Although the stereotype is as old as antiquity, "the woman scorned" turn of phrase was born in a play called "The Mourning Bride" (1697) by William Congreve. The complete quote is "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned / Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." It's an annoying cliche, but not, paradoxically, wholly unflattering to the sex. "The woman scorned" is something of a folk heroine. From "Frankie & Johnny" to Chicago, society treats this trope with a certain tolerant admiration which it reserves for only a small segment of the criminal. Historically, think about it: women didn't have as much power, ever. They weren't as physically capable of fighting back, nor allowed to. Women have always been expected to take what was dished out; infidelity, humilation, degredation was her lot in life. So when they fight back, it's justice.

Is there any truth in the stereoptype? Are women more prone to 'revenge?' If you read the revenge story site The Payback you'd probably be tempted to think so; a disproportionate number of the Machiavellian yarns come from women. In some ways we're probably better at it when we do it, since revenge generally involves multitasking. I think since we are conditioned to keep our cool and make nice day to day, snapping can be dramatic (and yes I'm projecting.) Being 'scorned' in the classic sense - baldly, cheated on - makes everyone feel horrible. But when it happens to men, there often seems to be an element of hurt ego that gets in the way of vengeance. (Again, this is purely anecdotal.) Whereas, when it happens to you or your friends, you know it's not a reflection on you. (And no, murdering someone is not appropriate. I do make the distinction here between our and the ancient world where, let's face it, that was more the currency of interaction.) In a certain way, even as it's subjugated and demeaned women, folk history seems to have recognized this, and to the extent that folk history is a good barometer of societal consciousness, then the enduring stereotype of the scorned woman — while hopefully somewhat on the way out — is kind of a good reminder of our essential power and, well, awesomeness.

Served Cold: 5 Scorned Women Get Their Revenge [MentalFloss]

• Uh oh! Yet another fashion thief is on the prowl, and this time he is targeting Victoria Beckham. Posh's dressing room was ransacked and two pairs of shoes costing $11,500 each, as well as a red silk Roberto Cavalli robe saying "Mrs. Beckham" on the front and "Posh" on the back were amongst the stolen goods. We're picturing some fashion larceny version of Antiques Roadshow wherein the thief's great-nephew finds out his gay uncle's shoes once retailed for $11,500... [Page Six]
  
• Officials with London Fashion week will begin doing "spot checks" on models' health starting with the Fall 2008 shows, which start in London on February 15. Auditors will be hired to be on the lookout for drugs, girls under the age of 16, and health certificates claiming that they're not like anorexic or whatever. [WWD, sub req'd]
  
• Natalie Portman, being the good little indie hipster intellectual that she is, will be designing a line of vegan shoes for label Te Casan. [Sassybella]

• There's a Greta Garbo line of outerwear? [WWD, 2nd item]
• Tim Gunn: Promises to make Liz Claiborne not suck anymore and to prove to all the doubting Thomases that he's not just a pretty reality TV face. Says Gunn, "My respect for the real world has grown while I've realized how daunting the industry is." [WWD, sub req'd]
• Bags mocking the Anya Hindmarch "I'm Not A Plastic Bag" bag are beginning to annoy us almost as much as the object of their mockery. [FabSugar]
• The Roberto Cavalli Spring 2008 ad campaign stars Kate Moss, Daria Werbowy and Eva Herzigova. It also makes very little sense. [Sassybella]
• Victoria's Secret is totally in bed with Gossip Girl, filling the show with product placement galore. Do real Manhattan prep school kids even know where Victoria's Secret is? [WWD, 2nd item]
• The Christmas tree at the Victoria & Albert museum in London was designed by English fashion house Boudicca. [Vogue UK]