The Times Reviews True Prep, Mad About Emmy Party Frocks

Hello-hello, we are clearly embarking upon another wild and wacky week here at the Prepatorium, how are things shaping up in your corner of the globe?

We begin with a look at one of the first big reviews for True Prep, this one from Janet Maslin in the Times.  Ms. Maslin begins with a look back at the volume preceding True Prep, TOPH, along with another classic.

“But much of “The Official Preppy Handbook” just codified widely known information about high-WASP habits and affectations. (It also borrowed from “Take Ivy,” a 1965 style guide published in Japan.) Its original readers, whether they were knowing or curious, were apt to be of boarding-school age or a little older. Now they’re pushing 50.”

PreppyPrincess.com

Above, that iconic cover of Take Ivy.

The review mentions some of the societal changes since TOPH was first published.

“Among the post-1980 phenomena with which “The Official Preppy Handbook” could not conjure are the Internet, the McMansion, the cellphone, synthetic fleece and the emergence of famous rehab facilities as today’s new boarding schools.”

Below, one of many illustrations in the book.

Random House/Knopf

As mentioned in previous posts (here and here), the book includes many contemporary brands and companies.  A few seen in the Casual Friday image shown above, LL Bean, Cole-Haan, and J. Crew (too much Crew); product mentions caught Ms. Maslin’s attention:

“Ms. Birnbach is best suited to the shopping guide and flagrant product plugs that are a large part of this book’s raison d’être.”

Overall Ms. Maslin’s review is positive, with appreciation for the book’s humorous style and efforts to update common topics. Click here to read the review in its entirety.

Also of note, this month’s Allure features a True Prep tie-in piece, our thanks to the Bellini Bunny for showcasing it on her blog. The story contrasts popular styles of today with styles back in 1980 when TOPH was published.

Allure magazine via the Bellini Bunny

For example, “Beauty Icons then” include Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn, “Now” it is Gwyneth Paltrow. (Ahem.)

Also meriting a visit, Apartment Therapy’s “Waspy Whimsey“.

Apartment Therapy

Guerrin Gardner and Mat Sanders put together a wonderful styleboard inspired by the book.

For anyone interested in the schedule with dates and times for True Prep Book Tour events, click here; the link takes you to a page with all that info and more, The Consort the IT department put it together for the site.

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We quickly revisit some of last night’s fashionable (or not) moments at the Emmys. Below, three stars of Mad Men,  January Jones in Atelier Versace, Elizabeth Moss in Donna Karan, and Christina Hendricks in Zac Posen.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Below, Sally Draper actress Kiernan Shipka at the event.

Here are a few of the Mad Men, along with the show’s producer, Matt Weiner.

Chris Pizzello/AP

Actor Jon Hamm and longtime partner Jennifer Westveldt both wore Armani for the big do, while Tina Fey opted for a stunning Oscar de la Renta gown.

Perhaps the most unusual dress was worn by Rita Wilson, seen here with husband Tom Hanks.

Michael Buckner/Getty

The dress and shoes were both from the Prada runway show, we don’t know who did the handbag.

We generally adore Ms. Wilson’s style selections, but this one just didn’t work; it was a classic case of the dress wearing her, not the other way around.

Actress Claire Danes was a knockout in Armani.

We leave you with two more images from last night’s festivities.

Until next time!

ADDITIONAL PHOTO CREDITS:

• AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
• Frazer Harrison/Getty
• Jason Merritt/Getty

New Collection for Kiel James Patrick Giveaway & Now You Can Have Don Draper

Hello-Hello, welcome to a crazy Tuesday here at the Prepatorium.

We have just a few brief items before moving to our primary topic, Kiel’s fabulous new line of belts. But first, a quick glance at the Mad Men premiere party in New York Sunday night. Below, Betty & Peggy January Jones and Elizabeth Moss at the party.

Evan Angostini/Chase Sapphire/AP

There was quite a crowd on hand in Times Square for the festivities.

Evan Angostini/Chase Sapphire/AP

In related news…

Courtesy BarbieCollector.com

Yes indeedy, the official Barbie Mad Men dolls are now available. We are a tad confused about the target audience for these, as most girls enjoying their Barbies are not old enough to be watching the show, so how would they know who Betty and Don are …? Are adults expected to buy them?

As well as Roger and Joan.

