Jennifer Lopez may do for Christian Louboutins what she did for Manolo Blahnik Okla boots almost 10 years ago. The top pop entertainer (who, I might remind you, is an accomplished dancer) was mid-way through her new song entitled “Louboutins” last night on the American Music Awards when she fell on her butt. The tweets started within five seconds of her fall and 10 seconds later she was a trending topic.

Despite highly-anticipated appearances by megas like Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston and limelight-moth Lady Gaga, who is everyone talking about today? Lopez…and her Louboutins. Of course, she deliberately fell!

Fashion has always been Lopez’s aide de camp in promoting her career and she’s done it again with the performance of this song. However, while her shimmery outfits did not outshine her smoldering beauty, they did zip for her style quotient.

However, it’s not a total washout, she has inspired my style tip of the day: If you’re curvy and on the smaller  side, add heels (preferably Louboutins, but any good heel will do) to elongate the leg. The dress (or shorts) should either be super-short or just a few inches above the knee. The lengths chosen by La Lopez for her shorts and her gold dress were unflattering.

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com

Ever tried wearing the same dress in a week? How about the same dress every week, or every day? That’s the challenge Sheena Matheiken set for herself earlier this year to bring attention to and raise money to educate disadvantaged children in India.

Sheena, a charming advertising worker by day/fashion activist by night, also wants to bring attention to how we consume and recycle fashion and how art emerges at this confluence.

In May, she asked her friend and designer Eliza Starbuck to create a black dress she would wear every day for a year. There are a few different ones. Sheena is never wearing a dirty frock. She accessorizes the dress differently every single day. (Hollywood stylists could learn a thing or two here).

Well, you know how we at eBay have three true loves – fashion, the environment, and the charity cause? Sheena embodies all three so when our eagle-eyed exec Alan Marks read about Sheena’s work which, she calls The Uniform Project, he knew the community would love her idea. He asked us to get in touch with Sheena right away and see how we could support her effort.

Our collaboration with The Uniform Project kicked off this week.To read, look, donate, be inspired or even grouse about my leaving out eBay’s fourth true love, check out FASHION ACTIVIST

Our collaboration with The Uniform Project kicked off this week.To read, look, donate, be inspired or even grouse about my leaving out eBay’s fourth true love, check out /www.ebaygreenteam2.com

One last note on London. If you’re ever in the city, you must visit Dover Street Market.

A shrine to edgy and ironic fashion, it’s a five-level shop put together by Rei Kawakubo. As such it features all of Kawakubo’s Comme des Garcons lines and designs by her protege Junya Watanabe. It also gives ample voice to collections that deserve to be seen but are not available everywhere (except here maybe!). Britain’s new it boy Christopher Kane, who’s show was part of London Fashion Week’s 25th Anniversary, is featured. So are Azzedine Alaia and Lanvin. There’s a vending machine where you can pop in 25 Euros and buy a t-shirt, balls of rope you can use as a door-stopper,
handbags and jewelry. Men, women and a little bit of the kid in you are well served.

It’s a cultural stop and a consumer moment all in one.

Yours in fashion,

Constance

I had major fashion headache today what with the inability of my American computer to connect to the worldwide web.

England’s street fashion took my mind of flashdrives, harddrives and software as I went for a drive and people-watched. Women in killer gladiator heels, opera jackets and asymmetric vests. Men in bunny ear hairbands and Charlie Chaplin pants. These were not on the runway, I swear.

Fashion week in London is serious business. In addition to the talent displayed on the catwalks (as they’re called here), the streets are filled with fashion and there are photographers everywhere, capturing every model running from job to job, every fashion moment, every editor.

Oh, i just saw Anna Wintour. Anna is a rock star (she’s from England, you know?). Photographers snap her picture, she’s on the front page of the daily paper and a public relations person at a show was heard declaring triumphantly and with a relieved sigh, “Anna’s here.”

