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Not her again

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I know... another photo of Marlo. But I was away from her for three days, and instead of twittering nonstop about how much I missed my baby, you get this instead. Fair trade-off, I think.

click image above to see the photo on dooce.com

by dooce in Daily Photo

The Sunsphere

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Now that the news about HGTV is out, I can reveal some of the details about the trip we took to Scripps Networks in Knoxville, TN back in November. One of the many, many lovely people I met (all of whom apologized for the rain) gifted me this miniature Sunsphere, a "266-ft high hexagonal steel truss structure, topped with a 75-ft gold-colored glass sphere that served as the symbol of the 1982 World's Fair."

You have no idea how long I've been waiting to balance this on Chuck's head.

click image above to see the photo on dooce.com

by dooce in Daily Chuck

Glamour!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I am THIS close to painting his toenails red. And carrying him around in a purse.

click image above to see the photo on dooce.com

by dooce in Daily Chuck

Carol

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Over the weekend my good friend Carol packed up and moved to Southern California. You may remember her as the one with whom I traveled to Palm Springs a couple of years ago, the trip that included a sighting of Rick Springfield wearing a fanny pack. It's not like I'm never going to see her again, I know, but I will miss her dearly in the meantime. Now whose accent will I make fun of?

click image above to see the photo on dooce.com

by dooce in Daily Photo

Featured community question with accompanying warning

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

DO NOT GOOGLE IMAGES OF SCARS. PLEASE. I URGE YOU TO REMAIN INNOCENT.

Today's featured question comes from user maylu:

Anyone ever heard of a keloid? Basically, I scar outward. Meaning, there are several places on my body where it looks like I have grown an extra limb, one in particular on my right shin that has sprouted its own nose hairs. When people see it and begin to recoil I'm quick to say, hey! Don't be scared! That's just Larry. He minds his own business.

What. Am I the only one who names her scars? Shut up. YOU DO TOO.

I've got Larry on my shin, Roberta on my forehead, and Ed on my shoulder. Since I'm stuck with them, I thought, well, might as well make them feel as welcome as possible. Come on in! Take off your shoes! And Larry got so comfortable that he started to walk around the house without his pants on. I had to stop him when he started to itch his crotch in front of my mom!

Since I've had two basal cell carcinomas removed from my left shoulder and regularly see a dermatologist, I met a doctor at the clinic who prided himself on "fixing" any keloid he came in contact with. Turns out you can sometimes stop the outward movement of a scar with steroids. And I was all, steroids? And he was all, STEROIDS. And I was all, please don't tell me that this means I'm going to have to start shaving my mustache. Ugh. Jon does not like sharing his razor.

Turns out that this doctor had met his match in Larry, and no amount of tinkering could kick his butt out the front door. In fact, he referred to it as "some keloid," as in, "WOW. THAT IS SOME KELOID YOU'VE GOT THERE." And I was like, are you serious? You mean I have the valedictorian of keloids? Really? Sir, this wasn't exactly a bullet point I had on my life list.

But there you go. Now it's right up there with having my bikini waxer go, dude, you're going to need a bigger boat.

by dooce in Community, Daily

© Armstrong Media, LLC. All rights reserved. Originally published by Heather B. Armstrong for dooce.com as Featured community question with accompanying warning:. This post cannot be republished without express written permission.

Camilla!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Many of you will recognize Cami, one of my dear friends who often sets her hair on fire. She was up in Salt Lake today, and I thought it would be perfect to feature her here since she's responsible for the shirt and blazer I'm wearing in the new video that is up over on HGTV. Back when I lost all the baby weight I took her clothes shopping with me so that I would be forced to try on something other than a sports bra and white t-shirt. She helped me pick out a few dresses, skirts, tops and jeans that I'll be rotating through my wardrobe over the coming year. And oh indeed, is there leopard print in my closet!

click image above to see the photo on dooce.com

by dooce in Daily Photo

Custom kicks

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Johnny Marra, an artist based in Baltimore and genius behind Real_Bot, sent Marlo this custom pair of Converse low-tops, making sure to tug at my heart with the hippo reference. Johnny will take any pair of neglected old tennis shoes and give them new life with his illustrations, which have also been featured in public murals and storefront windows. Love his style, and I can't wait for Marlo to be old enough to knock around in these!

click image above to see the photo on dooce.com

by dooce in Daily Style

House of cough

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Yesterday morning I woke up with a cold, one that hopped out of my chest, landed in Marlo's and woke her up at 4AM this morning in a state that I can only describe as half-screaming, half-coughing, topped with a delicious icing of irrational outbursts. She was a raging fire we could not put out, and every attempt to comfort her caused the muscles in her neck to turn her head in circles. I will admit, about an hour into the flames I thought we could sell her to the traveling circus and she could set up a stall next to the lady whose lower body just happens to be a serpent. She would DAZZLE.

And so all of a sudden our very mild-mannered, smiley baby has become a vicious, object-grabbing bear who every three or four minutes will explode with anger or frustration. We feel like we're living with Bobcat Goldthwait:

I can't believe I'm about to write this because all it will do is invite the Universe to sit down and take a huge crap on the already fragile state of things in this house, but I will take a sick Marlo over a sick Jon or Leta ANY DAY. And I mean that lovingly, in the sense that Bobcat Goldthwait is rather charming and funny and entertaining, in his own maniacal way, and well. How do I put this... when Jon and Leta get sick, it's like saving up your allowance for two years so that you can go to Disney World, only to make the trip and find out the whole park has been replaced with a dentist's office.

Poutsies!

All of that to say, we're holding it together over here! Minus the chest cold and broken tailbone and infant sideshow. So together, in fact, that when Leta looked up at me this morning from the middle of her room in the frantic moments before school, the floor littered with every toy imaginable, and I told her that "there is nothing to play with" was the stupidest thing I had ever heard, she bit her lower lip, rolled her eyes and said, "FINE. I will figure something out, THEN."

OMG, you guys. She's starting to talk like I write.

by dooce in Daily, Leta, Marlo, Parenthood

Belle flats from Redfoot

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

London Fashion Week may have been showcasing a lot of super-high heels (and some seriously bizarre ones) but we're also seeing flats peep through as a viable fashion option.

