missing the old britney

A friend recently reminded me of the 2001 MTV VMAs, in which Britney performed "I'm a Slave 4 U" with the lion and snake. And watching it again ... what happened? Remember when Britney was the standard by which to measure all fabulous, extravagant, professional performers? Look at her strutting around and carrying the whole damn show by herself. You can't take your eyes off her. We don't have anyone who pushes the envelope like that anymore, especially now that Xtina is all '40s glam. Probably no one can ever live up to the Britney of '01, not even Britney herself.

(thx, liza)

richie rich

Bernard Arnault, courtesy forbes.com

A couple of weeks ago, Forbes published their list of the richest people in the world. Bill Gates is still #1, with $56 billion, but the person I fantasize about finding myself secretly related to is Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Arnault is worth a mere $26 billion, but his company owns such iconic brands as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Fendi, Donna Karan, Givenchy, Pucci, Sephora, Parfums Christian Dior, Guerlain, Benefit Cosmetics, Fresh, Makeup For Ever, Parfums Givenchy, Aqua di Parma, Tag Heuer, De Beers, Le Bon Marché, Moët and Chandon, Dom Pérignon, and Veuve Clicquot, among others. (For a full list, visit www.lvmh.com.)

I think I'm going to start writing Bernard letters calling him Daddy.

thought for the day

Bart: According to creationism, there were no cavemen.

Homer: Good riddance. Their drawings suck and they look like hippies.

we get it, already

I understand that the Jolie-Pitts are beautiful/stunning/breathtaking/magical not only in their looks but in their philanthropic ways. Really. I understand it. I get it.

It is because I have an innate understanding of the beauty that is the Jolie-Pitts that I feel entitled to comment on this picture:

www.people.com

There are so many questions including (but not limited to): Why does a 5 year old have emo-style platinum blond highlights? How does a 5 year old sit still long enough for highlights to process? How does a 5 year old know what highlights are? Did Maddox tell his mom that he wants Elmo but, due to inability pronounce the letter 'L', ended up with the above?

the rapture has arrived

Kiehls is at Target!

However, it is still prohibitively expensive (not that that has ever stopped me before) ...

www.kiehls.com

fashion lament

Apparently, Baby doll dresses are the "in" thing this summer:


I went to the store and tried it on. I ended up looking pregnant. Like I should be holding my lower back and complaining of hemorrhoids.
This is a very hard look to pull off. Even the model kinda looks like she should slap a "baby on board" sign to her Toyota Prius (which is what I imagine models in baby doll dresses drive).

it's a sad thing to be jealous of 13-yr-olds

Chloé Paddington, $1540 at net-a-porter.com

I just ran across this article from November '05 that analyzes the business of luxury goods for teenagers. Teens and young people now make up a significant portion of the high-end market. I'm not surprised that 10% of the women who buy Coach bags are 18-24 years old, but the anecdotes from teenagers in the article drive me crazy. I can't believe I still get jealous of girls who get Prada bags for their 13th birthday parties. I try to be morally outraged, but then I realize that I can see myself buying expensive things for my own kids someday ...

"you're always on your periodical"

Question: Why are American women better in bed?

Answer: They use their mouths.

click here to listen.

(if you're at work, you might want to turn the volume down)

ridiculous controversy

Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2007 Advertisement, courtesy msnbc.com

Stefano and Domenico are pulling this ad from campaigns worldwide, after insistence from both the Spanish and the Italian governments. While I generally believe that images like this contribute to a variety of negative consequences for women, I just don't understand: why this ad? why now? This is not the first or the last time that a strange, sexualized, objectifying image will be used in fashion. I think D&G are, for some reason, the scapegoats for the entire fashion industry.

(via fashionologie and bunnyshop)

seriously?

Get the Look: Urban Decay, courtesy sephora.com

This is Sephora's idea of a beauty trend worth re-creating at home? Once again, proof positive that you should never trust people who are trying to sell you things.

tips from the pros

amazon.com

I recently bought the best book ever. Confessions of a Beauty Editor is written by Linda Wells, the founding editor in chief of Allure. Great tips and the best part? No hidden agenda. Meaning Ms. Wells does not try and hawk products for the reader to buy.

