• We never thought of Lady Gaga's style as something one should actually seek to take credit for, but Roisin Murphy apparently feels differently. [Refinery29]

• Katie Holmes' clothing line, which she designs with her stylist, Jeannie Yang, is ready to launch for fall at Maxfield in Los Angeles. [WWD]
• Mariah Carey's latest scent, Forever, comes out this September. "I am in a wonderful place right now," says the singer, "surrounded by all the things I love, and Forever captures this moment in time." So Forever smells like marriage to a younger man, and something pink? [WWD]
• Also this September, Nanette Lepore is launching her new fragrance, Nanette by Nanette. [WWD]
• Political Science Ph.D. and former Communist Party member Miuccia Prada didn't vote in the last Italian elections, much to her family's chagrin. "My son criticized me. ‘You're not coming? You're not going to vote?' So I have to justify. Of course, because I always taught them principles and the idea of [the importance of] politics, if they see in myself a false step, they become...I know it was wrong. I should have gone." Speaking of false steps, Prada also said, of the many model tumbles that marred her Spring/Summer '09 show, which featured her impossible-to-walk-in shoes, "I liked it. It made the show more interesting." A hypocrite with a missing compassion chip? Our Miuccia Prada crush is rapidly dissipating. [W]
• Crocs apparently thinks that by selling what amounts to a rubber clog for your cell phone, it can save its business. Interesting. [InventorSpot]
• For some reason, somebody put Andy Warhol screenprints of dollar signs on a unisex perfume. People will license anything that isn't nailed down in this world. [WWD]
• Whitney Port made an awful, frosted pink lipstick that looks like what your slutty cousin wore in 1983. Even the fact that $2 from the sale price goes to charity isn't enough to stop us hating. [People]
  
• Covergirl is seeking more brand prestige. [WWD]
• Manolo Blahnik loves boots. Loves them. And skirts, which he'd wear if he were a woman. "Every year I have lots of boots in my collection. This year I have chosen something a little extreme — a paper-flat sole with lots of big buckles. I love this look – it makes me think of old films, of Margaret Lockwood, or crinolines. I love the look of a very long skirt with these paper-flat boots. Women in winter must wear very high or very flat boots, it's so chic — forget your pumps. Long skirts are a must in women's wardrobes, although you don't see many of them these days. It's what I would wear, though. Every year I have done over-the-knee boots. One year they were so high you could tie them to your belt — Elle Macpherson in that was so sexy." [Independent]
• Bloomingdale's is spending $55 million on a two-month renovation of its 60,000 sq. foot main sales floor. [WWD]
• Stella McCartney is opening a pop-up store in the Hamptons. All the better that we never see what we could never afford. [WWD]
• Oh, look. Gap gave certain fashion bloggers free jeans. And then certain fashion bloggers wrote about how awesome Gap's jeans are. Odd coincidence! We're sure the failure to disclose the freebie was simply an oversight. [Fashionista]
• Although retail spending was down 12.7% during the back-to-school period, compared with last year, spending on denim was relatively well-performing. Even sales-hemorrhaging Abercrombie & Fitch has seen its denim remain popular. [TS]
• Swatch reported a 28% drop in profits for the first half of this year, to 301 million Swiss Francs. Sales fell 15.3% on last year. [WSJ]
• Elizabeth Arden's sales for the last quarter, like pretty much everybody else's, slipped. The company lost $3.6 million. [WWD]
• JC Penney's quarterly results were not as bad as analysts had expected. The company lost $1 million, compared with earning a profit of $117 million for the same period last year. [NYTimes]
• The Hemline Index never made any sense to begin with. The Lipstick Bellwether sounded good, but wasn't true. The Heel Height Indicator came into vogue briefly, like platform shoes (which by the way weren't invented during the Great Depression). Of all the hokey, jokey faux-economic indicators — most of which, you might notice, are female-linked, probably because of undying cultural stereotypes about women and shopping — the so-called Men's Underwear Index is obviously our favorite. It just will not die! [PhilInquirer]

[New York, February 17. Image via Getty]

[New York, February 15. Image via Getty.]

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 15: Musicians Kanye West and Roisin Murphy attend the Preen By Tornton Bregazzi Fall 2009 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at the Altman Building on February 15, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

The Good:
Cynthia Nixon: Simple, gorgeous, sleek, refined, sophisticated. When you don't have a huge rack you can pull this kind of thing off without looking trashy. Plus, the long column works with her body and she looks lean and tall. Kudos!

Kristin Davis looks cute, flirty and special without being overdone. The harsh flash is not doing the dress justice here; it has ruffle details at the hem.

Vivienne Westwood is 67 and fabulous. Do your thing girl!

This cut and color makes Martine McCutcheon look like a shapely goddess.

Love the vibrant sapphire blue on Kelly Rowland!

Sheree Murphy's little black dress makes a big impact.

Nineteen year old Daisy Lowe has legs for miles and is young enough to play with the short skirt/long jacket proportion.

This is quirky done right. I don't know who Portia Freeman is, but I love a woman who takes a chance and succeeds.

Adore the hue of Trinny Woodall's dress!

Paul O'Grady is a well-dressed cock in the henhouse.

The Bad:

Here is Sarah Jessica Parker and the infamous hat. Everyone is talking about this hat. The dress is adorable and the hat is kind of cool but together, eh, something is just off. It's quirky for quirky's sake and not fab or glam enough. In my opinon.

I don't "get" Kim Cattrall's dress. It's weirdly stiff below the waist. She has looked better.

I love Patricia Field, but this ensemble is a mess.

Tess Daly is late for her Ancient Roman stripper audition.

Adele is a singer with a gorgeous voice but apparently no evening gown. Seriously, though, check out her music. Amazing.

Roisin Murphy: From head to toe, it's like Picasso and Dr. Seuss had a paint fight.

I just don't think that Louise Redknapp is doing her body any favors with this dress.

Fiona Bruce's gown seems dated and amateur-ish.

Georgia May Jagger needs to get her hair out of her face and put on something more fitting for a 16-year-old.

I just do not like Lisa Snowdon's skirt. Sue me. (The shoes are glorious!)

Jaquetta Wheeler didn't even really try.

The Ugly:

Alex Curran looks as cheap and bright as a Florida motel.

Kim Stewart's pose, dress and attendance at this event are mind-boggling.

[Images via Getty and FilmMagic.]