Stardust Memories : Who Got It Right?

And were back! The red carpet doesn't stop for one second and in the past few weeks curvy stars have been front and center displaying their fashionable finest - but not every look is a hit. While its up to us to keep track of who is wearing what - its up to you to tell us just what you think about these looks. First up we have Jennifer Hudson at the MTV Movie awards in a crisp white number but what is up with the visible bra? Not just the straps but almost the entire bra is on display. Are you feeling the overt cleavage? Or do you think less is more?

Now I personally love Beth Ditto's continuing parade of McQueen that she's been wearing lately. This is no exception - I think the print is phenomenal and it goes so well with her wild hair and accessories. This might not be everyone's cup of tea but for me this is an ace in the hole.

Nikki Blonsky's all black and lace ensemble is a little too safe for my tastes but you can't deny that she looks great. The red belt is a nice touch, I wouldn't have minded seeing more of that bright color on her.

Rounding out the bunch we've got my least favorite of the group. I think this faux-Pucci print on Jill Scott does nothing for her. There is something about those geometric prints that makes me think Tron...



Now I've made my picks but how do you feel about this month's dose of star style? Love/hate them all? Like them OK? Anyone who can explain that pastel Tron sack Jill Scott is wearing in a logical manner gets bonus points.

Gossip Girl: Beth Ditto In Nylon

Our girl Beth Ditto has got 8 pages in this month's Nylon, outlining what fashion means to her, the Gossip's plans for the future and how fame has changed her life. While I am not a fan of the no eyebrows look on Beth - or anyone of that matter - I think the pictures are quite fierce. Got to love that custom Jeremy Scott dress - very Beth if you ask me.





Do you love it? Or are roadway sign dresses and glitter leggings not your thing?

Turning coal to diamante

Spangly designer Julien MacDonald, famous for his orangey skin, sparkly dresses, and delight in dressing nubile young starlets in bum-grazing dresses on the red carpet, dressed Gossip singer Beth Ditto for the BRIT Awards last night:



What do you think? Personally I'm not a fan of MacDonald's chandelier chic (and not just because I've never gotten into one of his shows...), but it's great to see a 'name' designer reintepreting his work for a plus-size icon, and Beth looks fabbity.

(PRODUCT) DITTO

Today is special for many reasons: one, it's Saturday, and that means it's the weekend -- yay! Two, it's the first day of advent -- yay! And three, it's World AIDS Day.

"What on earth has charity got to do with fashion?" I hear you cry. Well, shrug off your fur gown, tell the paps to put aside their cameras, give the cabana boy a rest from mixing your margaritas for a moment, and I'll tell you.

Gap supports (Product) RED, and, in conjunction with World AIDS day, they have created a special, ultra-fashionable collection. It's curated by Katie Grand, Editor-In-Chief of POP Magazine, and consists of special one-off (and cheap!) versions of iconic products. So you know the Mulberry 'Roxanne' bag you've been coveting? Gap (Product) RED have it for eighty-five quid.

There are also pieces by: Stephen Jones, Pierre Hardy, Giles Deacon, House of Holland, ck Calvin Klein, and Proenza Schouler, and 50% of profits from sales of each piece from this collection will help fund anti-retroviral drugs for women and children affected by AIDS and HIV in Africa.

The stand-out piece is, of course, a grey T-shirt featuring a montage of images from the POP magazine photoshoot with TFFF favourite, Beth Ditto, photographed by Steven Klein. A mere £19.50!


Gap (PRODUCT) RED Collection curated by Katie Grand is only available from Gap's flagship London and Paris stores, or Dover Street Market in London, and Colette in Paris, from today. Enquiries: 00 44 (0)20 7408 4500. Happy shopping!

Will Success Spoil Beth Ditto?

Its hard to keep up with Beth Ditto this month. She's moved from rockin' musician to full fledged fashion icon with an editorial in the Fall/Winter issue of cutting edge British glossy Pop and an interview in the September edition of Vogue Paris, arguably the single most important fashion magazine in existence.

The Size Hero edit in Pop, styled by Katie Grand and shot by Steven Klein is as artistic and eye catching as the magazine's typical fare and features a glammed up Beth cavorting with male model Blake in the seasons choice outfits. Many specially made for Ditto just for the shoot - glamorous clothing yes but its a bit disheartening to know that the average girl will never have a shot at any of these things. I wouldn't mind a Hussien Chalayan dress in my closet, thats for sure.

The Vogue Paris interview contains a couple of very beautiful snaps and what appears to be a profile focused mainly on The Gossip's success. Though with my rather appalling command of the french language I could be entirely wrong. Eternal gratitude to anyone who can provide accurate translation.

It seems as though Beth is becoming more and more known, not just for her band but also for her status as a plus sized woman in an industry that isn't particularly known for his celebration of difference. I can't help but wonder whether the fashion press truly embraces her or if they are merely latching on to her seemingly endless cache of cool. Magazine's like Pop and Vogue Paris are known for being cutting edge so seeing Beth within their pages isn't as much of a shock but as Beth becomes more well known and ultimately more mainstream does the impact of her message get diluted? Is it less about plus sized girls and more about Beth Ditto, Rock Star?

How do you feel about the fashion world's current love affair with Beth?




Thanks to Dieselmax at tFS for scanning the lovely preview of Pop's editorial

Naked Ambition

We are in the midst of a pop culture event, the latest issue of NME features a very nude Beth Ditto and an equally revealing interview. How ever you may feel about Beth this is a big deal. I don't think I've ever seen an image quite like this in a magazine let alone on its cover. Usually when one thinks "nude + singer" it conjures images of uber svelte women like Christina Aguilera or Fergie. Those are the sorts of pictures were used to, quite frankly I don't think magazines like Blender would actually exist without that sort of imagery but this is the first time (at least as far as I can remember) that I've seen a plus sized woman represented in such an overtly sexual manner by a mainstream publication. What I like about this cover is how she is represented as sexy and cool, there is a certain devil may care attitude but its paired with a very pin-up look. Kudos to the powers that be for leaving her rolls intact. Its rare to see a plus sized girl in a magazine without every roll airbrushed into oblivion.


Click for NSFW version

Her NME interview features a few interesting tidbits about her views on celebrity, fashion and her new friend Kate Moss:

"You can't hate a person for dieting, and you can't blame a person for feeling shit about themselves. You have to blame the machine that feeds it, the thing that makes people feel like that. There are lots of things that are part of that machine, and it's too easy to lay the blame at the feet of women - men don't know what it feels like to be a woman and be expected to look a particular way all the time.

. . .

"Kate is amazing. I spent one night talking to her and she just said the most amazing things about bodies," explained Ditto. At first I didn't think I was going to like her, but she just turned up to one of our shows and said, 'Do you know what I hate Beth? I hate it when people tell my big girlfriends, 'You have a beautiful face...' I mean, that's a really radical concept."

- Beth Ditto

I find it interesting that she and Kate would mention the "such a pretty face" syndrome. I have always had a problem with all variants of that statement. There is almost nothing more patronizing than to hear that you have a beautiful face knowing full well that what the person really means is "You have a pretty face, too bad about the rest of you." Its one of those rather brutal backhanded complements that many women have to deal with on a daily basis. I don't know how others feel but personally I get irked each time I hear that.




Though I'm pretty sure Beth's title as coolest woman on earth will remain unchallenged for some time I am also very curious to see how people respond to this cover. Granted this isn't the first time Beth has posed nude but this is easily the most revealing NME cover I've ever seen. Do you love it or do you hate it?