Those who cannot learn from history

Nero anyone? Oh, of course not, because that was fire, which is completely different from hurricanes, devastating floods and potentially widespread disease.

Surely I'm not the only one seeing the similarity. Of course I'm not, 'cause I have to thank the Kos for the photo (and yes, it's dated 8/30/05).

Shuesday - are you kidding me?

OK, hypothesize that I have $900 to spend on a pair of shoes. Am I really going to buy them at J. Crew? When I could buy two pairs of Manolos for the same price? I'm not sure exactly what the Crewsters are thinking these days, but between the $500 coats, $650 jackets, $425 mink scarves and $1800 'Limited Edition Lillian duchesse satin gowns', saying they've lost touch with their base is the understatement of the season.

I know, right?

In Good Company

So glad to see I'm not the only one who gets cranky when I wait up 'til 11:00 (on a school night!) to get my Daily Show on and what do I get but the August 17th show featuring John Irving? Thanks Gawker, for pushing the man off his pedestal. Jon, come back! News is happening, and you're missing it! Did you see Anderson Cooper on the barge in Biloxi? Martin Sheen has joined Cindy Sheehan and Joan Baez at Camp Casey! We don't know what to think about these events without your pithy guidance!

PS: on further consideration, perhaps he knew that all my favourite men were going to be out of town this week and decided to join 'em ...

It's the open-mindedness, stupid

Concerned Women for America (as opposed to the unconcerned?) are expressing their shared angst over an Armistead Maupin quote on the side of Starbucks coffee cups (see today's Seattle Times). The quote reads:

My only regret about being gay is that I repressed it for so long. I surrendered my youth to the people I feared when I could have been out there loving someone. Don’t make that mistake yourself. Life’s too damn short.

According to CWA, Starbucks is "promoting a homosexual agenda," & "most of those quoted on the coffee cups are liberal." Corporate America, with all its money and influence, is poised to poison the minds of innocent Americans.

The group believes corporations have a responsibility to reflect the diversity of their customers by taking a balanced approach — or staying out of divisive social issues altogether.

Funny, they didn't seem to mind when Microsoft withdrew its support for House Bill 1515 that would have extended anti-discrimination laws to the LGBT community. CWA has conveniently forgotten that the Christian right-wing now controls all three branches of government, that 'intelligent design' is being taught in public schools across the country, although it is widely opposed by the majority of the scientific community, and that, "This year's state legislative season draws to a close having produced a near-record number of laws imposing new restrictions on a woman's access to abortion or contraception." (WA Post).

You got your UN Ambassador, you're going to get your young and handsome Supreme Court Justice, Rove's teflon coating is intact, and Judgement Day is clearly on its way, based on the weather alone. You're winning already. Leave us the words of our greatest artists and thinkers to keep us warm along with our morning coffee.

Leopards & bra-straps and sacks, oh my!

Well, I stooped to conquer the VMAs last night and was rewarded with some of the worst fashion moments I've ever seen. Apparently the batwinged, super-short sack dress is 'in', as worn by Kirsten Dunst and Eva Longoria:



There were tie me up-tie me down, mixed length confections sported by Fergie and J. Simpson that left me baffled:



and I enjoyed the leopard print dresses sported by Lindsay Lohan and Gwen Stefani - when are these events going to hire a pre-event fashion coordinator? Maybe Lohan should go back to being a redhead ...

Various & Sundry

I'm not blogging about the most recent example of a right-wing 'Christian" shooting his mouth off because Jon Stewart did more than a good job covering the situation. Any more airtime for such idiocy is the opposite of what's needed.

I have to share that I visited a friend's lovely lakeside home last night, and was delighted to see that her sixteen year old fashionista daughter has decorated the walls of her bedrooms with shopping bags from the usual suspects - Tiffany & Co., Henri Bendel, Chanel, Dior, Prada, etc, etc. They make a sweet wall border. I should also note that the room is a bit of a shrine to Breakfast at Tiffany's and The O.C.