Unlikely to be seen here at Princess InterGalactic HQ.

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We are ever-so-excited to share a new product launch with our friend Kiel James Patrick.  Behold the designer’s new Croffix Sailing Belts!

Kiel James Patrick

Kiel launched these in the wee hours of Monday morning after months of hard work, and we are delighted to share them with you.  Princess readers won’t be surprised to see that one of our faves is the Arabella Brayton Fellix (L), we also like the Gigi Tripler in a classic combination, pink and navy.

To see them in person is to marvel at the craftsmanship and attention to detail.  As with all KJP products, the belts are created from hand-knotted rope, finished with the finest Italian pebbled leather and lined with the firm’s trademark madras fabric.

Of course they coordinate perfectly with the bracelets we carry at the Princess.

Including our exclusive pink and green KJP Princess Bracelet seen sandwiched below between Kiel’s solid green and white belts.

Below, more styles from the new collection.

Kiel James Patrick

How excited are all of us about the belts? Enough that Kiel has asked us to help kick-off the Croffix Belt launch with a giveaway! The winner receives one of the new Sailing Belts in the pattern  and size of their choosing.  How fun is that? Here’s how to enter:

• For one entry leave a comment telling us your favorite KJP belt
• For a 2nd entry leave a comment telling us your favorite KJP product at The Princess
• For a 3rd entry fan The Princess on Facebook & leave a comment telling us you did (If already a fan just let us know)
• For a 4th entry blog about this giveaway (please leave a link to your post in your comment)
• For a 5th entry Tweet about the Giveaway and let us know you did
• Receive 3 additional entries for sending friends/readers to the contest, just have them tell us you sent them here in their comment

Entries will be taken until Noon next Monday, August 2 and we will announce the winner in Tuesday’s post.

Until next, thank you for popping in to visit!

The Fashion Post: Kentucky Derby & White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Hello-Hello, and welcome to another Monday here at the Prepatorium. Things are so busy we are making this post count for both Monday and Tuesday, it is that insane.

Following such a social whirl of a weekend on the national party scene, we have lots of fun photos to share. We begin with a peek at some of the goings-on at the Kentucky Derby. Fashions varied wildly, many reflecting the inclement weather conditions.

The rain and mud wreaked havoc for many a fashionista.

Fashionable hats were still visible; below left we see Ruben Studdard and his wife, Zuri, as well as Dino Manzo and Andy Cohen in the photo on the right.  Mr. Cohen is an executive with Bravo television and we understand Ms. Manzo is in the cast of a reality show airing on that network.

Second City Style referred to Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minillo as the Worst Dressed Couple at the Derby.

That seems a little harsh. The blog also offers this:

“Aside from those floral centerpieces and large straw hats, I felt that many of the women dressed stylishly, yet immodestly and not at all in the vision of what I have come to believe is the Kentucky Derby.”

As a firm believer in the ‘less is more’ aesthetic, we tend to agree.

There was no shortage of celebrities; below,  Joe Don Rooney, Jay DeMarcus and Gary LeVox of the country music band Rascal Flatts.

Jeff Gentner/Getty

Several athletes were also on hand. Below left, skier Bodie Miller and on the right, skater Johnny Weir.

But back to the hats, always delightful to behold.

We love the entire look in the photo above so much we are making it today’s Pretty in Pink.

And how does one transport their chapeaux to and fro?

David J. Phillip/AP

We don’t know how these gentlemen protected their headwear, we do know we adore both styles.

Even a pink flamingo was spotted.

As well as a mass of red roses.

Charlie Riedel/AP

Bearing a striking resemblance to the real deal.

Andy Lyons/Getty

Above jockey Calvin Borel kisses his wife Lisa after his big win.

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Did anyone else spend part of their Saturday night watching the WHCA (White House Correspondents Association) dinner? The pre-parties started early in the week, below we see student Candice Crawford, Dallas Cowboy Tony Romo and Gossip Girl actor Chace Crawford at the People magazine function. (Yes, Candice is Chace’s sister.)

Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Time Inc.

Women’s Wear Daily provides this insight on the mix of attendees:

“While Chace Crawford of “Gossip Girl” and pal Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboys aren’t exactly renowned policy wonks, they stopped by to provide a little eye candy for the lady politicos, who were all-to-eager to pose for a souvenir picture with the duo.”

