Mirror Image

Sometimes a trend comes along and you have to wonder "what gives?" Sweater and baby doll dresses are all over the place. There's something comforting about the simplicity of the dress, long a summer stalwart, that makes winter easier, too. A dress, a nice pair of opaque hose and boots and you're dressed. But the short, swingy baby doll dresses are a bit -- how to put this gently? -- puerile. I've seen 55-year-old women in swingy jumpers and question whether this is really dressing one's age. The baby doll dress is ubquitous. Many re fetching, but is it really right to be wearing these long past school years? I credit Marc Jacobs with this, though his eponymous fall collection was mature by anyone's standards. Jacobs, as influential as any American designer, has long had a thing for the school girl look. Critics are utterly divided on his work. I tried on this Marc by Marc Jacobs dress pictured here which was lovely but made me feel like Bette Davis in Whatever Happened to Baby Jane. Why are Jacobs and others designers creating little-girl outfits with Mommy Dearest prices? Jacobs has launched a Little Marc collection, for children, which seems redundant. He's already doing it. Meanwhile Miuccia Prada, one of the few designers creating clothes for real women, showed almost nothing but shorts(!) and barely-there skirts for her spring Miu Miu line.

Our new guilty pleasure is ABC's Wednesday campfest Dirty Sexy Money about the Darlings, the richest, most messed-up family in all Manhattan. This is one of the rare shows to get the clothes right. Jill Clayburgh, who made sartorial history in An Unmarried Woman by never sullying her white winter coat, is perfection as socialite matriarch Letitia, dressing in true Upper East Side understatement. (Tish Darling, could there be a better name?) The rest of the family is equally stunning, and the clothes are great sport. Plus the show features Peter Krause (whom we've loved since Sports Night) and William Baldwin, finally exhibiting that he has some of the same comic chops as his brilliant brother, Alec. Dirty Sexy Money -- what a title -- is stunning fun, that keeps getting better.

I know. I've been a way for a while.

First, I was out on vacation. Then, I just had issues focusing.

Maybe I've been distracted by all the violence in the city capped off by the death of Officer Cassidy. Or the Elections. Or the dismal Eagles season. Too much is going on for me to think about the fashion.

Not to mention, this weather has not helped!

The last month figuring out what to wear has been a chore. It's fall and it's upwards of 85 degrees, do I wear toes out? When can I break out my boots? (According to some fashionistas in Rittenhouse Square - and you know who you are - August isn't too early.) When can I wear a cute little jacket and jeans? The humidity has slowed me down. The rain is making me wet. I've been carrying a coat in my car for emergencies, but it's too hot to wear sweaters. Can I get a brisk morning?

Today it was cool out, but it was raining. We know how rain ruins all fashion attempts especially when it comes to mini skirts, contrasting tights and warm sweaters.

But there may be good news ahead. I heard on KYW this morning that it's going to be a mild winter, with not nearly as much snow in recent years. That means I can look forward to brisk mornings all winter. Maybe? We'll have to wait and see.

How has this odd weather affected your fashion choices?

Well not really.

Former Drexel Professor of Fashion, Emil De John hosted a brunch at Neiman Marcus Wednesday morning to say goodbye to his friends at the school and honor his former students.

Uptown jewelry designer David Yurman came to honor Emil - we all call him Emil - as well.

Philadelphia's most well known fashionistas were in attendance including major events planner Nicole Cashman, Phashion Phest grand dame, Sharon Phillips Waxman, furniture designer Barbara Tiffany as well as philantopist Sibby Bressler and Barbara Brown Ruttenberg (who helped put the event on with Emil.)

Six students, including Drexel-powerhouse designer, Megan Stein showed off their eveningwear. (Pictured above.) - which of course would look fabulous with David Yurman roped jewelry.

Nice event - Note it was held the same day Neiman's was having their one day sale. (Kudos for the timing on that.) Nice lunch - We can't believe all the holiday decorations are out already. And most importantly, we are sorry to see Emil leave Drexel, but the friendly, fashion professor will still be around teaching fashion at the University of the Arts.

So in the recent days I've spent getting back to my fashion reality, I've been mall trolling and going to early holiday shopping events...

and...

Even though the retail and fashion Gods are thrusting Christmas shopping upon me, I'm just not ready! It's too early for jingle bells and Santa Claus and chestnuts roasting on an open fire and shopping!!!! Although I'm always in the mood for a soft new (maybe I'll break the bank on cashmere this year) sweater and wide-legged jeans, (No, I still haven't found the perfect pair...) I'm not ready to start thinking about my budget, if I have the right amount of bows and how impossible it is to find the perfect gift for my Dad.