And finally, boots, boots, boots:

With flat heels and high heels, stacked heels and wedge heels, citified styles and country-fried styles, it is clear that one boot does not cut it anymore. "They're really their own category now," said Jeffrey Kalinsky, the founder of Jeffrey New York. Shoes? Who needs them.

It's not always cool enough for boots, and the FG isn't a big fan of low heels or mid-calf heights (unless they're worn under pants), but chacun à son goût!

Happy belated Shuesday

The FG has been under the weather and didn't want to share her temporary unfabulousness with you, but she's on the mend, so here comes a slightly delayed Shuesday. We begin with a correction - apparently the Manolo mink pom pom mules featured last Shuesday are not mink, but rabbit - thanks for the update, Mr. Neiman Marcus.

Although the occasional leaf is tumbling from the occasional tree, we bring you these crystal bow sandals from Rene Caovilla, because, in an world of Shuesdays, the weather is irrelevant to the foot wear of the FG.

Paging Dr. Jekyll

The Hyde Amendment, which bars the use of federal Medicaid funds for abortions except when the life of the woman would be endangered by carrying the pregnancy to term, passed in 1977. Over the years, additional exceptions for women who become pregnant as a result of rape or incest have been added, but not for women who receive health benefits through the US military. The Amendment's constitutionality was most recently upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals today, in an appalling case in Everett, WA. From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Calling its own decision "callous and unfeeling," a federal appeals court ruled Thursday against a Navy sailor's wife from Everett who aborted a horribly deformed fetus that was destined to die.The woman wanted her military health insurance plan to pay for the procedure, but the three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that its hands were tied: U.S. armed forces medical benefits don't cover abortions unless the pregnant woman's life is at risk. In its 3-0 ruling, the court said the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of congressional bans on federal funding of abortion in its ruling on the Hyde Amendment almost 25 years ago.

The woman, who was 19 at the time, learned from her doctor that the fetus she was carrying had anecephaly, which is always fatal. It had neither skull nor brain, would likely be stillborn and, if not, would survive for only a few weeks. The government refused to pay for an abortion, and when a Seattle judge ruled in the woman's favor, the Justice Department appealed to the Ninth Circuit, citing the "government's interest in protecting human life in general and promoting respect for life."

What life? Is this how the government of the country that celebrates itself as the best in the world treats its citizens, never mind the families of those serving in its military? George Lakoff is going to have a field day with this one.

Crazy in Love

I read the NYT Weddings and Celebrations section because I'm an incurable romantic. And because sometimes, among the reiterations of, "The bride is keeping her name professionally," & "The groom graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and is a candidate for a law degree at Yale, where he is the editor in chief of the Yale Law Journal," there are nuggets of passion. There are chances taken, opportunities seized and, occasionally, obstacles overcome. But the one that I haven't been able to get out of my head is the wedding of Jordin Ruderman and Kevin Shand, which took place June 24 on a fireboat on the Hudson. The joy just leapt off the page. To wit:

The bridegroom (...) ran in slow-mo down the aisle to the ''Rocky'' theme. (Cuff links that were golden impressions of Ms. Ruderman's fingerprints fastened his wedding shirt.) At their self-designed ceremony guests serenaded the bride with a symphony of 200 kazoos. She grooved up and down the aisle in her champagne-color bustier and flowing silk skirt to ''Crazy in Love'' by Beyoncé. Among Ms. Ruderman's tendrils were carefully placed porcupine quills.

I know the FG can sometimes be a stickler for etiquette and tradition, but this truly sounds like a celebration of the joining of two lives, and if you can't have fun on your wedding day ...

Everyone's a Victim

Is there anything that can't be medicalized?