I saw Pringle of Scotland last night – leather crop capes, intricately knitted sweaters, skintight dresses – not at all my perception of the Pringle of yore. THAT Pringle is more like one of my favorite sweaters – a pale yellow, fitted cardigan with pearlescent buttons which I wear with an even paler yellow chiffon, bow-tie blouse by Derek Lam, both of which I bought on eBay. Guess, it’s time to rethink Pringle.

I think England is where all the models go to finish off their careers. Just two days into my LONDON SOUJOURN and I’ve already seen Trish Goff, Erin Wasson and Kirsty Hume. At least, I think it was Kristy. I remember that walk. She was in the Twenty8Twelve show, the line designed by Savannah and Sienna Miller (the actress, who opens on Broadway, stateside this fall).

I recall Sienna told me once, when she was promoting her line at Barneys, that the name stands for Marilyn Munroe’s birthday or her and her sister’s birthday. Really, I don’t remember exactly, but in case you were wondering what that name means,and I know you were, it’s something like that.

Very Truly Yours,

Constance

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com

I wrapped up New York runways with four big shows on Thursday. Ralph Lauren in the morning, Calvin Klein, Norma Kamali, Tommy Hilfiger and Ann Taylor later on.

With Janet Jackson as the lone celebrity at the show, ( Janet packs enough A-List heat for six B-list celebrities) Ralph took a nostalgia-laden look at the Old West that notably included his lower priced Double RL collection. Denim, dungarees and shirtwaists came down the runway.

The collection by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein was as ethereal as Ralph Lauren’s was prosaic. Weightless white dresses in sheer fabrics floated on the models. Tommy Hilfiger’s focus was on beachy colors kissed by the California sun. Casual yet sophisticated sportswear pieces in navy and white or ice cream pink said fun in the sun.

Two of the more unusual outings came from Kamali and Ann Taylor neither of whom have shown on the runways in a while and both showed clothes you can buy right now. Ever the innovator, Kamali staged a runway show on the  SoHo streets outside the Apple store. Inside she hosted a forum hosted by tech guru Omar Wassow where talked about fashion and its future which included her new line on eBay.

Leggings or distressed jeans are all you need. Build any number of outfits around these fashionable basics.

For a trendy look, wear leggings under a vest and a long t-shirt. Leggings in any hue work, but black is a classic because it really does go with everything. If you’re off to a pool party or a dressier affair, a printed tunic or an embellished top adds a lot of panache to leggings.

As for distressed denim jeans, a fitted tshirt with a skinny belt brings balance to style that can easily go downhill fast. A printed mini dress or an off-the-shoulder bohemian blouse scream casual chic. Add a bunch or bracelets or a big cuff to finish it off.

It’s starting to bake across parts of the country. Time to strip down, but not striptease. A pair of tailored shorts looks new and cool with a tailored, fitted shirt. Cut off the bottoms of skinny jeans at the calf or knee and roll once or twice. Wear with flip-flops, ankle gladiators or heels.

Another cool idea for socializing is the tunic. It’s breezy and goes with just about any bottom.

For work, pick a sleeveless sheath dress. Once inside the office with the A/C blasting, a cover up may be needed. A crop jacket with short sleeves is one good option. Alternately, try a lightweight little cardigan. The thing to bear in mind with the sweater is minimal fabric. Too much, and it looks hot and bulky.

A sack dress is another wise choice for cooling down while maintaining that “I-know-what-I’m-doing” look that’s so necessary for work. Roomy yet chic, it skims the body and is a flattering fit for every shape. Add some statement jewelry – a big necklace or an arresting cuff to finish the look. Sack dresses are wonderful with closed pumps or tribal sandals.

Can can you wear open-toes to work? Of course. Just don’t forget the cucumber pedicure.

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com

.hmmessage P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body.hmmessage { font-size: 10pt; font-family:Verdana }Where were you when you heard about Michael Jackson’s sudden death?

I was at my computer around 4:30 p.m. (ET) yesterday when a news flash from TMZ  came across the screen. The legend, the laughing-stock, the entertainer of the century, had been rushed to the hospital after a 911 call saying he had collapsed in his Los Angeles home.

About an hour later, my husband told me he just got a call saying MJ was dead.