Halloween is barely a week old. The time just changed - (Boy, do I hate when it's dark before I leave the office.) Thanksgiving is still two weeks away and I've already seen enough lights to power a small village.

On Tuesday night the Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation officially kicked off the city's holiday season with 50 gifts available at independent retailers for under $100. The pieces included all-weather-messenger bags, glittery tank tops, to wide belts from Nicole Miller. It was held in conjunction with a Christmas-like light service. Great idea. Great list of gifts. But man, I'm just not ready.

I know the unseasonably warm weather hasn't done much for encouraging people to buy fashion. And I know retailers are bracing themselves for a slow holiday season so they are starting early. But at this rate by the time Christmas comes, I'll be all shopped out and sick of red and green

What do you think about the oh-so-early holiday season?

We have sailed past the Gap Kids era, breezed through Old Navy, and have now arrived at the land of Abercrombie Kids. The come-hither ad campaign has been ditched and the clothes are current and well-made, sensible and, yes, expensive. The worst is that Abercrombie is affixed to almost all the girls' clothing, while the moose logo lopes across every boys' item. I love a moose but not everywhere.

The boy knew better even though he liked many of the button-down shirts and fleece sweats. The girl, more influenced by marketing, didn't care.

We will not pay to have someone else's name on our children's rear, our rear, want the phenomenon to disappear from everyone else's rear, and wish Congress would pass suitable legislation. We don't believe rears should be used as billboards.

The girl fell for a very soft, and sweet, blue-and-white striped sweatshirt with fleece lining with "Abercr" on the front left half and "ombie" on the right. She is still young, so the writing is hardly provocative, but why isn't Abercrombie paying us to promote their goods? Finally, it occurred to me why monogram stores have popped up all over the place. People are craving their own names and initials.

Abercrombie, alas, is at the mall, the big mall, K of P. The place we avoid because it induces migraines and makes for depression and so much stuff. And the place blasts music, as does its younger, less expensive (though not by much) sister, Hollister. For the better part of a year, I thought Hollister was simply a popular high school on some MTV program. I finally figured out why the music is so loud and annoying (just as the sales staff, I did) and fierce. It's to make parents go All Clockwork Orange in the place and finally surrender, yelling "OK, I'll buy you the fleece sweatshirt. Just get me out of here!"

Which certainly worked in my case.

Life surely is unfair. Some people age far better than others. Let us be sexist for a moment and say there is something unsettling and unbecoming about a man dying his hair. Most people err on the side of dying their hair too dark as they age -- Al Pacino comes to mind, as does Wayne Newton -- which is the opposite of what one should do. As you age, you lose color in your skin so the hair should actually go lighter, which is what happens naturally. Of course, this is precisely what the divine Robert Redford has been doing, at least for his movies. At age 71, he is still intensely blond, with a requisite harvest of highlights. Sundance isn't simply the name of his movie festival and company. It could also be the name of his hair color. The result, as seen here in his latest, Lions for Lambs -- bad title in a season with a spate of them -- and the end result is strange especially since he's eschewed plastic surgery (or so he says in interviews). His skin, never great, appears mottled to the point of ressembling a topographical map. Is this what Brad Pitt will look like in 30 years? Anyway, it would be nice to see Redford without so much blondage. He's still beautiful, but the highlights are distracting.

I heard on the radio this morning that Kanye West's mom, Donda West died unexpectedly over the weekend.

According to reports, West, the 58-year-old former chairwoman of the English Department at Chicago State University passed as a reult of complications after plastic surgery.

I feel for Kanye right now. On both his albums, College Dropout and Late Registration, he rapped about how his mom was the only one in his corner throughout the development of his music career. She helped him move out of an apartment after an eviction. She urged him to finish school. She brought her slightly ego-maniacal son - yes, we love you Kanye - back down to earth.

Earlier this year, Donda West's book: Raising Kanye: Life Lessons from the Mother of a Hip-Hop Star. was released.

The fact that she died after complications after plastic surgery is just a shame.

It's too early to know the specifics of Ms. West's death - maybe the coroner's report due out later this week will spell out exactly what happened. But I'm sure about one thing: Women, we have to stop artifically trying to get to a point that is so unnatural! It is killing us!

Working out to get a tummy down is one thing, but people rarely talk about the risk of infections when taute abs and a tight behind is their goal.

