Twiggy Sells Olay Again

Twiggys new Olay ad

Twiggy's 1980's Olay ad

40% off Sale at ASOS

ASOS is offering select name brand items for 40% off this week. See them all here.

My picks:[Click to enlarge]

Kookai sweater, $49.59; Wrangler Megan jeans, $75.24; Blonde and Wise dress, $76.95; Colette Powell rosette dress, $64.98; Maggie by Margo Folk dress, $64.98; Richard Nicoll for People Tree ruffle collar shirtdress, $75.24

Another Euro ShopThat Needs to Emigrate

NV is based in Ireland, and only ships to the UK at this point. But they have such cute dresses!
(I love the third from the left - I may need to con an expat friend into shipping it to me...)

Keen on Peaches

Maybe it's just cause she's British and somehow even trashy Brits seem less trashy than American ones (it's gotta be the accent?) but I kind of love Peaches Geldof. She has a great, eerie face and impeccable rock-spawn style, but above all she looks like she consumes more than 10 cigarettes and a vial of powder for lunch - which is a fucking FEAT for a girl running in her rich-idiot circle. Sure, this probably only means she's into downers instead, but body-wise her impending death seems far less obvious, and therefore I can't logically blame her for the 14 year old barfing in the stall next to me.

Not only does she have a somewhat healthy appearance, but she's getting paid for it. Check her out as the Miss Ultimo spokesperson. FYI if you see anything you like, this cute lingere shop is UK-based but does ship to the U.S. for some hefty postage (close to $25.) And if you have megaboobs, their sizes go up to a G-cup (holy shit.)

A Magazine Gets Real (For Just One Issue)

Whoa - ANOTHER post about a fashion mag breaking the mold. Is the speedy decline of print publishing creating a byproduct of awesome? Did budget cuts mean they had to lay off the photoshop staff?!

This Saturday's new issue of French ELLE features a huge spread of stars who agreed to be photographed with NO MAKEUP and NO RETOUCHING. Not only that, but Eva Herzigova appears on the cover au naturale - under eye puffiness, asymmetry and all. (And still stunning, I might add.)

Man. If "real" were ever to become a trend in fashion publishing (and it won't - cause their advertisers WANT you to feel inadequate. Don't you watch Mad Men?), can you imagine the impact on the self-image the average woman? How many syringes of Botox would go uninjected! Tubes of Proactiv unsqueezed! Healthy lunches un-purged!

What I want to know is how the f*ck ELLE got away with this? Weren't the beauty advertisers pissed? Or are things that different in Europe?

[Source]

Topshop US Opens on Thursday

Finally!!! Anyone up for a MegaBus ride? I only need the slightest bit of encouragement...

For the opening they're offering free manicures, hairstyling and makeovers by Make Up For Ever (one of my fave pricey brands...) as well as live DJs (inlcuding Justine D. of my fave super-R.I.P. party Tiswas) and other giveaways.

In NYC this week, Topshop vans are all over the island giving out free gift cards: find out exactly where.

It's London Fashion Week

And lately it's becoming my favorite of the fashion weeks. Here are a few trends I'd like to see cross the pond:

(Click either image for a closer peek)

These are three of the best looks to hit the London runways to date:

Giles, Julien MacDonald, and Richard Nicoll.
I'm in love with the fabrics, the tailoring and the general future-romantic vibe, respectively.

For more on the London Shows, hit up WomensWearDaily.com.

Will Topshop NYC Ever Open?

The NYC Topshop flagship was supposed to open in September 2008...then November 2008...on Jan. 5 it was leaked that the opening would be March 26, 2009 at 9 p.m. The next day it was reported a fire broke out in the store. Causing further delays? Who knows.

What's the real holdup, I wonder? Money problems? Perfecting the in-store Kate Moss shrine? Seems top secret, whatever it is. Their website offers no info on the new location.

OMFG ASOS

I don't know where to begin - I'm literally shaking with excitement about all the sick sale items this Brit store ASOS (yes they ship to the US) has up for grabs! I'll just let these pictures speak 5,584,879 words to your face:




L to R from top: Polka dot dress - $35.51; Religion asymmetric mini dress - $35.51; Religion grecian tulip dress - $40.35; Religion cut out shoulder dress - $40.35; Bellanina wool bandeau dress - $56.49; Religion razor blade detail dress - $64. 56; Miss Milne beaded 20's dress - $61.33; Miss Milne ruffle neck chiffon dress - $80. 70; Chandelier lace dress - $56.49; Miss Milne lightening dress - $80.70; Lipsy strappy body con dress - $56.49.

Topshop Sale! $40 Dresses

The site sucks for not removing items once they've sold out (often resulting a lot of fruitless clicks) but fortunately at the moment most of the items featured are still available. Including these three cute, formerly-way-more-expensive dresses that are now $40 each.

