SNAKES ON A MUTHA FU%&IN' MODEL

This week, the models had to pose underwater with a boa constrictor named "Lemon." Casey, who's petrified of snakes, got in the tank with the boa like he'd been wrangling the things all his life. He ended up with some amazing shots that wowed the judges (GO CASEY, my sweet, ski slope-nosed Adonis!).

Later, on the runway the models were asked to wear really large, avante-gard headpieces while walking one of several animals down the catwalk. Names of animals were drawn from a bag and assigned to each model. Casey reflected on the challenge in his blog:

The catwalk was great, I don’t know any designers that would use animals in a catwalk but I think having the animals was more about problem solving. Rising to a difficult challenge on short notice and progressing through.

Jacki, was sequestered to the bottom three (shocking!) after being unable to rock the runway with a trained poodle. Because she had the easiest animal to control, the judges said a lot more was expected out of her.

Holly was sick and therefore her performance suffered, but luckily she wasn't sent home for it. I like Holly a lot. I think she has a cute, girl-next door look that can cross over to edgy when she wills it to, but the whole "I can't take my clothes off because my fiance and I are waiting until we're married and my faith would frown on it, blah blah blah" shtick is soooo old. If you're going to work as a high fashion model, you're going to, at one point or another, get naked. PERIOD. Having said that, I was glad she hung in there this week.

Surprisingly lock-me-up-and-tie-me-down-behind-bars boy, Ben, didn't impress anyone this week with his stale snake shots and dull catwalk. Hence, he's "up" for the vote. So is Perry, whose ego has been busting at the seems lately. I suspect his holier-than-thou attitude is a defense mechanism. I was, however, shocked to see how flabbergasted he was when the judges called him out on his behavior; He even went as far to say, "I feel like I'm in a dream."

Frankie was asked to cut his hair and after some hemming and hawing, he agreed to do it. If this had been ANTM, he would have been given a dressing down by Jay Manuel. Later, he would have been lectured by Tyra and company for being unwilling to do what it takes to be a supermodel. The judges on this show, however, were muy impressed with Frankie's willingness to forgo the Fabio look. He ended up liking his shorter hair and so did I. Very modern and there's still enough of it to play with.

The week's winner was Ronnie, whose rocking runway strut with a cute little sheep sent him miles above last week's performance.

PACKIN' IT UP TO ALPACAVILLE

I'm off to Peru and will be there for the next two and a half weeks. I'll be keeping a close eye on the fashion scene (there really is a fashion scene) and reporting back. I'll also be posting as regularly as I can.

Ciao!

DAISY by MARC JACOBS
Product Review

Marc Jacob's newish fragrance has been calling me from the shelves of beauty shops everywhere because I love daisies and the bottle is irresistible. I've been spraying it on whenever I find a "sample" bottle, because I'm determined to love it. Initially, the smell is heavenly, but later it takes on that perfumey smell that I can't stand. I don't know how to explain it. It reminds me of my mom's Giorgio perfume. When I was a kid, she would leave clouds of it in her wake and it always smelled acrid and woody.

Check out the fragrance's website. It's one of the coolest little places on the web that I've seen in quite a while. $55 for 1.7 oz.

DANGLING THE SAUSAGE: PROJECT RUNWAY REUNION RECAP

The Project Runway Reunion show aired on Wednesday night. The whole gang gathered with the judges for a look back at the season so far, and to tell everyone what they've been up to.

Sweet P revealed that she's been delighted to have been approached by her fan, Jack Black, even in the presence of Brad Pitt.; Elisa and Kit both talked about the importance of inspiring youth; Carmen revealed that she's very unhappy with comments made during the taping; and Jack said that he's feeling much better since leaving the show and his health has been good.

Tim congratulated the ever-pleasant Victorya for showing her collection at fashion week (how did she get a collection shown at Fashion Week?). Her response, of course, was just to shrug indifferently as if to say, "That's what you idiots get for kicking me off." She also revealed that she was angry about Jack's leaving the show to tend to his health. When they called her out on it, she said, "upset is the word I'd use." Huh?????

They also showed a bunch of video montages of the judges and designers' greatest hits. There was a behind-the-scenes reveal of Michael Kors laughing his head off during the "Diva" challenge. He looked pretty embarrassed as he watched himself losing his shit over the spandexed models' cheesy runway moves. They also played a fabulous review of Heidi's best moments, my favorite (never-before-seen?) moment being when she said to the designers, "I've been dangling the sausage in front of your noses all the time. Now it's going to Fashion Week. Who's going to eat the sausage?"

