• "Life is not a fashion show." - Karl "I-lost-200-pounds-to-wear-suits-by-Hedi-Slimane" Karl Lagerfeld in Elle UK.
• "I bitterly regret using cocaine apart from anything else, it made my hair fall out," Male model Paul Sculfor – a.k.a. Cameron Diaz’s boyfriend. Tom Ford must be wearing a wig.
• "Oprah is so powerful that when she farts, people get better." Craig Ferguson.
• "I toot under the sheets, I spend a lot of money and I can belch the ABC’s." Jessica Simpson, on what a man of hers has to put up with. Toot?? She think she is Oprah.
• "Don’t you think we’ve had enough boobs in the White House?" Dolly Parton, declining to run for President. Big boob George is so powerful when he farts wall St crashes.
• "He introduced himself to me like a good gentleman and then snuggled in with his big ol’ fur vest spilling over into my lap. I’d like to point out that it was about 70 degrees outside. But he’s a rock star. I guess he’s naturally cool." Fashion Journalist Robin Givhan on sitting next to Lenny Kravitz at the Rick Owens show.
• "’Listen, even skinny girls have cellulite, even Halle Berry has cellulite, and what you see in photos isn’t totally real.”says some random reality TV star. It’s the end of world. First Oprah farts now Halle has cellulite.

The problem with an oversized handbag? You end up virtually inside your handbag searching for hours for important things like credit cards and lipgloss. The consequences could be dire. Caught without gloss. No shopping. A catastrophe like this can be avoided with this fabulous little clear (naked) plastic zip bag. Toss in your phone, keys, makeup and wallet and there will be no time lost fumbling in your bag. Which leads me to wonder: why are oversized bags so big? And what else do you put in them? (George Clooney)
Borne Naked Liner Small $24.95 and Large $29.95
BorneNaked.com.au

What is something Cheap but Chic doing in Item du jour? Get used to it. It’s called Recession chic. But let’s face it we love a bargain whatever the stock market is doing. And we love British designer Anya Hindmarsh. What a woman. A fabulous career, a gorgeous husband, 5 children and the creator of witty, chic and very luxurious designer bags. They are the new Item du Jour. Now she is designing a collection of limited edition handbags for Target USA retailing for about US $50 ( available on October 12). I am not sure if Target USA will deliver to Australia but Anya has decided to sell the collection on her own site 4 days earlier. Bless. And she does ship to Australia. What a woman.
£27.95 Anya Hindmarch For Target ( #Look Nine) anyahindmarch.com

The problem: small, puffy, squidgy, baggy eyes with sad stumpy eyelashes. Solution? A big fat sharp knife, expensive creams or painful stabbing injections. Or lie back with your eyes closed dreaming of George Clooney for an hour and a half while you have eyelash extensions. I did it. I am addicted. They add an instant face lift, open up your eyes, and they look natural. Even better they last for about 6 weeks. That means you can swim, run, shower and always wake up looking fabulous. Your cat will thank you. $150 Eyelashextensions.com.au or beautyfirst.com.au

• "The Paris Vogue Team was spotted at Gareth Pugh wearing….*gasp*….flats!!!! All three of them!!! The sky is falling!!!" reports JakandJil.com
• Check out the video interview with Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana as they show their pyjama-chic collection to Hilary Alexander Telegraph.co.uk 
• ‘The private art collection of the late Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, is bound to attract wide interest when it is auctioned off in February. The 700-piece auction, to be held by Christie’s includes sculpture by Constantin Brancusi, a Picasso thought to be worth up to 40 million euros, or $59 million, and three paintings by Matisse. Goya’s famous “Don Luis Maria de Cistue y Martinez” is not included in the sale, but will likely be donated to the Louvre. The exhibition will open at the Grand Palais on February 21 and the auction will take place from February 23 to 25. Proceeds will go to the Pierre Bergé Yves Saint Laurent Foundation and to a new foundation Bergé has created to fund scientific and medical research to fight AIDS’….reports WWD
• ‘At the Versace show in Milan Sacha Baron Cohen, or rather his new ‘fashionable’ alter ego, Bruno was frantically making phone calls and crying into his mobile phone trying to get into the show. Now Bruno is back for another round — this time in Paris. From his perch second row at Stella McCartney, a sleeveless leather vest-sporting Bruno sat smoothing his hair during the show, showing "wild approval for some looks, disdain for others." And then the fun began. Apparently, he leaned forward, a red thong clearly visible above his jeans, and pushed those sitting front row in front of him aside so he could get a better look at the models. Clapping along to the music, he pulled a tampon out of his vest and sucked on it, continuing the act until Stella McCartney came out for her bow, when he moved his hand to indicated he deemed the show okay, but not great.’ Reports fashionologie. and Gobackstage.com

