She continues:

The bad news: You won't find any Chanels, or sexy separates from hot labels like Alexander Wang, and the department store offerings are far more traditional than trendy - if they have plus-size departments at all.

Yeah, that's more like it. The article highlights blogs like Curvy Fashionista and a handful of plus-size online boutiques, but the overall truth remains that it's hard out there for a plus-sized shopper. I should know. With the holidays right around the corner, I've found that when you go just a couple of sizes up — from 14 to 16, or from 16 to 18 — the selection changes drastically — and narrows. Most of the time, cute scoop-neck tops and flirty dresses are suddenly replaced by dowdy tent-like tops and frumpy, conservative dresses. If you want to look on-trend, you have your work cut out for you. Plus-size online boutiques deserve applause, but quite often, the design and quality simply can't compete with real designer clothes by noted designers. It's crazy that adding 3 inches here or there means you're suddenly not good enough for J. Crew or French Connection.

In addition, there's the reality that plus size means different things to different people. Commenter "PLozar" rants:

What some posters don't get is that "plus size" doesn't equate to "fat." Even at my absolute thinnest, I couldn't wear tops smaller than size 14 because I'm well endowed… The problem (as kd9 points out) is that simply increasing the dimensions doesn't create a garment that FITS RIGHT — and it's all about fit. Clothes in general are designed for women who are …straight up and down — and they just plain don't FIT anyone who has curves.

On the other hand, it seems like a miracle that any designers and retailers welcome plus-size shoppers — and the substantial profits, since the American woman wears a size 14 — when you think about the mindset behind the other comments on this article, which range from "NO fat chicks!" to "Eating everything at the buffet is not cute or chic" and, of course: "Do these dresses come with a side order of fries?" You'd think that a piece about plus-size fashion would be a place for plus-sized women share experiences, compare notes, and, you know, talk about plus-size fashion. Instead, it's a repository for vile thoughts. merciless mocking of the model (pictured above), and relentless fat-shaming. Some comments have been deleted; it's left up to your imagination how nasty or derogatory the "conversation" was.

My favorite comment — winning points for fat-shaming and misogyny — comes from "tcttw," who says:

If the readers of these comments are going to be so sensitive — ok, offended — or, maybe it's the author, or the editors too, maybe stories like this should go on Jezebel.com. I cannot believe how many harmless but sarcastic comments were edited. It just proves you cannot take a certain gender so seriously.

Plus-Size Fashion Trends: More Options Online [SF Gate]

JANUARY
London, January 15.

The year began with a demure, understated white jumpsuit, accessorized with a bow of hair. A nod to the noted adventurer Alice In Wonderland? Perhaps… But The Lady loves a girlish touch.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JANUARY
Munich, Germany; January 26.

At something called DLD Star Night at Haus der Kunst, the Lady "rocked" crystal formations.

[Image via Getty.]

JANUARY
She's hard as a rock, a gem.

[Image via Getty.]

JANUARY
London, January 28.

After hanging out with Mark Ronson, The Lady was seen wearing an oh-so-breathable latex ensemble. A flower in the hair keeps it feminine!

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

FEBRUARY
London, February 18.

This image was shot during rehearsals for the Brit Awards 2009 at Earls Court, London. These leggings were ankle-length during rehearsals, but during her actual performance, the legs had been cut off so that only a patterned panty remained. She is Captain of Team No-Pants.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

FEBRUARY
London, February 18.

Backstage at the Brit Awards: A scorching hot pink cocktail dress.

[Image via Getty.]

MARCH
Santa Monica, CA; March 11.

For an Interscope Records portrait session, a masculine tuxedo jacked was paired with a disco ball bra and shorts. Victor/Victoria!

[Image via AP.]

MARCH
Los Angeles, March 13.
During a show at the Wiltern Theater, geometric shapes and a gravity-defying skirt.

[Image via Getty.]

APRIL
London, April 16.

Purple reign? Purple drank?

[Image via WENN.]

APRIL
April 20, London.

A temptress and a teacup.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

APRIL
Paris, April 23.

Lyrics from Lady Gaga's song "The Fame" seem to fit here:

I can't help myself
I'm addicted to a life of material
It's some kind of joke
I'm obsessively opposed to the typical

All we care about is
runway models, Cadillacs and liquor bottles
Give me something, I wanna be
Retro glamour, Hollywood, yes we live for the
Fame…

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

MAY
Boston, May 4.

An Electric Lady during a performance for The Grammy Celebration Concert Tour at the House of Blues. How many leotards do you think she owns?

[Image via AP.]

MAY
Sydney, Australia; May 21.