Jackson was a fashion force. His style was emulated by fans and non-fans alike. First, with his brothers he helped pushed the acceptance of the Afro into the mainstream and made black kids around the world proud to wear a fro.

He later sparked runs on white suits, floodwater pants, red leather jackets, military jackets, studs, white socks with loafers and - though I’d rather forget – the jheri curl.

Jackson had a profound effect on dance style and the clothes one had to wear to effect those moves. Like major pop-culture directors before and after him – James Brown, Madonna, Bob Marley – Jackson was able to make intelligent, self-possessed people emulate him from head to toe.

His impact on the lens through which we view fashion shoots and videos was profound. Suddenly, after Jackson’s spate of videos, we saw that the medium could convey as much style and emotion as a full-length movie.

A huge gap in the hours of coverage I’ve watched and the thousands of words I’ve read since his passing is the characterization of MJ as a has-been. What’s missing is the potent observation that Jackson was newly idolized by a young generation.

Any hip youths into fashion or into music is “hip” to Michael Jackson. Kids are into studying his style, studying his moves, listening to his music. I bet a lot of those London tickets weren’t just bought by babyboomers like me but a lot of 20-somethings who wanted to see MJ live; a lot of kids who know Justin Timberlake’s professional genealogy.

It is these kids as well as mature fashion insiders who lit the match of an MJ style revival a few years ago, one that is still burning today. It’s part of the Eighties redux. Fashion historians will settle the intruiging question: Did the MJ fascination spark the landslide Eighties tend that is everywhere in fashion or will Jackson be a footnote to it?

I think I already know the answer. What are your thoughts?

*Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com

A lot of fresh faces won awards this year.

I was most tickled that Anna Sui won a Lifetime achievement award. She’s not a household name, but certainly an outstanding talent whose view enlivens the fashionscape season after season. Although she’s just a baby-boomer, Sui may well feel like she’s done a lifetime of designing. A thoughtful Jack White talked about her impact on pop culture before presenting the statuette.

Rodarte beat out Marc Jacobs AND Narciso Rodriguez for Women’s Wear Designer of the Year. I was surprised. If the award is about influence and capturing fashion’s spirit in that year it’s hard to see how the admittedly innovative Mulleavy sisters won. Unless a lot of Vogue assistants voted.

Menswear was a tie – the other kind of tie.Scott Sternberg for Band of Outsiders and Italo Zucchelli for Calvin Klein. (Where is Calvin? I miss seeing him at these events.)

Swarovski Awards for emerging fashion talent went to  Justin Giunta for Subversive Jewellry for his fabulously inventive creations with a punk sensibility and
Alexander Wang – well deserved – for his directional, hard-edge fashions.

Accessories Designer of the Year went to Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez for Proenza  Schouler.

Marc  Jacobs, gave a shout out to his new  “fiance”  as he accepted the International Designer of the Year Award for his pace-setting work at Louis Vuitton.

And Michelle Obama (no, she wasn’t there but gave a videotaped thank you) was recognized for her contributions to  shopping, I mean to fashion.

The big news at the chic CFDA gala awards last night was that Ralph Lauren was the “people’s choice.” A smiling Ralph stepped into the gala with his wife Ricky – who always looks like she just stepped out of a Polo ad - posed for pictures and I believe, must have known he had won the most anticipated award of this night. I, of course, using my usual mental telepathy, was wearing Ralph Lauren ( a black tuxedo jumpsuit). It’s the first time I ever wore Ralph head-to- toe or to an event.

I loved the look and felt really chic and extra. Though no one took my picture, I posed for my friends in fashion and cheerily announced what I was wearing (when they asked).

Speaking of chic, it would be cool to start using Ricky in ads. She has great appeal to the boomer generation and to that Oprah/Instyle demographic. This was the first time the CFDA had invited the public to vote on their favorite designer.

Justin Timberlake made a surprise appearance (the audience loved it) to present an award for fashion journalism to Jim Moore of GQ, who it should be noted is always a gentleman.

Other winners and stars of stage, screen and fashion that attended – in my next blog.

Photo licensed to: Photorazzi.com