• Tom Ford and Karl Lagerfeld Talk Shop with Kate Betts at Time magazine Time.com
• Read about the fabulous and inspiring women – including L’ Wren Scott, Anya Hindmarsh and the Odile Roujol from Lancome- who are ‘reinventing the business of style’ in Time magazine fashion supplement Time.com
• Lily Cole is on the cover of October issue of Playboy France.
• ‘He turned Gucci from a dying fashion house into a billion-dollar brand, the mega-rich love his own label and Daniel Craig has asked him to dress 007. How does Tom Ford pull it off?’ Guardian.co.uk
• Fashion Rumors! Fashionista reports. “To make up for the incredibly boring eight days that was New York Fashion Week, the rumors from Paris Fashion Week are piling: First up, Martin Margiela may - finally and actually - be giving up fashion for good, the rumor coming in from everybody everywhere, and with some astutely pointing out that Martin Margiela himself does not even work on the line, so a replacement would be that much easier. Next: Alessandra Facchinetti, whose collection for Valentino will be only her second, has her future at the house resting completely in the hands of the editors and buyers in the front row. the supposed replacement? Giambattista Valli”
• Model Lily Donaldson has put ex boyfriends Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld and Michael Phelps behind her. She is now dating Gabriele Corto Moltedo, handbag designer and son of Bottega Veneta founders.
• Barack Obama is on the cover of Men’s Vogue
• Front-row gossip! Kate Winslet will play Dame Vivienne Westwood in an upcoming biopic…reports style.com

Style.com
Watch style.com’s highlights of the Milan shows including interviews with  Anna Wintour, Sally Singer, and Italian Vogue’s Franca Sozzani…This season is all about the HUGE shoes ( and models falling off them..)

Colette.fr
You adore the fabulous Parisian store Colette. Now head to the newly redesigned site (and store) and BUY! BUY! BUY! It’s all here from Marc Jacobs to YSL. The good news? Looks like they ship to Australia.

• George Michael has built an exact replica of a Hampstead Heath lavatory in his Highgate mansion. (Seen here photographed in his dining room) reports thedailysquib
• Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynold’s Canadian wedding location was paparazzi-proof. They were in Canada.
• Jennifer Aniston took her own designer water with her on holidays.
• Russell Crowe has packed on 63 extra pounds for his role in Scott’s new suspense thriller Body of Lies. That’s his excuse.
• Heather Locklear was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. Suspicious. Body of lies. •Sharon Stone has so overreacted to her 8-year-old son’s health issues that she suggested he get a Botox treatment for his smelly feet, according to the judge in the actress’s custody case. Botox is not overeating.
• Salma Hayek hit the Balenciaga fashion show in Paris with Ex-fiancé Francois-Henri Pinault. Suspcious.
• Jessica Simpson may be pregnant and may be getting married to Tony Romo. Or maybe not.
• Ryan Phillippe and Abbie Cornish are thriving as a couple. Thriving.
• Britney Spears?! In a wig?! Again? Yawn.
• ‘After leaving Alaska for the first time in her life to go to Washington, Sarah Palin is finally coming to terms with the role she is expected to play as the Vice President to John McCain.The first thing the campaign advisers taught her is how to revive someone after they have had a heart attack or stroke. The medical term for this procedure is CPR and can be the difference between life or death for the recipient.Sarah will also be briefed on how to change McCain’s colostomy bag in an emergency as well as feeding him his mush” reports thedaily squib.

