Last Minute What You Really Want, Easy Pleasy Stuffers, & Sneak Peeks

By Laura Medina

For the panicking masses and the thoughtless tardies, let's starting wishing for what we actually need now and quickly after Christmas and soon after New Year's Eve and Day.

Pounding the pavement grabbing gifts, party platters, and decorations while wishing for something comfortable and stylish-and warm?

Lacoste just unleashed their sneakers line, Legends. Padded high-tops and sneakers masquerading as dress shoes in leather, decked with the Alligator.

Stuff these in your man's stockings, he'll like you better.

This scribe knows fashionistas are all a flutter about feathers thanks to "Black Swan."

Want something more practical and immediate directly from the movie itself?

Tilo's tree print cashmere scarf, worn by Mila Kunis in the movie, can be worm now and after the holidays then onto next year, like a real ballerina on her way to training.

Are you the tired and lazy who needs the injection of the last minute thrill to jump your shopping energy?

Give the gifts of Cynthia Rowley necklaces that are seasonless and timeless.

Shoot, if you are the opposite-shop a year ahead for the next holidays-snap up these babies for next holidays and be ahead of the maddening mob.

Are the you take charge who dreams ahead?

These Assouline Books will not be available until mid-January but a person can dream of traveling as a Conde Nast Traveler or dressing like stylish and smart jet-setter while flipping the pages of "American Fashion Travel."

Great for the hard-charging Capricorn in your life.

If you want to warm a Capricorn's heart in your life or buttering up to one, here are some exquisite stocking stuffers that are viewed as practical, high quality travel kit care that she or he can use right now.

These decadent minis are open to buy right now at Ron Robinson at Melrose or ronrobinson.com.

Great emergency gifts.

See y'all next year and here's to another year of more glam and fabulous stuff and happenings.

Glitzy Gifts for the Glam Girl

By Laura Medina

2010 Vespa LX 150, left & 2009 Vespa GTV 250, right.

What to give for the girl, you assume has everything?

Glamorous gals may have a closet full of designer denim, drawers full of day tops, and a medicine cabinet crammed with makeup but they still need stuff that are both fashionable and functional.

Gilt. com is selling these pair of Vespas at a reasonable discount for the Glam Girl on the Go.

These stylish and zippy but gas mileage sensible motor scooters are easy to handle yet gets you in and out of traffic.

Gilt.com is selling the 2010 Vespa LX 150 is selling for $3,740, instead of the normal $4,736 and the 2009 Vespa GTV 250 at $5,520, not the average retail of $7,236.

Your Glam Gal would squeal if she sees one of these under the Christmas tree.

To complete her riding gear, you can give her a complete set of sequinned tank tops and shorts from Cynthia Rowley.

To really get her gear up, she can dress up her skinny jeans and knee-high boots by topping them with one of these glittering tanks underneath a sleek, black motorcross leather jacket.

For good luck in avoiding mishaps, you can toss the Koi Necklace for good luck.

A Glam Girl on the Go is not complete unless she has an emergency tool box. You can supply her with tools from Cynthia Rowley, dressy but not damsel-in-distress.

Now, she's really to roll.

"Mad Men" Costume Designer, Janie Bryant, "Enjoy the Glamour"

By Laura Medina

"Mad Men" & "Deadwood" costume designer, Janie Bryant autographing this scribe's book.

After much demand for her advice in how to inject glamour with personal style, "Mad Men" costume designer, Janie Bryant felt it was time to compile her education and experience into a style guide, "The Fashion File, Advice, Tips, and Inspiration from the Costume Designer of Mad Men."

This Southern girl parlayed her love of dressing up and clothing her Barbie Dolls, her degree from the American College of Applied College, her ten years working as a Seventh Avenue fashion designer into an Emmy-winning career as an highly esteemed costume designer for "Deadwood" and the influential "Mad Men."

January Jones, aka "Betty Draper," wrote in the foreword how this soft-spoken but modern lady, Ms. Bryant revolutionized the current state of the fashion industry.

Once she revived the long-forgotten but realistic hour-glass figure, current designers such as Michael Kors readjust their tailoring when keeping their collections contemporary. Dress form manufacturers changed and altered the bust lines and hips of their mannequins.

