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Videography: Britney Spears

Lester Brathwaite — Tue, 22 May 2012 14:45:22 +0000

It’s Britney, bitch. The lady Spears shimmied along in 1998, following in the syncopated dancesteps of Janet and Madonna to become a pop culture icon in her own right. Like those enterprising queens, Brit employed a series of reinventions throughout her career and suffered a few bumps along the way, but she’s back and still churning out the hits nearly 15 years later. Let’s take a tour of Britney Spears’ greatest — and most questionable — video looks.

"...Baby One More Time" (1998) And a star is born. Is there a more indelible image from the late-90s than a then-16-year-old Spears dressed as a schoolgirl, dancing around in a pigtails and knee-high socks? That video and its iconic costume set the tone for the first few years of her career, blending innocence with a subversive and at times unsettling sexuality.

"Sometimes" (1999) Remember that time Brit "injured her knee" during rehearsals for this video and had to be laid up for a few weeks? Then "Sometimes" finally came out and her boobs were huge? Anyway, Spears continued her virginal trek in an all-white, belly-bearing ensemble and a drawstring pant. Oh, the 90s.

"(You Drive Me) Crazy" (1999) Brit brought along a young, pre-Entourage Adrien Grenier and a post-Clarissa Explains It All/Sabrina The Teenaged Witch-era Melissa Joan Hart for this dancefest and began her love affair with character costumes as a sexy waitress. But the green lamé midriff top and jazz pant ensemble was particularly memorable.

"Oops!...I Did It Again" (2000) Britney continued sexing up her image, this time in a skin-tight red latex catsuit that left little to the imagination. Meanwhile, her music video-related injuries also continued when a camera fell on the poor girl's head and she reportedly received a concussion only to return to work four hours later. And suddenly it all starts making sense.

"Lucky" (2000) Things got a little classy when Britney channeled her inner old Hollywood starlet, donning a glamorous negligee and even a fake mole to portray the titular Lucky, a girl who seems to have everything but is still sad on the inside...right.

"I'm a Slave 4 U" (2001) Sampling Vanity 6's classic "Nasty Girl," Britney got a bit nasty herself with a sexy, barely-there bustier and the still questionable thong-over-leather-jeans look that no one else could or should even try to pull off.

"Me Against the Music" (2003) Brit teamed up with her idol Madonna and they both donned a smoking -- Madge in all white and Brit in black pinstripes with a floating turquoise collar (why not?) -- before preceding to get all kinds of weird with each other.

"Toxic" (2004) First of all, can we talk about the stewardess look? It's kinda perfect and kinda wrong all at the same time. That keyhole and bolero-esque statement shoulder? Very 60s version of futuristic. But let's move on to the real star of this video: Brit's naked body covered in diamonds. I've never been more proud of our little girl who was definitely now a woman.

"Gimme More" (2007) "Gimme More" has the distinction of being one of Britney's best songs and worst videos, but can you really blame her? Homegirl was going through a very public breakdown; shaving her head, jamming umbrellas into car windows, crying on sidewalks -- basically everyone's early 20s. The result: cheap wigs, tacky leather jacket, trashy fishnets and a Liza Minnelli in Cabaret bowler with a Liza Minnelli in 2007 dazed expression.

"Womanizer" (2008) The Spears comeback train finally got back on the rails -- and stopped blowing them -- with "Womanizer," or as I like to refer to it, "Toxic -- Part 2": Britney donning several disguises and abusing her boyfriend. I've always been partial to a sexy librarian look, however, and Brit looks great in a bob.

"Hold It Against Me" (2011) Taking a page from Alexander McQueen's brilliant spring 2009 show in which Shalom Harlow was violated by some paint-spewing robotic arms, Britney's flowing white gown ends up splattered in paint, though the culprits in this case are some fantastic, paint-spewing finger gloves.

"Till the World Ends" (2011) If "Womanizer" was "Toxic Part 2," then "Till the World Ends" is definitely the sequel to "I'm a Slave 4 U" -- sweating, gyrating, heaving and heavy breathing -- only this time with more clothes, including a Burberry Prorsum jacket and this corseted, red bodysuit.

