolute truth I introduce to you, Yrusha. This chic collection of “understated couture” comes to us from sisters Vanessa Moyal and Stephanie Berdah.

Already established in the City of Lights and other European capitals, the collection cites boho-glam goddesses Vanessa Paradis and Sienna Miller (yes, she’s making a comeback) amongst their flock of fashionable followers.

In cruising through their lookbook I literally fell in love with everything. Not only the collection, but the styling, the model, the details…these girls know how to turn it out. Having said that, I’ll let the images speak for themselves:

Final Word: Stateside distribution is exclusive to Intermix for Spring 09, available in NYC, LA and Miami only. So hop on those pre-orders, you know the digits. If not, click here.

I Like Your Curves

2009-02-24T14:11:00.001-08:00

AT&T has The Bold, Verizon's got The Storm, but us kids over at T-Mobile have been waiting quite sometime for a new Blackberry model. Should we have to suffer just because we wanted cheap calling plans and seamless international communication? I think not. Well, we finally have something to look forward to.

T-Mobile recently launched the Blackberry Curve 8900. It doesn’t have a touch-screen, but I don’t think I have the hand-eye coordination to maneuver that anyway, so I’m not too concerned.

What it does have is a 3.2 mega-pixel camera, Wi-Fi connectivity and turn-by-turn GPS, which oddly enough, happens to come in handy anytime we leave this grid we so fondly call home.

It also features a sizable 256-megabyte memory card, so you can point, click and send away from anywhere in the world (it’s supported by 4 international radio bands which will pretty much cover you anywhere).

Not that I’m planning to whip out my passport anytime soon, but maybe I’ll have a new pin. So, you know, that’s cool too.

In other Blackberry news, UrbanDaddy is reporting that your Blackberry can now serve as a “remote cable box.” Hmm. Isn’t it ironic that the exact device intended to keep us connected continues to further enable our seclusion?

And that, my friends, is my philosophy for the day.

Final Word: New phone and increased social-anxiety? Yes, please! I so need GPS.

And The Award Goes To...

2009-02-23T12:46:00.000-08:00

Slumdog swept it…Kate Winslet got what she’s been deserving…Sean Penn coolly triumphed over Mickey Rourke as he called us all “commie homo-loving sons-of-guns”…Penelope Cruz beat out her fierce competition and Heath Ledger’s family displayed impressive composure as they accepted his posthumous award while the entire audience wept.

In case you missed it, I think that’s all you need to know about last night’s Oscars. I’ll skip Hugh Jackman and that annoying Anne Hathaway. Although I should mention Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black’s eloquent acceptance speech, establishing equal rights for gays as the evening’s political theme.

So now that all the hype and speculation are reduced to the single list of winners, what we can continue to discuss is the fashion. Here are my personal best and worst:

Best-Dressed goes to Natalie Portman in Rodarte. This gown flawlessly hugged her petite frame. The design was youthful and sophisticated, glamorous but understated, much like the actress herself. The color was bright and unexpected yet completely appropriate. Hair and makeup were gorgeous, contributing to the overall perfection of the look.

Second in line is Angelina Jolie. When you are a goddess like Angie you do not have to do much, and with this look less is more. A simple black Elie Saab gown and oversized emerald accents from Lorraine Schwartz created the effortless, elegant ensemble.

Third goes to Penelope Cruz in vintage Balmain. With simple hair, makeup and accessories, she let the gown, which Tim Gunn called “a museum piece,” speak for itself. This is the type of piece that could wear the woman, but with unrivaled beauty and grace, Penelope owned the gown.Jessica Biel and Amanda Seyfried get worst-dressed for the same reason; both gorgeous girls covered up their enviable, youthful figures in ill-fitting yards of unflattering fabric.

Final Word: While great effort was taken to tone down the ceremony (or was it just slow it down?) the red-carpet still managed to maintain its glamour.

I Just Couldn’t Resist…

2009-02-17T09:00:00.001-08:00

This probably isn’t even that funny, but for some reason it just provoked some serious laugh-out-loud laughter amongst me and my office mates. These poor girls, busting their asses at the Herve Leger show yesterday, see full pics on Jezebel (it's worth it).

I would like to say it’s not their fault; the skin-tight dresses, the six-inch platforms, even designer Max Azaria blamed the falls on the slick finish of the runway. But it just so happens that one of these girls also fell in the Prada Spring/Summer 09 show. So maybe it’s time to consider a different career path…

The poor thing looks like an under-fed Russian gymnast trying to stick a landing. Perhaps she was, thus enabling her to deliver the blunder with such grace. She picked herself right up, it could have been worse.

Final Word: Let’s just interpret this as the literal demise of the bandage dress. We’ve had enough, it’s very much time for it to tumble out-of-sight. Sorry ladies, that you had to be the victims.

Nailed to It

2009-02-13T09:17:00.001-08:00

The New York Times featured an article this week titled “Let the Chips Fall Where they May.” The angle? How your manicures, and the nail business as a whole, will suffer due to the Recession. There were a few kill-yourself quotes in there like “when my nails are good, all is good in the world” coming from the senior events manager at none other than The Economist.

Now, you may know how we feel about the NYT tackling these types of topics. Although it’s technically a business story, it appears in the Style section and they attempt to deliver it with, well, style, but the result is severely lacking.

Where I have utmost respect for the paper (I’m actually loyal to the online version), they should stay away from these types of stories, much like I stay away from discussing the subprime mortgage market or Rwandan rebels.

Having said that, I feel entirely equipped to wax philosophical on the topic of manicures in a Recession.

The way I see it, we live in New York. There’s a $10 manicure on every corner and if you do your research you’ll find one that’s actually good. My go-to on 26th & 6th, which I believe is called NAILS, costs me $9.50 and doesn’t chip for a solid 5-7 days. I mean…if that’s not a bargain then I’m not sure what is.

Getting your nails did gives you that little extra pop in your step. That little extra fine tuning of your look. And whether you're Wicked, Winey Tiney, Ballet Slippers or French (ouch!), your nail selection is a subtle extension of your style. And for basically a dollar a day, should we really forgo that? Wow, I feel like Sally Struthers without the fly-face kids.

Final Word: Times are tough, but I can still afford a $10 manicure every 7-10 days and I imagine so can you. Don’t worry NAILS, you can count on me for biz. Especially with this new “Lacquered Up,” LOVE!

Polarizing Paltrow

2009-02-12T13:14:00.001-08:00

Why do people hate Gwenyth Paltrow? Poor Ms. Paltrow has been in the news more than ever, not so much because of her new movie "2 Lovers" with Joaquin Phoenix, but because of her blog. Yes, for those of you who don't know, the former fiancee of Mr. Jolie has a blog. GOOP, as it is called, offers "personal" musings from Gwennie ranging from which detox fast she prefers (blueberry shakes with soy-marinated chicken) to which brand of faded gray tee she prefers (The Row) and has been a target of hate-mongers from the New York Post to New York magazine.

Here at the Blackberrie, we've been GOOP subscribers for weeks. Not counting how odd it is the normally holier-than-thou actress has a blog, we actually like it. Sorry! I mean, who doesn't want to know how she got those killer legs to rock those Stella and Balmain minis or which Rag & Bone tights she wears to take Apple to Hyde Park? We do!

The truth is, no matter how much you want to hate her, you want to know her secrets more. Just like you want to know where Sienna got her skinny jeans, just like you want to know which collection of Balenciaga Mary Kate's booties are from, we all want to know- they just never tell us...until now.

But maybe we shouldn't even be surprised. Recently, at a party my brother threw, when I was expressing my shock to a friend that GP even had a blog, not to mention she is now launching a line of gyms with friend/guru Tracey Anderson, he knowingly retorted, "Why! She's just like one of us. She's a spoiled kid from New York with nothing to do. I mean, she went to Spence!" Huh. Point taken.

Final Word: Not counting the horrendous outfit above (Really Gwenyie? Really?), we ask the media to get off their high horse and stop hating so she can share more of her celeb-endorsed secrets...til then, soy sauced chicken for everyone.

See Scallops

2009-02-11T08:54:00.000-08:00

This spring we can look forward to a new brand of romanticism that is refreshing and modern in the form of scalloped hems. Unlike Liberty prints or chintzy floral, this new type of femininity flaunts chic minimalism with softer edges that exude a timeliness that only a laser cut could create. For the Spring 2009 shows, both Chloe and Christopher Kane flaunted demi-circle ensembles in neutral shades of nude, peach and pink. The combination of dusty pastels and spacey orbs lent the models an otherworldly air as if they might float off the runway.

Final Word: One part whismy, one part wit they are the perfect combination for the modern girl. And what better time for the modern girl to test-drive this new look than on Valentines Day?

It's A Wrap

2009-02-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

We love our designer collabs here at The Blackberrie, so try this one on for size. Our boy Alex Wang has teamed up with Proper Attire to create an exclusive line of condoms. Yes, condoms.

I am not exactly sure what goes into “designing” a condom, but if Mr. Wang applies his Midas touch then perhaps single gals will be more inclined to have them floating around in their purse. Actually, it would be quite an accomplishment if he could make that look chic, but that is the idea behind Proper Attire…

Anywoo, the line will debut at his Valentine’s Day show this weekend and will be available at 60 Thompson thereafter, proceeds will benefit Planned Parenthood.

Wang was quoted earlier in the week saying, "I used a spare design that felt sexy, modern and empowering; after all, women should always come first!”

Final Word: This boy always gives us what we want. If only the rest of the gender were so tuned in…

Addendum: We Heart Hearts

2009-02-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

We know we did an item on hearts- the motif du jour for spring. But they just keep popping up! Our current favorite? Marc Jacobs' cut-out flats. What can we say? J'adorable!

