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'Manolo Blahnik Drawings' - Shoes That Are Better Than Sex

Filed under: Shoes

Photo: Thames & Hudson

Manolo Blahnik shoes are dreamy in many ways. His footwear is so gorgeous that, if you're a shoe girl like so many of us are, it will haunt you in your sleep.

Sarah Jessica Parker has said she could "run a marathon in a pair of Manolo Blahniks." But sadly, they're so expensive, most of our footwear fetishes are left unfulfilled and we can only fantasize about actually owning a pair.

"Manolo Blahnik Drawings" is a new book featuring the sketches Mr. Blahnik creates early in his shoe designing process. The tome shows over 120 of these, in full color, with captivating and fanciful details like raspberries, laces and stiletto heels that should be impossible to wear, but somehow are crafted into perfection.

The sketches are organized by decade, starting in the Seventies and going up to the current one. So, for now, you can live vicariously through the amazing artwork.


Manolo Blahnik Drawings

    Acid Green Platforms
    Back in the 70's, they weren't kidding when they said, "Platforms"!

    Thames & Hudson

    Shoe-Animal!
    Would you call this a giraffe print? Or just say that the heel is as high as a giraffe's neck is long?

    Thames & Hudson

    Ankle Bib
    Never has a swiss dot neckerchief looked as elegant as when it's on this shoe from 1985.

    Thames & Hudson

    Gold Leaf Lizard
    The excess of the 80s is on full, glorious display with this mule!

    Thames & Hudson

    Tri-color Flat
    Oh, yes, please we'd like to take one in every color!

    Thames & Hudson

    Blue and Gold Bondage
    It's hard to read Blahnik's handwriting, but the notes say that this shoe had velcro on it!

    Thames & Hudson

    Black Patent Leather Sandal
    This shoes is so dainty, and yet so rock and roll tough. No girly-girls allowed!

    Thames & Hudson

    Dancing Bootie
    Can't you feel how jubilant you will be when you wear this multi-colored bootie? The green laces are like a bow on a present. A very expensive and divine present.

    Thames & Hudson

Continue reading 'Manolo Blahnik Drawings' - Shoes That Are Better Than Sex

Real Life Gossip Girls Toast "The Perfect Summer Accessory"

Filed under: Events: On the Scene, Books

"Mercury in Retrograde" by Paula Froelich. Photo courtesy of amazon.com

Truman Capote himself might have imagined the scene: A fresh spring night on the Upper East Side, society ladies in cocktail dresses, and an elegant townhouse with a gossipy provenance.

"This was Montgomery Clift's place, it's where he used to booze it up with Marilyn Monroe," one guest stage-whispered on the stunning second floor, decorated with fine art photography, enlarged party pictures of Old Hollywood celebrities, zebra-print carpet and just two or three original Andy Warhols. "In that corner, by the bar, is where he's supposed to have died."

Continue reading Real Life Gossip Girls Toast "The Perfect Summer Accessory"

Win a Copy of 'Michelle Style' - StyleList Giveaway

Filed under: Celebrities with Style, Contests & Giveaways, Books

Michelle Style by Mandi Norwood

Michelle Style by Mandi Norwood. Photo courtesy of Harper Collins.

Remember how we told you about Michelle Style, by Mandi Norwood, the fun and fab new book that looks at Michelle Obama's fashion journey during the historic Presidential campaign, election and Inauguration? Well, five lucky StyleList winners are getting a chance to find out firsthand how great it is.

That's right! We're giving away five copies of Michelle Style. So, if you're obsessed with our First Lady's fashion choices, wonder what designers have to say about her sartorial sensibility and love to peruse photos and drawings of her now iconic outfits, you will want to win this book!

Ready to win a copy of Michelle Style? Here's how:
  • To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your favorite Michelle Obama fashion moment.
  • The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Tuesday, May 12, 2009.
  • You may enter only once.
  • Five winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Five winners will receive a copy of Michelle Style (valued at $19.99).
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Click here for complete Official Rules.

5 Signs of Venus Week

Filed under: Books, Beauty Tips

the venus weekHave you ever noticed that there is a week out of every month when you look and feel great, plus you're sort of irresistible to everyone you meet?