Donda West was her son's personal manager as they jetsetted through New York and Los Angeles. I'm sure Ms. West was under pressure to look younger, if from noone but herself. She's only human. She worked hard all of her life and thought she was entitled do do something nice for herself. But when I look at her pictures today, I saw a beautiful woman, someone with wisdom. I saw someone's mother. That makes me think of macaroni and cheese, collared greens and hugs.

Ladies, we have to embrace who we are. If we are middle age, we may have to embrace a little bit more of a middle.

Ms. West's death was just too early.

Tell us what you all think about the risks women take when they get plastic surgery.

Ladies, Trying to hold it in for that upcoming holiday party? New Year's Eve soiree? Get on the good foot with Spanx. Representatives from company, that specializes in holding it all in, will be on hand at lingerie boutique, Couer in Center City on Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Coeur is located at 132 South 17th Street. For more informtion, call the store at (215) 972-0373. Owner, Mona Lisa Jackson, is billing the event as a Spanx Trunk Show. So you can order your favorite products and get them in time for the holidays. Go on down and get you a pair. What a good idea! Personally, I'm just interested in the reversible tights- I have a pair in grey and black and brown and black. They are my favorite and last forever. I may bump into you down there on my way to see Paris Hilton at Macy's. But that's another blog. Stay tuned! Do you have a favorite article of Spanx?

All this hoopla about Paris Hilton has got me thinkin.'

The Hilton heiress was in town Wednesday to pump her new perfume, Can-Can. Actually, the perfume doesn't smell half bad. It's kind of citrusy but has a hint of musk and definitely makes a statement. One of my editors came by and sniffed, commenting nothing about it was subtle. But then again, nothing about Paris is subtle.

But anyway, when people heard Paris was coming and that I had to cover her they laughed at me. They sympathized with me. Acutally, I was kicking and screaming. "What's the big deal about this woman?" I thought. "I never even watched her show.

However, maybe we can take a line from her notebook. She thinks she can sing so she cuts an album. (They were playing the single Stars Are Blind as she signed autographs at Macy's)

And her perfume is projected to gross $20 million in sales. To date her three scents have grossed over $75 million worldwide for the parent fragrance company, Parlux.

Paris says her money has nothing to do with it. (She's just in denial.) It's all about believing in yourself.

She's half right. An idea is golden and you must believe in yourself, but having millions of dollars at your disposal makes getting an idea out there a lot easier.

So what do you need most? Money? Or personal drive?

'Tis the season, not merely for turkey, but also for -- drumroll, please -- the Sexiest Man Alive. People magazing declares it's Matt Damon. We've met him. He's sweet and polite, not common in your average movie star, and certainly pleasant on the eyes. Sexy? We're not so sure, but People mag can't pick George Clooney every year.

Not to be outdone, the online mag Salon put together its list which includes Mad Men's Jon Hamm (yes!), Kayne West (sure!), chef Jacques Pepin (mais oui!) and Cate Blanchett as Bob Dylan as well as public radio's talker of infinite pauses, Ira Glass (huh?).

Our list would be topped by Brian Westbrook, who brought sexy and winning back to the Eagles.

And Jon Stewart, who is perfect in all ways. We miss more than anything during the writers' strike, so much so that we're enduring reruns.

And, as always, George. But that's just our opinion.

So perhaps we're bitter. Perhaps we've extremely bitter. For most of last night, we sang "Feeley" to the tune of "Feelings" until, sadly, the bitter (four-minute) end. Bill Belichick must have rolled out of bed seconds before kickoff to look this bad for Sunday's game. He's the only coach who can make Andy Reid look put together. The headband channels early Olivia Newton John while the sweatshirt may date from college. We never did think people in Boston could dress. Most of them ressemble mattresses. Then again, if you're doing your job this well, perhaps you can get away with anything. And this would be anything.

Here's exquisite J-Roll modeling the new retro cream-colored Phils uniforms unveiled today for next season. Modeled on the team's 1940s uniforms, they'll be worn at 2008 home day games. It's worth remembering that the team was a disaster for most of that decade. According to the Phillies website, "by 1942, the club had lost more than 100 games for the fifth straight season, including a club-record 111 in 1941." In 1948, the club signed Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts, the latter was back to model the uniforms with Rollins and Cole Hamels.
Despite the bad history, we like the uniforms and think it was time the pinstripes were banished. What do you think?
It will come as no surprise that, with less than a month to go before Christmas, the jerseys went on sale immediately for a mere $189.99 at the Phils website, almost Prada prices. Smart thinking now that Eagles attire sales have slowed. What we really want, though, is the "Dreamseats Philadelphia Phillies Recliner," yours for only $999.99.