Ditto, who explains that she was "really butch" in high school, says she "loves to break all the rules," in terms of fashion. That's why she wears horizontal stripes, floral patterns and clown-ish ensembles. But while it's interesting to see her gush about seeing designers as "artists," the best thing about this video is the idea that a non-thin person has been given such a platform — allowed to voice her thoughts about fashion on a Condé Nast website.

With buzz about plus-size models and Precious star Gabourey Sidibe rocking fantastic ensembles on the red carpet, it seems that we may finally be getting some positive coverage of larger women — and maybe the idea that fashionable = thin is beginning to break down.

Style Studio: Beth Ditto [Style.com]

• Tara Subkoff's short films for Bebe are all set to premiere. Says the designer of her "star," Lydia Hearst: "She truly reminds me of the classic 'Hitchcock blonde' — he would have loved her and she would have been a huge star in his films if we could go back in time." Obviously, like Subkoff, Hitch would have staged lesbian makeout sessions with Aubrey O'Day in front of Bungalow 8 for his art. [WWD]
• Sometimes we wonder whether Karl Rove is behind this seemingly systematic campaign to get everyone in Fashionland behind Obama. "Designer Patricia Field has created an Obama t-shirt that reads "Elegance. Dignity. Obama. Statesman." Naturally, this is written in glitter. [Racked]
• We kind of don't understand why Jeremy Piven was the host of Conde Nast's Fashion Rocks concert last year, but according to Page Six the actor "was a 'nightmare,' insisting on a separate green room and rewriting the script up until the last minute. 'And it wasn't even funny,'said the source." [P6]

• Wait, what? Luxury brand LVMH acquires yacht company. [WWD]
• After months of speculation, minimalist label Jil Sander sold to Japan's Onward Holdings Co. [WSJ]
• Gryphon designer Amy Cho meets fashion halfway with a "Responsible Fur" initiative, which encourages the use of "recycled" vintage furs and extra-soft fakes. Methinks we love her. [Style.com]
• Baggy jeans are back. Not Katie-Holmes sloppy, either: these Bottega Veneat guys are more early-90s harem. [The Life Files]
• Buckingham Palace guardsmen may switch from real bearskin hats to Stella McCartney fauxs after animal rights activists meet with Ministry of Defense. [Daily Mail]
• Following in the footsteps of Vera Wang, various penniless freelancers, Oscar de la Renta will be a guest-blogger on Brides.com. "He'll be writing about wedding choices on dresses, jewelry and destinations. " [WWD]
• In a desperate bid to lure back-to-schoolers, mid-price retailers pull out all the stops. "Kohl's launched six lines of clothing this summer with a star-studded advertising campaign featuring celebrities from including Lenny Kravitz and Hayden Panettiere. JCPenney introduced another half-a-dozen labels, the department store's biggest crop of new brands, with looks ranging from urban rock to all-American. And Dillard's is chasing soccer moms with a line designed by Sheryl Crow that hit stores last month." Wait...Lenny Kravitz? [LAT]
• Style.com is branching out. "On Sept. 2, the site will debut Shop Now, where designer advertisers can pay to have their brands featured." Or, to have them considered: the editors will decide which of the submissions to feature. [MediaWeek]
• To celebrate its centennial, venerable makeup brand Max Factor has treated itself to Gisele Bundchen. For a campaign, I mean. [ElleUK]
• The relatively youthful British Harper's Bazaar is thriving. [Independent]
• Wait, isn't this what the internets do? The new magazine Distill "will present a digested read of the style and fashion press from all over the world, offering a shorthand guide to what and who are in fashion, and how those trends are being captured and covered." [Independent]
• Guess legendary photog Patrick Demarchelier likes his work. "I love all women. Women are sublime beings. I love all of it: their eyes, their noses, their bodies." [Telegraph]
• You know there's a problem when models are complaining that they're too thin: says Karen Elson, "Fashion is obsessed with finding young, beautiful and vulnerable girls, bringing them into the fashion world, praising them, worshipping them but suddenly dropping them like a stone when they hit puberty and grow boobs and hips. It's so dangerous and can potentially harm the girls mentally and physically." [Guardian]
• Shockingly, real designers don't want to dress Heidi Montag. "They don’t want their stuff on Heidi, even despite the fact that she is very media-friendly and is photographed a lot," the rep said. "It’s just not the caliber of celebrity most clients go for." [The Superficial]
• Sadie Frost arranges celeb auction for breast cancer. The haul? "Here are the black peep-toe size 38 Christian Louboutins which “Kate” has signed and covered with graffiti love hearts, a dress belonging to Amy Winehouse, a suit Jude Law wore on the set of Alfie, a guitar donated by Kasabian guitarist Jay Mehler, a Jake Chapman picture." [This Is London]
• Tamara Mellon's ex, Matthew, is hoping second time's the charm: "Mellon has joined forces with his new bride-to-be, designer Nicole Hanley, to introduce Hanley-Mellon, a clothing line that will launch for spring 2009. “It’s a mix of Chloé, YSL and bohemian chic,' Mellon told WWD." [WWD]

