Style Fix

Veganism is still growing in prevalence in the mainstream news, even in the fashion world!

* New York Magazine’s blog, The Cut, featured Olsen Haus shoes because the brand “Makes Being Vegan Stylish.” The fashionable blogger wrote about the fast-growing, young, vegan-owned design house saying: “when we think of vegan clothes or shoes, we tend to picture shapeless sacks, earthy colors, and Birkenstock-esque footwear. … But Olsen Haus is breaking that fussy image with its chic, leather-free shoes.”

* The New York Post reported that France’s own first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, reached out to PETA to talk about her semi animal-friendly fashion choices. In a letter to PETA, Carla wrote: “I do not wear, buy, or own fur or animal skin other than leather or skin of animals raised for feeding purposes. I am not a vegetarian and I don’t find it illogical to wear skins of animals whose meat is also eaten. … I would gladly consider giving away sable, fox, and other fur coats - if I owned any.” PETA responded rather maturely and anti-abolitionist, saying that they respected Carla’s forward thinking. They did not bash her for approving of leather, instead they simply sent her a pair off vegan shoes from Stella McCartney.

* Speaking of Stella McCartney … the vegetarian designer has teamed up with Gap to design affordable, sustainable clothing for Gap Kids and Baby Gap. Read all about this new venture over at Vegetarian Star.

* Vaute Couture has been working diligently on a limited-edition collection of four vegan, high-fashion, winter coats and they are finally here! The coats, one of which is shown here, are available for pre-order right now for fall 2009, and Vaute Couture is offering to match your down payment now through June 30. So if you pre-pay $100 today toward your new Vaute Couture winter coat, they will take $100 off your remaining balance.

* Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt teamed up with vegan shoe company Macbeth to create his own vegan rocker sneaker. If you want to see the shoe and read more about it, check out my post about it at VEGdaily.

Words to live by tell you not to judge a book by its cover, but maybe sometimes you should take things at face value. Like when a children’s clothing company names itself Dysfunctional Clothing. Maybe then it is okay to steer clear of this brand because, as it discloses in its title, it does not function.

This week the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of the fleece hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings from Dysfunctional Clothing “due to strangulation hazard.”

In 1996, stricter regulations on drawstrings were enacted to help prevent children strangling themselves with their clothes. The Commission also recalled hooded fleece sweatshirts by Rusty North America for the same reason this week. Seems as if they are cracking down on clothing companies not following the 1996 regulations.

If you think that you have a recalled item, visit CPSC’s Web site or call the Recall Hotline at 800-638-2772. And stay away from clothing companies that brag about having problems.

I knew when I wrote it that my negative opinion of Michelle Obama’s Isabel Toledo inaugural dress and outfit would be met with opposition. My stance has not changed - I do not think the look flattered her curvy figure, and I think the accessories were too much.

There were several points that commenters have made about the fashions of Inauguration Day that I agree with, and think that they are worth mentioning.

1. Jill Biden, our new second lady, looked stunning in her bright red coat - and Lynn Cheney, too, in her red gloves. But Jill’s knee high boots paired with an above-the-knee dress may have been too much for the event. Regardless, she did look fabulous and I am sure the boots helped keep her legs warm.

2. Speaking of warmth … a resounding point that I agree with is that Michelle looked cold. Bare legs and an open jacket in 30 degree weather? Brrr!

3. It’s been no secret that the Obamas love J. Crew, but this fact was solidified Tuesday as Michelle wore accessories from the store, and Barack and the girls were decked out in Crew clothing, too.

4. And those girls were certainly decked out! Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, were refreshingly age appropriate in their ensembles, which were custom designed for them by J. Crew’s children line, Crewcuts.

5. Aretha Franklin’s hat was, well, if nothing else it was very Aretha Franklin. She’s always been an over-the-top dresser and, although the hat was ridiculous, it matched her personal style perfectly. Plus, I have to commend her on making the hat a focal point and not overdoing the look with ten other flashy accessories.

The most commonly repeated advice for writers, new and old, is “write what you know.” There needs to be an equivalent suggestion made to celebrities. Something along the lines of “do what you can do” or “stop trying so hard to do more random things in an attempt to stretch your 15 minutes.” Or, you know, something like that.

On that note …

* Britney Spears’s ex Kevin Federline is, according to a People article about his new girl Victoria Prince, working on a children’s clothing line called Otzi. While it is clear that Kevin shouldn’t stick with rapping, I’m not so sure fashion is the right choice either. Maybe he can just keep on getting girls pregnant. He’s good at that.

* Amy Winehouse is a wreck. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, the girl can sing. And that is what she should probably focus on. Ditch the cocaine and the criminal boyfriend, and don’t follow through on rumored plans to create a clothing line in collaboration with British label Fred Perry.

* Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood is a creative genius. She puts on unique shows. She designed Carrie’s wedding dress in the Sex and the City movie. But now she wants to try her hand at writing the script for the second SATC movie. She has reportedly written to the producers and called Sarah Jessica Parker to plead her case, but, alas, her people report that no one has taken Westwood up on her offer.

Today’s tidbits are brought to you from the infinite fashion-related gossip provided by NY Mag’s The Cut.

Fashion has gone to the kids! Fashionista-in-training Suri Cruise is forever splattered across magazines and blogs in stylish dresses and adorable metallic Mary Janes. And many other celebrity babies are growing up quickly, creating a new target shopper: the style conscious child.

Now, your children can join celebrity kids and be more stylish than ever as top label designers moving into the children’s clothing realm. Forget saving for college - your child will thank you more for blowing your money on designer outfits that they will simultaneously stain and outgrow.

Since breaking ties with the Bill Blass fashion House, designer Peter Som has found time to concern himself with what toddlers wore in yesteryear. Som has released a limited edition, seven item, capsule collection from luxury kids wear brand Best & Co. The four boys’ and three girls’ outfits are available now at Bergdorf Goodman. From $400 trousers to $1,200 jackets, your spoiled rugrat can finally exude that snobby air you’ve been looking for … she better not spill anything or grow, though!

The outfits shown here are the three looks for girls: an organza dress for $995; sleeveless dress, $995; double-breasted coat, $1,195. Click on the picture to read and see more at NY Mag.

Returning to children’s clothing is the more affordable but still too nice for messy, growing kids Tommy Hilfiger. His preppy polo shirts and khakis have been increasing in popularity amongst Europeans, and now, thanks to a deal with Macy*s, Hilfiger will have a spring 2009 childrenswear collection in America. More new lines are expected from the Macy*s-Hilfiger collaboration.

Redheads of all ranges of shades can and should rock the occasional red outfit … especially if it makes you exude as much confidence as Christina Hendricks is here, in her shiny, orangy-red party dress at AMC’s red carpet event to celebrate the second season of Mad Men July 21.

Blonder reds - especially when they have the skin coloring of a real redhead - can brighten their reddish tones and highlights with a strong, bold hue as Lindsay Lohan did on set for Ugly Betty July 20.

Traveling back in time a bit to prove that it can always make for a “do,” here’s Nicole Kidman (with husband Keith Urban) at a CMT Music Awards event on April 14.

Because no redheaded post would be complete without Julianne Moore … here she is finally adding a touch of color (she lives in black or nude) to her look. The raspberry undershirt helps higlight her rosy cheeks as she reads the children’s book she authored, titled an appropriate Freckleface Strawberry, at a kids J. Crew back in November, 2007.

It’s Hollywood Baby Mania 2008! With babies are being born to celebrities at an exponential rate, it is totally in style to be a parent.

The latest famous birth announced was a 7-pound boy - Levi Alves McConaughey - on Monday, July 7 to Matthew McConaughey, 38, and his girlfriend, Camila Alves, 24.

In case you haven’t been keeping count, here’s a tally of some of the famous babes and their parents.

Hours before Matt’s little one popped in on Monday, Nicole Kidman, 41, and husband Keith Urban, 40, had a baby girl - Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban.

Thursday, June 19, Jamie Lynn Spears, 17, gave birth to baby girl Maddie Briann Aldridge with fiancé Casey Aldridge, 19.

Tori Spelling, 35, and husband Dean McDermott, 41, welcomed Stella Doreen McDermott on Monday, June 9.

Saturday, June 7 was the birthday of Honor Marie Warren, daughter of Jessica Alba, 27, and husband Cash Warren, 29.

February 22 was the day that twins Emme Marbiel Muniz and Maximilian “Max” David Muniz (Muniz is Marc’s given surname) were born to married couple Jennifer Lopez, 38, and Marc Anthony, 39.

Kieran Lindsay Lieberthal was born on January 17 to Julianna Marguiles, 42, and her husband Keith Lieberthal.

On January 12, Max Liron Bratman was born to parents Christina Aguilera, 27, and Jordan Bratman, 31. His name means “our greatest song.”

Less than 24 hours before Max Liron, at the same hospital, Harlow Winter Kate Madden was born to Nicole Richie, 26, and Joel Madden , 29, on January 11.

And as for the twins of Angelina Jolie, 33, and Brad Pitt, 44? Angelina was admitted to the hospital on July 1, but with an August due date the world is still awaiting the latest addition to the Jolie-Pitt crew.

Mark Wahlberg and fiancee Rhea Durham are expecting their third child in September. Victoria’s Secret model Alessandra Ambrosio is also expecting, with boyfriend Jamie Mazur.

