This morning I am caught on girldir, browsing over a trend that gets me thinking. Recollecting the SATC I watched last night, I start to wonder about hot pants and my mind draws a blank. Why? Girldir’s statement ‘Have you ever had a nightmare in which you show up at a public meeting or a gathering of some sort and everyone stares at you and begin to burst in demented laughter? And then you realize what caused such hysterics. You’re only half dressed’. It gets me thinking . . .

Instantly jumped on to google to verse myself in a topic which is a possible debate as I wonder if the 70s trends that we so often see come back will include hot pants someday. Or perhaps the trends we see of shorty-shorts and cheeky-shorts are the hot pants, remade.

Kylie Minogue brought her pop career back to life with her well known hot shorts, a hand me down from London Hooker, Michele Renee. With her rise in this country as more than just that Locomotion Gal perhaps hot pants should be credited. Is it her bootylicious bum, which by more than one blogger has been called perfect, in those little goldies that gets your body moving? The woman re-invents disco beats and good dance like no other. Would it be too far of a reach to say she is an inspiration to women everywhere that if you spend your days dancing your a** off you will literally dance it right off?

Well I know what I will be doing tonight. I too shall drop my socks and grab my mini boom box. And might I recommend for all you out there who also wish to work your rump and one day wear your hot shorts (to a disco). with pride. Yes, that is right. Wear them to the discotech and check this out.

Lastly and very importantly.

I love the silhouette and the jacket this year. There are some very great shapes and the more I flick through the many images online of what walked the runways for fall I find myself feeling a growing appreciation for fall.

Fall, a season I once looked down upon. It was the season that signified that cold was on it’s way. That Santa was soon to be racing atop our roofs with pattering reindeer. Fall was the welcoming back of sweaters and jackets, scarves and hats and the one thing I hated most . . . long underwear. For a gal who thrived in the heat of summer and longed for swimsuits and tank tops I found it difficult to find joy in layering sweaters upon blouses, with blazers and mittens. I snickered at the snow and those who chose to play in it and longed for August days of heat and running through the sprinkler.

As I find myself living in a climate that now never seems to exceed 90 and mostly settles in around 60 or 70 I find a new love for layering. This year I take special note at the many outwear garments that hit our New York Fashion Week runways and vigorously add-on to my checklist of must-haves for Fall 2008. From the first few letters of our alphabet I bring you a glimpse.

Akris, Amanda Wakeley, Aquascutum, Baby Phat, Bel Staff, Betsey Johnson, Bill Blass, BluGirl.

Blumarine, Carlos Meiele, Carolina Hererra, Christian Lacroix, Cynthia Steffe, D & G, DSquared2, Diane Von Furstenberg, Etro, Haider Ackermann, Iceberg.

Fall is in the air. Tailored jackets, wide leg pants, wools and sweaters, AND . . . bum bum bum . . . the waist! Unlike the last year, this year we will take on a much missed appreciation of the waist. We will not see thousands of shapeless trapeze dresses, instead we will be encouraged to work our best female assets. Accentuate what your momma gave ya.

I am eager and giddy like a school girl, as always. The smell of tweed is in the air and I can feel DVF’s launch of her prints and newly envisioned wrap dress for the season.

As often as I can, I click page-after-page in my best effort to get a glimpse of the one show I desire to see most. This week I flashed back several months to Fashion Week when we saw all those bitchin’ Fall 2008 wears. Thanks to New York Magazine I have been doing some serious oogling. I love fall fashion. Layers of perfectly inspired fabrics and shapes.

However . . . in a land of beauty and design how does it happen that crap can still slip through? Some of my biggest laughs of what walked the runway and claimed itself to be fashion.

Vivienne Westwood really shocked me this year with what I am choosing to call ‘Crocodile Dundee in New York, Aborigines can Catwalk’. It’s as if fabric found a 5′10 beauty and threw up on her. Up chuck everywhere. Chunks and chunks. Color spewing from all angles. Fabrics thrown about in what appears to be an attempt at draping. I am most disappointed as I have always been a strong believer in Vivienne, but this year she throws me off. I am left with a sour taste in my mouth. A sick stomach. I still maintain a tidbit of faith for her for spring however. I hope not to be let down.