Redfoot Revolution offers a range of flat shoes that you can fold up and pop in your handbag for easy commuting or after a hard night on the tiles. I've talked about their Sex and the City range recently, and now they've taken inspiration from a UK fashion queen for their latest flats.

Suri Boots from Carvela

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

These boots are the epitome of desert island chic, as I love their chunky styling and the friendly mid heel will suit most people, They're available in beige and blue, but I think the beige version will be more useful for accenting your summer wardrobe.

ASOS Hodge Colour Block Sandal

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I'm a big fan of two tone designs as I find they add that extra special element to any shoe. This delicious fusion of taupe with peach is incredibly attractive, and will go well with the nude colours that will soon be in store for summer. The use of colour blocking was evident at London fashion Week this year, with designers playing around with colours and textures, and this is a great way to adapt the trend for yourself. The cut away detail highlights the contours of the foot and the velcro ankle strap means that you can make the strap sit wherever is most comfortable. £45 from ASOS

Guess the shoes The BAFTA edition

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The BAFTA Awards saw many stars parade across the red carpet, some to make their way home clutcing trophies, and others with no more than a couple of glasses of champers to make up for their loss. Here at Shoewawa we're more interested in their footwear than their acting ability and have found three rather lovely styles for you to drool over.

Bargain Tuesday On trend heels from Next

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In recent years Next has thrown off its fusty image and become a shopping destination which features some of the most stylish shoes around. I'm very taken with the Vamp Citrine Shoes, £35 as the mixture of lemon and grey is very attractive and the peep toe style adds a high fashion element to the pair. The structure of the shoe should provide enough ankle support to see you dancing through the night, and the patent finish will mean they're easy to keep clean.

London Fashion Week runaway footwear Sass Bide

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Aussie fashion house Sass & Bide brought a bit of 'sass' to the runway with clear-soled platform sandals their models wore for their Aztec-themed show.

French Connection Davida sandals

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

In honour of the modest bit of sunlight that's poked its way through the clouds in at least some areas of Britain today, here are some cheekily minimal shoes that will look great on our feet for the year's first heatwave (all bets on as to when this could be!)

Swedish Hasbeens highheeled jodhpur clog

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Swedish Hasbeens are possibly the only 'comfortable' shoes in recent memory that don't make the wearer look like an elephant in a plaster cast, so we heartily approve of any new styles we can work into our wardrobes. These high-heeled jodhpur clogs are particularly nifty, since they take in all of the season's old Amsterdam styling with the springiness of the SH heel and the practicality of a black ankle boot.

Three of the best Intensive Foot Creams

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

High heels, bad weather and tight shoes can leave your feet looking less than delicious, as all that pressure can lead to calluses and dry skin. A good fopot cream will hekp you battle the dryness, and we've chosen the best creams around to boost the moisture levels in your feet. Vaseline Intensive Hydrating Rescue Foot Cream This cream has a really pleasant baby like powdery scent and absorbs into the skin very quickly. It contains AHA's to target rough areas, and will leave your feet feeling soft and revived. Wear overnight with socks for an extra boost.

Casual Friday Floral Plimsolls from Peacocks

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The rain may be sapping my will to live, but these sweet floral plimsolls

KG Dita shoes from Kurt Geiger

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

When I hear the word Dita I think of ruby red lips, corsets and coiffured black hair. Quirky shoes which combine textured gold and cream leather don't really feature in that vision, but these babies from the KG range are luxurious enough to redefine the term.

Rave shoe from Dune

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

These shoes take the basic court shoe and inject a majorly playful element. Dune have taken the classic court design and really gone to town by adding a slash of contrast colour along the ankle and heel, and following...

Dune Satin Stripe Court Shoes

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Shoes like these Dune Satin Strip Court Shoes on the left make me yearn for the days of working in an office.

The perfect partner for a pretty pencil skirt and silk blouse, these beautiful heels could have jumped straight out of a Mad Men episode.

The thing about these shoes is that they tread a very thing line between classy and cheap. The black patent toecap seems to be the element that ensures this pair of heels stay on the right side of that line.

Like the monochrome look? You can buy them for £80 from Oli.co.uk.

Jonathan Aston Tattoo Print Tulle Tights

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Another selection of tights from Jonathan Aston has hit ASOS this week, and they look set to rival the popularity of the House of Holland novelty tights.

These tattoo prints tulle tights on the left have a sheer print, to give the printed tattoos a more authentic look.

This new addition to the hosiery department will give rock chicks an edge without the commitment of an ink-filled needle.

Jonathan Aston Tattoo Print Tulle Tights from ASOS for £12.

They've also bought out a pair of tights that really take a walk on the wild side.

Patent heart peep toe ballerina pumps from Accessorize

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Ah the heart shape. Probably one of the most overused shapes to adorn a pair of shoes, but one that just doesn't get boring. I spotted yet another pair of hearts sitting upon a pair of patent flat over on ShoeperWoman.

These patent flats on their own are appealing enough in turquoise, but the addition of the navy hearts adds a lovely touch. Plus, now that there's a hint of sunshine in the air, you can step out in peeptoes without the fear of freezing feet.

Patent heart peep toe ballerina pumps from Accessorize £22

UNPREDICTABLE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Voila...the latest in that ever shifting Prada taste-point

Ms Samantha Gradoville ...Girl 1 at Prada FW 10 .

CURRENT VIEWING STERLING RUBY 2 TRAPS PACE WILDENSTEIN 22nd St

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

"These works bring what Michael Fried forty years ago called the theatricality of Minimalist sculpture to a gruesome point." AF

HEDI SLIMANE VOGUE HOMME JAPAN PREVIEW

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

TI thoroughly enjoys this $kinny Jeanz Movement

CURRENT READING AFRICAN SCULPTURE WARREN ROBBINS

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Image from "African Sculpture" by Warren Robbins

SCOOP DU JOUR PRADAS RADICAL CASTING COUP

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

TI's been trying to keep his diplomatic lips sealed all day but the stream of texts from Milan re: the unexpected goings on at Prada ...

Your Body is a Battleground Still montage 2007 Kate Davis

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

»Your Body is a Battleground Still montage«, 2007 by Kate Davis via vvork.com

Art Break Feb 23rd 2010

ON FAMILIAR FACES AND A PROLONGED MOMENT

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Tati at Next works her moment. Image via models.com

A curious thing happened this season in New York in the bi-annual new models sweepstakes. Girls we've seen somewhere before,

CURRENT LISTENING GLASS CANDY FEELING WITHOUT TOUCHING EP

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The video gives us Catherine Baba

Hooray for a new Glass Candy

SOMETHING IN THAT BRAZILIAN WATER

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Felipe Tozzi from Ragazzo Model Management/Brazil.

