Love at First Site: Botkier Lita Clutch

NeedIt. WantIt. GottaHaveIt!

What: Botkier Lita Clutch
Where: $225 at Bergdorf Goodman
Why: You'll be tickled pink

Have a haute and SPLENDID weekend

SHOPPING
Wardrobe Oxygen offers some wardrobe alternatives to the less-than-flattering pieces in your closet.
My Wardrobe Today reviews Clinique cosmetics and skincare.
eye4style shops jewelry designer Philip Crangi's limited edition collection for The Gap.
STYLEnosh spends quality time with online shoe stores.

BEAUTY
Aging Fabulous tells you about anti-aging the natural way.
TheScentedLife has a craft crush on Disquieting Designs.
Raging Rouge is officially addicted to Treat O'my Goodness Pink Grapefruit Organic Body Cream.
A Touch of Blusher loves the Golden Dior pendant.
eBeautyDaily tests new self-tanners, but goes back to old faithful, Xen-Tan.
Beauty Banter muses over the must-have Spring nail items... including the most sought after Spring polish colors!
15 Minute Beauty Fanatic is really loving Kiehl's new Superbly Restorative Products!
Beautynomicsshares to us her review about the skin care sensation REVALESKIN
makeup loves me takes the blue lash trend straight from the runway to you.
Teen Style Lounge shares 5 cheap and easy at-home tips for gorgeous skin. this spring.

FASHION
CelebLook asks which of Miley's looks is your favorite.
The Fashionable Kiffen shares her packing tips in Travel Wardrobes 101.
Haute & Bothered's gone green with tree chic fashions that are naturally haute!
Let's Go Shopping writes about Spring 2008 Hottest Make-Up Trends.
Snarkstress loves how Eva, Miley, and Alicia are scarfing it up this season.

Kitty Couture

The high fashioning of toys continues! For the June issue of Vogue Nippon, which hits stands tomorrow, Hello Kitty - practically the nation's mascot - gets the John Galliano treatment, appearing in a spread with the designer while modeling his latest fall and winter lines.

"Of course this is the first time the historic fashion house of Dior has had a cartoon character model their entire collection," said an official at Conde Nast Japan. "Fashion people all know [Hello Kitty's] name and face and always say they love her. That's why we at Vogue wanted to do something involving her."

[via Reuters]

Bond No. 9 Gives Em The Ole Razzle Dazzle...

Bond No. 9's top 3 selling scents - Bryant Park, Bleecker Street and Nuits de Noho have gotten a swank makeover. Star-studded in thousands of teensie Swarovski crystals, the limited edition 50-ml bottles are available in pink, green and blue - and since one makeover begets another, we think these'll complete pump life into our over-cluttered dresser.


But because too much is never enough, the fragance co. will also introduce Swarovski Stars Bon Bons, a purse-sized collection of the three above scents with Eau de New York, in crystallized 6ml atomizers.

In stores this May. 50ml, $650; Swarovksi Stars Bon Bons Collection, $700 both at Bond No. 9 boutiques and Saks Fifth Avenue nationwide.

Doctored Denim - Just Don't Call Them Shrinks!

Your favorite jeans - more reliable than your best friend, more comfortable than your sofa and more flattering than your mother (when she's behaving, bien sur!), are simply irreplaceable.

So what to do when the dreaded - a tear in the seams here... a hole in the knee there - inevitably happens? Anyone who's ever tried the ole bring em to the tailor trick knows that they are never the same, and if they're not, how can you be???

Well, fret (and fray) no longer cabbages...the doctor is in! NYC-based Denim Therapy resurrects tattered jeans by weaving matching denim thread into your blues - no patches guaranteed!

Simply mail in your ailing jeans, and they'll be returned to you within two weeks, perfectly revitalized and ready for business.

Cost: $7 per inch of fabric at DenimTherapy.com

H&B: NOW GREEN!

Today is Earth Day (surely you've heard!), so H&B has gone all organic all the time (you know, like until tomorrow and stuff). But for today - we've culled the internets for the most animal-friendly, earth-lovin', eco-aware fashions around.



