Twilight’s New Moon at Nordstrom, Sales of a Preptastic Sort

Hello-Hello and Happy Friday!

We are off shortly for a girls day visiting TQM (The Queen Mother), doing lunch and a movie.

We are a little late to the party with this one, many friends have already seen The September Issue, we are invoking better late than never privileges here.

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One fashion trend that does not appear to have a prep aesthetic comes courtesy of the soon-to-be-released film, The Twilight Saga: New Moon. The movie release is November 20.

Also on the way, Twilight clothing at Nordstrom.

Courtesy Nordstrom

Officially the line is called The Twilight Saga: New Moon for BP (Brass Plum, Nordstrom’s junior collections). Some merchandise can be purchased in stores and other pieces pre-ordered online with shipping later this month.

If in need of a man around the house, the Twilight collection can help:

Edward

As we understand things that is Edward Cullen and he is part of the collection, all 6 feet of him. Be advised some assembly is required. If he isn’t your kind of guy, perhaps Jacob is more suited to your personal taste. He is also available (click here) although his style doesn’t appear as natty as Edward‘s.

For others as terminally clueless as TP, unfamiliar with the storyline and stars, here is a photo with Edward (actor Robert Pattinson) in the background:

One can also see actress Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella, and Taylor Lautner, who plays Jacob.

The line features tee shirts and tanks, many displaying one’s allegiance to either Team Edward or Team Jacob.

Some pieces like this tunic carry phrases we presume to be integral to the plot or characters.

Nordstrom also has jewelry, including necklaces, charm bracelets, and bag clips like the one shown below.

There you have it. We suspect this is merely an early entry into the expected tidal wave of merchandising plans tied to the film. (For more on the Twilight Luna cosmetics line, here is our August post on that topic, this merchandise is available at any number of retailers. )

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We want to alert readers to a number of Sales and Savings opportunities, beginning with the Saks Friends and Family promotion.  Use the code FRIENDS2 for a 25% discount on most merchandise, 10% off beauty items.  To recieve complimentary shipping on all orders, use the code OCTSHIP9.

Today’s Pretty in Pink also comes from Saks and is another Breast Cancer Awareness item, the Key to the Cure Tee by Michael Kors.

Saks Fifth Avenue

Another Princess favorite, Kate Spade, is also offering some fiscally friendly possibilities.

This sale ends October 25.  BTW, the Kate Spade store that opened yesterday in Tokyo looks charming, below we see work before the big celebration.

Courtesy Kate Spade

Another retailer offering markdowns, Tory Burch; this sale begins today (Friday, 10.16.09) at noon.

Just an FYI, the URL is ToryBurchPrivateSale.com, not the standard website address.  These discounts end October 19.

One more online stop some may want to make, Gilt Fuse, another of the ‘members only’ online shopping sites that run sales for specific, limited amounts of time.  Gilt Fuse is the younger, hipper offshoot of Gilt. Today at noon the Betsey Johnson sale gets underway, and while much too cool for TP, we do like some of her styles.

The Scalloped Dress originally retailed at $425, it will be $144 during the sale.  We will be in and out of the office today, but if interested in an invite, just email me (thepreppyplanet at gmail.com, that is a deliberately left space in that address, so do delete it if using the address) and we’ll do our best to get one headed in your direction.

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We leave you with some Friday Fun, compliments of a delightful blogger,   Miss Tied Up With a Black Velvet Headband, also known as TUWABVH.  Knowing our Logophobia and attendant complications, she directed our attention to this yesterday.

Something about the polo-playing ponies seemed disturbing, or perhaps it was the hubcaps. Either way, the image was posted on a website known as People of Walmart. The site’s “about us” page shares more on their raison d’etre:

“We personally have nothing against Walmart. We, along with most of America, shop at Walmart for nearly everything we need.  This site is simply a satirical social commentary of the extraordinary sights found at America’s favorite store.”

The site was originally pointed out to us some time ago by the always-on-top-of-things Misadventures of a Newlywed; naturally we typed in the wrong URL and landed in cyber-purgatory. Now we know better. Our thanks to both Misadventures and TUWABVH for keeping us from being perilously out of touch.

May your weekends be warm and wonderful!

Headwear for a Princess, Prepalicious Sales & Savings

Hello-Hello, we hope it is cheery and sunny in your corner of the globe, it is simply beautiful here at the Prepatorium.

We switch gears a tad, taking a break from our dedicated coverage of the major Fashion Weeks, including the fourth and final week of designer shows now underway in Paris.  Fear not, we shan’t slight the incredible styles being revealed, and will focus on them in the next day or so.

