The Golden Age of European Couture is Headed for Nashville this June

When Christian Dior launched his famous New Look in 1947, he both delighted and scandalized the public (all that fabric!), and sparked a golden age of creativity in the Couture, which lasted until his death a decade later. Along with fellow fashion luminaries of the day - including Cristóbal Balenciaga, Hubert de Givenchy and Pierre Balmain and celebrated London designers such as Hardy Amies, Charles Creed and Norman Hartnell - a new standard in impeccable workmanship and design was set, one that has rarely been surpassed since.

The next best thing to being able to travel back in time to the glamorous Maisons of Mode in Paris and London is probably The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947–1957, a new exhibition organized by the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in London which enjoyed record-breaking attendance at its London launch, and its subsequent presentations in Australia, Hong Kong and Canada.

The international tour lands at the only US venue on June 18, 2010, the Ingram Gallery of the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville, where it will remain on view through Sept. 12, 2010.

To Age or Not to Age: It's Actually Up to You. Here Are 10 Ways To Age Fabulously

Imagine a 120-year-old living like today's 50 year-olds. Is it possible? Well, according to the scientists in Robert Kane Pappas's new film, "To Age or Not to Age" (opening July 16, 2010), the answer is yes. Rather than the absolutes we once thought of them as, age, age-related diseases, and death are, apparently (unlike taxes) postponable events. "A lot of people think we're biologically programmed to die, but the truth is that we're biologically programmed for survival," explains Dr. Thomas Kirkwood, one of the scientists interviewed. "There is no mechanism inside us that turns on to kill us when a certain period of time has elapsed."

Interestingly, another of the researchers believes that aging can actually be reversed.

Sex & the City 2 Has Almost Landed & We Have SATC Prizes to Give Away...

SATC 2 opens on Thursday, May 27, and to help get you ready, we've teamed up exclusively with the HBO Shop to lavish upon you with some mighty fine prizes, including a Mighty Fine tee, a super-cute cosmetic bag, and a set of martini glasses for celebrating - whatever! - with your fave fashionista pals. And a Grand Prize is in the mix - an assortment of SATC items!

To win, all you gotta do is tweet today & next week:

Friday, May 21st: The first 5 people to tweet @Fashiontribes with the number of SATC tees at HBO.com/store each wins a Sex & the City martini glass set.

Monday, May 24th: The first 5 people to tweet @Fashiontribes with the # SATC scarves sold on HBO.com/store each win a SATC by Mighty Fine tee.

Tuesday, May 25th: The first 5 people to tweet @Fashiontribes with the # SATC keychains at HBO.com/store each wins a pair of SATC foldable after-party flats.

Wednesday, May 26th: The first 5 people to tweet @Fashiontribes with the # SATC necklaces at HBO.com each wins a SATC cosmetic bag.

For the GRAND PRIZE - on Thursday, May 27th: The first person to post a twit-pic of themselves in front of the HBO Shop SATC window display that tweets @Fashiontribes wins the grand prize: the Movie Book, soundtrack, movie poster, Love keychain, Swagger tee, Dogeared jewelry, and a SATC scarf!

- Lesley Scott

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Just Think Sandra Bullock, You Coulda Found Your Oscar Gown on Craigslist

Hookups, hookers, husbands, and just about everything else can be found on craigslist, so why not Sandra Bullock? Aspiring L.A. fashion designer Michael Mullen had a dream of dressing America's Sweetheart for the red carpet and decided to enlist everyone's fave find-everything site to make the star an Oscar gown, shoot it, and present it to her in the hopes that the fashion fates would smile on him. Check out this 4-part *craigslist tv* webisode as the fun & funny Mullen posts his craigslist ad, does a Sandra-lookalike casting, shoots the dress, and goes to great and improbable lengths to have it seen by her.

- Lesley Scott

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Missoni Teams Up with S. Pellegrino to Spread La Dolce Vita Around the World

  Pellegrino water has long been one of Italy's most beloved exports, and they're now collaborating with Missoni on "Italian Talents", a new project designed to promote Italian flair everywhere, including a limited collector's bottle which is in the works. “Clothing a bottle, exteriorizing the tones, reflections and nuances that the light creates on the water’s surface is the task we have assigned to ourselves, to give shape to our interpretation of S.Pellegrino," explains Angela Missoni. "An object capable of evoking and amplifying water’s characteristics of freshness, transparency and radiance through our distinctive zigzag motif. Ours has been an intervention aimed at exceeding the confines of a simple marketing operation. We have not invented anything new, we tried to convey our experience and taste in things in our most fluid and congenial manner.”

