Love that Lilly, and Michelle Obama in $500,000+ Diamonds

Hello-Hello everybody, and welcome to the almost-weekend!

We promised more Lilly Pulitzer Stationery goodies, so here we go! First, the Note Card Books in Patchtastic and Lillywood:

Lilly Pulitzer Note Card Books at PreppyPrincess.com

At only $15 for each Set of 10 Note Cards (2 each of 5 different patterns) and envelopes, these are already a favorite here at the Prepatorium.  And they haven’t even arrived yet!

Also due in around the 4th or 5th of February, these bright and cheery Large Notebooks in Animal Crackers (L) and Cabanarama (R):

Lilly Pulitzer Notebooks at PreppyPrincess.com

The Large Notebooks are about 9″ x 12″ with an inside pocket; they will be $16.

At 6″ x 8″ the Mini-Notebooks are perfect for tossing in the tote.  They also have an inside pocket, and will run $14.  Below, the Mini-Notebooks in Mumsie and Bee’s Knees Patch:

Lilly Pulitzer Mini-Notebooks at PreppyPrincess.com

A reminder that the Princess Consort has been typing his little fingers to the bone, making sure some of the Lilly merchandise is up on the Princess website for pre-ordering.  The Lilly folks say they are shipping February 1st; we expect our first shipment being here by the 4th or 5th of February. Pre-ordering means your order gets out the door first when the Lilly merchandise arrives here. Pre-orders are at the top of the list and will be turned around on the same day we receive the merchandise from Lilly.

We also said we would share some sneak peeks from the market. Here is a glance at two new patterns from Scout that we went ga-ga over, starting with the Poolside Stripe:

Available 2/15/09

Stripes Away is another new pattern we will be getting in mid-February.

Available 2.15.09 PreppyPrincess.com

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On the topic of Inaugural fashion, the LA Times raises a question about the propriety of a First Lady borrowing jewelry, in relation to these $17,000 Loree Rodkin earrings.

LoreeRodkin.com

Michelle Obama wore the sparklers to Sunday’s concert.

PHOTO: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty

(Frankly, TP is far more fascinated by the Narciso Rodriguez ensemble in camel and black, really quite elegant IOHO.)  The paper’s All the Rage blog cites rules about borrowed apparel and accessories set up when Ronald Reagan was President in the 1980s, and Mrs. Reagan was chided for her frequent borrowing of designer clothes.

“Michelle Obama wore $17,000 diamond chandelier earrings designed by Loree Rodkin to the “We Are One” concert on Sunday — not a gift from her husband, but borrowed from a Chicago retailer. The next morning, dispatches were dutifully sent out from the publicist for Rodkin to let the press know whom to credit for her ear candy. How very red carpet.”

Yikes… that seems a little cranky, no? We presume All the Rage would apply the same question to Tuesday night’s jewelry, a healthy 77.6 carats in diamonds, again, borrowed from Loree Rodkin. (Mrs. Obama is seen with U.S. Army Sgt. Margaret H. Herrera following her dance with President Obama.)

PHOTO: Gary Hershorn/Reuters

The Arizona Republic has a little more information on the bling (that is the proper term…yes?) in this story:

“Curious about costs, we called Moody Blues boutique in Scottsdale, which carries Loree Rodkin jewelry. There, a chain necklace with a cross pendant covered in an estimated 3 carats of diamonds is $21,000, says Catie Cerutti, store manager.

We’d hate to draw any cost-per-carat conclusions based on that, but . . . oh, who are we kidding. Our math shows that Obama could have been wearing $543,200 worth of diamonds.”

There you have it.

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Now, if you are interested in sporting a knock-off of the First Lady’s Jason Wu gown, eDressMe has one available. Really.

eDressMe.com

We have an answer to our question Is Jason Wu Preppy?, asked in this post: absolutely.  Without question. According to Eric Wilson’s story in today’s Times, he attended Loomis, a not-very-well-know Connecticut boarding school.

We credit the Consort for the sharp eye on this – he is such a Fashionisto. (The male version of Fashionista…hello?)

