“For 20 years no one noticed me, I worked like Cinderella at the bottom of the pile. Finally, I’ve been invited to the ball.” The fabulous Anna Dello Russo

“It celebrated everything fashion should love, has a sense of humor-after all, we aren’t brain surgeons-and a real sense of fun. Also, there is definitely a sense of being a little addicted to fashion.” Sophia Neophitou on Anna Dello Russo on the cover of 10 for its tenth anniversary issue.

“I think naughty shoots suit my personality; I don’t mind doing a straightforward fashion shoot, but it’s more fun when there’s something naughty in it ” Model Lara Stone is no brain surgeon ( was she paid to say that by Calvin Klein ?

‘I’ve never really been a very forthcoming person about my personal stuff; it’s just not my thing. But, honestly, to me, this type of thing is like, “Ew, weird! Why do I have to talk about this in front of the world?” Mariah Carey (So why is she talking to all the TV shows and all the magazines about her pregnancy?)

“I’m here to clear the rumors up. The truth is that it’s not Beyoncé that’s pregnant. It’s me.” Beyoncé’s mom Tina Knowles.

“Bottom line, she’s not a mere mortal like the rest of us. She’s an Internet savvy, chicken-cooking Academy Award-winning octolingual something like that mother of two lifestyle guru…Thanks for making all of us look lazy.” Jake Gyllenhaal introducing pal Gwyneth Paltrow at Elle’s Women in Hollywood tribute.

I am obsessed with menswear shopping. I am always snooping around in the men’s section checking out the Tee shirts, the white shirts and the zip hoodies. I like Men’s Tees because they don’t have that horrible scoop look a ot of women’s label insist of doing. And who doesn’t love the look of a white man’s shirt on a woman with those cuffs just hanging down so non-chalantly? ( though Geoge Clooney gets annoyed me for always stealing them).

So I nearly screamed with shopping fever when I spied the fabulous grey hoodies and fabulous marle Tee shirts in the men’s section of Cotton on. Are these the cheap but chic buy of the year? I swooped down and tried on the grey marle hoodie, so perfect for weekends. I adored the plain grey marle long sleeve round Tee with chic over stitching detailing. Perfect with a leather skirt or peg leg slouchy pants.
My friends tell me they are impossible to destroy: you can thrash them and toss them in the washing machine. Again and Again.
So chic! So Alexander Wang ! So Celine! So Dries! So just $19.
Is that legal to be so cheap?

$19 for hoodies,  $24 for Tees from Cottonon.com

The new Westfield Sydney is now open and it’s new shopping galore ! We checked it out at the opening last night starting at Gucci and Mulberry and ending up in Cotton on. Of course. We checked out the fabulous new GAP store ( with kids and menswear) as well as the new DVF store. Other favourite stores we strolled into included Paul and Joe, Little Joe,  DKNY jeans and CK jeans store.
Prada, Miu Miu and Zara are not yet open….
My black Amex is now quaking and shaking in my Birkin .

Reasons why you want the new Lipstick Queen lipstick:

• It’s not lipgloss.
• It won’t come off when you open your mouth to breath.
• It won’t come off after eating an almond Magnum.
• There is no shimmer or cheap frosting.
• You won’t look like Paris Hilton.
• It’s matte and chic.
• it’s the perfect mix of looking nude with a touch of colour.
• It looks natural enough to wear jogging. Or shopping.
• It has enough colour so you won’t look anaemic and 125 years old.
• It’s fabulous.

$33 Lipstick Queen Lipstick from Meccacosmetica.com.au

Check out the last collect ion Kate Moss is doing for Top Shop: yes, Please!  Vogue.co.uk

A Swedish filmmaker has signed on to produce Lauren Goldstein Crowe’s Blow bio, Isabella Blow: A Life in Fashion reports WWD

Olivier Theyskens was named artistic director for all of Theory. Great news! I want it now… Hintmag.com

LVMH has announced that it’s agreed to buy a minority stake (17.1 percent for 1.45 billion euros, or $2 billion) in the family-controlled Hermès. Businessweek