The Dress Doctor: Prescriptions for Style, From A to Z……. by Edith Head
‘Long before celebrity stylists became as renowned as the Oscar-winning film stars they advise, the legendary costume designer Edith Head was dressing Hollywood’s most fashionable women and men on screen and off—and lending her sartorial wisdom to women across the country on radio and television. In 1959, she published a best-selling memoir and style guide, The Dress Doctor, in which she shared tips on style and dozens of entertaining anecdotes on Hollywood’s A-list with her fans. Now, The Dress Doctor has returned in this special edition of the original volume, an alphabetical romp through the art of getting dressed and dressing Hollywood, with specially commissioned illustrations and the best advice and stories culled word for word from the original book. Fashion illustrator Bil Donovan’s stunning re-creations of Head’s most famous gowns, along with illustrations of myriad other stylish ensembles, bring the designer’s work vividly to life again, along with Hollywood icons Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Mae West, Cary Grant, and many others. This irresistible, elegant volume is a unique treasure for those who love film, style, and the glamour of Old Hollywood.
$19 Amazon.com Publisher: Collins Design (October 7, 2008)

The Christmas List:
No Pictures …….by Ron Galella
‘Ron Galella didn’t invent the word paparazzo—Italian for a buzzing mosquito—but he certainly personalized it by redefining the relationship between the movie star and the photographer. Now in the business of catching public figures in private moments for more than three decades, the nation’s most famous celebrity photojournalist presents the next chapter in his ongoing visual diary of fame, wealth, and success in America. In No Pictures, Galella’s second PowerHouse monograph and the follow-up to the 2006 smash hit Disco Years, confrontation takes the forefront. He has run afoul of Sean Penn, Richard Burton, Marlon Brando, Sam Shepard, and countless other stars, not to mention Studio 54 owner Steve Rubell—who eventually banned him from the club—and legions of angry bodyguards. No Pictures chronicles these conflicts and Galella’s relentless persistence in the face of it all, even when things got violent (as with Brando, who once landed a punch that broke the photographer’s jaw and five of his teeth). Fascinatuing.
$40 Amazon.com Publisher: PowerHouse Books (November 18, 2008)

 
FiFi’s Favourite Finds…..
 
Dangerfield: Louise Brooks T shirts $49, cats eyes sunglasses $24 and a cute straw trilby $24.
Bardot: Love the very Stella McCartney black leather zip through hoodie $329.
Shoobiz: Buy the Tony Bianco, very Miu Miu esque pleated two handle tote in cement or black with brass buckles $89 and the flat silver T bar (or black patent) sandals $29.
Diva: You want the huge, elaborate (very Givenchy) chandelier earrings in black $16.
Wittner Shoes: So you want shoes that are comfortable but still fashion? You are in luck. Buy the Zoe Wittner black or caramel wedges that sit flat (they are all on one level and you don’t have to walk tippy toes). With a chic white over stitching and cross over straps they are chic de la chic. Comfort city. $149.
Morrissey: Love the simple black V neck dress, sleeveless, waisted $299.
Stella McCartney for Addidas in David Jones: Silver platinum zip front reflective bomber jacket with zip away hood. This is very sporty and fabulous $290.
Country Road: Black pleated chiffon round neck, sleeveless dress with a grosgrain belt. A must buy. Wear over a white Tee with T bar flats, wear with a huge jeweled necklace and heels. Wear for day with your favourite wedges. $249.
Witchery: Buy the black chiffon belted harem pants on sale $69.