...creates ungodly beauty.

CURRENT VIEWING MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ THE ARTIST IS PRESENT MOMA

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Abramović will sit in silence at a table in the Museum’s Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium during public hours

Put it on your must-list! Press release after the jump.

88 magnitude earthquake rocks Chile this weekend

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

There was a massive earthquake in Chile this weekend, actually much stronger than the recent Haiti earthquake. While it looks like the deaths from this quake will be much fewer than in Haiti, the devastation is serious. Here is a round up of links about the situation in Chile:

Death toll jumps to 708 from Chile earthquake (LA Times)

There were worries this weekend about tsunami's that could spread as a result of the earthquake. Most of those warnings have been lowered after smaller than expected waves reached Hawaii and other Pacific nations. (MSNBC)

The Chilean President, Michelle Bachelet, declared a "state of catastrophe" after the quake on Saturday. (ABC)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was set to begin a tour of Latin America today, will now be dominated by this recent disaster in Chile. (NY Times)

The Nation has more on how you can help in Chile.

Today in Feminist History Thirty years of Womens History Month

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Today marks the first day of Women's History Month 2010.

Women's History Month saw it's beginnings thirty years ago, when Women's History Week was instituted by an act of Congress. It wasn't until 1987 that the week was expanded into the entire month of March.

About the month:

Before the 1970's, the topic of women's history was largely missing from general public consciousness. To address this situation, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women initiated a "Women's History Week" celebration in 1978 and chose the week of March 8 to coincide with International Women's Day.
The celebration was met with positive response, and schools began to host their own Women's History Week programs. The next year, leaders from the California group shared their project at a Women's History Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. Other participants not only became determined to begin their own local Women's History Week projects but also agreed to support an effort to have Congress declare a national Women's History Week.

In 1981, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Rep. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) cosponsored the first Joint Congressional Resolution proclaiming a "Women's History Week."

In 1987, the National Women's History Project petitioned Congress to expand the celebration to the entire month of March. Since then, the National Women's History Month Resolution has been approved every year with bipartisan support in both the House and Senate.

This year's theme is "Writing Women Back into History." For more resources on the month, check out the National Women's History Project.

Comment Moderation

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Hi folks! Community Moderator here. Just a note about comments-- we're currently on our Feministing retreat here in NY so comments may take a while to show up. It'll be like this till about Tuesday when I go back to Cali. Sorry about this, thanks for your patience!

The Feministing Five Heather Corinna

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Heather Corinna, a writer and activist, is the founder of Scarleteen, one of the internet's best sex ed resources for young people, and the author of S.E.X.: The All-You-Need-to-Know Progressive Sexuality Guide for Getting You Through High School and College. Scarleteen, which Corinna started in 1998, tries to fill the gaps left - whether intentionally or unintentionally - in sex education provided by teachers and parents. Scarleteen is for and by young people, aims to equip young people with all the information they need to make the best choices they can make. It also provides a space for them to talk, in an honest and safe way, about issues that they might not otherwise be able to explore, like bisexuality, coming out and abusive relationships. I particularly like this post, about men, masculinity and breakups.

Corinna is also one of the founders of the All Girl Army, a blogger collective for young feminists (some as young as 10, and who doesn't love a 10-year-old feminist?). Each of their bloggers was asked to define what feminism means to them. Check it out - it'll put a smile on your face.

Corinna, whose writing has been published in the Chicago Tribune, Bitch and Bust, among many, many others. She also writes erotica, and publishes her erotic photography online at her site Femmerotic. Those of you who read RH Reality Check will recognize Corinna from her Get Real! series, answering readers' questions about sex, sexuality and sexual health. In this week's column, about sex and guilt, she writes: "I have yet to see any sound evidence that people enjoying pleasure, sexual or otherwise, in ways that do not hurt anyone -- that everyone involves wants and engages in with basic care and respect for themselves and others -- has anything but positive benefits for people and the world as a whole." Amen to that.

And now, without further ado, the Feministing Five, with Heather Corinna.

What We Missed Snow Day!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Sorry I have to run out today. The Feministing folks are getting together this weekend and we are starting out with a training for our editors at the very awesome Women's Media Center. We'll be back on Monday!

Shani-O on the pro-life billboard in Atlanta that is targeted to black women.

Rachel Simmons on hook-up culture. I wish I had time to write a longer post about this (maybe next week). You may not agree with her, but give it a read, she makes some super valid points.

Jamie Foxx tells Kirstie Alley to stop it with all that diet bullshit. (He says it really nicely, I do not :)

And uh, did Governer Patterson aid in the suppression of this woman's story of being assaulted by one of his top aids?

Do You Actually Want Young People to Quit Smoking?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Nothing says you should quit smoking like conflating sexual assault with the effects of cigarettes. Via the NYTimes, a feminist activist in France speaks out,

But the reaction on the Web site of Droits des Non-fumeurs has been mixed. One comment read, "The campaign trivializes sexual abuse -- worse, it implies guilt on the part of the abused."
Florence Montreynaud, the president of La Meute des Chiennes de Garde, or the Pack of Female Watchdogs, which opposes symbols of sexual violence in films and advertising, called the ads "unbearable" and said "what is most shocking is the banalization of sexual violence."

She is a feminist, she said, and a longtime member of Droits des Non-fumeurs. "But it is terrible to represent in the public space this kind of image restricted to pornography," she added. "I'm appalled. It's a poverty of imagination. When people have no ideas, they use female bodies."

These ads are not edgy to me at all. They are just gross.

Is Tagging Violent Offenders the Way to Go?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Like several of my co-bloggers, I am of the anti-violence, de-escalation, anti-incarceration and anti-police industry camp. I think generally increased penalties on criminal behavior supports and reinforces more criminal behavior. I believe that a just criminal justice system is one that is fair, protects the interests of the people and is built through community organizing.

Having said that, my political beliefs about prisons, policing and law enforcement are often taken to task on the issue of domestic violence, stalking and other forms of harassment and assault. Calling the police may not always help, restraining orders are hard to obtain and even harder to enforce. But it is still an option that many women choose and one of the only that are available to them.