Just be careful to check the size conversion! A size 6 UK is like a size 0 in US terms.

The black one is so grunge (it's coming back, kids), I would need to buy combat boots specifically to wear with it. Or at least that's my excuse. Detailing on the dusty lavender one is makes it a standout... and the sparkly star one? It's just Liza Minelli crossed with Rainbow Brite ridiculousness. Which is of course why I like it.

Teen Heiress Liquidates: 75% off Sale

Russian teen heiress and Forever 21-ish store chain owner Kira Plastinina has filed for bankruptcy for all of her US stores.

Her first store in New York opened in March 2008, with a Dylan's Candy Bar (another heiress-owned business) shop set inside of it. Sadly, I never got to try the whole sugar and shopping combo (guess I'm stuck fishing gummies from an outside store out of my purse while I shop...) but in case you cared, everything on her website is currently being liquidated at 75% off. Most of the stuff on there is fugly, just FYI.

Can I just add that - wow - Russia's economy is in better shape than ours?

Topshop Taking Its Sweet Arse Time

According to Women's Wear Daily, the SoHo NYC Topshop flagship store will be opening its doors later than expected (boo! And I was already planning an excursion!) They had planned for mid-October, and now it's looking more like November.

But to tide us Yanks over, a US version of the Topshop website launched yesterday. Now you can see how much stuff costs in dollars (exchange rate=still a huge bummer). But it's still shipping from across the pond for at least a $15 charge, so all they really did was assist those Americans who can't multiply a figure by two. Which sadly, is probably a lot of us...

As soon as they nail down a real date for the shop opening, I'll let you know.

Topshop NYC Website

It's up, HERE, complete with a gallery of hipsters hanging out at McCarren Pool. (From a party to celebrate the opening of the store... even though it's not open for another two months?)
Regardless, there's also a drawing to win $1k to spend at the new shop when it ACTUALLY opens on Broadway and Broome in SOHO this October.

Cheap Clothes and Candy = Genius

Kira Plastinina Spring/Summer '08 look

Whatever minds are spinning behind the name of 16-year-old Russian heiress and retail brand Kira Plastinina (site: words are Russian, pretty pictures aren't) are spinning GOLD.
The first pink-tastic KP store -- full of H&M/Forever 21 cheap trendiness and set to open in SoHo NYC next month-- will also be full of candy! In fact, all of the 50 planned US stores will include an in-store candy shop.
Plastinina struck up a deal with the fabulous Dylan's Candy Bar chain to create what will either be a whimsical or very sticky shopping experience.
I can't wait to check out the store-- though I haven't been able to find an actual Grand Opening date yet. (Lemme know if you do.)

H&M Swallows Cheap Monday

H&M is growing. They just acquired another Swedish company named Scandinavian AB, which they'll run as a stand-alone.
You've never heard of them, but you probably know their trendy denim brand Cheap Monday, purveyors of some of the best cut skinny jeans on the market. They also own Swedish store chains Weekday and Monki (ADORABLE homepage with fat birds- check it) and brands MTWTFSS Weekday and Sunday Sun.
Cheap Monday jeans are still mostly under $100 but no, aren't exactly cheap-- hopefully this means we can get them at ghetto prices soon? Regardless- more European influence from a retailer serving America is always a bonus. If you need an explanation as to why, get off my blog.

Uniqlo Takes Four

H&M-esque Japanese retailer Uniqlo plans to jump on the young designer "capsule collection" bandwagon this year with lines by Alexander Wang (whose grunge-y fall '08 show rocked me), Juliana Jabour, and menswear designers Tim Hamilton and Loden Dager.
I recently ventured into their massive flagship store in SoHo and was bummed out by the lack of color, print and general excitement on the cashmere-dominated racks. (In its favor, my super-stylish friend Mischka is all about it.) Maybe these four can liven things up?

Russian Teen Bringing Her Stores to U.S.

Kira Plastinina (leggings) at the opening of one of her stores.

It's easy to be a "design phenom" at age 15 when your billionaire daddy is backing you, innit? (Not to mention probably hiring people to design clothes for you and then shooting them in an alley when they're done so there are no witnesses to your lack of involvement.)
However, I'm curious to see what's inside a Kira Plastinina store (average price about $48, alluring physical resemblance to Forever 21.) Apparently NYC and LA will know in April, when the first of her 50 planned U.S. stores open.

Topshop NYC: September 2008

A rendering of the flagship Topshop location in SoHo, NYC, one of three NYC locations planned.
(PHOTO: WWD.com)

It's coming! 478 Broadway in SoHo. And they're going nationwide after that. Vegas, Miami, Boston and the west coast are on the list already.