Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Media Madness!

I will admit: I am completely stuck on what to get most of the people on my list. Half is taken care of, and half I'm pretty much in the dark. Hoo boy. And so it's time to shuffle through the media list...

Just a reminder -- most of these links are Amazon affiliate links, so if you do choose to go through Amazon and make purchases through these links, we'll receive a small commission. That said, don't forget that most of your local places-to-buy-DVDs-and-CDs will likely have these too, may gift-wrap for you (hooray! I am not a fan of having to wrap stuff myself!), and will also gladly take your money. Plus then you don't have to deal with shipping stress if you buy local. It's totes your call, of course.

TV on DVD

It looks like I'm having a very New York-based DVD theme here, but that's totally coincidental. I can't help that some very awesome shows take place in New York!

- Of course, the first on my list is Gossip Girl: The Complete Seasons 1 & 2. I still don't have Season 2 on DVD yet, and since GG is on winter hiatus until, like, March, now is a good time to hunker down and refresh yourself on seasons one and two.

- Another blog favorite (and another "gah, I am missing season two") is Mad Men, both Season One and Season Two.

- So maybe you want something a little shorter and sweeter and brilliantly funny? Then there's always 30 Rock: Seasons 1-3. (If you are a Mad Men fan, then remember: Jon Hamm appears in Season Three. Boy howdy!)

- Last year I recommended Flight of the Conchords, and so I am following that up by recommending Flight of the Conchords: Season 2. Unfortunately, the boys have announced that Season Two is the final FotC season for sure. Aw. We still love you.

Music

I do think it's harder to pick out music for people, and so instead of making recommendations, I just have the albums that I've been digging in '09.

- While I haven't officially heard everything on Lady GaGa's The Fame Monster , I don't think anyone can argue that the original The Fame is pretty brilliant. Add in "Bad Romance", which refuses to get out of my head ever, and you're already golden.

- One of the albums that I will listen to straight-through without flipping around or skipping anything, is the Kills' Midnight Boom. Shout when you wanna get off the ride.

- Karen and Kati will laugh at me for my late boarding of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs train, but I am digging It's Blitz!. I cannot help it that I am not as versed in the ways of modern music as you guys.

- If you hadn't already guessed, we're all Glee fans here (of course we are). It shouldn't be a shock, due to the musical geek not so hidden inside of me, plus the obvious adoration we have for Jane Lynch. And so, I suggest Glee: The Music, Volume 1 and Volume 2 for indulging your inner Gleek, naturally. Go ahead, sing it out!

- While I said I wouldn't make recommendations, I have to make an exception for Pink Martini. If you can't figure out what to get your suave hipster guy friend, your tres chic would-be Parisienne friend, or your mom, Pink Martini's "Sympathique" is 100% classic and awesome. (For that hipster friend, it also comes in vinyl.) It's perfect for cocktail parties, for road trips, for vacuuming the house. I haven't picked up their newest album, "Splendor in the Grass", yet, but what I heard when I saw them this fall was excellent. Definitely "Sympathique" and "Hang On Little Tomato" should be on your radar, at the very least.

What's on your shopping list? Who's still on your shopping list?

image from pinkmartini.com
This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Going a little Mad

I just got home from Chicago yesterday, and after a bacon waffle (a waffle with bacon pieces inside -- trust me, it is delicious), and a lovely and much-needed massage, I'm still putting all of my pieces back in order and back onto Pacific time. I'm massively sunburned (you would think I would know better than to go sit in the bleachers without sunscreen, but no) and a little jet-lagged, but all will be well!

Anyway, while I get myself back to normal, I found the awesome and amazing Mad Men Yourself avatar creator courtesy of Jezebel, and thus I decided to play with it. I'm a sucker for avatar-creators, and so off I went! (Fair warning, it plays music, so if you're peeking at this at work or school, turn off the sound first.) Feel free to click and look at the bigger sizes if you like, and definitely check out the art of Dyna Moe, the artist behind all of these rad illustrations.



Look! It's me! This was the best I could do for short-haired options -- personally, I can't wait for this season to start so we can see if the British invasion and the Twiggy-style haircut catches on in Sterling Cooper offices. (That said, if they need a charming Mod ingenue secretary character, I know someone who can type over 90 wpm and already has the haircut. Ahem.) Here I am having a cocktail with the dashing Don Draper, and apparently I am so excited my feet aren't even touching the ground. Cheers to you, Mr. Draper.



Karen has arrived at Sterling Cooper to take care of business, and by business I mean Don Draper and Roger Sterling. Hey-yo! Check out her foxy curls and her navy dress. This is an outfit I think Karen would definitely wear, oh, *tomorrow* if she had it.



Finally, Kati is so in charge of things in the secretary bullpen that she's gone and put her foot down and out of the fourth wall. Fierce!

Of course, this is just me putting them together for Karen and Kati, so ladies, please feel free to go ahead and make your own. (You may also make them of me, because I am always amused when people make avatars of me for me.)

Check it out at http://www.amctv.com/originals/madmen/madmenyourself/ -- and remember, the new season starts in a few weeks!

images from www.amctv.com

Suiting Up with The Closer

This past winter, despite my most valiant efforts, I found myself absolutely SUCKED IN by The Closer on TNT. The past few seasons, I would notice the show on and off, but never managed to devote a whole hour to it at a time. Usually, I prefer the harder-hitting crime dramas, your Laws and your Orders, your NYPD Blues, your old-school Homicides: Lives on the Streets. The Closer, on the other hand, incorporates intriguing homicide cases with human-interest stories, gallows humor, a fair bit of Southern charm, modern anxieties, and old-fashioned detective drama.

More to the point, though, Kyra Sedgwick's wardrobe as Brenda Lee Johnson is FABULOUS and I want it all. The ladies at the Thread are also big fans! She is at times a befuddling combination of practical (sun hat) and dainty (bright orange wedges at a crime scene). The New York Times calls Kyra Sedgwick's performance "a study in nuance" and I agree, although it took me a good long while!

Like a normal working woman, Brenda Lee carries a too-large black bag in which she can never find what she's looking for, so totally awesome and fitting that QVC offered for sale a mass-market version that is tragically sold out.

According to the show's wardrobe designer, her secret weapons are personally tailored, vintage deadstock jackets from the 1940s. I was just at the amazing Vintage Playclothes in Studio City, California, and I am here to tell you that a lovely, quality, non-musty-smelling vintage suit that fits the 21st-century body is a real gem to find! If you are lucky enough to find a great suit, it is often worth your money and patience to get it tailored just right. Vintage Playclothes has just started up their online shop, Brenda Lee would snap up this royal blue wool gabardine suit for the fall. If you are similarly wasp-waisted (unlike me), you are a winner for this shape of skirt suits.

One of Brenda Lee's preferred vintage brands is Lili Ann of San Francisco--talk about supporting local fashion! Etsy seller Archivia has a gorgeous 1951 colorblock suit in green and pink. For the more sedate amongst us, this grey wool suit with pleat detailing is perfect. Why don't they make suits that look like that anymore? All of my suits are blocky and lacking in personality, but THESE! Glorious.

