Trend de la Crème Weekend Reads

Photo: Time Out New York

• Fashion Indie explains why all men are idiots (well, at least in fashion).
• Thread Trend has the "Cool Jewelry Report" featuring Mari Funaki, Bijules, and Renata Mann.
• Fashion Binge is having a love/hate relationship with extreme handbags.
• Couture In The City wants you to harness up your belts, ladies!
• Jillian at Haute Mimi (a habitual three-coater) has stellar summer nail tips.
• Chic and Charming has delicious pirate-inspired jewelry. Ahoy!
• Fashion Ability offers up a testosterone-fueled pictorial on what makes a man sexy.
• The Fashion Police investigates the crime known as "feet snatching."
• Chic Stories has some first looks from Australian Fashion Week.
• And last but not least, Fashionably Geek has penis massage pants! Ay, yay, yay.

Butterfly Life: Meet Me In The Garden

Uma Thurman is thinly veiled behind butterflies in this month's issue of Another Magazine (a fitting tribute to her very non-public persona). The theme and title of the feature “Uma, Taking Risks” does a superb job of juxtaposing her undeniable strength with her striking feminity. (Hats off to photographer Craig McDean!) See the full article here.

New DVD Release: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

This French-language film, directed by Julian Schnabel, tells the real life story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, the once-famed editor of French Elle Magazine, who become completely paralyzed after a stroke at the age of 43. The only part of his body that he could still move was his eye, which he eventually learned to blink in sequence to spell out words. "Film buffs will relish [the] approach and the result, a movie all the more remarkable because the story it tells is true." Jen Chaney, The Washington Post

If you happen to find yourself in Pacific Grove, California, be sure to stop by the Butterfly House. This labor of love was created by J. Jackson, for his wife Sonja, after she was diagnosed with a devastating eye disease. The more sight she lost, the brighter the house became. Read the full story here.

Social butterfly Charlotte Dawson's return to the catwalk has been dogged by crushing comments about her fashion sense - and being "fugged" by critics. The former model and current presenter of Australia's Next Top Model, strutted her stuff as a celebrity model for the Camilla label at Australian Fashion Week yesterday. She appeared for the Australian label in bare feet and wrapped in a colourful yet unflattering maxi kaftan that resembled curtains. "The good news," wrote Morgan and Cocks of Go Fug Yourself, "was that Dawson was on television only in Australia." [via stuff.co.nz]

• Annick Goutal 'Eau d'Hadrien' Hand Painted Butterfly Perfume at nordstrom.com
• Juicy Couture Onyx Flower Ring at bloomingdales.com
• Grainne Morton Butterfly Bracelet at grainnemorton.co.uk
• Enamel Butterfly Ring at dorothyperkins.com
• French Connection Butterfly Beach Bag at asos.com
• Floral Butterfly Print Skirt at newlook.co.uk
• Alex Monroe Pomegranate Flower Necklace at alexmonroe.com

(From left to right: Spring 2008 ready-to-wear collections by Ralph Lauren, Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Miu Miu) Photos: style.com

John Mayer Makes Me Wish I Was 13 Again

I'll be the first to admit that 1986 was a good year. (What's not to love about VW Scirocco's and checkered slip-on VANS?) So, I can understand why John Mayer was tempted to pay tribute to this decade from the neck up. But here's where I take issue: Why Michael J. Fox from Back to the Future?

When Mayer wrote, "I'm very excited to bring this amazing look into today's pop culture landscape" on his blog, I asked myself "why stop at mediocre 80's hair?" Why not a Flock of Seagulls parting-of-seas coif? Or an Andre Agassi mullet? Or better yet, why not pay tribute to the 80's with something other than your head? (Honestly, is there any reason to mess with the perfection that is John Mayer?)

John Galliano's 'Christian Dior-chids'

According to John Galliano, his inspiration for the Christian Dior fall/winter 2008 collection was the optimism and opulence of the sixties, amped up with bright color, lashings of paillette embroidery, and Western hats. Sarah Mower at style.com described the collection as "neat ladylike suits and dresses beloved of Kennedy-era America" (not surprising given the back-combed hairdos and thick black eye-makeup.) But, if you take a closer look, his color palette, pattern choices, and cuts bore a striking resemblance to exotic orchids. (More 'fantasy flora' than 'First Lady chic,' don't you think?)