From top right clockwise:

EDUN Ethos Dandelion Dress, $125, ShopBop
Kooba Green Tote, $245, Barneys
Go Green Go by Phillip Lim Car Coat, $595, Barneys
DVF limited edition Art Basel "Go Green" Canvas Tote, $65, Intermix
J Brand Jackie Trouser, $228, Revolve Clothing
Araks Organic Ingrid Tank, $120, La Garconne
Larsen Gray Bouquet Ruffle Sash Dress, $229, ShopBop
Beau Soleil Beau Flap Dress, $265, Couture Candy

Now go shop and save the earth like the tree chic super hero we know you are!

Things that make you go hmm... Target at Barneys

It's not everyday you see these logos mingling on an invite, but with Target opening a mini-shop within the walls of Barneys to sell Rogan's new eco-chic line... well, you've got (in addition to a mouthful) a menage bourgeois heading to the 7th fl. of the Madison flagship.

The eco-chic line will launch nationwide for Target on May 18th, but the collection will premiere first at Barneys, kicking off with a private shopping event on the eve of the 8th and opening to the public from May 9-11.

Certified organic looks to include:

...all priced between $15 - 45. Go green, save green and never leave the city? Now that's tree chic!

Barneys New York is located on Madison Ave. @ 61st Street

Alphabet Soup: H&B TMI

H&B is pretty sure she's about to disclose far too much right now, but what the heck, the Pope just this second touched down in New York and we're feeling all confession-y.

OK, so H&B has this thing with her family, where she constantly tells them what a genius she is (it's endearing - we swear!), and they constantly deny her by insisting she's merely on the cusp (mean, aren't they!). It's basically been a lifetime of this so just mentioning the word is enough to send her into a fake (although at the heart of it, quasi-real) rage.

Now, bringing it back to fashion / the present / why we're discussing today: Neiman Marcus apparently owns some fashion web site called CUSP (they use capital letters mind you, not us) and they have just this week started to inundate our inbox with CUSP mail. The sender is listed as CUSP (again, in caps) and it is beginning to cause H&B some distress. All we hear is:

Nevermind the site is filled with Loeffler Randall, Phillip Lim, A Common Thread, Trina Turk and so many of our other favorites. We are taunted... haunted... and the emails are unwanted! Leave us be CUSP. For the love of G-d, leave us be!

Chic of the Week: Phillip Lim for Gap

We previously reported on Gap's 2nd roll out of designer whites, in collab with the CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund. And now that they're in stores, we've decided the Phillip Lim 3/4 sleeve shirt is our official chic of the week! A round of applause please...

With a tied mockneck, minimalist ruffles and banded cuffs it's sweet and feminine, without any saccharine. Just how we like it.

$78 at Gap

Skinny Bitches Illegal in France?

We are SO moving! The French parliament adopted a bill today that would make it illegal for anyone — fashion magazines, advertisers and *gasp* Web sites — to "publicly incite extreme thinness." Surprisingly (and by surprisingly we mean not even a little), couturiers are opposed to the idea.

"Never will we accept in our profession that a judge decides if a young girl is skinny or not skinny," said French Federation of Couture president, Didier Grumbach. "That doesn't exist in the world, and it will certainly not exist in France."

Where the line would be drawn was not said. The bill will go before the Senate in a few weeks.

[Yahoo!]

A twisted sale

Our friends over at Twisted Silver are having one heck of a sale - all reduced items are an additional 30% off with the code "outlet" for a total savings of 70% - how twisted!

Head on over for super savings!

It's a Jungle Out There

Lions. And Tigers. And Bears. Oh my! It's a glass, gold, and enamel menagerie out there this season with enough animal-laden necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings to fill a zoo (and then some!). Grr baby, very grr!