10 Fashion Feats and Fails at the Met Costume Institute Gala

Lester Brathwaite — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:30:53 +0000

The Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s annual Costume Institute Gala is tirelessly referred to as the Oscars of fashion and it certainly ranks as the industry’s glitziest and most glamorous night. But unlike the Oscars red carpet, where actresses willfully play it safe for fear of a career-defining performance on the worst dressed list, at the Met Gala the balls are to the haute couture wall. This is Fashion with a capital effin’ F. Sometimes the results are truly stunning and other times they’re…how can I put this gently…god-awful. Let’s take a look back at the Met Gala’s greatest hits and misses.

Feat! -- Daphne Guinness in Alexander McQueen, 2011 Guinness literally made an event out of her getting ready for the ball and it payed off with a fitting and flawless tribute to the designer whose "Savage Beauty" was just beginning its historic run.

Fail! -- Madonna in Louis Vuitton, 2009 Louis Vuitton had a banner year in 2009 for providing the worst looks per celeb capita than any other brand, but Madonna's woefully mistaken, thigh-highed misstep best represents the entire lot.

Feat! -- Kate Moss in Marc Jacobs, 2009 Marc Jacobs did better by his girl Kate Moss, however, and the two were the clear belles of the ball. Crafty, crafty, crafty.

Fail! -- Katie Holmes in Giorgio Armani, 2008 While everything is wrong with this look -- the makeup, the bob, the dress, the shoes, the necklace, the shoulder purse in the shape of Tom Cruise -- Katie tried to pawn off responsibility on the blue pumps to her daughter Suri, whom she claimed picked them out. Based on Suri's exquisite taste, I highly doubt it.

Feat! -- Anna Wintour in Chanel Haute Couture, 2008 A controversial choice, I know, but hear me out. Anna Wintour so often goes the very safe and classically chic route, but for the Met's "Superheroes" exhibit, the editrix showed a whiff of whimsy by way of Wonder Woman. However, never one to not keep it real, note that she's still in Chanel and it's still haute couture.

Fail! -- Serena Williams in Oscar de la Renta, 2011 I'll preface this by saying the Royal Wedding had recently happened at this point, so fascinators were just beginning their ascent into the pop culture atmosphere. Williams opted for the burgeoning trend, thus sending this outfit into costume, not Costume Institute, territory.

Feat! -- Gisele in Versace, 2008 Gisele came to the ball in 2008 for one reason and one reason alone: to serve sex on a platter and have the world take a good long taste. So what better dressing than Versace and its history of jaw-droppers?

Fail! -- Shalom Harlow in Bob Mackie, 2009 Sure it looks like Shalom Harlow just rolled out of the dumpster and into a mutated Hefty bag, but dammit she's committed to it and for that I say, "Respect."

Feat! -- André Leon Talley being escorted by Alber Elbaz, 2007 I'm assuming this cape was by ALT's go-to haberdasher Chado Ralph Rucci, but if I'm mistaken who cares because this scene is all one needs to know about the Met Gala. Or anything.

Fail! -- Christina Hendricks in L'Wrenn Scott, 2010 Christina Hendricks has the best kind of problem because of her, shall we say, ample assets. You know, her giant cans. Therefore it's hard to find a dress that accentuates without advertising and the girls are on a mutli-season campaign in this number. But at least they serve as a distraction from whatever's happening with the hair and makeup.

Take a Journey Through Cartier’s 165 Years in “L’Odyssée de Cartier”

Lester Brathwaite — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:35:13 +0000

It took a crew of 60 people three months to condense Cartier‘s 165-year history into the three-and-a-half minute short film, L’Odyssée de Cartier. The result is a fantastical tale told through the eyes of the jeweler’s spirit animal, the panther. Since the 1930s, the panther has been emblematic of the house of Cartier, thanks to then-creative director Jeanne Toussaint, otherwise affectionately known as La Panthère — Lady Panther. From charging through the Siberian snow, to staring down a giant dragon in China, riding on the back of the world’s largest elephant through India, hitching a flight on an early 19th century flying contraption to Paris and finally canoodling with Shalom Harlow, the panther takes us on a journey beautifully rendered by director Bruno Aveillan. Strap yourself in and get ready for a magical trip around the world and through the ages with L’Odyssée de Cartier.