• I know this is why I go to the British Museum: to see a life-sized Kate Moss rendered in pure gold. "A solid gold sculpture of the model, thought to be the world's largest gold statue built since the time of ancient Egypt, was given its first showing yesterday." [Independent]
• Working to combat any taint of elitism, Anna Wintour and Sarah Jessica Parker are hosting a fashion show to raise funds for the Obama campaign. "The Sept. 9 shindig at the Charles Nolan Studio will feature designs from Beyoncé and Tina Knowles for House of Dereon, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, Zac Posen, Juicy Couture, Narciso Rodriguez and Proenza Schouler, among others." [E]
• Meanwhile on the left coast, "Michelle Obama will get her chance to meet fashion and entertainment types in Los Angeles." Tom Ford is one of the hosts. [WWD]

• Armani joins the ranks of fashion designers inexplicably designing luxury residences. "The Armani Residences in Marassi, Egypt will offer palatial villas (of 2,500 to 5,400 square feet) furnished by, of course, Armani Casa. The resort includes a boardwalk lounge, health club, reflective pool, resort club, screening room, swimming pools, pool deck, and retail outlets." [Fashion Week Daily]
• Whether she's selling the label or not, Jil Sander is launching swimwear. [WWD]
• Despite a makeover, Vogue.com won't be getting its own site; it's still under Style.com's banner. [WWD]
• There's a book coming out on the 2002 rape and murder of fashion writer Christa Worthington. Some are crying poor taste. [NYT]
• Several retailers — Chico's and American Eagle among them — do better than expected. [NYT]
• Esprit shares plunge. [Reuters]
• Miami is scandalized by billboards: "Shot by Michael Thompson, model Hana Soukupova appears wearing only Wolford fishnet stockings. Perhaps it was their open weave that led the city to reject the banners, which usually run on major arteries, arguing they could cause traffic accidents." [WWD]
• Retailers bank on familiarity, hire old-school supermodels. "There's Linda Evangelista, with her trademark haughty sneer, wearing Prada's new austere lace look, Naomi Campbell shaking a waist-long mane of hair in an Yves Saint Laurent dress, and a black-bobbed Claudia Schiffer posing in front of a shabby-chic door for Chanel." [The Guardian]
• Sheryl Crowe, who's clothing line was already inexplicable, is moving into shoes. [WWD]
• Half the charges have been dropped against accused rapist and designer Anand Jon; that still leaves ten accusers. [LAT]
• Justin Timerlake (as William Rast, of course)'s cinematic ads are here! [FabSugar]
• Nina Garcia goes pretty easy on Hillary: "You know, I thought that what she wore was almost like sending us a message that she doesn't really care what we think." [New York]
• Oh, the challenges of costume design: "I'm the luckiest costume designer in Hollywood, for sure," The Telegraph reported Zophres said. "But getting George and Brad to look like ordinary guys? Even cheap suits look better on Brad." [UPI]
• Mulberry may be a luxury brand, but their factory still sounds like hell on earth. [Telegraph]
• Valentino has no problem playing favorites: "When asked to name the actresses who stood out for him, the designer said: "I have to be very sincere, the person that makes me feel very happy, also because (she) chose vintage, was Julia Roberts, when she got the Academy Award... I was very excited to see her when she appeared with my dress."" [The Star]
• Don't worry! "Style.com, the online home of Vogue, is introducing an iPhone application designed to enable dedicated followers of fashion to watch runway shows during New York Fashion Week." [NYT]
• Tommy Hilfiger's fashion week invitation features...a bare-assed model. [Nylon]
• Yes, indeedy. "I Am Queen" is in the works. Perfume or cologne? Diddy has yet to say! [NYT]