Hot Off Australian Fashion Week Runways

I'm in love with these new looks from shows at Australia Fashion Week. Problem is, I can't wait for them to make it into stores. So I found some looks with similar vibes, and for a lot less money ;)

Get this Camilla & Marc look:

• Silk Aztek Batwing Top at warehouse.co.uk
• Chain Stretch Bracelet at dorothyperkins.com

Get this Lisa Ho look:

• Warehouse Brushstroke Dress at oli.co.uk
• Dollhouse Rock Strappy Heel at zappos.com

Get this Nicola Finetti look:

Bonita Chiquita Dress at lulus.com

What, No Celebrity Crotch News?!

Vagina Is For Lovers Tee at vaginaisforlovers.com

With Britney, Paris, and Lindsay keeping their crotches in check, there is finally room in the headlines for other vagina news:

* Roseanne Barr is so proud of her vaginal rejuvenation surgery, she recently went on the Craig Ferguson show to talk about it. (So proud, in fact, she re-named her vagina 'va-junior.')

* If you're in the market for a vagina-shaped sofa, you're in luck. Somebody posted theirs for sale on Craigslist.

This month marks the 10th anniversary of "The Vagina Monologues" and Oprah Winfrey is still calling her vagina a "va-jay-jay." If the most powerful woman in America can't come to terms with the word vagina, then I guess we're all screwed.

The Seattle Times found this abstract 'heart vagina' painting offensive and refused to publish it. (To be honest, I didn't even notice that it was a vagina. In fact, the picture on a box of Hot Pockets looks more like a vagina. Okay, maybe not.)

This woman seems happy selling her homemade vagina-inspired wares. Gotta love the vagina tiara! (Just had to throw this one in for smiles!)

This nasty ad for 'Vulva,' the vagina-scented perfume, is a big hit in Italy. (God forbid she had a man's finger in her mouth like that Tom Ford ad. That would have crossed the line!)

The Vagina Festival in NYC (October 24-28, 2008) is accepting visual art proposals for painting, drawing, photography, prints, textiles, sculpture, ceramics, metalworking, etc. Click here to submit your work. (Sorry, no self-portraits accepted.)

Dripping With Style

With winter behind us and spring thaw in high gear, fashion picks up where the snow and ice left off.

• Alexis Bittar Dripping Pear Hoops at alexisbittar.com
• Drip Slide Pendant by paprikadesign @ etsy
• Melting Heart Necklace at erosionjewelry.com
• Yayoi Inada Melting Heart Earrings at mattermatters.com

Anna ter Haar 'Dripping Tar' sunglasses

(as seen on the Klavers van Engelen fall/winter 2008 runway)

Alex + Chloe Necklaces at alexandchloe.com

Sergio Rossi Splash Patent Paint Drip Pump

Space Mermaid Fantasy Fashion

Polyvore is giving fashionistas [like yourself] the opportunity to win some free Space Mermaid swag by dreaming up a fashion fantasy layout using pieces of their jewelry. (And even if they don't pick yours, it's fun to play fashion editor/creative director for an hour.) Here are mine. Now it's your turn :)

Marchesa's Sacred Spires

At first glance, the individual pieces in Marchesa's fall/winter 2008 collection felt overtly feminine, often bordering on frilly. But, when studied as a whole, the complex detailing and pronounced structure of the collection reminded me of tapering spires and tiered pagodas found on temples and sanctuaries. (I was also reminded of their decorated finials, the highest point of the spire or pagoda which serves to protect it from lightning.)

Symbolically, spires and pagodas have two functions. The first is to give the impression of strength. The second is to reach up toward the skies, bringing one closer to divinity. So, it was no surprise to find out that each piece paid subtle tribute to Queen Elizabeth I, who was forced to keep her femininity hidden despite her awesome power. According to Nicole Phelps of style.com, "There was a new structure to these clothes. Take the stunning black dress with an hourglass shape so sculpturally defiant, it evoked armor. Anybody who wore it would be paparazzi-proof."