It is with this same ambivalence that I think about this law in France that will most likely pass, garnering unanimous support. Men who have a court order to stay away from their ex-partner will be electronically tagged and if they violate their court order police will be notified immediately.

The proposal is part of a draft law on conjugal violence. It has cross-party support and is expected to pass easily.
According to the government, around 160 women in France are murdered by their husbands or partners every year.

Parliament is also considering outlawing psychological violence in the home, because it is seen by many as a precursor to physical violence.

It is rare for the left and the right in France to agree on anything, says the BBC's Hugh Schofield, so the near unanimity in parliament behind this law comes as something of a novelty.

Everyone agrees that domestic violence is bad and getting worse.

Awareness on behalf of the government of the epidemic of violence against women is a good thing and will lead to more legislation that supports the rights of victims. Also, I think if I were one of these women, this would put my mind at ease on some level, knowing that police are being proactive about enforcing court orders. On the other hand, this is still part of the same cycle and system of violence. If someone wants to get to you, a bracelet that alerts your parole officer may not always stop them.

So while I am in support of this kind of legislation (even though the idea of "tagging" has a bit of a post-apocalyptic cyber realm thing going on with it), I think it should be paired with anti-violence and rehabilitation therapy and trainings to create long-term solutions to violence.

Apple Censors Sexy Apps

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Four days after shocking some users by suddenly removing over 5,000 apps with sexually-explicit content form the App Store, Apple (a) started talking about the decision and (b) created a new category called "explicit" apps. Phil Schiller, Apple's head of worldwide product marketing, told the New York Times:

It came to the point where we were getting customer complaints from women who found the content getting too degrading and objectionable, as well as parents who were upset with what their kids were able to see.

As the NYT reports, "Many software developers have long complained about Apple's strict screening process and, at times, seemingly arbitrary decisions about what was acceptable in the App Store." Tech bloggers have noted that Playboy and Sports Illustrated's swimsuit apps were untouched, while lesser-known developers had their salacious creations pulled.

If you connect the dots here, it seems pretty clear. Apple made a decision to block some unsavory apps based on an economic decision (women, target consumers, complained, as did parents). They knocked off the smaller app producers as a gesture of caring about sexism without pissing off their big friends, like Playboy and SI.

I'm not necessarily arguing that any of this should be censored. I don't know enough about the ways in which apps function (truth be told, I don't have an iPhone) and I'm generally one to fall in the free speech camp on most issues. But it's pretty clear that Apple is just watching their own asses, financially-speaking, not trying to actually explore the idea of creating a brand that appeals to progressive folks who care about things like, say, little girls not growing up to feel like their power lies in having a perfect body fit for iPhone apps.

I know that Apple is, at its core, a massive corporation that wants to make money, but is it really too much to expect that one of the world's most creative companies might come up with a creative solution for all this objectification? It's particularly disheartening that they're so blase and bottom line about it when so many are innovating at the intersections of profit and nonprofit, social enterprise and market opportunism.

For more see TechCrunch and Huffington Post.

Thanks to Jaime for the heads up.

Guest Post Feminism Disability and John Currin

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Jennifer Bartlett contributes her second guest post, an interview with artist Sunuara Taylor. Note: All the art works included are by Sunny. Without further adieu:

JB: I've been exploring the idea of disability as a strength rather than the societal perception of the disabled body as 'weak.' My idea derives from the concept that people with disabilities accomplish many of the same things that nondisabled people do with a so-called "compromised" body. I wonder what you think of this?

ST: Well firstly I'd like to touch on the word disabled. I like the definitions of the words disability and impairment that exist within the Social Model of Disability. Under this model, the word disabled is used to describe the disabling environment and culture that different bodies live in (for example stairs and negative stereotypes disable me). Impairment is used to describe one's body, one's diagnosis (which is in itself arguably a cultural creation). When I hear or say 'disabled people' I think of people who are oppressed not by their bodies (or not only by their bodies), but by a discriminating and inaccessible world. Thus, when I answer these questions, I'll be using the word impairment for when I'm talking about one's individual experience in their specific body and disabled when I am talking more broadly about the experience of living in a body that is disabled by society. Of course, sometimes they are too entangled to separate!

One of my favorite quotes and in fact definitions of impairment/disability comes from the disabled dancer/artist Neil Marcus. Marcus says, "Disability is not a 'brave struggle' or 'courage in the face of adversity'...disability is an art. It's an ingenious way to live." What I love about Marcus' quote is his focus on the creativity and ingenuity that is needed when living in a body that doesn't work/move in a normalized way and that is discriminated against. I am under the impression that being forced to think creatively and ingeniously makes one a stronger and often more interesting individual, but I hesitate to say outright that having an impairment is a strength in and of itself -but I also would NOT say it's a weakness. I would say the strength comes from a potential creativity that disabled people are forced to deal with out of necessity.

JB: What do you think of the liberal use in the media of words such as wheelchair bound, afflicted with disability, and suffering from disability? Are these terms problematic?

ST: I cringe at these terms! And also the use of words like handicapped, special, and metaphoric language that co-opts and stereotypes words like blind, crippled and paralyzed (i.e. the nation was crippled by the financial meltdown, or blind to the corporate takeover). I'm annoyed, but rarely surprised. Even the most progressive journalists like Amy Goodman use these terms on a regular bases.

Simi Linton, in her groundbreaking book Claiming Disability, has a chapter on why each of these terms are patronizing, stereotyping and generally misinformed.

They are all either loaded with intensely negative history or are biased towards negativity -we are suffering, bound, confined, afflicted -but in actuality wheelchairs are liberating and most of the suffering that comes from being disabled comes from dealing with a discriminating and stereotyping world.

I use the word disabled for its political meaning. Many of us in the disabled community use the word crippled, 'crip' or gimp as a reclaiming of names similar to how the gay community has reclaimed the word queer.

More interview, paintings, and bios after the jump.

Notes from a bitchreflecting on the punishment from God claim

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Shall we?

Last week I was disturbed to see news reports that a Virginia Delegate, Robert G. Marshall, charged that women who have abortions run the risk of birth defects in later pregnancies that are a punishment from God.

Mr. Marshall has since tried to clarify his remarks, which were first reported by Capital News Service (produced by students at the Virginia Commonwealth University), but has only succeeded in lodging his foot more firmly into his mouth.