For summer, Brenda beats the LA heat with little cotton dresses that I would be happy to wear all day, every day. This orange smoothie at the left is one of her more 1970s disco-tastic tablecloth numbers, but this is absolutely an easy look to replicate on your own. I often do the full-skirt/slim-cardigan combination at the office amongst co-workers in shirtsleeves or full-on suits. Etsy seller ChloeAndBoo has a fabulous navy and flower motif asymmetrical print semi-circle skirt for you! The black and white Jackson Pollock dress at ModCloth is a great way to do big, bold patterns without risking being mistaken for a swathe of wallpaper. For a straight from the 1940s, Black Dahlia-riffic look, ModCloth also has the Modern Recess grey and black trim dress. The slim-skirted dress is somehow perfect for running around solving crimes in Los Angeles, a la a particularly sassy noir heroine.

On to my most favorite topic, SHOES. Work pumps are always a problem. If they're fancy enough for the most businessy of business events, they aren't comfortable enough to wear all day. Comfortable pumps look like orthopedic wear all too often. I try to give television wardrobe designers the benefit of the doubt, because I know it's too much to ask to have a TV homicide detective wear functional, steel-toed running shoes that real homicide detectives probably wear. There is a line, though, between TOTALLY UNWEARABLE AT A CRIME SCENE and "mildly inappropriate if you think about it". Our Brenda often falls into this former category as she traipses about pools of blood and navigates canyons, but I'll be damned if she doesn't look like she's having a tough time, as anyone would. Below, I have assembled a Polyvore set of pumps for your enjoyment:

Shoes for the Closer by periodicstyle featuring CHANEL shoes

Clockwise from the top left, those are Chanel cap-toe pumps that Kyra Sedgwick has actually worn on The Closer--perhaps a teensy bit outside of the character's price point, but who cares? They are lovely. Top right, super-slick two-tone t-straps from Yesstyle.com, straight from Asia (ugh I loved all of the shoes in Japan and I only ever found a single pair that fit my massive mixed-race feet). Bottom right, a surprisingly fabulous pair of spectator pumps from Charlotte Russe to match the Jackson Pollock dress above. Bottom left, "Dainty" by Wanted with great Art Deco trim on the toe-box, because I am all about the combination of brown and grey lately.

To bring it home, I'll share the Feminist Spectactor's view on Brenda's wardrobe choices and how they reflect on her role as a leader in the workplace. What do you see on TV that inspires you in your daily fashion choices? Obviously, a lot of television and film wardrobe choices create a fantasy of what designers think we women WANT to wear to work--see Ugly Betty and Sex and the City for examples. As much as I want to be wearing Chanel and Marc Jacobs every day, it's just not possible. Don't you ever get excited when you see a character on TV wearing something you own, though? I nearly did of joy when I saw Mindy Kaling on The Office wearing a fuschia linen pleated dress I have. It is so refreshing to have visual fashion stimulation on TV that isn't sky-high heels and over-saturated neon a la CSI: Miami!


Images courtesy of TNT and Polyvore.com.

Science Fair for January 19-25th

It's been a rainy, drab week here in California. The Obama inauguration was truly the highlight of an otherwise dreary January, we're all as excited as punch for a fabulous next four (eight!) years. For this week's Science Fair, here's a nice, tall pour of some interesting news you might have missed:

-An amateur historian believes he may have discovered the real-life inspiration for the character of Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest: an exiled earl who dressed as the devil and tried to prevent King James VI's coronation. That was the good ol' days, when believing in the occult got you exiled for life and you end up dying penniless, far from home!

-Scientists believe they have discovered how the original Italian Job could have been pulled off. Sir Michael Caine is, of course, tremendously excited by the prospect.

-I will admit to being quite surprised by the title of the next tidbit, Pigeon girl's quest for fanciers". My first thought was reminiscing about the days when Kids in the Hall was on every day after school, and the Chicken Lady (warning: link NSFW, sort of). Fortunately, this little girl in the UK just wants other kids her age to enjoy her hobby: pigeons. We here at Periodic Style HQ love our pet birds, too!


-Queen Elizabeth II is reportedly "intrigued" by the phenomenon of crop circles in the UK, and has written personal correspondence to that effect. Oh, sweet memories of sleepovers with so many episodes of the X-Files! If only we had known that QE2 was a fan as well, we would have felt so special.

-Coming up, keep an eye on our various giveaways to benefit our little buddy, Rusty the dog! They'll be going on until next week and you could win loads of lovely things from our friends at Etsy!

-I'll be traveling next month to China (maybe), San Diego (definitely), and Las Vegas (probably) on business and need advice! I've been all over the West and East Coasts plus East Asia, but not to China for at least twenty years. Things have probably changed since I was, you know, a little girl in pigtails. I'm also on the lookout for a lovely leather overnight bag for travel purposes. Business only, of course.

Have a great week, everyone, here's hoping your skies are clear and your inaugural ceremonies fabulous!

The High-Stakes, High-Falutin' World of Art Theft

I love a great true-crime book. True crime television is also great, all those stories about women poisoning their husbands with arsenic from the garden shed. Serial killers are always great entertainment, I just cannot stop watching that "Most Evil" show when it's on the boob tube. I sit and stare with my jaw hanging open like an idiot, it's so fascinating. My whole life, watching crime TV, cops and robbers has been a real bonding activity between my mother and I, and now my best friend from college has gotten in on it. We wasted an entire day eating pizza and watching shows about the Manson Family and the Son of Sam, it was great.

On a recent trip to the library, I got my hands on a whole new realm of fascinating crime non-fiction: ART CRIME. Can you imagine my excitement? A whole shelf of books, combining two of my favorite things: art history and federal criminal investigations! I've chosen three to review for your reading pleasure.

1. FAKE: Forgery, Lies, & eBay by Kenneth Walton. What started as curiosity about a local story turned into full-fledged incredulity about Mr. Walton's autobiographical story of transformation from a bored lawyer in Sacramento to a forger of signatures on yard-sale paintings. Oh, this book brought back memories of the early days of eBay auctions, the obsessive nature of it all, and how I amongst many of my friends and family were sucked in by the allure of online auctions. Similarly, Walton got sucked into a life of crime rather innocuously by an old Army buddy whose full-time job was searching for high-quality paintings at antique malls, yard sales, and local auctions, only to pawn them off to unsuspecting eBay buyers as high-value "real" art.

Walton's descent into eBay and art madness, as it were, is largely self-propelled and thus, fascinating to behold. The book itself makes drama out of his foolishness, the eventual federal case built against him, and the depths of obsession a website can drive you to. By the end of it, I just couldn't feel sorry for Mr. Walton--every other page, I wanted to yell, "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU IDIOT?" His crimes would be ingenious if only he hadn't been caught. Mr. Walton is obviously a self-taught art aficionado, and not a great crime writer, but his case is a compelling precedent for the internet crimes of today. It certainly makes me want to avoid eBay altogether.