Final Word: The fabulous flats are now available at Net A Porter for a mere $795, proving love actually does cost a thing.

Limelight's Twilight

2009-02-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

Remember Limelight? Well, we do. That grotesque nightlife boite housed in a deconsecrated church on Sixth Avenue that played host to numerous debauched evenings of our youth, most notably the after-party of my senior prom, which incidentally was held at the World Trade Center (Yes, I’m aware of how shamelessly I dated myself.) The thing is, no matter how many late night hours we’ve logged in at the paltry pourhouse, we don’t remember when Limelight was actually cool. Always a bit seedy, always a bit cheesy, always a bit Avenue of the Americas, since its opening in 1983, it has become a relic of campy New York nightclub history joining the ranks of other loathed-but-loved clubs like Tunnel, The Roxy or the present-day Marquee.

To go to Limelight was to relive one of Jay McInerney’s novels. Often ripe with aging trannies, Bolivian Marching Powder and overzealous yuppies from the Upper East Side, even at the precocious age of sixteen, I knew I was seeing New York at its best worst. Even today’s Generation Y wanted a piece of the crumbling club with one of Gossip Girl’s rookie episodes featuring the disintegrating discoteque where Chuck Bass notoriously seals his bad boy image by attempting to date rape Jenny on Limelight's roof (Yeah, we also got over that.)

But New York has taken another turn for the worse by shutting down the legendary lewd nightspot in exchange for the reopening of the notoriously corny clubwear shop Lounge. Even the name elicits cringes. The boutique most known for their oppressively loud main stream house music, eurotrash customers making the pilgrimage to Soho and abundant collection of overly-ripped, low rise denim, seems to be flourishing in a time where most stores are closing. A sign of the apocalypse? We think so.

Final Word: Regardless of it less-than-stellar reputation, we still mourn the loss of Limelight. Now as we whiz up Sixth Ave instead of amorously watching aging B & T crowds peter out of the eroding landmark in the wee hours of the night drunk with rum and cokes and MDMA, we’ll have to see them shopping, in broad daylight. Ugh.

Be Careful What You Wish For

2009-02-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

Yes, she has been a welcome wave of realism on reality shows “The Hills” and “The City.” And yes, her classic power-bitch one liners such as “truth isn’t always a shiny blue bird resting on your shoulder,” have begged us to ask “will someone give this woman her own show already?!?” but we weren’t really serious, were we?

Well, Bravo is, at least according to the NY Post. Kelly Cutrone, owner of fashion PR-firm People’s Revolution and occasional Whitney Port mentor & confidant has apparently “inked an eight episode deal with Bravo for a reality show based on her fashion PR company.”

I mean, she is a publicist, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist or even so much as a 22-year-old account assistant to figure out that this reality shit BRINGS YOU PRESS. I’m sure it’s the best idea for her company and her clients, but I am not so sure I can handle that mug for 30 straight minutes.

Final Word: Chew on that for a minute. At least until Cutrone comes in and spits you out.

Confessions of a (Semi) Reformed Chick Flick Hater

2009-02-06T09:09:00.000-08:00

Last night I attended the premier of Confessions of a Shopaholic, hesitantly that is. The pre-pre-buzz ranged from “terrible” to “terribly timed” given our Recession (ista, if you must) climate.

For me, a perpetual hater of all things “chick”—chick flicks, chick lit—the idea of trekking to midtown in the literally freezing cold in a dress and high heels was both daunting and dreadful. But the thought of Isla Fisher was like a little ray of sunshine, so trek to midtown I did.

For Fisher, sunshine is an understatement. Much like Reese Witherspoon’s Elle Woods and Alicia Silverstone’s beloved Cher, Isla Fischer took a character that all girls could potentially hate and turned her into someone we’ll all indefinitely love.

Fisher, both adorable and hysterical, brought her trademark qualities to the character of Rebecca Bloomwood, creating an irresistible underdog you couldn’t help but laugh at and laugh with simultaneously.

Amongst a cast of veterans (Kristin Scott Thomas, John Goodman, Joan Cusack), heartthrobs (the dashingly handsome Brit, Hugh Dancy) and unexpected cameos (John Lithgow and Wendie Malick), Confessions of a Shopaholic was most definitely a one-woman show bound to launch Fisher to the lead ranks of female comediennes.

This should take her from an Anna Faris to a Kristen Wiig (ok, the latter is slightly untouchable, but you get my point). Overall, the reviews will be favorable for our little Isla…to be known no longer as Borat’s baby mama.

The film as a whole follows the cliché chick-flick course. Much like both Legally Blonde and Clueless, the female lead solves the problem, gets the guy, and over the course of the film realizes her initial goals were both materialistic and morally conflicting. So even though she gets what she thought she wanted, in this case a job at Alette magazine, she turns it down for the more sincere alternative.

For a film about shopping, the styling was questionable. But they certainly had fun with it. Each article of Bloomwood’s clothing looked like it was plucked from a different page of a Pantone book, and many articles there were, so it was quite the display of ROY G BIV.

But like the film itself, the clothes were bright, cheerful and optimistic. Not exactly what one would imagine from Bergdorf’s or YSL where several scenes were shot, but then again, her credit card bill was only $900 after leaving BG with several bags and boxes, so we’re not exactly fact-checking here.

Confessions of a Shopaholic was fun, light-hearted and enjoyable to watch. Contrary to some initial criticism, a film about shopping, debt and freeing yourself from it all is ironically appropriate when we’re all up to our eyeballs in Recession dread. It was the escapism we all could use a little dose of.

Final Word: Taking a cue from Rebecca Bloomwood, maybe I should do shots of tequila while reviewing my bills. It won’t decrease the bottom line, but it will increase the sense of humor attached to it all. And that’s a free-for-all commodity we can’t relinquish in these times. Having said that, who’s got the Patron? Umm…I mean, Cuervo.

Catch Phrases

2009-02-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

Here at the Blackberrie, we've decided to implement a new "column" that dutifully notes new catch phrases of the zeitgeist. Since recession has kicked in, we've noticed people are little more witty with their words, which has led to quirky quips like "I die" or "J'adorable" (Thank you Rachel Zoe) Perhaps I'm just taking more notice of colloquialisms than clothing but these idioms have achieved such cult-status that it's no longer about the it-bag or it-shoe, it's about the it-phrase! Here are two of this week's favorites:

1. "Bean Up"
What: To get your daily dose of java
Where: Time Out, February 5-11 2009
How: "I'm headed over to Gorilla Coffee, it's where I bean up--they roast their beans strong."

2. "Magazining"
What: To browse through magazines with friends for inspiration
Where: New York Times, February 4, 2009
How: "She explained a pastime she calls 'magazining'- sitting on the couch with her friends and 'traveling' through the pages of Domino."

Final Word: Words are free, words are fun, and words are unlimited. We're looking forward to more catch phrases this year, post your new and noteworthy ones in our comments!

New Kid On The Block

2009-01-29T14:13:00.000-08:00

There’s a new girl in town and her name is Lara Stone. The 26-year old mannequin who hails from the Netherlands has taken the fashion world by storm dominating not some, but all of the latest issue of Paris VOGUE. Apparently Carine Roitfeld, the notoriously sharp-witted editrix of French VOGUE is so enamored with Lara, she has dedicated an entire issue to the new face and more notably, the new body.

Lara's archetypal Victoria Secret Angel physique has been described by Purple’s Olivier Zahn as one of a “1970s Playboy model” with the face of a child. Every man’s dream; but high fashion's too? It’s worth noting that the February issue has more photos of Lara flaunting a nude body than the spring collections. What message is Roitfeld trying to convey? That in these desperate times of economic downfall we all must go nude?

Still, Lara has been paraded around as the face of Givenchy, Prada, and Jil Sander to name a few, and the nonexistent eyebrows give her just enough edge to make fashion's bad boys swoon, which means that she can bridge the gap between sexy and sartorial - one that Gisele has a hard time doing these days, I mean, have seen those Versace ads?

Final Word: For fashion veterans, Lara is hardly a “new face”, but to the rest of us who have yet to acknowledge her as a one-name phenomenon like Kate, Gisele or Naomi, we’ll just enjoy the photos for now.

City Slackers

2009-01-28T11:52:00.000-08:00

The new Spring 2009 DKNY ads have hit the glossies (as well as street signs, cabs and sides of buildings throughout the Big Apple I presume) and I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. Why would Scott Schuman, whose strikingly simple portraits of dashing pedestrians sell out and go commercial? Well yes, money for one. But the pure beauty of capturing the fashionable elite in their own haute habitats of the Tuileries Gardens and the Carousel du Louvre is so sacred, to mimic it for DKNY, well just cheapens it.

As the line between reality and faux-ality becomes more blurred every day, it's hard to tell where real life ends and make believe begins (I'm still stumped at the sordid so-called plots of MTV's The City, which is why I tune in religiously- are they REALLY having a lovers' tete a tete at Extra Virgin? Did the non-working model with diamond-studded ears REALLY pull together in art show in the LES and cheat on his model girlfriend with a typical Tenjune sycophante?)

The truth is, I am sick of art imitating life. Where is the inspiration? Where is the fantasy? Are we suffering such a cultural malaise that even fashion, supposedly the most inventive industry of all, is turning to dreaded reality for inspiration? The only thing that comes close to a dreamworld is the beloved Gossip Girl which allows post-private schoolers to get lost in the sick, twisted plots of their past and even more lost in the disheartening transformation of Jenny Humphrey from cute Brooklyn alternista to Goth rebellista with too much eyeliner.