• Diane Von Furstenberg: writer. The wrap doyenne's gonna "pen" a column for Departures, the high-falutin American Express travel magazine. "The designer and Council of Fashion Designers of America president will start writing about her jet-set life starting with the magazine's November/December issue." Let's hope she doesn't make yet another investigation of "how to pack" her inaugural column. [WWD]
• Penelope Cruz for Mango. Yes, she looks stunning. [FabSugar]
• Ew. Harper's Bazaar has shot the Ronsons (DJs, LiLo lovers, designers and socialites) as Wes Anderson's eccentric Tenenbaum clan. They wish! [Harpers Bazaar]
• Outspoken ass Roberto Cavalli describes models thus: "For me, models are just pieces of wood that I carve to make clothes look beautiful," goes on to trash Kate, Naomi. Bad enemies, Cavalli. [NY Mag]

• Justin Timberlake to show/perform at Fashion Week. [NY Mag]
• Jimmy Choo director, Christian Slater-squeeze and legally embattled Tamara Mellon has joined the board of directors at Revlon. Quoth she, "I am thrilled to become a director of Revlon, an iconic brand in beauty and one that represents the image of a confident, glamorous woman." [ElleUK]
• Spanish chain Zara takes 'world's largest retailer' title from Gap. [Guardian]
• Sneak "peek" (okay, description) of the Commes des Garcons for H&M line, W via Fashionista. It's "mostly black and with Japanese tomboy airs, the H&M collection includes a range of tailored jackets, many deconstructed, along with cropped pants, baggy shorts and a variety of skirts in stretch wool. On the perkier side are polkadot knits in jersey or merino wool, colorful shirts - some with dots - and a "showpiece" coat-dress decorated here and there with dense Victorian ruffles." [Fashionista]
• Weirdly, the recession isn't curbing men's spending on clothes. "Over the past year, men have been on a clothes-buying spree, while women have pulled back even more." [Los Angeles Times]
• Depressingly, the Olympics aren't helping Beijing retailers at all. [WWD]
• Steve Madden names new CEO. [Crains]
• That open call for real women to model in that British Wonderbra campaign has resulted in a creepy-sounding mosaic of boobs, plus the tagline, "D to G, because we're more than a handful." [Salon]
• Style.com is finally adding the long-awaited beauty blog. [WWD]
• Celia Birtwell's rad new Top Shop line will just whet your appetite for the new AMERICAN TOP SHOP opening in October!!! [VogueUK]
• Back away slowly. IToo Faced Fuze Slenderize Guilt Free lip gloss may be the Antichrist. "Inspired by fruity flavors like Blueberry Raspberry and Dragon Fruit Lime, these lip shiners are made with Fuze ingredients that supposedly suppress appetite and boost energy levels — all from glossing up your puckers." [Nylon]

• Paris Hilton, aka the rich man's Heidi Montag, premieres her line for Dollhouse. "Some pieces, like the tees with her face plastered on them, are quintessentially Paris, and others are a bit more rock 'n roll like her sister Nicky." Huh? [FabSugar]
• Meanwhile, in the world of the equally inexplicable, Jessica Simpson announces a dress line. "I'm extremely excited to be expanding into the dress market," Simpson tells WWD. "I plan on creating beautiful dresses in distinctive fabrics and silhouettes that are reflective of my personal style and offer something special to the marketplace." [VogueUK]
• Perennial charmer Naomi Campbell on upstart "supermodels": "Models need to earn their stripes – I just think the term is used a little too loosely. Kate Moss is obviously a supermodel but, after Gisele, I don’t think there’s been one." [The Sun]
• Um, if we're asking the pope to throw off antiquated traditions, I'm not sure his fur cape should be our highest priority. [Times of India]