Captain No Pants marches on.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JUNE
Toronto, June 19.

If you're keeping notes, purple is a yes; pants are a no.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JUNE
Toronto, June 19.

Your love is nothing I can't fight,
Can't sleep with the man who dims my shine. — "I Like It Rough," Lady Gaga

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JUNE
Toronto, June 21.

I can see you staring there from across the block
With a smile on your mouth and your hand on your [huh] — "Love Game," Lady Gaga

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JUNE
Toronto, June 21.

Danger + sexuality + power = A Lady Gaga performance.

[Image via AP.]

JUNE
Toronto, June 21.

At the 2009 MuchMusic awards, Lady Gaga won Best International Video. She did not, however, sing any songs from Hair. Unfortunately.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JULY
London, July 14.

Maison Michel bunny ears and an elaborately knit sweater dress prove that The Lady is provocative even when her body is mostly covered.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

JULY
German TV, July 21.

Muppet show! The infamous Kermit jacket, which she wore on German TV — originally seen in the Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's runway show in May — made for a memorable Muppet moment.

AUGUST
Jerusalem, August 18.

Ms. Gaga dressed down for the Holy Land, but as a former Catholic schoolgirl, made sure to wear a cross. In a song called "Teeth," Gaga sings, "My religion is you."

[Image via Getty.]

(Click to enlarge)

SEPETEMBER
Berlin, September 7.

Sometimes The Lady dresses like quite ladylike!

[Image via AP.]

SEPTEMBER
London, September 8.

An imagined conversation from the Project Runway judges:

Nina: I'm not bored…
Michael Kors: It shows creativity, but the shoulders are insane.
Heidi Klum: I think it looks like she woke up and took the bedspread with her.

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
Paris, September 10.

Don't you love the Julie Christie hair?

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

SEPTEMBER
Paris, September 10.

Lieutenant Gaga says: Fight the good fight! The War On Pants will be won!

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 13.

The 13th was a huge day for Ms. Gaga: The MTV Awards. These are just a few of the ensembles she wore! Her red carpet dress was "Venetian Steampunk Lady In Mourning." Quoth the raven, "J'adore!"

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 13.

A blood-soaked rendition of "Paparazzi" required white boots and outrage.

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 13.

When Gaga picked up her Best New Artist award, she wore red lace and a McQueen headpiece right out of Pan's Labyrinth.

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 13.

In the pressroom after the MTV awards, it was time for a little jumper that was part Chrysler building, part Metropolis.

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 13.

Also at the MTV awards: Bird nest.

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 13.

For her own VMA after party, Gaga made the mantilla chic.

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 14.

The day after the MTV awards, Ms. Gaga attended the Marc Jacobs fashion show in a ladylike frock. And Zorro-like mask.

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 14.

At a party for V Magazine, Marc Jacobs and Belvedere Vodka: Doesn't every Catholic schoolgirl dream of having her own radiant nimbus?

Also: If you think you can see nipple, it's because you can.

[Image via Getty.]

SEPTEMBER
New York, September 30.

Lady Gaga teamed up with Dr. Dre for Heartbeats, her high-end headphones. What does one wear to a headphone launch? An outfit which consists of cake frosting and 1930s tap pants. Of course.

[Image via WENN.]

OCTOBER
New York, October 2.

At the Billboard Women In Music brunch — yes, brunch: Hair today, gone tomorrow.

[Image via AP.]

NOVEMBER
New York, November 2.
Bra on the outside. Marie Antoinette cotton candy hair. Monster claws. A little Renoir, a ltitle rococo.

[Image via Getty.]

NOVEMBER
London, November 4.

Russian roulette is not the same without a gun
And baby when it's love if its not rough it isn't fun…
Oh, oh oh oh oh…
Can't read my, can't read my, no he can't read my poker face

[Image via Bauer-Griffin.]

NOVEMBER
Braunschweig, Germany; November 7.

Another exercise in defying gravity — this time for the German TV show Wetten dass...?

[Image via AP.]

NOVEMBER
Los Angeles, November 14.

Made up like a Columbine from a Harlequinade!

[Image via Getty.]

COLUMBINE : Pierrot,
My vinaigrette ! I cannot live without
My vinaigrette!

PIERROT: My only love, you are
So fundamental! . . . How would you like
to be
An actress, Columbine? I am become
Your manager.

COLUMBINE : Why, Pierrot, I can't act.

PIERROT: Can't act! Can't act! La, listen to
the woman !
What s that to do with the price of furs ?
You're blonde,
Are you not? you have no education, have
you?
Can't act ! You under-rate yourself, my dear !

