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Have you ever been home alone without a husband to protect you, when you spot a burglar with a crowbar outside your window? According to the ads for Brinks Home Security, it's a common occurrence. More »
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Check out these, uh, "erotic" shopping bags from German condom manufacturer, Condomi, which have a special slit to make shoppers look like they're cupping the privates of a nearly nude man or woman. [RGS] More »
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The highly annoying PajamaGram commercial - currently in heavy rotation on cable - tries to convince guys the best gift to give their ladyfriends is one that will help them get laid. More »
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Apparently men need to be tricked into wearing cologne; then they love it. But do we? More »
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Say what you will about Sarah Palin — and we've sure said a lot — but the woman is photogenic. She was made more so (for a rather steep price) by makeup artist Amy Strozzi, best known for her work on So You Think You Can Dance Strozzi gave an interview to Talking Shopping this week, where she dished on brands, Palin's skin and those long, long eyelashes behind the glasses. More »
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In an essay on The Huffington Post, writer Alex Leo notes that while this was a big year for women — the first serious female presidential candidate, the first predominately female state senate, the first female Top Chef — the advertising world has a lot of catching up to do. Ms. Leo names the five sexist trends in ads that just won't die: More »
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The Oprah Store is now online! In a video tour, Oprah explains that since 600 people line up everyday to watch a taping of her show, she always wanted a place where "they could just get a keychain or something." Of course, Oprah being Oprah, things are never that simple. The brick-and-mortar store is 5,500 square feet of items, each approved by Ms. Winfrey. The clothes come in every size from small to 3x. Dressing rooms are in soothing colors with a flattering mirror, "no fat mirrors allowed." There's an entire section devoted to tea. Lots of items, including the gift wrap, are "new grass green," Oprah's fave color. And most everything in the Chicago store can now be found online. Baby bibs, bowls, puppy polos and South African crafts, after the jump. More »
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Apparently, some consumers are complaining that Victoria's Secret bras have given them rashes, hives, and even permanent scarring. In the clip above from today's GMA, Roberta Ritter explains that she filed a lawsuit against the retailer after developing blisters and welts while wearing her Angels Secret Embrace and Very Sexy Extreme Push-Up bras. Ritter's lawyers sent the bras to a lab and they tested positive for formaldehyde, which could have caused the skin reaction. Victoria's Secret says it does not use the chemical in their bras, but Ritter's attorneys say they have been contacted by dozens of women who experienced similar symptoms and have filed papers for a class action lawsuit. More »
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Environmental news blog Grist has a review of eco-minded feminine products. According to the story, the average woman will menstruate for about 40 years (ugh) and use about 16,800 sanitary pads or tampons, which is 250 to 300 pounds of waste. In the U.S., 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are disposed of annually. So what's a girl who cares about the environment but doesn't want blood-soaked jeans to do? Grist has some pad options (the tampon review is due next week) and things are pretty bleak: More »
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Apparently, along with our newfound love of 80's power dressing, we're all enamored of heavy, potent, Reagan-era perfumes, too. You know: Shalimar, Opium, Poison and a bunch of new ones that just smell like them. In general, I'm kind of baffled by these mysterious forces that are supposed to be dictating all our actions, and in this case, particularly so: isn't the way we smell supposed to be kind of, well, personal? And can people stop acting like we've surrendered our individual wills to some kind of creepy demographics genie? More »
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Though some of our fellow Gawker Media bloggers think Suze Orman is bilking women out of their hard earned cash by peddling common sense advice that could be applied just as easily to men, we're fans of Suze's practical financial tips for women. As such we were pleased to find her on the cover of the fall issue of Ms., doling out advice for how women can get through this recession. I agreed with all of Suze's suggestions for solvency except in one place: when it comes to couples keeping separate accounts. More »
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Why does Sarah Palin look so blissful at this campaign stop in Pennsylvania? Well, if The New Republic's Michelle Cottle is right, it might be because Pennsylvania is one of the states where one can legally buy Trojan's Vibrating Touch fingertip massager. More »
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Two months ago, Brenda McElmore went to her local salon, inside of a JC Penney in Downey, California, because she wanted to get her hair dyed black — she's got some gray at the temples. According to KTLA, the receptionist at the salon told her, "We don't do African-American hair." Ms. McElmore feels that she was denied service because she is black, and is now suing for racial discrimination (Gloria Allred is on the case). In a heartbreaking video (embedded after the jump), Ms. McElmore, on the verge of tears, says, "I'm a person of the '60s… It was shocking to hear them say this in this manner, in 2008." More »