• Recessionistas get all DIY; add beads to stuff. [Telegraph]
• Tsubi, or Ksubi, jeans founder Gareth Moody is apparently not that interesting. [New York Magazine]
• Paging 1984. "Nantucket preppy style." [Style.com]
• Can a nation with as much grinding poverty as India's justify a couture market? [Hindustan Times]
• Retailers get antsy about holidays; hope to distract customers with elaborate decorations. [WWD]
• Former Etsy Knits CEO changes title to "chief creative officer," "a nice loose moniker that will allow me to focus on what I'm best at: product work and long-term, big-picture thinking." [Alley Insider]
• Thought Crocs were the nadir? Meet FitFlops. [New York Magazine]
• Golfer Ryuji Imada hooks up with Lacoste. [WWD]
• Style.com gets a makeover. [Fashionista]
• Alert your mother at once! Dockers launches women's separates, so she and dad can match. [WWD]
• For some reason, Hermes thriving. [Forbes]
• Menswear shows sound horrifying: "Baggy shirts, wrinkled T-shirts, campus-throwback sweaters and boat shoes ruled at New York's nascent Mens Runway." [Reuters]
• New Diesel swimwear mixes "bikinis with props like baseball helmets, boxing gloves, football pads and other sports gear to tie in with the "collegiate varsity" theme in the brand's sportswear collection." [WWD]
• Unlike some of us who work online, apparently the "ShopBop girls" are really chic. [FabSugar]
• If you wanna see Mischa Barton's photo shoot, you're in luck: Nylon's starting podcasts. [Fashionista]
• Random teens for Bongo jeans? At least Perez is happy. [Perez Hilton]
• More on the Diesel/Viktor and Rolf marriage of convenience. [Sassybella]
• We're guessing the 12-year-old fashion blogger Tavi would have had contempt for us in middle school. [New York Magazine]
• Rachael Ray's non-status bag. [Radar]
• Short hair? All the crack. "But instead of the asymmetric (typically 60s) ‘pob’ made famous by Posh last year, the new bob hair style is more fashion forward thanks to YSL who has made the glossy, pudding bowl cut the look of next season." [ElleUK]

Prada: "Deeply erotic" "some will probably declare it not their Prada cup of tea." "The colors too drab," "too sexually ambiguous." "we are struck less by her references than by her complex view of women and women's lives." - Cathy Horyn, NY Times

"Fairies? At Prada?" "so sweetly unchallenging you (almost) can't recognize her" "literal connections between past and present were contradicted" "this is a woman who never loses the plot." -Style.com

"[W]eird and wonderful" "mythical" "eerily beautiful." "Full of surprises" "light and pretty fairy dresses" "took fashion on its mystery tour." "some of the loveliest summer dresses... that we have yet seen in Milan."-Suzy Menkes, IHT


Jil Sander: "Gumby-like silhouette" "supersaturated color" "ingeniously simple dresses" "light and airy" "starched or glazed" "some...so dense they looked frozen"-Cathy Horyn, NY Times

"putting the credibility back into Jil Sander" "there are difficulties" "The crop of the jacket might work on a flat-chested beanpole model, but on a woman with a real-life bosom?" "super-skinny pants are not the most forgiving" "hot pink, orange, and vivid royal blue seems unlikely to hit the spot" -Style.com

"[B]reaking the mode" "beautifully shocking" "vivid colors" "poetic" "in an abstract way, brilliant" "Can I handle a sheer cover-up on the subway?...Do my nipples look good in this?"-Suzy Menkes, IHT


Burberry: "[L]ean and aggressive" "slim skirts" "Chrome Hearts" "But is it fashion or just branded merchandise?" "What you don't find in this collection, really, is Mr. Bailey's distinctive voice. Instead you hear all the competing gimme demands: more luxury, more stuff on stuff." -Cathy Horyn, NY Times

