The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards

Not that anyone really cared... but the Daytime Emmys were on last night. The first ever red carpet show was on an hour before the show, oddly the show was televised on the CW (Yeah, the Gossip Girl channel). The red carpet was pretty pathetic itself... very short and cardboard cut outs (that's what they looked like to me) of the Daytime Emmy statue. I didn't know 90% of the actors, nor did I care. Overall, it was mostly pageantry. It was certainly no Oscars. None of the dresses excited me. There was a lot of gray. Tamara Braun (who?) of Days of Our Lives who ended up actually winning the Supporting Actress award wore one of my favorite gowns. It was a simple elegant two tone gray halter dress that went to the floor. However, the back offered a flirtacious surprise with a real low cut and a little tail of extra fabric. Another Days of Our Lives actress who wore another gray gown I liked (although some may rip on her because she took a risk) was Rachel Melvin. She wore a gray dress that had black tool draped over the dress with a large (BIG!) flower scrunched out of the material on the front. I thought it was a relatively bold choice for a boring red carpet. She is young and beautiful so I give it to her.
For the older ladies...the legend Susan Lucci was one of the first on the carpet wearing what I thought was an age inappropriate dress (even though she looks fabulous) it was a little too much cleavage at 60. However, later in the show she modeled in a gold simple strapless dress that I thought looked better on her. Ellen followed the gray theme with her suspenders. She had her bed hair style going on with simple makeup. Lori Loughlin from 90210 impressed me with her lighter hair do, a soft peach evening dress that was cinched at the right hip with a jewel as well as at the shoulder. It went well with her skin, showed off her body well but was elegant. Jenny Garth I was not a fan of the matching the lipstick to the dress. The dress I felt aged her, it was too "Grandma" like. I liked the hair though.
For the men, I liked the younger guy's style. The Massey Brothers had smaller bow ties with little collar triangles over them. It was different than the long, black tie I saw on almost everyone. EJ Bonilla of Guiding Light followed the gray theme but mixed it up with his cobalt gray tie and darker gray for his shirt. It wasn't the black & white suit like most.
For the misses-- Wendy Williams (need I say more). In a neon green mess of a dress. There was a big rectangle under her bust that wasn't flattering. Alex Trebek had on a cream suit coat, black pants and a white shirt that did not at all match the color of his jacket-- oh and did I forget a red bow tie (that's right). Tyra Banks disappointed me. I think she could have been one of the only fashionable people there that evening, but she was boring. Simple hair, very little jewelery (although I did like the cuffs) and a snooze of a pink dress.
Check out the pictures from the show @ http://www.nypost.com/photos/galleries/tv/pp_20090830_daytime_emmys/photo01.htm

Anna Wintour Takes On Letterman

On Monday night, Anna Wintour appeared on the Letterman Show.
I was pretty bothered that a man like Mr. Letterman was interviewing a fashion legend because he really had no questions. He fumbled over trying to make conversation about fashion. I don't think that was the right approach since he knew nothing about fashion. He could have tried to make her more human by engaging in a more "What is your life like outside the magazine" conversation. Ask her what she does on the weekends. He wouldn't stop putting up the damn Vogue issue too!! I thought Ms. Wintour stayed true to herself. She sat quietly as Mr. Letterman struggled to come up with questions. She also gave him a shot remarking how the show hadn't contacted her until Friday to appear on the show. Maybe he could have had people write in questions for her that were pertaining to her fashion career, such as ME! I would have liked to known a few things, but I doubt she will be returning to the show again.

The New Meat on the Market

As a female football fan, it can be bothersome when I try to discuss the happenings of the NFL to my female friends. “Why are they called the New York Giants if they play in New Jersey?” But one thing they know about football is good looking quarterbacks. Tom Brady?! Isn’t he married to Gisele. Now the new meat on the market is Mark Sanchez. Women know who he is probably not for his great arm or outstanding game with the Trojans against Penn State in the Rose Bowl sadly. But maybe for a few other reasons—his great smile, his charming personality, or his spread in GQ shirtless. Quite frankly I am just pleased that they can at least name one player on a team. Jessica Simpson may have “cursed” Tony Romo but I don’t see the downfall of women becoming interested in the sport because there’s a good looking QB. I say the more the merrier and maybe now men and women can enjoy the sport together—just as long as she doesn’t say he has a cute butt.

