Christian Louboutin and Havaianas

Who would have thought that Christian Louboutin, mastermind behind all those teetering red stilettos would have such affection for Havaianas? That's just what he divulged to Brazilian mag Veja when interviewed before the opening of his first store in San Paolo. He has a staggering 30 to 40 pairs of his own.

When asked, "How many pairs of shoes does a woman need?" He responded, "Every woman should own three pairs of shoes- high heels, flat shoes, and Havaianas." We agree, at least if you're referring to packing for your girls' getaway!

On Our Radar: Prime Italian Miami

We can't remember a trip to South Beach when we didn't indulge in a great steak dinner at Prime 112. It has everything: good decor, celebrity sightings and people watching, a crowded bar, and most importantly fantastic food. The people behind P112 have opened another restaurant just across the street, Prime Italian. They still offer up plenty cuts of beef; but this spot has a definite Italian lean: Kobe beef meatballs, brick oven pizza with Maine lobster or ribeye, prosciutto with honey crisp apples, blue cheese and walnuts, and chicken parmesan soup.


The interior resembles its big brother's with masculine furnishings and dark wood; but takes on a more modern feel, especially with the prominent red leather chairs. The bar looks like the perfect spot to order up dirty martini-pickled onions hold the olives.

Is a restaurant alone enough to pull us down to Miami? We'll let you know when we book our plane seats.

101 Ocean Drive
South Beach, Fl.
305/695-8484

photos courtesy of thrillist (also a great review)

On Our Radar: Fairmont Pearl Acapulco

Those close to us know that we've been craving a beach getaway badly. While it's easiest to hop a short flight to Miami; we're contemplating Mexico instead. We've been tempted since we watched Sex and the City and can imagine ourselves in the sun with a few of our besties. Our friend, Deana, just returned from the Cancun/Riviera Maya area and her flight was only 3 hours and direct from Dulles. You can expect to read more about our planning in the next few weeks.

In the meantime, we found a great deal from the Fairmont Pearl in Acapulco (not as close to Eastcoasters, but a quick trip for our friends out West) courtesy of Travel + Leisure. The Hip to Hip Spring package is a 50% savings and includes 5 nights for the price of 4 and a 60 minute couples massage (we assume they'd extend that to girlfriends too) for $1,200. Just add some margaritas and a couple of pool-side lounge chairs and we're sold. Check the Fairmont website or call (866-540-4401).

Marchesa Fall '09

The Marchesa show is always one of our faves: It has gorgeous Oscar-worthy gowns, celebs galore and the best champagne. It no doubt helps that designer Georgina Chapman (below right, with co-designer Keren Craig) is married to Harvey Weinstein.


The presentation featured lots of tulle and ballerina-inspired looks:

Hope would like to top her next Christmas tree with this:

Happy to see that purple is still in play for next fall. We still love it--and this fur-trimmed coat.


The models were fed peanuts throughout the hour long presentation, so the girls didn't pass out.


Marchesa's clothes are tailor-made for a presentation and the designers have been doing it that way for years.

We love that you can get close enough to see the gorgeous detailing--like the lace on the above dress.


And these Cinderella-inspired Louboutin's:


Annie was most excited to see Gossip Girl's Taylor Momsen:


While Hope appreciated the more old school Helena Christensen:

A Peek Inside Plush Junkie's Carry On

One of our favorite new blogs is Plush Junkie, where they, "believe that life is delicious and should be indulged daily." We're not going to argue! Edited by Jules and Jahnel, the ladies always leave the wittiest comments on our blog, so we had to know how they travel. Jahnel Curfman (above) is a professional dancer (a former Laker Girl)! and an actress. She just returned from New Zealand where she was working on a feature film, and is headed to Telluride next week to snowboard with her man. Here, Jahnel's must-have for her travels:

My See by Chloe Charlie Weekend Bag loves to see a vacation as much as I do because it works just as hard during the week. When I'm running around to auditions, rehearsals, and meetings it holds outfits, shoes, make-up, portfolios, you name it. I call it my Mary Poppins bag because it really does hold THAT much stuff.

* Passport. Even if it's a short flight to Vegas I have it. Because one never knows when they'll be whisked away to some exotic, foreign locale. Call it being prepared.

* Mustela Hydra Bebe Hydrating Cream. It's extremely light but, keeps my skin hydrated for hours in the high altitude air. (JSG note: Mustela's Hydra-stick is one of our all time fave lip balms.)

*Evian Mineral Water Spray. A quick spritz and I feel refreshed, even after the red eye.

*My Molton Brown Cashmere Travel Throw is the next best thing to Frette linens at The Four Seasons. It's luxurious and warm and (the best part) I'm not wrapping myself up in someone else's germs. Ick!

* Stacks of fashion mags, The L.A. Times, and a book or two. I'm always reading several at a time but, right now I can't get enough of Sophie Kinsella. I love mindless chick lit, like Remember Me?, that let's me indulge my girly side.

*My ipod, a silky sleep mask, and Tylenol for when I fly first class because I can never resist the yummy (free!) champagne.

Miss Sixty and No Frizz Backstage Fall '09

Stylist Ward Stegerhoek used No Frizz products backstage at Miss Sixty on Sunday to create a Rocker Chic look. "Ward wanted body but no frizz. Funky yet fashionable." First he used NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl Defining Shaping Spray to style the hair and NO FRIZZ Wave-Shaping, Curl Defining Shaping Cream to twist the hair and make it appear rough and stringy.

We're still using NO FRIZZ products weeks after first testing them. If you haven't heard about Living Proof's products (in Allure, Lucky or JSG), the company was formed by MIT scientists and the frizz fighters use a technology new and different from the silicone stand-bys. We use the Straight Making Styling Cream most days and the wave-shaper when we're looking for a beachy look (curly, messy but no frizz). NO FRIZZ is available at Sephora.