How Annie got shot!  Read about Annie Leibovitz, who is struggling to repair her finances amid a tangle of personal, professional and property troubles. ft.com

I ssey Miyake is set to receive Japan’s Order of Culture from Emperor Akihito next week on November 3, the country’s national Culture Day. WWD

Harvey Nicks is opening up an 83,000-square-foot Store in Hong Kong!. Style.com

What the ? The Hells Angels-who, apparently, are corporatized, thank you very much-are suing the Alexander McQueen label for infringing on their trademarked winged death’s-head symbol. too funny from Vogue U.K via Style.com

With Halloween fast approaching flip through some of the fantastical fashion portfolios shot exclusively for Vogue magazine over the years: From Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette to Karolina Kurkova as Marilyn Manson to Natalia Vodianova dressing up as Alice from Alice in Wonderland.. Fabulous!! Vogue.com

‘ US Vogue senior market editor Meredith Melling Burke will now be straddling both print and online responsibilities - in addition to her current role at the magazine, she has been promoted to fashion market editor at Vogue.com, where she will increase the website’s fashion content.reports Fashionologie.com/

Anna Dello Russo picks her top ten looks from Spring ‘11, from Prada, Miu miu to Jil Sander and Balenciaga and then hilarioulsy pastes a picture of her cherry-hatted head atop each one.Love ! Annadellorusso.com

It’s hippy Love and Peace in French Vogue: Oh No It’s BoHo NO No !

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary …by David Sedaris

Featuring David Sedaris’s unique blend of hilarity and heart, this new collection of keen-eyed animal-themed tales is an utter delight. Though the characters may not be human, the situations in these stories bear an uncanny resemblance to the insanity of everyday life. In “The Toad, the Turtle, and the Duck,” three strangers commiserate about animal bureaucracy while waiting in a complaint line. In “Hello Kitty,” a cynical feline struggles to sit through his prison-mandated AA meetings. In “The Squirrel and the Chipmunk,” a pair of star-crossed lovers is separated by prejudiced family members. With original illustrations by Ian Falconer, author of the bestselling Olivia series of children’s books, these stories are David Sedaris at his most observant, poignant, and surprising.
$21 Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group Limited Booktopia.com.au

Café Society: Socialites, Patrons, and Artists 1920-1960 …..by Thierry Coudert
‘Aristocrats, millionaires, painters, fashion designers, choreographers, and musicians of the café society fox-trot aboard cruise liners and mingle at dazzling parties in Paris. Exclusive, extravagant, and beautiful, these cosmopolitan socialites were the patrons who galvanized the phenomenal success of the greatest creators of the early twentieth century. It was a whirlwind of sumptuously decorated villas and yachts, up-and-coming haute couture and jewelry designers, and elite evening parties, immortalized by fashion photographers like Cecil Beaton. Combining elegance and fantasy, the members of the café society enjoyed a sophisticated, avant-garde lifestyle. Some of the century’s most original talents-from Cole Porter to Yves Saint Laurent-stepped into the limelight via the café society. Through archival photographs and period documents, this volume recounts in historical detail the intrigue and impact generated around the world by this stylish jet-set.’

$43 Publisher: Flammarion (October 12, 2010) Amazon.com

Economy class:

French Connection:
It’s very casual here but you can get some cute fashion pieces .
My picks are:

• It’s all about stripes again next simmer as you can see from this shot from the Prada runway show below just shown weeks ago; So I suggest you get into the look right now and get seasons of wear from the look. The stripes trend will be EVERYWHERE next summer : Buy the jersey striped tank with scoop ish ( but not too ugly) neckline.$69. You can add your own fur stole and pink stripe skirt!
• Yes, I am addicted to trench coats and I am not sure what to do about that: I adore them, want them, NEED them. I also need some serious rehab treatment: to get over it: So I was drawn like Donatella to Fake tan to the trench coat here: It has a round collar, is double breasted and has cute buckle details at collar and cuffs. Plus it is a great length. You want a trench that stops at the knee. Anyone who wears a Burberry trench knows that. $349. By the way you can buy the real Burberry trench right now online for about $800. It’s the Australian dollar going gang busters! Net-a-porter.com
• You should check out the cute grey tweed cotton weave bag: it’s a great cheap but chic little option with leather trimming and leather handles; Lady like structured bags are the go and this colour will work as a neutral without being a boring black bag $99
• Love a scarf forsummer so you should buy the cotton striped scarf with tassels. : it’s just a fashion accessory : not about being functional and keeping you warm for god’s sake! A print colour scarf is the way to get colour into your wardrobe without even thinking about it. $29
• For a party dress that’s a little over the top check out the tunic shape dress with a sequined blue and white print: It has loose cap sleeves and there is no zip so it skims over the body. This is a good thing. If it’s too short then wear it over skinny jeans. $249
• Love the Grecian grey short dress if you need a one shoulder little number it’s not bad for $159.

