Betsey Johnson Rocks Around the Christmas Tree

With Thanksgiving out of the way, it’s finally time to blast that holiday music, so pop Home Alone into your DVD player, and start gorging on Christmas cookies. (Hey, calories don’t count over the holidays, right?) Just know you aren’t the only one getting into the holiday spirit. Designer Betsey Johnson is already making the season especially bright — as if you would expect anything less from the bedazzling boutique queen. The fashion icon was tapped by the Plaza Hotel in New York City to design their first-ever Christmas tree, which Johnson debuted with a tea ceremony on Monday night. Her creation — an 18-inch tree totally covered in hot-pink feathers, sparkly tinsel, and decorative paper dolls — will be on display until Jan. 4.

While Day-Glo decorations are clearly Johnson’s aesthetic, she also sought inspiration from one of the Plaza’s most famous residents (no, not Charlie Sheen): Eloise, the fictional children’s book character who, to the envy of almost every little girl, lived on the hotel’s top floor in the eponymous book series. The famously frilly and feminine Johnson has already shown that she’s quite a fan of this spunky children’s character. After presenting a fashion show at the Plaza in 2009, the designer-cum-interior decorator took on the task of creating an Eloise-themed suite — another elaborate, pink concoction — for the hotel in 2010. There’s no doubt fellow girly-girl Eloise would be turning cartwheels if she saw Johnson’s creations— after all, the designer admitted that three quarters of her is still six years old as well.

Text Kara Solarz
Image and Source Time

Tis the Season

There’s really no easy way to say it. But the time is here, I think you know what time of year I’m talking about. The day we receive presents that cause our brains to do the quick inventory of what face your making, how to control the look of disgust, how to say thanks without sounding too over the top that they know its fake, or on the other end…not enough so now you’re forced to say the rest of the day, “No really, I love it…I swear I didn’t react because I was just TOO happy…you KNOW how much I love fluorescent green pearl encrusted knit booty gym shorts, they’re really my passion in life, THANK YOU!”

Nobody wins in that situation. Except maybe the retailer if they didn’t give you a gift receipt and for the life of you, you can’t figure out where it came from. So what to do? I can honestly say I will be no help to you in terms of how to react; my face is known for having a voice all its own. I can, however, divulge in a few suggestion for what to do with it the next day.

1) EBay…someone somewhere in the world is bound to have a need for it. Maybe make sure your friend doesn’t know your username. Or just make a new one.

2) Google…maybe you can find the retailer? Buy yourself the matching tank top? Dive in head first…maybe lime green really is your color and she was just trying to show you. A true friend that one, pushing your boundaries like that…

3) Burn it. Safely of course. I recommend low sulfur charcoal.

4) And my personal favorite…add their name to the revenge list to make sure and find something equally hideous for next year. Maybe you have another present as awe inspiring as this one, lying around from last year that you can quickly swap for the one sitting in front of them.

Other than that, the best I can say is….good luck and Happy Holidays!

Text Corinna Fabre

Snowblind: Tom Ford

This year, I think my family's gift giving may have single handedly revitalized the global economy. And so, today marks the season in which I begin to wallow in Christmas wrap and have materialistic freak outs! Or, I mean, um, bubble over with peace and joy.

So let's get to the good stuff:

Among my ridiculous haul this year is...FA LA LA LA LA...A pair of Tom Ford sunnies!

Ford, most famous for re-vamping the Gucci image and heading Yves St Laurent, launched his own line in 2005. The TOM FORD line is world renowned for gorgeous tailored suits and curvy, seventies inspired sunglasses. In fact, A list celebrities from Brad and Angie, to Charlize Theron have been spotted wearing Ford's frames!

These babies are unlike any other sunglasses I've owned, they hug the curves of your face and have a wide tapered frame that seem like they might actually keep out sunlight and other champagne-hangover-inducing-nuisances. I fully believe this particular gifting was a test; I always said that when I am able to own nice sunglasses without sitting on them then I am a true adult..we'll see folks. Let's just put it this way: it was either Tom Ford sunnies or a semester of grad school. Uh, doy!

xoxo

Text Hannah Morris

Curves are in!

Yes! This is so exciting!

"What is?" You may ask... The answer is that I am so excited that a thin, but healthy woman is featured in this Express ad. Express is one of the big advertisers in most fashion magazines. This is a big deal. This woman is absolutely gorgeous, but she also actually looks like a woman. She has natural curves and genuine beauty. She isn't fake. She isn't trying too hard to fit this mold of the perfect model beauty. She has the whole package. This is inspiring.