Economy Class
Novo Shoes:
This is the place to go for cheap but chic shoes and bags:
• Checkout the very Mulberry inspired white patent 2 handle tote with outside pockets with black patent trim $69. Also with a red trim.
• There are platform T bar wedge platforms in silver and black patent, very Fendi $69.
• Love the white flat gladiators (or in black with brass studs) $49. No, they are not leather. This could be a good thing.
• Buy the flat thong style sandals : sling back with a cross over front with a clear Perspex insert in orange, black, mustard and green $29.
• You want the flat T bar sandals in red patent a la last season Miu Miu. They have a black elastic sling back and a very wide front T bar. So chic. So love the idea of $49.
Jeans West:
Head here for this season’s casual staples at great prices.
• Check out the dark denim, short cuffed shorts with front pleating. These are for those who didn’t wear them the first time round. Unless you are Elle McPherson. Wear with heels, a cute Tee and a blazer. $39.
• Love the black cotton, button through shirt dress with epaulettes, and belted with no visible or obvious stitching. Swap the belt for one in brown or red leather. Wear with a flash of black lace peeping out to sex it up. Wear with your YSL short boots. (Or with flat gladiators but you knew that. Didn’t you?) $49.
• Buy the dark denim shirt dress with cute cap sleeves and a fitted shape. There are so many denim shirt dresses around this season but I love this one because it has no obvious stitching (it makes it so much chicer). It maybe a little long in length so shorten it and sex it up too. $59.
• Love the slightly faded dark denim one button blazer. You need one of these especially when it is just $59. Wear over black, over a white tank, with skinny harem pants or high waist YSL 80’s style pants. Throw on over a pretty dress. Don’t forget FiFi’s Fashion rule #1: Toughen it up with gladiator tough heels or you will look too soft. Oh and daggy. FiFi report readers must never look daggy.
• The short grey flannel shorts are now on sale for $24. Wear these now and into next winter with opaque tights and short boots.
French Connection:
Always fabulous here. From accessories to dresses and tops…
• Buy the long Maxi dress in grey and cream check. It has a ruffle hem and wide bra safe straps. This is definitely for wearing on weekends. Or casually around the pool. No heels please. The style could be a little frou frou but worn with flats and no jewels you will be chic. $179.
• Love the green and purple swirl print (on cream) V neck kaftan top $79. Beach wear. • Buy the oversized grey marle Tee with elastic on the hem of the sleeve which adds a little je ne said quoi. Remember if you wear sloppy and over sized on top you must have narrow skirts or pants on the bottom or you will be doing an impersonation of the Michelin Man. He is fat and not very sexy if you didn’t know. This is not such a good thing. $69.
• Love the chic white round Tee with cute muslin puff sleeves. They were here last year and still look so right. A little bit more interesting than a boring white Tee $69.
• The black multi ruffle dress with cap sleeves is fab. Ruffles are a huge trend for the season. This would look great with the Armani Exchange short crop leather jacket. $199.
• Buy the very YSL inspired, high waist, baggy, cuffed cotton pants $139. So eighties, so right on the money. Invest now and wear for seasons. Tuck everything in and don’t wear tunic tops with these pants. You want narrow Tanks and tight little Tees. You want heels. You want a waist and you shall have one.

Business Class
Jigsaw:
I see quite a few great classic buys:
• Invest in the Missoni style zig zag print blouse with a pussy bow tie front in subtle reds, orange and taupe. THE blouse is hot. Wear it with jeans and sexy heels. So perfect for this warm transseasonal weather. Wear with short shorts if you can buy a pair of long thin legs. $199.
• Love the linen blue denim pants with a wide leg and side pockets. Wear as you would jeans $199.
• Buy the black cotton paneled shift dress with side pockets and cap sleeves. Almost A Line, it’s a classic to take you through to summer. It has a chic exposed zip down the back a la Lanvin. Now on sale $159.
• I see the ubiquitous shirt dress here in blue linen/denim with short sleeves and belted. Cool $229.
• Buy the black cotton satine one button blazer with a cute puff on the shoulders, love it now on sale $209. Wear over a white tank, with shorts, with jeans, or with a full fifties skirt. You need a blazer. It’s as simple as that.
• You want the black cotton double breasted belted trench with black buttons. The trench addiction is not cured $379.
Armani Exchange:
Always great here for fashion forward pieces that are fabulous prices and good Italian quality.
• Check out the black leather jacket that is very, very short and cropped. It could be a bolero. So cool. It does not have any obvious stitching and has black buttons. Wear with all high waisted skirts and pants. Wear over your punk slogan Tees and of course over the pretty floral dress. $599.
• Love the black silk cami top with a grey and cream V neck trim. The shoulders straps are bra safe and in the cream. This is fabulous to wear right now under a jacket. You will live in this top all summer. You could even have dinner and go to sleep in it. $129.
• You want the black nylon bomber jacket that has a zip and with an elastic belt $239. The zip bomber is everywhere this season. I mentioned last week in Giordano and it’s turning up everywhere. Sporty Luxe lives on. Wear with a pencil skirt and a bright tank. Wear with short shorts. It’s not about the rain. And it’s not about wearing it for exercising.
• How cute is the tunic aqua blue cotton shift dress with rolled up cap sleeves? Very. It has a sublte spot through the fabric and is simple and chic. Also in white. It may be too short for people with muffin knees. $159.
Max and Co:
Love this store…so many great pieces.
• Buy the divine brown purple orange floral dress with sheer chiffon poets sleeves in a print and the dress in a graphic print brown contrast check. Love it $400. Wear with boots under a coat. Wear with flat gladiators, wear with a leather jacket.
• I am addicted and I don’t care: Love the black cotton double breasted belted trench $675. Oh and then buy the stone nylon double breasted trench (with matching stone buttons). The difference? The sleeves have chic, bell shape cuffs. So chic. Wear with everything: Jeans, over a pretty dress, over an LBD, over a sequin top $696.
• For a casual chic you want the grey cotton dress with an inbuilt white tank. It has a pleated front, and a little drawstring toggle waist. Also in black. This is the perfect day dress for summer. $335.
• You want the short crop, black nylon bomber/Blouson jacket with short puff sleeves and a hidden brass zip. $370.
• Adore the yellow/orange paisley grandpa shirt dress. The colours are gorgeous and you could throw it on and walk out the door. With flat sandals and a chic tote. It’s fabulous $315.
• Love the red and white stripe boat neck sailor top $135. We love stripes. We love a sailor top. We love a sailor.