Seed Femme:
You can always find a good quality chic pieces here for good prices: Great basics and weekend wear;
My picks are :

• We all need a blazer (or ten !) which is why I have been going on and on for about a year or so trying to whip you all into frenzy to invest in one so you can work the look and get ahead of the game: One of my favs is the navy tailored one button crop jersey blazer with the all important stretch striped lining. You wear the sleeves pushed up. But you knew that or you have been living under a stiletto for too long $189
• Check out the pretty silk sleeveless top with pleating down the front: I have mentioned it before in The FiFi Report but it’s still one of the best buys : Why? Beucase it has a very flattering V neck and the cut is such that it sits very neatly at the neckline so that it gives the illusion you have a long neck. This is why the wide scoop neck top NEVER looks good and why you should buy this top. It is slighty loose but a good skim over the muffin top kind of top $129.
• I am loving the chic little khaki Tee with a corsage attached : so chic ( I think it comes off too) . You want a Tee like this to go with all your basic peg leg / pants and skinny cargoes. Tres chic withj lovely sheer trim around the neckline so it’s more exciting than a boring Tee $89.
• If you want a cute little -toss-it-on-and-walk-out-the-door kind of dress then try on the silk A-line navy and white floral print tank dress: it has a dipped hem but we can ignore that ; Love this with bensimon sneakers for the weekend. You could climb into stomp a licious gladiators in brown too and then cinch this dress in with a brown belt. But if it’s then too short just wear with skiiny jeans and shut up.
• In accessories I do like the Lanvin inspired necklace. Yes, I said it but it’s true: Everyone copies and I say good on them: you may as well be inspired by Lanvin than copy the wrong thing like Escada or some other tragic label! Anway this is a cute chain an dribbon necklace with a flower detail and works, I think. if you layer up two of them for more drama. Wear over a white tee or shirt with chinos. Love it. $79
• Also buy the tan strappy clog style sandals with an average size heel $199. It’s called the Dotty Wood Block Heel. I don’t see any dots but they are chic and very walkable. That’s a bit dotty isn’t it? heels to walk in..Everyone needs a tan heel for summer : it will work with everything I promise.

CK jeans :
You must go here for great casual fashion pieces that are a little more exciting than the normal garden variety of boring basics:( sorry no photos but head to calvinkleinjeans or to Myer or CK Jeans at WBJ
My picks are:

• The fabulous soft denim chambray style jean pants: THE hot pant for next summer ( they were all over the runways). They have a high waist with a wide leg and very 80’s style pleat front making them more pants than jeans. No obvious stitching and quite chic. woo Hoo! $160
• Buy the blue floppy denim dress with a square neckline and an empire shape : it’s a loose tunic style and a little BoHo. Layer it over a white Tee. It’s cute and will look fabulous with tan heels. An easy summer dress with cute pockets that go right round from back to front. $170.
• Check out the fabulous navy fitted jacket with stripe lining for shoving up the sleeves. This is a great buy because the cut is ever so flattering and works a dream on everyone. I should know I have put a lot of my clients in this jacket : So chic and a must buy to wear with a grey Tee, a white shirt , a stripe Tee and back with jeans or skinny cargoes. I would wear with my floppy harem style peg leg pants. $260.
• You want the red shiny but soft bomber jacket : it’s very cool and will add a pop of colour to any old boring wardrobe $180. Great with a pencil skirt for work or back with jeans or even with your running gear. Fabulous over a dress as well. Love it!
• Buy the cotton Khaki military blazer jacket: it’s very tailored and fitted with khaki buttons and stitching which makes it more subtle. Sure, it’s a little washed and vintage looking but the tailored shape makes it move into the chic area rather than the slobby look. and isn’t that what we want? $260.