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And in our “The Princess wasn’t Born Yesterday” category, we pose a question: is it possible that the “Marvelous Malia” and “Sweet Sasha” dolls pictured below have absolutely no connection whatsoever to the little girls who just moved into the White House?!

PHOTO: Scott Olson/Getty

That’s what the folks at Ty say; they just released the dolls for sale, and controversy  about the TyGirlz dolls is growing. An Associated Press story explains the “coincidence”:

“The Oak Brook-based company chose the names because ‘they are beautiful names,’ not because of any resemblance to Malia and Sasha Obama, said spokeswoman Tania Lundeen.”

“‘There’s nothing on the dolls that refers to the Obama girls,’ Lundeen said. ‘It would not be fair to say they are exact replications of these girls.

Oh.  Silly Princess.

However – let it be said that at least the moronic company (really, this is PR Debacle 101 level stuff) put a little madras on the dolls’ cuffs and one pair of sneakers.

PHOTO: Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Do enjoy your Saturday and Sunday!

J. Crew Website Update & A $30,000 ‘Thank You’ Ring for Michelle Obama?

Hello and Happy Tuesday!

It seems our post yesterday on the J. Crew website problems touched a nerve with many readers. The problems were also noted by the mainstream business and technical media. From Crain’s New York in their story:

“This is a terrible time to experience technical difficulties. J. Crew, which underwent a massive redesign of its Web site over the summer, has been suffering glitches ever since.”

There are also multiple reports of similar issues at several big name retailers, including Bloomingdale’s:

Bloomingdale's

Bloomie’s does seem to be up and running just fine today. If considering doing some business in a cyber sort of way, don’t forget their free shipping offer for purchases more than $100. Use promo code SHIPXMAS at checkout.

Crew’s site also appears to be functioning at 100% this morning, providing another fiscally friendly shopping opportunity:

J. Crew

To receive the Extra 30% off sale merchandise, use promotion code EXTRA30 at checkout; this offer ends Wednesday night at midnight. And BTW, this promotional offer was planned all along by J. Crew, it was not created in response to the technical problems, as we wondered aloud yesterday.

TP remains hopeful everyone’s site remains healthy and happy for a robust holiday shopping season!

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We have fun information to share regarding a little trinket Michelle Obama is hypothetically receiving as a “Thank You” gift from the President-elect, at least according to the Daily Mail on the far side of the pond.

Courtesy Giovanni Bosco

The ring is to be created by Italian jewelry design house Giovanni Bosco, from the firm’s “Harmony” collection. (The items below are merely examples of the company’s work and do not represent their Harmony Collection.)

Courtesy Giovanni Bosco

Our struggle with this story is that we simply don’t see the President-elect doing business with a firm that will share this kind of information about personal merchandise in such a public fashion.  The Mail’s story quotes “A spokesman at Giovanni Bosco….” in their story as saying (among other things):

“‘Our American distributor has contacted us and has asked us to provide details on the Harmony ring.

‘It is our top of the range piece and made from rhodium and encrusted with diamonds.”

Courtesy Giovanni Bosco

More quotes attributed to the ‘spokesman’ include:

‘Our agent in the United States was asked by Mr Barack Obama about the ring because he wants it as a thank you gift for his wife Michelle for her support the last two years.”

“We have a select number of clients both in the United States, Europe, Russia and the Middle East and our prices as a result reflect the wealth of our customers.”

The ring is supposedly valued at approximately $30,000 (USD) and it is to be delivered in time for the inauguration in January.

Somehow this is reminiscent of the stories circulating that an outstanding Atlanta designer, Cassandra Bromfield, was selected to design Mrs. Obama’s gown for the Inaugural balls.  Here is our original post on that topic, and then Ms. Bromfield setting things straight in this post.

Of course yours truly could be way off the mark on this one; we shall let you know of any developments.

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For anyone simply unable to last another day without a “Confessions of a Shopaholic” update, Bluefly has posted the movie trailer and more.