Many Angry Men: Psychotherapist Jed Diamond says excessive moodiness can be caused by something called irritable male syndrome. Now he’s trying to convince skeptics that the condition is real—and treatable. Millions of lines have been written about how women’s hormonal changes can cause mood swings. But what about when men get irritable and withdrawn? Psychotherapist Jed Diamond believes they could be suffering from IMS, a condition he says is affecting a growing number of men. No, it’s not a joke. The IMS term was coined by a Scottish researcher who found that rams became irritable, withdrawn and irrational when their testosterone levels plummeted. After visiting Scotland and reviewing the research, Diamond, author of the best-selling 1997 book “Male Menopause” (Sourcebooks), thought the syndrome might apply to humans as well. He analyzed data collected from more than 6,000 men and found that about half said they were stressed, gloomy or negative most or all of the time.

Maybe you're just having a bad day. Best comment/question from the interviewer?

But those were rams.

Treatment includes giving men more testosterone, to increase flagging levels. How many of us reallyt hink most men need more testosterone? The good news is that, just like in Cosmo, there's a quiz! How Cranky Are You? (I'll show you cranky ...)

Fashioning New York

I'm not saying these will work in your neck of the woods, I'm saying this is what I saw on the streets of The City.



Also, the boho-gypsy princess look continues, with various long & gathered skirts paired with flip flops, long, layered tanks and oversized handbags. And if not sporting the giant Buddhist prayer beads 'round one's neck, one's earrings should be as big and fancy as possible.

I have seen the future

and it is NYC in August when the temperatures are in the mid 90's and the humidity is 110%. If you're anxious to get your body prepped for the coming climate change, I suggest you move there now.

But seriously, The City was, of course, Fabulous. I spent three hours at the new MOMA, looking at this, this and this, shopped here and here, (I wasn't really there to shop ... this time), and then here and here. Saw this on Broadway and this at Lincoln Plaza cinemas. Ate here, here, here, here, here, here and here. Also had a delightful chocolate souffle at this piano bar. Spent several hours lounging in the Park, and just luxuriated in catching up with friends as we wandered between pockets of air conditioning. An excellent and much needed vay-cay, so smooches to all who made it possible and so, so wonderful.

You Won't Have Fabgirl to Kick Around Anymore

I'm heading east, but I thought I'd leave you with this Vanity Fair Elle Macpherson photoshoot in the meantime. Enjoy your vacation.

Shuesday: Think Mink

The Manolo, he has these lovelies featured last week, but the FG reminds you of the theme shoe post of June and the caterpillar legs of a mere two weeks ago, and states that fur-detailing trend is here for at least the next 5 minutes. And so I bring you mink pompom mules from Manolo Blahnik:



For the record, the FG has her own opinions about the use of fur, but she avoids evangelizing when possible, in keeping with the spirit of the First Amendment.

Strange bedfellows

(I know it's Shuesday, keep your heels on)

It's not often that we turn to A Socialite's Life for her political acumen, but today she brings word of a website created by (the diligent staffers of) seven female democratic senators, asking the public what questions they'd like to hear SCOTUS nominee John Roberts answer.

As Senators, we believe it shouldn't only be Senators that get to ask the questions this time around. We want the American people to have a voice. We want to know what you care about the most. Help us let the Judiciary Committee know the questions that are on every American's mind.

Ask away here.

Miss me?

And the sad part is that I haven't even left yet - just frantic with pre-NYC doings. But I wanted to let you know that the thong is experiencing a selling slump.

Jodie Marsh, the model and reality TV star who has often been branded as a chav herself, agreed that despite her collection of more than 500 thongs, fashions were changing. “Showing your thong is a bit old now,” she said. “I’d rather have big knickers showing over the top of my jeans.

The FG is still a fan, (although she reminds you that for underwear to fulfill its destiny, it shouldn't be seen in public), and can't wait for Cosabella's prices to drop in reponse. Of course, the FG is not a chav, so this may explain her disagreement with Ms. Marsh.

And also, phrase de jour, courtesy of Gawker:

the fully rectitudinous shiksa goddesses of Conde Nast