There's a great line in the play Cyrano de Bergerac where our big-nosed hero, Cyrano, tells his friends that despite what others might say, he believes his famously large honker is actually the source of his strength and virility.
Apparently, the British model Sophie Dahl, granddaughter of writer Roald Dahl, needs to bone up on her 19th-century dramas because girlfriend has serious desecrated the nose her parents gave her (right photo from 2001). As you can see from the recent photo on the left, Sophie's nose is teetering perilously close to Michael Jackson status, which is really a shame because she has a truly interesting, beautiful face.
But you know what they say, "Once you go Jacko, you never go backo."
Of course, Sophie Dahl isn't the first woman out there to go overboard with rhinoplasty. I've collected some of my "favorite" celebrity nose jobs in a gallery for you to check out. If I left one out, leave a comment, and I'll add it to the collection.
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is best-known for two things: hair and boobs.
(The model once confessed she never would have made it in the fashion industry were it not for these assets. Touché!)
Nevertheless, the Brazilian bombshell stars in an upcoming advertising campaign for decidedly unsexy company: Disney. The Where the Imagination Saves the Day worldwide campaign features Annie Leibovitz photographs of Gisele dressed as Wendy from Peter Pan.
Gisele isn't the only sexy star to pose for Disney's latest marketing blitz; Scarlett Johansson, David Beckham and Beyonce also signed onto Disney-fied photos.
So lets get this straight: Gisele is Wendy; Scarlett is Cinderella; Becks is Phillipe, and Beyonce is Alice.
Is it just me or does this ad campaign seem appeal to a slighter older Disney demographic?
The Independent in Britain points out that fringe bangs are nothing new. Famous ladies like Anne Hathaway, Mischa Barton, Jessica Alba and Elizabeth Hurley have already trod the full bang path -- Barton and Alba, in fact, have been there and back.
I guess this just goes to show you that a trend isn't a trend until Kate Moss has done it. If you have any doubts about that point, just consider the following other Kate Moss fads: mini-vest, bohemian chic, high-waisted pants and Pete Doherty.
Now I don't know anything about meeting Buddha, but I can say that if you meet a model on the road who says she loves to eat, don't believe her -- especially if she's ex-reality TV-star Brittny Gastineau.
Was she kidding? Well, if you trace Gastineau's incredible weight loss over the past year (I don't -- I honestly didn't know who she was until thirty minutes ago), you'd probably conclude that she was speaking the truth. But still, the confession seems awfully weird.
One thing is certain, admitting to an eating disorder is not a good way to jump start a modeling career, which her friends say is the motivation behind her shrinking frame. Even though most agents and designers would be chomping at the bit to get a 5'11 girl who weighs just 105 pounds, I doubt anyone is willing to touch her now that she's publicly admitted she's an anorexic. The fashion industry can't continue to exist as it is without putting forth the illusion that models its healthy and naturally thin. The fact is once a model says she's sick, the gig's up.
Rumors and photos suggest that Britney's lip injections left her mouth looking less like a pout and more like a trout.
Of course, Brit's lip injection disaster places her in good company. Lots of celebrities suffer from duck mouth, and to prove this point, I've assembled Styledash's official Celebrity Adventures in Bad Collagen. Enjoy!
Despite the advances of virtual realism in today's technology, our experience of the world in binary is still fairly, well, limited to zeros and ones. Sure, you can create a life-like avatar who can eviscerate its neighbor with disturbing accuracy or learn to dance like Justin Timberlake, but when it comes to the smells of real-life, our computers are very beta.
According to a Business Wire press release from May 2007, an innovative software company in Alabama has developed the technology to change what it is that we smell when we sit down to our computers. ScenTeck Technologies released its Scratch-N-Sniff Pro(TM) downloadable software that allows users to experience aromatherapy through their speakers.
Designed as a way to heighten the sensory experience of the computer, the Scratch-N-Sniff Pro (TM) software combines a proprietary "Scent Card" that responds to sound triggers in your hard drive. Translated in to plain English, the Scratch-N-Sniff Pro sends inaudible waves through your speakers that are translated as scents rather than sounds.
ScenTeck Technologies argues that its digital aromatherapy, which comes in scents like Mountain Breeze, Passion fruit, and Patchouli, enhances productivity. And that sounds, or rather, smells, like a great innovation if you can overlook the oddity of inhaling instead of hearing a sound.
But what do you think? Would you want to smell sounds from your computer or would that be just a little too Meet-the-Jetsons for you?
(Full Disclosure: Uh, if this is a viral marketing campaign and not a real product, consider me duped!)
Day four at LA Fashion Week featured collections by Tart, Beach Bunny Swimwear, Voom by Joy Han, The Gallery, Evidence of Evolution, and Jeremy Scott.
I can't say that I was crazy for any of yesterday's shows, but there were certainly a few highlights. Jeremy Scott, for instance, had fantastic disc hats on his models. They're obviously not much of a street wear look, but they added an unexpected proportion to his collection. It seemed plucky and fresh -- notes that were unfortunately ruined by the dirty chimney sweep/dog poop makeup that you can see on some of the models in the gallery.
Other notable moments include a show-opening appearance by Vince Gallo. The actor/director shuffled his way down the catwalk in an Evidence of Evolution jumpsuit. This was just too ironic since I've always thought Gallo had a missing link-look to him. So who better to open the Evidence of Evolution show than Mr. Cro-Magnon himself?
Beach Bunny Swimwear was fake-boob-overload, and Voom by Joy Han had a Japanese manga thing going on, which at least made the show interesting to watch.
We've picked out some of our favorites and our, well, least favorites for the Styledash LA Fashion Week Gallery. Let us know what you think.
The third day of LA Fashion Week featured collections by Gregory Parkinson, Jenny Han, Christian Audigier, Dina Bar-El, Grey Ant and Whitley Kros.
My favorite show of the day was Dina Bar-El. Last year, Bar-El came under heavy criticism for using child models in her show, so as you might expect, the show was juvey-free this time around. I do have one gripe for Ms. Bar-El: what's up with all the white girls? Come on, Dina, get with the program.
However, if you can overlook her homogeneous choice in models, Bar-El's clothes were wonderful. Her evening wear was particularly stunning this time around. I loved the silk gowns in rich jewel tones and her plucky cocktail dresses with striking necklines. The simple makeup and sleek hair was also right on target.
My least favorite show was without question Christian Audigier's presentation. The catwalk/stage was set for high drama -- there was even moody lighting and music to match. To tell you the truth, I kind of think that the combination of the busy clothes and overwhelming set left me agitated. Consequently, I've got no love for the clothes either.
I wasn't sure what the designer was hoping to create. Some of the clothes had a 1920s Jazz Age feel -- flapper dresses, feather boas, cropped hair -- and I liked that part. However, some outfits looked like they were Jodie Foster's castoffs from the set of the movie Taxi Driver. Trust me, underage prostitute is not a good look. I also hated Audigier's makeup: red lips and dark eyes. Most models can't handle dramatic eyes and lips, and they end up looking like tweaked-out trannies.
Adding all of this up, if you can image an underage, tweaked-out trannie prostitute in a feather boa, you basically get Christian Audigier's Spring/Summer 08 collection. You can also check out the woman pictured at right.
We've picked out some of our favorites and our, well, least favorites for the Styledash LA Fashion Week Gallery. Let us know what you think.
Monday was the second day of shows at Smashbox Studios in LA, which included collections by Ecoganik, Coco Johnsen, Kevan Hall, Elsie Katz Couture, Joseph Domingo and, of course, Heatherette.
Adult film star Jenna Jameson once again opened up the Heatherette show with a duck-lipped bang. I can't say that I loved Heatherette's trailer-trash, kitschy Americana clothes. Actually, I can't even say that I liked them, but I feel a certain affinity for a label that survives by selling pricey clothes destined for the no-go-zone of your town's sketchiest Goodwill. I kid you not -- Vegas showgirls would have a hard time donning some of these get-ups. Jenna Jameson sure loves them though. Draw your own conclusions.
My favorite show yesterday was Elsie Katz Couture. Like the Chick by Nicky Hilton show on Sunday, the Elsie Katz Couture was made up of really great ready-to-wear fashions. I loved her use of color as well as her surprising hemlines (i.e.: Do my eyes deceive me or is that a tea-length gown?). Kudos are also due to Katz stylists -- the hair was amazing. I also like seeing non-blond models on the catwalk (model at right notwithstanding). Believe it or not, I think her interesting casting choices made the show stand out most of all.
We've picked out some of our favorites and our, well, least favorites for the Styledash LA Fashion Week Gallery. Let us know what you think.
If there's one great truth about fashion it's that designers will look for inspiration anywhere. A case in point is the recent batch of clothing and accessories decorated with Rorschach blots.
Don't worry, the trend doesn't indicate a neo-Freudian undercurrent in consumer culture; rather, fashion designers have picked up on what is an obvious fact when you take the Rorschach blot out of the context of a psychological evaluation -- they make for totally cool patterns.
I admit, I love Rorschach blots. When I was living in Milan, I bought a t-shirt with a blot that looks like a squirrel, and I can't tell you the number of times people have asked me where it was from (uh, Zara) or how I got my hands on it (uh, debit card).
If you want to try out the Rorschach blot trend, here are a few items to check out:
The first official day of LA Fashion Week started off strong with collections by Sue Wong, Chick by Nicky Hilton, Yves Castaldi and Randolph Duke.
Sue Wong by far had the wildest makeup and styling. Some of the models sported crazy-colored hair and blue lipstick. My guess is that Wong was going for an alien/otherworldly feel, which would have worked had all of the models been similarly painted. But alas, they weren't.
I liked Nicky Hilton's collection most of all, which surprised me because I had pretty much written off that DNA line as a waste of space and air. But hey, sometimes you underestimate people. Chick by Nicky Hilton had a charminglittle French Madeline look with Peter Pan collars and swings coat finished with bold buttons. C'est bon!
Yves Castaldi chose to put actress/model/sad provocateur Bai Ling in his show. Why he did that, I'll never know, but I guess if Heatherette used Jenna Jameson, the precedent had been set. The clothes were kind of crappy to begin with so the unexpected injection of a confusing celebrity was probably meant to be a distraction.
We've picked out some of our favorites and our least favorites for the Styledash LA Fashion Week Gallery. Let us know what you think.
The final day of shows at LA Fashion Week featured collections by Bird of Prey, Candice Held, Monarchy Collection, Samora, Oligo Tissew and Petro Zillia.
We've picked out some of our favorites and our, well, least favorites for the Styledash LA Fashion Week Gallery. Let us know what you think.
Hard to believe the fall fashion season is almost over, isn't it?
Well, before you get too choked up about the end of the Spring/Summer 2008 collections we've enjoyed over the past month, remember that we still have one Fashion Week left. Last but not least, it's LA Fashion Week.
Believe me, we're pulling out all the stops to bring you the very best -- and probably the very worst -- of West Coast fashion. Expect celebrities, falling models, wardrobe malfunctions and drama, drama, drama straight from the catwalk at Smashbox Studios.
It's going to be major, darling. And if you don't believe me yet, just keep an eye out for our exclusive Styledash Fashion Week Gallery brought to you by the ladies (and guys) who live and breathe for this kind of stuff.
Because this is a new trend, I feel entitled to wax poetic about my favorite menergist, Clive Owen. Check him out, folks: the unkempt eyebrows, the real wrinkles, the lack of lip gloss.
He's so menergy. From his clothes to the way he carries himself, Clive falls somewhere between the pretty boy leading man and the grizzly character actor. He strikes a great balance between the gentleman and the not-so-gentle-man.
So as far as I'm concerned, Clive is way more menergy than Clooney. (Don't think I forgot about the Caesar cut that launched a thousand grooming products.)
But you can judge for yourself in the photo gallery below. Just make sure you take note of the non-waxed man pelt in photo three -- it's nice!
Shows about models are a dime a dozen these days. Most programs either follow models/agencies scripted reality style, or they pit the models against each other in a competition format. Of the latter, America's Next Top Model is probably the best; VH1's new show America's Most Smartest Model is probably the worst.
AMSM's premise is simple: you take a dozen models from around the world then send them through mildly rigorous tests of modeling skill and intelligence to see who can last until the end. The show is sort of like Beauty and the Geek -- except there aren't any geeks, which is unfortunate because geeks make for great TV. (Are you listening to me TV-executives???)
The saving grace of AMSM is, of course, the wonderfully talented Ben Stein. He's witty, dry, smart and completely unimpressed by anyone, including the blond sitting next to him, who's technically the star of the show. Funny, I don't even remember her name...
Save for the Ph.D candidate Daniel, none of the models jump off the screen as particularly intelligent. Oddly enough, only a few pop seem especially good-looking (the Ruski Andre B. and Angela). I have to conclude that instead of being about brainy beauties, America's Most Smartest Model is actually about functionally-illiterate uglies.
| Posted Oct 29th 2007 3:04PM by Anne Metz
There's a great line in the play Cyrano de Bergerac where our big-nosed hero, Cyrano, tells his friends that despite what others might say, he believes his famously large honker is actually the source of his strength and virility. 
Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is best-known for two things: hair and boobs. 
It's hard to believe that Kate Moss' greasy, stringy mop would be the one to launch a thousand haircuts, but it has happened. .jpg)
There's a zen koan that says 
Over the weekend, 
Despite the advances of virtual realism in today's technology, our experience of the world in binary is still fairly, well, limited to zeros and ones. Sure, you can create a life-like avatar who can eviscerate its neighbor with disturbing accuracy or learn to dance like Justin Timberlake, but when it comes to the smells of real-life, our computers are very beta.
Day four at LA Fashion Week featured collections by Tart, Beach Bunny Swimwear, Voom by Joy Han, The Gallery, Evidence of Evolution, and Jeremy Scott.
The third day of LA Fashion Week featured collections by Gregory Parkinson, Jenny Han, Christian Audigier, Dina Bar-El, Grey Ant and Whitley Kros.
Monday was the second day of shows at Smashbox Studios in LA, which included collections by Ecoganik, Coco Johnsen, Kevan Hall, Elsie Katz Couture, Joseph Domingo and, of course, Heatherette.
The first official day of LA Fashion Week started off strong with collections by Sue Wong, Chick by Nicky Hilton, Yves Castaldi and Randolph Duke. 
The final day of shows at LA Fashion Week featured collections by Bird of Prey, Candice Held, Monarchy Collection, Samora, Oligo Tissew and Petro Zillia.
Hard to believe the fall fashion season is almost over, isn't it?
Last week, 
Shows about models are a dime a dozen these days. Most programs either follow models/agencies scripted reality style, or they pit the models against each other in a competition format. Of the latter, America's Next Top Model is probably the best; 
Sex and the City Movie: Are you ready?
Lingerie models: Worst Sex and the City look-alikes ever, or better than the real thing?
Christian Siriano: Now outfitting virtual clients
eBay WTF of the Day: This is your purse on drugs.
Sexy undies come complete with "condom pockets"