Although Mischa Barton looks sweet in her fairy get-up at A Time for Heroes Celebrity Carnival, benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, it seems that she was the only one that got the wear-a-costume memo. Either someone was playing a trick on her, or, I suppose, she was just really in the mood to wear face paint and wings.

I’ll admit to having donned fairy wings in the summer before, but I was 18, with lots of friends, and not surrounded by paparazzi.

She sure had confidence, though, I’ll give her that!

More celebrities are coming out with their own lines of products: no surprise there. Today, everyone has a perfume or a clothing line, or two or both.

Usually the celebrities make sense, however. Sarah Jessica Parker has a classic sense of style and starred in a hit, fashionable show … and has her own clothing line. Amanda Bynes is cute, sweet, and has a throng of teen girl fans … and has her own clothing line.

But now it is just getting ridiculous. Here’s three recent announcements:

1. Amy Winehouse: forget the drug and rehab scandals and what do you have? Bad makeup and horrid hair … and her own line of beauty accessories. That’s right ladies and gents, you too can now have a matted rat’s nest atop your head (product: hairspray) and eye makeup that looks like you used an extra thick magic marker (product: liquid liner). But don’t forget the clothing accessories, too (product: animal-print head scarf).

2. Jill Scott: she’s got a big voice, a big heart for children and her hometown of Philadelphia, and big boobs. I said it. Jill Scott has some tatas on her, but now she’ll have better support. The soulful singer has teamed with company Ashley Stewart to design the
Butterfly Collection by Jill Scott, a lingerie line for plus-size girls and their “girls.”

3. Luke Wilson: he loves golf; girls love him. Next rational career step? Of course! Design a clothing line for golf-playing men! The actor and “Top 40 Hollywood Golfer” (according to Golf Digest) has teamed with athletic clothing-giant Puma and Swedish athlete Johan Edfors (shown here with Luke) to create clothes inspired by the “more sophisticated” style of 1950’s sportswear.

Any guesses for whose next? A collection of shirts by the ever-shirtless Matthew McConaughey? Bronzer by the ridiculously fake tan Lindsay Lohan? Perfume called “Sanity” by Paula Abdul?

It’s time for ‘tween girls to have their day … with online fanatasy games?

R.Lilly Fashion Fantasy Game allows girls to take paper dolls to the extreme level. After creating a login account players can establish a character then go shopping, design clothes, establish a clothing line, explore major fashion houses, visit fashion capitals, and even start up a store.

Visit the site and check it out, or click on the register button here and get started in the virtual social network.

The president’s famous-in-her-own-way niece, Lauren Bush, has been hard at work as the honorary spokesperson for the UN World Food Programme. On December 12, at Harrods in London, the fashionable Bush launched the campaign’s FEED 1 bag shown here. Available for purchase on Amazon.com for $59.95, each bag bought will feed 1 child for 1 school year. The tote - that would make a fabulous reusable grocery bag - is reversible natural color burlap and white cotton with a large “1″ on one side and “FEED the children of the world” on the other. It’s a great cause, and a great bag!

Gap Kids is the hot topic of legal buzz of the day. British newspaper The Observer set out on an investigation of child labor in an India-based supplier for the retail giant’s European and United States stores.

Why the newspaper was able to discover this, and Gap, Inc. was not … baffles me, but the important part is that child labor was found to be used at this factory, and actions are being set forth to stop it.

Kids as young as 10 years old were creating clothes on a daily basis, including currently working to produce blouses in time for Christmas.

The Observer reported their findings on Sunday, October 28, and the Gap responded by withdrawing all potentially tainted items from sales floor and shipments, beginning their own investigation, and meeting with all of their suppliers to review laws and ethical codes.

Child labor alone disgusts many - and rightfully should. But the conditions found were not just those of kids working to earn money to feed their families. It was a sweatshop, make no mistake.

According to the Observer, the child workers described long hours of unpaid work, threats, and beatings. The children were hand-embroidering and beading. They were bought from their parents and taken several miles away into the city of New Delhi. They were working off the cost paid to their parents rather than receiving any pay. They were often going without food for more than 24 hours.

Many of you may not shop at Gap affiliations anyway, finding it too popular/preppy/corporate/fill-in-the-blank. But if you do, you should note that, according to Gap’s official statement released Sunday October 28, this was not a regular supplier. Gap would like to note that the Christmas blouse mentioned above was the only item that this subcontracted factory was producing. Additionally, the actual company that Gap was in direct contract with, allegedly further subcontracted the work out to an unauthorized company without Gap’s consent or knowledge.

Gap’s spokespeople made numerous statements, as I am sure you can imagine. They are being very political, making it near impossible to read into the situation. We will just have to wait and see what happens next … and we should all surely keep these children in our thoughts and prayers, especially as the Thanksgiving season approaches and we remember all that we have.

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