COLUMBINE: Yes, I suppose I do.

PIERROT: As for the rest,
I'll teach you how to cry, and how to die,
And other little tricks ; and the house will love
you.
You ll be a star by five o clock . . . that is,
If you will let me pay for your apartment.

— From Aria Da Capo, by Edna St. Vincent Millay

[Image via Getty.]

NOVEMBER
Los Angeles, November 22.

The American Music Awards: Bones, mugs & harmony.

[Image via Getty.]

NOVEMBER
Los Angeles, November 23.

Part Herman Munster, part Riff Raff from Rocky Horror. Like something out of the Beetle Juice waiting room. But classy!

[Image via Getty.]

DECEMBER
Blackpool, December 7.

The Lady managed to be fully covered when she met the Queen. It's doubtful that Her Majesty had ever seen latex leg o'mutton sleeves before, but you never know.

[Image via Getty.]

DECEMBER
New York, December 8.

After a long year, The Lady looked lovely in a restrained gown at the launch of VEVO.

And there you have it: Girlish, tough, proper, whimsical, fierce, provocative and experimental, a year of Gaga ensembles makes you wonder what she'll do next. Some say, when it comes to fashion, she is more powerful than Anna Wintour. Regardless: If you made it this far, click here for a message from Lady Gaga herself.

[Image via Getty.]

Each family member — Lindsay, Ali, Dina, Cody and Michael Jr. — has a "room" on the site. Junior's "room" features two pictures of him shirtless and hasn't been updated since September. The page belonging to Dakota, aka "Cody" hasn't been updated since April — though it's probably for the best, since, according to his bio, "Cody prefers playing soccer than[sic] starring in his own movie." Ali's room has a post (from April) about how she was bullied at school by mean girls. Lindsay's room actually has current info, but the site is peppered with grammatical and spelling errors, and was written by someone without a firm grasp of how to use an apostrophe. (Example: "Today is Dina Lohans[sic] Birthday. Buzz on the street is there will be a suprize[sic] party for Dina.")

But the most mind-boggling part is the "shop," where you can buy:

A $135 wrinkled DKNY sweater owned by Michael Jr.

Lindsay's Purple Converse, for $35.

Stella McCartney boots owned by Lindsay, for $500.

Nike sneakers — with Ali's name on them — for $150.

Or a jacket by "Diana" von Furstenberg, for $100.

Now, the second-hand designer market can be a lucrative business. But is there really a customer base for Michael Lohan Jr.'s old sweater? Or Lindsay's purple Chucks? Some of these items appear to be new, or new-ish, with tags attached. But knowing how much free swag celebrities get — between gift suites, PR mailings and brand promotions — you've got to wonder: Did the Lohans even pay for this stuff? Does Lindsay know her mom is selling things she's left behind? Where is the money going? Directly to Dina? I mean, sure, she's raising a bunch of kids by herself and trying to keep a no-good ex-husband off her back. But that doesn't mean anyone wants to pay $75 for a used "Marc Jacob" jacket. Then again, I could be wrong: While finishing this post, the pages on LohanHouse stopped responding: So many people wanted used orange Frye boots, the site crashed!

Look like Lindsay Lohan [Page Six]
[LohanHouse.com]

According to a piece by Anna Stewart for Variety:

Brooks Brothers carries the Mad Men Edition suit, with costume designer Janie Bryant clearly credited.

But Bryant's fellow costume designers usually do not share in her good fortune. You will not find their names on those trendsetting dresses, those must-have leather jackets, those sought-after dolls — all those commercial goodies that came out of such films as Hannah Montana, The Matrix, Spider-Man, and Wall Street. Those creative minds didn't see a dime of your expenditure. And it's the same story for just about every costume designer in Hollywood.

In ye olde Hollywood, costume designers like Adrian (The Wizard Of Oz, Grand Hotel, The Philadelphia Story) and Edith Head (All About Eve, Roman Holiday, To Catch A Thief) were household names; and this list of iconic fashion statements in movies includes the designers — and costume designers' names. But you've probably never heard of Deena Appel. She designed the costumes for all three Austin Powers films, and tells Variety:

"When Austin Powers became dolls, Halloween costumes and board games, and it went on for years, not only am I not compensated for that in any way, shape or form, I am not even credited for it."

While Mad Men is on its way to making Janie Bryant a household name, what about the other costume designers working in film and TV? If we know the name Rachel Zoe, why not know Eric Daman and Meredith Markworth-Pollack — costume designers for Gossip Girl? As Hollywood style guru Cameron Silver says: "Because Janie Bryant is getting personal acclaim right now, other studios might see the opportunity to make money. Studios have forgotten that they could be developing household names for their costume designers."