2. The Medici Conspiracy: The Illicit Journey of Looted Antiquities--from Italy's Tomb Raiders to the World's Greatest Museums, by Peter Watson. By contrast, Peter Watson's account of tomb raiders and European antiquities is an elegant and infinitely complex adventure through the world's greatest museums. Mr. Watson, an art critic for the New York Times and hardcore investigator into art theft (see the fascinating SAFE website for info about looted, stolen, and missing antiquities), writes for the art crime connoisseur. As a lover of museums, it was alternately upsetting and captivating to find out the number of entire exhibitions that came from looted sites and a vast criminal network. Mr. Watson's chronicle of art curators taken in by art thieves, knowingly or not, will make you see a Greco-Roman art collection in a different light altogether.

3. Stolen Masterpiece Tracker: the Dangerous Life of the FBI's #1 Art Sleuth, by retired FBI Special Agent Thomas McShane. Who doesn't love FBI stories? I picked up this book after reading The Last Undercover: The True Story of an FBI Agent's Dangerous Dance with Evil, which despite the glowing review by my heroine Mariska Hargitay was sort of disappointing. (The episode of Law&Order: SVU where Munch infiltrates the man-boy love group is much better--the author was a consulting producer on it.) Tom McShane's life of undercover work is straight out of the 1970s-80s, and the alternate personae he created to bust art theft rings are exactly the kinds of guys you'd expect to be wheeling and dealing in the world of stolen masterpieces. Mr. McShane worked on some of the most high-profile thefts of the twentieth century and was the first to introduce a forensic approach to verifying stolen paintings were the real deal. He cobbled together a portable x-ray from bomb squad castoffs and spent hours in hotel rooms with criminals, getting arrested alongside them to maintain his cover identity. Fascinating stuff, and the entire book is a rollicking ride through his career.

One case is especially deserving of attention. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, one of my favorites from the ol' college days, was hit in 1990 by two men who escaped with a stunning array of Rembrandts, a Vermeer, a Manet, and more. The FBI's Art Crime Team is still hunting for these criminals, and in the most heartbreaking part, the Gardner keeps those frames empty on display for all to see. The Miho Museum in Japan is not only funded by cuckoo cult money, but is filled with stolen artifacts and masterpieces from around the world--trust me, I've been there, and it is astonishing.

On your next visit to your local museum, check up on the news stories surrounding it and there may be some juicy heists hidden in the history of those oils on canvas and marble statues!

Holiday Gift Guide: For the Dudes

Jeanne:

I have my dad and my brother, and until recently, I had to buy boyfriend (or we-broke-up-but-you're-still-pretty-much-my-boyfriend-so-you-get-a-present) presents. But not this year! I am actually kind of relieved by it, and have decided I'm going to hold off until 2009 because then I don't have to buy another guy present. (It's kind of like the opposite of the Margaret Cho bit about breaking up: "There's never a good time to break up. You just bought concert tickets. A war broke out. You want your birthday present first." Except for me right now, it's: "No, sorry, I can't date you, I don't want to have to buy you a present.")

Last year also added a complication in that I was supporting the WGA strike and didn't buy any DVDs. Well, since they settled the strike, I feel I can recommend DVDs to you this year now!

- BUT FIRST: books. I've already purchased my brother's gift, the delightful John Hodgman's newest book, More Information Than You Require, the sequel to his hilarious first book, The Areas Of My Expertise (which he will also be receiving). The Areas of My Expertise audiobook is amazing and features the wonderful and adorable Jonathan Coulton, whose music is also a good gift choice. I wrote about them both last December, and I am still a fan. (You can also follow them on Twitter, which I highly recommend -- @hodgman and @jonathancoulton.) ALSO: that is all.

- I was among those who were pretty dang peeved when Fox cancelled Futurama. And then when Fox restarted Family Guy after Family Guy's popularity soared on Cartoon Network, I was one of the people shouting, "AND WHAT ABOUT FUTURAMA YOU GUYS C'MON." So when they announced that Futurama's "back, baby!" at San Diego Comic-Con in 2007, I was (and remain!) thrilled. The deal is for four straight-to-DVD movies that will be cut up into four new episodes each, so sixteen new episodes of Futurama made out of four movies. Three of them are already out: Bender's Big Score, The Beast With A Billion Backs, and the newest, Bender's Game. Hooray, Futurama!

- Now that the strike's over, I have been buying a lot of DVDs. And I tend to be pretty generous with letting people borrow them. Unfortunately, some of the guys in my life have kidnapped some of them. Luckily, two are with my brother, and I know where he lives, but the other... may be gone forever. I know that I can get my copies of Freaks and Geeks and the first season of Flight of the Conchords back at any time from my brother, but he's holding on to them for me right now. Tragically, I am probably never going to get the complete series of Arrested Development back. That one is a heartbreaker, and has been killing me since the break-up. Keeping a girl from her GOB Bluth? That's just cruel. COME ON.

- If I were to buy something for someone this year, I would most likely get him the Amazon exclusive DVD of Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. It was a side project for Joss Whedon (hooray!), Neil Patrick Harris (hooray!!) and Nathan Fillion (hooray again!) during the writer's strike, and originally was all online. Now you can have it in a DVD! Also, we are in full support of blogs, even if they are run by mad scientists who have unrequited crushes on the girl at the laundromat. Seriously, this is worth buying and having for yourself, not just as a gift. And! It's on pre-order now for only ten bucks. Yay!

- Finally, I have two words for you: Soap Stache. Yes, it is soap in the shape of a mustache. dennisanderson.etsy.com sells Soap Stache and many other wonderful soaps that everyone can enjoy, including beer soaps (!!), so you can pick your (or his) favorite brew. (Blue Moon, anyone? Or maybe you're more of a Guinness or Sierra Nevada drinker...) I have found that boys do like soaps and skincare and cologne if you buy it for them. So don't be afraid to do so. (Sephora can help with the cologne-finding, too.)


Karen:
Like Jeanne, I've just got my dad and my brother to gift this year. At my house, we have a very, very low-key Christmas because we do a bang-up job on New Year's in the grand ol' Japanese fashion. (Sukiyaki this year! Yes!!) Every other year, my brother and his wife come out to California to celebrate Christmas with us. This year, it's no big brother, and I already know what Dad's getting, so it's very simple:

-I've composed a Mad Men-themed stack of goodies, including the Mad Men Season 1 DVD set, Meditations in an Emergency, and to put a personal spin on it, a great bottle of sake. Apparently my grandfather drank rye a la Don Draper, so that's another option for your liquor-connoisseur father figure. Is that weird, to give your tee-totaling father alcohol for Christmas?

-I actually take after my father in several ways besides our shared lantern-shaped jaw. Both of us will be chained to our office desks when the rest of our respective companies have forced shut-down over the holidays. Fortunately, I have the solution to office doldrums, and it's these totally sweet Origami Post-It Notes. What better time to perfect your nimble paper-folding skillz than when it's quiet?

