Writes Bialik in Tablet,

The WNTW producers asked if I have any clothing restrictions. Deep breath. "I don't wear pants," I told them. "I prefer skirts." You see, I am what I guess you'd call a Conservadox Jew. I started embracing certain aspects of Jewish modesty, or tzniut, before my second son was born, and although I know many Orthodox women who don't observe tzniut, the boundaries and framework of privacy it provides appealed to me.

Although Bialik isn't that strict - she doesn't, for instance, refuse to wear 3/4 sleeves - her demands do put a bit of a kink in WNTW's style. It's a smart, well-written piece, but there are two kind of hilarous parts. I think - but am not positive - that the following is deliberately tongue-in-cheek.

Growing up, I lived a pretty normal life; I had my own prime-time network TV show from the ages of 14 to 19, which meant my physical appearance and clothing choices were dissected on a weekly basis in gossip magazines and on television.

But this, I'm sure, isn't: "During the days of the sheva brachot, the seven traditional feasts celebrated in the days after the chuppah ceremony, I tentatively covered my head with scarves and crocheted hats." Tentatively? Blossom lived in hats! Hell, she made them a thing! I had a sunflower hat!

Anyway, one has to wonder if WNTW was the only way she could smarten up her act; she's not the first actor, after all, who's used it as an optimistic bit of new-push PR. But hell, we'd do the show if it meant we could hang out with Clinton and Stacey! And we wouldn't even give them any problems about wearing the satin reveal dress, or the A-line skirt, or the nipped-in jacket that shows off the waist and the girls! Indeed, it's always seemed a bit irrational for those who knowingly agree to the makeovers - as opposed to those intransigent types humiliated into it by secret footage - to give the team a lot of problems. But in the case of religious objections? It doesn't seem like anything the dynamic duo couldn't surmount.

So, how'd it go? Well:

I got wonderful new clothes, jewelry, and vegan shoes (one of my other preferences). When we filmed me revealing the final outfits they picked, I gently pointed out that skirts above the knee are not something I'd wear, and that I wouldn't wear sleeveless shirts or dresses without something to cover my arms once I left the set. When the show aired, I saw that my qualifications and explanations did not survive the cutting room...I don't wish to claim that there is an "immodest agenda" on WNTW. It's a show for the average American, who is most likely not Jewish, and if she is Jewish, she's most likely not observant. In spite of the fact that the hosts kept telling me that I needed to be "sexy" and not "hide" in my clothing, I loved being a part of the show. They were right to encourage me to wear clothing that was my size, and to emphasize my figure where it needed emphasizing. But sexy doesn't necessarily mean scantily-clad.

The final twist is that when Bialik does go in for a part, it's that of a Hasid. So it's hard to say who wins the battle of wills. But our money is usually on Stacey and Clinton.

Wardrobe! [Tablet]
What Not to Wear - Season Premiere Sneak Peek [YouTube]
Blossom's Mayim Bialik: I Needed a Makeover! [People]
Related: Jezebel Faceoff: Blossom Russo Vs. Clarissa Darling

• Stella McCartney's fall ad campaign makes a Bambijoke out of all that nature imagery that suddenly became hip over the past few years. For everyone who's ever considered an ironic taxidermy at a bar and concluded, "Why?" [WWD]