Designers Push Recognizable Retail, Fashionistas Weigh In On Decades Of Style [Variety]

Apparently Tim had a "meltdown" during the Season 7 final runway show. He explains:

It was looney kajooney land, let me tell you. The backstage at Bryant Park is always crowded -you've filled the space to capacity, so we have a ton of hair people, makeup people, models, dressers and, because we couldn't have any of the designers revealed to the public at large, we had all 16 designers backstage. Thankfully we only had three people showing, and that's a record for us: It's always been at least four. That was the good news: There were no red herrings. Owing to the fact that we couldn't reveal to the audience who the finalists were, we wanted to tape their introduction before the audience came in. We had to do a pre-fashion show, and we taped the whole thing. Through the miracles of editing, it's going to look as though the designers are speaking to the audience, but there isn't one. We did the whole show; it was great. Then a volunteer at Bryant Park declared that the models should get out of their looks - it takes forever to get them into them, up over the head with the hair and makeup. I was distracted by something, then I'm paying full attention backstage and the models are getting undressed. I said, "Halt! What is happening here?" The head dresser said, "I'm getting them out of their clothes." "Why?" "Well, they're going to steam them." That's when I said, "I am about to lose it, and everyone's going to stay in her clothes! PERIOD."

Tim also defends Meana Irina. Sort of:

Every season prior to Season 6 has had a "villain." There really isn't one this season… this season there wasn't really a person for whom I have antipathy, like Kenley [Collins]. Blech. Before that, Victoria Hong, before that, Vincent Libretti. Irina is tenacious. She really wants it. We had a very long lunch with Irina and her family, and, oh my God, talk about the nut not falling far from the tree. Her mother was saying things like, "If Irina doesn't win, she better not come home," and I could say she's already a winner. Also, Irina was my student.

But! Tim Gunn thought that Ra'mon should have gone home!

I was absolutely confident that the Ra'mon [Coleman]and Mitchell [Hall] team would both go home, and the fact that Ra'mon won that challenge still has me spinning in my chair. I was horrified by what he designed — that neoprene horror. Nina [Garcia] had a filibuster in support of that look. The other judges were aghast, but she said, "This is the only look that is remotely innovative." Well, innovative it was; good it wasn't.

As for the judging in Season 6, Tim admits: "It wasn't good not having Michael [Kors] and Nina as much this season." And he hints that the Season 7 designers may be ingrates: "I will say that in Season 7 there are a number of designers who throw me under the bus." Plus, the Season 7 kids dilly-dally: "It's also the season of the sashay — no one other than me moves with any degree of urgency. No matter what, they sashay. I don't even have the adequate words to describe how mad and frustrated I would get: "We have to get down to the runway right now!" and they'd just kind of glide along through the workroom."

There are a lot more classic Tim Gunn quips in the piece, but let's end with his thoughts on the hoof-like Alexander McQueen shoe seen on the runway and in the Lady Gaga video:

"It not only looks ugly - I don't believe it's something you get used to and then think is pretty — it looks like the individual has a deformity. It looks like the devil's spawn. It's really horrifying."

'Project Runway': Tim Gunn Carries On (To Season 7) [LA Times]

Earlier: "I Took A Risk": Talking With Project Runway's Ra'mon

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]

It's a great example of how quickly fashion standards can change. Today I'm pretty sure most, if not all, of these shoes would be considered old-fashioned and wouldn't be marketed as sexy. Our ideas of what constitutes a "sexy" woman's shoe today includes a higher, thinner heel, meaning they're also in general less stable, harder to walk in, and worse for your feet than shoes with a chunky heel like these.

All of this is true. But we should also remember that in 1969, skirts were pretty short; these shoes were paired with a lot of leg. Check out this picture of Jane Birkin in 1968, or this "Young New Look" of 1969.

Still, compare the shoes of 1969 to what Donatella Versace — known for doing "sexy" — showed in Milan in September.

Or the perilous pumps seen on the runway of Nina Ricci in March.

While these high-fashion runway shoes aren't reflective of what the average woman wears on the streets, they do say something about what designers think is "sexy." And when asked to picture a "sexy shoe," chances are you think of a stiletto. It almost seems like today's shoes are an exaggerated version of "sexy;" stretching out the leg cartoonishly (forcing the breasts and butt out at the same time). 1969's shoes seemed less about contortions and more about… well, walking. Of course, in the '70s, blocky wooden platforms entered the picture, and ankles suffered.