Final Word: Based on history the best work was created during times of squalor (Read: Hemmingway, Sinclair, Steinbeck...need I go on?) so enough of this creative coma...vive la vie boheme!

Soleful Dude

2009-01-23T12:36:00.000-08:00

Kanye West is today's Renaissance Man. He raps, he sings, he blogs, he blings- and now he has reinvented himself as cobbler. Yesterday Mr. West launched a capsule collection of designer sneakers for Louis Vuitton in collaboration with Marc Jacobs. This mildly inspiring collaboration lacks the creativity and risk found in Mr. West's albums but is garnering equal buzz from fashion flacks nonetheless. It seems LV loves to prove its street cred constantly collaborating with hip hop honchos like N.E.R.D. frontman and beat impresario Pharrell Williams who designined a line of eyewear for the legendary French fashion house only a couple of years ago. What's next a line of LV rags designed by T.I.?

What's more annoying is Mr. West is no stranger to avant-garde fashion touting himself as the most stylish lyricist in the game. But the kicks themselves are not exactly ground-breaking. They pretty much resemble average Dunks dipped in red paint stamped with the obligatory LV logo making them more Canal Street than Avenue Montaigne (Pastries by the the Simmons daughters' have more flair.) To be honest I expect more from the man who claims his "first true love is fashion." C'mon Kanye if that's true this line of cliche kicks is heartbreaking.

Final Word: The Kanye West/Louis Vuitton capsule collection includes only 5 styles that hit stores in June.

Body Images

2009-01-22T14:01:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend my art maven friend Ranya and I saw Marlene Dumas’ retrospective currently showing at the MoMA. Dumas is consequentially my favorite female artist and I had been anticipating the show for over a year.
But what left the lasting impression was not Dumas’ haunting watercolors but the grandiose video installation by Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist overflowing the walls of the museum’s central atrium.

A stranger to Rist's work, I was met with a vast, trippy movie of kinetic images of blossoming flowers, corpulent body parts and other indiscernible sensual images from floor to ceiling bursting with such vibrant color I practically swooned from the visual overload. All senses were accosted with the video's soundtrack of an eerie humming sound that was not melodic but strangely soothing nonetheless. Guests were invited to take in the rich exhibit by removing their shoes and laying on a felt orb situated in the center of the room making the whole communal experience even more EST-cultesque (sans the Kool Aid) but enraptured by the sensuality of the film, I stood alone mouth agape, eyes wide as I've always preferred solo phantasms over group trips.

Final Word: A cultural alternative to the daily java jolt in the dead of winter, this hot exhibit will breathe a new life into the otherwise vapid season of depressing Oscar films and meaningless reality shows. Pipilotti Rist: Pour Your Heart Out is on display until February 2nd

Tour de Wang

2009-01-22T11:48:00.000-08:00

It's hard to criticize Alexander Wang for anything that he does because regardless of whether you're an it-girl or not, you WILL be wearing his designer duds in time, it's just a matter of how fast you catch on. Whether it's oversized see-through tees, razor ripped stocking or holey thermal shorts, the perennial arbiter of cool has tested our boundaries again in his pre-fall presentation with, drum roll please...sheer biking shorts.

The concept itself is painfully offensive and almost incomprehensible. Akin to a pair of the auspicious brand of undergarment Spanks, these sausage encasings are not for the faint of heart and are not hidden by a ubiquitous Herve. These babies are in full-sight. Even to the Wang-trained eye the stick-thin models look confused and uncomfortable. But after the third look my palate acclimated and now I just see a challenge!

Final Word: You better hope your stars I or other girls opt out of this inane trend; but I'm not making any promises just yet..

Yes She Can!

2009-01-21T14:44:00.000-08:00

The most watched woman in the world is Michelle Obama. This lady makes even Beyonce cry. And the most scrutinized trait about her, is what she wears. At yesterday’s inauguration Mrs. Obama opted for the eccentric Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo- a choice that sent mixed emotions throughout the fashion industry. Style insiders have yet to recover from the humiliating failure of Ms. Toledo’s show for Anne Klein (she was quickly dropped by the mega-brand) - a blemish on her legendary career. But one fashionista's trash is another First Lady's treasure. The First Lady's risk-taking skills (or her stylist's?) became more apparent when at the Neighborhood Ball, the President’s wife appeared in a full-length Jason Wu gown. The identity behind the First Lady's costumiere is still a mystery - does she truly adore Thakoon? Was that Alaia belt of her choosing? And most importantly, was that breathtaking and refreshingly youthful Jason Wu gown her decision?

Perhaps these answers are inconsequential, after all Jackie Kennedy was not remembered for her dependence on design great Oleg Cassini, only that she wore her Chanel two-piece and pink Diors so brilliantly.

Mr. Wu, whose life is surely about to change big time, is only in his third season but has already been likened to American greats such as Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera. The key difference? He’s not either of them. Brava to Mrs. Obama for taking a chance. Perhaps this means change is really to come. Let's see if VOGUE takes a chance in her upcoming feature.

Final Word: Personally we would love to see the First Lady in the Technicolor brights of the season or harem pants with gladiator heels. Perhaps bondage platforms are the new pillbox hat?

Bag Lady

2009-01-21T13:25:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows it's the year of the shoe. Balenciaga, Lanvin, Marni have all made fetish-worthy footwear with platforms so high and so ornate they're smashes on the runway and glossy pages alike. Yet all the while, has no one commented on how ridiculous this boot ballyhoo has become? After all, who can afford a $900 stiletto with no heel? Sadly we're not all Posh Spice. Still for the lot of us studying our Vogues, Bazaars and Elles for the past few months have been trained into believing 'it-bag' is a dirty word. "Personal style reigns!", the fashion elite continually decree, "The it-bag is dead!" Well in my case, it's about to be revived.

(Image Courtesy of Jakandjill.com)

I have officially fallen prey to my nasty bag-accumulation habit and have swooned for a satchel that is so discreet and so, dare-I-say-it, perfect that I may have a reason to splurge for spring. Proenza Schouler's PS1 bag embodies all things recession-chic (not literally of course, but what in fashion is ever literal?). Subtle in design and so simply supple it is perfect to wear every day without being untactful or tacky. Even the briefcase silhouette harks back to an austere and adult Mad Men-esque era when the important carried their papers and possessions in elegant encasements of leather and shiny gold hardware. If anything, this bag reminds me of a happier time when I was a little girl and used to sift through my father's cognac leather suitcase searching for stray mints. This time, rather than mints I search for my Parisian Marlboro lights (another nasty habit) and rather than classic cognac I'm privy to the sunny yellow shade that is sure to perk up these dreary depression-filled days.

Final Word: Available at Barneys and consequently the only thing on the first floor NOT on sale, I just must muster up courage to make a hefty purchase in the midst of economic crisis. Barneys, would you take a cue from Net-A-Porter and start brown-bagging it?

Love is Near Sighted

2008-12-24T20:49:00.000-08:00

At this point, it's safe to say we're all well-read in the ubiquitous "nerd" glasses trend. That affected brand of eyewear in the form of thick-rimmed spectacles that pretentiously sit perched upon entitled beaks of alternative-swaying style swans from Williamsberg to the Wisconsin (Well, maybe not Wisconsin.). Even I have gone on a bifocal forage from Artsee in the Meatpacking District to Tom Ford's uppity boutique uptown, only to make a new discovery-- aviator eyewear. Sure these Top Gun-esque frames are old news in sunglass territory. But swap out the dark lenses with clear (or daresay no) lenses voila- the look is new, refreshing and chillingly cool, in that perfectly uncool way.

To confirm the aviator-lens retro cred, offbeat heartthrob Emile Hirsch sported a genuine pair in the Oscar buzzed-about 70s biopic Milk. And one adorable French fille pictured above personified chic with her oversized pair (merci, garancedore.fr).

Final Word: If only I held on to those ridiculous 80s goggles my dad wore to get through his Sunday papers (the gold-rimmed would be divine!). Alas, I did not and I will continue the blind hunt for the perfect pair of eyes.

Holiday Blues

2008-12-16T07:46:00.000-08:00

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Baby it’s cold outside and besides hot chocolate and cashmere sweaters, there’s one thing to look forward -- resort collections! Yes the happy in-between season that is meant to shed some sunlight on the dreary winter. Not that anyone actually buys much of resort (well, except for me), but we all like to preview what is to come in the warmer months. And for some designers (Read: Balenciaga and Alexander Wang), it’s the best part of the year.

But my favorite must be the Acne/Lanvin collaboration debuting in stores this Thursday. I was a little late on the take with the Swedish denim label but earlier this fall after trying a pair, I was officially obsessed. The genius jeans transformed my body (and bum) into a streamlined look worthy of a supermodel’s – well, almost.

My subconscious must have been working overtime because after purchasing my beloved blues I realized that this ingenious jean brand had just collaborated with couture master Alber Elbaz of Lanvin for an all denim capsule collection of 28 looks for resort. The line includes the perfect trench, tailored blazers and several frocks in the spirit of Elbaz’s masterful tailoring.

Final Word: We hear there is already a waiting list for the covetable collection, so if you can’t score a piece by Elbaz, the regular collection is just as good. Visit shop.acnestudios.com.

Coups de Coeur

2008-12-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

From Kanye West spilling his soul in his new album to Marc Jacobs bringing bundles of love to Spring runways, hearts are everywhere. An homage to Yves Saint Laurent’s collections passed, Mr. Jacobs was not exactly subtle in his reference but as they say, imitation is the highest form of flattery. Even owner of uber-hip boutique Colette Sarah Lerfel was seen wearing hearts on her sleeve at Bruce Weber’s Art Basel party in Miami; and if she’s doing it, you know it’s cool.

