Cuts on the Bias

Fully Clothed

If I were a guy whose penis could be completely obscured by a CD rom, I believe I would keep that fact to myself. But thank you, Kelley, for reminding us why we all need to get second or third opinions on our ideas for self promotion.

One man whose self promotion I continue to admire and support is President Obama. His talk today about the economic recovery and his scolding of the irresponsible bonus-accepting baboons on Wall Street made my morning. In fact, the idea that I can go to a website hosted by the government and watch the President addressing a mainstream audience, then choose to download it as audio or video, embed it, link to it or scan other similar feeds makes my whole week.

Why

This is unnecessary. And I'm pretty sure it isn't gonna boost record sales. He (Morrissey) may have a lot of gay fans but he doesn't look that great naked nor does the rest of the bunch. Poor guy in the back all chubby and pale, I can just imagine the photographer saying "just a little further to your right, couple steps back, yep keep goin..."

 *I grabbed this photo from Perez-thats why there's writing over his...record.

Next Page

uhg. I honestly loved reading Page Six Magazine, even though I had to go out of my way to get copies of it (the Sunday NY Post is not easily found on the West Coast). I didn't care much for the celebrity profiles, but I know they sell issues so had no beef with them. Clearly I'm biased, but the fashion pages delighted me. I loved seeing neighborhood styles and learning how to make my summer clothes last beyond August. I trusted the advice (which is far more than I can say of most other fashion mags). Maybe they are being truthful and will continue as a quarterly. That might not be a bad course for others to follow as well--I mean, how often do you need to relearn the 437 Things Men Want in Bed?

Fortunately for all the talented editors at Page Six, the world loves stylish minds. You have a thousand new options in your life, starting with blogs, twitters, websites and podcasts. No, the web doesn't pay well yet for most, but it can if you commit to making it work for you.

It could be any one of us...

Unfortunately I was right when I predicted more magazines folding, today PAGE SIX MAGAZINE has ended.

I wish I got paid to write this blog.

Haven't left the bed yet

I'm home sick today. I've tried to come up with something brilliant to write but there's nothing.

We're making progress on our house in Brooklyn so I've spent the last 5 hours looking at house/interior/exterior blogs. If you're like me and enjoy looking into other peoples houses (with or without permission) here's a list of some great sites that you can just cruise through and get inspired.

*Disclaimer...some of these sites have far too many kitchy-crafty nonsense. I don't support or condone any of that. Just skip those posts.

www.designspongeonline.com
www.wisterianyc.blogspot.com
www.apartmenttherapy.com
www.doorsixteen.com

High Finance Harlequin

When Kelley forwarded me the link to Dating a Banker Anonymous, I prepared to be indignant. After all, the NYTimes described this blog as one that "invites women to join if your monthly Bergdorf’s allowance has been halved and bottle service has all but disappeared from your life." It continues:

Once it was seen as a blessing in certain circles to have a wealthy, powerful partner who would leave you alone with the credit card while he was busy brokering deals. Now, many Wall Street wives, girlfriends and, increasingly, exes, are living the curse of cutbacks in nanny hours and reservations at Masa or Megu. And that credit card? Canceled.

I started reading the posts by these newly Jimmy Choo-less females, thinking I could at least experience a brief sense of superiority. I have my moments of superficiality, but I would never mistake a global recession for an annoying impediment to my lifestyle. But here's the thing--I liked the blog. It's well-written, it's funny, it's catty. It has a certain Romance novel cheesiness to it that is a perfect backdrop to Wall Street's drama. Maybe I'm granting it more tongue-in-cheek credit than they intended, but honestly it's a good laugh.

R.I.P

Another great magazine has folded. Here's the statement from Conde Nast.

Deep down I kinda knew this would happen, I mean it's a trendy home design mag, not sure how well they can deal with recessions. It was smart and it was beautifully shot and arranged so for me, a reader, the magazine racks just got a lot uglier.

I think the next one on the chopping block will be Details. But don't quote me, it could be anyone at this point.