-Gifts that hark back to a family tradition are great for dads, who want to always think of their daughters as their little girls. My dad and I always loved listening to Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion on weekends together. Probably because we are mysteriously drawn to stories of Americana, it seems foreign and familiar at the same time. NPR.org has a specially-recorded session of songs by Garrison Keillor and his Guy's All-Star Shoe Band: When I Get Home.

-For the well-seasoned traveller in your life, Bedol has an amazing eco-friendly, water-powered clock. Isn't that great? Personally, I hate scrounging around for batteries for a travel clock when I'm traveling, so ta-da! I imagine a guy being endlessly captivated by this kind of wee device.

-In a perfect world, we'd have these hot, new technological marvels on the market for our male comrades to ogle and enjoy. The pod-dining-set looks like interior design FROM THE FUTUUUURE. I love it!

Have a happy holiday season, everyone, we'll be back soon we another gift guide for you!

image from periodicstyle.blogspot.com

You wanna be on top (of the masthead)?

So here's something about me you probably don't know: I'm typically very cautious, but sometimes I will jump into something wildly and impulsively. I don't know why, but sometimes I just go, "Oh, what the heck!" and jump and see what happens.

In what may not seem like related news, tonight was the premiere of Stylista, the new fashion reality show on the CW. And here's where they tie in: I tried out for it back in February! I ultimately opted not to continue on in the hopes of becoming Elle's next top junior editor and stick with my job and the blog and my life as normal, because I honestly don't think I could handle the pressure of always being "on" for TV, whether it's behaving myself or always pulling the perfect outfit together. (I also didn't want to have to read about myself on Television Without Pity or Jezebel. Just saying.)

I do know, however, that my strategy would have been to be the one who's there to make friends -- after all, the fashion industry is about connections, and being someone who reaches out to people would have been my plan. Because honestly, if you're coming off as super-negative and you're there for the drah!mah! and airtime and to be a villain, no one is going to hire you when the show is over. And so I'm stoked that Johanna, the fab fashion blogger, is not only super-smart and stylish, but she's also reaching out to Kate and offering to help her out even though she's not even her teammate. (Notice they didn't play her up too much this episode, which means she's in the long game. I watch way too much reality TV, you guys.)

I wish I'd known about Johanna's blog before she decided to take it down (a good call, considering how huge and extensive the contracts and NDAs and background checks etc. etc. are), but I found some more awesome bits and pieces about her from Project Beltway, Fashion is Spinach, and a fabulous five-questions-plus-one from the DC Goodwill Fashionista. (I really do need to do some more blog exploring!)

So while I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I didn't have to face Anne Slowey every day for up to eight weeks, I'm also kind of excited to see what happens. I'm definitely rooting for Johanna and Danielle, since they both seem like awesome girls, and I'm so glad that they're much, much braver than I am.

Have you checked out Stylista? Would you ever consider trying out for a reality TV show? And, help me out with my blog exploring: who am I not reading and should be? I've got my full fashion-and-beauty Bloglines in the left hand sidebar -- where's a noticeable absence?

image from cwtv.com

Mad Girl and Gossip Men

Gossip Girl fans, I'd like to introduce you to the Mad Men fans. Mad Men fans, meet the Gossip Girl fans.

Jezebel has been running posts on Mad Men on Monday mornings, since MM airs on Sundays, and Tracie, Jezebel editor, has made the excellent point that "Mad Men is Gossip Girl for grown-ups". And, well, it's true. There's enough overlap between the two shows that there should be more audience overlap as well.

First off, there's no denying the fashion influence of both Gossip Girl and Mad Men. Whether it's walking down the runways or walking down the street, we as viewers and consumers are drawn to these looks -- and we want to recreate them ourselves. And fashion designers are taking note.

But beyond the fact that both shows are really really pretty to look at, they have a lot of thematic similarities. The basic gist of Gossip Girl is that these four -- Serena, Blair, Nate, and Chuck -- are always on display and trying to keep their private lives out of the public eye of Gossip Girl herself. They have their secrets and their pasts and, especially in the case of Blair, the desire to maintain control over their own image. With Mad Men, everyone's got to maintain appearances and their own secrets, whether it's Don's affairs as well as his past, Betty's domestic unhappiness, or Peggy's denial of her present. (I am trying so hard not to spoil everyone, you guys!) In both shows, it's all about how you present yourself in public and how that collides with the people who know -- or should know -- who you really are.

There's also a common character in both shows -- New York City, but a New York City that most of us can never or will never know. I'm never going to be a high school student on the Upper East Side (and thank goodness, because I'm so done with high school!), and I'll never be a woman in the 1960s (another HUGE thank goodness here). And so while there is a form of escapism present in both shows, it's pretty clear that where they are is not so great. None of the GG characters are happy, and things aren't so great for the women or minorities of MM (to put it extremely lightly).

An interesting thought I had is -- where would Blair go in Mad Men? How would she fit in? Obviously, the direct connection is with Joan; Blair rules her group of underclassmen with an iron fist and a tight smile, while Joan, the head secretary, runs the entire corps of secretaries at Sterling Cooper much the same. I think they would either get along really well... or destroy each other in the process. Then again, I can also see Blair as Trudy Campbell, the well-to-do wife of Pete Campbell. Considering that that's basically what her mother and Nate's parents wanted for her in Season One, there's a good fit there. (Plus you know Trudy would be able to go toe-to-toe with someone like Joan or Blair if needed.) But Blair could also go the path of Betty Draper, of the overbearing mother, who's achieved exactly what she wanted: to be beautiful, to have the husband and the children, to have the perfect life... and found it to be something other than she expected. So that's just something that's been rolling around my mind lately.

Finally, both shows need you to watch. For all of the buzz and the awards and the blogs (you know, like us) talking about these two shows, they're both struggling to get actual viewers. Mad Men averaged less than a million viewers during its first season. Gossip Girl does a little better, but is still in the 3 million viewer range. Sure, you can factor in that a lot of us are watching online or waiting until the DVDs come out, but networks are in the business of putting shows on television, not online or on DVD, and if they don't think the viewers are there, they very well could kill the show...

So: there's my argument. If you like Mad Men, Gossip Girl might surprise you. And if you like Gossip Girl, you should be checking out Mad Men.

Do you watch either? Or do you watch both? What do you think?

images from amctv.com and youknowyouloveme.org

Following the Project Runway Pattern

So I'm kind of halfheartedly watching Project Runway this season -- it came on with little fanfare, they changed the air time (what the hell!), and for the first couple of weeks, it interfered with my other reality TV sweetheart, So You Think You Can Dance. As in, I would be watching SYTYCD and the little "Your other show is about to start and you can only watch/record ONE. CHOOSE. CHOOSE NOW." button would pop up in the middle of a dance routine and I would groan and choose SYTYCD. But now that only Project Runway's on the air, I'm... still not running to the TV.

