Do the new alternative beauty trends really pay off? Find out in today's Must Reads from:
Hip Candy shudders at the thought of jellies making a comeback.
Chic & Untroubled warns Delias not to head down the Forever 21 path.
A new handbag designer has Shoppings My Cardio excited.
Are leeches the new way to health? She Finds has the answers.
I Am Fashion is seeing stars.
Our newest network partner, also currently featured in our exclusive Coutorture editorial 'A Night At Maxim's', is the lovely designer, Sue Stemp. Stemp will bring to our network her knowledge and experience as a contemporary fashion designer thriving in New York. Stemp's blog curates her lively adventures in design which include everything from exclusive events to karaoke nights with friends (like, uh, Doo Ri). Also, captivating are those glimpses from the 'backstage' vantage point, the moments that can only being captured by the designer herself (not the press, nor her friends). This week, Stemp captured the birthday party of Alexander McQueen, which started at Waverly Inn and finished at Beatrice. To see more from the party, check out Stemp's blog, we guarantee you'll recognize a few people.
Click for more Network shoutouts.
As the tension between the scarcity and demand for animal skin mounts, animal prints are riding on the coattails of the debate. Leopard prints are becoming increasingly more popular and from Spring 08 to Fall 08 and we think it's actually one print that feels fresh, particularly for summer. We like a woman who doesn't associate summertime with baby doll dresses and bohemian prints. We like a woman who, even in ninety degree weather, can pull off a leopard print cardigan, bowler hat, and crisp pair of jean shorts. A.P.C.'s Spring 08 collection definitely has this flavor, and the model they've used for the ad campaign is a perfect fit. Thick eyebrows, little makeup, and an unsmiling 'even though I'm at the beach, doesn't mean I'm going to wear a sarong' attitude, make us feel like Spring 08 will actually bring a different aesthetic than the countless nautical/bohemian/aviators and a bathing suit-summers of year's passed.
Links:
Network partner Pink Rock Candy on Leopard prints
Network partner She Finds on Oscar de la Renta and animal prints.
Network partner Shoewawa on leopard print pumps at a decent price.
And...check out our original Coutorture editorials!
Our English network partner, Kingdom Of Style, has called on Absolutely Fabulous for a dose of nostalgia. Yesterday, Catwalk Queen brought us an outfit inspired by Sweet Valley High, and today, we've put together some Absolutely Fabulous looks to get us through this rainy Tuesday (well, at least in New York and London). Both cult classics feature looks that would embarrass even the most liberal fashionistas. We've taken the high road so that in case you want to relive the Patsy and Edina narrative, you need not also be the laughingstock of the high street. For an Ab Fab video clip and more, be sure to check out Kingdom Of Style's nostalgic post.
Cuffington has Dandyism on the brain with the recent coverage of Sebastian Horsely. While it isn't considered transgressive for a woman to spend time on her appearance it would seem a man with an unusual style can create quite a stir. Cuffington is asking her readers to weigh in on who they consider to be a dandy. And while Dandyism has a long and delightful history and we can think of many admirable men who hold the title, we are curious if a woman can achieve the title herself. Apparently if she dresses like a man it is possible to go down the road of dandyism like Russian poet Zinaida Gippius. Nevertheless, it would seem the realms of male and female taste when it comes to aesthetics is simply bound to diverge. And while a woman may be crazy about a sharp dressed man, how do we feel about a woman?
For More Shoutouts Click Here
Whether it be fashion near or far, the Coutorture Community knows what's hot. Discover the next big thing in posts from:
Fashionably Cute has found the cutest underwear...in Japan.
Would you undergo cosmetic surgery to become taller. According to Beauty and Personal Grooming it's possible.
BussBuss finds the European version of Etsy.
Couture In The City wants you to amp up your Spring with color.
Poetic and Chic draws inspiration from the Hitchcock dames.
The Brazilian designer's Spring 2008 collection and looks from her Uniqlo Capsule Collection (From WWD.com)
Ever pick up a tunic from Forever 21 for $15 and wonder just exactly how it could cost so little? Art Box Diary turned us on to a little video called The Story of Stuff. Using a $5 radio from RadioShack we are taken on a journey around the world to discover just why this little radio is so cheap. It turns out to be a parable loosely based on an aphorism popularized by science fiction writer Robert Heinlein and economist Milton Friedn: "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch." The concepts of TANSTAAFL refers to the opportunity costs of any given activity. In order to get one thing cheaply something else has to be given up. But what exactly is being given up hmmm if we aren't the ones paying the cost? That is the story of stuff in a nutshell.
