Neiman Marcus is giving a gift away with a $700 Manolo Blahnik purchase. It’s too bad that the shoes usually cost between $520-$650. And the gift is random, not very Blahnik: espadrille thong sandals and Bobbi Brown Beach fragrance.

So, spend well over $700–probably over $1,000–on Manolo Blahniks to receive cute but cheap-ish shoes (that don’t look particularly comfortable) and a tiny bottle of fragrance. What is the incentive, here? Just focus on the Manolos!

I’m naturally not feeling very excited, today. I usually find a beautiful shoe to display, but I have been wondering if I should move on to Designer Mondays, and mix it up. What do you think?

Excitement! I am to host the Carnivale de Couture on April 10th! (I am so busy in March!) So, I will post my topic on about April 3rd. But there’s plenty of time before then, I just had to share the happiness.

This week’s topic, from Verbal Croquis, is

You are throwing a little dinner party featuring fashion glitterati, past or present, dead or alive. You are only allowed to invite 5 people. Feel free to include designers, style icons, journalists, models, moguls, intellectuals, you name it.

More excitement!

Here is my list of personal choices!

• Coco Chanel - She created the most elegant and classy designer line that today inspires others and remains a powerhouse while still being true to the classic Chanel. And the woman is fascinating. I’ve read so many of the things she’s said; she is both inspiring and sometimes bewildering, even infuriating … all at first read. Eventually, the quotes are realized to be so natural as women are themselves, she had such wisdom and truth. Wouldn’t you love to speak with her?
• Tyra Banks - She is a true model, a role model with a brain, personality, a real body, and a natural beauty. I would love to associate with her.
• Isaac Mizrahi (and his dog, Harry, so he doesn’t have to leave early to walk him) - He is an adorable riot, a doll, and is a gay man who should be my friend! I think we’d get along with some of our similarities. Plus, I’ve got to speak with him about his not wearing socks!
• Marilyn Monroe - Talk about a real, buxom beauty. She deserves to come back to life. I’d get her to give great quotes for press, and we’d discuss the skinny ideal society has, today.
• Rebecca Taylor - Another designer I love partly for her personality (equally for the clothes), she is a happy, spirited soul. I’d love to hear her go on about rainbows and glitter. She would bring out the child in me.

Entry continued, read more »

Here is a sample of Milan’s Gucci Fall/Winter 2006 show:

Left: No one can pull this off. Not even Paris Hilton can come out of her top that much in one night.

Thank goodness for Hollywood Tape.

Right: Now we have more dead makeup, much like John Galliano’s Dior Spring 2006 couture. Spare us! I’m tempted to recolor her face with Photoshop!

You’d think I’d find it refreshing to see different kinds of faces on models at these things, but well these unfresh faces leave me cringing. (That was so mean.) To be fair, I think it’s mostly the eye makeup.

Breathless has moved to a new name and location: High-Fashion High at www.fashion-high.net!

Moi is no longer blogging there, but there are two great new bloggers!

One is Miss Cinnamon, from Style Spotlight. The other is brand new to us, Jane Choo! Good luck, girls!

Please check in for all the runway Milan and Paris action, as well as Spring shows, and more fashions!

Some like it steamy, some like it romantic, and some just like it haute.

This is the review of two different products of media. Actually it’s two very different reviews, and please hang with me for both.

To preview, a summary of Some Like It Haute, the novel by Julie Dam.

Alex is the type of girl who manages to make it through everything out of luck, maybe some talent, but little else. She is surrounded by the finest things in life, without appreciation for the little things. And we hate her … yet we still want to be in her place, in her shoes.

And a summary of Some Like it Haute, the blog by Alex Simons.

We also still hate [Alex], with brand new every day pictures of Prada and other designer shoes. [But] we love [the blogger] for knowing so well the insight to our souls. Finally! Another person who gets it—and she explains it so well. It’s very well written…

Entry continued, read more »

I haven’t posted about boots in a while, and I can feel the western trend slipping away. But with coming Spring, we can both wear boots while the chill remains and stock up for next Fall. Also, trends recycle in an evolving process, so boots with western hints are now pretty chic. These Seychelles Against the Law boots are so cool for girls with attitude. With a trendy heel and sleek details, these are in good taste. In opposition to the name, they don’t warrant a call to the fashion police. They may inspire some sinful coveting, but that wrong answers to a different power.

Urban Outfitters is at the out.fitting, again, but this time they only have their trend following to blame.

First, we must mention the Spring 2006 trend: nautical-inspired, navy-toned stripes. Fine. But they’re always laid out horizontally. Doesn’t everyone know that horizontal stripes widen the figure? Models can scrape by with the look, but all women beneft from an accentuated waist, the larger want slimmer hips, and most look better with a taller appearance. Conversely, mixed diagonal lines coming in to an arrow point is actually flattering. They can create that waist or emphasize a bust (like in this photo).

Next (on the right) Urban Outfitters displays a von Furstenberg-ready print in a tunic-sack shaped frock. What’s worse is there’s a wide, white band across the widest part of a woman’s body: the thighs. It removes the view of the natural waist and moves it down, which forces odd proportions onto the body.

I don’t know what designers are thinking, but as women we should carefully consider these aspects of what we buy to adorn our bodies!