Halston Fall '09

Can't make it to New York Fashion Week? You can still check out the Halston Video presentation of the sexy fall line. Now, if only we could live in a world where it rains shoes!

New Bus Service DC to NYC

Tripper Bus began service this weekend from DC to NYC, specifically from Arlington, Va. and Bethesda, Md. to 34th and 7th Ave (across from the H&M, shoppers). We've already tested Vamoose with mixed results. Tripper promises new buses, comfortable seats, outlets, and WIFI; not to mention $1 fares. Unfortunately, when we poked around the website, fares available for the next two weeks ranged from $5 to $25, still a good savings over the train or plane. JSG's Hope is headed to NY to join Anne for Fashion Week and this may be her easiest way there. Check back later in the week for a review.

Three As Four Fall '09 Backstage

ThreeAsFour is known for its curve and spiral fashions, so when designer Adi Gil wanted to go with linear designs, MAC makeup artist, Gordon, was inspired. "We originally discussed doing asymmetrical eyeliner with Gil, the designer, where every model would have a different look on each eye." But that was too crazy, so we pulled it back, says Gordon. Instead, he opted for an "other worldly image. A futuristic angel with highlighted mineralized sink finish." Gordon used the MAC Pearl Cream Color Base on lids, brow and even the cupid's bow of the lip. "Wherever you want the face to be highlighted." His idea for modern makeup is to skip the shading with concealers and instead, opt for highlighting. "The new `no makeup look' is highlighting the good parts of the face'".



Gordon was also dealing with the challenge of a presentation versus a show: "At a presentation, people get up close with the models, so the look needs to work from that angle." (Below: one of the MAC makeup artists preps a model.)


For the hair, Ashley Javier, was emphasiszing the sleekness of the clothes. "We used mesh hoods with Swarovski crystals". To create the modern look, he wrapped hair around the skull in a spiral, using Kerastase cream. He then added a blond or stark black pony, cut on an angle. "It was very asymmetrical, very 80s."

Vena Cava Fall '09

As bloggers, we appreciate the presentation concept because it allows us to take better photos and get up close and personal with the models. We love the striking Silky Orange Liquid Shadow Vincent Longo used on the model's eyes.

The British Racing Green polish by Butter London is on our must get list. Too bad it's not available until fall, exclusively at Beauty.com.

Stylist Ted Gibson (shown below with our friend The Makeup Girl) created a Rockabilly Chic look for the hair.


"I want it to look like the girl went out one night, goes to work the next day, then is going out again. Except she wants a different look--wants to be someone else. So she teases it and gels the sides back."


More of the looks from the presentation:



Anything sparkly always catches our eye. Love how the cardigan makes this dress work for daytime:


Cutout dresses are a disturbing trend we've seen at many of the shows. JSG does not approve.

Charlotte Ronson Fall '09

Over at Charlotte Ronson the vibe was very 1940s with "wartime looks" mixed with lots of black leather and occasional splashes of plaid.

For the nails, Dashing Diva nail expert Alisha Rimando offered up three choices of dark red shades to Charlotte, who went with the aptly named "Jet Set". "Charlotte wanted something with some shimmer, but not too much," says Alisha. "Jet Set was the perfect choice." (JSG couldn't agree more!)




For the hair, Sebastian lead stylist Thomas Dunkin (below) wanted to bring the 40s feel into the hair. He did that with a super shiny ponytail using Sebastian Shine Define flexible hold hairspray and Liquid Gloss for added shine. We would have liked to have seen 40s finger waves, but understand that the show is more about the clothes than the hair.




We didn't have a chance to interview MAC makeup artist Luc Bouchard, but we're told he pressed Chestnut and Nightmoth Lip pencils onto the lips to stain to get that striking burgundy hue.

Since this was Charlotte Ronson's show, the celeb quotient was high. Lindsay Lohan (pictured below) was there with girlfriend Samantha Ronson, who spun 40s swing tunes for her sister's show.



Peaches Geldof and hubby Max Drummey were there:


Charlotte's sister Anabelle Dexter Jones walked the show and her brother Mark and mom, Ann Dexter Jones, were also there to show their support.



For the complete Charlotte Ronson Fall '09 line, check out Style.com. For more affordable fashions from Charlotte, take a peek at her I Heart Ronson line for Penney's.

Rag & Bone Fall '09

Backstage at Rag & Bone, Revlon artistic director (and spouse of Rag & Bone designer David Neville) Gucci Westman filled us in on the "Samuri Storm Tropper" makeup she did for the show (seen above on a pre-outfitted Sasha Pivovarova):

"I wanted luminous skin and enhanced natural features," Gucci (shown below) says. To create the look, she used Revlon's cream blush in Rosy Glow and Blushing Mauve after applying a skin brightening Shiseido mask. For the lips, she used a tomato red lipstick that will be out in the fall (we need to double check the spelling, but we believe it's Moiré Red). "I dabbed it on with my fingers, like a stain." On the eyes, she used Revlon Creme Shadow and 3D Extreme Mascara.


For the hair, Frederic Fekkai lead stylist, Teddy Charles, aspired for a no fuss, no muss look. "I want it to look like the girl came in from outside, I open up my pin box, put her hair up. Then she puts on the clothes on and goes out to the runway," Teddy (shown below) says. To create the look, Teddy styled the hair into a lose pony, twisted the tail around in a messy bun with the tip out and finished with Fekkai Sheer Hold Spray. "I didn't tease or curl it. It looks like the girl did it by herself."




We drooled over the Manolos that were featured in the show.



Here's Sasha with her finished look walking down the runway. For all the looks from the show, check out Style.com.