And in a land where I was pleased to see a prominent waist line I feel confused at the wrong accentuation. Marc Jacobs not only chooses what I consider to be ghastly fabric but chooses shape that well . . . isn’t really a shape at all.

Carolina Herrera brings the waist to new extremes providing a nice tire around your middle. Aren’t we all doing sit-ups to avoid this look?

Alexander McQueen with a sour attempt at a tutu, and . . .

lastly. I refused to be convinced Armand Basi even HAS a waist or wouldn’t it be more obvious where it is located? Unless you are ‘gravel girdy’ and your boobs are around your knees you don’t require this much room in your bodice to store your goodies. Too long wasited . . . not floating my boat. The choice of fabric? Don’t even get me started.

Take note to my most drab but very straight forward title. I want to bring to mind that it is very important to me that you know EXACTLY what my fodder of the day is, as it holds much importance in well . . . everything! Fashion is the key to unlock the gates of Heaven, I am convinced! A healthy statement with a trendy pair of shoes simply glows of Heaven and makes you warm and fuzzy inside. The aura of good intentions overwhelms you and you can’t help but smile at the site of brown properly mixed with black. Which believe me when I say it’s tricky and should be left to the masters. In the beauty of fashion I find my will to crack a smile today, at the site of all that is good and brought down from Heaven by God himself. Thank God for House of Holland or life as we know it would be forever drab.

With that I bring you the light at the end of the tunnel. A hope for years to come, and just three simple words, our reason to live, Paris Fashion Week.

Ever since I was a wee tot I have taken note of what happens ankles and below. From the days I walked daintily on my tip toes (I think secretly hoping to elongate my legs something I still do as I rise above with the biggest shoes I can find), to my ballet dancing days. To my love of Barbie’s petite little heeled toes, to pedicures, and pride in my high arches, and now with my desire to permanently ink my favorite appendage to accessorize, I take note in what we all decide is trend. What choices we make, and how we mix and match. How we seek comfort or disregard comfort for fashion. Something I often do and will probably regret when my feet are mushed up like Cinderella’s step sisters 20 years from now, and all I can wear are Crocs. And this brings me to another point as I ponder if I would ever put my fat deformed foot into a Croc when the day arrives that my bunions are too big for Stilettos. My answer, “NO NO and Triple NO! No Infinite.” I shall wear slippers for an eternity if needs be but Crocs are still a serious faux pas.

This blog became vision with one subtle email move from Brian. With this little piece of treasure I find once again that ‘The World Is Full Of Stupid People’ and sometimes I just kinda want to blog about it. Crocs are the cause of the World’s stupidity. I am sure of it. As Crocs rise our IQ level drops. A World of Croc wearing idiots remains.

However this blog is not about Crocs, although I seem to be moving that direction with every key stroke. So with the change of subject I bring you bad foot happenings.

I have been sitting at this 6 foot skirted registration table waiting impatiently for some excitement to find me in my day. As 90 attendees shuffle through the conference gates, registration packet in hand I find freedom when the doors close and session begins. At last I can take refuge with my cup of Espresso Blend and my Bagel with Cheese and Jam. They come here with expectations of learning something new, perhaps just an excuse to escape the office. And while I find i have learned little more than our need for extra name badges they find themselves in a reunion with coworkers past and colleagues gone AWOL. So, I sit and while I receive compliments on what they think is my perfume when I believe that soft sweet fragrance is really my deodorant, or maybe my hair, I long for a nap and the end of a long week.

Spending my morning looking for something to bring to you all and starting and deleting multiple beginnings to a blog that now seems to have the flow. And I always say, “No Flo, No Go, Got Flo, Fo Sho.” Well I always say that starting today. And with this I want to tell you of my obscure find today, and that is Lakme Fashion Week. Fashion Week Bollywood style. My pick of the day, Urvashi Kaur, her style fresh, infused with color, full of spark and fine lines. It is always exciting for me to discover someone not yet discovered by myself. Those first glances through the gallery of someone who you know was, is or will be great. The first taste of their creativity always has my heart racing just a little bit faster.