That said, I will tell you that I'm pulling for Leanne this season. Every year, I tend to really root for the young female designer who never wins a challenge but always has a strong showing until she gets booted way too early, usually in her first time in the bottom two. Season Two I loved Diana Eng (the first thing I ever bought that was Project Runway related was a Fashion Nerd pin from Diana), Season Three Kati and I both adored Alison Kelly, and Season Four I picked Kit Pistol (plus she had my favorite model, too). So much teeth-gnashing and grumbling when my girls got sent home too early every year!

This season we've already lost three of our young-and-funky female designers -- Emily, Jennifer, and Kelli. I'm hoping that casting actually stacked the deck with them so that we can actually KEEP one this season... and it looks like it's Leanne.

Funny and true story: back in April, I read a blog post by Pequitobun where she wrote about the dress she bought off of Leanimal's Etsy. I showed Kati the shop, and we chatted about it, and I, naive little thing, went, "Oh, I bet you could custom-order something! She's in Portland!" I... don't think we can do that anymore.

Plus, I also really like her personality. Everyone's like, "Oh, she's so mousy," but when you get her in the interviews, she's got that dry sense of humor ("barfilicious", anyone?) that I love, but doesn't often play well on reality TV, especially on Project Runway which is so used to over-the-top personalities and catchphrases and people hoping to launch to personality-fame instead of design-fame.

All in all, I'm seriously crossing my fingers and hoping that Leanne makes it to Bryant Park, if just because all of her work (check out her sold items on Etsy) is all so beautiful, and since they're showing for spring this season, I think she'd have a gorgeous and cohesive collection. (I'm actually hoping for an all-female Bryant Park showing -- the only collections I'd be interested in seeing are from Leanne, Korto, and Terri. None of the guys have really impressed me this year, and maybe that's the producers' way of trying for another female winner. Who knows! I've watched far too much reality TV to be completely surprised when producers get the winner they want...)

Keep your fingers crossed! I know good things are going to keep coming for Leanne, even if she does get the too-early-and-suspicious boot, but I really, truly, want to see her showing at Bryant Park -- even if she's a decoy, but ideally with her still in the running. So go, Leanne, go! Even if your name is the reason why people think "Jeanne" is pronounced "Jee-anne" instead of "Jean-ee".

Are you watching this season of Project Runway? Did it sneak up on you too? Who's really impressed you this season, or are you pretty much underwhelmed? And have you figured out a pattern of who you tend to root for in reality shows?

image from bravotv.com

You know you love me -- Gossip Girl on DVD tomorrow!

At last! Tomorrow is GG-Day -- the day that Gossip Girl finally comes out on DVD!! So if you've been wondering -- and waiting -- what all the fuss is about, there's enough time to snag the first season, sit down, and watch the whole fun first season before Season Two starts two weeks from today (!!).

It's pretty clear that everyone's looking for inspiration from the Upper East Side girls, whether it's Blair, Serena, or Jenny, Kati, and Iz. (Don't forget Miss Georgina Sparks or Vanessa Abrams, either!) And what's kind of hilarious is how brands are responding.

Check out just a few of the items we found with the names "Blair" or "Serena":

- Zoya Nail Polish in "Blair" is a gorgeous cranberry red, which we can totally see Miss Waldorf wearing. (I kind of want this too. And not just because it's named "Blair".)

- While we couldn't find it at Sephora.com or Stilacosmetics.com, Beauty.com has Stila High Shine lip color in "Serena". You know the Upper East Side's Golden Girl probably has this in her bag, right? (Right next to her favorite lip gloss from the books...)

- Perhaps the funniest use of the names "Blair" and "Serena" to name products comes from Oh Deer! shoes (who make a lot of money off of their Faux-boutins). These shoes are basically the same except for the colors (taupe and navy for Blair, orange and black for Serena) location of the detailing: Blair gets a cap toe, and Serena gets a fancy heel. I totally see it.

- Steve Madden pays tribute to Serena with this slouchy Serena bag that wouldn't be out of place on her arm.

- Naturally we pulled things from Etsy for our two shopping guides, so we wanted to see what else we could find for B and S. Serena gets a lovely crystal necklace, while Blair is more of an inspiration than a namesake with this vintage rhinestone headband. (Of course it's a headband!)

With that, we have some predictions for Season Two of Gossip Girl:

- Bart Bass dies in the Season Two finale because he looks like Caleb Nichol. (The important question is, will they play "Hallelujah" when he does? My guess would be YES.)
- Chuck's mom comes back from "the dead"; ideally she will be played by Melinda Clarke.
- Little J gets (gasp!) a REAL boyfriend. ...or drops off the face of the earth, because Eleanor Waldorf eats her for lunch.
- The girls go to Fashion Week. Wooooo.
- We find out what Lily actually does all day besides Rufus Humphrey.
- Chuck will have amusing sartorial choices.
- Blair will continue to gift-wrap her head with ribbons and other headband finery.
- Serena and Dan get back together... and break up again. Ad nauseum.
- Nate has a slut spiral.
- Vanessa continues to not be as cool as book!Vanessa.
- Blair gets a sibling! It's Rachel Bilson! (Or not. But she'll probably show up at some point. At least, we hope so.)

Are you looking forward to the return of Gossip Girl as much as we are? Or have you been waiting to sit down and absorb it all in one go?

It's like I always say: too much of a good thing is even better... so enjoy! xoxo!

image from amazon.com

Crazy for Mad Men

Guess what tonight is!

THE MAD MEN SEASON 2 PREMIERE.

Mad Men is quite possibly the best show to come along since, say, House, or if we're talking AMC, Hustle. These are the gems of television today, my friends, and if you aren't watching Mad Men, you're out of your damn mind. Christina Hendricks is ON FIRE as Joan Holloway, she gives new meaning to the words "fierce" and "work it." Peggy Olson (played by Elizabeth Moss) is pretty much my shy, gingham-check and frumpy cardigan-wearing hero. Jon Hamm as Don Draper is just delectable, you could eat that man with some steak sauce and be happy for the rest of your life. Of course, it's not just the looks, the clothes, or the style that's unbearably wonderful, it's the dramatic tension.

Every time Don Draper goes home to his perennially diaphanous-nightgown-wearing wife Betsy (January Jones, winner of the Best Name Ever Award), you think, "Oh my god, does she know he's a sexy, sexy philandering bastard? Is he ever going to tell her about his parents?" Let's just say it's Gossip Girl for adults. I want to languish in my fantasy artists' loft smoking cigarillos, drinking scotch while watching Mad Men.

So, even though luminaries like Jezebel and New York Magazine's Vulture section are going crazy over Mad Men, I know what the true test of a great show is.

My PARENTS love Mad Men. They can't get enough of it. These are educated, book-reading, NPR-listening people. They wear glasses. They drink wine, rarely. Sure, they're Baby Boomers, no more than 10 or 12 at the time of Mad Men (1960), but they devoured the entire first season like it was manna from heaven and were doubled over in laughter and reminiscences every second. The glasses! The clothing! The Bob Newhart record! The cars! Keeping a plate in the oven for your husband! The office old-boys' club! (Note: My father remarked after the first episode that when he worked for a summer at Merrill Lynch in Manhattan in the mid-1970s, it was the callous treatment of women by male executives that turned him from big business. Good man!)