Thanks to Ms. Bryant's deft styling and tailoring of reintroducing the Fifties' hourglass silhouette for all of the women leads, she unwittingly gave full-figured women a voice after being neglected for so long.

Even though in her "The Fashion Files" Book signifies the epitome of each era, ranging from the Twenties Flapper to the Eighties' Glamazon, her favorite era is the Fifties.

Sketches from her "The Fashion Files" Book, describing the main style of each era.

Unlike the majority of fashion or style guidebooks, dictating how a person should dress and what is hip and trendy at that moment, Ms. Bryant's book is more how one becomes and thinks like a costume designer.

Knowing the madness of "Mad Men," she delve into the research process of dressing a period television drama, using modern day techniques, as on page nine, "How Color Makes a Character."

Not only does one has to love the film business with it's demands on accuracy and limited budget, but one has to read the script and uses clothes, hair, and makeup to tell the story visually. The duty of a costume designer is to say who these characters, without uttering a word, through their clothes, hair, and makeup to the audience.

Differing from the runways, a costume designer for a television show has to keep and redress the actors in the same piece that signifies their character. On page seventy-seven, in "Again and Again," Ms. Bryant reuses a certain look or item to build continuity and familiarity for the audience so they will feel closer to the characters. The repeated item becomes that character's statement piece whether it is Betty Draper's yellow cardigan as her comfort clothing or Peggy Olsen's blue and black checkered suit as her empowerment outfit or Joan Holloway swinging her gold fountain pen as her subtle but strong sign of Queen Bee authority.

A costume designer also uses clothes to signify the closeness or the tension in a relationship or a character's changing status in society, such as the mousy secretary Jane Siegal into socialite Jane Sterling wearing the trendiest Mod shift dress in Op Pop prints.

This is where the fun appeals to Janie Bryant, using dressing up as story-telling.

She can't say what the characters are going to wear for the upcoming season of "Mad Men," but she can say this...through her friend, Cooper Ray, Janie Bryant is going to be a guest judge for Charleston Fashion Week in Charleston, SC.

This series of holiday articles started with Dita Von Teese gracing these write-ups with glamour then Ms. Janie Bryant is bookending this with her advice on how to be glamorous for any shape and sizes.

Very fitting indeed.

H&M's largest and newest shop in Las Vegas at Caesar's Forum

By Laura Medina

Traditional Vegas Showgirls in H&M's red and white colors.

Considering is this a part of a holiday series, H&M wants to wish everyone "Happy Holidays" by throwing an opening party to their tallest and largest boutique-in Las Vegas at Caesar's Forum.

H&M hired old and new Vegas traditions to host the fete, the classic showgirls bedazzled in red and white to the new tradition of Cirque du Soliel performers and Lady Gaga and Cher impersonators greeting shoppers.

Bottom Center, H&M pure ice bar chisled out of a block of ice. Instant chill for rose champagne.

There was a big wait for this opening. The merchandising manager worked around the clock getting the manniquins dressed, posed, and strung up in mid-air. Prepping the DJ ledge overlooking the ground floor. Checking the elevators for the three-stories-yes, you heard it right-the three stories tall boutique up and running safe.

The overall layout is the women's collections on the ground floor. Men's in the middle then the children up on the three tier. Setting up like a mini-department store, there are escalators and glass elevators for those afraid of heights.


H&M spared no expense in bringing the holiday cheer with Vegas glitz.

Cher and Lady Gaga trotted among the shoppers. Local television crews held their spots.

Cirque du Soliel's "Mystere" performers mingled with the awestruck attendees.

A magican plucked a red orb out of this scribe's camera-and never failed to amaze.

It's not a solid floorplan. Each floor is cut away to a ledge overlooking the ground floor.

At the third floor, a shopper can look at the strung-up manniquins mid-air or those dressed up on the ledges.

If you want to check out H&M's jewel box of a boutique, it is located across from Max Brenner's Chocolate Restaurant and Shoppe at the revamped Caesar's Forum, Caesar's Palace's mall. They sandwich the new gelato bars.

Yummy clothes, performers, and food for the holidays.

Have a very risque Betsey Johnson Holiday

By Laura Medina

If evergreens and Rudolf's red nose makes a glaring color combination, believe it or not, you can get some naughty but smoking outfits from Betsey Johnson to jingle the holidays.