One more thought on Fashion Week would be what is tumbling through my mind on Zac Posen. He is beautiful! Well his designs are, he isn’t bad either. I am very intrigued this season with the colors of choice. Tuxedo style dresses, ties, blazers, black and white and bright bold tights. I am hooked on tights for fall as I am generally a very chilled person, perhaps cold blood runs through my veins. I find layering to be a must and tights to be just plain necessity when it comes to dresses in Fall and Winter. I adore dresses but my cold blood keeps me avoiding them and dreaming of the day I can wear them. Thanks to the popularity of tights I no longer have to dream and can adorn myself with all the dresses I spend so much effort in bidding on via ebay.

Zac, thank you. For keeping the love of leg wear alive. He most interestingly uses women’s attire with heavy suit tones and masculine design and I do love a woman in a vest. I am a big fan of suit styles on women. So I will keep it simple. Just believe me in that I find it interesting, in love with the color palette, and I am totally crushing on Posen now.

In my attempt to liven up this blog that I have been told is lacking in pictures I bring you something of more entertainment value I hope. It has been all too long since I talked fashion, had it determined by several friends that I should keep on with the dating life as many of my girls were enjoying the bad date stories I spoke of. However, New York Fashion Week was in February and I have said nothing and I feel regret. Therefore . . .

Many women find Vera Wang’s designs to be very beautiful, feminine, colorful, form flattering . . . and I agree. The woman knows lines, she knows the female form and she very graciously drapes with ease.

Vera, as many know, but probably just as many do not know, trained as a figure skater and competed for many years. Competing in the 1968 Figure Skating Championships and being featured in Sports Illustrated to top that. She tried out to be in the Olympics but as her skating did not get her on the team she found herself moving into the Fashion Industry and thank God she did otherwise who in the heck would I have make my wedding gown someday.

She was the Anna Wintour of Vogue while Anna was too busy playing with older gentlemen. She designed figure skating apparel for some of the best, not including the knee whacker, but including the knee whackee. The gown guru whipped up a prom number for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sarah Michelle Geller. She has had a handful of TV appearances and has a very brag worthy fashion resume. A very deserving brag worthy one at that.

This February her fall fashion for 2008 really caught my eye. I adore her color palette this year. Mustard, rust orange, pale olive, black of course is always a classic fav, she has an excellent eye for color and design. She drapes with much creativity not always hitting the expected line but I love this about her. She keeps you guessing. She keeps you interested and intrigued. I appreciate her efforts in the last two images as she creates floral pattern by arranging fabric instead of using print. I am very much in love with 3D design and giving garments a very multiple layer dimension. I appreciate fine lines and classic tailoring as well but love to see the creativity that an artist portrays while messing with one’s own imagination and abilities.

Always a fan of Mrs. Wang she will continue to please my eye.

Dying for the day when my blog has fully transfered and I will be able to upload pictures again. Recently switched over to a new server and there has been a bit of untangling trying to get all the pieces in order so I can be back in full swing.

Reading back on old blogs today and it is way overdue for me to report what I loved and hated about red carpet fashion in 2007. It has been tradition for me to blabber on about the excess of lace, ruffles, and bows and the lack-there-of of cut, form or style. I will see what I can do without the ability to give you many visual aids, but be patient and try to follow along. Also, feel free to throw up a little. I know I did.

This might be too much to handle. Be warned and have a paramedic near by. Fug is always a great resource when looking for ghastly red carpet faux pas’, so naturally the first place I look is within their pages. I can hardly control myself as I am riddled with bold floral strapless minis, birds and bows on breasts, bling gone thrift-store and even the men often are clueless. Which how can a tux go bad? You would be surprised.

I don’t even know where to begin here. You would be amazed at the ease of googling butt ugly fashion and the results you will find. It’s wonderful!

Lastly, no ‘All Those Who Are Hideous’ blog would be complete without a little of this! POW! Or a big mess of that! BAM! or a steaming pile of this baby! WAAMMM! How sweet of these gals to keep the Fug Blog in business.

Okay can’t take anymore for today. Feeling a bit woozie. Photos hopefully not too far behind as well as something that’s actually WORTH taking time to write about. Reading this blog of mine perhaps not the best use of mine or your time, but hopefully at least a 5 for entertainment and laughter factor. And of course I know I am extremely witty but I expect the laughs to be over how sad you feel for these pathetic celebrity stylists that goofed, and not so much at me. Laugh with me not at me.