"[L]uxury warrior" "the sexiest version of Burberry yet" "an accurate riff on nineties body-con dressing" "stirrings of the heavy-metal revival" "play[s] it to an international audience"-Style.com

"[S]ense of cool young London..had gone from the collection" "has rightly moved a long way from those checks" "skimpy ruched dresses were ultra glamorous" "But something was lost" "Bailey needs to migrate to his homebase" -Suzy Menkes, IHT


Giorgio Armani: "You've got to admire Giorgio Armani" "small jackets with silk pirate pants" "a tank dress with legs." "For him, this is fashion. And because he is Giorgio Armani, with brand power, they will find an audience."-Cathy Horyn, NY Times

"[D]idn't pack quite the knockout punch" "some lovely clothes" "unusual pants" "endless variety of covetable tops" "I Dream of Jeannie evening jumpsuits" "less formal, but no less special" -Style.com

"It's hard to believe that [what was] sent down his runway...had been created with the conviction that it might alter the way women think about their wardrobe" "simply too absurd" "strangely awkward shorts" "seems to have confused the source of pleasure"-Robin Givhan, Washington Post

"[H]eavy on the bloomers and sarong-tie pants" "handkerchief hems... floated on too long" "quintessentially Armani" "his most loyal clients...might even learn to love." "a particularly gentle and elegant version of the tropical isle theme"-Suzy Menkes, IHT


Bottega Veneta: "[T]oo prosperous a brand for its designer" "plays it safe" " classic summer dresses" "more in the world than the worldliest people"- Cathy Horyn, NY Times

"[E]xemplary illustration of...restrained, minimalist, functionalist design" "relevant" "delicious" "virtually colorless" "doesn't take a Ph.D. to analyze" "goddess draping" "you'd need a heart of stone not to think, There goes something gorgeous." -Style.com

"[I]f women wanted their wardrobe to go unnoticed, they would...go to Banana Republic" "At Bottega Veneta...a woman...should get...more from her clothes" -Robin Givhan, Washington Post

Chloe Sevigny [Style.com]

• Ooh, awkward! Alice+Olivia designer Stacey Bendet flew Molly Sims out to walk in her show today. Simms told New York magazine that the models at Alice+Olivia are underfed, in response to the magazine's statement that high-end shows have well-fed girls and low-end shows do not. Stacey Bendet = Pissed. Molly Sims = Stupid. [NY Post]
  
• Do not fuck with Anna Sui. In the goody bags at her show yesterday, attendees were gifted with t-shirts which read: "Forever Wanted: Don Cassidy & The Sundance Jin, Reward $21,000. Thou shalt not steal; Exodus 20:15," a reference to Sui's current lawsuit against Forever 21 owners Don and Jin Chang and their hardcore Christianity. [WWD, 1st item]
  
• Now Reese Witherspoon thinks she's a fashion designer too. The maybe-girlfriend of Jake Gyllenhaal is claiming to have played an integral part in designing Olivier Theyskens most recent collection for Nina Ricci. Delusional much? [Sassybella]

• Burberry and Iconix: No longer fighting about prints in raincoats and copyright infringement. Us: No longer carrying about prints in raincoats and copyright infringement. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Damon Dash might have sold his stake in Rocawear, but now he's establishing a partnership with Keds. Which is much, much cooler than seeing Mischa Barton's alien face hovering above a pair of slip-ons. [WWD, 2nd item]
• A hearty welcome to Sarah Cristobel, who joins Harper's Bazaar online as their Senior Web Editor after having been Associate Editor at Style.com. We congratulate her on defecting from the tribe of Naste, and ask her to please brace herself for our wicked ways. [WWD, last item]
• Elizabeth Smith is the new president of Avon, having formally been the head global marketing officer. We'll take some of that Super Shape Anti-Cellulite & Stretch Mark Creme, thanks! [WSJ]
• Maggie Rizer threatens to destroy our street cred, and pride, with her blogging gig for ELLE.com, saying of her new gig, "Nothing about it is really hard. You just have to force yourself to sit down and type." This is the sound of our hearts breaking. [Fashion Week Daily]
• Paging Oedipus? When asked for a comment about his father Ralph Lauren's 40th anniversary, David Lauren said, "Those shoes are too tough to fill!" Well, that is unless you kill your father and have sex with your mother. Just sayin'... [Fashion Week Daily]