Although the film doesn’t open until Feb. 13 next year, the Bluefly microsite has some fun features.

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We see more and more references to the ‘preppy look’ or ‘preppy style’ the Jonas Brothers sport most of the time they appear publicly.

PHOTO: Charles Sykes/AP

The three brothers were signing copies of their new book at the Barnes & Noble on Madison Avenue last Friday.  The book, entitled “Burning Up: On Tour with the Jonas Brothers is also available at Amazon.  Actually, it seems to be everywhere; is this one of the “it gifts” for teenage girls this year?

Burning Up: On Tour with the Jonas Brothers

And how about “Honor Society,” the band that opens for the Jonas Brothers? The photograph below shows the band performing in Las Vegas Saturday night and they are also looking very preppy in their wardrobe selection.

PHOTO: Ethan Miller/Getty

If ever there were a prep aesthetic for a band it would appear to be these young men. If you have any doubt, take a look at the extra photos they have on their MySpace pages, including these of bassist Andrew Lee:

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For today’s Pretty in Pink we offer Barbie: 50th Anniversary The Ultimate Collection book from the always fabulous Assouline publishing house.

Barnes & Noble is selling the Limited Edition Boxed Set, which has much beyond a standard hardcover book.

The boxed set is also available at Amazon.

Did TP ever share the deep and horrible tale from her youth about Barbie?  No?  Well then, to be brief: we did not have one.

Did. Not. Have. A. Barbie.  (Explains a lot, doesn’t it?)

The truth is, in an effort to instill proper values in her little Princess, TQM advised us prior to the one Christmas when we were positively begging for Barbie that we needed to choose between Barbie and the…

Ummmmm, well… it was actually a choice between Barbie… uhhhhh… er….um…….okay, fine – it was a choice between Barbie and the Beauty Parlor Doll!

The Beauty Parlor Doll. Yep. We opted for the Beauty Parlor Doll. The Beauty Parlor Doll was ‘lifesize’ and made of that dellightful aqua and pink plastic. It was *at least* as tall as TP, how is that for a mental picture?  As we are perilously close to the TMI line, we’ll cease sharing our innermost secrets. It’s just not done.

BTW, the Queen Mother rectified this tragic situation years ago, presenting us with our very own Barbie doll as a birthday gift.

May the rest of your day be splendiferous!

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!

Return of the Prep School Look … Again. Ralph Lauren Kids Opens

Hello-Hello and Happy Day!

In anticipation of The Big Vote (now officially dubbed TBV here at the Prepatorium) we share the following fashionably patriotic accessories, compliments of today’s WWD.

PHOTO: Thomas Iannaccone

The style statements are from a variety of designers, including:

• the cotton canvas clutch by Bruno Frisoni
• a ribbon, Lucite, glass & metal necklace from Erickson Beamon (Yes, the Erickson-Beamon jewelry favored by Michelle Obama as described in previous posts.)
  
• the wool velour hat by Jennifer Ouellette (Indeed, that Jennifer Ouellete of Gossip Girl headband fame!)

Courtesy Jennifer Roulette

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And believe it or not, the headline on the post is correct; it would seem that the Preppy or Prep School look has returned. Again.

This time it is compliments of our neighbors to the north, more specifically in an article entitled “Return of Prep School Look” from the Regina Leader-Post. One apparel line mentioned in the story is Canada’s Jacob Connexion.

“The attitude behind Connexion for fall ’08 is casual with a certain level of chic, a very put-together, yet worldly preppy feel,” said Jacob creative director Karen Pornillos. “It is Parisian ‘bon chic, bon genre’ with a tad of East Coast Ivy League flavour.”

The Ivy-league style blazer is seen below.

Jacob Connexion

Here are a few more looks from the company’s fall line:

The story also says “…navy blazers, kilts, and knee-highs” have been spotted lately, and “…not just on the posh Upper East Siders on TV’s Gossip Girl….”

“The prep-school look, once reserved solely for uniforms and naughty Halloween costumes, has become the trend for fall among both students and young professionals, as crests, bows, and ruffles take over mannequins and store racks at retailers across the country.”