We simply wanted to take a more lighthearted approach today, things or events that might prompt a smile, perhaps more appropriate to our Friday Fun category, but golly, TP is feeling wild and crazy, so we’ll just have some Friday-Fun-on-Thursday!

We start with a cute and creative way to transform those less-than-attractive helmets worn for protection into magical style statements. Behold, the Princess and the Frog.

CalliopeBoutique.com

For a closer look, here is a better photo of the Princess model, what a great way to stay safe under one’s helmet while also feeling fashionable and fun.  

These are constructed of fleece, so they are durable, and they’re available mid-October at the always-fabulous Calliope Boutique. For some reason The Consort is rather fond of this model:

Should we be concerned?

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Next, a cosmetic update from the Times with their story “For Lashes, Blue is Back“

Tony Cenicola/The New York Times

Some readers may carry memories of colored mascaras from back in the eighties. Apparently the trend has returned, according to Hilary Howard’s story, and a plethora of colors awaits your discerning selection. Or not.

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Next, a few Sales and Savings opportunities for you to ponder.

The Tory Burch Fall Sale is underway with some significant savings.

Another brand with preppish leanings, Kate Spade, has started its Friends and Family Sale.

The promotional event extends a 30% discount off one’s entire purchase, it  ends Oct. 4.  To receive the discount use promo code FALLFF09 at checkout.

Another favorite retailer, Garnet Hill, has started their October Clearance, with markdowns taken throughout the store.

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Next, news that yet another interesting magazine cover has been landed by a Gossip Girl star. In this case, Ed Westwick is showcased on the cover of Arena Homme+ for their Winter/Spring 2009/2010 issue.

Courtesy Arena Homme +

Arena Homme+ describes itself as “The World’s Leading Men’s Fashion Magazine” and while we were unable to locate a website for the publication, we did locate an Arena Homme+ Facebook page for those seeking more information. Additionally, Amazon offers the magazine. (It all looks a little odd to us, but then we’re not very familiar with the magazine.)

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We close with a treat discovered by our friends at the Pink and Green Scene, where their vigilance in seeking out all things in our favorite color scheme leads to such discoveries as this Little MissMatched Accent Pillow.

Courtesy Pink & Green Scene

If interested in adding this to the decor at your Palace, it is now on sale at $19.99 right here.

Smiles and hopes of a buoyant day to everyone!

Blake Lively + Tory Burch = ???

Hello-Hello everyone!

We jump right in today, as we’re leaning towards the possibility of a ‘hit and split’ as it were, meaning something akin to a poorly constructed post with even less import than one generally finds in these quarters! Hee-hee!

As we careen ever-closer to the season premieres of several television programs even TP is amazed at the volume of press devoted to same! (Ummm… this post and countless others would be called…??? Quite.)  This morning we noticed a story in WWD (Women’s Wear Daily, subscription req’d.) about fashion designers making cameo appearances on season 3 of Gossip Girl:

PHOTO: Giovanni Rufino / The CW

As you can surmise from the photograph above showing actress Blake Lively arm-in-arm with designer Tory Burch, Ms. Burch will be seen on the show this fall. In fact, word has it a special set was constructed to look like the inside of the designer’s office.

Also making an appearance on G2, designer and actress Georgina Chapman, half of the Marchesa label. Readers may have seen her in The Nanny Diaries or perhaps Factory Girl.  The WWD story shares a bit more about the designers-on-tv phenomenon:

“This isn’t the first time “Gossip Girl” has tapped real-life members of the fashion flock to appear on-screen — Nacho Figueras shot scenes in Greenwich earlier this summer for the show’s Sept. 14 season premiere, and Tinsley Mortimer had a guest spot last year.”

Both designers are can be seen in the October 5th episode.

Speaking of Gossip Girl… (how many times have we used this hackneyed phrase?) … it seems that the show’s marketing minds have come up with a Fall promotional campaign deemed by some to be more outrageous than those for Seasons 1 or 2.

PHOTO: Kurt Iswarienko/The CW

As someone who has never watched a full episode of the faux-prep program, we do have to admit the still photos for this year’s marketing campaign really have a touch of elegance. However, we shall refrain from using the 3-letter acronym used in the promos that is the primary irritant, as it is vulgar.

Speaking of vulgar, we have this image courtesy of the next issue of Elle Magazine:

Courtesy Elle

Have Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick gone goth? (Is that proper usage of the term…?) Or is it more of a look channeling the popular Twilight style?

Also, as we mentioned Tory Burch up above, we wanted to share this as well, arriving in this morning’s electronic in-bin:

Looks like an opportunity to acquire some new looks at a fiscally friendly price point.