The issue is not what Mr. Marshall said...

"The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion who have handicaps has increased dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the firstborn of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children.

"In the Old Testament, the firstborn of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord," he added. "There's a special punishment Christians would suggest -- and with the knowledge that they have in faith, it's been verified by a study from Virginia Commonwealth University -- first abortions, of a first pregnancy, are much more damaging to a woman than latter abortions."

...but what he meant by what he said.

Marshall has since made clarifying statements that claim that what he really meant was that women who have abortions (particularly if it's a "first born") will be punished because the Old Testament says so. Marshall goes on to say that he did not mean that disabled children are a punishment, even though I don't see how that works and I suspect his reluctance to follow his own inaccurate logic to completion has it's roots in the fact that doing so wouldn't be consistent with his traditional family values brand identity.

In praise of Johnny Weir

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We had a lot of fun at the Feministing retreat this weekend. For me, one of the many highlights - and there really were very many moments when I looked around and thought, "this has got to be the best moment of the weekend," only to have the very same thought an hour or two later - was standing behind Vanessa and laughing uncontrollably as she watched Bryan Safi of "Infomania" give his cutting analysis of how the media has treated American figure skater Johnny Weir during the Winter Games.

Weir won US Nationals in 2004, 2005 and 2006, but famously did far worse than expected at the 2006 Games in Torino, placing fifth after not completing some of his jumps. This year, he placed third at Nationals and went on to Vancouver, where he finished in sixth place. He is, without a doubt, a world class athlete. But as Safi notes, "athlete" is a word that's never used to describe Weir. He's described as "controversial" or "flamboyant": the mainstream media seems to have a different vocabulary for talking about Weir than for talking about his American rivals and his international competitors.

Biased NY Times article covers racist antichoice campaign

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

This weekend, the New York Times had a front page article about the racist Atlanta billboards that Samhita covered a few weeks ago.

Unfortunately, the entire article is a detailed explanation of the Right to Life group's opinion, analysis and tactics. Loretta Ross, National Coordinator of Sistersong, is quoted in response, but her arguments barely make a splash on the piece. This doesn't seem like fair and balanced reporting to me.

Jodi Jacobson at RH Reality Check has more on what was wrong with the article:

But the Times story failed on several fronts. First, it failed to explore in any real depth the factors underlying reproductive and sexual health problems among African American women. Nowhere does the article cite the actual public health data that would immediately discredit the claims of anti-choice groups using racial wedge issues to raise money and gain power.
Second, it failed to provide context for the widespread support among African-American leaders in Congress and in the public health community for expanding access to services.

And third, the Times gave inordinate amounts of space to truly questionable characters in the anti-choice movement without exploring how these groups themselves are at fault for the problem about which they profess to be so worried. In fact, it failed to ask any questions at all about what the so-called right-to-life groups cited were doing to address the causal factors behind high rates of abortion. Nor did it really question the validity or credibility of these groups in any real way, or ask what they've done to address poverty, social isolation, or broader health concerns among African American women. The answer? Nothing.

RH Reality Check has been running a series in response to this campaign for a few weeks now. It includes Shark-fu's great response to the campaign. I also wrote a piece for the series last week, which Courtney linked to, but I wanted to re-emphasize it.

While this campaign targets African American women specifically, we've seen these arguments used to target other women of color. I argue that it is a classic divide and conquer strategy, an attempt to pit women of color against reproductive justice activists. Here is an excerpt from that piece:

Latinas and other women of color don't need to be protected by paternalistic ideologues motivated by a political agenda that disregards the needs of women of color and their families. So thanks for your concern, anti-choicers, but I think the women of color advocates working within the reproductive justice movement have got it covered. We're working in those clinics you attack, we're helping to shape policies and provide services in our communities, services that allow us to decide what our needs are.
We know whom we can trust to make decisions about family creation: women themselves. We don't need limits on what services we can access. And we don't need your ideological bullying.

The next time one of your crisis pregnancy centers, one of your dramatic billboards, or one of your bogus pieces of "sex and race selection" legislation actually works to support women through whatever choice they make for their families--we'll talk.

Update: SPARK Reproductive Justice Now has a campaign to urge CBS Outdoor to bring the billboards down. Click here to take action.

I didn?t see any of you at the flower show Were you hiding?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Morning Queefies!

I don’t know how much time I have this morning. Homeslice and Girlfriend are still sleeping. I always get really paranoid when they sleep late, and I keep going into their rooms to make sure they didn’t die. I put my hand on their little tummies to check for breathing and sometimes I poke them to make them move. I’m an awesome mother, obviously.

They’re both still alive, btw. I poked them.

Can somebody tell me why my upstairs bathroom is infested with lady bugs? It happens every year at this time. I counted 21 of them yesterday, and I have to do the floor every day because when I go in there, it’s littered with dead lady bug parts. Apparently there’s some sort of a lady bug coup d’ etat going on in there. It’s a veritable lady bug blood bath.

But why are they doing it in my bathroom?

I saw Amityville Horror AND I read the book, so I’m kind of an expert on these things, and so I know that it’s usually flies that come with an evil haunting and so I don’t think that’s why all the lady bugs.

As far as I can tell, they must think the horrible daisy border the former owners put up is real. Stupid lady bugs. It’s ugly AND it’s wallpaper, you guys! Get a clue.

OR!

I am not only Queen of Fucking Everything, but I am also Earth Mother and all the creatures big and small want to be near me regardless of ugly wallpaper.

I spend a lot of time in that bathroom, you know. I brush people’s teeth, I give people baths, I wipe people’s butts (not Miste’rs though, thank Jeezus, but I could be anywhere in the house and hear “I pooped!” and I have to come running to wipe Girlfriend’s ass), and I clean it and clean it and clean it. Not Girlfriend’s ass. The bathroom. Because lady bugs are messy.

Between that upstairs bathroom and the kitchen, it’s pretty much my day. So why aren’t they in the kitchen where all my plants are?

Because lady bugs are fucking stupid and they have horrible taste in wallpaper. That’s why.

In other news, the flower show was pretty stupid. It was more of an opportunity to find a landscaper than to learn about pretty flowers. We paid $17 a person to see landscaping vignettes. It was fucking stupid.