The following illustration accompanies the story:

Photos: CW Graphic: Linda Rea-Rosseker, Leader-Post

The Jacob Connexion line is spun off from the Jacob Collection, offering several more looks we find appealing. Very appealing.

In keeping with the style under discussion here, word today from the good folks at Racked that the Ralph Lauren Children’s store is now open on Bleecker Street.

This is the store that previously carried the Women’s Collections.

A quick update on the J. Crew cardigan mentioned in our previous post about Michelle Obama wearing J. Crew fashions on the Leno Show: the sweater surfaced over the weekend at a rally in Columbus, Ohio.

PHOTO: Emmanuel Dunand/Getty

Here is a closer look at the ‘Crystal-button colorblock cardigan‘ from J. Crew.

Courtesy J. Crew

Our argyle updates wouldn’t be complete without a few treasures we fell over online, including the Paul Frank Argyle 3-pack.

And from the CrewMutts collection at J. Crew, the Argyle dog sweater in lambswool.  A reminder, this is one of those items available only by catalog and online.

Courtesy J. Crew

BTW, does anyone know the reasoning for the Crewmutts merchandise falling into the Women’s section on the website?  It is merely curiosity that prompts the query.

In closing, today’s Pretty in Pink comes to us via LL Bean.  Below, Bean shows a creative use of a preppy standard, grosgrain ribbon. In this case the retailer uses it to adorn their Maine Isle Slipper.

Courtesy LL Bean

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That is it for today. A reminder in the best Chicago tradition, “Vote Early and Vote Often!” We are thinking many of our fabulous Chicago bloggers (Momx2, Lipstick at the Mailbox, Third Coast Preppy, Tres Poshe Preppy and more!) recognize this saying!

Politics & Fashion Part 12 and J. Crew Seizes the Moment!

Finally. We have managed to gather what’s left of what passes for an adult mind as we effort this update to the ongoing ‘Politics and Fashion’ saga.

We start with a fun story, Michelle Obama once again sporting classics from J. Crew.  In this instance Ms. Obama wore the clothier’s duds Monday night while appearing as a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

PHOTO: Kevork Djansezian/AP

The top is the Italian Deco Shell, a silk twill tank that is now on sale at J. Crew for $99.99 in certain colors.

Courtesy J. Crew

The skirt is Crew’s Pembridge-dot pencil skirt in a silk and nylon blend, fabric that is described as a “shimmery jacquard.”  The skirt is nothing short of stunning when seen in person. It retails at $148.

Courtesy J. Crew

Completing the elegant ensemble was the Crystal-button colorblock cardigan in a wool/nylon/cashmere knit.  TP suspects the brooch at the neck was another Erickson-Beamon creation.

Courtesy J. Crew

Crew also has this piece on sale, now reduced to $89.99.  If it holds any appeal for your walk-in, we recommend running, not walking, to the online shop, or dialing up your personal shopper at the local level.  Somehow we don’t think many, if any of these items will be around after a few hours.

CEO Mickey Drexler and and the rest of the marketing minds at J. Crew had to be ecstatic upon learning what Mrs. Obama was wearing for the high profile appearance. And the company was wise, investing in a paid advertisement in Google search results. Below, copy from the ad, clearly linking the company and the candidate’s wife:

1. 1. Michelle Obama in J.Crew®

      Get the Look Michelle Obama Wore on
      The Tonight Show Only from J.Crew.
      http://www.JCrew.com

Inevitably the conversation turned to the controversy surrounding the wardrobe of Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin. In the course of the conversation host Jay Leno asks “What is it, about $60-grand? $60, $70,000 that outfit?” and Ms. Obama answered, “Actually, this is a J.Crew ensemble. You can get some good stuff online.”

PHOTO: Kevork Djansezian/AP

Mrs. Obama was gracious in her comments about the Palin wardobe issue:

“A V.P. pick, it’s like being shot out of a cannon. All of a sudden you’re at the center of attention, and you want to look good,” said Michelle Obama, adding she has never met Palin. “You’re living in your home, minding your business, and all of a sudden you’re on the national stage and everyone’s watching.”