Many celebrities were on hand, just not as many from inside the beltway as there used to be; below, Rachel Ray and her husband John Cusimano.

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Publisher Rupert Murdoch and his wife, Wendi Deng.

Richard Clement/Reuters

As the Washington Post’s Reliable Sources blog put it:

“The quintessentially Washington party has morphed into a Washington-themed party, with the president and politicians playing decorative cameos for the sake of the corporate muckety-mucks and a parade of celebrities who’ve just jetted in.”

Below, a duo actually from the area, General Colin Powell and his wife.

Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty

The styles seen at the event prompt today’s “Help Me Understand”.

We realize Justin Bieber is currently quite the heartthrob; we’re merely confused about the young man’s hairstyle.  As far as the image on the right goes, reports are that the entertainer wanted to meet Ms. Kardashian more than anyone at the function.  The 16-year-old was very much in demand; Donovan McNabb wanted to have his photo taken with the young singer.

Amy Argetsinger/The Washington Post

More from the Reliable Sources report:

“Justin Bieber, the tiny tween idol with a big bow tie, was striding out of the dining room of the Hilton Washington Saturday night when a much larger man stopped him and asked to shake his hand.

“My daughter loves you,” said Donovan McNabb.

Bieber, 16, with a swagger way beyond his years, turned and took the new Redskins quarterback’s outstretched hand.”

Many insiders refer to it as ‘The Prom,’ and there were some serious gowns; First Lady Michelle Obama wore Prabal Gurung.

Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty via The Cut

We don’t know who Chelsea Handler, Katie Couric or Gabourey Sidibe were wearing, they all looked lovely.

As did Scarlett Johansson, radiant in Prada.

Planning the gala would create stress for even the most accomplished hostess, doing the seating arrangements for such disparate personalities must be quite the challenge. (Although we suspect experts like Miss Janice would probably handle this with aplomb.) Bono, Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are seen in this image.

Tony Powell/Washington Post

Below, Director Steven Spielberg (2nd L) and his wife Kate Capshaw (L) poses with actress Michelle Pfeiffer (2nd R) and David E. Kelley (R) as they arrive at the dinner.

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty

Rumors are always rampant during the week, among the stories circulating this year, a report that Wendy Williams refused to attend because she was seated next to Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth.  The horror.

Agostini-AP & Connor/Getty via NY Daily News

Another hot topic, actress Angelina Jolie supposedly turning down a White House invitation to the Dinner.  Below, Greta van Susteren and Kim Kardashian.

From the Capitol Hill Style blog, three questions on Kim Kardashian’s look:

1) How much false eyelash is too much false eyelash?
2) How on Earth does she get her undereye makeup so perfect?
3)  Am I wrong, or is Kim slowly morphing into Catherine Zeta-Jones?

Elizabeth Moss and her husband, Fred Armison attended; Ms. Moss portrays one of TP’s favorite characters from the television show Mad Men.

Others from the Hollywood contingent included Alec Baldwin and Mariska Hargitay, along with Washington insiders Alexandra Wentworth and George Stephanopolous.

We turn to the Celebritology blog for more:

“The amount of star power ratcheted up a few notches at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, where at least one representative from virtually every current, mainstream American pop culture phenomenon joined the swirling, overheated mass of humanity inside the Washington Hilton.”

Michael Oher of the Baltimore Ravens (L) and Donatella Versace (R).

Another TP fave, Julianna Margulies on the left and on the right, Terence Howard. (If only we could get Mr. Oher, whom we think the world of, connected with Mr. Howard’s tailor, he would be one stylish figure.)

And while the Dinner is beginning to resemble the Oscars more and more (complete with associated festivities from Vanity Fair, People, the New Yorker and others) there is a difference, as pointed out in this post from Celebritology:

“These cultural collisions are what give the dinner that social train wreck quality that, frankly, you just don’t find at the Oscars. It’s why Betty White is seated happily a few chairs over from Eric Holder .”

We do love looking at the gowns, and hope you do too!

• John Gress/Reuters
• Mario Tama/Getty
• Jeff Haynes/Reuters
• Luis M. Alvarez/AP
• Darron Cummings/AP
• Matt Sullivan/Reuters
• Andy Lyons/Getty
• Jeff Gentner/Getty

It’s a Mad Mannish Gossiping Girlish Kind of Day at the Prepatorium

Hello-Hello and welcome to Thursday!