My one grievance, one nitpick, one little historical inaccuracy, is when Betsy Draper fleetingly mentions that she was in a sorority at Bryn Mawr. Bryn Mawr is a women's college, just like my glorious, Ivory Tower-ish alma mater, and obviously, single-sex institutions don't have the Greek system. The whole place is a giant sorority. You may have so-called "societies" on campus, for young ladies interested in the arts or in having afternoon tea (Smith College, adorable), where girls get to be legitimately uppity and snobbish. Those were the days, my friends, when proper young ladies went off to women's colleges to graduate with their Mrs. and a bright future in the suburbs. If you're nostalgic and/or curious about those days, definitely check out Mad Men tonight!

I'll be there in my giant plastic costume jewelry and pedal-pushers, lounging on the Taos sofa.

Science Fair for July 14th-20th

Happy Sunday, everyone! I am safely back in beautiful California and drinking up the breezy, 70-degree days while my friends in New York are sweating out every drop of moisture in their bodies. Oh yes. To celebrate my summer of juicy, fresh fruits, swimming pools, and walking around the neighborhood without fear of crazed crack-smoking homeless dudes, I give you all some food for thought for the week ahead!

-As we all know by now, I love Doctor Who. I can't get enough of that David Tennant, the man is just one tall drink of...definitely nothing bland like water, let's call him a nice, cool drink of scotch and soda. If you haven't heard already, Doctor Who as a full series is on a break until 2010, and Monsieur Tennant is starring as Hamlet in Stratford-upon-Avon through November this year. Matthew Sweet explores the mysterious and manifold connections (or should I say 'connexions'?), from Patrick Troughton to David Tennant and back again.

-Also out of the United Kingdom (a country I am mildly obsessed with but have never been to), at Agent Bedhead there is a proposal offering the 'chav' as the world's newest and greatest cultural stereotype. I believe we call that 'downwardly mobile' in the United States, but that might be phrasing of a previous generation. Is class warfare still a viable topic today, or is this blog not serious enough with discussions of a social nature?

-For something completely different and more in line with Jeanne's musings of the purchasing of a vintage sun dress pattern, Erin at Dress A Day provides us with an explanation of the oft-ridiculous pricing of those wily vintage patterns. I bought a pattern for a vintage 4H silk pleated-skirt, belted and Peter Pan-collared dress for $5 at an antiques shop many moons ago for the pure kitsch of it. The dress itself turned out rather cutely despite my meager sewing abilities! That was certainly a finals period well spent.

-Moving on to one of my other favorite subjects, home decor, I've just discovered It's (K)not Wood, a blog all about fake-wood items. Vases that look like tree branches, faux-woodgrain placemats, you name it! I think it's glorious.

-Have you seen Linda Evanglista's June photospread in Vogue Italia? It's lush, lovely, and co-stars PUGS. Gotta love those smooshed-nose little pups!

-If you're a crafty sort, check out Amy Butler Designs, not only are her fabrics super-cheery, but that business card holder is a great way to personalize something that's otherwise soul-sucking and robotic. Birdie the Cat is just about the cutest little thing I have ever seen, and would be a great gift for a baby or a toddler!

-This just came up on CHOW for me, there is a Slow Food Nation 'Meat Up' coming to San Francisco over Labor Day weekend. I do believe a few of us Periodic Style ladies will have to make an appearance, food-loving gluttons that we are!

-Last but not least, let us take a moment to celebrate the life and musical gifts of Miss Jo Stafford, b. 1917 in Coalinga, California. Jo Stafford passed away at the grand old age of 90 years this Wednesday, generations of big band and jazz music lovers mourn her passing.

Have a great week, everyone, listen to a little Jo Stafford, feel a little crafty, and enjoy the lovely weather, wherever you may be!

In the Buff

A couple of weeks ago, I lost the fight with the nail polish I'd been wearing for about two and a half weeks. And instead of going and repainting them (as I'd been planning on doing), I stopped and thought I needed to give my nails a bit of a break. So I buffed them -- I got out a little nail buffer block and buffed my nails smooth and shiny. And I got to thinking -- does anyone actually buff their nails anymore?

I first started buffing my nails when my grandma (this should tell you something, yeah?) gave me a little nail buffer along the lines of this one -- shaped like a nail file, with one side having the first two steps and the second side the third and final "shining" step. And so I, being ten, thought this was awesome. While I haven't been keeping my nails buffed consistently since then, it's always been somewhere in the back of my mind.

Anyway, I thought I'd find some fun buffing products, especially since summer is the time to get smooth, and, uh, buff. So here we go!

- The Red Flower Japan Rice Buff is a bag of rice bran with aloe vera and various scented oils. I'm a huge fan of Japanese-inspired products, obviously, but at the same time, I don't know if I'd pay $24 for a bag of rice bran that's good for about seven washes (about $3.50 per wash!). Even if it is cherry blossom-scented. Still, I do like Red Flower's products in general; I'm just not super-sure about this one.

- I use Bliss skincare and love it, but I mostly keep it to my face -- I haven't branched out into their body stuff, really. They have a carrot and sesame body buff spa set that includes a scrub and a moisturizing foam thingie. I sniffed the scrub at Sephora and wasn't totally thrilled (maybe I just don't really like the smell of raw carrots?), but I've heard good things -- the Non-Blonde loved the scrub. I would rather get the Lemon & Sage scrub, if I had to have a Bliss scrub, but I'd rather get another Product Body scrub anyway. Mmm, Butter Scrub...

- Benefit makes a lip gloss called "Streakin'", which is described as "buff nude". Oh ho! I very much like Benefit's glosses, and a good neutral lip gloss is always good to have. (Which is why I have, like, a bajillion of them.)

- When I was in Vegas, I picked up a "Buffy" bar, which I think used to be called "Buffy the Backside Slayer". Clearly there was a name change...

- Speaking of our favorite Slayer, if you haven't already started reading Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, you definitely need to check it out. It's the continuation of Buffy the Vampire Slayer after the TV show ended, written by Joss Whedon; because it's a comic instead of a TV show, so much more can happen that would just be impossible to put on TV... (And actually, my favorite slayer is Faith, who doesn't show up until No Future For You (Volume 2), which I haven't picked up yet. But apparently she is awesome. Would you expect any less from her?) For a preview of Season Eight, check it out at DarkHorse.com.

Have you ever buffed your nails, or am I the only one who does this? (I've never seen any other beauty bloggers refer to it, at least that I can remember.) Any favorite buffs/scrubs you want to share? Or any favorite Buffy moments? And are you looking forward to Dollhouse, the new Joss/Eliza Dushku collaboration? (I'm not sure yet, but I'll probably be checking it out...)

images from drugstore.com and darkhorse.com

Are you ready to Dance?