[Style.com]

Viv Westwood Thinks You’re Ugly, Top Model Thinks It’s British and Stella McC Thinks She’s an Episode of “Glee”

Lester Brathwaite — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:28:04 +0000

- ”People have never looked so ugly… We are so conformist, nobody is thinking. I’m a fashion designer and people think ‘what do I know?’ but I’m talking about all this disposable crap. So I’m saying buy less, choose well, make it last.” — delightful harridan Vivienne Westwood. [Guardian]

- Speaking of delightful harridans, these paper dolls of Dame Maggie Smith‘s sublime Dowager Countess from Downton Abbey are everything. Ever. [Vulture]

- America’s Next Top Model is still happening. Now in its 18th cycle, this time around it’s a “British Invasion” with seven British models versus seven American models. Sort of like a 21st century Revolutionary War with bikinis and smizing. [The Cut]

- Proving once again that you indeed have to pay the cost to be the boss, Britney Spears had to pay an undisclosed amount to Brand Sense for cutting them out on a secret deal she had with Elizabeth Arden. [ONTD!]

- The Marni for H&M lookbook, y’all. [Fashionologie]

- Stella McCartney staged a magic show and a flash mob during her elegant dinner party with a little help from her friends Shalom Harlow, Alexa Chung, Amber Valletta and Yasmin Le Bon. Kate Moss was there but she didn’t do shit except throw shade at everyone. [Styleite]

- And finally, Whitney Houston was laid to rest this weekend and I think this serves as a very fitting tribute.

IndieNewsroom: VF’s Young Old Hollywood Glamour…Kristen Stewart Flips Karl Lagerfeld the Bird…Adele to Perform at Grammys

Lester Brathwaite — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:42:03 +0000

- For Vanity Fair’s 18th annual Hollywood Issue, Mario Testino shot eleven of filmdom’s hottest young actresses — including Jennifer Lawrence, Mia Wasikowsa and Oscar nominees Rooney Mara and Jessica Chastain, who are all featured on the front cover — for an homage to old Hollywood glamour. Squint a little and Rooney Mara looks just like silent film star Louise Brooks. [Vanity Fair]

- Speaking of Mara, the girl without the dragon tattoo eschewed her usual black for a white frock at the Japan premiere of her hit film. Foreshadowing, anyone? [UPI]

- Kmart is ready, willing and more or less able to help with any #fashionweekproblems you might have. Thanks, Big K, but unless you know a drug dealer that delivers outer borough, my #fashionweekproblems are a bit out of your #areaofexpertise. [Racked]

- Kristen Stewart continues to weasel her way into the assumed hearts of the fashion industry with this little candid of her flipping the bird to/around/beside Karl Lagerfeld. Better people have died for less. [Styleite]

- Well this happened. Pied piper to the gays and the Guidos alike, David Guetta has a new video with newfound muse Nicki Minaj for “Turn Me On.” And it’s weird as fuck. [Towleroad]

- Adele will make her first post-vocal-cord-surgery appearance at the Grammys on February 12. After the ceremony, she’s expected to require shoulder surgery from lugging all those damn trophies around. [Paper]

- Hopefully you all tuned in last night to the season premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race — i.e. the greatest show of all time. If you did, you might have noticed the thirteen dragtacular contestants brilliantly recreating the finale to Alexander McQueen‘s spring 1999 fashion show in which Shalom Harlow was assaulted by two paint-spewing mechanical arms. And if you didn’t, I don’t know what the hell you’re waiting for. [NY Mag]

50 of Our Favorite Foreign Models

Lester Brathwaite — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 17:00:36 +0000

Although we love our homegrown beauties, most catwalkers come sailing through from Eastern Europe, various parts in Africa and of course, Brazil. So in celebration of our “Travel” month, we’re taking a trek around the globe to visit our favorite foreign models.