Continue reading 5 Signs of Venus Week

B. Kamins - Giveaway Winner!

Filed under: Contests & Giveaways

botoxWe have a winner for the jam packed B. Kamins Chemist Bio-Maple eyelash fortifier and beauty 411, Beyond Botox: 7 Strategies for Sexy, Ageless Skin Without Needles or Surgery by Ben Kaminsky giveaway. So why did our lucky lady Angie think she needed the lash juice so badly?

Continue reading B. Kamins - Giveaway Winner!

Have You Entered Our "Freakin' Fabulous" Giveaway?

Filed under: Contests & Giveaways

Clinton Kelly Freakin' Fabulous
We're pretty excited about Clinton Kelly's new book, "Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else," and it appears many of you are, too. We're giving five copies away to five lucky readers, and we're getting some great entries.

Continue reading Have You Entered Our "Freakin' Fabulous" Giveaway?

Clinton Kelly's "Freakin' Fabulous" - StyleList Giveaway

Filed under: Contests & Giveaways

Clinton Kelly Freakin' Fabulous
Around these parts, we love us some Clinton Kelly. Seriously, he could come and hack away at our closet any day. However, his impeccable taste doesn't end at what to wear -- he has a new book out called "Freakin' Fabulous: How to Dress, Speak, Behave, Eat, Drink, Entertain, Decorate, and Generally Be Better than Everyone Else," which you can purchase for yourself here. However, you might not need to, because we're giving away a copy to four lucky (and fabulous) readers!

Trust us when we say this is something you're going to want to have on hand. Because, seriously, who doesn't want to be just a little better than everyone else? If you're not sold on it just yet, you can check out some exclusive video here, but we're thinking that, you know, it's a giveaway -- there's no reason not to enter! Especially when it's this easy:

  • To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us why you're already pretty fabulous (because we know you are).
  • The comment must be left before 5:00 pm EST on Tuesday, February 18, 2009.
  • You may enter only once.
  • Four winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  • Four winners will receive a copy of Clinton Kelly's new book, "Freakin' Fabulous" (currently valued at $24.95).
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
  • Winners will be notified by e-mail, so check next week to see if you've won!

Click here for complete Official Rules.

The Skinny Bitches Love Their Jeans

Filed under: Interviews, Green Fashion

skinny bitchWhether you agree with their lifestyle or not, the authors of the best-selling book, Skinny Bitch, have made a real impact. They've come out with a number of books promoting the benefits of becoming a vegan, and, most recently, they've released a couple of "Skinny Bitch Fitness" DVDs. We had a chance to sit down and talk to them, and while we touched on diet and fitness (of course), we also chatted about fashion.

Continue reading The Skinny Bitches Love Their Jeans

The Sartorialist Lands a Book Deal

Filed under: Clothing

Scott Schuman, AKA The SartorialistEvery fashionista worth her weight in Louboutins internet stalks Mr. Scott Schuman, commonly known to the fashion world as "The Sartorialist." If you're not reading his blog, trust us, you should be. Because, if he's not well-known yet in the mainstream media -- he's about to be. Scott has just announced that he landed a major book deal!

Continue reading The Sartorialist Lands a Book Deal

"Vintage Shoes" - Book Review

Filed under: Accessories, Shoes, Books

vintage shoes by caroline coxIf we could marry a book and keep it by our side for all eternity, it would be this book: Vintage Shoes: Collecting and Wearing 20th Century Designer Footwear, by Caroline Cox, with a forward from shoe god Christian Louboutin.

Continue reading "Vintage Shoes" - Book Review

Nick Arrojo of What Not to Wear: "Great Hair" - StyleList Winner!

Filed under: Hair Care, Celebrities with Style, Contests & Giveaways, Hair Cut and Style



We have a winner of the prize package from Nick Arrojo, celebrity stylist and makeover king of What Not to Wear.

Continue reading Nick Arrojo of What Not to Wear: "Great Hair" - StyleList Winner!

The Next Devil Wears Prada - Win The New Book, "Schooled"!