Singing for your SUP

SUP is short for "stand up paddle." It's what good surfers do for fun when the waves are too small for them, and it's what other people do when the waves are small enough not to kill them. I'm in the latter category.

I first tried SUP surfing last year in Honolulu and I was hooked in the first 5 minutes. The sport is alot like dancing; if you worry about what you're doing, you look stiff and awkward. Style, in this case, comes from feeling, not thinking.

At first, I had a tough time figuring out how to balance a narrow slab of fiberglass on an ocean filled with waves without my brain shrieking "red alert: death imminent!" but then I discovered the secret brain "off" button. Want to stop thinking? All you have to do is sing.

That's harder than it sounds. In order to sing with your brain turned off, the lyrics and melody have to be effortlessly recalled. In my case, that left me singing "Blue Danube" (thanks to 4th grade flutaphone practice) and "Home on the Range" for over an hour. Finally, my bored brain cells spurted briefly into action and reminded me of dozens of more entertaining songs firmly ingrained in my grey matter. Thank you once again, John, Paul, George and Ringo.

TED's Top Ten

Next week I'll head off to the TED conference in Long Beach. I've been attending this conference since the early 90's and still enjoy it despite its many changes. The people who attend are an eclectic sort. They resist categorization; nevertheless, the TED staff tries diligently to find order in our chaos. This year, they are offering a "secret algorithm" (eerie music plays in background) designed to match each attendee with the top ten people they should meet based on the attributes we have listed in our profile.

Interesting idea in theory, but it rarely works, I think because we don't typically chose who we want in our lives based on rationale choice. My closest friends or best business partners are the result of fortunate accidents or coincidental introductions. I chose being with them not because they are like me but because they are not like me. They have some characteristic, some combination of experiences, that I admire but don't possess.

I did check out my Top Ten and I found each person interesting. Maybe I will meet a few of them, and who knows, maybe one will become my new best friend. But only if they accidentally lied on their profile.

J'adore Dior!

It's time for the Spring 09 Couture shows! Will you ever buy couture? NO. Do you even care? NO. But I'm going to share a few fun facts anyways. The definition of couture means made to order or handmade, it involves hours of hand stitching and embellishment, embroidery and a bazillion yards of fabric. The prices for couture gowns aren't even disclosed because they are crazy pants expensive and only for dignitaries and oil royalty...HOWEVER-they are soooo pretty and fun to look at. 

John Galliano designs for the Dior label and his shows are always entertaining.  He always takes some historic reference, this season it's flemish painters, and exaggerate it with hyper color, volume and texture. I love the quote he gave style.com about his latest creation.

"There's a credit crunch but not a creative crunch-it's our job to make people dream." I AGREE.

Another bit about John Galliano is that he dresses up as his own muse/inspiration for every show he designs. Here are a few of my favorite looks!

Swoon.

Thank you Mrs.O blog for sending me these little gems.

White Water

It takes courage to don a swim suit in January. Not because of the cold; give it time and your body adjusts.The bravery is required to look at your ghost white, winter-toned body and say "what the Hell" My grandmother claims we had a black ancestor in our distant past; unfortunately, it was either too distant or he was not black enough because I have no pigment darker than potato soup.

Open water attracts me like no other substance, so paleness be damned I jumped headlong into the ocean today. A half mile swim, mingled with effortless bobbing, turned me even paler. Fortunately, the fish don't seem to care and since the state prohibits fishing along this stretch of shore in odd-numbered years, there's more of them than people.

Ambitious Finds

I'm feeling particularly ambitious today (despite staying in bed until nearly 10am). Maybe it's a delayed impact of the Inauguration; maybe it's Kelley's kick-ass revamp of a mom lacking any whit of common sense or maybe I'm compensating for guilt over my upcoming week in Honolulu. Whatever the cause, I welcome the added energy and will try to put it to good use.