• Counterpoint:Your (sic) doing it yourself, the police officer of the world, I am not fond of the expression they are the new Hitlers, but If I think about the USA I have to admit that a lot of people are right.... Superpower USA it is only laughable, the only superpower I know is Anna Wintour..

OPENING REMARKS:

• Point I am Canadian, but live in NYC. I love the US it gave me opportunities of a lifetime, and since I live here I respect it. I would not dare go onto an Italian forum or any forum in another country and insult that country! Where is the sophistication, the class????
  
• Counterpoint Secondly, this war is like no other: all those in the past have not been so messed up as this. If there was a clearer and more in-depth study of this war you will see that the word crime is written all over it.

COCKY? OR JUST CONFIDENT..

• Point I am glad this subject came up. I am an American. I will tell you this: Most Americans are aware of how others feel about us. Truthfully.... none of us care. I will tell you why: We believe others are jealous of our rights and freedoms. Yes, we at times are cocky, arrogant, and self- righteous. However we are also compassionateand loyal , and will be there in a second to help any country who doesn't respect the freedom we are all entitled to Our country is the place where all people want to live, want to dream..... why you ask ? Beacuse anything is possible here.
  
• Counterpoint: Yah......I'm not the only one. I've actually taken the next step and am MOVING out of this country......This country is over flowing with ignorance, corruption, bulling, and arrogance. And yes the most of the world does NOT like us.

AND NOW COME THE TEARS..

• Point I went to bed and couldn't sleep at all. I've to solve some personal things. I guess they kept me awake. So I'd logged in again. I'm a bit amazed how this thread ended up......anyway, my grandfather and mother who fought underground during WWII in the Netherlands with danger for their own lifes have always been very grateful to the American, Canadian and English troops who'd came to their rescue. Maybe it's because I can't sleep but I'm really teary..
  
• Counterpoint: I'm a sensative individual about War - I'll tell you that I cry myself to sleep when I image the difficulty that they are living in. I honestly cry for these people, and I'm sure they cry too, but their cries are more silent and unheard to the world.

• Point As we say here in America, F*CK the HATERS! ;)

BLAH BLAH BLAH MISCELLANEOUS

• Counterpoint I still can't forget what a very arrogant men in the immigration office said to me on my return from Morocco when I showed him my brazilian passport, "Why are you still traveling with your Brazilian passport when you're an American? Make sure you put this one away and use the right passport next time". Excuuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me??????????????? I wanted yo slap that bastard on the face! I have dual citizenship and I'm damn proud of being brazilian too! I use whichever passport I feel like at the moment thank you very much!
  
• Point My 5 year-year old daughter is so patriotic that she herself respects the flag of America but expects the same from me & her dad. She is beautiful, inside and out, intelligent beyond her years and the most caring human being I've ever known (and I am not being biased).

AND NOW COMES THE PART WHERE THE AUTHOR MOVES WITH US TO CANADA..

• Counterpoint I agree with you to a large extent...many Americans (cough, the Hiltons...hah) have it all and more...I sometimes take for granted the opportunities I have here... I certainly didn't mean to sound whiny with this original thread...I go to a Christian college, and part of that is mission and aid to the poor...we just held a benefit concert for Darfur... I am afraid that the rest of the world's view of the U.S. and it's people has been skewed by the media...channels like MTV, with shows such as "My Super Sweet Sixteen" may be fun to watch, but they are sickening...can you imagine spending thousands of dollars on a birthday party?!