Fall Issues Slimming Down? I don't think so...

The Fall issues of fashion magazine greats, Elle and Vogue, hit the stands hard. Many sites have been reporting that these magazines will be feeling lighter than the typical Fall fashion preview editions. They didn't feel any lighter to me. Being a subscriber to Elle, I received several versions of a "front cover" with Ms. Aniston. I didn't really enjoy have to flip almost a 1/4 of the magazines thickness to get to the masthead! There were several flip out ads, one from the Gap and the lingerie company Vanity Fair. I have enjoyed the Elle "make-over" of their front covers with a more clean, old Hollywood glamour in black and white. However, I am SO over Jen, Charlize, Drew, etc. for the front covers. They just keep recycling the same 10 actresses. I did like that Elle put Megan Fox on the cover because she is not a typical women's fashion magazine cover girl (more of a Maxim girl), yet that doesn't mean she has nothing to offer to Elle readers.

Also featured in all these Fall fashion preview spreads are 80's...HIDEOUS EIGHTIES!! They are saying that the exaggerated shoulder (shoulder pads!) is something their readers should invest in. I have to totally disagree. Flipping through the Elle trend pages with the themes, I was mortified by pretty much all of the looks. Why do designers insist on bringing back the 80s?! The neon colors should be worn by the tween generation, not us more sophisticated ladies. I was getting infuriated by these magazines until I received the New York Times T Magazine, which had an article by David Colman commenting on the "Bolder Shoulder." He said the shoulder has been around ever since women were able to claim power. In the 80s they mostly for the "power suit" as women became a force to wrecken with at the office. He did say that the 80s shoulder was a spin on the 40s silhouette when women also had to go to work while the men were at war. Even if the 2009 shoulder is supposedly a revamping of a 40s shoulder... most of the looks scream 80s to me! I know designers "reinvent" previous decades in their designs but I didn't see a lot of creativity for Fall. Not only with their women of choice for the covers but also the designs chosen to inspire women's fashion for the upcoming season.

Then to wrap up my disappoint with the September issue of Elle (haven't had a chance to finish up Vogue) on the very last page (496) titled "Elle: Cherchez La Femme" was an interview with the great Ricky Gervais. He is a comedic genius from Britain, so there was plenty of room to write a great piece... but no! This person asked them every few questions a sex question-- a sex question?! I thought this was Elle. Maybe the person was trying to be funny, but it didn't work. Don't try to be funny with a comedian, just set him up to be funny for you! Elle if you ever need someone to interview a comedian for you, please let me!

Mad Men Returns!

The long awaited return of Mad Men finally arrived! My favorite show is starting it's 3rd season and I'm so excited. This season things are shaking up and it is going to be quite a ride. The show started out with some new accents at Sterling Cooper, the Brits are here! Peggy is starting to bond more with Joan, the office manager now that she is a leading lady with her own office. She doesn't quite understand the office dynamics and Joan is the perfect person to show her the ropes. There was a provocative gay scene (which I was thrilled about because there has been a lack of men-on-men kissing scenes on TV lately!) Betty is well into her pregnancy, but Don seems to be up to his usual antics. The show was sponsored by BMW so there were "limited commercials," but they were just pretty much the same 3 BMW commercials played over. At the end, they showed a teaser of the season to come and it seems like Don Draper will be getting a new job. Can I just say, Peggy's bang situation needs to be resolved ASAP! All the other actresses who are the "secretaries" or typists in the office have great hairstyles, especially Joan. As Peggy comes into her job title more, I think she should start to develop a better look for herself. Perhaps Joan can help her achieve a more eye pleasing do before she gets married to that creepy doctor.