When they played a mishmash of Ricky's teary-eyed moments, he looked understandably miffed. There was a collection of Kevin's "almost gay" moments as well as a collage of Chris's infectious laugh.

Of course, there was a best-of Christian montage, which proved he deserved to win the Fan Favorite Contest. Michael Knight came out and presented him with a check for $10.000. *Snap*. So fierce! Nina Garcia reveals in her Bravo TV blog that she's surprisingly a Christian fan as well:

"At 21, he has all the energy, determination, and fearlessness that one should have when you feel you are the center of the universe. He is really an "enfant terrible" and his personality is even more exaggerated by the fact he works along such serious types as Rami and Jillian, who seldom lose their cool."


My favorite bit of the show was the "Diva Name" montage in which the designers revealed their would-be wrestling names. This was touched on in a previous episode, but made into a fun segment for the reunion show.

Designers' DIVA NAMES:

Christian: Forocia Coutura
Signature Move: hairspray in the eyes and ponytail so tight it would make girls' eyes bleed

Sweet P: Spread Eagle
Signature Move: Crush people with her thighs

Rami: Ramilicious
Signature Move: Draping people to the ground, of course!

Chris: Wonder Woman
Signature Move: Smothering people with his large breasts

Jillian: Tuffie
Signature Move: Pirouette kicks in the face

Ricky: The Mexican Jumping Bean
Signature Move: Little twirl with a kick


Later, Tim revealed his diva name would be "Polly Syllabicus" and Nina Garcia's would be "Meana Garzilla." Unfortunately, not much was said by sweet Marion, or by the girl who was "awffed" first (see, I can't even remember her name!) All in all it was a good time, however, and I'm looking forward to the finale!

(all photos from Bravotv.com)

TYRA MAAIIIILLLLL!!!!!!


PERFECT 10: AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL KICKS OFF CYCLE TEN

Cycle Ten of America's Next Top Model commenced last night. The show opened with 35 girls on a school bus going to "Top Model Prep School" where they were met by Miss J (dressed as a stern-looking school master/mistress) and Jay Manuel. They were then greeted by Tyra dressed as homecoming queen, replete with running mascara, crooked tiara, and loads of ego (you know this will be on The Soup this week). The girls then had to complete assignments including catwalk, photo shoot, and judge interviews. Afterwards, they received report cards and those who "passed" moved on to the next level.

Of course while all this was going on, the histrionics were ensuing and there were girls already cussing each other out. A girl named Fatima, who was born in Somolia and who looks like Iman's younger twin, called a another African American girl "ghetto." This started a firestorm between Fatima and some of the girls, including Marvita who almost made it to the final 13 in the last cycle (but thanks to lots of therapy and God, she's now got it all together). Later, Fatima revealed that she had been circumcised. Her announcement commenced the weeping, hugging and forgiving. . . that is until Marvita asked if it made her feel like "less of a woman."

The drama has begun! Looks like lots of hissy fits, crying, eye rolling, and bad runway walks are ahead. YAY, ANTM!!

On a side note, there were a few girls who stood out right away to me:

Immediately, I identified with Lauren - - the pale, geeky, arty, awkward girl who marches to the beat of her own drum. Love her! She also reminds me of Martha Plimpton. Lauren has terrible posture and walks like there are invisible cobblestones beneath her heels, making her that much more likable. You know by the end of the show, she'll be "fierce."




Claire is a punky mother from New York that defies the "mom" look and possesses that exotic "model" look.








Amy (also known as Amis) is the clone of Lisa from Cycle 5. I wonder if it could be possible that they're NOT related? I suppose we'll know for sure if Amy starts drinking and talking to potted plants.

HUMP DAY FASHION ICON: GWEN STEFANI
Hey Baby, Hey Baby, Hey. . .

Gwen Stefani has been playing with her look since she began fronting No Doubt. Like most fashionistas, Gwen started out by displaying her versatility, sporting looks that have included rockabilly tough chick, sporty southern Cali girl, and white-blonde bombshell (waaayyy before Christina Aguillera). She even went as far as creating her own fashion label - L.A.M.B. , which stands for Love Angel Music Baby. In addition, this Orange County girl has brought Japanese street fashion to the forefront of the mainstream.