WELL ISN'T THAT WHY YOU READ 'VOGUE' IN THE FIRST PLACE?
Exactly! In conclusion, CaroChouette deleted her original post and replaced it with a probing question of similar intellectual rigor:

Wow, I am amazed in regard to the responses this thread was getting....I think we can all agree that it would be a good idea to move on?! I actually have a fashion question this time! yay! So, what is more important to you personally...wearing what's trendy and in style, wearing whatever you want because you like it, or having a classic look that will be always be "in style?" I feel like I tend to have a more "classic" style, but I recently have been buying some more trendy pieces just because I feel kind of insecure in my white polo and khakis (which I guess is my version of "classic") surrounded by people wearing skinny jeans, and such...It's kind of hard to find a balance between the two, especially when you have a budget...yikes...

"Look at the fabulous 20s!" Candy demanded straight off. "When Kate wore that very 20s coral gown, you knew you wanted to wear the 20s." She went on. "When you hear black and white, you know exactly what that means! A fantastic new fiber!" There was more. "Little dresses! Collect them! They'll be essential!" A quick pause. "Finally, the things I love!" A slide-show sped by: A big but short coat, the something something halter dress, blah blah blah, Vera's layering, something about Ralph's cap sleeve, a girl like Gisele, something about marble stairs (?!?!), Andy Warhol, pearls, catalogs that say "important jewels," Damien Hirst's diamond skull. At the end, Candy's animated eyebrows bounced strangely and a commercial for Guess? flashed before us. We were left feeling puzzled and exhausted. But then she was back! Arms crossed, waiting! And as we moved the mouse, Candy's eyes followed the cursor. We felt...insane. Or at the very least, in urgent need of a drink. Ugh. Is this why they say Candy's dandy but liquor is quicker?
CandyCast [Style.com]

[Rome, Italy; July 8. Images via Style.com]

1) Ride a bike. It instantly gives you that gamine look, and brings a healthy flush to your cheeks to boot. And oh yeah, maybe it'll help with that little weight-problem even the tall and normally-svelte Swedes are said to suffer from.

2) Slip on your shades — you'll keep your cool and your air of innocence.

3) Scarves! Scarves! Scarves! And did we mention... scarves?

How Swede It Is [Style.com]

Vogue's 10 Best Dressed Of The Week[Style.com]
Earlier: Rag Trade: Drug Abuse At 4 Times Square

• What exactly are the people over at Style.com smoking? The new online accessories report looks totally trippy, and some of Candy Pratts Price's selections (like the Christian Lacroix & Givenchy boots and Manolo Blahnik heels) can only be explained by years of acid use [Style.com]
• Retail experts say that Austin, Texas "is maturing" well on its way to becoming yet another boring outpost for the rich and materialistic: Retailers like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Juicy Couture and Lilly Pulitzer are descending upon the Lone Star city. [WWD]
• Jay-Z's sale of Rocawear to Iconix for $204 million is finalized. [WWD]
• Cindy Crawford goes back to modeling clothes. The Malibu-resident will be the face of New York & Company this summer. [WWD]
• A mactress named Alice Taglioni is Karl Lagerfeld's new darling. [PageSix]

We only write when we are getting paid bundles and bundles of cold cash to do it, which is why we have always had a sort of anthropolgical fascination with message boards, where thousands of millions of internet users express their opinions, sometimes as incoherently as we do, every single day. The boards of Style.com, the Conde Nast-owned fash website and repository for awful party pictures, are inhabited by a very elite bunch....of complete nutjobs!

Re Allegra Versace:

I think she's beautiful. It really shocks me how much people care about other people's weight these days.

MUCH more mess board insanity — and inanity! — after the jump.

Re What to wear on your feet when you're just a regular dude who feels like the whole limited edition Nike blazer shit has gotten kinda played out:

I'm an old (53) fella who would love to be able to walk out in heels. The lasses have been able to borrow our clothes and yes shoes for years if it suits them without being called names. Why can men not now use the same premise and if they fit go out and have fun in their heels?

Re Allegra

I think she's beautiful because of her personality.

Re Allegra

She is mature, and knows what she wants, and acts like a lady while doing so. That IS beautiful.

Re ..

Cool thread. I also wear heels in public. Maybe some women do't think it looks good, but then again women wear clothes that I don't think looks that good.