Kenneth Jay Lane Turtle Ring, $125 at Intermix

Stone Snake Hinge Bracelet, $28, Urban Outfitters

Antonio Palladino Oxidized Silver Octopus Earrings, $1,000, Barneys

Long Leopard Pendant Necklace, $22, ASOS

Kieselstein-Cord Coiled Alligator Earrings, $2800, Neiman Marcus

Kenneth Jay Lane Tiger Head Topaz Crystal Ring, $198, Intermix

Rachel Leigh Lion Ring, $253, Couture Candy

Safari-charm bracelet , $125, J.Crew

A little splendid weekend reading

Splendid reads from the Splendicity network. See ya Monday bellisimas!

FASHION
Haute & Bothered says The Hills Are Alive with...Fashion Lines! Check out Whitley's new collection here.
eye4style hates Bluefly but is open minded enough to check out their newest site concept, b*fly, anyway. Check it out here.
She Knows Best continues it's month long weekly contests with 2 free shirts from The Ryde.
My Wardrobe Today sends out a special dedication to "Do we dress too casually?"

SHOPPING
CelebLOOK tells you where to get an affordable and casual outfit that was recently seen on Jessica Simpson.
Let's Go Shopping says Forzieri is a one stop destination for Italian Designer Handbags, Shoes, Jewelry and Accessories.
Wardrobe Oxygen offers suggestions on where to purchase supportive yet flattering swimwear.
Style It Less lets you in on the best bras according to a Consumer Reports research.
Style Tots picked uber-cute Hello Kitty accessories from Claire's for your Little girl.

BEAUTY
Teri from Beautiful Makeup Search finally made a visit to Space.NK in Soho.
A Touch of Blusher continues the feast of vibrant colors.
Lipstick, Powder 'n Paint appreciates a quick and easy beauty routine and Bobbi Brown's Quick Face Collection will help take minutes off your makeup routine.
Style Goodies has the scoop on the new fragrances from Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Lovers line!
makeup loves me has an exclusive discount code to get you 20% off on tarte, cargo, philosophy and so much more.
Beauty Banter reviews the BEST lippies with SPF for summer protection and a hydrated pout! Raging Rouge kicks off an introduction to Urban Decay's 2008 Summer collection with a review of Big Fatty Mascara in a rainbow of colors!
eBeautydaily explores how to look better in photographs and avoid common mistakes.
15 Minute Beauty Fanatic gives herself a facial in 1 minute!
TheScentedLife is suspicious about Gwen Stefani's new fragrance, Harajuku Lovers.

BREAKING: Nina Garcia Out at Elle

Either you're in or you're out...and sources over at Hachette are saying that fashion director and "Project Runway" judge Nina Garcia is out at Elle. Ever since Joe Zee's arrival as creative director several months ago, there has been speculation and gossip, but the publishing house was buzzing with the rumor today.

Are we to say, "Auf wiedersehen?" Stay tuned...

[WWD]

H&B's Costume Bawl

A very close friend of H&B's is getting married this weekend, and in honor of the occasion (ok, full disclosure: using it as an excuse), I bought a new dress, shoes, underpinnings - the works. And while I have tons of jewelry that would be perfect, I was strolling yesterday and did a double take at one of the most beautiful necklaces I ever did see.

The belle bauble was in Scoop Street's window in the Meatpacking dist. Now - until yesterday, I had no idea what Scoop Street was (Pay attn Scoopsters: no one has any idea how amazing your underground collection of Temperley, Ileana Makri and other edgier designers is. You need to move some items upstairs instead of the Bliss products and books, if you want people to have a clue. But I digress...)

Anyway, this crystal choker by Erickson Beamon was reminiscent of the bibs Vera Wang did a season ago and is seriously perfection in every way. Vintage-inspired, original, and so WOW! WOW! WOW! I was literally salivating over it. Despite having already spent far too much money that I don't have, I reasoned I could go up to around $250. Nervously I asked the shopkeep how much it cost, hoping it was under $300. I wish, dear readers, you could have seen my face when she told me it was $1,140. I NEVER saw that coming.

You can buy some VERY nice REAL diamonds for that readers. And yet I can't stop thinking about it. I wantI wantI want but obviously think that's insaneinsaneinsane. Am I wrong here? How much is too much for costume? What do you guys think?