Product Test: Purex 3-in-1

Today, I decided to try out the new Purex laundry detergent product "Purex Complete: 3-in-1." As a New Yorker, I have to spend around 3 bucks for a load of laundry so I'd rather buy more underwear then do laundry every two or so weeks. Also, the lugging of detergent, dryer sheets and other necessities down to the basement was something that caught my attention to the Purex Complete.

I have not done laundry in close to 2 months so it was a real test for the Purex product. I tested my sheets, a dark and a white load, as well as "delicates." The product comes in a plastic container somewhat resembling the Swiffer package that stands up. Easy to flip off the top, with a "window" that allows you to see when you're running low or it flips out allowing you to easily remove a sheet. The three in one are supposed to be detergent, softener, and anti-static. Attached is a little booklet explaining the product. Also, they are so convinced that you're going to love the product-- Purex offers you a coupon! You can keep the box and simply buy refills.

After the wash, the color strip looked pretty beat up. According to the handout, the strip is heat activated and acts as the softener as well as removes static.

After drying, the clothes smelled good (not great) and I was more impressed with the whites than dark load. It helped get most of the stains out... granted there were some tough ones. I was very pleased with how it kept my whites, well white.

So overall, I was very pleased and would use it again but probably not until I'm done with my current detergent. I'm not sure how it goes with sensitive skin, but if you're not one of those types and are looking to buy another detergent then I would recommend it!

Now you may ask what this has to do with fashion. And I will tell you. It gives us an idea of what the consumer is moving towards in terms of needs. All in one products that make their everyday lives easier. I have long envied men for not needing to lug around a purse to carry all their essentials. With the Tide new "complete" detergent competing with this product, perhaps fashion will start shifting to a more functional purpose. One way could be to have more functional pockets for women that can coincide with men's easy travel necessities. Of course, on designer shows such as Project Runway some designers have come up with Ipod pouches and even inserted solar panels to some of their designs. While this may be a little ahead of the fashion curve, I think it is interesting to track the success of such laundry products as they may be a telling sign of the future.

Teen Choice Awards, Oh My!

Stripper poles? Booty shorts? Stiletto boots? I'm talking about the Teen Choice Awards. I know at 24, it really shouldn't have shocked me that the "teen" award show looked more like an MTV award show. Scantily clad dressed teenagers showing off their decolletage. A popular trend among the young Disney stars were high-waisted, booty shorts. Miley wore them during her performance in black. There was a mix of young and old stars there, but oddly the older stars were dressed more conservatively. Leighton Meester wore a demure dress, Ashley Greene from Twilight had less cleavage than Miley and Cameron Diaz was completely covered. Check out the pictures below from the Red Carpet!






Ashley Greene in Dolce & Gabbana













Cameron Diaz in Alexander McQueen














Leighton Meester in Louis Vuitton


And my favorite...





Miley on the "Grass" Carpet














Then she made a outfit change to present an award to Britney Spears (her idol)



















And of course, her performance.

Comedy Central's Roast of Joan Rivers

Last night on Comedy Central, it was the roast of the legendary Joan Rivers. One thought came to my mind... where were all the stars?! Did Joan really piss off that many people? The network clearly had Greg Giraldo (who?) on to promote his Comedy Central stand-up next week, but why was the lady from Howard Stern there? Don Rickles sent in a video of himself roasting Joan, but the only old comedy legend that came was Carl Reiner. It was a sad empty stage. I think Joan is an important figure (let alone woman) in comedy. Yes, yes, they all made fun of her plastic surgery but none could top her vulgarity and hard-hitting comebacks. I felt that she deserved a better Roast than she received. Comedy Central stop shoving unfunny "comics" down our throat during these types of events!

