Sarah Jessica Parker: Back in Vogue

>I live for the third Wednesday of every month when Vogue arrives on the newsstands here in New York. The May covergirl is Sarah Jessica Parker who is of course promoting the release of the movie Sex and the City 2. While the cover is lovely, it's the photos inside that caught my attention. SJP was photographed by Mario Testino at The Beacon in Jersey City. I love crumbly old buildings and the juxtaposition of the old interiors and haute couture is pure perfection! Whether the film will capture my attention as positively as these photos remains to be seen!

Photos by Mario Testino for Vogue

Grace is Good

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It was reported by WWD last week that Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington is hard at work on her autobiography.  She will be helped with this task by former Men's Vogue editor in chief Jay Fielden.  “We’re just starting, and I think it’s going to be a really fun project,” she told WWD, adding: “I’m hoping it’s going to be very rich in fashion history. It’s more than just about me.”  Before she was an editor, Coddington was a model who was shot by some legendary lensmen including Lord Snowdon and Helmet Newton.  I'm sure there are some good stories from those years as well as her time at both British and American Vogue.  It was The September Issue that introduced us to this amazing woman who I like to think of as the moral compass of the movie and I can't wait to read about her inspiring life in her own words. 

July in Provence

> I am swooning over the photos of Marion Cotillard in the July 2010 issue of Vogue! Mario Testino shot the stunning French star and Oscar winner in La Bastide de Marie in the South of France and both Marion and Provence look stunning! Makes me want to book a trip immediately. To see more, check out the behind the scenes video online or pick up the new issue of Vogue! C'est magnifique!

Photos by Mario Testino

Horsing Around

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The first wave of September magazines are out but I'm still enjoying the August 2010 issue of Vogue and this chic spread of Raquel Zimmermann and a horse named Ollie.  I can't even imagine what the tourists on Sixth Avenue thought when they saw them walking down the street.  I'm also swooning over the fall fashions. While I probably won't be wearing a cape this fall, I will definitely be buying that Adam tie neck blouse!  Bon weekend!

Photos by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin for Vogue

Stripe It Rich

> Striped cotton shirts have been around forever but you know that they are seriously hot again when both US Weekly and Vogue devote entire pages to them within weeks of each other. What was funny about the page in Vogue was that it included Pablo Picasso but not Coco Chanel. It is my understanding, after reading two books about the famous designer, that she popularized the striped shirt and sporty clothes during the war at her shop in Deauville, France. Whatever the case, they are now popular with celebrities and fashionistas everywhere. My friend Jessica said that she can't resist buying them even though she already owns a closet full! Great sources include Saint James, J.Crew, Petit Bateau, L.L. Bean, Lands’ End, Brittany Boutique, and even Top Shop! Anchors Away!

Chic at Work

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Sometimes I miss working in an office.  I used to think up more creative outfits because I didn't want to bore my co-workers by wearing the same thing each week.  Since the same people don't see me everyday now, I feel like my outfits have gotten a little boring.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to restyle my wardrobe and take more risks.  That's why I like Vogue's new online feature, Five Days, Five Looks.  Who better to learn from than those who work at the chicest magazine.  Senior Accessories Editor, Filipa Fino, is up this week and I love her classic style with pops of colorful accessories.  She's definitely my new style idol. I will definitely be emulating her look after we dig out from the blizzard.  Until then, I hope no one sees what I'm wearing!  Happy New Year!

Photos by Marko MacPherson

A Fashionably Chic Retreat

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I think there is a misconception that New Yorkers only go to the Hamptons in the summer.  While the Hamptons are lovely during the warmer months, they can be even better in the fall and winter when the crowds have left.  If Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour and her family don't spend weekends at their place on the North Shore year round, they really should.  There was a great article in the October issue of The World of Interiors about how they renovated an additional house on an adjoining property they purchased.  Interior designer Jesse Carrier and landscape designer Miranda Brooks decorated the new house and tamed land to better enjoy the out of doors.  Again, I think all creative people thrive when they have a place to recharge their batteries every weekend so it seems no wonder that Anna Wintour has been at Vogue for over 20 years. 

Photos by Eric Bowman and from Carrier & Co.