• Joshua Walter, the 20-year-old male model whose clients included Hugo Boss, has confessed to a series of armed robberies in Queens, and is currently being held in a prison barge moored off the Bronx. Walter, who pistol-whipped one victim during a heist, last came to police attention in May, when he pleaded guilty to punching and choking his girlfriend, 37-year-old former teacher Gina Salamino. (Salamino, who taught second grade, was fired after her relationship with Walter, by whom she has a child, was discovered.) Walter insisted to a New York Post reporter that he is still modeling — how he's doing that from behind bars, after failing to make $550,000 in bail, is unclear. [Gothamist]
• Naomi Campbell is one of the celebrities donating a Birkin for charity to Hermès' annual vintage auction. Campbell's green alligator Birkin will be sold to raise money for the White Ribbon Alliance, which works to reduce the number of women who suffer preventable pregnancy complications every year worldwide. Also for sale on November 10 will be one of Grace Kelly's handbags, donated by her daughter, Princess Stephanie of Monaco. [UK Elle]
• WWD is already referring to the Beatrice Inn as "the former hipster hotspot." Ouch. Also, Lissy Trullie is going to be the fall face of Hervé Leger by Max Azria. [WWD]
• Prada's Seoul building, the Rem Koolhaas-designed Transformer, is changing its appearance once again. The elements of the structure, which are covered in a membrane, are designed to be shifted around to accommodate entirely different uses for the interior space. Opening in April to house a fashion exhibition before becoming a temporary movie theater, the Transformer is now becoming a contemporary art museum. "I want fashion for fashion and art for art," says Miuccia Prada. "So the Transformer concept was not for a generic space, but to be very specific, with all things separate in one building." [NYTimes]
• Meanwhile in Paris, Prada opened a more traditional kind of temporary structure: a pop-up store. Naturally, among the items sold will be an "exclusive," "limited-edition" gray handbag. Uniqlo also just opened a pop-up in Paris, intended to operate until its flagship in the city opens this fall, and Comme des Garçons' Black line currently has a pop-up in the Marais. [WWD]
• Perhaps not realizing that the coal mining scene in Zoolander was a parody, cult Paris shop Colette is releasing a limited edition collaboration with Timberland boots. Forty pairs of pre-distressed Timbs with blue trim will go on sale at the boutique this September, for 235 Euros. [Refinery 29]
• Some designers support the proposed Design Piracy Protection Act, which would offer limited copyright protection to fashion designers, while others either don't mind the knock-offs, or think the DPPA's proposed solution unwieldy. Maria Cornejo, who designs Zero +Maria Cornejo and has had her work ripped off, thinks the proposed law is a sound one. Makers of knock offs are "basically putting their hand in my head, which is my bank, and stealing ideas. It's basically robbery." Isabel and Ruben Toledo, fashion designer and illustrator, respectively, disagree strongly. "The American fashion system is all levels of value," says Ruben. "A woman knows when she's buying champagne and when she's buying soda-pop. It's two different markets. But why shouldn't a woman have the right to drink Coca-Cola when she feels like it and champagne when she wants to? That's the American way." Europe and Japan already extend copyright protection to clothing designs, but in the U.S., only a graphic of print used for a piece of clothing can be copyrighted, not the garment as a whole. [Reuters]
• Jason Wu covers some familiar territory — Michelle Obama, the loveliness of having pet cats — and some that's out of left field — sleeping pills! — in this sweet diary for the Times of London. The designer complimented a woman he saw wearing his clothes on the street, and, like a sartorial Secret Santa, didn't even tell her he had made it. [ToL]
• Some designers had standard-issue summer jobs for the fashionably-inclined, like working at a fabric store or a vintage shop, or being a doorman at a hip Manhattan club. (Wu, for his part, was a waiter at a BBQ restaurant in Taiwan during the summers when he was growing up.) Angela Donhauser and Adi Gil of Threeasfour worked for Buena Vista, touring Germany dressed as characters from the Lion King. [Style.com]
• Diane von Furstenberg hangs upside down from a swing in her Meatpacking District office. Diane von Furstenberg runs a business with 155 employees, 97% of whom are women. Diane von Furstenberg is 62, and she looks like a minx, like a dangerous, business-minded, fashionable minx, when photographed curled up elegantly on her desk. Diane von Furstenberg compares staying solvent in this economy to being "on a surfing board in the middle of a tsunami," and, if there were one woman who could pull off that totally sick stand up barrel, by God, after reading this profile, we believe it to be her. [NYTimes]
• Italian Vogue is re-releasing last July's iconic issue, which featured only black models. Because it's Barbie's 50th birthday year, the re-released magazine will come with a supplement dedicated to black Barbie. [British Vogue]
• Karl Lagerfeld shot press images for his pre-spring collection on the Rue Royale with Lara Stone and Baptiste Giabiconi — and a customized low rider motorcycle, which Chanel will, remarkably, not sell. [WWD]
• London's Estorick Gallery is holding an exhibition that pairs Italian Futurist paintings with the clothes designed by Ottavio and Rosita Missoni in the 1960s and 70s. Looks like a perfect match. [NYTimes]
• Celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson is replacing Nick Arrojo, the hair makeover consultant on What Not To Wear. Arrojo, said network executives, was not "fresh" anymore, after six seasons. [WWD]
• There have been numerous stories about the possibility that the company that makes Crocs might go bankrupt — including one in the Washington Post last week. Even the company's auditor has raised doubts about its ability to meet its debt obligations. Unsurprisingly, the C.E.O. says everything's fine and dandy. [WWD]
• The new owners of the bankrupt Eddie Bauer brand say that most of its 370 stores will remain open. San Francisco investment firm Golden Gate Capital Management bought Eddie Bauer at auction for some $286 million. [UPI]

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.No Pants - Sometimes. I'm on record in my opposition to the exposed-ass look, but sometimes there's nothing like a men's shirt and gams for pure sex appeal. Just ask Elaine Stritch.