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A few more retail headlines for those following the comings and goings of certain preppish brands:

J. Crew’s new Crewcuts store has opened on Madison Avenue:

Courtesy Photo via WWD

There are eight other Crewcuts stores, including NorthPark in Dallas (seen below) but this newly-opened shop is considered the flagship.

The story points out one styling point about the kids collection:

“… none of the apparel or accessories would qualify as “mini-me” versions of items in the adult J. Crew collection…”

Mrs. Newlywed, are you smiling?)

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And with one last retail note, the new Stubbs & Wooton store has opened, also on Madison Avenue. This is not an additional store, it is a relocation for the brand from their previous spot on Lexington, in the old Sigerson Morrison spot ‘neath the Carlyle. (The other shops are in Southampton and Palm Beach.)

Fashion Week Daily

There are loads of goodies on hand, including the flannel slipper with Pink Poodle, along with the firm’s classic needlepoint designs.

But much as we love pink and green, we’re not sure we’re up for the new camouflage needlepoint.

What do you think ladies? Is camo cool, whether it is in a slipper or a handbag? And if deemed fashionable, is it prep? (You know our answer.)

G’Bye for now, tune in tomorrow for a madly put-together post about another TV show premiering soon!

Wimbledon Controversy, plus Pretty in Pink!

Hello-Hello!

There are so many different clearance sales and other promotions underway in the retail world we wanted to share some of the goodies available in our favorite color. (But only those at fiscally friendly prices, of course.)

To begin our Pretty in Pink extravaganza we turn to a Princess favorite, Charles Tyrwhitt, for their splendid Prism Pink Cotton Polo. Originally priced at $110, the shirt is now $39.

While the original cost might seem extreme, we can vouch for the quality and über-soft feel of the cotton against one’s skin, worth every penny. There are several of these floating about the walk-ins for both primary residents here at the Prepatorium, they last for. ever.

Sadly, we are required to make do with the men’s version as Tyrwhitt does not yet manufacture these for women. (‘Yet’, she says optimistically.)  We are forced to do the same with the firm’s sweaters.  Also on offer at a reduced price point, the Summer Pink Cotton V-Neck.

As with the polo shirts, we can vouch for the quality, top-rate, all of the products from this establishment wear extremely well.

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Boden USA is doing one of their bigger sales, with some items discounted by as much as 50%, like the Knit Ruffle Jacket:

Originally $98, the cardigan/jacket is now $49.

If seeking something a little more casual for the Young Lady of the House, Boden’s Hotchpotch Sundress is only $24.

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Bergdorf Goodman is touting an additional “25% – 50% off” with their continuing Designer Sale:

BergdorfGoodman.com

Our favorite item may well be the Ralph Lauren Black Label Trench Coat.

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Tory Burch is offering an additional 25% off all sale items until July 1st; use promo code SALE25. We like the Sleeveless Denueve Top:

Originally selling at $185 the top is now $83.25.

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Moving to events across the pond, we head to Wimbledon for a celebrity sighting of a Gossipy sort, Chace Crawford:

PHOTO: Julian Finney/Getty

The Gossip Girl actor was spotted taking in the weekend action; almost all of the cast was back in the city today after a two-month hiatus, shooting for the upcoming season.

PHOTO: Just Jared

Our biggest concern: the Blake Lively footwear seen above. Among those hard at work, Ed Westwick, who was seen out on the town Saturday night celebrating his 22nd birthday with flame and co-star Jessica Szohr. Below, Mr. Westwick is looking very much in character this morning.

PHOTOS: Just Jared

There you have it.

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Having mentioned Mr. Crawford’s appearance at Wimbledon, we share news that the Daily Mail has a scathing column on who plays on what court,

“Babe, set and match: Why looks count for more than talent when Wimbledon decides which girls will play on Centre Court.”

Once again, our thanks to Rich at Down the Line Tennis for the tip on this story, one likely to prompt anger among many constituencies.  One quote in the story from a BBC Official:

‘Our preference would always be a Brit or a babe as this always delivers high viewing figures.’

Indeed.

The Journal also has an intriguing Wimbledon story with an equally provocative headline and sub-head:

Tennis Gets Hot and Heavy

Increase in Co-Ed Events Sparks More Love Matches; Federer as ‘Eye Candy’

Really. We had no idea.  And to think how this impacts everything related to the tournament!

“The bump in romance—and the possibility of romance affecting play—has put British bookmakers on guard. “If we heard that Roger or Andy were having relationship problems, we would factor it in,” says Rupert Adams of the London-based bookmaker William Hill.”