Here's something I've been saving for a day when I have the time and energy to use it. It's a post by Pete Cashmore, the founder of Mashable. The title -- How to Do Almost Anything with Social Media -- is a bit of an oversell, but the piece is loaded with useful stuff.  For example, did you know you can track expenses using Twitter? Search for images on FaceBook by color and shape? Convert a blog into an ITunes podcast? Track 500 Business Blogs in 10mins a Day? (I told you it required an ambitious mood.) Think of this as the perfect excuse to avoid doing laundry or cleaning your home. You're welcome.

In case you missed it

Here's the link to the Mike & Juliet morning show makeover, I tackle a boob job and mini skirts on a very nice but very tacky 45 year old named Carrie.

Enjoy! Have a great weekend.

Oh and Chris your arms are fine.

Armed and Ready

I'm looking forward to Kelley's makeover piece which I'm sure she'll post later today. Makeovers, by their nature, intrigue me. I like the concept of finding value where it's currently hidden, of bringing forth a better side and downplaying a weaker side. In a way, this is the antidote to perfectionism, a disease that runs rampant in our culture although you rarely hear it discussed. With a makeover--of any sort--you aren't magically erasing flaws. A fat woman doesn't become thin. An old house doesn't become new. A food business doesn't become an electronics business. In each case, the imperfections are accepted as real, then lessened by an emphasis on those features that are valued.

One of my many imperfections is that I often don't take my own advice. While I should accept my current body with love and appreciation--or disguise its flaws with color and texture--I am once again convinced I can change it. In this case, I'm lusting after Jill Biden's arms. Seriously, she's 57. Check out the definition. She's a teacher and busy spouse: how many hours could she spend at the gym? All I need to do is completely change my lifestyle, diet, level of commitment, travel plans, endurance and genetics. No problem.

I'm a sucker for a makeover

The Mike & Juliet show has asked me back, the segment is a makeover for Mom that dresses too young and too sexy, how could I say no? I met the woman today at the fitting and she is so nice (and brave) and really eager to stop shopping at Abercrombie and Forever 21. I love doing make-overs for real people (vs. celebrities) because they are so appreciative of any information or tips you can give them, and they really feel like a whole new person after, quite satisfying.  Tune in tomorrow at 9:20am to see the transformation.

Wu-Less

Note to up and coming designers....if you are talented and fortunate enough to have the First Lady chose your gown for the Inaugral Ball, the first call you make is to your web hosting company. You let them know you are expecting a shit load of traffic starting Jan. 20 and you upgrade your server. That way, people who want to see your work won't be greeted with this:

Nerd in Chief

Everyone is swooning over President Obama's cool factor. He's stylish, he's hip, he knows how to dance. Ok, I agree all this is true, but what really makes him a standout is that he's a nerd. If you've been reading my posts, you know this is a high compliment coming from me. In fact, a well-dressed nerd is near perfection in my book.

What makes him a nerd? I think his stylishness and love of basketball throw people off, but think about what he's done. He's a scholar and a professor. His vocabulary is at least at a college level and I bet he tones it down in his speeches. Most importantly, he's employed technology like a pro -- not just snazzy websites full of text, but honest-to-god innovative use of computerization including FaceBook, YouTube and Twitter. There are still thousands of politicians who don't have a clue how to use those platforms. I bet he can even set up his own wifi network.

On a less technical note, if you want to enjoy more standard version nerds, be sure to check out the extremely entertaining sitcom Big Bang Theory. The characters are all hilarious and the sole female, Kaley Cuoco, reminds me of a college-age Kelley. Best episode so far is The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis. If you have a DVR or watch on a computer, be sure to catch the memos posted at the end of each episode.

Oh and also...

The NY designers are kickin ass right now!! This was sent to me by the CFDA - Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Michelles Subtleties

Yesterday, what many people believed was a Yellow coat and dress designed by Isabel Toledo, was in fact Citron. There's a difference. First off Citron might be the hardest color for anyone to wear (one point for Mrs. O for pulling it off), also "Dark" Citron was named a Pantone Spring color for 2009, there's a swatch of it here.