The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Color - a lot of it. So what if everyone looks at you? You're brightening their day - and they're looking on your terms.


The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Absurdly Big Hair. If you're lucky enough to have an old-school beauty shop nearby, they'll know how to crank out a classic beehive, and cheaply enough that you can just rock it for an evening to the movies. There is nothing like the supreme confidence of absolutely stiff hair. And yes, wigs are awesome too - plus an afternoon in a good wig shop is an afternoon well spent.


The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Completely Unique Makeup. Anyone can be "flawless." Lynn Yaeger's made a career of looking totally like her vision of herself. And for something that would seem to be self-conscious, it's done totally un-self-consciously. Isn't that really the key?


The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Golden Girls chic. Which one, you ask? Well, you really can't go wrong: from bedazzled sweat suits to big-shouldered power jackets to leopard-print caftans, nothing says confidence like a little mid-80's Miami heat. And if it matters to you, this is actually a good look for hipster-heavy situations, because no one knows what to make of it and so, fearing what they don't understand, automatically respect and fear you. Also: easy to source at thrift stores.


The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.Wear an Enormous Hat. Bring the hat back. It's bold. It's completely gratuitous. It's the sort of thing that, unless you're in a costumey phase, you simply don't do as a teenager. Because being grown-up is wonderful.



What Not To Wear Beyond Your Teens [MSN]

As Stacy and Clinton tear someone's closet apart, I sit on my couch and make a mental checklist of each item that goes into the trashcan. 90% of the trashed items are currently hanging in my closet. I have the fashion sense of a 15 year old girl...living in 1996. It's not that I don't want to be more fashionable; I just don't really know how. I can see pieces in stores that are fashionable and flattering, but when I get them home, I can't seem to put them together, and I end up going back to my standard uniform of a black t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. (Which, of course, is what I'm wearing right now.)

I can pull it together for special occasions, thanks to the help of my very fashionable friends, who seem to have been born with a sixth sense for these types of things. They can walk into a store, visualize and outfit, and put things together effortlessly. I walk into a store and either have a panic attack or come out of the dressing room looking like I got hit by a ticky-tacky tornado. Fashion is often so overwhelming and frustrating that I don't even bother. I'd rather stick to basic, classic things than do a trend poorly and look like an idiot—but at the same time, it's embarrassing at times to be nearly 30 years old and still unsure as to how to put an outfit together.

This is not to say I don't know and follow certain rules: no socks with sandals, no visible panty lines, no "mom jeans"; these are all things I can understand and abide by. But there are certain fashion no-nos that I'm never quite sure of. And one of those things is pantyhose. Is it okay to wear hose? Are nude hose always a fashion don't? Can you wear open-toed shoes with tights? Can you get away without wearing hose to work? The rules of nylons are a bit confusing for fashion-challenged people like myself. Apparently, I'm not alone.

"Should women bare their legs in the office?" asks Lauren Lipton of Forbes.com, bringing up a debate that has raged for many years: as the temperature rises, should women be expected to wear hose on their legs, or is it acceptable to walk around without anything covering one's legs? "As the weather heats up, so inevitably does the annual office leg debate," Lipton writes, "in which women grapple with dictates that can seem designed to keep us as sweaty, uncomfortable and — many say — dowdy as possible." I, of course, have no idea what the proper procedure here is, though the few times when I do wear a skirt to work in the summer, it tends to be a longer skirt, and I don't wear pantyhose, as it kind of defeats the purpose of wearing the skirt in the first place, no? If it's hot and gross outside, I don't really care to wrap my legs in nylon.

Perhaps we should look to Stacy for advice, no?

First of all, the only "hose" I really hate are the semi-sheer ones in "suntan" or "black." They look dated and remind me of a time when women would walk to work in their suits, those hose, white sweat socks and white leather aerobic sneakers. Blech. Might as well throw in a whole can of hairspray, too. Too '80s! Stay away from anything that has a mid-range "denier" number that indicates the sheerness of the hose (10 is very sheer, 30 is semi-sheer and 50 is opaque).

I recommend a good self-tanner for the pale-leg situation, but also realize that won't help with spider veins. Look for opaque tights and try them in a subtle color, like a burgundy or deep purple, when wearing a neutral-color knee-length skirt or suit. They will hide your legs and add a visual punch to your outfits!

Or, perhaps, we should stop "spoiling the view" and grab ourselves a pair of Underalls:

What say you, commenters? How do you deal with dressing for warmer weather? And do you have any basic style tips to share with your fashion-challenged fellow commenters?

