New Totes for Spring

So it's (kind of) getting warmer out but you can't bust out the sandals and short skirts just yet. So how do you spruce up your wardrobe in a t-shirt by day, jacket by night climate? And, more importantly, what's the most useful and stylish way to make your hard-earned cash go the furthest this Spring?

Well, I must say, after years and years of it-bags à la Marc Jacobs, it's high time that tote bags got their due. While not as flashy as say Murakami pop art splashed across the glossy finished leather of your clutch, there are in fact plenty of cool and classy totes out there that can double as your weekend do-it-all bag or just serve as a chic carrier for your gym clothes. They're often half the price of their fancier handbag counterparts.

Some of the best are actually from some of the brands that usually produce the the most ho-hum designs. But not this year. Longchamp's Xlight tote comes in fuschia (!) and neutraul and is a far cry from their usual plain design and color. Coach just introduced a line of durable, canvas bags that have no interlocking C's to be found (praise be!). If you're in the mood to splurge, Mulberry has some great designs that come in less than $500.

So don't be afraid to invest in some sturdy fashion gear this season. Maybe you'll even get enough use out of it to write it off on your taxes next year. If you have too much money left over? Well, you can always start a savings fund for that Ralph Lauren Mongolian lamb fur coat for fall.

Bundle up, this Hotel is made entirely of ICE!

Have you heard of Sweden's ICEHOTEL? Also, Sweden's #1 destination for travel. Hmm, don't you think they get enough of the cold? The entire ICEHOTEL is on loan from the rushing Torne River and is turned into a place where time stops. The hotel has 80 guest rooms, a swanky bar, lobby and  everything is made from ice. As soon as the winter season arrives, a team of snow builders designers, artists and architects from across the globe come together in the small town of Jukkasjärvi far north of the Arctic Circle. Under the direction of the ICEHOTEL Art & Design Group, they start work on each year's version of the hotel. The hotel lasts for 4 months till spring arrives and the ICEHOTEL gives back to the Torne River till next winter. If you want to take a different kind of vacation and experience something totally out of the norm then visiting the ICEHOTEL in Sweden should definitely be on the list!

Sports Chic

Trends, no matter how faddish, are some times so sweeping that you don't know why you were wearing those wedge heels or shagging you hair when you cringe as you're editing your Flickr account. And in Milan and Paris this week, designers put forth some bold designs that looked like, if you wore them, they could be potential blackmail photos in your future. But I have to admit, regardless of how insane these sports-inspired looks seem, they miraculously came off as wearable. Now that's good design.
The craziest? Prada waders. Yes, waders. You might be thinking how does fishing gear work for every day but, honestly, don't ask me, ask Miuccia. Girl made it work.
There was also Nina Ricci's riding hats. They were equestrian-like but somehow seemed fitting if you saw some one walking down the street on a rainy day or meeting a friend for lunch.
And Balenciaga did not dissapoint either. The Kimono meets Karate silk outfits were part evening, part pajamas, part super-bitch power suit. I'm not sure how they came up with the designs but it was certainly inspired.

It was almost as if the European designers thought were daring us not to be boring. Balmain parachute pants with snow boots? Make that a double-dog dare.

Lazy Afternoon? Leave it to the Pros

After the Oscars, it always feels as if Hollywood is just biding it's time until summer for some decent movies to hit theaters. (Madea Goes to Jail has been at the top of the box office for a past several weeks. I rest my case.) Well, forget new movies, what about old ones? In major cities around the country, theaters are revitalizing classic films that haven't seen theaters in several decades. So no worries--you won't have to spend your afternoon debating whether to see Jonas Brothers 3D out of pure boredome or resort to enduring Julie Roberts flashing her teeth at Clive Owen. You can have a chic, retro afternoon almost any weekday or weekend. Here are just a few films that will be out over the next week (check local listings).
New York: Leave Her to Heaven (1946); Gene Tierney, Vincent Price; Film Forum Ellen Berent has a tragic flaw--she loves too much. As her nerosis begins to unravel her marriage, and all the men she's ever loved, the film probes the merits of life and death. Martin Scorsese calls it "a film noir in color."
Los Angeles: Rear Window (1954); Grace Kelly, James Stewart; ArcLight Cinemas Laid up with a bad leg, L.B. Jefferies resort to spying on his neighbors until one day he witnesses something he wishes he hadn't seen. One of Alfred Hitcocks' most famous and frightening films.
Chicago: Portrait of Jenny (1948); Joseph Cotton, Jennifer Jones; Normal Theater A struggling artist encounters a mysterious girl in a New York park on a foggy evening. You can imagine what ensues.

Forget Citibank--Italy Bails Out Fashion

Leave it to the Italians to get their priorities straight. Instead of throwing taxpayers' dollars at CEOs and insolvent banks, they’ve decided to line the pockets of fashion’s biggest names. Last month, when the Italian government gave $2.5 billion to its auto makers, Italy's Chamber of Fashion head Mario Boselli (yes, they have a Chamber of Fashion in Italy) cried foul and insisted that the government do the same for its stylish economic counterpart. He told WWD, “I can understand helping the automotive industry but wouldn’t fashion deserve the same, if not more, consideration than the furniture industry?” (“Furniture industry”? Wow, that's sassy.) While the amount of money remains up for debate, the Italian minister of economic development, Claudio Scajola, promised that the first capital injections will occur next month.

Needless to say, this makes our country’s fashion elites look almost pitiable as they hope--pray, even--that Michelle Obama gives them an economic boost. Apparently, if this were Italy, all we would need is for Timothy Geitner and Ben Bernanke to don some Ferragamo loafers to get motivated to help the stalwarts of style. Hey, with all the money they’re giving away you never know. If Obama is looking for another cabinet member, I nominate Dianne von Furstenburg for Secretary of Fashion.