Can We Please Get A Re-Count?

Who wouldda thought that the day would come when John Galliano would tone down anything? Well folks, that day has arrived. It's also arrived for Betsey Johnson, Narciso Rodriguez, Oscar de la Renta, dSquared, and a slew of others. Yes gang, I'm talking about the effects of the *shhh* recession. Let's face it, we're all scrimping and saving, cutting corners and eating a lot more in than out. Well, except for Whitney and her gang of merry models on MTV's The City. It seems like they're actually getting richer. Isn't she just an intern or something? Anyways, the effects are being felt and these top notch designers, designers who have pioneered fashion, who are the best of the best are feeling it too. There has been lots of "edits" we'll call them for the Fall/Winter '09 show compared to the Spring/Summer '09 show. For example, Mr. Galliano went from 47 looks in the Spring to 30 in the Fall, Armani went from 92 to 69 and the biggest loser is Betsey Johnson who started with 51 in the Spring and ended up with 25 in the Fall. I can't help but be reminded of a little point in time known as the Great Depression, when designers had to look to other forms of inspiration to make ends meet (dropped hemlines, backless dresses, and a renewed neo-classic sense of fashion). One can only hope that history repeats itself this go-around. Thumbs up for a brighter future in fashion, thumbs down for getting into this mess in the first place. 

And You Thought Mary Kate Perfected Bag Lady Chic...

If you paid any attention to New York fashion week, you would definitely notice that the Recessionista look is in--black dresses, black accessories, black, black, black. It's almost as if every designer was invited to create a look for Wall Street's funeral.

However, Isaac Mizrahi, god bless him, decided to skip the wake and go straight for the what-happens-when-you-lose-your-trust-fund look. Baggy pants, wacky coats, weird granny-size dresses on granddaughter-size bodies.

And bag hats? So much for subtlety. One model was even carrying a handbag that was part purse, part box it came in. At least she can return if she's in a jam and needs cash for cab...

Maybe Mr. Mizrahi was inspired by spending one too many Saturdays in T. J. Maxx ("Is the economy really this bad or was there a fight before I got here?"). One thing is for sure though, bag lady chic has officially arrived. Well, at least it wasn't all black.

1950's Pinup Model Bettie Page Dies

Bettie Page known for setting the stage for the sexual revolution of the 1960's died last night in LA. 

Page was put on life support last week after having a heart attack in her Los Angeles home. She never was able to regain consciousness, said her agent, Mark Roesler. Page's family agreed to remove life support. Shortly before her heart attack she was hospitalized for 3 weeks with pneumonia. 

Page caught the attention of magazine photographers all over with her womanly figure in bikinis and see-through lingerie. She quickly became tacked up on the walls in all military barracks, garages and elsewhere, where they remained for years on end. 

In other news, current trends for the season due to recession: Sans the clothes. Artsy, poor and butt naked is so in!