Cartier & Saks Light Up, Ultimate Preppy Girl’s Christmas Sweater

Hello busy blog friends!  We’ll simply share a few ‘quick hits’ today as we are off shortly for an all-afternoon volunteer shift.

In a Pretty in Pink special we just fell onto this darling sweater at Best Dressed Child.  Are you ready for the full name of this sweater? Meet the Glorimont Girls Hot Pink Preppy Christmas Trees Cardigan.

The sweater is available in toddler sizes, and imagine this: the trees are removable so it can be worn much longer than most holiday-themed clothing! Bets of all, it is on sale for only $27, marked down from $54.

Best Dressed Child

If seeking something special for the young master of the household, how is the Glorimont Boys Green Check Longall?

Here at the Prepatorium, we are simply ga-ga over the vintage station wagon that adorns this little outfit.

If the name of the shop sounds familiar, it is one of the retailers TP suggested readers check with if hoping to buy the Biscotti Precious Jewels Christmas Dress worn by Malia Obama on election night.  (If still desirous for information on the Biscotti dress and/or the Gerson & Gerson dress worn by Sasha Obama, click here.)

Fun, fun, fun last night as Tory Burch helped Saks turn on the holiday lights for the season at their Fifth Avenue store.

PHOTO: Scott Gries/Getty

The designer along is seen with her two boys at last night’s annual Snowflake Spectacular and window unveiling, accompanied by designer Zac Posen.

Also unveiled to the public yesterday, the Cartier windows. A rotund fellow named Santa was assisted by Kelly Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos in unveiling the windows.

PHOTO: Peter Kramer/AP

All of the excitement is a good reminder for us to remind you about entering the Great Preppy Giveaway contest, with free goodies from PreppyPrincess.com! Just leave a comment on this or any post and tell us something you are grateful for…that’s it! You’re in!

Here is a sampling from a few we have already received:

Jessica at the oh-so-fun Gifting Gumshoe shares:

“I am thankful for my wonderful husband, family, friends and sweet Shar-Pei, Gilligan!”

From Amanda:

“I am thankful that my 87 year old grandmother is still alive and kicking and that I get to see her in January.”

And the irrepressible McMommy wrote:

“I’m not gonna lie to you, Princess….. I am thankful for my vino every evening.

I love, love, love this giveaway!!!!!!! You have no idea how much I’ve been craving a new apron!! I’m hoping and praying I win!”

We have learned what Brooks Brothers is planning for Black Friday: 15% off all purchases, and we are told this even includes Black Fleece items from TP’s favorite designer, Thom Browne.

If seeking substantial markdowns, we recommend heading over to the Brooks’ website to look at the Black Fleece merchandise currently on sale, as there is quite a bit. For example, the Women’s Cashmere Morning Coat that was $2900 is now $840, and the Men’s Cashmere/Cotton Canvas Reversible Coat is discounted by almost 75%, now $1050 from the original selling price of $3500.

We’ll be back tomorrow with more on J. Crew’s situation and the rest of the Black Friday information.  (We are receiving so many inquiries about J. Crew or Banana Republic Black Friday info that is currently posted, just click here if you need it.)

Until later!

Finally: Sasha and Malia Obama Election Night Dress Info

Hello-Hello!

Before we say anything, let us publicly thank Miss Fabulous herself, Kate at the Nautical by Nature blog for tipping us on where to get the scooop about those darling dresses worn by Malia and Sasha Obama on election night.  Below, a photo of the future First Family on Tuesday night.

Joe Raedle/Getty

As we reported on Thursday, (although at that time we were not entirely convinced it was actually the same dress), the bright red dress worn by Malia Obama is by Biscotti, Inc. The full name of the item is the Biscotti Girls Precious Jewels Christmas Party Dress with Bubble Hem.

PHOTO

According to this report on the Journal’s Fashion Blog, Biscotti has been inundated with requests from buyers:

“Buyers really, really wanted it. We found out we had more of the fabric so we’re quickly producing more,” said Bernadette Reiss, Biscotti’s co-owner. The label says it has enough fabric to make 150 to 200 more pieces.

Here is the Nordstrom photo, followed by a tight shot of the belt that comes with the dress, although Malia opted for a more understated belt.

The dress is made in Vietnam, and Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan’s story notes that this additional run now being manufactured should be available in stores in approximately three weeks.

The story reports that an Obama family spokesperson says the dress was purchased at Nordstrom, which is where we originally showed the item, available at $110.  Best Dressed Child also shows the dress, but at $104. While this style does appear to be sold out/selling out fast, there are a number of *very* similar styles by Biscotti, including this one; the primary difference is in the sleeves and the big bow in the back. We show the dress as available at ‘Shop Girl Super Chic Boutique‘.