All of my TV shows have been saying so long and farewell for the summer the past couple of weeks, which kind of sucks. First it was 30 Rock, my newest love. Then we got a new America's Next Top Model (even if it wasn't Lauren, who was awesome and my hero) and still not enough Kelly on The Office. Finally, this week Gossip Girl took off for summer vacation and America has a brand-new Idol as of last night. And Ugly Betty ends tonight, too, but I haven't really been paying as much attention to UB this year (the whole "we can be together until you leaaaave me because you got another girl pregnant!" thing was a real sour turn).

So you'd think I'd be more bummed about losing all of my shows. Nope! You know why?

Because So You Think You Can Dance is back!!

If you've got a long-ish memory (or have browsed ye olde archives recently), SYTYCD made my things I'm loving lately post last June. And it's easy to forget just how much I loved it and how much I adored so many of the last two troupes of dancers... and then I saw them performing on American Idol Gives Back this year (I know, I know, but check it out below -- sorry I couldn't find anything in better quality).



Anyway, I'm totally excited for its return and for the new group of dancers, even though I don't know if any of them can be as near and dear to my heart as so many were last year (Pasha! Sara! Danny! Lacey! Sabra! Dominic! Hok! Travis! Donyelle! Anya! Cedric! Jimmy!).

(More SYTYCD routines to check out: Ramalama from Season Two, Jaimie and Hok as the Flower and Butterfly complete with some impressive use of MAC pigments, the awesome Triplets of Belleville cabaret, and basically anything Danny did -- go to 5:25 for his final solo. Aaaand all of those, with the exception of Danny, were choreographed by Wade Robson, who choreographed "I'm a Slave 4 U", among others.)

Since there's always such an amazing variety of dances and looks (Push It, anyone?), I thought I'd throw a couple together in Polyvore!



The hip hop/contemporary outfit is particularly inspired by Sabra's outfit from the Make It Work dance, where she was wearing big heavy bamboo gold hoops and I was cringing as soon as I saw that she'd have to dance wearing those. (In fact, at :50, you can see one of them fall off her ear. Ouch!) And the tube socks are, of course, ubiquitous among the contemporary dancers. My plea for this season: no more tube socks!! On anyone!! (Note: This will not happen. There will be tube socks FOREVER.)

Next, I picked a ballroom/Latin outfit, complete with ballroom dancing shoes, opera gloves, and a feathery hairpiece. (The Lanvin pearls are just for bonus. I don't really expect anyone to be wearing Lanvin pearls.) The ballroom and Latin outfits are always so incredibly over the top, but that's how it goes and that's how we love it.

Finally, even though they tend to group their ballet dancers as "contemporary" dancers, I put together a little ballet-inspired outfit, because sometimes you get a girl en pointe at auditions, and I'd really like to see them accept the term "ballet" over "contemporary".

So if you haven't given So You Think You Can Dance a shot, I'd definitely strongly urge you to do so. The first couple of weeks are auditions, which can range from awesome to painfully bad, and then we go to Vegas to narrow it down, and then finally, finally we'll get the actual top 20 dancers in about three weeks, which is really when you ought to start tuning in. The contestants are professional dancers and champions: they're the real deal, and the talent that makes it to the top 20 is always incredible.

What other summer shows are you looking forward to? Or are you still musing over everything wrapping up? And, I guess the real question is, Do You Think You Can Dance?

video from youtube.com, image from polyvore.com

"Basically anything that is awesome." - A Periodic Style Tribute to Kelly Kapoor

At long, long last, after months of waiting, The Office is finally back on TV starting tomorrow night.

However, I'm of the (admittedly, unpopular) opinion that I'm totally bored and done with Jim and Pam, especially after season three, where Pam learned to grow up and Jim... didn't. (When everyone was picking sides between Team Pam and Team Karen, my side was "Team JIM DOESN'T DESERVE EITHER OF THEM".) But I will tell you whose side I'm firmly on: TEAM KELLY.

That's right: I am sticking my flag in the sand at the Beach Games. I would much rather hang out with, get to know, and be BFF with Kelly Kapoor than anyone else on "The Office".

Kelly started out mysteriously on "The Office", as the customer service rep who only made brief appearances to play off of Michael's prejudices, most notably in "Diversity Day" and "The Dundies" -- it wasn't until the middle of the second season that she really started to become this bubbly, girly (and AWESOME) character.

And so some fans wonder what, exactly, happened with Kelly that can't be explained by "Mindy Kaling is awesome and we need to build up Kelly more". My feeling on the subject is that when we first meet Kelly, she's in that "new employee" mode -- dress conservatively, keep to yourself, be on your best behavior. (Heck, even the fact that camera crews are around would be enough to make me be on my best behavior!) But as she got used to the job, used to the camera crews, and used to the regular bouts of absolute INSANITY in Dunder-Mifflin, she let her hair down (literally) and opened up.

Kelly is the friend that you can trade celebrity gossip with, who will tell you you look cute even if she is a little apprenhensive about it, who will take you on double-dates and introduce you to online shopping, then encourage you to have a fashion show at lunch. And she won't judge you if you have guilty-pleasure pop songs on your iPod -- she fully enjoys them, no guilt. And even if she may be a little boy-crazy (which, uh, may be the understatement of the year), her woes with Ryan and Darrell would still be more entertaining than listening to either Angela confessing in secret code while simultaneously plotting your downfall or Pam moping over Roy or Jim (even though Pam is no longer moping, but).

Plus, it goes without saying that Mindy Kaling herself is incredibly smart, brilliant, and fun and I wish she was my friend, even as she wishes that Katherine Heigl was hers.

So here's to you, Kelly Kapoor! Let's go get pedicures and drink Seven and Sevens with eight maraschino cherries each, sugar on the rim, and blended if possible. I'm looking forward to having you back in my house on Thursday nights, because I missed you, girl!

images from such-a-dork.com

Busy busy busy!

Oh MAN, have I been busy these past few weeks! I moved desks at work and got a bunch of new assignments on top, came home to California for a week's vacation and I haven't had a moment to myself! My goodness. It's been a week full of doctor's, dentist's, and hair appointments at home, not to mention taking care of my elderly grandfather while he visits us, too. It can all get a little overwhelming for a girl sometimes. I haven't even been able to put together a passable WorkWear Daily in WEEKS, I've been so uninspired!

So, 3:00 in the morning though it may be, I am taking this time out to give myself a little breather, a little escape, a little fantasy-land time in the world of glorious fashion we like to call this blog. It's about time to start thinking about light spring jackets to get us through these cold April-May nights, guys!

In breathy anticipation of the return of Doctor Who tomorrow night in the UK (fourth season!), I thought I would take inspiration for spring from one of my favorite sources: TV wardrobe. I almost wrote "costuming" there until I remembered that "costuming" should really be reserved for period shows like Miss Marple, say, but then Doctor Who is in a category all its own. Case in point, we have Rose Tyler and the Doctor ending up on a dead planet, trapped in a cursed space station in the two-part "The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit." See below, Rose's amazing asymmetrical-zip hot-pink jacket:

I remember seeing Rose's jacket and my first thought being, WHERE DID SHE GET THAT I WANT IT--then remembering that a wardrobe department is wholly responsible for it. What are your thoughts on the asymmetrical jacket? I have yet to find a good style where the zipper doesn't buckle oddly, but there is a sneaking suspicion that somehow, magically, the asymmetrical zip makes you look thinner. Yes, no?