North America : Canada

Jessica Stam

Coco Rocha

Shalom Harlow

Linda Evangelista

Alek Wek

Jessica Stam

yann

RED CARPET REPORT CARD: The Best, Worst & Most Boring at the Met Gala

Amanda Gabriele — Tue, 03 May 2011 13:09:14 +0000

Last night was the holy grail of red carpet fashion. The 2011 Met Ball honoring late and legendary designer Alexander McQueen brought out the best in, well, almost everyone. In this edition of Red Carpet Report Card, we’ll take a peek at the star-studded event and decide who was working, who was sleeping and who should have been turned away upon arrival.

*Andre Leon Talley wins the award for best purple tent. As always, his volumes are amazing.

Let’s take a look at the Best Dressed of the night. This category has quite a bit of people, as it should, for fashion’s biggest event. These were the As and high Bs, the working girls.

Shalom Harlow is my pick for BEST DRESSED in Marchesa. This is what the Met Ball is all about – she looks breathtaking in that gown.

I almost fell over when I saw Christina Ricci in Zac Posen. She never ages a day and looks super sexy in this sheer number.

I found Mary-Kate’s dress underwhelming, but Ashley Olsen looks ravishing in vintage Dior Haute Couture. The whole look is perfect.

Elle Fanning looks like a little couture doll in Valentino. She is so outshining her sister, it’s not even fair.

Rihanna has been looking haggard lately, so I was pleasantly surprised at how elegant she was in this striking Stella McCartney gown.

Iman, also in Stella McCartney, turned it out in a metallic gold jumpsuit. A little draggy, a lot amazing.

Karolina Kurkova in a spring 2011 Jean Paul Gaultier lace legging-dress creation. If the models can’t do it, who can?

I love this Prabal Gurung gown and funky jewelry on Ciara. White could be difficult to pull off at the ball, but she did it right.

Even though Crystal Renn is too skinny for my taste, she is an absolute vision in Alexander McQueen. I need my hair to look like this.

After getting ready in a Barneys window yesterday, Daphne Guiness showed up in McQueen. Perfect, amazing, stuns.

I loved Ginnifer Goodwin‘s look from the moment I saw it. Then I realized it was custom Topshop. Damn she makes it look good.

Naomi Campbell looks like the queen she is in custom McQueen. She wears the sedatives well too.

Hamish Bowles looks like a true gentleman in custom McQueen. Love it from head to toe.

I always wait with baited breath to see what Blake Lively is wearing. She obviously did not disappoint in a Chanel toga.

New York’s best couple showed up looking better than ever. Beyonce is working that Emilio Pucci gown like whoa.

Queen Bitch Anna Wintour gave her best smile to the camera and looks like a shiny grandiose statue in Chanel.

On to the Most Boring of the night. On any other occasion, these folks would have looked great (probably). Unfortunately, this also means they’re the Cs of the Met Ball.

I’m sleeping. Zoe Saldana is usually among the best dressed. Why did she choose this boring Calvin Klein for the biggest fashion night of the year?

Leighton Meester is amazing, but she has trouble getting it right. Different shoes and hair would have done this Louis Vuitton dress more justice.

I love this Michael Kors dress on Emma Roberts, but she has the body to wear something more over the top on a night like this.

Madonna, the Material Girl herself, definitely could have done better than this Stella McCartney dress. Pretty, but boring.

I’m actually quite obsessed with this Miu Miu dress Michelle Williams is wearing. But I would wear this to a nice dinner, not a gala.

And now ladies and gentleman, the Worst Dressed of the night. These are the Ds and Fs of the Met Ball, the creme de la creme of mistakes.

ARGH! Christina Hendricks used to dress so well! This Carolina Herrera gown is an unflattering fit and color on her.

