Carrie Underwood … she sings, she shops
Carrie Underwood took quite a trip to visit a mall. Last weekend, she kicked off a nine-day celebration for the opening of Singapore’s new luxury shopping mall ION Orchard.
The 2005 “American Idol” winner and Oklahoma native, clad in a silver tank top, black jeans and knee-high stiletto-heel boots, wowed shoppers as they screamed her name and snapped pictures, according to Women’s Wear Daily. She rocked the crowd with a 45-minute set that included her repertoire of hits, as well as her new single, “Mama’s Song.”
Underwood, who releases her fourth album, “Play On,” on Nov. 3, admitted she has developed an interest in shopping since her career took off a few years ago.
“I grew up in Oklahoma and we don’t have a lot of malls like this,” she said, adding that BCBG Max Azria is one of her favorite brands. “I’m good at either the sweats and stuff, or the glamorous gowns with jewelry. It’s the middle ground I’m not so good at.”
Victoria’s Secret $3 million Fantasy Bra
Victoria's Secret Fantasy Bra
Looks like the economy is hitting Victoria’s Secret. This year’s one-of-a-kind diamond bra is a little less well-endowed. The $3 million bra is covered in diamonds from Damiani. In 2006, the Fantasy Bra was covered in $5.6 million in diamonds.
The bra is accented with white, champagne and cognac-colored diamonds in a harlequin pattern. There is also a rare 16-carat heart-shaped champagne diamond pendant dangling in the middle.
The annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show will air at 9 p.m. Dec. 1 on CBS. The Black Eyed Peas will perform.
Kayne Gillaspie’s “Gown Crazy” special airing again on TLC
Kayne Gillaspie
”Gown Crazy,” the special featuring Norman designer Kayne Giullaspie, will be shown one last time at 9 p.m. Oct. 30 before TLC decides whether to buy it as a series. The network had previously said the special, which has aired several times, would be shown again in November.
Gillaspie, a top five contestant from ”Project Runway,” hopes TLC will pick up the special for a series. He said he thrived on the energy and excitment. The documentary soap followed the designer as he finished pageant dresses as well as custom evening gowns all while helping put together a charity fashion show. Gillaspie’s company is Johnathan Kayne.
I wrote about the special and Gillaspie when it first aired. Read that story here.
Since graduating in 2002 from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, Gillaspie has made a name for himself. He has not only dressed the entire top five teens, the winner and first runner up in the Miss Oklahoma U.S.A. Pageant, but also the fourth runner up of Miss Universe, Tara Conner. He has a shoe line carried in about 2,200 stores by the Benjamin Walk Corp., and the Johnathan Kayne Line carried by WOW! PROM is in about 650 stores.
Let the network know if you love “Gown Crazy.” Go here.
For more information on Kayne Gillaspie, go to http://www.johnathankayne.com/ ; www.facebook.com/projectkayne; Twitter: @Projectkayne
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker star in London Fog ad campaign
Eva Longoria and Tony Parker, her basketball-playing husband, will be featured in the new London Fog holiday advertising campaign.
The campaign will debut in December issues of fashion and lifestyle magazines such as Elle, Marie Claire and Gotham, outdoor billboards and online.
“It was fun to work together,” Longoria said. “London Fog is always classy and beautiful and we knew we were in good hands for the campaign. The coats and bags were gorgeous; I am a huge fan of trench coats and all the London Fog trenches were amazing.”
London Fog said the Parkers were chosen for the campaign because they epitomize the modern, romantic and aspirational London Fog lifestyle. This is the couple’s first fashion campaign together. Watch out Victoria and David Beckham. You’ve got competition.
Share your shopping experiences
What’s your best shopping experience? Your worst?
I think most of us have a tale to tell, and I’m hoping it all comes together for an interesting story. E-mail me your stories and include your name and hometown. I’ll try to use as many of them as possible. The story won’t run for several weeks, but don’t procrastinate. Send me the details soon.
E-mail me at fashionmatters@opubco.com.
Cha-ching … money-saving tips
Cha-ching. I hope you’ve been reading our money-saving tips in the daily Life sections this month.
We offer savings suggestions on everything from theater performances to makeup to dining out.
If you missed them or don’t subscribe to the newspaper, you can read them online at http://knowit.newsok.com/finance/savings.
Now, go forth and save.
Kissing up to Bella il Fiore products
As I write this, my lips are so chapped that I can barely eat my potato chips. Just kidding. I had my salty snack earlier. But my lips really are chapped.
It seems fitting that I get an e-mail about Bella il Fiore products that will moisturize my lips and make them feel soft and smooth.
Bella’s Sugar Kisses ($14) gently scrubs and soothes lips with sugar crystals, as well as sunflower, coconut and peppermint oils. A layer of Rescue Me Peppermint Lip Treatment ($9) moisturizes with a minty-fresh flavor and makes it impossible for the harsh Oklahoma winds to cause lip malfunction.
My kisser needs this duo. Each comes separately or together in Bella’s Lovely Lip Set ($18).
For more about Bell, go online to bellabeauty.net. In Oklahoma City, Bella products are sold at The MakeUp Bar.
Elvis fans rock ‘n’ roll over memorabilia
Elvis fans did not leave emptyhanded at an auction of Elvis Presley memorabilia on Sunday. The Gary Pepper collection netted $304,818, nearly three times the original estimate.
One fan paid a staggering $96,800 for two of the King’s shirts at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, more than 12 times the expected selling price. John Urso of Inverness, Ill., a Presley fan since childhood, competed with four phone bidders for 10 minutes he became the happy owner of the shirts. He said the purchase was “worth every penny” and plans to display the shirts alongside signed albums and photos.
A pair of sweat-stained concern-worn scarves sold for $2,318. A lock of Elvis’ hair was a bargain at $18,300. Only a pastel portrait of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s wedding day failed to sell.
The memorabilia once owned by fan club president Gary Pepper was said by enthusiasts to be one of the most important collections to emerge since the singer’s death.
Get FIRED UP and help women entrepreneurs
Good news, ladies.
For the first time, women own half the businesses in the U.S. To celebrate the country’s largest-ever movement of women in the workforce, beauty queen Poppy King has partnered with Count Me In For Women’s Economic Independence to launch a sheer fire engine red lip gloss.
One hundred percent of the profits from the sale of FIRED UP will go to Count Me In, a national not-for-profit provider of resources and business education for women entrepreneurs.
“The power of red and its mystique is already embedded in our culture,” King said. “From Rosie the Riveter’s trademark red lips during World War II, no cosmetic item has more power to get a woman fired up about the task ahead.”
FIRED UP costgs $14 and is available exclusively at www.lipstickqueen.com.
Lloyd Boston video: caring for cashmere
Most of us have stashed our lightweight clothes for more fall-like options. It won’t be long before I’m ready to slip into my favorite cashmere sweaters. With that in mind, here’s a video by Lloyd Boston, resident expert for Jones New York and host of television’s “Closet Cases.” Here, he tackles how to care for cashmere.