Next up, we have the retro and tough-to-pull-off-without-looking-lumpy cropped jacket, seen again on Rose:

Ogle and adore the Doctor's aviator glasses and bouffant hairdo, then let's move on to the jackets, shall we? I've put together this Polyvore collage of some Doctor Who-style jackets, Rose-themed of course:

From the top left and clockwise around: Soundgirl's bike party jacket, Oli (UK) bomber, Republic (UK) "miso" bomber, a surprising choice from Overstock.com, and two Dorothy Perkins hardcore biker jackets--both remind me of this scene, which just makes me CRY. If you click on the link, you'll see an excellent example of cold-spring-night layering that I have often employed, namely the hoodie-under-jacket combination. A+!

Now, lest I become all talk, I will admit to buying a jacket for spring while shopping with my grandmother. I have conflicted feelings about it. If I could find a photo online OR my camera, I would show you, but it would be embarrassing. It's from Charter Club, at Macy's. I know. Not for young, vivacious girls traipsing about big cities in their dainty girl-clothes, but it's actually kind of...cute? Dare I say it? It's cream and black paisley with purple and green floral designs, definitely not something I would have picked off the rack for myself, but what can I say? Grandma has THE EYE. Still, I wish I could have some of these more military/equestrian-inspired jackets:

From the top left and clockwise around, all utterly out of my price range: Alexander McQueen asymmetrical tailored jacket--don't you love how the buttons nip it at just the right point at the waistline?, a naval-chic BCBG MaxAzria asymmetrical button jacket--I love the trim, another Oli piece that is rather structured and pretty, and finally, a row of great leather jackets by McQueen, Miu Miu, and Mike&Chris. I am quite curious about this Oli store...it looks deceptively cheap but cute as hell, in a Target-in-the-US way. Can anyone from the UK clarify for us?

What are you looking forward to wearing this spring? I'm definitely seeing mainstream clothing stores picking up on last year's bright-yellow trend these days! There is a delicious cream-colored straw fedora with a wide black lace trim just waiting for me on the shelf for a warm Saturday afternoon walk through Central Park. Since I'm a budget-minded girl, I'm going to have to stick with my old, distressed teal H&M bikers jacket and a newish winter coat from Institut in SoHo. I can but try to approach the great fashion heights of the BBC!

Images from bbc.co.uk and polyvore.com.

Periodic Style Exclusive: Interview with Julie Teel, NYC Make-Up Artist, Part III

Today is the final part of my interview with Julie Teel, NYC make-up artist. You can find the previous parts of our interviews here (part I) and here (part II). Today she talks about her latest projects, some of which are now on your TV, coming soon to theatres and featuring two of my favorite actresses/writers/comedians/women, period!

What has been your all-time favorite project you've worked on? What project are you most proud of, if it's not the same as your favorite?

Hmmm, my all time favorite thus far will have to be Canterbury's Law because I got to work with my best friend Christine Fennell, who is a hairstylist. Work was always a hoot and we brought joy (perhaps even annoyance on occasion) to the set (I would like to believe). But it's also a great cast and crew to work with. I put my best foot forward and all my efforts into every project I work, whether it be a day or 6 months, so I am always proud of any project I've been lucky to be a part of. It's fun for my family and friends having me point out the different characters I made up for the various projects I've worked; I think they are proud of me, which makes me happy.

What do you think is the most powerful tool in a beauty arsenal?

Good skin care products. (Jeanne: Her emphasis!)
Having a well cared-for and primed canvas to paint is the greatest joy and makes things easier for all involved.

What is the best piece of advice you've received while working as a make-up artist?

BREATHE. ...Hmm, I don't really recall anything pertaining to make-up in general, though, only personal stuff concerning the actor's or director's preferences.

According to your IMDb profile, your most recent project is Baby Mama with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Are they as awesome as they seem, or even awesomer?

EVEN AWESOMER! As of this interview, I just worked on some reshoots with them and got to experience the fun again. They are both soooo very funny. Tina has a sophisticated humor that can be surprisingly smarmy and Amy, well, she's so kooky and does more charactery (is that even a word???) stuff, and I think she's more physical too. They are so very down-to-earth too. LOVE that! There's a trailer! It looks good! I am glad I got to work on this -- it's a favorite project for sure!

Thank you again, Julie, for sharing your time and your knowledge with us! I know I'm looking forward to Baby Mama and to seeing a lot of your work in the future!

WorkWear Daily for March 7th, 2008

Today's outfit looks better on the digital, fake mannequin below than it does on me. Thank you, mirrored elevators at work, for letting me know that. I tried mixing shades and patterns in grey rather than adding a third color to punch it up. Thoughts?

Well, truthfully, I've lost my red quilted leather Swatch watch and thus, the outfit lost its great potential for punchiness. Still! The highlight of today's ensemble is the skirt, which is underrepresented by Polyvore...I snagged it for a song at one of those outlet malls with a Banana Republic, and the best part is the big brass buttons on the front. What could have really made this outfit pop was if I replaced the dinky lame plastic black buttons of my cardigan with tiny vintage brass buttons. Shame, for I have baggies full of vintage pearl buttons at home in California! The best place to get these are flea markets, large but crumbling antique malls (mine in California has great big Mason jars full of them), and estate sales. This skirt's buttons are a nice burnished brass, like Civil War-era Army pins and Roman coins.

The scarf is similar to the one above but tied close and high up on my neck, it's an old Echo light-grey herringbone patterned number, probably purchased for about $0.50 at a local vintage shop. I tend to gravitate to the silk-scarves section of used- and vintage-clothing stores, not to mention the hats and brooches! I adore and underutilize accessories. The sunglasses are an old pair of tortoiseshell Kate Spades with prescription lenses, of course, that I wear around to feel a little incognito in the big city.

The tanktop you can't see is horizontally striped in grey and black to keep with today's somber palette and contrasts (clashes?) with the geometric-patterned grey tights. I like the play of line and form in this, culminating in a soft, business-y high ponytail and side-swept bang, all the way down to the fabulous Jeffrey Campbell spectator heels. If the skirt were a wiggle skirt and all that black replaced by fuschia or peacock colors, it would be reminiscent of the super-chic, super-fabulous Joan from AMC's Mad Men (see photo).

I could just be saying that because I caught up on the first season, and let me tell you, that show is PURE GOLD FASHIONSPIRATION (fashion+inspiration=FASHIONSPIRATION). Look at how cute they all are!

In summation, I will say that thank goodness it's Friday finally, and wish everyone a fabulously glamorous weekend!

Note: The Periodic Elements of Style knows that smoking is hazardous to your health, and does not encourage the smoking of pipes or cigarettes. It's just that everyone stylish seems to do it, and we're looking at the clothes, not the tobacco. Thank you.

Images courtesy of Polvyvore.com and AMC.com.