Oh dear. Hate to say it Alicia Keys, but it looks like you’re wearing a giant turd instead of Givenchy. Brown jacket AND dress is NOT fly.

Jennifer Lopez looks like a halfway plucked bloody chicken. Matchy-matchy lipstick, bag and Gucci is a no go.

I thought Chloe Sevigny would make McQueen look good, but I was wrong. The hair is awful and the dress fits like she grabbed it off some rack.

Sorry to say it Kate Hudson, but this Stella McCartney is not a cute pregnant lady dress. And whatever is on your head isn’t working either.

Nooooo! In the rush of preparing for the gala, Lucy Liu forgot to get a wax! Oh wait, that’s just her looking blech in Vionnet.

I hope everyone enjoying looking at the red carpet photos from the 2011 Met Gala as much as I. Who was your best and worst dressed of the night?

attends the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2011 in New York City.

Model Crystal Renn poses on the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit celebrating the opening of Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, in New York, May 2, 2011. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT FASHION)

attends the "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" Costume Institute Gala at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2011 in New York City.

SPREAD UM: Two Parts To Harper’s Bazaar September Issue

Hillary Frazier — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:50:26 +0000

With September just around the corner, the big issues are coming out. Harper’s Bazaar (US) played with a lot of different things this season, even Aggy and Leighton Meester as cover pics. See more from these spreads on Cult.

(Photogs: CAMILLA AKRANS, PETER LINDBERGH. Models: KATIE FOGARTY & KENDRA SPEARS, AMBER VALLETTA, CINDY CRAWFORD, CLAUDIA SCHIFFER, HELENA CHRISTENSEN, KRISTEN MCMENAMY, NADJA AUERMANN, TATJANA PATITZ, SHALOM HARLOW)

LINK LOVE: Abdul Lagerfeld

SPREAD UM: “Supermodels Supernaturals” by Peter Lindberg for Harpers Bazaar September ’09

Monique Montagnese, Contributor — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:11:23 +0000

The super model loving lives on, but airbrushing dies? Hmm… I’ll see that when I believe it. Harpers claims that there is no makeup or airbrushing used in this editorial, and I’m not sure about that either. Regardless the models, in their 30′s and 40′s look amazing. Another plus is the sharing of supermodel approved beauty tips, such as not to eat dairy because it can lead to break outs from Claudia Schiffer.

SOURCE: Fashion Gone Rogue

Models At The Met

Kirby Marzec — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:07:35 +0000

Being exposed, first hand, to all the glorious fashions from runway shows and editorials, one would think that models would steal the the best dressed award on last night’s Met Gala red carpet. While Chanel Iman, in her stunning Zac Posen dress, was a show stopping attendee, Shalom Harlow looked rather homeless and out of place in her crumpled, Gareth Pugh-ish garbage bag. Brooke Shields looked like a mermaid body builder. Agyness Deyn was an over-bronzed transvestite. Brooklyn Decker rocked out a Mary-Kate worthy outfit. All in all, the model fashion was skewed across the board. Tsk tsk…I expected big things from such fashion relatives.

GALLERY: Models At The Met

Thanks NY Mag!

ADDICT: H&M Spring 09 Campaign Featuring Eva Herzigova, Shalom Harlow and Vincent Gallo

Amanda Gabriele — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:00:02 +0000

Longtime friends Eva Herzigova and Shalom Harlow starred in the latest H&M campaign for spring 09. The two models posed alongside Vincent Gallo in, on top of and next to various red-orange oversized shapes. I think the campaign is super adorable; it’s airy, fun and carefree. The clothing is looking mighty fab as well. I can’t wait to see what else H&M has in store for this season.

GALLERY: H&M Spring 09 Campaign Featuring Eva Herzigova, Shalom Harlow and Vincent Gallo

LINKAGE: The Fashion Spot

Spread Um: Shalom Harlow For Purple Magazine

Corey Moran — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:36:29 +0000

Find more photos like this on manindie

Shalom Harlow strips down for Purple Magazine. Could we be seeing the return of the fur bikini?

Thanks Egotastic