Another Prep Fashion Faux Pas, Inaugural Updates, AntiPreps

First off, before you read one more word, scoot over here and leave a comment so you are entered in this week’s Great Giveaway, with preppy goodness anyone can win! Leaving a comment about anything you are thankful for = giveaway entry.

Quick headlines of the day, many of which may well be moldy oldies to many of you, but here we go anyway.

The Presidential daughters will be attending Sidwell Friends school; Malia at the Middle School in Northwest DC (the Upper School Building is also here), and Sasha at the Lower School campus that is actually located in Bethesda. Malia is in fifth grade and Sasha in second grade.

PHOTO: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP

The Obamas selected the Quaker school where Chelsea Clinton and Al Gore III received their educations, deciding it was a better fit than Georgetown Day and Maret. For more background, our post here may be helpful.

Newsweek features the future First Lady in their Dec.1 issue, on newsstands today.

PRNewsFoto/NEWSWEEK

And we hear an entire book dedicated to the Michelle Obama style is quickly being put together; former Mademoiselle editor Mandi Norwood is writing the book. It is scheduled for publication sometime next spring by Avon Books.  Coming out even earlier, “Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady“ is due December 9.

Harper Collins

Written by David Bergen Brophy, the publisher is Harper Collins.

Speculation continues on who will design Michelle Obama’s gown for the Inaugural Balls in January, but we have seen little devoted to basic inauguration day apparel for Michelle Obama and the girls….? Seeing some designs in that genre would be most enjoyable.

That now-famous Thakoon dress worn by Michelle Obama is now officially out of production, at least for the time being.

PHOTO: Mark Wilson/Getty

More sketches for Inaugural gowns are floating about from other designers, including this from Isabel Toledo, done at People magazine’s suggestion, for a story.

Isabel Toledo via People.com

Below, Mrs. Obama in the Isabel Toledo gown worn to a June fundraiser hosted by Anna Wintour (Vogue) and Calvin Klein. Many readers may be familiar with the divine illustrations Ms. Toledo’s husband, Ruben, has done for the Nordstrom catalogues.

PHOTO: AP

And Reem Acra also shared her creativity, again, per People magazine’s request.

Reem Acra via People.com

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We have another entry in the Gwyneth Paltrow Fashion Faux Pas category. While we do not want to appear as though we are unfairly focusing on Ms. Paltrow, her style statements of late are surprising in light of her über-preppy upbringing.

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Above, the actress at the grand re-opening of the remodeled Fontainebleau this weekend. The famed hotel was also home to the Victoria’s Secret fashion show taping.

The always-interesting Styleist blog takes Ms.Paltrow to task for the Antonio Berardi dress she wore (below) to the Two Lovers film premiere in London.

PHOTO: Getty Images

The comments include these:

“We see London, we see France, we see Gwyneth Paltrow in Paris at the premiere of ‘Two Lovers’ wearing another weird dress. Plus we see underpants! And her bra!

Gwyneth frequently comes thisclose to fashion greatness. But then she takes a giant leap off the Cliff of “Odd and Awkward” into the ocean of “Looking at Her Makes Us Wince”. Doesn’t she have any friends? Or a mirror?”

The Victoria’s Secret goings-on alerted us to very frightening news: two Antipreps were in the same place.  At the same time.  Clearly someone neglected to put up the deflector shield.  Mon Dieu.

Exhibit A:

PHOTO: Hans Deryk/Reuters

In case anyone is fortunate enough to *not* recognize this individual, it is TV personality Kim Kardashian; here is our initial post affirming Ms. Kardashian attaining official AntiPrep status.

Next we have Paris Hilton, our very first Anti-prep, as explained here. It could almost be said Ms. Hilton prompted the necessity of an Anti-prep category.  BTW, for those keeping score at home, this is the second such occurrence of dual (dueling?) anti-preps appearing at the same location.

PHOTO: Hans Deryk/Reuters

We apologize for the multiple spellings on antiprep; we just can’t locate the word in our Webster’s and don’t know how to spell it so we can find it when we look things up in the blog.

Until next time!

More Election Fashions Including Michelle Obama’s $10,000 Earrings, Sneak Peek at Thakoon for Target, Preppy Updates

It is Friday, and what a magnificent thing that is… sigh. “And visions of bubble-baths danced in her head…”

We start with more photos from Election Night in response to the ongoing inquiries we are receiving related to Cindy McCain’s dress (a suit), as well as Michelle Obama and Sarah Palin’s apparel.

PHOTO: Jim Bourg/Reuters

There isn’t really loads more to report.  However, we can share new information regarding the future First Lady’s earrings on Tuesday night, hopefully seen in the photographs that follow.  (We do apologize in advance for their large size; clearly we are trying to show those beautiful earrings!)

PHOTO: Morry Gash/AP

They are by Loree Rodkin, crafted of white gold and diamonds. UPI spoke with Ms. Rodkin about Ms. Obama wearing her design election night:

“Loree Rodkin, a Los Angeles-based designer of expensive jewelry, said she was surprised and pleased to see Obama wearing her earrings. Rodkin said the design retails for $10,275 a pair — and were not a loan.”