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We didn't think we could still use the words "shocked" and "Dov Charney" in the same sentence, but if true, the latest revelation about American Apparel's Chief Executive Sleaze is truly horrifying. According to legal journal "On Point News", when the latest in a string of female employees, Mary Nelson, charged Charney with a battery of sex harrassment offenses ("cock socks" and "reigns of sexual terror" were both convincingly invoked), it Charney tried to get her lawyers to let him settle in secret, but publicly claim her charges had been dismissed in a fake hearing his people had put together. More »
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Michelle Obama was on The Tonight Show last night, and Jay Leno teased her about the bright yellow outfit she was wearing. "What is it, about $60-grand? $60, $70,000 that outfit?" Ms. Obama responded: "Actually, this is a J. Crew ensemble. You can get some good stuff online." Michelle Obama: She's just like us! Anyway, this sparked an idea: What if we headed to JCrew.com and picked clothing for Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain, Sarah Palin and the kids? We went on a shopping spree and chose election night outfits and inauguration day ensembles for the ladies, after the jump. More »
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A reader sent us an e-mail about an item called Waterworks. In the commercial for the product (embedded after the jump), a gorgeous woman of ambiguous ethnicity sits by a fountain as Frenchy-French accordian music plays. She says, "I'd like to talk about a problem most women don't like to talk about. Vaginal odor." Uh-oh! The camera cuts to the clasped hands of a man and woman, with two glasses of red wine. The model continues, "Millions of women suffer from it. It's embarrassing, and it can hurt your love life. In Europe, we use the water rinse of a bidet to solve some of the problem. You can solve the problem completely! With Waterworks, a natural water therapy." Lady, just admit it: It's a douche. More »
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If you've seen her videos mocking birth control, cleaning products, or products that make you poop, then you already know that Current TV star Sarah Haskins is very, very funny. But did you also know that the Harvard grad and self-described nerd loves both Gossip Girl and Joan Didion? Or that she wouldn't mind being the President Of France? I conducted an internet chat with the breakout star of Current TV's infoMania; the fun begins after the jump. More »
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The new Urban Outfitters arrived in mailboxes recently, and its models are depressed, yet again. The photoshoot's gloomy, woodsy setting and the muted, colorless clothes only make things worse. It sums up that overwhelming melancholia than can grip a person who dreads shorter days and lack of sunlight as we head into fall. Misery loves company, after the jump. More »
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The NY Observer wants to know why, in a month that might arguably be called financially eventful, Conde Nast Portfolio has put old-newsy sleaze-monger Dov Charney on its cover. They raise a good point: the American Apparel founder's creepiness, idiosyncrasies, success and commitment to "vertically-integrated manufacturing" are not exactly secrets. But it's kind of a good profile, and from it we've been able to extrapolate a definitive Dov Charney dossier than hopefully obviates the need to ever profile him again ever. More »
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When the market crashed in '29, people were probably kind of shocked. But when our Recession hit, we were ready! Within five minutes, experts were cranking out lists of ways to stay 'fabulous' on a budget, become a "recessionista," treat the economic downturn like the opportunity for fun and self-celebration that everything ultimately is! Who doesn't love to see rich people doling out incredibly obvious tips that anyone who isn't a millionaire has already been doing forever? But for those for whom "not being rich" is a delightful, Marie Antoinette-style novelty, the elves (read: I; "The Elves" is my fab recessionita identity) have digested like 20 of these to bring you the Ultimate Recession Guide for Dummies, after the jump. More »
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All week long, the Dow's been hitting record lows and every talking head on the news is saying "recession." Yet, Tuesday, Neiman Marcus unveiled its annual Christmas Book, reports MSNBC. Inside? A $160,000 BMW, his and hers life-size Lego replicas at $60,000 each; and the usual $18,000 rings and $5,200 bags. More »
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Very rarely is the New York Times straight-up comedy, but today's story, "Let's Play Buzzword: Defining Phrases Used in Skin Care Advertising" is so friggin funny. Cosmetics companies sell creams with words like "advanced" "microlift" "nourishing" "bio-stimulating" and "revitalizing," but what do they mean? Does anyone know? Times writer Natasha Singer visited a Manhattan salon and asked some women for their definitions, then compared their translations of the mumbo-jumbo with official explanations from the cosmetics companies. More »
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In the new film The Science Of Sexy, Dita Von Teese plays a bespectacled scientist who turns into… Dita Von Teese. Her lab coat gives way to lingerie. This movie has already been viewed over 200,000 times, but not in a theater: It's playing on YouTube. The short film is produced by Wonderbra, and, as Oliver Horton writes for the International Herald Tribune, the "fashion film" is having a moment. Prada has released two animated short films, and Louis Vuitton produced one as well. Of course, not matter how fancy they appear to be, these "fashion films" are really just commercials. More »
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Even though Fall doesn't officially begin until next week, the Christmas catalogs have already begun to arrive. While I get that Christmas trees aren't necessarily "Christian" — they can be a fun way to celebrate the otherwise cold and dark winter season with light and color — there are some extremely odd ornaments for sale in the new catalog from Bronner's. Oh, I'm not talking about the usual wacky stuff: Snowmen, moose, birds, dolphins, vintage cars, Santa drinking wine, Betty Boop, frogs getting married, pirate ships, Hello Kitty, unicorns. I'm talking about seriously crazy items that will make even the most traditional among you say, well, Christ. What is this holiday really all about? Gadgets, pop icons, food products and mythic beasts, after the jump. More »
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Advertisements in magazines have many goals: They're supposed to raise brand awareness, maintain brand recognition, stop you from turning the page and pay attention to the message, and, ultimately, sell the damn product. But some ads are so stupid, inane, gross, weird or depressing, they're just bad. Hence: Badvertising! After the jump, some of the worst ads from issues of In Touch, Elle, Marie Claire, Glamour and Lucky. More »
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An observant reader recently directed us to Sexactivator, a deeply disturbing product advertised in the back pages of September's Men's Fitness magazine. According to the ad, "This magical wonder liquid can be taken orally, or put in any drink." Also, "some women say that they love when their man puts a few drops in their favorite drink without them knowing. They say that it turns them on even more." Exciting! The full ad, along with its partner-in-creepiness, Mate Magnet Cologne, after the jump. More »
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Neiman Marcus is known for its expensive merchandise, hence the nickname "Needless Markup." But the stuff in the new "Just Kidding" catalog has to be seen to be believed: A $100 sequined jacket! A $200 dress! A $300 faux-fur coat! For children. $140 Burberry rain boots and a sleigh bed/duvet/pillow ensemble that costs more than your rent, after the jump. More »
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Over on AdAge, there's a commercial for a company called Libra. In the spot, a woman on a rooftop rocks out on guitar as video game shapes fall from the sky. The licks are hot, the chick is cool, and the tagline is: "Play with patterns." The product? Tampons. Because having your period rocks! Actually, the ad's not bad — at least there's not blue mystery liquid being squeezed from an eyedropper or a beaver involved. As AdAge's Charlie Moran points out: "We like rock 'n roll as a source of female empowerment, but doesn't such a contrived packaging gimmick like this play into stereotypes about the frivolity of those same young girls?" Ugh. Why is "feminine hygiene" such a tough product to sell? Women menstruate. They need tampons. So how come tampon commercials rarely hit the mark? More »
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As you may have read, England's House of Lords recently passed judgment on the culture of "Fast Fashion" as epitomized by chains like H&M and Forever21, stating that it fosters a culture of irresponsible waste. While the high-handedness of a group of peers making such a pronouncement has been roundly denounced - and indeed, is in danger of obscuring the message - the truth is that this is a real issue that can stand a little exposure. The current trend towards ever-cheaper and more disposable wardrobes is not merely bad for the environment and the sweatshop workers who turn out that $14 Marni knockoff, but is probably, ultimately, pretty bad for us as a society, too. Melodramatic? Maybe. But valuing things is, paradoxically, a luxury. More »
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A few months ago, in an exhaustive feat of research, we found the worst outfit in the International Male catalog. And then, over the weekend: A flea market find! Issues of International Male from Summer 1986. Rayon! Army shorts! Faux eyeglasses! Underwear! The best — meaning worst — of the pages, after the jump. More »
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Each week, Mad Men has been killing me softly with its wardrobe and set design. That era of early to mid-'60s is undeniably attractive, particularly all the Eames-style furnishings and wall art. But it's the waist-cinching, curve hugging dresses that really get me. They only further prove my point that tent dresses are rags from hell. Could you imagine how those frocks would evaporate any and all of the vampy, sexiness Joan Holloway is dripping with? Anyway, I've been well aware since first viewing this show that it makes me want a cigarette in the worst -but most delightful-way. (Which kinda defeats the purpose of the Welbutrin I've been taking.) However, this week's episode really drove home for me how much Mad Men makes me want to spend my money on a whole new wardrobe and decor. The fact that it's a show about advertising makes it so meta. After the jump, stills from the most coveted possessions on this week's episode. More »
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A friend writes: "I just got a new Anthropologie catalog and the main model in it is practically almost of a non-anorexic size!" Yes, yes. Indeed. And! She's also a redhead in '60s makeup: Channeling Joan from Mad Men? Oh, and let's talk about the clothes. After several seasons of sloppy crafty handmade-ish crap, Anthro has gone positively sleek and elegant. Soft sweaters, full skirts, jewel tones and poetry-inspiring shoes, after the jump. More »
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Who do you contact when you feel like your head is going to explode from disgust and horror? Get that person on the line: This page, from the September issue of Elle, features diamond pendants made in the shape of African masks. Responsible for this jewelry? De Beers, the company founded by Cecil Rhodes, the guy with the scholarship named after him who was sort of a white supremacist. He wanted the British Empire to rule every country and once wrote: "I contend that we are the finest race in the world and that the more of the world we inhabit the better it is for the human race." More »