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Here is one of the matching cardigans or shrugs in the Biscotti Girls Precious Jewels Christmas Party group.

We now move on to the incredibly sweet party frock with the giant bow on the front worn by Sasha Obama. We have deliberately kept the photo almost full-size to better show the dress.

PHOTO: Jim Bourg

It turns out the dress is made by Gerson & Gerson, Inc., according to another story on the Journal’s fashion blog.  The company’s headquarters and showroom are in New York; their apparel is made under the Iris & Ivy label as well as the Bonnie Jean name.

“… the company has nevertheless sold out of the $72 dress that it makes under the Iris & Ivy children’s label and sells at retailers like Nordstrom and Dillard’s.”

PHOTO: Jason Reed/Reuters

Here is a photo from the Gerson & Gerson website; the URL may also show up in your browser as “Bonnie Jean.”  Gerson is the parent company to that line.

Ms. Tan’s story includes company President Barbara Zein’s plans for exploiting the Sasha Obama connection to their dress:

“Ms. Zein already has plans to further capitalize on the Obama connection. “We’re bringing back the style immediately in a different fabrication,” says Ms. Zein, who adds that the pieces will probably be in stores by spring. To cement the link to the new First Family, she’s given the style a name: Sasha.”

TP believes there is a very fine line between smart, aggressive marketing and the boundaries of good taste. Ms. Zein’s toe just went over it.

PHOTO: Joe Raedle/Getty

Above all, the Obama children looked beautiful and were charming throughout the evening. Below, a behind the scenes photo shows Sasha giving big sister Malia a little kiss as Mom watches.

Obama Campaign

There is an entire album of behind-the-scenes photographs available for anyone to view at the Flckr website.

Another fun set of photos? The “Project Runway Ball Gown Challenge” over at the Daily Beast. Here is just one sketch, from Chris March, a Season 4 semifinalist.

TheDailyBeast.com

Another tidbit from Tuesday night we hadn’t shared (for space considerations) is the Vogue magazine chatter. Below, a fun shot of Vogue magazine’s editor-at-large Andre Leon Talley, via Fashion Week Daily’s story. TP loved reading this if only for the knowledge she was not hallucinogenic Tuesday evening when watching the events in Grant Park.

Fashion Week Daily

Mr. Talley and Vogue Editor Anna Wintour hosted numerous fund-raising parties on behalf of the Obama-Biden ticket.  As NY Magazine‘s wonderful blog The Cut reported in June :

“Rumor has it André Leon Talley is just dying to get his hands on Michelle Obama. The New York Post reports he wants to style her, like he did Venus Williams for the Costume Institute gala or Jennifer Hudson at the 2007 Oscars. Only ALT’s not always spot-on with his wardrobe choices; many critics flat-out hated the gold python bolero jacket Hudson wore at said Oscars. And some Democrats are a wee bit nervous that Talley might lead Obama to fashion faux pas–dom as well. (Since when did these politicos become so fashion-conscious?)”

But the real chatter involves Ms. Obama appearing on Vogue’s cover, a tradition for First Ladies, although not always immediately following the elction. Another celebrity in the VIP area of Chicago’s Grant Park Tuesday was super-celebrity Oprah Winfrey.

PHOTO: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty

We have to post this photo collage because we just didn’t realize all the magazine covers featuring the President-elect prior to the election.

Courtesy Gawker.com

We have yet to obtain positive confirmation that Cassandra Bromfield has been selected to create Michelle Obama’s gown for the Inaugural Balls, or that she is designing daywear for the other events on January 20th. Below, another image

Courtesy Cassandra Bromfield

Michelle Obama Inauguration Dress, More Election Night Fashion, More Preppy Sales

Happy Thursday to everyone!  We are more than pleased to see the weekend approaching. For some reason The Princess finds herself more than a little weary this week and the thought of relaxation is appealing.  Is it just us, or are you also feeling a bit sluggish?

We will update our recent posts on election night fashions momentarily, but first, an online site is reporting they know who is doing Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown!

According to theYBF (Young, Black and Fabulous) blog, an Atlanta designer has already been asked to create the dress.

“We’ve also learned from Atlanta Gossip that Mrs. O got a jump start on her Inauguration dress plans last week. She already tapped famed African American NY designer Cassandra Bromfield to custom make her Inauguration dress.”

We visited the Bromfeld site, and share one of the gowns featured online:

Courtesy Cassandra Bromfield

From the designer’s bio:

“Bromfield’s wedding dress and bridal designs range from African American wedding dress designs… like patchwork detail couture, an elegant silk taffeta halter dress topped with a satin faced organza duster with delicate French cuffs, to a sophisticated matte-jersey creation that gracefully drapes the body.”