Patricia Field Unveils Her Lucky 4-Leaf Clover Charm SATC Necklace for Payless

Just in time for the movie costumed & styled by Field, comes this adorable charm with pave-set sparklies on a delicate 18 inch chain - the perfect way to add a little "sex" to your accessories wardrobe...for $13!

"I love charms and believe in their value both spiritually and stylistically," says Field, who in addition to her styling and custom-design work for movies and television, has been the stylist for Payless' TV and print ads, and store lifestyle signage for several seasons. "This necklace is inspired by my work styling the upcoming 'Sex and the City 2' movie. The classic endurance of the lucky charm makes my four-leaf clover a meaningful and beautiful accessory for any woman. I believe in the fashion democracy and making amazing fashion available for all to enjoy. I also believe women should work to create their personal sense of style that tells their own fashion story. And accessories are key in doing that and Payless' seasonal collections offer a wide range of items for women to affordably complete a signature look, including my new necklace."

This is the first of many charmed items yet to come from the Patricia Field-Payless collaboration, and it is now available at Payless ShoeSource.

- Lesley Scott

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When You Wish Upon a Brazilet Bracelet, Wishes Come True

After working with labels such as Vera Wang, Sara Campbell and Saks Fifth Avenue, Kael Robinson called it quits in 2007, deciding to set out and discover the world. In Brazil, she came across a 200 year-old tradition from mystical Bahia - Wish Bracelets which came with these instructions: “Wrap your Brazilet around your wrist and tie three knots, making a wish with each knot. When your Brazilet naturally breaks down and falls off, it is believed that your three wishes will come true."

Nine months later when Kael’s Brazilet fell off, all three of her wishes had come true, including starting her own business: Live Brazilian - an online marketplace for traditional Brazilian products and Brazilets. "I couldn’t believe that my wishes came true the first time I wore a Brazilet,” adds Kael. "I knew right then that I wanted to share them with the rest of the world." Brazilets have now become a fave of celebs including Lauren Conrad, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart, Pixie Geldof and Camilla Belle - all of who have all wished upon a knot.

Win a Signed Copy of Temple St. Clair's "Alchemy: A Passion for Jewels"

As a Southern girl with a nomadic spirit and a voracious appetite for history and culture, Temple St. Clair spent summer vacations in Morocco and Bavaria, attended boarding school in Switzerland, and went night diving in Honduras with the son of Jacques Cousteau. By her early twenties, she had completed a master's in Italian literature in Florence.

During a visit, her mother brought with an ancient coin, asking St. Clair to commission a local goldsmith to make a piece of jewelry around it. It was then she first discovered the centuries-old art of fine Italian jewelry-making in the ancient Palazzo dell'Orafo of Florentine goldsmiths, opening up a new world that engaged her multicultural education, far-flung experiences, and natural curiosity. 

Today, her eponymous fine jewelry line is known for distinctive gold work and fabulous flair with colored gemstones - in everything from her signature rock crystal amulets to collectible cocktail rings. (And if it's a tad out of your current budget, be sure to save your pennies for some pieces from her limited edition Temple St. Clair for Target collection which will be available this fall, from August 29 through December 26, 2010.)

We have three copies to give away of her luscious coffeetable book:

Cate Blanchett Looking Gorgeous on the Cover of W

The always-lovely Cate Blanchett graces W magazine’s June cover, on newsstands May 25th, in a YSL silk-satin bustier, LaCrasia gloves, Hermes belt, and bling from Chopard.

In the upcoming issue, the A-list Australian opens up about her public persona ("I'm so misunderstood!"); her spouse, playwright Andrew Upton ("My husband keeps me really honest. I remember him saying to me after I made 'Elizabeth,' 'Sweetheart, you've probably got about five years.'"); and about being warned by a pal for working with the hubs ("I have friends—she’s an actor/writer married to a director—and she was horrified when we said we were going to work together. She said they don’t talk about work because they don’t want to venture into the territory of being criticized by you partner.").

- Lesley Scott

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Patricia Field Shares Her Secrets on Living Your Best Life

"Ugg boots and havaianas flip-flops are the most comfortable, more easiest to run around in, they hold up, and they're affordable." This from the woman who put Carrie Bradshaw on the Fashion Map for her love of Manolo stilettos, offbeat fashion choices, and such an extensive wardrobe of shoes, she had enough in her closet for a downpayment on a house?

Costume designer Patricia Field recently dished with Oprah magazine (June 2010, on newsstands May18th) on the components of her "best" life, including: