Happy Halloween!

{Image via Art Deco}

It's almost time! What are your plans for Halloween? Mine include:

• A Thriller dance class with my girlfriends on Saturday. I'm really terrible at following choreography, so this should be hilarious.
• Cocktails at my place -- I finally set up a small bar area in my apartment, and I'm excited to put it to use. Maybe we'll play a little Ouija board as well?
• Dressing up as a Dia de los Muertos bride/zombie/skeleton {something like this}.
• Party-hopping and looking for trouble...it's Halloween, you're supposed to be mischievous, right?
• Scrounging up some Halloween candy, preferably mini Almond Joy, mini Butterfinger, and mini Snickers {because mini candy is more fun than regular sized candy somehow...}.

And remember:

"Softly cross your fingers at the Witching hour.

Over fates and fortunes, the moon will give you power!"

Halloween Hair Accessories

If you are planning to be Cleopatra or Egyptian goddess this coming Halloween, be sure to check out New York Nat's Egyptian inspired hair accessories. They come in fuchsias, emeralds and golds with accents of Swarovski crystals.



See the rest of the collection and prepare to be a head-turner this Halloween!

Lady Gaga Makes The Whole World Gaga In Flair Magazine

Lady Gaga will make the whole world go gaga on November 9 when the December 2009 issue of Flare Magazine hits the news stands. What do you think of her pink wig?

Miranda Kerr and Ana Beatriz Barros Dressed Like Pin-up Girls for V Magazine

Victoria's Secret Angels Miranda Kerr and Ana Beatriz Barros graced the pages of V Magazine's December 2009 Issue. The Angels channeled a pin-up look as they pulled off the greatest Resort collections for the season.


The magazine will hit the newsstands on November 3, 2009.

Current Obsession: Melissa Dixson, Taxidermist Extraordinaire

According to Freud, the "uncanny" is "the class of frightening things that lead us back to the known and familiar." Taxidermy is a perfect example of the uncanny -- it appears alive, but is dead; it is familiar, yet completely unfamiliar. We want to touch it, but we are utterly repulsed...

I have always had a sincere admiration for people with very unusual and particular skills that takes years of practice and devotion to perfect: the profession of taxidermist definitely falls under that category. I recently discovered taxidermist Melissa Dixson's shop on Etsy...then her website...then her blog. Now I have an undeniable fascination with her work, albeit a somewhat uncomfortable one.

Interestingly, Dixson views her work as the ultimate form of re-cycling. She uses only furs that have come from licensed trappers and hunters {who help aid in population control and disease-prevention}. She is active in wildlife preservation and very much considers herself an animal lover.

Her work is oddly sweet -- she creates full-size taxidermy, using animals such as foxes, wolves, coyotes, and deer. She also makes dainty decorative items out of horns and tails.

I think Freud was right -- as an animal lover myself, I find something endearing and attractive about taxidermy, but it is this very affection for animals that also makes me want to instinctively take a step back out of fear. Why is it often the things that make us feel a bit conflicted that are the most intriguing??

::What are your thoughts on taxidermy and animal re-cycling??

A Russian Meat Fashion Show by Goodman Steak House

I was shocked when I saw the photos of a fashion show where models strutted the runway with outfits made from raw meat. The fashion show was organized by Goodman Steak House of Russia. During the show, models paraded a beef skirt, a filet mignon purse, a necklace of ribs and other meat clothes and accessories.










I suddenly remembered last year's episode of America's Next Top Model when models wore meat underwear.

What would PETA say about this gross event? Personally, I felt sad that some people chose to waste the life of those poor animals. Obviously, they are not contented with eating meat, they also want to wear them. Such a barbaric act! Any reactions?

Source

Halloween Costumes From The Runways

Are you ready to treat or trick? Since we have only 3 days left before Halloween, here are more Halloween costume ideas straight from the runways of Spring 2010 and Fall 2009. Choose your Halloween look that ranges from corpse brides to wacky clowns.

Zombies/Corpse Bride from John Galliano, Anne Sofie Back, and Vivienne Westwood.


Evil Witches from Yohji Yamamoto, Gareth Pugh and Margiela.


Hot Vampires from Rick Owens, Elise Øverland and Sharon Wauchob.


Wacky Clowns from Alexandre Herchcovitch, Comme des Garçons and Chris Benz.


Source

Michelle Obama Mrs O Book

To those who love Michelle Obama's fashion style, here's some good news for you. You don't have to go anywhere to follow the fashionable look of the First Lady because Mary Tomer of Mrs-O.org wrote a book entitled, Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy. Iconic fashion styles from her wedding to the White House as well as the rarely-seen photos during the Presidential campaign were also included in the book. There's more, personal interviews with Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo were in the book.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a copy of this book and know the fashion styles of Michelle Obama.