But we got a cute picture of Homeslice:

so that was good.

And I noticed that not one of you showed up there to meet me which proves once and for all that I don’t have any REAL friends. Sure, you say you love me but WHERE WERE YOU?

I agonized over my outfit just for you.

Assholes.

DIY Vajazzling Even Better than the Real Thing

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I originally wrote this post for Toy With Me, but somebody else submitted one on the same topic only two hours before me, so I had to eat it. Both Dingo and Michele sent me links to this and it’s total suckage because I’m wicked sick, and I struggled through writing it and even got my mom to babysit so I could do it, and then I had to start all over again with something else.

The ladybug karma is still fucking with me, obviously.

I SAID SORRY, OKAY BUDDHA?

I mean, JEE-ZUS! Buddha does not fool around with that karma business.

Anyway, have you guys heard of Vajazzling yet? It’s the new, sexy way to get your bling on.

It’s bedazzling for your pieche!

Yup.

What they do is they wax your pubical area, and then they glue tiny Swarovski crystals (because only the best will do) to it.

Jennifer Love Hewett had it done and now everyone and their pussy is doing it too.

And now I want it, obviously.

1) because I’ve always loved TheGhost Whiperer and if it’s good enough for her crotchals, it’s good enough for mine.

B) I’ve kind of always felt like my twidget was, well, sort of plain. I mean I shave it and everything to keep it neat and tidy, but really? It doesn’t make a statement.

It just sort of sits there like…a vagina.

Anyway, I’ve been thinking a lot about what sort of pattern I might want and I thought of maybe getting racing stripes or something, but then I decided that some kind of message would be better, like… PINK or JUICY. Wouldn’t that be cute? Or maybe just a sparkly WELCOME sign.

This seems to me like the Best Idea Ever because as you know, I have a hard time finding jeans that fit me just right. They’re always too long or too short or too size 16/00, but if I get Vajazzled, I’ll never need to wear pants again! I’m already fancy just the way I am! And I’m totally ready to hit the dance floor as my own disco ball! Woot! Woot! (that was the disco call, in case you didn’t know)

Imagine the looks on the Escalade Pajama Cunt’s faces when I drop Girlfriend off at school with my JUICY disco crotch? I dare say, it will make their JUICY sweatpanted asses look just silly.

Who’s the fashionista now, ladies?

That’s right. It’s ME!

But it’s wicked expensive you guys and I’m trying to save up for that Volvo because as it turns out, blow jobs do not make the world go round and you actually have to PAY for things with MONIES.

I had no idea.

So I got to thinking that maybe I can save myself the $50 and do my own using Girlfriend’s stick on earrings.

And it totally works!

Yay for DIY Vajazzling projects!

Turns out Mister isn’t the only Macguyver up in Crissy’s hizzy.

I ‘m totally going to suggest we do this for the next girl’s night. Fuck getting pedicures and all that other stupid shit. We’re getting Vajazzled, baby! I’ll bring the stickers!

All three of my friends are going to LOVE this. It’s exactly like Nerds Gone Wild when a Pediatrician, a Rabbi-in-training, a Librarian/Historian, and a Mommy Blogger go out to get their (one per person) drink on. Last time, we shared a piece of chocolate cake and like, our forks touched places on the cake where other people’s forks had touched it.

It was too hot for TV that’s for sure.

We practically had a lezzie gang bang. Just sayin.

So yes.

DIY Vajazzling.

Why pay $50 bucks to have a stranger touch your pubicals, when I can do it with stickers I got at Christmas Tree Shops for $1?

I wish Bob Ross was my dad

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

I wish Bob Ross was my dad.

I used to watch him paint when I was little and I always wanted to crawl into the TV and hug him. I watched him every day. I asked my parents for art books so I could learn how to paint like him. He was sort of a hero, actually.

He was always just like “maybe get a little crazy and put a tree here. Whatever you’re comfortable with is fine.”

My dad was always all “SIT DOWN AND EAT OR YOU’LL GET A SPANKING!” followed by “QUIT CRYING OR I’LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT!” And then he’d smack us on the back of the head, or clap his hands really loud right in our faces, just to let us know he was THE MAN.

We got a lot of spankings and we did a lot of crying.

I bet Bob Ross would never make me eat meatloaf under threat of a spanking. He would probably leave his dinner to make me a grilled cheese sandwich like I wanted.

Also, Bob Ross had cool hair. My dad was bald.

PS: I need a topic for next week’s Toy With Me. Is there something totally gross you saw recently, or is there a story you want me to tell/re-tell? Maybe I’ll just tell the story about how I turn men gay. I’ve got three under my belt. I’m pretty proud of that. Email me!

PSS: This post was way emo-er than I planned. Sorry. I thought it was going to come out funny, but no. That’s okay though. Bob Ross still loves me, even when I suck a little bit.

Ladybug Karma

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Quick update on the Karma situation:

Yesterday the basement flooded, Homeslice was a crankasaurus, Mister was in a shitty mood, Girlfriend followed me around demanding cookies, a show we bought tickets to was switched to a different performer–no refunds (fucking Ticketmaster cunts), Big Pussy ate my new favorite plant that I bought at the flower show and barfed it all over my dining room table, Alice fished a coffee filter out of my compost bucket and ran around with a diarrhea coffee buzz like you read about, BUT it was raining like a sonofabitch so she refused to go out which means she had diarrhea anyone? anyone? all over the house, AND I came down with a cold and a wicked sore throat. I can take anything, but a sore throat really pisses me off.

So yes. The universe pretty much shat on my head.

Don’t kill ladybugs. Roger that.

Dammit! Karma?s fucked

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Yesterday after reading that my “ladybugs” were actually some sort of Beetle impostering as ladybugs, Girlfriend and I went on a killing spree. Each armed with a library book( I KNOW IT!), we went into the bathroom and opened up a can whoop ass on the beetles.

We were like, all Matrix-y and shit, and we were spinning around and doing ninja flips and gettin’ all crazy, and we were pretty bad ass, laughing all the way and making splooshy sound effects and high fiving each other until all the beetles were dead, dead, dead.

Hahahahahahaha!

And I enjoyed it a little too much, and I blame Girlfriend because she thought it was hysterical, which made massacring tens of ladybug beetle things AWESOME! Hahahahaha! and we totally bonded and then I realized something.

Karma is a bitchface.