Final Word: In a recession not everyone can afford Mr. Jacobs, which is why we love Comme des Garcons’ PLAY collection of knitwear starting at $275. With cartoonish hearts straight out of a Super Mario game, the line is an easy way to show your love for love. (Available at lagarconne.com)

If The Shoe Fits

2008-12-09T13:48:00.000-08:00

People in fashion use the word aspirational a lot. But what does it really mean? The dictionary defines it as a desire, longing or aim. So, the style buzzword that designers, editors and their lackeys canonize inherently means, in fashion, one constantly strives for the unattainable – nice.

That being said, I am an aspiration victim. I flip through glossies tearing out icons and idols and tacking them on my bare walls, buy things that don’t fit my lifestyle but fit perfectly in the dream of who I would love to be, and I am left with a closet full of it-items and an over stimulated, confused identity.

Take the two pairs of Margiela cone-heeled boots I acquired over the weekend at my best friend’s store Alchemist in Miami. I desire, long and aim to be a Margiela woman who knows but doesn’t care, reads but doesn’t rant, has style but is never a victim. Although I never wear heels during the day I thought the two pairs I bought (one pebbled suede up-to-the-knee black boot, the other a brick red ankle booty), both of which boasted “comfortable” heels would magically morph my slightly inadequate self into the type of woman I envy who wears makeup to work and blow dries her hair every morning (I do neither).

So on the flight back to New York I wore my black boots like a badge of honor feeling invincible and deathly chic. But even a magician like Margiela cannot defy science and as the Jet Blue bird climbed altitude and my feet swelled, the suede togs that I adored became personal torture devices suffocating two inflated pillows that once were my feet. Of course my precious Margiela’s would not zip again and as I sweat and awkwardly fumbled in my middle seat, it became all too clear I am not that sleek, sophisticated Margiela girl – I’m me, the one who ruins her Lanvin flats in the rain, who loses her Louboutins while crossing the street, whose beloved berets get crushed by a stampede of Parisian motorcyclists only to go right back on my head without (even considering) any dry-cleaning.

Final Word: Women will always purchase things in hopes of becoming someone else, perhaps a “better” version of themselves. Maybe Margiela was making a statement at his Spring show where faceless models shrouded by Cousin It coiffes and nude pantyhose evoked the insanity and meaningless of fashion. A thought worth pondering…in the meantime I’ll stick to wearing my aspirational fashions at sea level.

Bottoms Up, We Mean Down

2008-12-02T12:44:00.000-08:00

We are currently obsessed with harem pants, gypsy pants, hammer pants, whatever you want to call them. These drop-crotch trousers have been on our radar ever since Stefano Pilati and Phillip Lim put them on runways last spring, leaving fashionistas and their followers scratching their well-coiffed heads. But finally these baggy bottoms are starting to feel just right. Maybe it's because the impossibly chic French VOGUE editor Emmanuelle Alt has translated them into something we would (in our dreams) wear; maybe because if I see another liquid legging, I will self-destruct. Whichever the reason, during a recent trip to Paris, my friend and fashion icon Danielle Nachmani found a perfect pair by Isabel Marant (after a Moveable Feast-esque hunt down Rue Jacob in St. Germain to Miss Marant's flagship store). With stylist-powers pumping through her veins, Miss Nachmani paired her prized purchase with a simple gray tee and Balenciaga booties--alas, one cannot foresee when one comes into a perfect pair of pantalons thus she did not have gladiator sandals to complete the dream look.

Final Word: We don't have a photo of the if-looks-could-kill ensemble (Sorry D); but take our word for it, it was fierce - if only all of us could be so lucky to pull it off.

Death Becomes Her

2008-12-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

Art and fashion—like life and death—are inextricably linked. This week, Belgian-born accessories designer Natalia Brill incorporates them all as she uses Art Basel as a vehicle to present “On Tour,” an installation featuring “a rock band from beyond the grave,” as part of her SS09 collection of jewelry, accessories and objects.

Known for her use of luxurious lambskins, “On Tour” includes three skeletons, a drum set, amp, guitar and mic all encased in black leather. The dead rock band will silently perform December 2nd through December 10th at uber-fab Miami boutique Alchemist, located at 438 Lincoln Road.

In its’ exclusive stateside engagement, “On Tour” will also bring to Miami the limited-edition Odyssey bag. To commemorate the collection, this season’s version will feature an adornment of bones (from the dead bandmates).

Eat your heart out concert tee; souvenirs from dead bands are so much cooler than live ones.

Final Word: Goth never looked so glam. Visit The Blackberrie tomorrow afternoon for an exclusive interview with designer Natalia Brill and pictures from the Alchemist installation at its’ debut.

Party Girl

2008-12-01T11:49:00.000-08:00

During the holiday season it’s easy to defer to glitter and glitz; but if you want to know what in-the-know girls are wearing, just take a peek at Luella’s fall frock. According to West Village boutique owner Ludivine, “All the French girls are wearing it.” Indeed, over the weekend on my requisite fall pilgramage to the City of Lights, I spotted a pint-sized PYT fete-ing at hot boite Neo in a plaid version accessorized with leather fingerless gloves and over-the-knee boots. Comment dit-on “fierce” en francais?

Final Word: As winner of Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards, Luella Bartley is poised to be THE thing for spring. At least I know what I’ll be wearing for New Years, et vous?

Spring Fever

2008-11-24T13:34:00.000-08:00

With the fall collections slowly going on sale (a tad early this year, wonder why...), there's only one thing for a girl to do - think spring.

Here is what we (and you) can look forward:

1. Sherbert and Pastels (Hues we mean)
2. Summer Leather
3. Stone-Washed Denim
4. Asymmetry
5. Cavalry-Chic

Final Word: It's never to early to start a wish list; and yes, we realize we have an Alex Wang problem. Who doesn't?

WE'RE BACK

2008-11-24T13:25:00.000-08:00

Sorry for such the long lapse in posting...life happens, blogs dwindle, but we will be back a load of fresh ideas and fresh commentary after the holiday.

Final Word: We're back, time to celebrate - in the meantime, as my friend emailed me this AM - Keep Cool and Funky

Acceptable in the 90s

2008-08-26T13:24:00.000-07:00

Is too much of a good thing, well, too much? As much as I heart the neo-grunge thing happening right now, the ubiquity of the plaid shirt is making me nervous. Will fashionable flannel pass its prime before the mercury starts to dip? And if so, what is one to wear on those dreary winter days? Thankfully I need not fret--wunderkind Alex Wang gives us plenty of punk rock options sans tartan and Givenchy has made goth absolutely divine.

Final Word: Since I'm not ready to give up the 90s renaissance (was I ever?), I will definitely be rocking some lumberjack-chic a la my Contempo Casual days, but perhaps it's also time to start looking at other Generation X fads that still smell like teen spirit. Doc Martins? You're up.

Band of Outsiders

2008-08-19T07:42:00.000-07:00

Fore-headgear girls meet your new love-- Marc Jacobs' furry headband. One part Jane Fonda aerobocize queen, one part Space Odyssey goddess, these bold halos are so intriguing they could make even the most skeptical stylista reconsider.

With crowns becoming the new canvas to express yourself (it's no longer about the it-bag as it is about the it-hat), perhaps this new accessory is the chapeau-shifter we've been waiting for!

Final Word: Don't dilly dally picking up your own foreband, because eventually, all tete-inspired fads from berets to bowlers become, well, old hat.

The Rise and Following of the Hipster

2008-08-12T13:29:00.001-07:00

My brother recently introduced me to a new blog, hipsterrunoff.com. On the genius site, they discuss “Entry-Level Alts” AKA novice hipster chicks who have jumped ship from the mainstream and have dove head first into the music-festival filled, Beatrice Inn boogying, Cobrasnake-courting five-ring circus that is the alternative lifestyle.

It got me thinking. As more clones of whippet-thin andogynes shod in Chuck Taylors and American Apparel hit the streets, every day the hipster becomes less alternative and more mainstream, begging the question, when will the bubble burst? It’s almost cool, not to be hipster. Well almost. Unfortunately as long as our general cultural malaise (and economy troubles) remains, there will be dissenters. So, I guess if you can’t beat ‘em…join em?

As someone in her twenties going full out hipster is just not cute. I’m grateful that (sometimes) I can recognize trends that can work for me, and those that do not. I mean, I enjoy my bubble gum electro-pop just as much as the next girl, and although I loathe do and don't lists, there are some rules and regulations for post-pubescent aspiring alternistas that you just cant ignore. Here’s a quick run down of guidelines on the acceptable and the plain old frightening:

Acceptable in the 80s (and now):
-Converse
-Headbands worn on head
-Skinny Jeans
-Ray Bans
-Jumpers on the beach
-Neon in doses
-American Apparel
-High-waisted jeans, skirts, and shorts
-Liking Agyness Deyn

Not Acceptable, Ever:
-Top Hats
-Headbands on foreheads
-Jumpers in the city
-Head to toe neon
-Dressing like Agyness Deyn
-Using any of the acceptable items simultaneously

Final Word: Rule of thumb? Think comfort zone. If you feel like you’re reverting back to your outfits from gymnastics class, you probably look as ridiculous as you think you look. But then again gymnastics were so much fun...