We had not thought about this particular consequence when considering the ramifications of romance at Wimbledon. Silly Princess.

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A reminder about the ever-so-wonderful Preppy 101, (aka All Things Southern & Preppy): registration for her Red, White & Blue Giveaway ends tonight at midnight. If interested in winning a set of our Tradition Placemats …

PreppyPrincess.com

And coordinating tiny Flower Napkins….

PreppyPrincess.com

Pop over to say hello!

With that it is time to fly out the door, as is so frequently the case, we are running behind!

NYC Prep, Tory Burch

Hello-Hello everyone, we are *so* excited here at the Prepatorium, it is truly luscious outside! We hope all our cherished readers are enjoying similar sunshiny circumstances wherever they may be spending the day!

We have previously mentioned the upcoming preppish docu-drama, NYC Prep.  The show is likely to be a competitor for Gossip Girl fans, most readers are aware that show focuses on students at a fictional school.

Courtesy Bravotv.com

NYC Prep premieres June 23, but Bravo aired a preview last week. In case you missed the preview but would still like to see it, here is a link; it is available online.

It shall be intriguing to watch the fashions worn by the students; below, Sebastian Oppenheim. According to the show’s brief online bio, his mother cuts his hair, demonstrating the prep frugality to which we are all accustomed.

Courtesy BravoTV.com

The show’s official website doesn’t provide the identities of the schools attended by the show’s participants, not will Bravo acknowledge or verify the schools. However, their identities and locales are commonly known and have been for some time.

Mr. Oppenheim is a sophomore at the Ross School in East Hampton. This is not an old guard school (not at all, it is fairly new), nor is it in the city, but as far as we know it is one of the only (if not the only) private school in the Hamptons.

The other male student in the show is Peter “PC” Peterson.

Courtesy BravoTV.com

Next, 15-year-old Taylor DiGiovanni:

Courtesy BravoTV.com

Miss DiGiovanni goes to Stuyvesant, not considered a ‘prep school’ as far as we know, but perhaps we’re just not as plugged in to things as much as we used to be. Other schools attended by students seen in the show include Birch-Wathen-Lenox and Nightingale-Bamford. (The latter being the school Gossip Girl is hypothetically based on.)

In a post about the two different shows (G2 & NYC) on the WSJ’s Speakeasy pages, a Chapin alum explains that the show:

“…misses the whole point of the East Coast attitude towards money, which is that you don’t show it, you don’t talk about it.  Living in LA now, I really see that contrast, and it’s huge.”

Exactly.

Ever-so-fun Preppy Handbook author Lisa Birnbach shares her thoughts on the ‘reality show’ in that same Journal post:

““The big hoax is the talent pool for this—no actual preppy kid would ever go to a casting call for something like this or want to be on a show like this at all—they present it as though all the people who go to these schools are from a certain world, and they’re not.””

Thank you. It makes our point perfectly.

Many Princess readers know the show is a fraud if the majority of students at these educational establishments are presented as being publicity-hungry like the teens in the show. Honestly, weren’t we were all taught the same mantra?

There are only three times a Lady’s name should be in the newspaper – upon the announcement of her birth, when she is married, and when she dies.

In these times, the practice is modified to accommodate some charitable and professional accomplishments, but honestly, discussing one’s financial situation, or being in an environment where it is a topic of discussion simply isn’t done.

Perhaps the biggest point of confusion for TP is probably going to be addressed in the actual show; this presumes we can bring ourselves to watch. But really, where are the teens’ parents? What are they thinking by allowing their children to participate in this?

That is all. For now.

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For those interested in the goings-on at upper crust schools like those discussed above, this story about Miss Porter’s in the current issue of Vanity Fair is for you.

PHOTOS: Jonathan Becker/Vanity Fair

The lengthy article looks at legal action against the school initiated by the parents of a former student; a student who admits cheating on a test.  We shall keep our opinions to ourself here, invoking the “if you haven’t anything nice to say” maxim.

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A reminder about the Tory Burch sale currently underway at invite-only shopping site Rue La La.  The sale ends June 17 at 11am; if you need an invite, just send us a quick email note.  One caution: the site was down at different times today; it seems functional now, but be prepared.

Speaking of Tory Burch, we have a few looks from her Resort 2010 show last week:

PHOTO: Thomas Iannaccone via WWD

We’re lukewarm.

PHOTO: Thomas Iannaccone/WWD

Underwhelmed best describes our reaction.

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That does it for us today dolls, we are a bit under the gun this week with a heavy volunteer schedule and a trip to see The Queen Mother at her Palace, how fun!