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From Tony The Tiger to the Michelin Man, every pop culture kid is exposed to product advertising mascots and icons. Most of these critters are male, but sometimes — especially with baking and food products — the icons are female. Or were female. An image of "Betty Crocker" used to be on boxes of cake mix; now her face has been replaced by a spoon. And most advertisers would prefer to use celebrities to shill their products these days. But have you ever thought about what would happen if some of the best-loved advertising characters were replaced by Hollywood stars? We have. The top ten female product advertising icons and the actresses the casting agents could choose to replace them, after the jump. More »
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People, I don't really like discussing certain aspects of my life on the interwebs but there's something you should know: I'm not thin. I'm not use-a-crane-to-remove- her-from-her-house obese, but I can't fit into 75% the stuff I want. Zara is off-limits; Club Monaco is a joke, Benetton makes me weep. But! The teen brands rarely ever let me down. Alloy, I am talking to you: Low prices, larger sizes and the ability to try stuff on in the refuge of my own home. Is it hit and miss? Sure! Is it worth it? Yes. The new catalog has lots of goodies, whether you're a 6 or a 16. Shop with me, after the jump. More »
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Ever wonder if your H&M dress could pass for its designer original? We do, and that's why we are bringing back Label Whores, in which we sew designer labels on cheap chic clothing and attempt to fake out some of the snobbiest sartorialists out there: big city consignment store buyers. In today's installment, we travel to the "hippest" neighborhoods in New York (East Village, Williamsburg) with four H&M items masquerading as Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Gucci, and Pamela Barish. The results, after the jump. More »
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The world is not a fair place, I think we all know that. And in this not-fair world, on the average, American women earn 80 percent of what American men earn. When UK Equality Minister Harriet Harman recently called for employers to disclose wage disparities, plenty of people were willing to say that women choose to make less then men in order to spend more time with their kids or to seek less professional, more personal fulfillments. But even beyond the issue of supposed choice, studies by and large show that women don't negotiate on salary as successfully as men for a variety of reasons, which might also contribute to the wage gap. Wondering how to take that particular bull by the horns? As someone who always got hired to break heads instead of be diplomatic, I have some tips. More »
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This will shock you, but apparently some women get jobs at hedge funds solely on the basis that they are hot. "You meet these bimbos and they say, ‘Oh, I work at a hedge fund,' and you think, What?!?" one "head of an investment bank who pals around with high net worth investors" tells W Magazine. "And then you realize, Oh, this is, like, the PR girl. And it's a wildly successful strategy." Yeah, sure, until the only women working on Wall Street are brainless bimbos because all the smart women have been driven away by the financial sector's overpowering, self-destructive atmosphere of misogyny…oh wait. Anyway, the story — while it's annoyingly absent of internal memos detailing illegal hiring practices or, for that matter, pictures of any of these hedge fund hos — reminded me how, no matter which way the economy blows, the American workforce, since the days of flight attendants in hot pants, has always found a place - and a visa! — for a sufficiently hot girl. In fact, as those hedge fund gurus are well-aware, opportunities have never been brighter! More »
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"The scariest money mistake women can make (Hint: It's not shoes!)" sure sooounds like your average "Hey, it's O.K.…" Glamour enablement missive. (This month: Hey, it's O.K… to think about your eBay bid during sex!) But actually, "Welcome To My Mortgage Hell", penned by Meghan Daum, who knows a little bit about money mistakes, is interesting/depressing/important. Women, particularly single women, are addicted to acquiring real estate. "You use your home as a way to express who you are," says one lawyer and expert. Like shoes! But this is a newer development: until the 1970s single women were rarely allowed to buy homes without somehow proving the veracity of their intention to never have kids; today the rate of homeownership (or, you know, "ownership") among single women — single women who've been taking on half-million dollar double adjustable-rate crackpot mortgages with no down payment and that sort of thing — is twice that of single dudes. But why? More »
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Laura Miller has a piece on Salon today titled "We Are What We Buy." Miller talks to Rob Walker, who has a new book, Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are and we find out that 77% of Americans think that they are perceptive when it comes to marketing pitches. Walker himself was one of them, until Nike bought Converse. "His cherished hipster/underground brand had been swallowed by the Nike swoosh, 'a symbol for suckers who take its 'Just Do It' bullying at face value.'" Miller writes. He'd bought into the notion that Converse was about a certain non-conformist individuality. And don't we all? There are subtle signals emanating from the things we buy. It's tough not to judge someone by their Crocs, Juicy Couture or Abercrombie. Some products don't technically advertise with huge campaigns — they sponsor events or associate themselves with certain groups instead — still are thought of in a certain light, something Walker calls "murketing." More »
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