Stylish with Substance

Lady GaGa is finally going beyond just Haus of Gaga for her videos, she's beginning her inevitable crossover into commercial design.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Gaga in Haus of Gaga shades for Bad Romance"][/caption]

The Lady is reported (WWD, Sylecaster) to design one collection for the brand Linda Farrow, a British designer big in luxury eyewear which has made many acclaimed collaborations recently, including designing with Alexander Wang and others.

[caption id="attachment_2708" align="alignnone" width="450" caption="Linda Farrow's own "luxe" shade line"][/caption]

Websites are treating this news as a bit of a rumor, however WWD has itself reported it. The buzz broke last week while I was fighting a computer virus, and I cannot access wwd.com's take on the story anymore for proof of this new hype's credibility.

If only a rumor now, like I said fashion design, including shades to be sure, is no doubt not only inevitable but likely in Gaga's near future. She is the star partially known for huge somethings-anythings covering her eyes, while although her "fashion" is all-over crazy, eye "design" is one central element.

[caption id="attachment_2709" align="alignnone" width="400" caption="Gaga's famous crystal shades"][/caption]

I'm still left wondering when everything will get rolling and then when we'll get to see the goods! One other important wonder is about price range. Linda Farrow's "luxe" shade line is priced between $400 and $800, while most celebrity brands are priced for masses and youth. We know Lady Gaga is more haute and design-oriented than the Olsens and the like, but whether general pop music fans can even save to put on a piece of Gaga couture remains a major question.

For now let's just refresh our memories and soak in the views of some glasses styles Gaga seems to love - which when mind-mixed with Gaga's and Farrow's designs, might help us imagine what looks this collaboration could produce.

And that is the biggest ponderment; whether we even anticipate liking or wanting to spend on it, any fashion or music fan will want to see what will likely be art in Gaga's eyewear.

Some photos from Daily Gaga / Fashion...

I was just a tad or almost late to receive word of this video ... ;-) And then my computer & I were both too under the weather to write. It's been a bad week, but the shopping is better!

It's different for an actress or musician to claim to be a designer than it is for a stylist to turn designer, so even though we all know Rachel Zoe best from fame and her relatively new reality show, she's A-OK or even better (than OK) as a fashion designer. A stylist getting a reality show, even if good, is a bit of an "ugh"-inducer, but that's another story (and I just don't like reality programming anyway).

(And now, shop your TV! - err, monitor.)

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To highlight that Zoe can design, I'm showcasing my favorite item from the video: I so want this necklace! In a word, unique; which is what "design" should be - or must be by definition, IMHO (in my haughty opinion).

I only wish it were reversible for a low-back dress.

Rachel Zoe at QVC is for sale now on QVC. See it on the "dot com".

Our budget for movie-going is very low, so I have not been able to catch onto "Alice" fever like most fashionistas, but when I saw this blue/red combo Melissa heart pumps, I was very inspired.

I knew this spread needed to be gorgeous and artful and I know I'm personally limited somehow on Polyvore.com set making, so I opened up Paint Shop Pro and went to work, old-school-style. (OK old-me style, for this is not low tech!)

I had to leave the top left corner blank, for I find it so beautiful. If you want to see the background image I made on its own, keep reading the post - but here's the shopping info!

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Before you read this piece of beauty-equality fabulosity, note it comes from the blogger from Already Pretty. It's not just esteem-boosting and not just pretty, but beautiful writing!

If you hate skinny jeans and prefer bootcuts because they balance you out, wear 'em and screw the trend-hounds. If you want to wear foofy vintage dresses every single day because you feel fabulously feminine in them, do it and screw the buzzwreckers. If you think your collarbone is the sexiest thing ever created, wear scoop necks and boat necks and square necks and never ever don a collarbone-masking scarf, and screw the naysayers. Whatever you dislike, avoid it. Whatever makes you feel delighted to be alive, wear it.

And here are some of the bloggers' style shots from AP's piece. Their individual links below.

Casual Converse Chic! It can be done. Yay. I was thinking so with this style of sneaker's non-bulk, so I bought a cute inexpensive version - but I'll show you those shoes later! (They're in the mail.)

Be sure to read the entire, lovely, post on Already Pretty.

Women's blogs in the photos, respectively: Yammering Muse, Jeremy & Kathleen, Eek!

Originally published on 01/11 at 8:00 pm. Re-published at 1 am on 1/12.

[caption id="attachment_2183" align="alignnone" width="320" caption="Lee Alexander McQueen's final runway wave"][/caption]

Lee Alexander McQueen, the founder and designer of Alexander McQueen, was found dead earlier today of an apparent suicide. Read an in-depth story by the source that broke the news, Britain's Daily Mail.

My farewell message:

McQueen's designs were ground-breakingly unusual, like the famed "Armadillo" pumps adored and adorned by Lady GaGa, displaying soft beauty in even darkness or pain - something interestingly ironic in my eyes. Beyond that his different pieces were so versatile from even each other - McQueen was not to be pigeonholed and would have never had "one hit". This is a designer who could have forged our future and remained a huge part of the face of current fashion throughout his natural lifespan - but the truth is he already started to do so and he shall remain beyond his body. He leaves a celebrity-celebrated and fashionista-famous legacy in style's history---and the still present, not to be forgotten.

Below is my hand-picked collection of some of McQueen's designs from select seasons, from his infamous Armadillo pumps that evoke fears of torturous pain yet hint at the graces and dreams of ballet and goth terrific fantasies to classic even medieval inspiration to coveted skull scarves, IT bags,  and his Scottish influenced plaids and European-style knits.

Click here to read more about Fashion Fantasy Game and how to visit my showroom.

Most people on this fun website design entire ensembles, doing both some design play and a lot of styling. I though prefer to nitpick every last aspect of one item and stick to piece elements more like the real world (as in one retails a sweater, not a sweater + tights + ...). I feel I do focus more on creating more detailed pieces however I don't hesitate to use simpler items I love especially if from a limited edition template but also I sometimes publish designer inspired pieces.

Since I can't sell complete outfits from already created designs without laboring over each individual object all over again, I'm just styling my own "diva" and will publish here, hoping for a little game-play exposure and other fun stuffs. ;-)

Some of the elements I design I do find difficult to piece with what else I have on FFG to fit into my personal style. Even if these ensembles go wackier than I would ever wear, something like this is typical in fashion from runway to lookbooks, and I think others may appreciate a whole styling of my pieced elements.

Enjoy doll #1: Color Diva!

I will be pairing these with shopping "tips" on how to find perhaps similar pieces for the real world...