Should Women Bare Their Legs In The Office? [ABCNews]
Stacy London Solves Your Sticky Style Issues [MSNBC]
Underalls [Vintage Ads]

It's no secret that the clothes on TV tend to be aspirational: we get that. We, after all, know first-hand that a freelance writer who peacocks like Carrie Bradshaw is mere fantasy, and don't begrudge the dame her Manolos. But it also strikes us as a little curious that the spate of prime-time shows whose avowed goal is to portray powerful women (Lipstick Jungle, Cashmere Mafia, Dirty Sexy Money, anything set in a hospital or law-firm) then feel they need to glamorize and sexualize these careers in order to make them interesting.

On a basic level, it's misleading. Says one female exec in a Financial Times piece, “You’ve got to be able to run up stairs and chase down taxis...I see programs like Lipstick Jungle, where the women walk around in 5in heels, with outrageous jewellery and low necklines. That isn’t practical.” Or professional: whenever we see Whitney Port swanning around Manhattan in a 3" skirt we worry uncomfortably how many young women are going to appear for an interview for some summer internship dressed in just as "aspirational" a getup.

While "real-world" ladies are toning down their work wardrobes in keeping with somber times and a shaky job market, the high-powered execs of prime-time corporate America hover ever higher and their clothes shout ever-louder. Says Lipstick's stylist, Amanda Ross, to the FT: “I dressed the characters on the show to look polished and impeccably groomed,” adding that it “goes to extremes with layering and accessorising” but otherwise stays the straight and narrow. While a viewing of the show leads us to respectfully disagree (and by the by, costumes are the least of its problems), no costume designer should have to apologize for upping the ante. Perhaps what seems problematic is the wrinkle as old as Ally McBeal: it's one thing to glamorize for entertainment, but at what point does that veer into disrespect for actual dames?

This is a relatively new issue: professional women have rarely, historically, been the focus of shows and as such didn't require much sexing up. But it does seem like even when professional women were portrayed, it wasn't in a sexualized way: when Melanie Griffith's Working Girl goes corporate, she becomes less sexy, more professional: her clothes are impeccably tailored, but serious. In prior eras, a working gal might be glam, but that was very different from sexy. Mary Richards hardly showed cleavage; acting and writing added the character's allure. Is it good that a character can be both a sexy woman and a career pro? Sure. But why does that require a "sexy" outfit to prove it? A little less showing, more telling, plz.

The Wardrobes Of TV’s Career Women [FT]

• The USA Today article that discusses the shopping poll also pointed out that "39% have purchased something that was too small, hoping it would look good once they lost weight." Stacy and Clinton are so against this. They always say that you should dress the body you have, not the body you think you should have. You should also probably learn to love your body, but that's not quite as easily remedied.
• "62% say they own a pair of jeans that no longer fit," according to the same survey. Again: a no no. Our bodies change sometimes, Stacy and Clinton will have you know, and if you put on or lose weight, you should buy some new garb. You're going to feel bad about yourself if you wear clothes that don't fit, because they're going to look bad.
• The survey also says that "14% have refused help from sales personnel so they wouldn't have to reveal their size." Again: know your size, love your size. The best sales personnel know their stock, and they have suggestions about what looks good on you that you might have missed out on. Which brings me to…
• Accepting what looks good on you. Like Tracie said in her post yesterday about Mad Men fashion and Sadie pointed out in her post on practical tips for personal style, if you've got some curves, you are going to rock structured styles, while you will…decidedly not rock floppy, tent-y styles . If you're sporting a cute boyish figure, you can look chic in those same tent dresses! And pretty much no one looks good in American Apparel spandex unitards.

All of this What Not To Wear ephemera boils down to one basic tenet that ultimately has nothing to do with fashion. Know your body, love your body, and as Stacy and Clinton would say, if something looks bad, blame the clothes, not your figure!

*I'm sure some of you are going to complain in the comments that the original British version of the show is superior to the American imitation, but having seen Trinny and Susannah I must respectfully disagree! Stacy London is the baddest bitch.

Trying On Clothes Brings Most Women Low [USA Today]

Earlier: Mad Men Is Stimulating Consumerism In The Midst Of A Recession
Practical Tips For Personal Style, Or Why Not To Listen To Women's Magazines
American Apparel Will Make You Look Like A Fat Hooker

Another of the friends in the picture is a high-powered producer for a top television network who owns a Brooklyn condominium, another is in law school, and the last is independently wealthy. And where is Maureen Tkacik? Why, living in a tiny fifth floor rental apartment with the selfsame roommate — and, we hear, the selfsame Judas Priest photo —with whom she lived in the picture, which was taken ten years ago; a cautionary tale in downward mobility if there ever was one. She doesn't so much as recall meeting the future billionaire, and why would she? Her most salient memory from the house in which Ms. Southworth was photographed is being rushed to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.