It’s always making anything fun a wicked pain in the assical. Murdering bugs, annoying as they may be, makes for very bad karma. I mean,what would Buddha say?

I do not think he would be pleased with Girlfriend and me.

Mister tells me that my source of information on the whole beetle/ladybug thing was bad and that ladybugs come in all different shades of orange/red and if he’s right, I have just gleefully killed what are arguably the most adorable bugs in the entire entomological world.

What happens to you when you smoosh good luck ladybugs with a library book?

This can’t be good, Queefies.

So now I’m scared that something really bad is going to happen, and I keep going back to this show I was watching on Monday night. I don’t know what show it was because I don’t really pay attention to show names, but it was one of those police shows–OMG! Greg from Darma & Greg was in it– and it was about a guy who started shooting people who looked like his wife. After he shot his first person, he got a high from it, and then he got addicted to shooting people and he couldn’t stop, and he just wanted to do it more and more and it became like, an obsession.

I didn’t see the whole thing, but I think he murdered his family probably.

I’m scared that this is going to happen to me now. I’m going to start killing bugs like, all the time, and then before you know it, BAM!

I’m a killing machine.

I already share a name with a serial killer, so it’s like I am one already!

And you’re getting a twofer today because it’s TOY WITH ME Wednesday!

Breastfeed my husband? Hell no!

Casa Quickie Let Wine Lend a Hand

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

If you need a reason to justify all the glasses of wine you're consuming, consider the benefits a used up wine cork can offer. Instead of tossing the porous stopper into the recycling bin, reuse it in your own home. It turns out corks make fine knife cleaners. Next time your blades need a cleaning, send a cork in to do the job rather than a rough-sided sponge. Just run the edge of the knife across the cork. It'll leave the steel utensil with a mirror image instead of a scratched and dull surface! Who knew?

10 Ways to Decorate With Pineapples

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Since pineapples are commonly associated with the notion of welcoming, it seems appropriate that people might want to decorate parts of their homes with the punchy fruit. Perfect for fruit salads and splashy cocktails, they can also be the quintessential accessory to spicing up your sweet abode. Check out all of these ways to dole (sorry I couldn't resist) out the prickly produce among your interiors.

View Slideshow ›

Are You a Minimalist?

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member Laura Trevey from the Su Casa group:

Are you a Minimalist? According to Wikipedia, minimalism describes a movement where "work is stripped down to its most fundamental features . . . it is rooted in the reductive aspects of Modernism, and is often interpreted as a reaction against abstract impressionism and a bridge to Postmodern art practices." Strip it down to the fundamentals. Hide the clutter. This Japanese-style room is gorgeous and I am a huge fan of plush cushions on the floor.

To see more minimalist rooms and chime in on whether it fits your aesthetic, read more.

Notice all the geometric shapes the furniture makes in this room. The sofa, chair, and table form a square on the rug. The green and orange colors are fun in this room! The color scheme is even continued on the ceiling.

I have always been a fan of all white interiors and this one is no exception. Images via brightboldandbeautiful via beinteriordecorator

What interior design styles please your aesthetic? Be sure to post photos and tales of your home in the Su Casa group!

Smoochworthy! Maybelline Shine Sensational

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

By now, it’s probably pretty obvious that a LOT of beauty products cross my desk on a weekly basis. And while there are a lot that I eyeball and then dump into the pass-along pile, lip gloss never, ever falls into that category. I simply can’t get enough. And it’s a good thing too, because if it did, I might have missed out on the new Shine Sensational lip glosses by Maybelline.

Included in the official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week press bags (Maybelline is the official makeup sponsor), these ultra-juicy and appropriately glossy lippies smell and taste just like candy! Best of all, they’re just the right consistency – not too thin or slippy and not too think or gloopy. I have one tucked in each pocket – and I think I may be in the market for more.

These are available in eighteen luscious hues – snag them at a drugstore near you.

Post from: Makeup Minute

Double Duty Beauty LORAC

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Here at Makeup Minute, we frequently discuss my love of multiple use beauty products. Thankfully, LORAC founder Carol Shaw has made double duty a brand tenet, and it’s in fine form with the new Double Feature Concealer/Highlighter ($24).

This dual ended product includes a full coverage, long wearing Concealer, an illuminating liquid Highlighter and a unique Blender Ball all in one slim stick.

I love to layer the concealer under my Prescriptives Custom Blend Foundation and then use the moisture-rich Highlighter to brighten the inner and outer corners of my eyes. You can even smudge a bit on cheekbones to enhance your natural bone structure.

Double Feature is available in five shades. Snag it online at this link!

Post from: Makeup Minute

LA Event Alert The Makeup Show

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The Makeup Show is one of my long standing event favorites and this year, for the second time, the show hits Los Angeles. If you’re on the West Coast, mark your calendar and check it out on February 28 & March 1, 2010 at downtown’s California Market Center, located at 110 East Ninth Street, Los Angeles, CA, from 9AM-6PM daily.

If you’re looking for an idea of what to expect, The Makeup Show LA will again bring together top industry exhibitors, speakers from all areas of the makeup artistry including Eve Pearl and Joanna Schlip, new product introductions and special pro-only offers – all in an intimate setting where insider-only tips and techniques are traded between the best in the business.

The foundation of The Makeup Show is its unique educational programs: keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, seminars and business forums, examining beauty techniques and applications, skin tone and health, makeup products, tools of the trade, and the business of the beauty industry. The event has become a key networking opportunity for all levels of makeup professionals and a must-attend event for anyone involved in the beauty industry.

This year, you can expect to see the top pro-focused brands and businesses in makeup including Diamond Sponsor Make Up For Ever, Platinum sponsors Inglot and Temptu Pro, and sponsor Crown Brush.

For more info and to buy tickets, visit this link.

Post from: Makeup Minute

Assisted Living Incorporating a Bold New Antique

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

CasaSugar Community member LynniePop posted this design dilemma in the Assisted Living group:

We just purchased this new antique cabinet for our dining room. The problem is it's not really our style and really doesn't match any of the sleek, clean lined, contemporary furniture we have in our house. For some reason we fell in love with it in the antique store and decided to put it in our dining room, but I need help incorporating it with our other furniture. Are there other accents or decorations I could add to the room to make our contemporary dining room table and chairs mesh better with this new piece?