Bizarre Bazaar

2008-08-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Harper’s Bazaar confuses me. The fledgling glossy always seems to reach too high on the edgy barometer, maybe because it’s just not edgy. Whether it’s juxtaposing a fashion-clad Lindsay Lohan next to costumed superheroes, dressing toddlers up as renown designers, or casting the polarizing Tyra Banks as the First Lady In Waiting, the spreads look like bad publicity stunts similar to the now cancelled, Kutcher-produced show, Pop Fiction where B-list celebrities try to fake the paparazzi out. The problem? Fashion is not pop fiction; it’s the opposite, an entity above popular culture dealing in fantasy rather than pure fiction.

In Bazaar’s September issue, they went too far. Here the infamous Ronson offspring, which includes a music producer, a celebrity DJ and a fashion designer, are photographed in a family portrait dressed as the Royal Tennenbaums from Wes Anderson’s iconic film opus on upper crust, family dysfunction and entropy. But the Tennenbaums are everything the Ronsons are not.

Sure they both come from silver spoon upbringings, schooled by the best Manhattan's teachers, churning out a factory of eccentric stepsiblings co-existing as bohemian alternistas, but where the Tennenbaums fail as members of society suffering in existential bordering on suicidal crises, the Ronsons need only worry about which Pinkberry is less paparazzi-populated. The Tennenbaums are a symbol of crumbling New York City aristocracy, a beautiful endangered thing.

Final Word: Perhaps I’m over-analyzing but I think Harper’s is better served in sticking to clothes than social commentary...I prefer my fiction in the weeklies, thank you very much.

American Apparel

2008-08-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

Remember right after 9/11 everyone started rocking “I Heart NY” shirts? I even trekked to Canal Street to purchase one fully satisfied in knowing I was indulging fashion forwardness and political correctness all in one shot.

Since then we really have not witnessed much collaboration between the politique and boutique sectors. Perhaps there’s something about the current administration that does not exactly inspire much fashion fervor. But Change with a capital C is upon us and armed with a new look that is perfectly packaged, infinitely marketable and flying off the shelves – Obama.

Beyonce and Halle have publicly pledged their allegiance, even Scarlett gushed like a Jonas Brother fan, only to be publicly denied like a Jonas Brother fan. And again, I trekked below Houston to a sweat suit shop to purchase a “Barack the Vote” tee; ignoring the embarrassing pun (it’s better than “Barack n’ Roll”), and based on the number of envious looks I attracted during Powerstrike class at Equinox last night, it was so worth it.

Final Word: The down side? Trends come and go. Case in point, going green has become a liability and major corporations are pulling out and going, um, plastic. We just hope this one lasts until election time. Shirts available at Shvitz, NYC.

Catch The Wave: Surf Lodge

2008-08-04T13:31:00.000-07:00

I am not going to call myself a nightlife forecaster or anything of the sort, but I will say this; bottle service is on its’ way out. Paying $750 for a bottle of vodka or $6000 for a magnum of champagne has simply lost its’ luster.

Case in point; the success of this summer’s Surf Lodge in Montauk, a hotel/bar/restaurant venture by Jamie Mullholland and Jayma Cardosa, whose last joint project included Cain in New York and a few summers back in Southampton.

As former frontiersmen on 27th Street, this duo seems to be pioneering the next trend in nightlife by offering an option that is simultaneously high-profile AND low-key.

Within five minutes of walking into Surf Lodge last week I ran into a particularly Page Six-friendly publicist, and the owners of Intermix, while mildly “attending” a birthday party for seemingly, the most popular boy on Wall Street.

It was a scene without a being a scene, a near impossible balance to strike. But then again, that’s kind of the definition of Montauk, so the location is a major plus.

At Surf Lodge, surf boards adorn the walls, surf and skate films roll on plasmas, and Bob Marley dominates the soundtrack. Its’ design aesthetic is a complete Disney-fication of the town’s true surf culture roots, but the contrived décor doesn’t seem to bother anybody, including myself. Cynicism is not supposed to make it past East Hampton. And with that, Surf Lodge is free to flow.

Since Montauk is literally “The End” (of the Earth it feels like), here are my Surf Lodge words of wisdom before heading out:

*Montauk is not close to anything, and the hotel is booked until 2009. Start calling in favors from friends who have crash pads in Amagansett, East Hampton or anywhere close enough to be taxi-friendly.

*Having said that, don’t drive there. In addition to the heightened DWI-potential, the parking lot is increasingly over-capacity and has become a nightmare, soon be regulated by the town.

*Bring lots of cash. You don’t want to start a tab at the bar because you could be waiting 30 minutes just to close it out at the end of the night. And save enough to get you home. Regulated cab fare is a Big City notion and is NOT welcome in these parts.

*Since it takes a while to get a drink, pre-drinking is always a plus. So bring some booze and hot dogs to your friends place nearby in exchange for them letting you sleep in their living room.

*Try to coordinate with someone who is eating there, ideally with a later reservation. Seating is key, but the only way to snag a table is to inherit one from your friends who have finished their lobster rolls.

*Attire is cute and casual. Ladies, leave your heels at home.

Final Word: Surf Lodge may not be authentically “surf ” or authentically “Montauk,” but they are offering something authentically new to New York night-lifers. I would bet even Kelly Slater would have a good time. I certainly did.

Harold and His Purple…Pants?

2008-08-04T11:01:00.000-07:00

The New York Times recently used a term that has been used by glossy magazines and industry insiders for years attempting to validate fashion’s sometimes bizarre and insane clothing: fashion warrior. The latter word literally means “a person experienced in warfare.” Is this what the majority has arrived at, where dressing oneself to avoid being nude literally means to enter into combat? The drop-crotch trousers, break-your-ankle high heels, western culture turbans—women have been doing it for decades and now, as is the case with most things beginning with women trailblazing the way, it's the men’s turn.

In the NYT last Thursday, the Styles Section focused on men and the new rules and regulations to dress. Along with big features on beach-ready short suits and Space Odyssey-esque metallic sneakers came a curious little column on the color purple. Sure men aren’t strangers to color. Palm Beach Pink or Nantucket Red are considered classic to some super-posh samples for the macho sex, but purple is a shade that carries less social stigma. From newscasters sporting violet ties, to my boss showing up in lavender polo last Friday, it seems purple has become the uniform for men in the know. Even dandy du jour Chuck Bass (AKA actor Ed Westwick) of Gossip Girl dares to wear purple next season.

Final Word: There’s no question purple is the trend for courageous men this fall, but the question remains, are they ready to go to war?

Several Deadly Sins of Heidi Montag

2008-04-20T18:49:00.000-07:00

Heidi Montag fascinates me. And I know I'm not the only one. I would never go as far to say that’s she’s a “feminist hero” or whatever that crazy broad at The NY Times declared, but her presence is definitely something akin to that watching a car wreck cliché.

So yes, I look—admittedly—when I know I should be looking away. My fascination and all of those like it have created the monster that she has become, that poor thing. And even though I could wax philosophic on her public loss of integrity, her increasingly emaciated frame, and the size A breast implants that have somehow made their way up to her lips, today I am going to focus on what I find most urgently offensive: the fact that her stylist put her in Chloé!

WTF?

Chloé is reserved for fashion girls and fashion girls alone. The famously fabulous French fashion house which helped crank out the careers of Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney and Phoebe Philo is not something to be taken lightly. Actually, it is. But lightly in that artistic, effortlessly chic kind-of-way. It should not be taken in any kind of way by Heidi Montag.

I MEAN…she’s promoting a “fashion” line called Heidiwood! In Kitson of all places, for Christ’s sake! Kitson and anything related—especially anything with a Heidi-hybrid name—are the fashion anti-Christ where Chloé is its’ guardian angel. You don’t see Jesus, Mary and Joseph wandering around Purgatory, do you? And thus, you should never see Heidi Montag in Chloé.

Woah, I have no idea where all the allusions to Christianity came from (maybe it’s because the Pope’s in town?!?). But since I’ve already started, I guess I could add that seeing her in Stella McCartney for her staged Easter pics should have been taken as a sign of the impending Apocalypse. Either way, her stylist should be crucified and never resurrected (ok, now I’m taking it too far…).

Let’s get back to my point. Anyone who knows Chloé understands it should be appreciated in pieces. Although equally fabulous, one would never wear that dress and those shoes together, where I am sure head-to-toe Heidiwood would fare just fine.

Final Word: Just because all the girls on The Hills have 17 different Chanel bags doesn’t mean their allowed to engage in real fashion (with the exception of maybe, Whitney). Stick to what you know ladies; you were doing just fine in label-whore sunglasses, fitted tank tops and low-waisted jeans. I don’t want to have to get all religious again.

Fashion Flashback

2008-02-14T12:48:00.000-08:00

We are TOTALLY bugging about London’s darling designer House of Holland's new line. Holland was the brains behind last season’s ubiquitous tongue-in-chic fashion tees, IE: “Cause Me Pain, Heidi Slimane”, thus becoming essential clubbing gear for hipsters worldwide from Black Calvados in Paris to Beatrice Inn in New York, but this season he’s gone a bit more ready-to-wear-ish than raver-ish. A bit.

Yesterday for his Fall 08 collection, Henry Holland turned stateside for inspiration with a nod to our 90s pop culture, namely, Clueless (Also known as the self-defining film of our adolescence.) Holland opened the show with an amazingly garish purple plaid ensemble, a la Cher and Di circa 1995. I’m not sure about you, but these outrageous outfits pretty much covered my wardrobe in 7th grade, thigh highs and all. Ah, adolescence; baby tees, cropped neon mohair sweaters, platform loafers…I mean, was there anything better?? Tragic pubescent awkwardness and fatal catfights notwithstanding, those were the best years of our lives.