The challenge for people who are on TV, is that color and nuances don't show up through the screen accurately, they get lost and muted. For Michelle she had to impress people both up close and on camera which are two totally different problems. I think this picture actually shows the subtlety in color quite well. The string on the cardigan is slightly darker than the cardigan itself, while lighter than the gloves. This isn't easy, either is keeping your jacket open and not wearing tights on a 15 degree day- both of which she did (another point for the home team).

Now lets discuss the dress she wore for the ball!

The designer is Jason Wu, who I have met several times and I can assure you he is equally nice as he is creative, which doesn't always happen in fashion. At first I wanted to see her in something more structured (to flatter the figure) but then I realized she would have to be sitting so much that by the time she showed up to the last ball she would have been a hot mess. Here is another situation where TV didn't do the dress justice. There are TONS of crystals on this dress and up close (a source who was there told me ) she shined from every angle. Also she was elevated above the crowd so they had a clear shot of the bottom of the dress where a great deal of the crystals and flowers gathered. LOVE the ring! LOVE the asymmetry! Both very modern and very appropriate for her age. She pulled a lot of attention up to her arms and face, which is smart considering that in photos you are rarely shot from head to toe. I give her an overall A-, and glad that shes paying attention to fashion and making it fun and relevant again.

Tomorrow...

I will be breaking down Mrs. Obamas outfits, giving you the designer info (white dress was by Jason Wu!) and letting you know why they did and maybe didn't work. Stay tuned.

The Speech

I watched the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony in the Media X room at Stanford (thank you, Davis). Around me sat a very jaded, unemotional audience. A woman in the center proudly and visibly read the Science Times section of the paper while Rick Warren led the rest of the nation in prayer. No one cheered for Aretha, no one booed George Bush. But, despite their staid indifference to the lead-up, this crowd whooped and cheered like crazed fans once Obama completed his oath.

 

We then watched the only Inaugural Address I've ever believed. I've heard good political speeches before, but most are easy to dissemble. You can tell where the PR folks made the edits, where the political corrections were inserted. Not this speech. Obama spoke from his heart and his head. He laid out a simple, but urgent agenda that was not detailed in terms of "how" but clearly articulated in terms of "why" and "when." I listened with profound gratitude to all who contributed to the creation of this man at this time in this place. He has incredible style, and luckily for all of us, he has just as much substance.

Frisky Business

Need a way to pass the time in sub-zero weather (or for you West Coast folks, maybe you need some time in the shade)?  Here's a post I did for The Frisky on how to organize your closet. Once you get that straightened out, check out their clip of SNL's Unaired Ann Coulter interview. Very funny. Very true.

Shoot day! Ballerinas...

Hot Spots

Most data is ugly. Lots of substance, but no style unless you're a deep math genius who finds rapture in the music of numbers. I'm not one of those guys (although I like them - alot), but I've found that with the proper visuals, I can understand volumes of data that would be dead to me in its original form.

The best data graphics I've ever seen are those produced by Hans Rosling. His 2006 TED talk is well worth its 20 minute duration. With a relatively simple combination of color, size and movement, he animates years of data to reveal startling insights that are not intuitively obvious. Strong visual insights, like those he creates, can even predict what will happen next.

One set of data I'd love to see him model is the movement of 18-29 year olds in the US. Not on a street level basis but in terms of where they choose to live after college. This age group has the greatest freedom to select where they want to live, so their choice most often reflects significant cultural changes. By moving enmasse, they create "hot" cities that have disproportionate influence over the rest of the nation. In the 60's, the "hot" city was San Francisco, spawning and spreading the influence of Hippies. In the 80's, the "hot" city was Seattle, broadcasting the Grunge lifestyle to the rest of the country. In the 90's, both LA and Silicon Valley vied for dominance: LA with its Latino emphasis and SV for dotcom craziness. As LA and the Valley lost heat in the new century, NY and Miami warmed up.

My sense is that both NY and Miami are starting to cool slighly in pop culture terms, and a couple of new "hot" cities are starting to simmer. My money is on either DC or Chicago for one. Other contentors? If you're an 18-29 year old, where would you want to live?