Book Review: "Much To Your Chagrin" by Suzanne Guillette

Recommended! Ms. Guillette's first book reveals more than just embarrassing stories, but about the human experience of learning about yourself through others. During the process of asking anyone who would listen for an embarrassing story for her new book, Ms. Guillette soon begins to see that life is writing a pretty sick joke for her as well. She learns that embarrassing doesn't necessarily have to mean funny or laugh out loud, but it could also be humiliation. I really enjoyed that she lived in New York and could include the aura of New York during certain moments. Written in the 2nd person voice, the stories from strangers tied in beautifully with her own life help you flip through the 403 pages. In the end, she learns a lesson that I think all of us will have to in our lifetime. Purchase the book online at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416585974/ref=ox_ya_oh_product and have fun reading!

Movie Review: "Away We Go"

A refreshing "indie" film from the director Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road, American Beauty) Away We Go stars SNL alum Maya Rudolph and The Office's John Krasinski in a story about finding home. Maya gets to show off her giant belly bump while playing expecting mother Verona. Burt, played by John, and Verona take a road trip to find the best place to raise their soon-to-be daughter. Their "family" members are played by great legends (including Jeff Daniels) and explores modern day families. They visit Tuscon, Madison and Montreal all before finding HOME. The story really grabs your heart and also makes you laugh. I also enjoyed the "hippie," low-key fashion worn by the two stars. John Krasinski's beard is awesome! And his character Jim on The Office should be forced to have one. If you need a break from explosions and robots in your movies, I highly recommend this movie.

R.I.P. John Hughes

Being an 80s baby myself, the news of John Hughes death was saddening. "Breakfast Club," "Pretty in Pink," and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" are classics! Anyone who grew up in the eighties knows and understands this fact. These movies encapsulate the "teenage angst" of that era in a pretty package. Oh, and how can we forget the soundtracks! (To die for) Not many modern directors can claim the recognition that Mr. Hughes can when one mentions a "John Hughes movie." What comes to mind when you hear a Michael Mann film? Exactly. Describing someone as a great director is not only measured by the box office success but also the longevity of a film. Michael Bay can gross $400 million with the new Transformers film, but will it stick in the audiences heart for as long as "Sixteen Candles" has? Highly unlikely. I dare you to have a marathon of John Hughes movies and not fall in love with one of them. R.I.P. John Hughes and those warm fuzzy 80s movies.





Classic scene from "Sixteen Candles" that make every girls heart melt.











The time capsule that is the "Breakfast Club."












Ferris Bueller (a young Matthew Broderick) defying authority.

Rockabilly Style- Sideburns!

King of the sideburns, Elvis. Rockabilly fashion is making a comeback! Many runway shows for women's fashion featured the Rockabilly pompadour, cuffed jeans, and creepers. However, I think the Rockabilly fashion has reached over into men's fashion, or hairstyles at least. Sideburns! Seth Rogen featured some sweet sideburns in the movie "Funny People" and Jeremy Piven sports a nice pair in the upcoming movie "The Goods." It reminds me of the cult classic "Cry Baby" featuring Johnny Depp, which was part of the Rockabilly revival in the 90s. I hope this style sticks around for at least a season because it is one of my favorites.

Jon Stewart- Most Trusted Man In News

With the passing of Walter Cronkite, many websites are reporting a new poll that says that the most trusted man in news currently is Jon Stewart. Don't be so shocked. Jon Stewart has been supplying most college students and younger their news. While the premise of the "Daily Show" is to be a comedic slant about the "real" news... yet it has come to surpass all other news channels. It is not only founded on jokes, especially the ones about Bush. Many people wondered, even the liberal New York Times questioned if Jon Stewart could stay vital to its viewers with no Bush. I personally found this bewildering because Mr. Stewart is an intelligent commentator on current issues, whether or not the president is favored by the public. There is plenty to report and the world will always be screwed up, providing exuberant amount of material for the producers. I feel the "Daily Show" is going strong and will continue to do so. I am not looking forward to Jon Stewart's departure from the show. Right now, I can't see a replacement that will be as witty and knowledgeable.