Forgive me readers, it has been 2 months since my last confession. I confessed to attending Seattle Fashion Week and admit that I had a good time. As Julia and I would be pleasantly surprised, we saw more than one gown, and models of 5′10″ and higher, woo! Thanks to the Zella Company Seattle now hosts an amazing Green Fashion week that will make any girl blush. It’s no New York, London or Milan but in Seattle standards I give it an A+. The concept of green fashion having a strong interest among Seattleites. Who wouldn’t be interested in seeing reused, biodegradable, sustainable fabric production in lieu of the often assumed that if it’s green it must be recycled?

The horizon of sustainable fashion reaches out past hemp to bamboo (one of my personal favorites), organic silks and cottons from around the world. The more talk on sustainable fabric that I partake in the more interest I find. The concept is easily addictive. However when I google I find a mash of information that still makes it difficult to put the development, location of growers and manufacturers, processes, rules of the trade such as importing laws and regulations as well as production standards all together to accurately depict what I have learned, and why I take so much interest in the concept. We all to often fall under the assumption that if it reads ‘organic’ it must suit our desire to use less harsh chemicals and keep things more ‘natural’ so to speak. Stick to the basics. But I wonder what slides by under organic standards, especially in fabric production as often many chemicals are used in dying, wrinkle free, non-shrink, stain-resistance and so forth. Only emphasizing why I lean towards bamboo as bamboo fabric fiber goes through a process of pulping the bamboo which allows it to be easily processed and spun. And bamboo already holds excellent durability, stability and tenacity properties which eliminates a need to assist with added chemicals. Very similar to cotton which we often do use harsh chemicals on, but in many instances do not need to as it holds many properties in it’s favor. Cotton being of course the most widely used textile and much due to it’s many positive qualities.

The concept of Green very much intrigues me and I hope to continue to develop in my knowledge of what’s considered ‘organic’ in the fashion industry, but for now I will leave you with these interesting spots I recently checked out.

Creepy ChemicalsBreakin’ It Down

Consumers Save Lives

Was It Done Right?

Working my fingers to bone trying to a get a look at what all the designers showed in New York Fashion Week earlier this month. Gearing up for Seattle Fashion week and anticipating my attendance at Green Fashion Week .

I have long waited to learn of the scene in Seattle and experience hands on involvement with the industry. Checked out the Thread Show, had a blast there wandering around the large warehouse splayed out with local designers selling their best creations for discount prices. This event being a good kick off to get me in the mood to dabble in Fashion Week activities and to get motivated to seek out, as I said earlier, everything I can find of New York Fashion Week so I can’t get a glimpse without actually having been there.

Yesterday I spent several hours going through images of multiple designers runway shows for their Spring 2008 collections. I took a peak at Adidas by Stella McCartney, browsed Allegra Hicks, went through Aquascutum and really enjoyed the preview of their Spring 2008 line. Bright colors paired in very mix-matchy but effective combinations, interesting patterns and cuts that make my mind wander several decades back. Great skirts with trenches and spring jackets. Enjoyed the sneak peak here.

Also cruised through Armand Basi, and Ashley Isham who’s line included a lot of really great white and black combos with city shorts, jackets, belts, pencil skirts and some really amazing dresses. Sort or reminds me of foil post-its (if they had those) hanging off a skirt by one corner and sticking out at every angle through the entire length of a floor length mermaid skirt. Her website is well worth looking at . . . excellent web design as well, but definitely check out her creations as she has some very beautiful design work. Fab silhouettes. Femine. Excellent production.

Took a look at Eley Kishimoto, also Gareth Pugh, House of Holland, Julian MacDonald, Noki, Oscar de La Renta, Vera Wang and a whole slew more. Let’s see there was Basso and Brooke, Christopher Kane, no website for him, but you can check out the same line I was looking at here at Elle. I viewed a good 40 designers in my look-through yesterday so needless to say I was a busy girl, thus the multitude of hours spent looking at my monitor.

40 designers and hours spent looking at images from some very amazing shows, and I still managed to come up with two favorites. I saw a lot of things I liked in every designer. Really love the use of bright colors, high waists, trenches, short skirts, vests, belts, excellent patterns and fabrics this year, but in these two (and this is why I choose them) I found that every piece I loved as equally as the next and had no favorites through the entire line. Which means to me that the entire line was rockin’.

So my favorites:

L.A.M.B. The website doesn’t do what I saw, and loved, in the Spring line justice, but there are still some really great Ready-To-Wear pieces.

The fun doesn’t stop here however because next I checked out BCBG and again fell in love with everything I saw, which is why it is my other favorite. Again considering that the website although still filled with great designs is nothing compared to what was put out on runway.

So there it is. Spring 2008 and two lines that I highly appreciate and know I will be viewing the images of for some time.

Erwin Blumenfeld was born in Berlin in 1897. Amoung his great accomplishments are his first photographs taken at age 11, his 1st ever photo exhibition which took place in Paris during 1936, his having been subject to life in a French concentration camp, his surviving ‘camp’ life and immigration to the US in 1941, and of course his many years and wonderful work for Life Magazine, Harper’s Bazzar, and Vogue.

Erwin’s first photography may have been at age 11, but his career as a commercial fashion photographer started at age 41, before that, during WW2 he was an ambulance driver. He surely is known to have become one of the greatest and most influentional photographers of his time. And it is said that Erwin’s work not only appeared on nearly every magazine cover in the 1940’s & 50’s but he is still considered ‘one of the most influencial & copied photographers of the 20th century’.

It was after Erwin’s arrival to the US in 1941 when his career really took flight and Erwin became the highest paid freelance photographer in New York City. He greatly enjoyed many areas of photography, but his far most favorite area was the photography of women which he was very successful in. “How seriously I take beauty! All my portraits reflect my vision. . .”

Erwin used techniques such as multiple exposure & solarisation in the darkroom to create his soon to be a widly adopted and what some said to be a revolutionary style. He said of his images ” . . . my aim was to shake loose the unreal from the real . . . every magazine page is seen by millions . . . we are responsible for the tastes of tomorrow . . . every page has to have it’s own face, it’s own spirit, to catch millions of eyes . . .”

Sadly Erwin died while in Rome in 1969 after 61 years of photography, but thanks to my favorite thing (the internet) you can find quite a collection of his images online to view. Yeah to Erwin!

D Squared was another discovery of mine back in 2003. Four years ago I placed this line at the top of my list and in good loyalty they remain. They continue to manipulate color and fabric to please the eye. For something new visit D Squared. To see what got me hooked . . .

I discovered Carolina while reading ‘The ElleDaily’ news update on New York Fashion Week back in 2003 and have loved her since .

Maria Carolina Josefina Pacanins y Nino’s first debut was in 1980 when friend’s convinced Carolina to give her collection a trial run. Daughter, also Carolina Herrera, has recently joined the company and together the two Carolina’s have been collaborating with wonderfully youthful designs and an elegantly gorgeous flair. Carolina Herrera Limited is a collection of clothing, accessories, glasses both prescription and sun, handbags, even fragrance.

Back in 2003 her thing was soft, tulip-print chiffon skirts and dresses in burnt sienna and cream; lacy knits; soft, full skirts; crisp sailor pants; fun, youthful use of striped ribbon straps that racer-back gowns, crocodile skin cut and woven into geometric belts . . . She remains fabulous. To see what she is up to now, visit Carolina Herrera

II still love old Helmut Lang.

Brian says I should be talking about the ‘what and why’ of these wild shoes, but all I want to do is talk about how much I need some! I need ballerina slippers that (so necessarily) separate my little toes from that big nuisance toe on the end. I need boots that make me look, but more importantly, feel like a Superhero. And don’t deny that you too want boots with a non-traditional heel. We all do. We all want that barely there comfort that being barefoot provides. No more leather or laces . . . we long to escape our restrictions and feel free, to feel the green grass between our toes. To know the feel of hot pavement in the summer . . . the free massage you get while walking over cobblestone . . . the ‘Bubble Yum’ left behind . . . and the sandwich rappers dropped and forgotten. Your hands shouldn’t do all the feeling, and your bod shouldn’t get all the good styles. Live a little. Stomp, Stride, Strut . . . Catwalk baby. Make a statement from the knee down.