To see her dining room table and offer your ideas, read more.

Here's LynniePop's dining room table, the Round Dining Table with Cutout Legs ($449-$599) from West Elm.

First of all, LynniePop, I would definitely recommend painting your dining room walls. This will instantly give the space a more cohesive look. Mixing styles and eras of furniture is a smart move; it gives the room depth and shows that you have cultivated your own personal aesthetic.

Your antique cabinet has beautiful Chinoiserie motifs and hardware, so I'd celebrate that artistic style and bring more Chinoiserie elements to your tabletop and around the room. Here are a few products that might do the trick:

Does anyone else have suggestions and ideas for LynniePop? Please share below! Do you have any of your own decorating dilemmas to deal with? Be sure to post photos and tales in the Assisted Living group!

Get the Look Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Actress Kristen Stewart is best known, of course, for her role as Bella in the Twilight film series. But she’s about to break free of the good girl-gone-awkward image, taking on the role of perennial bad girl Joan Jett in the upcoming Runaways flick. In the film, she rocks a classic, rocker-chic smoky eye and make up department head Robin Mathews chose MAKE UP FOR EVER’s Eye Shadows, Aqua Eyes and Smoky Lash mascara to achieve the look.

Start with Eye Shadow #127 (metallic taupe). Cover the entire eye lid with shadow so that there are no hard edges, making sure to blend out the color extremely well.
Using Aqua Eyes #0L (black), apply a very generous amount of eyeliner under the eye on the lower lid, then rim the top lid as close to lash line as possible.
Using a smudging brush, smudge the liner on the top and bottom of the eye. Robin’s tip: the secret to a great rock and roll smoky eye is all about the smudge – it doesn’t have to be uniform or neat. Once you’re done smudging, go back and re-apply a heavier coat of eyeliner along the lash line. Then, remove any excess shadow that may have fallen using a sponge.
Apply Eye Shadow #139 (iridescent brown black), a darker brown than the color used on the base of the lid, and smudge it over the black liner that was smudged out earlier on both the top and bottom lids.
Use a lash curler to lift all the lashes and prep them for applying mascara.
To complete the ultimate smoky eye, apply Smoky Lash first to the tops of the lashes, and then follow through scissoring up to create volume and separation.

To celebrate the film’s upcoming release, MAKE UP FOR EVER has partnered with “The Runaways” to host a sweepstakes where one lucky winner and a guest will be invited to party like a true rock star at the New York City premiere of the film on March 17th. For official rules and more information on how to enter, visit www.makeupforeverusa.com/runaways/.

Post from: Makeup Minute

LFW FROW watch MaryKate Olsen Kate Hudson Kristen Stewart Claire Danes at Burberry Prorsum

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

It was a bumper of a FROW at the Burberry Prorsum A/W 2010 show last night...

2010 Elle Style Awards Gallery Happy snaps from the red carpet

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Our friends over at OSOYOU were lucky enough to attend Monday night's glittery Elle Style Awards...

London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Christopher Kane

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Christopher Kane got a little dark with his autumn/winter 2010 collection this week...

London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Erdem watch the show!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

We saw Romola Garai rock an Erdem number at the BAFTAs on Sunday night, now here is a look at the label's new autumn 2010-11 collection...

Lily Allen to unveil fashion line at Vintage at Goodwood festival

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Loving this! Ever since Lily Allen dropped a bombshell late last year that she would be putting her music career on hold to pursue fashion we have been all ears...

Milan Fashion Week A/W 2010 DG

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Snow bunnies this one is for you!

Alexander McQueen laid to rest Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell attend funeral

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Legendary fashion designer Lee Alexander McQueen was laid to rest yesterday at a private funeral held at St Paul's Church in Knightsbridge...

Giorgio Armani and Prada to dress Lady Gaga for tour wardrobe

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Lady Gaga recently wore Armani Prive to the Grammy Awards.

Backstage with John Frieda at the Antonio Berardi LFW show

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

After attending numerous catwalks this LFW I have to say it was the Antonio Berardi that was completely my style and I love it! It had a touch of class and a pinch of full on sexy sophistication using sharp lines, fur and lace to soften. He used a...

Backstage with Antonio Berardi for John Frieda

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Star style Leona Lewis in William Tempest at the Love Ball

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

It's fair to say that beside Liz Hurley's see-through sari, Leona Lewis stole the show at last night's Love Ball.

Stars flock to Natalia Vodianovas Love Ball

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Showing their support of Natalia Vodianova's Love Ball last night was a long line of mega-stars including Kate Moss, Stella McCartney and Liz Hurley...

London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Basso Brooke

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Slithering onto the runway were the reptilian-creations dreamed up by Basso & Brooke.

London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Peter Pilotto

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Taking their cues from modern architecture, Peter Pilotto and his partner Christopher De Vos, presented a collection of their signature prints and geometric shapes.

Gallery A look backstage at Carolina Herrera

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

While we've moved on to live coverage of London Fashion Week, we've still got some excellent tidbits to share from New York, like this gallery of images from the Carolina Herrera Fall 2010 show. A queen of elegance and American fashion, Herrera never disappoints and eveningwear was once again her...

London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Marios Schwab runway video!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Marios Schwab's Austrian heritage was clearly the inspiration behind his A/W 2010-11 collection...

London Fashion Week A/W 2010 Burberry Prorsum

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The scene was set for a world first last night.

One last video from New York Fashion Week Monique Lhuillier

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Well look at that, we still had one video from New York Fashion Week up our sleeve. Sorry for the delay in sharing this beautiful Monique Lhuillier Fall 2010 runway show. The model's last pass showcases what Lhuillier does best - beautiful eveningwear, this season slit up to there...

Agyness Deyn to launch clothing line with Barneys Japan

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Let's face it, she is one of the few models left who hasn't launched her own clothing line...

Milan Fashion Week A/W 2010 Missoni

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Layering has worked wonders on Angela Missoni's runway for the past couple of seasons...

Jourdan Dunns boyfriend arrested for drugs possession

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Jourdan Dunn's recent return to the catwalk has been dampened by the news that her boyfriend, and father of her son, has been arrested on drugs charges...

Milan Fashion Week A/W 2010 Versace watch the runway video!

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Sex kitten was the theme of Versace's latest autumn/winter 2010-11 with an array of super-slick, metallic sci-fi pieces...