First Class:
Escada Sport:
The chic winter collection is instore but check out the rack of summer clothes on sale…
• Love the black fine knit oversized V neck sweater with black jet and white beading scattered around neckline $600. Gorgeous. Wear with leggings, over a pencil skirt or with short shorts.
• Invest in the simple and classic black knit jersey button through top $595.
• We all need and want a white shirt with double cuffs $645.
• Love the black crinkle patent slouch bag about $1000.
• Buy the grey flannel wide leg cuffed pants. Pants are a huge trend for next winter. By now wear forever. $695.
• The khaki cotton shirt dress is now on sale $460. Yes please.

Balenciaga Spring 2009 Show
Style.com reports… ‘Backstage at Balenciaga, Nicolas Ghesquière talked about his collection, quite simply, as an exploration of "matte and shine, playing with textures to see how they reflect or absorb light. And playing with our house codes." There’s nothing remotely simple, however, about the complex, futuristic synthesis of line, cut, and glinting surfaces that played out on his runway. It involved silvered Lurex streaking over skin to cover legs, feet, and hands; asymmetric combinations of drape and structure; bonded jersey pantsuits with A-line tunic tops; tissue-fine metallic crinkle-pleated jackets; and, somewhere in the middle, pale suede pieces that looked as if they might have been extruded from some high-spec industrial machine. The show built to an amazing finale series of dresses cut in iridescent gold, silver, pewter, green, and pink ribbon. As one of the models stepped onto the runway in a sequined sheath, Ghesquière glanced over and remarked, "She looks like a solar panel, no?" The genius of Balenciaga is Ghesquière’s projection of couture techniques into the world of new technology. A crude stab at describing it might be "sci-fi couture," but the truth is his mind-set renders stock fashion vocabulary redundant. Ghesquière works without references or narrative, pushing experimentation with fabric and cut to the nth degree. Cleverer still is the sense of a grounded core: the recognizable, desirable developments of pants (the evolution of his jodhpurs in mackintosh fabric; the sophisticated motocross shapes), and the precious, shiny, chic bags clutched in every hand’

Asian chicken soup ….adulterated from Bill’s

serves 4
1.25l chicken stock
1 star anise
3cm piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced
400g chicken breast fillets
1 bunch baby bok choy, trimmed
100g shiitake mushrooms, quartered
100g snow peas, trimmed, halved diagonally
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 cup trimmed bean sprouts
Lime wedges and freshly sliced red chilli, to serve

• Pour a tiny thimble of wine.
• Count up calories you have consumed during the day.
• Pour a little more wine and try harder not to eat FAT tomorrow.
• Climb out of very tight Alaia skirt. Breathe.
• Throw on roomy, loose and comfortable Kaftan.
• Find the ginger and peel and chop into thin sticks the size of Ashley Olsen’s leg.
• Find a large saucepan and toss in the chicken stock, star anise and ginger and wait for it to boil .
• Now throw in the chicken, reduce the heat to low, and toss on a lid.
• Let it simmer for about 10 minutes. No longer or you will have old boots for dinner.
• Now take out the chicken and let it have a rest. It needs it.
• Throw the bok choy, mushrooms and snowpeas in the broth, and pour in the Chinese rice wine. Don’t drink it.
• When the chicken is cooled a little you can shred it .
• Toss the shredded chicken with the bean sprouts in 4 chic, little bowls
• Pour over the hot broth with the lovely vegetables floating around
• Accessorise with gorgeous green fresh coriander
• Serve with tangy fresh lime and hot chilli on the side.
• Bikini here we come! ( put that wine away)