This especially makes me happy because of this conspiracy I've been noticing in the media about eating carbs. In Christmas movies such as Just Friends and The Holiday, Anna Faris and Cameron Diaz say that the thought of eating carbs makes them want to kill themselves. This is absolutely sad. Why should we not eat carbs when our bodies need them. Without carbs, we do not gain the fatty tissue we need to be at least a little curvy, depending on our body types. Without these fatty tissues, we look like 12-year-old girls! This I can attest to! It drives me crazy. I have lost seven pounds in the past week because I never got around to buying bread. I didn't have the time and I ran out of money from buying Christmas presents. Some may say this is a good thing that I lost weight, but at 5'8", being a person with ADD and a person with hypoglycemia, losing that much weight isn't the best thing when finals are coming up. This affected my mood, strength, energy level and my attention span. I can only imagine what the models in the hottest runway shows for the hottest designer labels go through. This can't be good with having so many women in one place at one time. This makes me nervous.

P.S. By no means am I calling this Express model fat, I am completely complimenting her and am very proud of the advertising department and for the director of model casting to choose such a beautiful woman to represent them!

Text Alexandra Faye

Nail Polish Colors for the Holidays!

Every holiday season, women must decorate their nails with the flashiest colors that scream "I Have the Holiday Spirit and I want to stand out!". Dark reds are for the women who desire to appear to classy and refined. Black is for those who wish to appear edgy. There are many women who can pull off black and make the color look fabulous as opposed to "gothic". Silvers and gray, especially gun metal gray, as well as that silver aluminum color that shows you've got a spring in your step. You mean business. You want to be bold and flashy and you're not afraid to show it. Add sparkle to any color to add some glitz to your look. Christmas and New Years are the seasons for sparkle! Pink is for those girls who think pink should be worn for every holiday. Purple is for the women who understand that true meaning of the color is wealthy, noble, and sophisticated and they will wear that color confidently! Every shade in between works perfectly for this year's festivities! Now get your nail colors on and show the world where you stand!

Text Alexandra Faye

Designer 3-D glasses

The future is here!! With the ever so popular 3-D television and movies taking over our households and movie theater's, it's no wonder some fashion labels are marketing their very own 3-D glasses. Gucci is teaming up with Oakley to make their own designer 3-D specs. To most, this sounds a little silly, especially if you know they are ONLY intended for movie theater use. If you have $225 to purchase the glasses - then why not? Armani is following with the exact same trend, only it's a little more affordable - costing around $58. We'll see if these 3-D designer glasses sell in December when they are released. Do you think they are a new trend? Will you purchase these specs, just in time for Christmas?


Text Jessica Moy

Merry Christmas <3

Feel the peace & love. Merry Christmas from the CHAOS Family :)

The CHAOS Team will be out of the offices till January 4th for the holidays and will return any emails and calls at that time. Till then, enjoy your Christmas and holidays ... we'll see you in 2010!

However, the blog will be updated like usual!

Cooking for the Fashionista

Still haven't finished Christmas shopping? Still searching for the perfect gift for that Fashionista on your list? Well look no further because I found the gift that will be great for any fashion obsessed person on your list.

Isaac Mizrahi’s Mushroom Truffle Spaghetti, Carolina Herrera’s Pommes Toupinel, Mark Ecko’s “Adults Only” Chocolate Chip Cookies, Derek Lam’s Yellowtail Crudo, John Varvatos’s Calaloo Soup, sound good? But how can that be possible? Fashion and cooking can go hand in hand with this years must have cookbook.

The American Fashion Cookbook published with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and with a foreword by Martha Stewart, American Fashion Cookbook is a chic objet containing recipes and original illustrations by more than 100 American designers. Brimming with color, flavor, and personality, here are the fashion community’s favorite dishes and preparation tips.

The book is a great gift for the fashionista who wants to learn to cook. It incorporates everything they love about fashion into cooking. It provides you with receipes from some of your favorite designers. This is definitely on the top of my Christmas Wish List.

- Erin Jones

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

Merry Christmas! We hope you all are enjoying this wonderful time of year with your family. Enjoy the spirit of the Holidays with the ones you love and who love you. 

Happy Holidays from the CHAOS Team <3