PHOTO: Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty

The earrings look light and lacy, and very feminine, stunning on Ms. Obama.  In the online bio at her website the designer is described:

“…known for her noncomformist visionary approach to jewelry making…. has designed jewelry for most of Hollywood’s brightest stars including Madonna, Mary J. Blige, Cher, Aerosmith…”

According to the Browns Fashion website, the earrings are available for ordering now, if one is so inclined:

Courtesy Browns Fashion

If interested in purchasing the earrings, one must email Browns, they are not currently available on the site.

Here is a photo someone named Diablo Cody (?) in what is a similar style if the skull and crossbones are removed:

 

A Loree Rodkin ad from May, 2008:

 

TheEssentialist.com

For a good look at the designer’s work, try these items at Glimpse, or the selection at Blue Bee.  It would seem from surveying a variety of retailers and other sites that a fair amount of Ms. Rodkin’s work is done using images of skulls, daggers, and other “goth” (?) motifs. (Is that the term…?) Here is the designer in a press photo:

 

Courtesy Loree Rodkin

Our journalism background requires us to point out that Cindy McCain received substantial criticism for wearing diamond earrings at the Republican Convention valued at $280,000. A popular magazine estimated them to be 3 carats in size; the report was not confirmed or denied.

Today the Obamas attended a parent-teacher conference in Chicago:

PHOTO: John Gress/Reuters

Otherwise, the onslaught of newsprint and airwaves devoted to the Narciso Rodriguez dress worn by Ms. Obama election night continues to grow.

Back to the continuing questions here at the Prepatorium regarding Cindy McCain and Sarah Palin and their election night dresses.  Actually, neither wore a dress; they both were attired in what TP would call a “cocktail suit.” (Oh dear, that may reveal a bit too much information regarding our age, shall we say. There you have it.) And here we have the photo:

PHOTO: Brian Snyder/Reuters

Ms. Palin’s dark navy suit is by Tahari, and we have lots more information on it as well as several more photos, here at Wednesday’s “extended election night fashions” post.  That post reveals the only store where the navy color is available.

A reminder on the Michelle Obama book, the biography by WaPo reporter Lisa Mundy; reports indicate it is selling fast; why this would surprise anyone is beyond us.

LizaMundy.com

Readers may remember hearing about Target’s upcoming collection by Thakoon Panichgul, a designer Michelle Obama has worn several times. We have early photos showing some of the designs thanks to the always on top of things people at Nylon magazine.

 

As detailed in a previous post, this is one of a handful of designers favored by Michelle Obama. The collection is due to debut at the retailer on Christmas Day.

 

The pieces look very beachy, ideal for one’s resort wardrobe over the winter holidays. And that is perfect as the collection debuts in the middle of winter, on Christmas Day. That seems rather odd, doesn’t it?

The coat won’t work on an elderly prep like TP (sniff), but it will look darling on most anyone else.

 

Prices for the pieces will range from $20 to $70.  Also to debut On Christmas Day, the Erickson-Beamon for Target Collection, another line Ms. Obama is seen wearing. Here is a preview picture of what to expect, courtesy of the oh-so-hip Nitrolicious.

 

Courtesy Nitrolicious.com

Erickson-Beamon has already collaborated with a retailer, Urban Outfitters.  That line is available in the UK at the Kensington High Street and Oxford Street stores, as well as at the UK online site. Below, their Crystal Cube Necklace from that line:

 

Erickson-Beamon for Urban Outfitters UK

If the subject of designer collaborations with Target sounds slightly familiar, perhaps it is because just this Tuesday we talked about the surprise announcement of Target’s upcoming line with edgy designer Alexander McQueen.  We now have a date for that collection to be available: March 1st, 2009. If seeking more information and photos showing multiple pieces from each designer, this post is fairly comprehensive, albeit in a bloggage sort of way.

We close with few quick hits on preppy goings-on …

• Talbots has confirmed they are selling J. Jill
• the oh-so-stylish Third Coast Preppy found this fun article about the Lilly Pulitzer exhibit that opened at the New School for Design at Parsons
• Online shopping is now available at Lilly Pulitzer! FULL DISCLOSURE: An awesome preppy blogger discovered this outstanding information, and we cannot remember who it was, but they deserve the credit, not us. (If you know, please let us know so they might be properly thanked
  • NOTE: We owe our thanks to the incredibly gifted Teddi, as we read about this in her superb blog, Jewish Girl in WASP’s Clothing.  🙂
• The über-preppy television show known as Gossip Girl has another star landing a big endorsement opportunity: Ed Westwick (who plays Chuck Bass) is the new face for K-Swiss. Below, the actor shooting in New York Thursday:
  

And a reminder to enter our Great Preppy Giveaway Contest by leaving a comment telling us one thing you are thankful for related to America …one thing about the United States for which you are thankful. Remember, if you mention this contest on your blog, you are then eligible to send the snappy Madras photocards to a friend! And the best part of this?  It is all free! Here is a quick glance at the Primary Prize, the Scout Tote:

Bungalow Scout Tote

And here are the Holly House Madras photocards, also from the Preppy Princess store.

Holly House Photocards at PreppyPrincess.com

For all of the details and information, just click here.

Have a splendid weekend!