Filed under: Contests & Giveaways

Michelle Obama Inauguration Predictions

    If expectations are high for Barack Obama, they're no less soaring for his wife -- at least in a sartorial sense. After two decades of Bush and Clinton women -- for whom style was not a sixth sense -- the inarguably fashionable and seemingly fearless Michelle Obama has trend-watchers in a frenzy. Tall and taut, with the broad shoulders and self-confidence to carry off whatever she wants, Obama has spent the past 21 months being compared to Jacqueline Kennedy. And, so far, Obama has acquitted herself well, showing off recession-friendly dresses from White House/ Black Market and pricey styles from edgy designers like Isabel Toledo, who she wore (left) last spring to a fundraiser with fashion industry heavyweights. What will she favor for the White House? StyleList takes a look at her past -- and offers some predictions for the future. And for those who think clothes don't matter, remember the words of JFK as he introduced his wildly popular wife at a 1961 State Dinner at Charles de Gaulle's presidential palace. "I am the man," Kennedy said, "who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."

    Marcel Thomas, FilmMagic.com

    She hasn't even gotten to the White House, but Michelle Obama has already done more than any fashion mag to make Thakoon a household name. The Thai-born designer's dresses were perfect for several major moments on the campaign trail, including (at left) the final night of the Democratic National Convention. At right, the rose-colored silk dress as it appeared on Thakoon's runway. Mrs. Obama seems to have made no changes to it -- except the addition of three her trademark pins to the neckline. (And for those who can't afford Thakoon's four-figure price tags, the designer debuts a more recession-friendly collection at Target in December.)

    PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Image

    No, we don't expect the new First Lady to parade her abs at the Easter egg roll. But with just a few strategically placed swaths of fabric, this delicate floral sheath by Thakoon could meet the needs of the most demanding East Wing schedule.

    Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images

    Back in 1982, when Nancy Reagan wore rhinestone-trimmed knickers to a dinner at the American Embassy in Paris, she was ridiculed across two continents. So it's no surprise that Michelle Obama decided to keep her thighs safely away from the runway version of Moschino's flowered silk shorts (right). What's a First Lady-wannabe to do? Moschino took the same gray-and-purple fabric and used it to bare Mrs. O's knee's in a more Donna Reed way -- a soft shirtwaist that made her look both comfortable and camera-ready for the debut of the Obama-Biden ticket in Springfield, Ill. last summer. Surely, Nancy would have approved.

    Karl Prouse/Catwalking/Getty Images

    This purple silk coat and carnival-striped dress from Moschino's spring collection strikes the perfect balance between the White House need to look sophisticated and Mrs. Obama's penchant to shake-it-up.

    Catwalking/Getty Images

    If fashion tells a story, Michelle Obama's fiery red confetti-printed dress conveyed every bit of her Election Night euphoria. True, the Narciso Rodriguez sheath, modified from the runway version at right, earned as many barbs as raves -- "Maybe it looked really awesome up close?" one fashion wag asked. But you won't find a trace of disappointment on Obama's face, which glowed as brightly as her $10,275 Loree Rodkin diamond earrings.

    Joe Raedle, Getty Images

    Narcisco Rodriguez's edgy black-and-white dress would be techy enough for the You Tube generation and graphic enough for those Dinosaur Age readers of print media.

    Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images

    Tall and toned, Mrs. Obama isn't afraid to experiment. She plays with color (usually favoring brights) and shape (usually body-hugging) -- and, just when you think you've figured out her fashion maxims, she veers in another direction. The cantaloupe-colored Moschino dress that she wore to her husband's acceptance of the Harold Washington Award this fall was a softer color and silhouette than her typical fare.

    Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images

    Hillary Clinton made front-page news in 1993, when she co-hosted the Governors' Dinner at the White House in Donna Karan's "cold-shoulder" dress, a dramatic long-sleeved black sheath with -- surpise! -- the shoulders cut out. We're not sure the world is ready for a First Lady in a cut-out torso, but with a bit of fabric in all the right places, Narciso Rodriguez's 'bondage" gown would be a fierce addition to Mrs. Obama's don't-mess-with-me repertoire.

    Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images

    Peter Soronen's fashions are fun, flirty, and fit for a woman confident enough to show off her curves. Small wonder he's earned red-carpet time from the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Hudson and Tina Fey. He's also added Michelle Obama to his roster. At left, her white delicately-patterned dress is adapted from Soronen's houndstooth check sheath.

    Peter Soronen



Want to win a copy of Schooled? Here's how:
  • To enter, leave a confirmed comment below telling us which actress you think you should play Anna Taggart, the book's main character (browse through the gallery for a few possibilities, or just pick your own).
  • The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Monday, November 24.
  • You may enter only once.
  • Ten winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  • The winners will each receive one book, (valued at $23.95).
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 or over.