Ms. Bromfield also writes a popular wedding blog.  We will await confirmation of the news on the gown’s designer and share it with you as soon as we know the information.

Now back to fashions already worn; we have a little more information on the Narciso Rodriguez dress seen below (for more photos click here) as worn by Michelle Obama election night.

PHOTO: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty

The dress has been widely criticized, near and far. Here is a snippet from one of the Obamas’ hometown newspapers, the Trib:

“Unfortunately, two key tweaks to the runway version of the dress, presumably made to take it from cocktail-sexy to first-ladylike, disrupted its intentions and architecture.

First, the lengthened bodice. Second, the cardigan that Obama layered on top.”

And that is some of the milder criticism. Ouch!

PHOTO: George Chinsee

Next, the navy suit worn by Alaska Governor Sarah Palin Tuesday evening.

PHOTO: Rick Wilking/Reuters

Amid much speculation about the suit’s designer, several blogs discovered it is an Elie Tahari creation. However, it is not available at every location carrying the Tahari line, as the navy colorway shown above is exclusive to Neiman Marcus. Below, a composite from New York magazine showing the suit in the Neiman’s catalog and Ms. Palin on Tuesday night in Phoenix.

Photos: Neiman Marcus, Getty

An individual appearing to be in the know left comments on fashion blog Trendbites in response to posts about the attire worn by Ms. Palin at the vice presidential debate:

“On behalf of my company…Tahari Arthur S. Levine (a division of Elie Tahari)… Dawn is CORRECT… the black skirt suit that Sarah Palin was wearing at the RNC VP Debate was in fact a Tahari Suit. In addition, she has also been seen wearing the same suit (which was made for Neiman Marcus as a special cut in blue) where she wore the blue jacket over the black skirt, getting more mileage for her money. Lastly, she has also worn numerous suits from our many divisions: Tahari Arthur S. Levine suits which are priced on average at 179.99 – 199.99 and which have been bought at either Macys, Lord and Taylor department stores…”

Below, a photo of Ms. Palin at the vice-presidential debate.

PHOTO: Rick Wilking/Reuters

But here is the really big mystery: who did the dresses worn by Malia and Sasha Obama?  We have received multiple inquiries here at Princess InterGalactic HQ about those darling dresses.  Below, Malia in a red bubble-hem dress with center bow at waist and a cropped cardigan, both in red.

PHOTO: Jae C. Hong/AP

Many think Malia Obama is wearing this Biscotti dress, although with a different belt than the one sold with the dress.  We show it at Nordstrom; it is available at $110. There is a matching/coordinating cropped cardigan Biscotti offers as well, but that does not look to us like the one Malia was wearing.

Here is a better shot of both girls with their father, the President-elect.

PHOTO: Jason Reed/Reuters

Now to avoid any controversy, we do want to share that we have also confirmed who the President-elect was wearing Tuesday night:

He was wearing a Hart Schaffner Marx custom suit very much like the one worn at the Democratic Convention. There are more detail and photos of that suit here, our post with “The Inside Story on the Candidate’s Suit.”  Selecting this suit was another wise choice: it looked great and the Hart Schaffner Marx manufacturing facility is in the Obamas’ home state of Illinois.  Click here to see an almost identical HSM suit.

An update on markdowns being taken by retailers everywhere, beginning with J .Crew, now offering an additional 30% off their sale merchandise.

This will also act as our Argyle Update for the day, as we show the Boys’ cotton-cashmere duke-argyle vest, now more than 50% off its original selling price, before the extra discount is added to the mix. (“Subtracted” from the mix?)

Crew is also offering their wonderful Madras cabana bag; it is also discounted by more than 50%, and this is before the additional 30% discount.

Of course regular readers know we are fiends for madras, as evidenced by our goodies at the Preppy Princess Emporium, like our lush and lovely Set Point Towels.  (Psst…hunting for a gift? The monogramming on these is included at no extra charge!)

PreppyPrincess.com Set Point Towels

PreppyPrincess.com

Neiman Marcus continues their online clearance:

Nordstrom is offering their Half Yearly Sale for Women and Kids.

And the online clearance is still ongoing at Talbots as well as their Collection Sale with merchandise like this Collection Jacket in Ivory.

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And finally, for today’s Pretty in Pink, we share one of our major obsessions here at the Prepatorium: the Globetrotter Vanity Case at Vivre, from Globetrotter’s Candy Collection.

The lining is done in an exquisite Liberty of London print. (The store on Regent Street is on TP’s list of Top 5 shopping meccas in Europe.)

If one requires a tad more room for their belongings, there is always the Trunk, also from the Candy Collection, and also exclusively at Vivre.

If anyone has info on the dresses worn by the Obama girls, please share!