style icon: Carine Roitfeld

No question, French Vogue's Carine Roitfeld is chicer than I could ever pretend to be. It's compelling when a fifty-three year old¹ woman — an international fashion mag editor, albeit — serves as the perfect archetype for le beau monde; more so than the contents of her magazine, or any others for that matter. Ms. Roitfeld seamlessly blends sophisticated glamour with a cavalier French chic in a manner that mere (non-French — ha!!) mortal women could only dream!! I mean she's single-handedly resurrected the elegance of Givenchy² footwear — the (ankle) gladiator sandals in particular, and made oh so very chic last season's Manolo Blahnik silver tipped ankle boots (for Christopher Kane); all the while donning couture, essentially.

Lord help me if I ever complain about five inch heels ever again as it's obvious Ms. Roitfeld wears them right out of the tub and for 23 hours of each day!! And her confident dislike for accessories and makeup dares me to put my best nude face forward. NOT happening!!³ (I still wish she'd tend to those eyebrows, however. Shhh... I know, how dare I even think it??!!) Anyway, I terribly want to be her when I grow up :).

Footnotes:
1. I know, I know. Age ain't nothing but a number... Still...
2. After feeling like pathetic saddo for continuously disregarding the oh so delightful banalities that take place on MTV's The Hills, I actually tuned in one night last week to watch some reruns. And what episode did I happen to watch?? The one in which the girls have arrived in Paris: while been chauffeured, they're deliberating, with such passion, which stops to make when Lauren's friend blurts out Give-nchy!! Poor Mr. Driver winces — as if in physical pain!! — as he corrects her pronunciation and I practically blush with embarrassment at the comical sadness of it all. I must admit, however, that I was totally in lust with Lauren's huffy-scruffy French admirer!! Eeewww!!!
3. I just love make up, I'm sorry. I love the natural look that says I-may-look-like-I-have-great-skin-and-my-cheeks-just-catch-the-sunlight-so-but-I'm-really-wearing-expensive-makeup.







French kisses (ha!!)

Thanks for all your votes over at the Glam Network Annual Awards. Love you!!
P.S. I may be back to label her outfits. Or... I may not.

'Buns'dchen

Even as I anticipate when wearing this deliberate variety of shorts would ever be appropriate — FWD's Chic Report intimates shots in the July fall preview of V mag — I must say I'm developing a strange predilection for Gisele Bündchen's butt!! So, I decided to document it.
So very sad, I know. It's just so errr... lovely??






Kiss. Kiss.

P.S. Vote for me in the annual Glam Network Awards FASHION category.Thank you very much!! :)

for Giambattista Valli

Of course it's naughty and I'm totally up for anything Mr Valli wishes... à la Henry Holland:

Half-nude in your alley
'Battista Valli.

Seriously, only a man who successfully juxtaposes ruffles and rock chic is capable of understanding the complex nature of a woman's mind. Body. Both.
(Available at one of my fave across-the-pond ports: Luisa Via Roma should you want to get it for me. As it is, I'm contemplating a foolish thought that will involve that dress shipped to me and going on a new diet of ramen noodles for at least two months. I'm biding my time for now, however...)


I still dream of last summer's famously photographed fuschia-pink mini-dress!! Chichi chic!! (Don't know the dress?? You better ask somebody!!)








Intricate lingering kisses.

Gilt Groupe: men

I've neglected my wonderful male readers who dare to love my notes because they're just as vain as I am. *giggle* The neglect continues, except that I'm posting a gilted announcement: Gilt Groupe’s Men’s Sales which will premiere on April 16th, starting with John Varvatos!! There'll be two sales a week for the guys (women get four sales a week!! ha!!). Dolce & Gabbana, Hickey and Rag & Bone sales will be coming up thereafter. I strongly advocate treating yourselves.
Here's the email/mini-press realease.
I should do a post on men's shoes :)






Friendly kisses.