Click here for complete Official Rules.

Winners are notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you're the winner!

Nick Arrojo of What Not to Wear: "Great Hair" - StyleList Giveaway!

Filed under: Celebrities with Style, Contests & Giveaways, Hair Cut and Style



We have a special, personalized giveaway from a very special source: Nick Arrojo, the amazing stylist and makeover king of What Not to Wear, is giving away an autographed copy of his new book Great Hair.

Continue reading Nick Arrojo of What Not to Wear: "Great Hair" - StyleList Giveaway!

StyleList Giveaway: Signed copy of Forgotten Fashion

Filed under: Runway Trends, Contests & Giveaways, Books

A little while back we told you about Forgotten Fashion: An Illustrated Faux History of Outrageous Trends and Their Untimely Demise by Kate Hahn, a hilarious book about made up, but all too real, fashions.

For this week's StyleList Giveaway, we have a copy of the book to give to one fashionista who likes to accessorize with her -- or his -- fabulous sense of humor. And it's autographed by the author, Kate Hahn, and Andrae Gonzalo, from Project Runway, who did some of the illustrations.

Ready to laugh? Here's how to enter:
  • Leave a confirmed comment below telling us about your most outrageous fashion attempt.
  • The comment must be left before 5pm ET on Friday, November 14th.
  • You may enter only once.
  • One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
  • One winner will receive a copy of Forgotten Fashion (valued at $12.99.)
  • Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia who are 18 and over.
Click here for complete Official Rules.

Winners are notified by email, so make sure to check next week to find out if you're the winner!

170 years of Tiffany & Co. is celebrated ... with pigs in a blanket

Filed under: Fashionable Food

When you think of Tiffany and Co., you imagine luxury and opulence, champagne and caviar. But, that's not exactly what the uniformed waiters were serving on their trays at a recent party celebrating John Loring's latest book, Tiffany Style: 170 Years of Design.

Rather than serve hors d'oeuvres one would expect at such a fete, they served pigs-in-a-blanket. A nod to the weak economy, perhaps? Loring says no, insisting, "That's just American folklore."

Folklore it may be, but all we know is that if we were attending a party having anything to do with Tiffany, we'd be looking for snack foods we didn't tire of in middle school.

How You Voted

    Threesome or topless?
    More than 3/4 of you think the CK campaign 'Threesome' campaign was more risque than Wrangler's topless models. Get the full story here.

    Inzemove and Fred & Farid

    Do these ads belong in the U.S.?
    StyleList readers were nearly evenly divided on this, with 52% thinking that they should run in the States, and 48% finding them inappropriate. Get the full story here.

    Inzemove and Fred & Farid

    Curly or Straight?
    While 30% of you think she's so beautiful that her hair doesn't even matter, 49% of you prefer her curls. Get the full story here.

    Kevin Winter, Getty Images | Jon Furniss, WireImage

    Offensive or artistic?
    Just over 50% of StyleList readers said they weren't offended by this shirt, but didn't know if it was totally appropriate to wear in public. Unfortunately, that wasn't the opinion in Dubai. Get the full story here.

    Photo: eBay

    ebay

    Strapless dresses on 13-year-olds
    StyleList readers think strapless dresses should be saved for older girls -- 41% of you think the look is too mature. Get the full story here.

    Getty Images

    Is Megan the new Angelina?
    Half of you think Megan needs to get her own identity and quit copying Angie, but more than a quarter said Jolie doesn't stand a chance against this Fox. Get the full story here.

    Getty Images

    Did Calvin Klein respond to public's outcry?
    The controversial "threesome" billboard in Soho has been replaced with this one, but 51% of you believe it was just to keep people talking about the brand, not because CK caved. Get the full story here.

    Rachel Been, AOL

    Calvin Klein's Racy Ad
    Is it art or practically pornography? About 40% of StyleList readers found this billboard obscene. Get the full story.

    Maggie Coughlan, AOL

    Palin's Pedi
    Do you think Sarah Palin's funky pedicure was appropriate? If so, you're in good company -- 68% of you said it was fun and fabulous. Get the full story.

    Getty Images

    Bright, Light, or Dark as Night?
    How do you like your toenails painted? Over half of StyleList readers prefer their piggies with bright, perky polish. Get the full story.

    Getty Images

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