dazed&confused: madonna

pushing 50 and still looking good. botox and yoga do wonders!! she does look pretty fabulous though, huh? especially her hair. that's how i'll look when i turn half a century old. alive and kickin'.

the issue comes out sometime next month and probably really soon, and of course, like any other cover star of any american magazine, she has something new to promote. in this case it's her new album Hard Candy, which comes out April 29th. the first single, "Four Minutes," will be released soon and features Justin Timberlake. i haven't heard it yet, but after seeing this cover shot and knowing that the song is a Madonna+JT collaboration, i can't wait.

chanel

a carrousel at a fashion show? can't say it hasn't been done before, but Karl definitely knows how to please a crowd, and of course neither Mary-Kate nor Ashley could miss it.

i'm completely in love with those half sunglasses. (all photos from popsugar.com)

back to black

ann demeulemeester, jean paul gaultier, christian dior, jean paul gaultier

i understand that these are the fall shows and the colors are meant to be darker, but seriously i'm getting a little bored. i like the clothes though, don't get me wrong.

by the way, if you like listening to acoustic, down-tempo music when you're just hanging out at home, download Amy Winehouse's b-side edition of Back to Black. the first two tracks have been played over and over again on my playlist for some time now and i'm still not sick of them.

as for me, well, i'm still bed-ridden. i feel like a couch potato ... i watched so much TV last night, and i slept so long, it's not even funny. and i'll probably do the same thing tonight.

u.r.a. fever

i was thinking about staying in bed all day. i woke up and my throat was itchy, my head was spinning, and my back hurt, but stupid me decided, "oh i'll be fine," and i went to school, only to go home two hours later. but anyways.

a milan recap should help me feel better:

dolce & gabbana

versace

roberto cavalli

etro

moschino

missoni

giorgio armani

i hope you noticed the david bowie tee at Dolce & Gabbana, i love it. i think the designers are starting to take note of the climate change; bare legs in minidresses in the winter, like at Versace, look a little more "vegas in the summer" than "its snowing outside." i'm not complaining though, spring-y and summer-y clothes are more fun.

non-makeup

i love the natural look. that's one reason why i love spring and summer; looking like you just came from the beach is the norm. and really, no ones like when you spend 3 hours in front the mirror -- i mean, i don't.

calvin klein, stella mccartney, marc by marc jacobs

materials: a nice glow (Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer works really good), a little bronzer (M.A.C. and Estee Lauder are my favorites), maybe some rose-colored cream blush (like M.A.C. Blushcreme in Lilicent), and waterproof mascara (i sometimes use Maybelline Lash Discovery in brown, but trust me, there are better ones out there). or you could just say fuck it and slick on some lip balm.

alexander wang + waterproof jeans

we all know of the comfortably chic designer Alexander Wang, but not many of us know about Storm Denim Technology, a finish for denim fabrics (including jeans) that pretty much makes them storm-proof -- they provide "water-repellency, protection from the cold and damp, and breathability." sounds ideal for the man who works outside a lot or the girl who's always on the go. Wang debuted his line of Storm Denim-treated jeans during NYFW and they'll be available in Barney's this fall. check out his demonstration in this Nylon tv video, also featuring his model muse Erin Wasson:

click here to see the full article

rules of nonconformity

Gareth Pugh and Vivienne Westwood livened up the London runways this past week:

gareth pugh

vivienne westwood red
i know i'm posting a little late for London fashion week, but i've been gone all weekend, hence the lack of updates

out magazine: nate, dan, and chuck

unless you're gay, then you've probably never heard of Out magazine. i sure hadn't, until about five minutes ago when i came across the cover featuring the guys of Gossip Girl -- Chace Crawford, Penn Badgley, and Ed Westwick. (click here to read the article)

am i the only person who didn't know that Dan turns gay in the books? i never read them, i only watch the show; i think i spoiled the story for myself.

en vague

notice a trend here? yup, that's Paris, then Cory Kennedy, then Paris again, all wearing tees with their faces plastered on them. Cory (in her limited edition Ksubi tee) even has Paris' face on her shirt. stylish? obnoxious? statement-making? i don't even know how i feel about this trend. and while i would probably never wear a shirt with my own face on it, i do like tees that are "different" from the usual solid, striped, or Hollister Co. basics (but i'll admit i own quite a few of each -- easy dressing, duh). urban outfitters has a bunch, and nope, no Parises or Corys in sight. but you can proclaim your love for Jesus for around $34.

laziness is a virtue

so, the rounded corners on pictures thing got really annoying; back to normal ...

colors varied in the collections this past week in new york. muted or bold? neutral or neon? case in point: Scott Sternberg (Boy by Band of Outsiders) and Chris Benz.

boy by band of outsiders

Sternberg took the typical preppy schoolgirl's outfit and mixed it up with menswear, with plenty of dark grays and fur hats, which is why B.B.O. is now one of my favorite labels.

chris benz

yeah, these looks are a little more fitting for spring (just take out the hat and the coat), but i love the idea of a bright+neutral palette. very fitting for my neutral+pastel color taste, no?

oh and, what's with all the fur hats? i'm hoping two things: 1) that they're fake, and 2) that they won't become a big trend. my friend has the kind with the fur on the inside and the ear flaps, like in the second picture above, and that's enough for me.

and it comes to a close

from the recent mens' and new york fashion weeks:

dsquared2, obedient sons, alexander wang

laragh outside a show, john varvatos, narciso rodriguez

badgley mischka, derek lam

all: diesel

badgley mischka, lacoste

jessica stam outside a show, oscar de la renta, sasha pivovarova backstage

superbowl ads + the eye

i'm one of those people who only watches the superbowl for the commercials. so here i am, in the den with my dad, and the pepsi max with ginseng commercial just came on, where everyone was dancing to "what is love." it was hilarious. see? the commercials are obviously the real reason why anyone watches. =)

i saw The Eye last night, and i'm glad i only paid $7 for my ticket. it could have been an actual horror movie if it wasn't for the ghosts popping up, like, every 3 seconds. Jessica Alba really hasn't been in any memorable movies lately (except Good Luck Chuck -- totally funny). i love the red printed jacket she's been wearing lately though:

it does the job of making her baby bump less obvious while looking chic and sophisticated at the same time. but whose blue trucker hat is that? cash's, i presume? i mean .. i thought trucker hats were over.

speaking of movies, did anyone happen to catch the preview for Wanted, starring Angelina Jolie?