A similiar but still not nearly as nice Erickson Beamon Suffragette City With Crystal Tassel Necklace, $1,225 at BlueBee

The Hills Are Alive...With Fashion Lines

LC did it. So did Heidi. So it should come as little surprise that The Hills' Whitley Port is set to debut a fashion line come fall. The contemporary line, to be called Eve & A (for her middle name and the first initial of the line's co-creative director Adrienne Baravetto's first name), will launch with 20 pieces priced between $50 - 200.

Comprising lots of black silk and wool separates, the versatile line was designed to be mixed and matched, going from day into night.

To date, the line will be distributed at RevolveClothing.com, Kitson and a few other CA retailers.

[WWD]

Banana Republic Monogram Opens

Sadly for H&B, who loves her initials on anything and everything, Banana Republic's new concept store Monogram, which opens today, isn't going to be sewing Hs and Bs onto khaki anytime soon. Instead, it's BR's answer to J.Crew Collection.

The only stand alone store will be the Bleeker Street location, which will operate at least until the lease is up on the location in 9 months. The collection will also be available at the retailer's flagships in San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as online.

The line features limited edition, luxury men and womenswear as well as accessories, with higher price points (although not as high as J.Crew collection one should note).

Breaking: Comme des Garçons for H&M

H&M has tapped Comme des Garçons' Rei Kawakubo as its fall guest designer. Kawakubo will create a collection of men's, women's and children's wear as well as accessories and a unisex fragrance (HM One?).

The collection will debut at the grand opening of H&M’s second Tokyo store in early November with international rollout following shortly behind.

“Rei Kawakubo has been at the top of our wish list for a long time and we are thrilled that she has chosen to collaborate with us. We have tremendous respect for Kawakubo’s fashion philosophy of questioning fashion’s ingrained patterns, and admire her artistic approach to design. We are particularly excited that the collection will be launched in Japan, Kawakubo’s native country, at the same time as the launch of our new store there", said Margareta van den Bosch, creative advisor, H&M.

Tangled up in McCartney's Web

She may hail from the UK, but Stella McCartney's gifting us with an ecommerce site, launching today at StellaMcCartney.com (Don't fret Brits - it's expanding to you in the fall). The site features a look at everything Stella - heck, there's even a 'Stella's World' section - including her main collections as well as her Adidas, LeSportsac, lingerie and beauty lines.


For sale are this season's shoes, bags, accessories and RTW (with free shipping til April 15th we should note). Plus, you can check out runway and behind the scenes footage, event pics and all things green bien sur over in Stella's World. To celebrate the section's launch, anyone who registers to the site is entered to win a 'golden ticket' redeemable for a bag full of Stella stuff. All we can say is, "Pick us!"

Haute Off the Presses: Fash bits and bobbins

Target announces its latest designer accessories collaboration with Dean Harris for a limited-edition jewelry collection launching August 17...6267 duo Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Rimondi have been tapped creative directors for Ferre...Donna Karan has inked a deal with Rosenthal USA Inc. to license tabletop and giftwares...Patrick Dempsey's getting all McDreamy on Avon facing a new signature men's fragrance come November...Kimora Lee Simmons to launcha juniors line for JC Pennys called (gag) Fabulosity this July

I heart the 80s

Hello fashion time travelers. Today we are heading back to the 80s, you know, that decade when neon green bike shorts and an oversized off-the-shoulder tee spelled fashion goddess? Since everything that's old is new again this spring, day glo is back and brite as ever. From Marc Jacob's and Chanel's fluorescent bags to Christian Lacroix's neon pumps, it's time to hold onto your Aqua net: Let's do the time warp again...

Top Row:
Ralph Lauren Black Label Jeans in aqua, yellow and pink, $398, Saks

Middle Row:
Cynthia Steffe Radar Colorblock Dress, $159, Saks Fifth Avenue
Diesel Tinia Dress, $140, Diesel

Bottom Row:
Chanel ballet flat and pump, price upon request at Chanel boutiques
Christian Louboutin Patent d'Orsay Wedge, $645, Neiman Marcus

So? Get glowing...