Now with a perfume under her belt (L by L.A.M.B.), Gwen has established herself as a force to be reckoned with in the beauty business. She's even topped the list of best dressers in Harpers & Queen. Whether her hair is pink, blue, or platinum blonde, this L.A. girl is a true fashion maven.

TOP MODEL RECAP

Today on The Tyra Show, Tyra Banks (sporting a new curly hairstyle) reflected back at the last nine cycles of America's Next Top Model. She had 11 of the models on, including: Shandi (Walgreen's geeky girl), Jael (punky free spirit from Cycle 8), Mercedes (biracial girl with Lupus from Cycle 2), Toccara (plus-sized girl from Cycle 3) Heather (cutting-edge, dark-haired girl with Asperger's Syndrome from Cycle 9), Anchal (Indian beauty from Cycle 7), and Michelle (bi-sexual girl who had the crazy skin break-out in Cycle 4).

Highlights from the show:

• Jael relivied the death of a close due to a drug overdose while filming Cycle 8. She squelched the rumors about her drug use, saying that she's a free spirit with positive energy. Unfortunately many people mistook this for being high on something. WHATEVER.

• Shandi, sporting a short spiky haircut, announced that she no longer works at Walgreens and now manages a hair salon in Manhattan and works as a DJ. She also showed off 12 new tattoos.

• Michelle, who came out on the show during Cycle 4, revealed that she married Survivor star, Johnny Fairplay and they had a baby one week ago. Johnny showed up with their tiny daughter, Piper, which Tyra held. Awwwww. Michelle also talked about her and Johnny's wild sex life, which includes various female bedmates. This seemed jery weird to discuss while Tyra cradled the baby a couple feet away.

• Anchal disclosed that she gained 20 lbs while filming Cycle 7 due to the immense pressure put upon her to lose weight (she was a whopping size 4!!). It was also revealed that oily bohunk, Fabio, had a huge crush on her when they did the "romance book cover" shoot.

A lot of the focus was on Tyra, natch, and all the pressure she was under, and all the hard work she did on the show, and all the crazy hair styles she sported, and all the things she was doing behind the scenes while they filmed, and blah blah blah. You get my point. Despite Tyra's ego, can I just say how excited I am for CYCLE TEN TONIGHT?!

STICK ON COLORON

Remember the stick-on nail polish from Avon? Now there's a similar product for your eyes from ColorOn. When I first looked at the website, I thought it looked too good to be true and the result would look fake - like someone put a sticker on my eyelid. But after reading the description on the website, my curiosity is piqued:

Imagine pillowy-soft disposable applicators already laden with mineral cosmetic eye shadows in colors and designs ranging from subtle daytime to smoldering evening looks, created to suit every skin tone and ethnicity. These are single-use, hygienic, hypoallergenic applicators that require no makeup skills, no brushes or secondary applicators. Imagine an eye shadow that is waterproof, crease-proof, and long-wearing that transfers to the eyelid with just a touch. The result is nothing short of amazing: A professional, flawless look every time.

A kit of 20 applications starts at $30.

FISH FACE BY DR. PERRICONE

I was in Sephora today and decided that since I had a bare face, I'd try a face firmer or something to improve my skin's appearance. Of course I looked for the most expensive thing I could find. I happened to be near N.V. Perricone MD products and tried the Advanced Face Firming Activator ($120).

Immediately my skin felt refreshed and a bit brighter (is it possible for your skin to FEEL brighter?), but then I was overwhelmed by the smell of fish. Something in the formula (fish oil, perhaps?) is fishy. Hours later my skin still reeks. As a result, I want to nix the salmon dinner I had planned for tonight.

LINDSAY MONROE FOR NEW YORK MAGAZINE

Lindsay Lohan posed nude for the spring fashion issue of New York Magazine, In the issue, the actress re-creates the famous fashion shoot that Marilyn Monroe did six weeks before she died. Original photographer Bert Stern shot Lohan, made up to look eerily like the late actress and fashion icon, in the same poses. Lindsay said the decision to do the shoot was a no-brainer: “I didn’t have to put much thought into it. I mean, Bert Stern? Doing a Marilyn shoot? When is that ever going to come up? It’s really an honor.”

To read more, check out New York Magazine Fashion.