But Holland has served us up some piping hot memories of our youth without a side of teen angst, just how we like it. He even updated the look with a new cheeky tee and rugged ankle boots, plus it-Brit model Agyness Denn makes a superb Alicia Silverstone of the new millennium.

Final Word: So are these garish duds coming back?? I’m not quite sure if I could pull off the puerile yet precocious Lolita look in my twenties, but Lord help me, I can try.

An Open Letter to Chris Benz

2008-02-07T09:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Benz,

We are at a strange time in fashion where personality seems to have eclipsed talent. Many young designers have earned their merits by logging in hours at Socialista rather than the studio, befriending a celebutante, calling her his muse, and churning out a few duds. Call us old fashioned, but that a designer does not make. Of course Hubert de Givenchy had Audrey Hepburn, Oleg Cassini had Jackie O, but these brilliant men owned talent and innovation beyond comprehension, and the relationships were reciprocal – they were not just one another’s party buddy.

Case in point: yourself. A regular fixture at Rose Bar and Beatrice Inn, the fashion world is abuzz with all things Benz. Even I was convinced when I saw you in a homemade towel turban at Colin Cowie’s party at the Hotel Belvedere in Mykonos; I was a bit star struck as I knew I was in the presence of the next designer du jour. We adored your Mary Tyler Moore 70s-inspired spring collection. It was as if Annie Hall had literally time traveled to present day looking as chic and fresh as ever. Those loose layers, that Technicolor palette, it was perfection.

But after a quick glance at your latest work, I’m afraid all of that ouzo and those flashing bulbs may have seeped through your turban. The clothing you previewed this week was sadly uninspired – as if you rummaged through Screaming Mimi’s and the Antique Boutique (Remember the beloved hand-me-down mecca on Broadway circa 1996?) and called it a day. Placing a gnome’s cap atop a translucent afro’ed model does not a designer make.

Final Word: We know you are talented, which is why we beseech you to reconsider that next invite to Paper’s Most Beautiful People party or whatever pseudo-uber-fete it may be to take time and put more thought into your next collection, we sincerely look forward to it.

With Love,
The Blackberrie

House Warming

2008-02-06T09:45:00.000-08:00

I am drained. Between the Giants winning the Superbowl, Obama and Hillary neck and neck, and fashion week at its peak, I am emotionally, intellectually and spiritually exhausted.

No, I am not about to check myself into a psychiatric ward as is the trend in Tinseltown, but my senses cannot possibly bear any more over stimulation. I am unsure why the gods have collided my three greatest loves in one week (Obama is getting there), but to their own--and my acupuncturist’s--delight, they seem to find it comical to mess with my stress levels from time to time.

With the NY Post, Daily News, Times and every other tri-state media outlet covering the Giants historical win, we can focus the Blackberrie’s efforts towards more familiar pastures – fashion.

Oh fashion week, how we’ve neglected you. Big Blue’s victory has made it almost impossible to visit Style, ELLE, or any couture related dot-coms, and even more impossible to venture near the Tents at Bryant Park (even though they are around the corner). Instead of Oscar, Diane and Marc, visions of Manning, Tyree and Strayhan danced in our heads. But no more. With the last shred of the confetti fallen at City Hall and the ticker tape no longer ticking (What the hell is ticker tape anyway?) We can now focus our attention on much more serious things – the Fall 2008 collections.

Let us simply lay down the highlights, which we are sure to be donning downtown (or uptown depending on your zip code). Designers as a whole have made a move towards sophisticated, climate-appropriate, and proper dressing. Pencil skirts, skinny belts, wide trousers were abundant with no shortage of cozy knits and furs and hardly a mini in sight. Just glancing at our good friend Peter Som's looks (shown here), could it be that we are reverting back to the traditional time, when ladies dressed as ladies and gentlemen acted like, well, gentlemen? Perhaps dressing the part is all that it takes- The New York Times seems to think so.

Final Word: With demure dressing back, we wonder if true decorum will follow. Perhaps we are not far from afternoon teas at the Plaza, long walks in the park and even a good old-fashioned Blockbuster (read: Netflix) night. We can’t speak for others but with all this tweed and tartan, a cozy night by the fire, or radiator, seems to be just what the doctor ordered.

Interview To Be The Next French Vogue?

2008-01-25T13:57:00.000-08:00

The recent departure of Editor In Chief Ingrid Sischy and co-owner Sandra Brant of Interview Magazine has left the publishing world reeling. The shocking resignation has moved media minds to ask, what is a magazine without its face? It’s difficult (perhaps impossible) to imagine a VOGUE without Anna or an ELLE without Nina, so how shall Interview fare sans Ingrid? Sischy, the ultimate idiosyncracy of the fashion world defied the fashion industry with her unkempt coiffe, dark framed spectacles and hardly sample size frame, yet simultaneously, she defined it. Her work reflected the same counterpoint with A-list celebrities in raw, “I don’t give a f-ck” looks. It wasn’t about the trends or the latest collections, it was about the integrity of the shot.

Now that she is gone, shall Interview continue its groundbreaking and anti-market styling? Fabien Baron, former creative director of Paris Vogue, has been tapped to lead Interview out of Ingrid’s celeb-studded pages and into a more (most likely) fashion forward book. Glenn O’Brien (who worked at Interview during the Warhol days) will act as co-director.

Final Word: There is nothing the Blackberrie adores more than Paris Vogue, in fact its art design is a model for a future Blackberrie Book (Yes, we too wait with breath that is bated.) But shall Baron's Parisian take-no-prisoners fashion aesthetic translate to the gritty pop culture mag that made its case on criticizing (at best) and mocking (at worst) its glossy contemporaries? On verra…

Base Couture

2008-01-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

At yesterday’s Chanel haute couture show in Paris, Karl Lagerfeld stayed true to form by questioning customs on the catwalk yet again. Against a blanche neige backdrop that could easily double for Tchaicovsky’s The Nutcracker, nimble Anna Pavlova look-alikes festooned in feathers and frills glided down the runway in Swan Lake-inspired ensembles and contrastingly humble flats, not unlike the ones I wear to work.

Although it is obvious flats are MTA-approved footwear, there is something undeniably chic about wearing unfussy shoes with a decidedly fussy frock. Hepburn, Birkin, and Seberg all proved that ages ago; yet why are we still surprised to see them at an haute couture catwalk half a century later? Are we really imprisoned by our own visions of the proverbial glass slipper? And what if Cinderella had worn Repettos to the ball? Well, she probably would not have forsaken her shoe and would have made those evil stepsisters green with envy as she danced the night away.

But what was the Kaiser’s motive behind pairing painstakingly ornate gowns with simple ballerinas ironically during a season where more is more and bigger is better? Perhaps he did not want to be upstaged by John Galliano yet again and simply threw in the serviette- although that is doubtful coming from the ultimate overachiever/designer/photographer/DJ/tastemaker (Need I go on?).

With the revival of bygone Chanel muse Devon Aoki to close the show, perhaps Mr. Lagerfeld simply craved the comfort of the familiar –and in depths of our year’s first cold front when the thought of high (or any) fashion is daunting, this sort of comfort is quite welcome.

Final Word: Although we applaud Mr. Lagerfeld for challenging fashion foundations, it remains to be seen if social swans shall trade their Louboutins for low loafers at their next uptown gala. After all, what is a fairy tale without the glass slipper?

Laces In!

2008-01-11T13:03:00.000-08:00

Last night while out for drinks, my girlfriend and I were accosted by a handful of overzealous, cheesy single guys with no sense of humor or self-deprecation (a bad combination), which made for easy fodder for belligerent mockery. But what really caught our attention, other than the conspicuous Ashlee Simpson name dropping (Yes, apparently there are people who actually name drop Ashlee Simpson.), was the unbelievable choice of footwear.

There were the ubiquitous Kenneth Cole leather loafers, the my-girlfriend-bought-me-these-but-really-I’m-so-far-deep-in-the-closet-I-actually-believe-I’m-straight knee high-motorcycle boots, and the worst of all offenders, laceless Converse. Regarding the latter pair, I just don’t get it. The unisex equivalent to UGGs, these stringless shoes are no doubt convenient but socially acceptable? I think not. Is it because people are so busy that lace tying is just too much? Is it meant to look casually bohemian, as in F the man and his commercial laces? Is it some sort of underground trend that I'm unaware of? When I first spotted the abhorrent All Stars, I was like, ok, they ditched their laces, that’s sort of cool and different. But then I saw them everywhere, and I realized in horror, people buy them like that? Oh no, not ok.

Now I would hate to think I’m a sneaker snob, after all, sneakers are simply what one wears to avoid fashion critique. However with shoe fetishes at an all-time high (New York Magazine just revealed its annual best sneaker stores this week), sneakerheads all but earning a place in Websters dictionary and more and more uber-specialty boutiques popping up devoted to making the masses feel inadequate to their trendy trainers (Nike ID, get a grip with your VIP appointments), there is some merit to making a wise decision in casual footwear.

Final Word: Fret not lace-a-phobes, we have the perfect solution with our choice kick du jour: A classic Vans slip on in navy leather – basic, retro and virtually foolproof. The collegiate color is surprisingly neutral, plus there’s the skater appeal, which is always cool. Available at vans.com

Can’t Buy Me Love? Mais, bien sur…

2008-01-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

It was recently reported by the New York Times that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his new girlfriend singer/supermodel Carla Bruni might be engaged. This is certainly controversial news considering their flashy and splashy romance, spanning the globe from the Pyramids of Giza to the deserts of Saudi Arabia and causing serious controversy in the Middle East not to mention Sarkozy’s approval ratings taking a vertiginous plunge. However, this is not our topic of debate- we’re just not that deep.