We refer of course, to the news last week that the Republican National Committee spent $150,000 on clothing and accessories for Ms. Palin and her family.  Those expenses include $49,425 at Saks Fifth Avenue stores in St. Louis and New York, as well as $75,062 at the Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis. Other purchases were made at the Gap in Minneapolis and Lord & Taylor.  A story in WWD has more:

“While the FEC records do not identify whether the purchases were made by McCain or Palin, the McCain campaign has not disputed the news reports that the vice presidential nominee and her family made the purchases along the campaign trail, stretching from Minneapolis to St. Louis to New York.”

PHOTO: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty

Above, Governor Palin in Minneapolis at the Republican National Convention.  In previous coverage WWD has said Ms. Palin favors Escada, and has purchased items secondhand in Anchorage.  Many have suggested the black suit worn by the candidate for the vice presidential debate was by Elie Tahari.

In a follow-up to their original story, Politico.com interviewed a number of stylists and image consultants:

“She is dressing appropriately for the job she is going after,” said Lauren Rothman, a Washington stylist and the principal in the fashion consulting firm Styleauteur.”

The Politico story also includes this quote from Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan columnist:

“In the narrow confines of political style,” Givhan wrote last month, “the accepted rule is to dress in a manner that implies empathy for one’s constituency — so don’t wear anything too expensive — but also conveys authority. Palin has embraced the former and utterly ignored the latter.”

Senator McCain responded to the outrage on NBC’s “Meet the Press“:

“She lives a frugal life. She and her family are not wealthy. She and her family were thrust into this and there was some — and some third of that money is given back. The rest will be donated to charity…”

PHOTO: Steve Pope/Getty

Arguably one of the comments that meant the most to us the past several months came from the wonderful Miss Kate, aka Nautical by Nature. In response to our post “Politics and Fashion Part 5, Real Yale Students Talk Gossip Girl” earlier this month she wrote:

“I love how you always show products from both parties Very honorable”

Perhaps it is all the years we spent in broadcast journalism, perhaps it is because we were raised in a culture where one’s honor essentially trumps all else, perhaps it is because we simply believe in being fair in what we write here.  But whatever it is, we didn’t post earlier on the Palin wardrobe issue because we couldn’t find ‘the other side’ to include in the post.

We believe Ms. Palin and family suddenly found themselves in a situation where it was painfully evident everyone needed new apparel. All one needs to reach this conclusion is look at photographs and video of the family the day of the announcement, let alone the days before that announcement.  What worked well in Anchorage would not play positively on a national stage. So we take no issue with the acquisition of new wardrobes for the family.

And we understand the immense difficulties inherent in attempting to procure this type of merchandise for high-profile individuals. One simply cannot walk into the nearest Macy’s with their Secret Service detail and start trying on suits, if for no other reason than the Service won’t allow it. Period. Our struggle is with the folks at the RNC who know better, who know how poorly this sort of thing plays on Main Street. One need not have completed their courses at American University’s Campaign Management Institute to know the impact this sort of thing has on the electorate. Honestly.

In conclusion, we have finally come to the reality that there really isn’t “another side” to the issue in a textbook sense. So we will attempt to lift the mood by sharing links to two stories related to our post this afternoon. The first is at a site called Jezebel (a tad raw for our taste, but there you have it), a delightful piece with some fun fashion selections, all from J. Crew:

“What if we headed to J Crew.com and picked clothing for Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain, Sarah Palin and the kids? We went on a shopping spree and chose election night outfits and inauguration day ensembles for the ladies…”

Courtesy J. Crew & Jezebel.com

Above, a collage from Jezebel showing their picks for Sasha & Malia Obama; for more selections read the rest of the post.

The other is a story by the good folks at The Cut blog from NY Magazine in which they show “How to Spend $150,000 at Saks and Neiman Marcus.”

Collage: NY Magazine, PHOTOS: Getty

We will leave things here and trust readers to understand our efforts on this one.