Since fashion is cyclical, maybe in forty years, spindly Louboutins and Jimmy Choos will look terribly old-fashioned and decidedly not sexy.

As for these anthropomorphic Alexander McQueen heels, "sexy" isn't exactly an adjective I'd use.

Changing Fashion Standards: Sexy Shoes From 1969 [Sociological Images]

Earlier: Versace: Tough, Edgy, Sexy
Alexander McQueen: For The Futuristic Interplanetary Mutant Alien Queen In You
Have You Seen Nina Ricci's Stupefying Shoes?

Bustles, corsets, Wonderbras, that padded-booty underwear from Frederick's Of Hollywood — women have been dealing with figure-enhancing apparel for centuries. But the codpiece has come (heh) and gone. So it's interesting that Calvin Klein is trying to appeal to a man's vanity — or insecurity — when that's usually territory marketers use on women.

Sometimes stuff like this is like alcoholism: The first step is admitting you have a problem. You have to be willing to be labeled as "that" kind of person. It's easier with drugstore items like conditioner for "dry and damaged" hair or cleanser for "oily" skin. You can march up to the counter owning your issues, like, yeah, I'm dry and damaged and oily, so what?

But some men place so much importance on their junk, you've got to wonder if this is enabling, in a way. Or telling: Wouldn't you automatically assume there's a problem in that area?

Miller spoke with Ray Lopez, a Macy's sales guy. "When I first tried them on, it was like, ‘Whoa! Do other people notice this?'" Ray says. "You feel more confident. You have people who wear the skinny jean, and the only thing you see is the bulge. These work with the whole body." Miller, of course, tried the jeans on:

They were a breakthrough! Such comfort, such support! And yes, my confidence was bigger! It looked bigger, at least.

Ah, yes: The illusion of change. Something push-up bra, Spanx and makeup-wearing women are quite familiar with. Welcome to our world.

Something Is Getting Between Him and His Calvins [NY Observer]

According to a piece by Godfrey Deeny for Fashion Wire Daily:

"I was very influenced in my choice by Tim Gunn, who had invited Lindsay to be a judge," said Ungaro CEO Mounir Moufarrige in an exclusive interview. "His comments that she had a great sense of fashion and knew what works and doesn't work, were pretty significant to me."

Deeny points out that celebrities with fashion lines are not new. But "no celebrity has ever been given the reins at a major Paris couture house."

One the one hand, it seems tragic: Emanuel Ungaro designed for the House of Cristobal Balenciaga! He worked for Courrèges! He is on an extremely select list of Haute Coutouriers — alongside Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix and Jean Paul Gaultier. He may have sold the brand, but it still has his name on it, and the aura of France, and things well-done. Why involve a former Disney star and current paparazzi target? Does Project Runway have that much clout?

On the other hand, it makes sense: Ungaro needs to attract attention, bring in, as Moufarrige says, "younger and cooler" trends — and thereby earn younger, cooler customers. A design house is, after all, a business. And to stay in business, the company needs keep up with the times, know its customer. And Lindsay Lohan is a critical shopper. Someone with an eye. Moufarrige says: "Lindsay Lohan is not a designer, we are not pretending that she is. But she is a great merchandiser who can bring lots of ideas." (He also notes: "Lindsay already had an Ungaro coat at the age of 13. Her own mother used to wear Ungaro. You could not sit on a settee or chair in her place. Her home was full of brands. You had to sit on the floor!")

Still: It seems risky to put an iconic French brand in the hands of a Hollywood wildchild. Just because you love clothes doesn't mean you know what the hell to show on a Parisian runway. We'll find out what Lohan — and creative teammate, designer Estella Archs — have whipped up when Ungaro presents its spring 2010 collection in the Carrousel du Louvre on Sunday.

The House Of Ungaro's Lowdown On Lindsay Lohan [Fashion Week Daily]

According to the Telegraph, Lorraine Jones, of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, says female shopworkers, airline cabin crew and other employees must wear high heels as part of a dress code — but male employees do not. Jones, a practicing podiatrist says: ''This is not a trivial problem. Two million working days are lost every year through lower limb and foot-related problems. We are not trying to ban high heels - they are good for glamming up but they are not good for the workplace. Women should have a choice of wearing healthier, more comfortable shoes.''

Sounds great, right? Not according to Loraine Monk of the University and College Union, who opposed the move, arguing: "This well-meant motion will see the union movement portrayed in the media as the killjoy fashion police… Let's stop telling women what to do."

The Guardian reports that a Tory Member of Parliament, Nadine Dorries, wrote on her blog:

"I'm 5ft 3in and need every inch of my Louboutin heels to look my male colleagues in the eye. If high heels were banned in Westminster, no one would be able to find me."