In the article, the Times goes on to describe the alleged engagement ring as a heart-shaped diamond designed by none other than the whimsical Dior jewelry maven Victoire de Castellanne whose cartoonish gems have made her a favorite among fashion-conscious pop culture personalities like Pharell Williams and magazines such as ELLE and Nylon (Interestingly enough this decadent detail was found in Tuesday’s cover section, not the Style section). Madame Castellanne’s cheeky chains chockfull of Hello Kitty heads and Bambi-inspired baubles are not exactly what one expects for a presidential engagement band, however, this is France, and in France, fashion comes first.

So why is it that where French men seem to know what women want, American men seem to think whatever comes in a teal cardboard box is acceptable (Quelle horreur!)? French men get away with, nay, celebrate the fact that they know couture as well as their wives, girlfriends, and mistresses. I am reminded of the scene in the film Le Divorce starring Kate Hudson where her green American character becomes an older French man’s mistress and he purchases her a crocodile Hermes Kelly bag at the beginning of their clandestine affair, only to end it with a Chanel scarf. Pas mal.

Final Word: Although the French seem to equate retail purchases with love and all things amoureux (they even call products placed near the cash register “coups de coeur,” literally translated as “blows to the heart”), does it mean their brand of love lasts longer? Most likely not, but one thing is for sure, an Hermes bag sure does stand the test of time. Monsiuer Sarkozy, take note.

I am The Waris

2008-01-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

Who is Waris Ahluwalia, really? According to Jalouse, the French fashion magazine featuring him on this month’s cover, he’s the coolest guy in the world. From his general run-down we know he’s an actor, a jewelry designer and an international jet-set celebrity shoulder-rubber. But coolest guy in the world? The title may be a bit much.

Waris flew onto my radar last week when I saw his jewelry line, House of Waris, in the uber-cool Miami Beach boutique Alchemist. When I noticed him on the cover of Jalouse a few days later I figured he was someone worth learning a little more about.

I thought this may be difficult. He has an untouchable cool surrounding his persona, so much so that I was convinced he would be untraceable, un-Google-able, in that that ”I’m so under-the-radar but have a very strategic publicist” kind of way. But, not so much.

With a couple strokes of the keyboard I discovered a quite extensive bio. It goes a little something like this…privileged New York upbringing, upstate liberal arts college, did the music thing, got bored, did the magazine upstart, lost interest, got involved in some charities, so that’s good, made a ring, some buyer liked it, we sold a few (to mainly celebs!) and now I am a jewelry designer.

Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but I am pretty sure that sounds like every boring girl in New York who can’t hold a job or figure out what she wants to do with her life so she “starts a jewelry company.” One more exciting than the next, let me tell you…

Now just because he’s a dude and he’s randomly appeared in a few Wes Anderson and Spike Lee films—bold-name buddies never hurt—does that make him anymore interesting? Not in my book. And I’m ok with the fact that Tatler, Vogue, Elle, Vanity Fair, The New York Times, Complex, Paper, Surface, W and every other media outlet/purveyor of cool disagrees with me.

Final Word: The jewelry is actually quite interesting—too bad it gets overshadowed by the obsession. But in the Paris Hilton school of marketing the persona is always bigger than the product. So the world’s coolest person? I think not. But on his way to becoming one of the most successful? That I could possibly believe.

Costume Rationale

2008-01-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

This morning as I dressed for work, I felt the primal urge to reach for cream stockings, demure Chanel flats, a simple peacoat and equally buttoned-up frock. As I made my way to the metro, I caught a glimpse of my reflection a passing storefront window. Who was that frou frou fille looking back at me? Certainly not the one whose fashion icon on any given day more resembles Jane Birkin than Jane Eyre. But low and behold, it was me, top to bottom looking exactly like Blair Waldorf.

For those of you who have been eeking out an existence of irrelevance, Miss Waldorf is the deliciously deviant prep schooler on the deliciously devious show Gossip Girl. Indeed in the course of the WGA strike, GG has stormed media channels from TRL to the Times and it’s not news that its iconic UES style is half the draw. Unlike other teen shows before, Gossip Girl takes fashion very seriously. Its costume designer, Eric Daman, is not afraid to whip out insider labels like Alexander Wang and pair him with Forever 21 togs, as real NYC girls do all the time. Chanel, Fendi, Gucci are also staples for these girls who very realistically borrow from their well manicured mothers.

What kills me, however, is that with the plethora of fashion fortunes at his fingertips, why does Daman seem to never get it? As my friend commented, although we seek out the latest Malandrino dress immediately after the show wraps, we could or should never copy Daman’s total look (As I brutally realized en route to the office today.) Blair ends up looking too costumey while her counterpart Serena Van Der Woodsen looks like she simply missed the point. Granted it is a television show and costumes are exactly what they are, but if Daman gives us a Phillip Lim cookie, we’re probably gonna ask for a glass of Vena Cava. What we want is something equal to what legendary stylist Patricia Field did for Sex and the City (for which Daman curiously assisted). But where Field puts real thought into her characters (we actually believed Carrie belted Mr. Big’s button-down as a day dress), Daman cherry-picks trends to lazily create a look out of the NY Post style pages (Sorry Amy DiLuna.) Do we honestly believe that S would wear those wedge boots with that red leather perfecto over her uniform? A true fan has to believe S is better than that.

Final Word: This is not a harsh critique, just a simple request that Mr. Daman try a little harder. We’re sure he did not expect the runaway success of the show, this is the CW after all, but the reality is we’re watching- fashionistas, editors, ex-prep schoolers, in other words, girls who know their business- and in the business of fashion, we don’t mess around.

Love Me, Love My Moncler

2007-12-03T15:10:00.001-08:00

With winter officially here (Hello, snow!), it seems anyone who’s in the know is taking Jack Frost’s cue and breaking out his or her Moncler making the city streets look more like Aspen village than Greenwich Village. Montcler, the quintessential après-chic outerwear for any jet set skier worth his weight in Audemar Piguets, is making a comeback. Or did it ever leave? Everyone, I mean everyone, has whipped out the tight and taught goose down jackets from nightclub doormen who need not freeze while snubbing undesirables to chic girls about town looking to stay warm while getting their party on. My girlfriend Hope exclaimed coming home the other night, “Everyone and their mother is wearing a Moncler,” as she unzipped her cropped bomber version and threw it next to my shiny PVC style. Yeah, we got ‘em too. And although there are no slopes in our near future (we’re more beach bums than ski bunnies), at least we still look the part, right?

Final Word: You need not own a chalet in St. Moritz to get the privileged Swiss Miss look. These covetable coats are available at Barneys New York or Intermix.

Thoroughly Thinspired

2007-11-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

Eating disorders are making a comeback! Just when I thought the head cases of today relied on prescription pills, cocaine consumption and a steady stream of Ballerina Tee to stay thin, good ole’ anorexia and bulimia are popping up all over pop culture. How 90’s!

We were just talking about that Lifetime Original where the bulimic girl stores her vomit in Tupperware containers and stacks it in her closet. That visual is forever burned in our minds. Classic ’94 after-school special in the post-Tracey Gold days.

The 2007 resurgence started with last week’s episode of Nip/Tuck when Eden, the show’s newest Lolita, successfully convinces 12-year-old Annie that she has to become either anorexic or bulimic to gain the attention of her schoolboy crush.

They weighed their options—no pun intended—with a pro-eating disorder website and tried to decide which of their “good friends” to side with, “Ana or Emi.” Sadly, we came to discover that such websites actually do exist. But then again, of course they do.

But Nip/Tuck is always sick and twisted, so this didn’t surprise us much. But when Blair Waldorf had a bulimia montage on last night’s Thanksgiving episode of Gossip Girl we knew that eating disorder “it” status was solidified.

It comes as no surprise that Blair is, or was, a bulimic. Her fashion-designer/socialite mother is always saying things like “change into something enchanting” or “wear pearls with that,” her father is a fairy who ran off to Europe with a male model, and she has spent her life living in the shadows of her best friend S.

She’s a classic case. But controlling your weight does not add control to your life, B! Plus, no one ever got THAT thin using the binging and purging method anyway. Though I did enjoy watching her house that entire chicken potpie! That baby did not stand a chance.

In addition, I love that the word “thinspiration” has now been added to the lexicon.

Final Word: Thin is in! Confidence and perspective is so passé. Everyone knows that. Everyone does.

How Sweet It Is

2007-11-14T21:05:00.000-08:00

Sweet Bessie's: The Better Bakeshop.

Cupcakes are most certainly the new “it” dessert. Sex in The City—and the tour that now immortalizes it—did wonders for Magnolia’s sales and the competition has been popping up all over the place. Billy’s Bakery, Cupcake Café and even the now defunct Burgers & Cupcakes, which made a go on 23rd Street (the name explains the demise).

And the craze is not only in New York, I was in LA last week and my friend requested none other than Sprinkles cupcakes for her birthday celebration. I waited in line for half an hour and dropped nearly $40 on a dozen.

I totally understand the buzz around cupcakes. They’re a nostalgic little food that brings us back to a life less complicated, when birthday celebrations meant pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and not 30-person dinners at Mr. Chow (just to kick the week off, of course).

Cupcakes are fun and make people happy. In a world with so many choices and preferences, cupcakes are a dessert that is so easily personalized. Why bring a pie to a dinner party when you can bring 12 varieties of cupcakes? There’s always something for everyone.