DREW DOES VOGUE

Drew Barrymore posed for the March 2008 issue of Vogue, in which the 32-year old talks about being young in Hollywood. The cover shoot was photographed by Steven Meisel; the mag hits newsstands on Wednesday.

SPEAKING OF SCAR JO

Scar Jo made up for her earlier fashion disaster with this gorgeous party dress at the premier of The Other Boleyn Sister. Again, I have no idea who the designer is, but the color and cut are lovely, making her look a little Marylin Monroe-esque. I also love the black fishnets and pumps she paired the dress with.

LOOK OF THE WEEK: During a photo call on Friday, Natalie Portman promoted her newest film, "The Other Boleyn Girl" at the International Film Festival Berlinale in Berlin, Germany. I don't know who designed the dress she's wearing, but I think it's fab. Very simple and sweet and the collar is so pretty, saving what could be an otherwise boring dress. Unfortunately, Scar Jo is standing next to Miss Thang, wearing one of the worst dresses I've ever seen her in.

with co-stars Scarlet Johanson and Eric Bana

collar detail

back detail

(photos from justjared.com and popsugar.com)

HIGH ART

In last night's episode, Tim escorted the designers to the MET where they were told to pick a piece of art to inspire their next creation. Rami, of course, chose a sculpture of Aphrodite, Christian chose a portrait of a spanish gentleman by Bartolome Esteban Murillo, Sweet P picked a painting of peacocks, Chris chose a portrait of an 18th century French madame, and Jillian chose "Master of the Argonauts."

Sweet P was at a disadvantage from the beginning when her model didn't show up at fittings due to a family emergency. Ultimately, Sweet P was sent home for her lovely, ready-to-wear dress. It just wasn't high art enough. She could have really taken it to the next level and instead she made another pretty dress (loved the red zipper down the back!). I really liked Sweet P; she definitely lived up to her nickname. And her dresses were so cute. I hope she starts a line.

I was sure that Chris would be going home for repeating himself. Roberto Cavalli, who served as this week's guest judge, said Chris' gown was his favorite and he would definitely be showing in Paris. He obviously didn't see the exact same gown Chris had constructed with Christian earlier in the season.
I was also worried about Rami who did exactly what was expected of him when he chose Aphrodite and started draping his dress form with what looked like his previous dresses. In a twist ending, however, Chris and Rami were given a second-chance to impress the judges who will decide which of them will show at Bryant Park.

Jillian's take on Master of the Argonauts was my favorite outfit - so feminine and tailored. The gold piping was impeccably sewn into the back and the jacket was lined in gold. The model did the "reveal" on the runway to show a glitzy dress beneath. Heidi looked agog, obviously impressed. The whole outfit was flashy without being flashy. Jillian needs to design a line of jackets, asap.

In the end, Christian was the clear winner. He whipped together his intricate version of Murillo's portrait, replete with enormous puffy sleeves and exquisite detailing. He made the outfit so effortlessly and beautifully, it was more like a magic trick. I'm honestly surprised he didn't pull a black taffeta rabbit out of his ass. In the end, I'm pretty confident he's going to take the big prize. His speed, creativity, and cohesive vision are pretty hard to compete with.

Looks like next week they're going to air a show in which they'll be interviewing the whole cast (awffed and all). I can't wait, of course, because my man Marion will be back!

HUMP DAY FASHION ICON:
DAVID BOWIE
WE ARE THE GOON SQUAD AND WE'RE COMIN' TO TOWN

Since it's the middle of the week in the midst of Fashion Week hoopla, I've been having some deep thoughts about all the fashion icons out there who have inspired and continue to inspire our visually-charged culture.

What makes a fashion icon? Is it personality? A fab wardrobe? Changeability? These are the heavy, pressing questions.

In any case, I want to celebrate the fashionistas who inspire me, thus I'm starting a weekly post called "Hump Day Fashion Icon."

Who better to start with than the grandaddy of vogue, DAVID BOWIE? His fearless experimentation in the style arena has made him the Zelig of Fashion. And he looks amazing in clothes thanks to his long, lithe frame. His unusually handsome face built of razor-sharp angles and two different colored eyes doesn't hurt either. Here's a look at a few of my favorite looks from the God of Fashion:

Mod London Boy

The Thin White Duke

The Man Who Fell to Earth

Ziggy Stardust

Ashes to Ashes

Scary Monsters

Modern Love

Bespectacled Bowie

Modern Bowie