Business Class:
Bassike:
I checked out their new store in Paddington ( just near Acne in Glenmore Rd) and wanted to buy everything. So many divine simple chic easy pieces. ..
My picks are :

• The white tuxedo shirt white in 100% organic cotton: A shirt is THe piece of the season and so why not grab the best? $350.
• You want the oversized gauze sweat top oatmeal $250: Gorgeous ! It’s double bonded organic cotton in that oversized relaxed sweat top kind of way : so easy to wear over a white tank or with skinny cargoes under a blazer.
• In the trousers you should buy the houndstooth pleated pant in black and white $450. A fabulous alternative to boring black pants with chic semi tailored fit: very jodphur style, with front pleating at leg. There is an invisible zipper detail which you can’t see. Because it’s invisible. These a very transeasonal so can work for summer or winter. wear with a blazer and your fav Givenchy heels and voila. chic de la chic
• Buy the grey marle top that’s loose with asymmetric with ties $90.00: it’s in a lovely soft cotton jersey with a must have flattering high v-neck with a raw hem and side ties. Yes please!
• There are so many more gorgeous Tees, tops and tanks and of course great jeans…Head here for your complete laid back summer look. It’s quality darling…

Jac and jack :
Another fabulous Australian designer label that reflects our sense of lifestyle and easy dressing..
My picks are:

• The chic washed cotton voile shirt with batwing sleeves, it’s an oversized shape (which you can see) but that give it a dramatic edge non? Wear with narrow pieces on the bottom so you don’t look like a big round ball with no shape. As I keep repeating a shirt is all you need for summer…$260.
• Buy the Silk Satin Back Crepe Dress with draped front detail. It’s one of those easy loose dresses with just an interesting neck detail. No fuss. Wear with flats or heels. $340
• In the pants department, and I mean trousers not undies, then you should try on the lightweight cotton pant, with pleat detail at waist. They are called “Emma pants” with an elasticized waistband at back and side pockets. But don’t be afraid and think they are boring. Mais non! These are the new chinos and who doesn’t love a little elastic to stretch when you have had all those almond croissants? $260.
• Loving all the scarves here you want the silk Cashmere grey and cream one to toss to look as chic as any Parisienne. $220.

A warm chicken and orange salad adulterated from Nigel Slater  Guardian.co.uk
Serves 4 fashionista or 24 models as a main course

You need:
a freshly roasted chicken, about 1.5kg
4 handfuls of salad leaves, such as chicory and watercress
3 blood oranges
1 pomegranate
For the dressing:
2 tbsp tarragon or cider vinegar
1-2 drops of balsamic vinegar
The juices from the roasting tin (about 6 tbsp)

• Open wine
• Drink!
• Slip into Gucci mini dress and Givenchy heels
• Find the roast chicken.
• Ask George Clooney to remove about half the meat from in thick pieces, cutting or tearing them into large bite-sized chunks.
• He is good at that.
• Throw in a mixing bowl.The chicken not George.
• You can rinse and dry the salad leaves, then divide them between 4 plates.
• Peel two of the oranges with a knife and squeeze the juice from the third.
• Slice the fruit thinly and tuck among the salad leaves.
• Cut the pomegranate in half, remove the seeds from one half and add to the salad leaves, then squeeze and reserve the juice from the remaining half using a lemon squeezer.
• To make the dressing, mix 5 tbsp of the orange juice with 4 tbsp of the pomegranate (I usually drink the remainder).
• Stir in the cider or tarragon vinegar, a little salt, a twist of black pepper and a couple of drops of balsamic vinegar.
• Pour into the roasting tin, stir with the roasting juices, and heat gently without bringing to the boil.
• Place the pieces of warm chicken among the salad then spoon over the hot dressing.
• Divine !