Michelle Obama is no doubt a trendsetter being the most fashion iconic First Lady in the White House since Jackie O.
But now the trend may be less on her clothing than on her arms.
According to the Irish Times:

Now we have arms. Bold, strong, sleek, buff arms. The arms say: “I work. I have both the discipline and the leisure to go to the gym daily. I’m too serious a woman to show off my legs or my breasts. My arms show that my focus is on achievement and self-control.” Michelle reportedly trains three times a week with a personal trainer. Pleasing her man by appearing feminine and frail is not a look that Michelle Obama pursues, or would even consider. Yet, her arms aren’t too muscular; they’re within the boundaries of acceptable female strength. No steroids here, just the discipline for early morning work-outs. Her arms make her beautiful, rather than overly powerful, reassuring us that, as a woman, Michelle is stalwart and loyal to the leader of the Western world and not wanting to undermine or replace him.

link: First Lady spurs new arms race - The Irish Times

GQ has named their 10 Most Stylish Men in America.

1. Justin Timberlake
“You don’t want to look like Inspector Gadget,” he says. And as an L.A. guy, he loves a T-shirt. These days he goes for simple graphic ones that can be dressed up or down. His vintage tees, though, have mostly gone the way of his trucker hats. “I used to have an amazing collection,” he says, “but Jess and my cousin Rachael have pretty much grabbed them all.”

(more…)

I love Gwyneth Paltrow more and more everytime I see her or learn something about her.

She’s most recently turned up in the March 2009 issue of Elle UK and has some choice words for her critics:

F–k the haters! I saw this blog of people writing horrible things about me and for a second your ego is so wounded. How could people hate me, my intentions or what I’m trying to do? I’m a good person and I’m trying to put good things into the world.

Word Gwyneth, F ‘em!   They hate you, cause they ain’t you! We got your back!!!

Gwyneth goes on to discuss other aspects of her life including marriage and cigarettes:

It doesn’t behoove us to be a public couple. He certainly doesn’t want to be that. We’ve never ever walked down a red carpet together, we never will. If people think that that means we’re not together, then—ha ha ha!—so be it.

The last cigarette I smoked was the day I found out I was pregnant with Apple….I’m so pissed off it gives you cancer. But then, once you have children, if you’ve witnessed a death like I did with my father, you just can’t. But I’ve decided that when I’m about 70 I’m going to start smoking again. Why not? I can’t wait!

via E!

photos: Elle UK

Magazine: Vs Magazine

Issue: S/S 09

Model : Milla Jovovich

Photography by Eric Guillemain

Website: www.vspublications.com

Modeling legend Milla Jovovic for Vs Magazine in a shoot by photographer Eric Guillemain, to view the preview of the whole Vs issue head over to their website. (more…)

It’s been a loooong time since cassettes were part of pop culture.

But these retro cassette wallets make something new out of something old.

There’s a very high improbability that I’ll ever rock a cassette walkman ever again, but I’d definitiely rock these cassette wallets. Each one is hand made and available from Marcella Foschi in Italy.

More pics after the jump. (more…)

Rapper/designer Kanye West is now adding another title to his resume as author.

West is reportedly creating a “deluxe volume” chronicling his recent “Glow In The Dark” world tour. The tome will feature guest appearances by fellow musicians including Jay-Z, Rihanna, Gnarls Barkley and N.E.R.D..

“Kanye West has turned his talents as pop artist to books,” Charlies Miers of book publisher Rizzoli New York told E! News.

“With a CD that includes ‘Star Wars’-like symphonics from the show as well as interview with Spike Jonze, it is not only a memento of one of the most successful musical performances of the year, it is an experience all its own,” he said.

Look for the book to drop later this year.

source

NEW CONCEPT IN SHOPPING SUPPORTS NON-PROFITS
Fundraising-in-Style Announces Launch Party
Proceeds Benefit Fourth Arts Block Cultural District

The current economic downturn has been hard on non-profits, independent designers and fashion divas alike!Fundraising-In-Style a newly formed organization, launches a great way to join forces so everybody wins. This launch party, just in time for Valentine’s Day, kicks-off a series of fun, distinctively organized, wallet stretching, discount shopping events - matching established and emerging independent designers with New York City non-profits and consumers looking to stretch their dollars. (more…)

The Calvin Klein people are back up to their old tricks.

The company hasn’t had a TV commercial since the Eighties, so this may be new for a younger generation. But 80’s-babies will remember Calvin Klein commercials and the controversy that swirled around them a la Brook Shields.

Now the brand has a new commercial so steamy it was initially banned from late night TV. The new Jeans commercial was shot by legendary fashion photog Steven Meisel and features grainy footage of male and female models basically dry-humping each other.

International countries such as Italy, Spain, France and Germany will show the uncensored version. Calvin Klein is working on an edited version to show here in the U.S. because we’re not supposed to know sex exists.

A print campaign of still shots from the commercial will hit March issues of the glossies.

via WWD and The Cut

Singer Keyshia Cole covers Vibe magazine for their first ever Style issue.

The Vibe March ‘09 ‘Style’ issue hits newstands the 17th of February. It’s Keyshia’s third time gracing the cover of Vibe. One other memorable Keysha Vibe cover from December 2007 after the jump. (more…)

What’s so wrong with this picture, you ask?

It’s show’s President O. and his staff in the Oval office. AND THEY DON’T HAVE JACKETS ON!!!

QUELLE HORREUR!!!

This came as a shock to the White House staff and had the capital in a “tizzy” according to Old Gray Lady.

You see, ex-President Bush had a strict, ironclad rule of jackets and ties to be worn at all times in the Oval Office. Bush even prohibited a staffer from entering the Oval Office because the staffer had on khakis and a button down. Bush made said staffer stand just outside the Oval Office while he berated the staffer from inside the Oval Office.

So how dare this Obama guy take his jacket off inside the Oval Office?

It’s his damn office now, that’s how.

Obama apparently hates the cold and had the thermostat cranked up!

“He’s from Hawaii, O.K.?” said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, who occupies the small but strategically located office next door to his boss. “He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”

Over the weekend, Mr. Obama’s first in office, his aides did not quite know how to dress. Some showed up in the West Wing in jeans (another no-no under Mr. Bush), some in coats and ties.So the president issued an informal edict for “business casual” on weekends — and set his own example. He showed up Saturday for a briefing with his chief economic adviser, Lawrence H. Summers, dressed in slacks and a gray sweater over a white buttoned-down shirt. Workers from the Bush White House are shocked.

White House Unbuttons Formal Dress Code [NYT]