I am sorry, but as you know, the best must in turn be followed by the worst. Sadly, I feel this list is much longer, but I will spare you and not share all my opinions. Hold back your tears and get ready to see something that will make your chest hair curl. (Much like onions, including the after taste).

Are you trying to look like a bad rendition of your sister. Or maybe even a heavier Olsen twin. Well it’s working. Jessica may consider her previous break-up with Mr. Lacey for the better, but I consider it a total buzz kill to her image. Ever since that hoop-la she has been prancing about with her hoo-ha’s hanging out and what’s with the all the black? Let go of it . . . nobody died, except maybe your sense of style and apparently all those ‘morals’. And all the attempts at trying to be a talented movie star. . . Let go of that one too.

What is this Charlize? Do I Dare Ask? . Is that a bow . . . the size of Texas, on your shoulder? Boy, I don’t know, but I think you could have gone with a bigger one. Umm Hmm. Don’t ever wear something like this again. Not too mention your hips look like the holiday ham isn’t the only one fattening up for the holidays.

There are way too many pockets on the red carpet for me this year, and I’m not counting the one’s in the men’s garments! I am talking about all the gown pockets. Why do these women think they need a pouch to hide their hands? Believe me I understand the desire for women to have a place to keep their keys and lip gloss, but when did ditching the clutch become prettier than, well, carrying the clutch? Sandra, Amy & Maggie all killing me with their slouchy-pocket-look. Hands in pockets = slouching, slouching = bulking looking upper arms. That’s just my opinion.

Now let pictures do all the talking. Words can never express. Charlize can’t seem to get enough of the big tacky bows, and do Tyra’s eye’s look really scary or is it just me?

Well it’s that time of the year again. Time to count our blessings, 1, 2, 3 and time to count the odds of who can’t seem to dress themselves versus who can. So, my best of 2006. Bum Bum Bum.

Haven’t seen much of you lately . . . where have you been? Been busy with Boo’s new flick ‘The Pursuit of Happiness’? (Have I mentioned I hate the word Boo? I feel a bit sick now). Well if I must say so myself you are making yourself quite the little piece of arm candy these days, Jada. Any man would be happy to tote you. Love the color of this dress . . . and nice delts!

Oh what it must be like to be in such good company. By good company I mean Heath Ledger. I am not loving what has been happening to his hairline lately or the scruff around his upper lip, but it’s still Heath. (sigh) I’ll let it slide. I know many of you are not a fan of mustard and ketchup together, but I love the blood red lips and the golden yellow dress on Michelle Williams. I like the bold colors this year, what can I say. Now, don’t think me to have bad taste over this, but look at the lines of this dress . . . it’s a little pretty right? And what about the neckline with the fan pleated fabric? It’s pretty, come-on! Admit it!

Anybody want to fill me in on who this woman is? Okay let me help . . . Samantha Harris not only was one of the best dressed on the Academy Awards carpet this year, but she is also the host of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ . . . how about those beans? No wonder she is now walking the red carpet. Honestly though I only got hooked on the show after finding out Joey Lawrence and Mario Lopez were on it, but by that time there was only 1 episode left, and I was way too distracted by these two to even take a glance at what’s her face. Ol’ what’s her name looks great on the red carpet though. I’m not really sure how walking happens in this dress , but whatever. A pain in the butt is beauty.

This is actually kind of interesting. Although I do think a bra would have been in order, but I do really love the color and I think you were right on with your accessories and hair. So . . . what the heck, Jennifer, you are on my Best List.

So sorry to see the break-up with Phillippe, although if the rumors of infidelity are true, then I suppose the intentions are cruel. Well Reese, despite family woes I still think you look smashing, on and off The Red Carpet. I love nothing more than a woman who keeps herself put together even while the paparazzi are sneaking a snap.

Glitter and lace! What more could a woman ask for? Teri Hatcher you you did it right , but what’s going on with your smile? Perk up a bit. Weren’t you named Top 10 for ‘The World’s 100 Sexist Women’ by FHM? That should be something to smile about.

Nice work ‘Desperate’ house ladies. You are making my list! Felicity you look a heck of a lot better than cast mate Eva Longoria, and right up in the runnings with Teri and Nicolette. Looks like this cast can dress .