Mary Turner from the British Trade Union has fired back: "If you need to wear high heels to stand up to men than I feel very sorry for you."

In any case, this case is not so much about banning high heels as it is about making sure employees aren't forced to endure a health hazard. BBC News notes that "where they are found to be hazardous, they should be replaced with sensible and comfortable shoes." The problem, of course, is that for some women — especially those working in retail — high heels are part of a "look" to represent a brand. Some women do feel more powerful, more confident in heels. But can you be plucky and self-assured when you've got a twisted ankle, bunions and tendonitis?

Unions Take 'Stand' On Stilettos [BBC News]
Women Should Not Have To Wear High Heels At Work, Says TUC [Guardian]
High Heels 'Should Be Banned At Work' [Telegraph]

As Eric Wilson writes for The New York Times today, teenagers around the world have become interested in all sorts of careers in fashion as a result of the industry's increasingly outsize place in popular culture.

"Project Runway," the designer competition originally set at Parsons the New School for Design, has alone been credited with causing a spike in applications to fashion schools. At Parsons, applications have gone up 41 percent over the last five years. At Pratt Institute, they have gone up 20 percent.

And then there's fashion week, fashion blogs and The September Issue! Continues Wilson:

For much of America's youth, fashion is where it's at. But this wave of Anna Wintours and Michael Korses in training is coming at a moment when the industry is shrinking; retailers are collapsing; several magazines within Teen Vogue's parent company, Condé Nast, have closed; and jobs, of any sort, are scarce. A report last month from the NPD Group estimated that 12 percent of fashion companies will not survive the recession.

Still, let's say you do get an internship in fashion. Teen Vogue's book warns, "Be prepared to suffer." Karl Lagerfeld says: "Are you ready to accept injustice?" There will be no hobnobbing, lavish lifestyle, reaping rewards. It's all grunt work. And I've been there. Steaming piles of dresses. Filing. Addressing envelopes. Stuffing envelopes. Paperwork. Packing boxes. On a good day? Cataloguing heaps and heaps of shoes. Quickly. On a deadline.

It's not that there's anything wrong with young women wanting to go into fashion — dreaming of being surrounded by pretty things, and models, and the beautiful life. But it is still an industry. A business. Which requires hard work, connections and skill to succeed. You'll make zero money, but be expected to dress well and live in an expensive city. People with better connections and a fancier college on their resume will always be ahead of you. And just because you love shoes or dresses doesn't mean you're cut out to be a designer or editor. And even if you do find a great job, there's still a chance that the business will fail; the magazine will go under. Take it from Teen Vogue's editor in chief, Amy Astley, who started at HG, (Condé Nast's House & Garden). Last week, she told mediabistro.com: "I love interiors still. I'm crazy about decorating and really thought I would be a decorating editor. HG was a wonderful place to start my career. I love interiors. I love flowers. I love decorating. I love food and tabletop. I love clothes, obviously fashion, so it's all of a piece to me… I worked at HG for about four years, until the magazine was closed, in 1993."

Still, if young women are going to spend money on magazines and books about fashion, Teen Vogue might as well get a cut of the cash, right?

Looking for a (Long) Leg Up [NY Times]
So What Do You Do, Amy Astley, Editor-In-Chief, Teen Vogue? [mediabistro.com]

Kenley spent two days in jail. "But the girl next to me was in there for, like, stabbing her man in the head, like 25 times. She was hardcore." Still, Kenley says, being there was a lesson:

"It made me appreciate freedom. As soon as I got out I made a kick-ass line and did a photo shoot with 10 of my pieces. Everyone kept saying I put new meaning in the phrase ‘pussy-whipped.'"

"After two days they let me out on my own recognizance," she says. "I mean, listen, nobody got hurt. He really just didn't want me to break up with him, that's all. Looking back I'm like, ‘Huh? Did that really happen?'"

As for her Project Runway experience, in which she came off as brash, abrasive and downright bratty, Kenley says: "I just tried to have fun with it… People don't like confident women — I would defend my designs and people would tell me I was rude." Tim Gunn remembers things slightly differently, saying, in an interview with Reuters, that Kenley was the only person who has ever made him lose his temper. He explains: "My patience was simply exhausted and I was just tired of her rudeness ... In the course of 29 years of teaching, you develop a lot of resources to deal with students you'd like to smack."

But Kenley hasn't given up on TV. She's been shooting a new reality series: "It's just me, me, me, and my support team." (That's her PR agent, her assistant and her lawyer.) But, though Kenley plans to show a collection next month at New York's Fashion week, her reality show has yet to be picked up by any network. Was it something she said?