We are feeling a bit crushed under the weight of business and some travel commitments so we preface our post today with an apology, as it is much more flash than substance. (But good flashiness we like to think, in a Gossippy and Madly Mannish sort of way.)

Blame it all on the September issues of a few of our favorite magazines, starting with Harper’s Bazaar, using Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester for their cover.

Terry Richardson/Harper's Bazaar

As part of the magazine’s “Fabulous at Every Age” feature the story has photos of Ms. Leighton ‘aging’ into her fifties, a fascinating technique. We thought the young actress looked stunning in this Lanvin dress and belt.

Terry Richardson/Harper's Bazaar

Another Gossip Girl gracing a September issue: Taylor Momsen on the cover of Teen Vogue.

PHOTO: Patrick Demarchelier

The show continues filming all over the city; below we see Blake Lively with her pooch, a photo that has the Daily Mail saying her maltese/poodle dog is “the perfect accessory” in this story.

PHOTO: Splash News

And finally in Gossip Girl notes, official word came yesterday that the proposed G2 spinoff is dead. There you have it.

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Most readers know we are enormous Mad Men fans, eagerly counting the seconds until Season 3 of the 60’s-based drama premieres on the 16th. Knowing how many readers share our addiction fondness for the show, we thought we might alert you to this stunning image in Vanity Fair:

PHOTO: Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair

For those not-so-gaga not entirely familiar with the show, above we see “Don and Betty Draper,” played by Jon Hamm and January Jones.  The photo is one of several jaw-dropping shots accompanying an excellent story: “Don and Betty’s Paradise Lost” in the magazine.

The genius of Annie Leibovitz captures both stars perfectly.

PHOTO: Annie Leibovitz/Vanity Fair

Bruce Handy’s article is superb reading:

“Entering its third season on a fresh wave of Emmy nominations, AMC’s Mad Men is the most stylish—and perhaps best—show on television. Inside its meticulous reconstruction of the precipice that was New York advertising circa 1960, where the men and women of Sterling Cooper smoke, drink, love, and lie…”

Mr. Handy previously did stories with both Mr. Hamm and Ms. Jones; to see these, just click on their names.

Another must-read for M2 fans, Chris Mohney’s story in BlackBook simply titled “Elizabeth Moss: Mad Style“.

PHOTO: Bravo-TV via BlackBookMag.com

Ms. Moss portrays ‘Peggy,’ a young woman making waves at the fictitious advertising agency because she is doing a man’s work (gasp), having moved out of the secretarial pool into actually writing ads!

We can hardly wait to see the first episode next Sunday night (16th) at 10pm!

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We have a few quick Sales and Savings notes today, starting with Saks doing their Consolidation Clearance, a sure sign that we are approaching the end of summer in the retailing world. (Note that TP refuses to acknowledge we are inching ever-closer to the end of summer in the real world. Clearly denial has moved from Egypt to the Midwest.)  A cautionary note on the Saks sale; they say prices go back up August 17.

J. Crew is also promoting fiscally-friendly price points, with new items added to their Final Sale.

And Polo Ralph Lauren is doing their End of Summer sale.  This includes items for the four-legged and furry members of your family.

The Striped Crest Polo is one of today’s Pretty in Pink items, despite it triggering our Logophobia. (Honestly. How disturbed can one get when it discussing a garment intended for your favorite pooch?) It is now only $14, discounted from the original selling price of $40.

Bargains abound dollfaces, so if at all possible we shall attempt to shop early, shop often and do what we can to help move the country beyond These Challenging Times.

We close with our second Pretty in Pink item, this one directly from the Princess shoppe. For your consideration we offer the Good Living Gift Labels:

The labels are about the size of a business care and come in their own little acrylic plastic case, so they can be kept orderly, something near and dear to our OCD heart. (We do hate it when we have labels loose all over our little gift closet, it just makes us a little goofy.) At just $6 for a box of 18 labels, we love this as an outstanding way to label gifts and goodies, perfectly preppy and ideal for gift-giving. There are several other patterns and colors available if these just a little too preptastic.

With that perky note we must scamper back to the Corner Condo here at InterGalcatic Princess HQ. Thank you for stopping in, we’ll be back tomorrow!