Ms. Southworth is not alone; Ms. Tkacik crossed paths in school with numerous other individuals who proceeded to achieve things in life: Donald Trump Jr., one half of the screenwriting/production duo behind the Harold & Kumar films, New York Observer reporter Doree Shafrir. In fact, her entire life might be considered a case study in how not to climb the social ladder, and, the photo below, wherein she sits next to Kretchmar and her present roommate, goes much of the way to revealing why: that ensemble.

According to Williams, Krupp's "main mantra is a call to simple, unfussy elegance: loose hair, lighter makeup, restraint of embellishment." Williams has also taken her "frumpy, mid-calf skirts to the tailor to be shortened to knee length." This is advice that could be used by professional woman of any age, but her book has been packaged to play on women's fear of aging in a youth-obsessed culture.

An undercurrent to Krupp's schtick, and something she discussed when she was on the Today show, is that if you look old, no one will hire you. She wants to inspire fear in the hearts of baby boomers, telling them that "If you're wearing clothes that are dated, people are going to think your ideas are dated." But you know, wearing presentable, flattering clothing makes a better impression on employers no matter WHAT age you are, or, for that matter, what gender.

Staying fit, wearing flattering clothes, getting a haircut. These things make most women feel better about themselves whether they are 15 or 55. There's a way to grow old gracefully, to look your age and still look good. And anyway, like Charla's really a good role model for aging gracefully. With her bleached blond hair and Botox, it's clear she'd rather look like Heidi Montag than Anjelica Huston.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Eileen Fisher [Salon]

Earlier: How Not To Look Old Author Doesn't Look Old, But She Does Look Stupid
Standards Of Beauty

• Tim Gunn is taking some conflict-of-interest heat regarding a recent column he wrote OK! magazine. (Tim writes for OK!? How declasse!) When advising a reader about what jeans are best to fit most bodies, he steered the reader towards Liz Claiborne and Lucky Brand. Funny thing is, Gunn just happens to be the Chief Creative Officer of Liz Claiborne. [WWD, 2nd item]
  
• The ads of David Beckham in his Emporio Armani undies don't hit the UK 'til March, but sales for white men's briefs have already gone up 50% since the announcement was made that Beckham's face (and balls) would be tied to the brand. [WWD, 2nd item]
  
• Marc Jacobs on his camel toe costume: "I love being the unexpected, even if that means not moving for the entire night. You just kind of slide in from the front and hang out here. And the fur is all artificial of course, but there is simply too much of it!" Why are we not surprised that Jacobs would be anti-bush? [Fashion Week Daily]

• "I wear a piece of Jenni every day," says Skeletor/celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe, referring to newly notable designer Jenni Kayne. [Fashion Week Daily]
• When we do spring cleaning, we end up hauling truckloads of old magazines and empty Kombucha bottles to the curb. When Karl Lagerfeld does spring cleaning, the items are curated and then put up for auction. [Vogue UK]
• Reverend Run's daughters have a clothing line. It is called Pastry. It is ugly. [FabSugar]
• Say what you will about Marc Jacobs, but at least he's using models (and good ones!) for the Louis Vuitton spring advertising campaign. Stephanie Seymour, Eva Herzigova, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Angela Lindvall and Natalia Vodianova are all set to star in the Richard Prince-inspired ads. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Uh oh: Why is Elle International Creative Director Gilles Bensimon sending out cryptic, vaguely suicidal-sounding e-mail "postcards" to his friends? [Fashion Week Daily]
• Stella McCartney has designed a pleather patent camera bag. It is actually pretty cute. But it's currently on sale for $400 (down from $1,235 originally), which seems like a fuckload of money for a bit of plastic. [GeekSugar]
• Kate Moss is the face of the spring Longchamp campaign. She looks hot. Yawn. [Sassybella]
• Martha Stewart's infamous former stockbroker/walker Peter Bacanovic is moving on past insider trading and into bling: He has just accepted the title of CEO of Fred Leighton jewelers. [WWD, 1st item]
• Krazy Karl: Thinking Russian for next year's Chanel metiers d'art collection. What would Lenin say? [WWD, 3rd item]
• John Galliano: Now doing jewelry. We really hope it's pirate-themed. [WWD, sub req'd]
• Anyone else find it interesting that not-seaweed yogawear line Lululemon's biggest competitors are Victoria's Secret, American Eagle, and Nike? [The Economist]