My only problem with these designer cupcakes is the fact that they are so overloaded on sugar that eating half of one makes me want to kill myself. I cannot move and my appetite is non-existent for at least 12 hours. A cupcake coma, if you will.

So imagine my delight when I discovered Sweet Bessie’s.

Sweet Bessie’s is a brand-new Manhattan-based bakeshop that boasts of 25 flavors of all natural, organic, allergen-free cupcakes. The little cakes are sweetened with natural sweeteners like agave nectar and fruit puree. All the recipes have been created and perfected for years by secret family recipes.

This mom-and-pop bakeshop is sure to be the next big thing. Well, if I have anything to do with it.

Final Word: Sweet Bessie’s makes its official debut Thursday November 15 at the Doucette Duvall/ Madison Harding sample sale & cocktail celebration. More details to follow.

An Open Letter to Arden Wohl

2007-11-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

New York is always on the hunt for its next PYT. Likewise, PYTs are always on the hunt for some fabricated fame. But what New York loves even more than its next it-girl, is its next anomaly.

Ahn Duong, Celia Dean, Yvonne Force Villareal – all idosyncratic women of the beau monde, set the standard. With an affinity for eccentric head gear, avant-garde fashion and real careers (mostly in the art world) these black swans have carved their own niche in New York high society that make them not only mysterious to a gaggle of Bergdorf Blondes, but also enviable. This seemed to be the case with girl about town and “aspriring filmmaker, Arden Wohl.

Dear Ms. Wohl,

First, let us congratulate you on your success. You are regular on Style.com’s party pages and becoming a fixed icon in stylish social circles. But curiously, in a recent interview, you told Gawker you would never hire a publicist because you “hate those girls” and “don’t go to a lot of events”. We're a bit perplexed at the discrepencies between your words and actions. Who cares if you like to party and get your picture taken? Nobody called you Paris. We even respect your choice in off-beat togs and indie arm candy (who doesn't love Benjamin Cho?) Just don't act like you hate it when you love it.

This contrived humility was cemented when we recently stood behind your feeble frame at a West Village juice bar aggressively barking vegan orders to an innocent hipster while shouting into a Blackberry about some flippant fete that evening, disrupting the whole Zen vibe of the environs, not to mention my post-yoga chill. The whole scenario was more obnoxious than a Great Neck Soccer Mom at dismissal line. It was scary.

We hate to pass judgment (actually, who am I kidding), but if you are so keen on not hiring a publicist, we would suggest reigning in that temper and try to avoid behaving like a spoiled brat who regularly blows her trust fund on green juices, designer duds and an endless selection of not-so-ironic American Apparel leggings. Just a thought.

With Love,
The Blackberrie

Final Word- We have Leslie Sloane's email when you need it.

Into the Wild

2007-10-31T12:40:00.000-07:00

People tend to get polarized when it comes to fur. To wear, or not to wear- that seems to be the question. But these days it’s getting easier and easier to go Grey Gardens glam without becoming Cruella Deville.

Case in point, monkey fur. I must say I’m enamored with this savage trend that has been popping up on groovy young things from LA to London. I find the wild child look simultaneously badass and super-chic, especially paired with opaque tights and a black miniskirt, a la Kate Bosworth at, where else, the Fendi show in China against the backdrop of the Great Wall, yes, that Great Wall.

To cement this obsession, I even ordered a faux version for a mere 30 pounds on Topshop.com (my secret weapon when it comes to all things trendy). I must admit, I’m a bit apprehensive on whether I’ll end up resembling perennial trendsetter Kate Moss, or more like a Maltese that spent one too many days traipsing about a dirty city block. But what is fashion if it means not taking risks!

Final Word: In today’s modern world of endless synthetic choices, it’s silly to sacrifice another being in the name of something so frivolous as fashion, but if no animals were hurt in the process- long live frivolity!

Mama's Got Brand New...Booty Shorts?

2007-10-29T20:31:00.000-07:00

There used to be a time when mothers were known as the ultimate nurturers, beacons of light to look up to for comfort and appropriate decorum. But today, in a world where Dina Lohans, Lynn Spears and Kathy Hiltons run rampant (and get a solid chunk in this month's Vanity Fair), where is the point of reference?

It seems this lack of sophistication has trickled down to (gasp) the upper echelon of New York society where ladies of a certain age feel they can partake in the gutter-glam revelry as well. Not one to forego fashion for formality, we understand these comfortable cougars must make their style statement, but at least it used to be in good taste (Read: Bill Blass, not T-Bags.)

Here social butterfly Helen Schifter personifes the trend to a tee. Even the chic combination of navy and black is undercut by the so-tight-it-makes-me-feel-uncomfortably-violated bicycle shorts and thigh highs socks. What could she have been thinking, one might ask? If sexy was the look, why not go for a chic and faddish pantsuit a la my own mother at a recent benefit, who looked pert and sophisticated in a silk Chloe number and a deftly styled Oscar de la Renta blazer hung over her shoulders.

Perhaps it's a matter of taste or simply a reflection of our growingly garish culture. Still, although we are loathe to the concept of Fashion Police, after all, I've owned quite a few ensembles found on the latter pages of US Weekly, this crime is simply not debatable.

Final Word: Mothers around the world, please step your game up at least for your daughters' sake...or take a cue from mine a get yourself a Chloe pantsuit.

Scenedigging 101

2007-10-26T16:38:00.001-07:00

Every now and then my girlfriends and I find that the English vocabulary fails to serve us when it comes to discussing the trials and tribulations of our lives. Thus, we resort to creating a new terminology.

For example, “groovies” was born a few years back when trying to describe the phenomenon of girls chasing and bedding celebrity DJs across the nation in exchange for a couple minutes of booth time at a hot club. Then there was “BBM”, a useful acronym for the ever-agonizing Blackberry Messenger.

But the latest moniker of note comes from our most recent experiences which have provided enough douchebags to cover VH1 producers with the cast of I Love New York III. In fact, the douchebag factor was so high that it merited its own word: scenediggers.

The definition of a scenedigger is one who essentially latches himself onto a girl who has more going on than he does in order to gain higher social visibility. You’ve seen these dudes – Brandon Davis, Brody Jenner, Jason Wahler, Frankie Whatever-The-Fuck-His-Name-Is from The Hills, or K-Fed, the patron saint of scenediggers.

Girls take warning. Before you know it, they’re crawling on your backs at the velvet rope, ingratiating themselves with your already-happening friends, and up your ass high enough to get to the next notch of that never-ending social ladder. But don’t fret, we have some crucial clues on how to spot them before they’re uploading your pics onto their “Party Like A Rock Star IV” Facebook album.

1) They name drop. A lot.
2) Their favorite eateries are STK, Cipriani Downtown, and Nello Summerime.
3) If you meet them it will be at either Tenjune, Gold Bar or some hotspot (most likely at the door, since they can’t get in on their own).
4) Wardrobe staples include: deep v-necks, vests and “man-minas” (the male pashmina).
5) They reference D-list celebrities by their first names and say things like “No, they’re actually pretty cool.”

Final Word: In a cultural climate where scenediggers flourish and real men are nowhere to be found, you never know when your next encounter might be. But take our word of advice, if you do meet an S.D., run. We mean it, run

What Carbon Footprint?

2007-10-26T13:27:00.000-07:00

These days it’s hard not to go green. It seems car companies, supermarkets, Oprah, are all giving us a newer and cooler alternative to live in a socially conscious and eco-aware existence. So when a new stylish and safe commodity sprouts up before our eyes, they all but fly off shelves. (Hour-long waits for “I’m Not a Plastic Bag,” anyone?)

The latest (or coolest) enviro-invention comes from cult French label WWP & PAS. A ridiculously soft eco-friendly t-shirt reading “Smells Like Green Spirit” – the tog conveniently encapsulates the grunge spirit of the 90s with the giveback spirit of this millennium. Plus 5% of all the proceeds go to the Green Cross France.

Final Word: Why not step up and wear your care on your sleeve, or chest in this case. Available at www.colette.fr.

Stella's Still Keepin' Busy

2007-10-23T19:04:00.000-07:00

We’re huge Stella McCartney fans so don’t take this the wrong way, but Stella for H&M, Stella for Adidas, and now Stella for LeSportsac….she really pimps it!

To her credit, all of her collaborations have been both creatively and commercially successful, so we can understand why she keeps cranking them out.

Today Stella debuted her limited-edition 17-piece collection for LeSportsac, styles include camera and computer cases, hobos and 26” check-in luggage, just to name a few.

As expected from the socially and environmentally-responsible designer, the entire line is “eco-friendly’—all fabrics, hangtags and packaging are created from 100% recycled materials.

"Stella designed this with her lifestyle in mind, so these are really the items that she and her friends would carry when they travel," says a spokeswoman for LeSportsac.

Final Word: Prices range from $98-$475, styles hit stores in January.

Far Out

2007-10-19T10:39:00.001-07:00

When I think of tie-dye several visuals immediately come to mind; Hypercolor, The Grateful Dead, and that bearded hippie guy who recently won Survivor. And while tie-dye is as much an American fashion staple as blue jeans, it has never been—in my mind at least—synonymous with high fashion.

But after last spring’s vibrant monochromatic color blocks of lapis, fuchsia and emerald, designers are now happily marrying a muted palette of beige, navy and black to create a multi-tonal sophistication appropriate for the chicest of designs.
This tie-dye may have nothing to do with rubber bands nor will it stain your hands, but the trend is still accessible to all. Both high fashion and low have attached themselves to look, peep-toe shoe by Prada and scarf by Zara pictured here.

Final Word: Former hippies rejoice! Fashion equality for all.