Curious? Intrigued? Well, here is something to wet your palette:
(Adapted from Confessions of a Beauty Editor, page 23)

Anti-aging tips:

20s: Prevention
To prevent premature aging, start using sunscreen and antioxidants. If you have had a lot of sun exposure, you may want to try using an over-the-counter retinol cream at night.

30s: Exfoliation
As you age, the skin starts to thin. Not only should you be using sunscreen and antioxidants but you should also use a night cream that contains retinoids and alpha hydrox acids. Also, once a month do a glycolic peel or at-home microdermabrasion at least once a month.

40s: Stimulation
Turning 40 usually means fine lines and sagginess. MDs can offer stronger prescription retinoids and skin lightening formulas (to remove age spots). Home peels and/or microdermabrasion should be applied on a weekly basis.

50+: Firming
Sagging and wrinkles are now a fact of life. Dermatologists recommend applying a copper peptide cream, which can help the slow the "fall" of skin every night. Retinoids are probably becoming drying; moisturizers with petrolatum and hyaluronic acid will help. Treatments such a microdermabrasion are usually best left up the the pros.

And now for my tip:
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SUNSCREEN. EVERYDAY. NO MATTER CLOUDY IT IS.

good deed for the day

When was the last time you wondered if the women's shelters in your state were getting enough feminine hygiene products to meet the need? Fortunately, Seventh Generation, a green paper products and cleaning products company, actually thinks about this stuff and will donate a box of sanitary products to a women's shelter in your chosen state – just for going to the link above, choosing a state and dragging a heart into a little house. Now how fun is that?

rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

....These are a few of my favorite things (insert Julie Andrews making dresses out of curtains here).

I was up late one night, watching Cheaters (thanks Joey Greco, for teaching me to love again) and eating chips and cheese, when an infomerical for Sheer Cover came on. Sheer Cover is a mineral-based makeup from Leeza Gibbons.

She has been called a social entrepreneur, but if you ask Leeza Gibbons what she does, she'll simply answer "I'm a storyteller."

I watched, in rapt attention, as Melissa Gilbert (from Little House on The Prairie. Michael Landon was her TV father; everything she says must be true!) showed me how Sheer Cover covered her fine lines and wrinkles.

(Side note: How did the business relationship between Leeza Gibbons and Melissa Gilbert come to fruition?)

After watching for about an hour, I had to order it. It came about 2 weeks later and I must say I am impressed! It does cover pores and pimples without making you look like a mannequin. It is also very light and blends well.

Laura Ingalls Wilder, you've done it again!

sorry, bono

So, the whole (RED) campaign has been a bit of a bust by some accounts. Ad Age is reporting that industry experts estimate the various partners spent upwards of $100 million on marketing for it, with GAP spending 13% of its fourth-quarter '06 marketing money on its RED items (sorry, an econ geek just took over my brain for a second).

Anyway, guess how much the fund has made off the products? A whopping $18 million.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I have a Product (Red) Razr. I promise it's not because I thought those 17 dollars were going to cure AIDS, though. It's just because I can't afford the Dolce & Gabbana one (yet).


Update: The folks at (RED) and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS respond with some poorly-written letters to the editor of Ad Age.

public service announcement

I know, I know. When it comes to skin, there is a fine line between porcelain and verge-of-death. As a girl who skates dangerously on the shoulder of the latter, I understand your pain.

But please, let this be your warning to lay off the tanning bed:

TIP OF THE DAY: Wear sunscreen on the backs of your hands to avoid age spots.

practice makes purr-fect

Meet Nora, the most talented feline pianist in the world. It's your duty as a member of the Internet age to watch this. More than 1.5 million people have, and over 1,000 blogs link to it. Don't be the last to know!

fashion is fun again!

Agyness Deyn in John Galliano Fall 2007 Ready-to-Wear, courtesy style.com

Love the set design, love the colors, love the over-the-top shapes, love the scrawny girls workin' it like they're more than corpses floating down the runway.

John, you silly little man ...

John Galliano, courtesy style.com

good works from good search

Next time you need to search for something online, try using Good Search. You choose a charity and every time you search for something, the website donates $$ to that charity. Great idea. Seriously.