Project Runway's Jailbird Sings [The Daily Beast]
Just a Minute With: Tim Gunn of "Project Runway" [Reuters]

Earlier: Cat Fight
Project Runway: Kenley's "Classy, Expensive" Hideous Hip Hop Jeans
Project Runway: The One Where Everybody Cries
Project Runway: Kenley Sobs, Then Declares: "I Pretty Much Nailed It!"

I've never touched a piece of clothing from The Row or Elizabeth and James, so I can't vouch for their quality or awe-inducing fit. (A quick search of the collection at Bergdorf Goodman informs me that there's really nothing over a size 10, anyway.) But Jim Gold, the chief executive of Bergdorf Goodman, says that perfection is what The Row, M-K and A's high-end label, is all about. He tells the Times' Cathy Horyn: "I think the way to think about The Row is that it offers the perfect blank - the perfect schoolboy blazer, the perfect leather leggings, the perfect peacoat. So many designers are intent on the next great trend that some of the basics are neglected."

The Olsens' production manager, Joe Karban, who has also worked for Ralph Lauren, adds: "It's much like the old days at Polo… The kids on the team are really passionate about making clothes. How do you set a proper sleeve? How does a fabric perform? It's the art of making clothes as opposed to making everything cookie-cutter."

So. Their blazers have a high armholes and narrow sleeves, which makes your arms look even longer and skinnier. They're into luxurious textures: T-shirts in sheer cashmere, leggings in stretch leather. And they're not alone, apparently — Horyn points out:

With The Row outperforming many better-known labels, beleaguered retailers can't help gushing over the Olsens. The company expects annual sales to be 30 percent higher than last year, and Ashley said the line, which recently added men's wear, will break even this year. The company's total sales are estimated at $10 million, company officials say.

Recession, schmecession! Plus: No one seems to think that the famous names behind the label are driving sales. "The customer who buys the clothes almost never knows we're involved," Ashley claims. Julie Gilhart, the fashion director of Barneys New York, agrees: "I don't think anybody really cares that it's Mary-Kate and Ashley's collection. They're buying it because they like it." Or because when a T-shirt costs $300, it must be perfect.

Good Things Do Come in Pairs [NY Times]
The Row [Bergdorf Goodman]

New York Times writer Guy Trebay talks to Laura Wills, proprietor of vintage store Screaming Mimi's (Cyndi Lauper used to work there). Wills says: "People embrace things so quickly… They move on so fast that they constantly need new references. Around the store we laugh and say, ‘Didn't we already do the '80s? Didn't we have that neon moment five years ago?'"

The answer of course, is yes. And I remember the neon socks I wore in 7th grade so vividly! Plus: My obsession with Swatch watches, rubber bracelets, rhinestone necklaces and plastic skeleton earrings. I liked polka-dot shirts and giant socks by E.G. Smith. And the girls at my school were all decked out in Benetton or NafNaf. Remember Fido Dido? And the leggings! Oh, the leggings. Fashion seemed fun back then: Animal prints, faux-fur, poufy skirts, big shoulders — there was whimsy in getting dressed, and self-expression at work.

And let's face it: A lot of good shit came out of the '80s. Trebay notes:

… the latest fashion cycle an opportunity for a new crop of designers to find in that dubious decade a mother lode of irony ready to be mined. "Dallas," Cabbage Patch Kids, "The Cosby Show" and Princess Diana (whose style Germaine Greer likened last year to that of a TV anchorwoman, but with dreadful and "inevitable" hats) all made their debut in the '80s. So, in an indelible pop-cultural sense, did Brooke Shields, in her "nothing comes between me and my Calvins" phase.

Not to mention: Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Ms. Willis swears that this fall, a studded jacket is "all anybody's going to be looking for."

Of course, the '80s wasn't all brights and happiness. There were the rebels, the edgy activists, the artists, the Guerrilla Girls, Leigh Bowery, Boy George.

But while it does stir up fond memories to see Urban Outfitters serve up striped tees and leopard minis, there's something tragic about going back to the well again and again. It's like a former high school football star who can't stop reliving the homecoming game. Did we peak in the '80s? Are we clinging to the era like a security blanket, coddled by its warmth but afraid to move forward and leave the jelly shoes and the Dirty Dancing plotlines behind? I'd like to hope not. I'm saying this as a person who knows every single word of dialogue in Desperately Seeking Susan: We need to let go of the '80s. There are so many other fashion ideas to explore. Like the here and now! Or the future! Or Mad Men's early '60s.