Source: Instyle

America's Next Top Model Cyle 13 Episode 8: Petite Ninja Warriors

The girls were set to have a photo shoot that was inspired by martial arts. They sported their best warrior pose as they hang in a wire.

Who got the best look?


Sundai


Nicole


Rae


Laura


Kara


Jennifer


Erin


Brittany

Photo: tv.yahoo.com

Ivanka Trump's Wedding Gown Inspiration

During her wedding, Ivanka Trump opted to wear a Vera Wang wedding gown as she walked down the aisle. According to People.com, Ivanka's wedding gown was inspired by the gown worn by Princess Grace Kelly when she married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. Share your thoughts about her wedding gown!

Fashion & Film

When it comes to the art of costume design there is one name - Milena Canonero. She is responsible for the looks of A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), The Shining (1980), Chariots of Fire (1981), The Cotton Club (1984), Out of Africa (1985) and most recently, Marie Antoinette (2006), for which she won her 3rd Academy Award. She also did the costume design for the television series Miami Vice. She emphasizes color palette and working closely with set designer. See an analysis of costume in A Clockwork Orange here.

Qui êtes vous, Polly Maggoo? (1966) by William Klein is a vintage classic with unique costume design. The French film centers on a model, followed around Paris by a film crew. The opening scene features a show by designer André Courrèges.

Boom! (1968) was an entirely unique project shot on the island of Sardinia. Adapted from a Tenessee Williams play, it features a memoir writing, aging actress, played by Elizabeth Taylor. The look was a combination of "timeless" Italian modernism with Japanese Kabuki. The remarkable costumes that resulted are the star of the film. "Tiziani of Rome” is credited as the designer. Tiziani however was essentially an American owned label that was “ghost designed” by Karl Lagerfeld.

Fashion & Music

Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld in 1991

Music is an art form with a stage presence that has connected it to costumes and fashion. Rock, punk, glam and country western are all recognized styles. Hip Hop is a subculture of both music and style. In “Great Aspirations: Hip Hop and Fashion Dress for Excess and Success,” Emil Wilbeki begins by explaining that Hip Hop was first resistant to fashion and then slowly became consumed with status. Rap stars began to align with American Dream of excess. The clothing style varied from track suits to prep.

Run DMC, late 80's

Isaac Mizrahi saw his elevator operator with a gold chain and repeated the look in the late 1980’s, supporting “homeboy chic.” Karl Lagerfeld used padlocks, similar to Treach by Naughty Nature. Russell Simmons, Sean Combs and Master P started clothing lines. Simmons coined the phrase “ghetto fabulous” mixing the sexuality of the styles of Versace, Fendi and Dolce & Gabbana to create Phat Farm. Combs partnered with Zac Posen. Norma Kamali below styled Chaka Khan’s “I Feel for You,” video with stretch jersey.

Kamali

Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis 1992 in Vogue

Malcolm Barnard, in his essay, “Fashion, Art, Performance, Masquerade,” explains that fashion is associated with concepts of identity, beauty, performance, spectacle and masquerade: “Identity may now be thought of as an ongoing performance which is immediately undermined as the appearance of authentic identity and with all the theatrical and spectacular connotations that accompany the idea.” He describes David Bowie as “Ziggy Stardust” as “mixing fashion, art, performance and spectacle.”

New Zealand musicians Flight of the Conchords included a segment of Bowie in his "outer space years," above. The Conchords work with a French costume designer Rahel Afiley and have created a video called "Fashion is Danger." Images below from V Magazine 50 "Greatest Hits."

Fashion, Fa-fa-fa-faashion

St-st-style

Lo-lo-lo-lo-look look look

I'm the edge, I'm the chic, I'm the taste,

I'm larger than life with just a hint of lace

I'm the vanguard, I'm the air, I'm the vogue

I'm the shi-shi, ooh oui-i, I'm the man a la mode

P-p-p-p-p-president Reagan

Thatcher Th-Th-Thatcher

Jazzercise!

L-L-L-Lipgloss,

Ooh-ooh-ooh!

Posing, Posing at the bar

Posing, Posing sitting down

Posing, Posing in the distance

Posing, Posing with my arm

Posing, Posing with my leg

Posing, Posing like a swan

Posing, Posing for a portrait

Posing a threat

You think you know fashion

Well, fashion's a stranger

You think fashion's your friend

My friend, fashion is danger

Moscow, Berlin, Paris, London

Tokyo, Wellington, Rome, Geneva

New York City

New-New-New-New York City