With the movie "Burlesque" and Dita Von Teese's three-night engagement, the smoky atmosphere and the peek-a-boo cut outs are reflected in Ms. Johnson's Parisian segment of her Spring/Summer 2011 "Le Tour" Collection.

A little grown-up for the jolly and springy Johnson but seems so soothing among the holiday cheer right now.

Plus, they will be put to better use come Valentine's Day.

Celebrate the Holidays with Justin Timberlake's William Rast for Target

By Laura Medina

For all you die-hard fans, especially for those in the South, your dream to getting your hands on a William Rast by Justin Timberlake and Trace Ayala-within a reasonable price at accessible locations-is materializing soon and fast.

Come this Sunday, December 19th, William Rast for Target is landing into stores.

This limited edition collection offers a sneak peek of William Rast's Spring/Summer 2011 regular line. Imagine a pair of Tennessee good ole buddies (girls can be buddies, too) hitting the road, and driving through the Southwest then being struck by cowboy couture of ranch shirts and Native American fringes.

To celebrate the incoming collection to Target, Justin and Trace hosted a fete fitting for the holidays. JT held court in the VIP Lounge.

Anna Faris was equally awestruck of Mr. Timberlake as were the lucky attendees, such as this scribe.

Now, see which celebrity actually shopped and bought which and what from the holiday collection.

Trace Ayala showed the women's black fringed leather jacket.

"Glee's" Darren Criss is admired the collection very much. Here's him picking out the men's black leather jacket.

Here's Trace Ayala proudly showing the women's ruched center front khaki twill jacket.

Anna Faris was wowed by the Flag Tunic, can be worn by itself or over leggings and jeggings.

Darren Criss is also taken by the men's nylon flight jacket.

Malin Ackerman and Rachel Bilson standing next to the pink washed, silk western blouse.

Rachel Bilson admiring the chambray western blouse while Mr. Ayala gives his thumbs up for the faux leather shorts. A great option to the mini skirt.

What the women's tan leather motorcycle jacket look like in the catalog and what it looks like on a real life female.

An array for Los Angeles fashionistas, Justin's inner circle, Hollywood celebrities, LA insiders and hipsters made merry-making this past Saturday night at top secret location in a remote downtown Los Angeles spot.

Justin's and Trace's limited edition line for Target made a splash among Young Hollywood who cannot get enough of it.

"Glee's" Chord Overstreet and fellow cast mate, Darren Criss, were love the menswear of rugged but hip classic sportswear of nylon flight and real black leather jackets and plaid shirts.

Malin Ackerman was running her fingers through the racks.

Anna Faris was bowed over by the casual but edgy tank tops and tunics.

What a way to hit the holidays...Justin Timberlake, "Glee" cast, and a galaxy of starlets.

Graceful Corinthian Muses for the Holidays

By Laura Medina

Tadashi's Winter Wonderland.

If the traditional, frumpy-dumpy, dorky Christmas sweater in cringe-inducing acrylic knit makes you want to itch, here are more elegant options that are multi-purpose for Chanukah/Christmas/Kwanzaa, and Chrismukkah.

For eveningwear, Tadashi Shoji of Tadashi and Binetti are draping women as Grecian Goddesses as Corinthian columns, the more frilly of the three Classical Orders: the stoic Doric, the minimal Ionic, and the ornate Corinthian column.

Binetti flutes of gowns.

The pleats resemble flutes. The long and lean silhouettes speak columns. The ruching and poufs sprout frills, leaves, and scrolls, characteristics of a Corinthian column.

The color palette was chisled in ivory or glided in silver. Sometimes, like in Tadashi, refer to nature as in the blossoming rose pink.

Draping women as Grecian Columns also dress them as the Three Muses in the Classical Arts: Melete for Practice; Mneme for Memory; and Aoide for Song.

These pretty much sums up being a haute couture designer. You need years of practice to learn your art. You need to memorize how fabrics flow, swing, hang, and drape. Hopefully, you will be so skilled that you have clients singing for your creations.

It is not all about the Classics.

It was the reintrepretion of the cuff. No longer restricted to a man's wrist. The cuff is used a meshed overlay for high heel sandals, such the ones by Giuseppe Zanotti. A cuff ring for the entire finger with hinges at the knuckles to bend. Of course, the long, drapey cuff necklace.

Now, these are family heirlooms your future daughters and nieces will be happy to have.