Right Round, Baby [NY Times]

[Images via All American Ads of the 80s]

From Madonna's corsets to Britney's circus whips, the trappings of sex play often make fashion statements. Take the horse shoe high heels, seen at left. They'd be at home on a high-fashion runway, or on Ms. GaGa, or just strutting the streets of New York. But if you know anything about pony play, then you know fashion is not the point.

Why do we sometimes enjoy taking a fetish-y item out of its context and using it as a fashion statement? Does it add edge? Sexiness? Danger? (All of the above?) Why do photoshoots rely on "kinky" to be interesting? And if fetish looks become more and more mainstream, do the festih-y items lose their power and appeal?

Horse Shoe High Heels [Random Good Stuff]

Over at MMemes, blogger Em Dash writes:

I would blame Lady GaGa, but she didn't start it. I'd also blame American Apparel, but they just sell the paraphernalia… But for the millions of women and men (and children!) adversely affected by this traumatic craze, it's past warning stages. We need to up the terror alert to infrared and distribute our own sort of paraphernalia…

The blog contains a downloadable PDF of small cards good Samaritans can pass out to the pants-less, which read, "Leggings are not sufficient substitutes" and "the lines on your leggings do not make them jeans."

This is a subject of contention around here, but I am just going to go ahead and say it:

Leggings are not pants.

Obviously, neither are leotards or whatever Katy Perry has taken to covering up with. Yes, Merriam-Webster's definition is, "an outer garment covering each leg separately and usually extending from the waist to the ankle -usually used in plural." But, by that definition, pantyhose would be classified as pants. And we know that they are not. So let's turn to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, which tends to be more thorough: Pants come from pantaloon, which can be traced back to Pantaleon, the patron saint of Venice.

He became so closely associated with the inhabitants of that city that the Venetians were popularly known as Pantaloni. Consequently, among the commedia dell'arte's stock characters the representative Venetian (a stereotypically wealthy but miserly merchant) was called Pantalone, or Pantalon in French. In the mid-17th century the French came to identify him with one particular style of trousers…

Trousers. That's what pants are. Trousers. Are leggings trousers? No. Therefore, they are not pants. Needless to say, a leotard does not qualify as "wearing pants," either. And, though short-shorts are often called "hot pants," they are not, due to their abbreviated nature, pants.

Now, women in the Western world first started wearing pants around the 1880s — after centuries of skirts — because they were doing industrial work. Of course, it wasn't considered "proper" for a "lady" to wear trousers until much later in the 20th century. And if you're of a certain religion, it still isn't right for a woman to wear pants.

But pants-wearing has always been a feminist issue: At a time when studios were looking for skirt-wearing blonde bombshells, Kathereine Hepburn rocked trousers with flair.

And against the bakcdrop of the "Women's Lib" movement of the 1970s, Virginia Slims marketed its cigarettes as for the pants-wearing women who had "come a long way."

The point is this: We, as women, have the right to wear pants. Pants can be comfortable, elegant, professional, playful and appropriate. Why is everyone so anti-pants?

Pants-less Ladies Save the World (and How You Can Save the Pants) [MMeme]

Fatshionista, the "fabulous fat girl fashion and size acceptance community," has almost 1,000 members on Flickr, a LiveJournal community and a blog, where the mission is to "discuss the ins and outs of fat fashions, seriously and stupidly — but above all — standing tall, and with panache. We fatshionistas are self-accepting despite The Man's Saipan-made boot at our chubby, elegant throats. We are silly, and serious, and want shit to fit." Right on!

To be honest, while scrolling through the images, it was startling, at first, to see picture after picture of "fat," plus-sized, or heavy women. Not because of their bodies, or their clothes — they look fantastic — but because I just wasn't used to it. Street fashion sites like The Sartorialist, Street Peeper and FaceHunter feature people who love getting dressed up, playing with fashion and making their own clothes, but even though they are "real" people and not models, they are, 99% of the time, slender. On "reality" TV, we see people with size 0 bodies in fake situations; even the Dove Campaign For Real Beauty had a Photshop scandal regarding its ads. The world of magazines, TV and movies so often excludes women who are above a size 12 that even though you see these people everyday — at work, on the street, in your family, in the mirror — it still seems odd to see them grouped together, looking stylish on a website. But while it was shocking to see these women, posing and proud, it was also refreshing — you've got to love a woman in a pretty dress with a cupcake tattooed on her shoulder. While part of me wonders what Anna Wintour would think of the Fatshionistas, the other part of me is so glad they don't care.

Fatshionista [Blog]
Fatshionista [Flickr Pool]
Fatshionista [Flickr River]