Must Haves...

1. Hermes leather bracelet
2. Cavalli animal print silk blouse
3. Gladiator 4 inch stack heels
4. Jumpsuit in neutral color
5. Wide belt with buckle closures
6. Hoop earrings
7. Ponytail
8. Tweetie on my Iphone
9. Dark Skinny jeans

Bring back the Beatles.

The British invasion of Top Shop opened to a frenzied crowd on 478 Broadway, with Kate Moss headlining, and JLo making an appearance. For the uninformed, Top Shop is the hit of the UK, mostly due to marketing the Kate Moss collection to the many Brits who cannot get enough of her particular look.

Top Shop NYC is now inhabiting 40,000 square feet of space, all dedicated to overpriced and ill-made merchandise, not so much a novelty here in the USA; we have Gap, Old Navy, H&M, Club Monaco, Ann Taylor, Cache, Banana Republic, Victoria Secret, Bebe, BCBG, etc. Someone failed to do their homework.

The Top Shop 'hook' is that a style team will help you get your look together... I picked the stylist that looked the closest to my age, NICKY, who blogged she is going to be wearing lots of florals with mini-shorts this spring. Not a good look for anyone over 18, and at Top Shop, these looks go from $44 to $304. NICKY's picks showcased an odd assortment of stuff resembling my last giveaway to Salvation Army. You can get it cheaper there.

OH, and in the What is New at Top Shop? Ripped Jeans. See blog post below. Ripped jeans belong with sequin tops, shoulder pads, red leather jackets with zippers all over them. NICKY would love it! That would be the EIGHTIES, which were over before they began, an absolute fashion abyss. Looking into my Swarovski crystal ball, as went the 80s, so goes Top Shop.

Spring Fashionista's are wearing, WHAT?!

Just browsing through all the stylish magazines that somehow have survived the economic downturn, even though some are thinner than my instruction manual on my new GHB, and what do I see? RIPPED JEANS. Peeps, this is not a look you want to adopt. Especially now, when any sign that you overpaid to look like you are in the unemployment line is politically incorrect.

At Miami Fashion Week last week, we saw a return to true glamour, and Micheal Cinto from Dubai really rocked the runway with haute couture - in the words of one young front row fashionista, made her feel 'complete'. When the world economic news is dreary, and all shades of grey/gray, wear BRIGHT COLORS AND LOTS OF BLING!!! Cheer us up, peeps.

Here is something to cheer about, on April 30 2009, Design Cares will feature a runway show of exclusive evening gowns by the world’s leading designers including Adrienne Landau, Carlos Alberto, Carolina Herrera, Catherine Malandrino, Chado Ralph Rucci, Diane Von Furstenberg, John Galliano, J. Gerard, Maggie Norris Couture, Marc Jacobs Collection, Michael Kors, Nicole Miller, Vera Wang, Versace and Yigal Azrouel to name a few. Every dress seen on the runway will be auctioned off at the event and online to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the world’s premier pediatric cancer research centers. The event will be held at the Armory at 26 Street and Lexington Avenue from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

The theme for this year’s Design Cares benefit fashion event is Kaleidoscope of Dreams. Design Cares 2009 will be the collaborative effort of many designers and with the added support of models, stylists, and celebrities, April 30th will truly be a kaleidoscope of fashion industry professionals coming together to keep the dreams alive for children with cancer.

Attire: FABULOUS. Do not wear any ripped jeans. I will be there wearing Carlos Alberto and BLING. CHEERFULLY.

Britney Makes it Back in Black

Looking more luscious and fabulous than EVER, our lil Britney made her major comeback in Germany, where she was presented with an inspirational award, and gave a style-icious performance in black hot pants, a high neck black chiffon blouse and top hat.... the whole CIRCUS take off on one of my all time fave movies, Moulin Rouge, and Britney rocked the house!

Black is back as a fashion staple, but not the generic black dress your mother wore! Easy to accessorize, classics that remain wearable year after year, long on value, short on hype. Lengths will be all over the leg, but showcasing fabulous shoes, boots, and of course, the ever present logo bag.

After the past few years of colorful excess ON and OFF the runways, I predict the little black dress and black separate pieces, conservative to couture, will emerge as top sellers in 2009, with Resort Collections being the exception, blooming in florals and prints. Peeps getting back to basics, just new definitions.

Fashion CPR Needed at CMAs

Putting aside all commentary and questions about what was Kid Rock doing in Nashville??? the rest of the CMA's were a bad Carrie Underwood remake of the movie Pretty Woman, with endless costume changes that went from fairly likeable to downright, mmmm, NOT. The fashion mishaps suffered all around were only slightly outstaged by poor sound, partly due to a meltdown in power just a few hours prior in Nashville. Carrie had only two passable outfits, the nude cocktail dress with cutouts (see above) and the black shredded dress she accepted her Best Vocalist award in....the rest were D.O.A.

Nicole Kidman was a runway inspired mess, dressed in shapeless silly string. This was a shocker - she is normally dead on in her fashion selections. I wavered between giving her a fashion pass (she just had a baby) and using photoshop to give her a waistline.

The lights going out back stage MUST explain why Taylor Swift walked out unaware - or simply uncaring - that she'd spilled a drink on her black jersey drapey cocktail number, I had to look and look again. Perez Hilton should have a field day on this one. The only thing she nailed was herself, apparently.

Either way, the drink was the accessory of the night - unless you count Kellie Pickler wrapped in gauze head to toe to support her accessories.

And this was the best of the evening. I have scads of other photos, which I will use to illustrate what NOT to wear on the red carpet in the future. Fashion CPR needed all around, especially on Miley Cyrus and Emily West.

Nov Fashion Double-Header

A fashion double header is in the works this month, first with the Country Music Awards (CMA) on Wednesday, November 12, with Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, hosting live from Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 12 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network.

The 2008 American Music Awards (AMA) show will be held on Sunday, November 23, 2008, at the new Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California, with Jimmy Kimmel once again the show's host. Click here to see a list of the 2008 nominees. Who will top the Dixie Chicks from last year? Subtitle this, "Damn!, DUMB, Duh??"

On the red carpet watching stars either fire it up or flame out.

The Best.