A Fashionable Life Radio

We interviewed Christie on the red carpet last Fall. Both of us were quick to comment on her beauty, carriage and the aura of a strong and beautiful 50 something woman has who has a past and wears it with dignity and strength. Christie’s beauty of course, has always been synonymous with an ALL AMERICAN smile, natural good looks and a face (and body) which has made her a fortune. NOW hear this: Christie in my opinion, has lost the defining characteristics in her face. She has joined the ranks of women across the country whose definition of aging is to wipe out all signs of the woman before in order to look like a blank slate without any hint of the definition that a person who has had a life is in there. I am mourning the loss of all the woman who have come before me who I have watched for years to give hope and encouragement as they age and balance nature and technology in order to do so gracefully.  The acceptance that the process of growing old is a a reflection of the woman you have become has a new paradigm. In Christie’s case (and Sharon Stone’s among others), she has become a 50 something Barbie: an ideal which exists among girls and women alike that has created legions of expressionless and character-less faces. 50 something is the new 50 nothing.

This is quite a style evolution from the J Lo of old….May I state that I am  on the fence about this proportion and look forward to comments from  the fashionable peanut gallery as to whether this “look” is a yay or nay!

Desiree Rogers attended an opening at  The New Museum in NYC.  Dressed in a  Francisco Costas short,  yellow dress and  accessorized with elements of metallic  gold (clutch) and  color (shoes). Desiree is  so confident in her look and the ability to  pull off high fashion without looking like  she is trying too hard. That is called  personal style. This former Social  Secretary has got it. Style  and substance.  Check out the New  Museum. www.newmuseum.org

Gypsymade, Inc. is a Brooklyn based  custom furniture company created by  fashion industry expat Anna Davis. A  graduate of The Rhode Island School of  Design, Anna creates sustainably re-  finished heirlooms from an eclectic  assortment of flea market finds. Her  fashion background informs and inspires  her, as do her interests in dreams,  memories + color.

I am absolutely addicted to Anna’s site. I  can’t wait to see what her creative mind  and free spirit comes up with next.  Tapping into this talent is both  inspirational and refreshing. This chair is  $650.00. I absolutely LOVE it. Check out  the BEFORE and you will see the value  and how her vision has been used to  create a piece with classic references  articulated in a whimsical and appealing way.

www.gypsymade.com

Let me tell you what you won’t read In The Cut or anywhere else. Last night at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn,NY was better than going to the Sex In The City premiere with your BF’s!!!!  We walked thru the wrought Iron gates of Pratt where Spring is in full bloom and the campus is overflowing with creativity, talent and excitement as playing host to Anna Wintour and Hamish Bowles (European Vogue’s Editor-at-Large) brought out the A-List!  Aside from greetings from PETA as we entered (grateful that it was past fur season), we took our seats among the best and the brightest.  Anna spoke of her relationship with famous and revered photographer, Irving Penn. She referred to him in an adoring way as if speaking of a beloved uncle or father. . Penn’s imprint on fashion and most specifically Vogue,  was underscored by the accompanying photos behind Anna’s Prada clad silhouette. Anna’s ‘talk” was followed by an overview of photographers synonymous with Vogue from Horst to Penn to Peter Limburgh, Richard Avedon and Mario Testino.  A Q&A followed where pre chosen questions from Pratt design students were answered.

THE TAKE AWAY:  Mr. Penn as everyone called him, was a humble man who despised the spotlight. Anna Wintour although seemingly unapproachable, shared a table at the private dinner that was held post lecture with the top Pratt design students and exchanged warmly with them. Anna may place VOGUE at the top of the food chain at the expense of fashion bloggers (although there was the recent piece in Vogue about the importance of Fashion Bloggers)…but, I would say:  She is protecting her turf as any CEO/Editor-in-Chief does. I am neither defending nor am I promoting. I am simply stating that she is fighting against a stereotype that she doesn’t only promote, but enjoys. Anna’s talk was captivating and beautifully delivered. What a night…NEXT: PRATT honors CATHERINE MALANDRINO on MAY 13. STAY TUNED!!!

Scott is an established New York interior designer who was the head of the Ralph Lauren design team  at The Rhinelander Mansion for many years. His “look” or defining sensibility although not  defined by RL. references a healthy respect for the classic with a modern and definitive approach to color, fabric and  and furniture. Scott’s new book PICTURE PERFECT gives the reader an eye into his work and the homes that he has left with his indelible mark: that of a gracious space which has soul and still retains that air of a “designer’s touch”. The owner of each home can be felt and is expressed through Scotts chic and educated approach.  This is a great summer hostess gift or of course, a great addition to your summer coffee table.  The invitation to his book signing party featured a drawing that he had done as a boy. Everything Scott touches is with style…evident even in his early crayola days! www.amazon.com

Kathy Trustman, owner and founder of The Metropolitan Club and The MET BAR and GRILL has hit a home run! Last week, she and her team launched the mouth-watering MET burgers at Fenway Park as the baseball season officially started. Whether you’re a Red Sox fan or not, this food will give you extra incentive to make your way to Fenway this summer. Her famous Boston Burger, shown here, is smothered in cheddar cheese, bacon and topped with a fried egg. What could be better! And, if food is not enough to get you to a baseball game, stop in at the chic Chestnut Hill location, Dedham or Natick to enjoy more of the MET CREATIONS! Perhaps you would rather have a Mexico City burger covered in guacamole, jalapenos and cilantro…..Ole!
Dont’ miss out on the MET experience! Their Newbury Street location is scheduled to open this August!

www.metclubandbar.com

From the beach to the bar, golf course to the pool, these soft microfiber shorts get wet, dry fast and leave money in the wallet to buy a few drinks after an active day. The removable dry bag that is attached to the back pocket toggle, is good enough for the navy seals for whom the technology was developed. Your blackberry is safe from the elements in this smart pocket. Belt loops provide one more reason for taking life easy as a guy simply adds a belt and a polo and is ready for whatever comes his way. The bright patterned first offerings are named after Torba Bay, Buzios and Kalahari (among others). These shorts are 68.00. There will be plenty of money left in your wallet to save for Liquid Flow’s next offerings…. ALL SHORTS AVAILABLE (while they last) at www.liquidflowclothing.com. Check out the Liquid Flow video on the homepage it is HILARIOUS!!!!!

Brother, sister…Now, Kin means  so much more. The brother, sister, friend you never had since friends and family will virtually able to be looped into every bit of information you feel is worth sharing. This new handheld slider will give the socially driven, must share information generation a reason to run  to the nearest Verizon store to buy the  Kin One or Kin Two.

The Kin is Pocket size and with a clean  user interface that makes everything  easy to share on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace,  The KIN launched in San Francisco yesterday. .

Available at Verizon stores in May!

There was a recent interview in The Huffington Post that struck me for many reasons as “blog worthy”.

Garance Dore is one of the hottest sartorial blogs. Garance’s boyfriend is the guy who holds the illustrious position of THE SARTORIALIST both in name and ranking. Garance is both an illustrator as well as a photographer. She is a taste maker and has become a woman whose opinions and point of view matter to many fashion obsessed women all over the world.

Her photos have a quality reminiscent of the eighties and my days at Vogue. High fashion in a relatable sense. In the Huff Post interview,  Garance references her mother’s wild days of clubbing in Paris wearing the high fashion of the day…

Even though her mother did not want her to pursue a career in Art, it looks like her mother’s influence has had a major influence on her art.

www.garancedore.com

www.huffingtonpost.com