Top 5 places NOT to put the engagement ring before you propose

 1. Inside a hot air balloon: Pastor James Ng learned the hard way when he dropped his MyJewelryBox.com engagement ring hundreds of feet from a hot air balloon during his proposal.  At least the whole situation wasn’t full of hot air … she said yes and a week later he found the ring.

 2. In a cup: It really stunk when a New jersey man had to go through more than 10 tons of garbage to retrieve the wedding ring his wife placed in a paper cup, which he accidently threw away.

 3. On a boat deck or pier:  Crashing waves while proposing is romantic, but if you drop the ring into the water — a dive team search and rescue is not.

 4. On a bridge: How depressing, a guy approached by the police-suicide prevention squad on the Brooklyn Bridge had to explain that he wasn’t trying to commit suicide, rather he was looking for the engagement ring that he had just dropped.

 5. Jidden in food: It might be hard to stomach, but women have swallowed the ring their fiancée had hidden in champagne, dessert, and even a Wendy’s Frosty.

If you would like to speak with David Mamane about how to store and keep your engagement / wedding ring secure, please contact me.

Thanks,

Paula Deen relaxing at a book signing in Dallas with her husband Michael. Check out her leggings.

I wrote a Sunday story about leggings, their popularity and how retailers say they can be great for women of  most ages and many sizes.  Coincidentally, I was watching foodie Paula Deen Saturday morning and she had on black leggings with a long black tunic. She looked good. She broke up all the black with a white sweater.

I own leggings and I’ve worn them around the house, but I haven’t darted out in public in them yet. I’m not sure why. They’re super comfortable.  I don’t think I would look out of place at the grocery store. I would cover up the largest part of my hips with a top that stretches almost to my knees.  I would wear flats instead of  killer heels.

My daughter loves leggings, and has been embracing them for about four years. I embraced them, too, about 19 years ago. Even wore them to work. I was more trendy then than I am now. Some people like to say if you’ve worn a trend once you shouldn’t wear it second time around.  I disagree with that.  You wear it differently. Maybe you wear a different style. With leggings, college students are going to wear print leggings, even metallic. I’m going to stick with basic black.

So, I think I will wear my leggings and long tunic to the grocery store. Heck, Paula Deen wore hers on televison. I don’t think I’m ready for prime time just yet.

Tory Burch spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Tory Burch spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

NEW YORK (AP) — Never have their been so many photographers on the floor as there were at Tory Burch’s New York Fashion Week presentation Wednesday morning. Burch’s roots are in accessories, so the first question to be answered was: What are the shoes like?

Leather-strap sandals woven and wrapped up the leg, moccasins with heels and a driving shoe-bootie, all of which will likely cause a shopping stir.

Burch has something like a cult following, noted Adam Glassman, creative director for O, The Oprah Magazine.

Her clothes were things that people — and not just high-fashion types — could wear, and that’s noteworthy at the Bryant Park runways. A cheerful garden print was used for a loose, pleated dress and a pair of skinny pants and coordinated button-down shirt, a tie-dye tank dress and short trench with gold buttons.

This marked Burch’s first appearance at the tents, previously opting for smaller presentations uptown.

Tory Burch spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Models carried tie-dye clutches and bigger, square handbags with a gold-chain handle.

Glassman liked the sequined looks best, especially a beaded dress with anorak jacket. “I like her mix of everyday utilitarian with dressy.”

He added, “She hits the trends and makes them understandable.” There were a number of leather and suede outfits, normally not seen in heavy doses for spring/summer, but they’ve been everywhere during this round of previews. The white leather skirt covered with laser-cut triangles and a black leather skirt with gold grommets at the waist and hem certainly speak to the idea of seasonless dressing, in which women don’t fully swap out their wardrobes from season to season.

The buzz among retailers is to offer clothes for all sorts of climate year-round since the weather — and the economy — are so unpredictable.

Tory Burch spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Tory Burch spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Marc Jacobs spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

NEW YORK (AP) — Marc Jacobs, mission accomplished.

Jacobs is heralded as New York Fashion Week’s bellwether designer, and Monday night he reminded style-watchers why: He had the biggest celebrity in his front row — Madonna; he had highly photogenic Kewpie-doll models — unlike anything else this round of fashion previews; and he had very feminine clothes — which is probably where other designers will be two seasons from now.

His spring collection had lots of frou-frou ruffles and pearl embellishment, yet his muse still seemed to be a strong woman with an obvious edge. Think of his customer as the cool, creative type who can find the best thing in a vintage store, or buy a Jacobs’ blush-colored ruffled jersey dress that mimics it.

Some of his looks went much farther than that — balloon genie pants and pleated bloomers come to mind — but hopefully those are more for magazine editorial spreads than the real world.

For store racks, he offered pointelle sweaters in gray and burgundy, and wearable jackets that had a hint of military influence. The idea is to wear a full skirt or skinny pants underneath.

“He is so incredibly influential with so many people,” said stylist Rachel Zoe as she walked into the Armory building that has hosted Jacobs’ show for years.

Marc Jacobs spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Some of Jacobs’ suits, with a stream of ruffles down the jacket that was continued on the skirt or trousers, could be the wave of the future. (No need to try the bras and corsets he styled on top of that officewear.)

Plus, there are his always-popular shoes, this time a clunky, chunky futuristic sandal that didn’t have a high heel. This was Jacobs bucking another emerging trend from the other runways as Fashion Week finishes up its fifth day.

Either the shoe or the very narrow pencil skirts that hit the mid-calf caused the models to walk in tiny, robotic rapid-fire steps.

Madonna, whose hair was in a Brigitte Bardot style, took her seat just before the first model stepped out. She wore a black leather jacket and a black lace miniskirt.

Marc Jacobs spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show. AP PHOTO

NEW YORK (AP) — Nothing has moved on the runway at New York Fashion Week quite the way Donna Karan’s spring collection did Monday.

She called it, “What’s in the air?” Then she answered her own question with silhouettes inspired by the elements — the sky, water, wind, sand, earth and fire.

“A mix of serenity and seduction, the elements of style have a whole new twist. One that’s as modern as the skyline, as forever alluring as a walk on the beach,” she said in her notes.

Indeed, the clothes oozed sultriness.

The silhouettes were slim, with Karan touting “body skirts” and “body dresses” that fit like second skins, but the light viscose jersey, linen and silk fabrics allowed them a vibe of easy elegance — and wearability. Colors included sky blue, a barely there blush and a lot of neutral skin tones.

Karan has once again found her stride the past few seasons, putting together a cohesive “look” instead of jumping around frenetically from trend to trend.

“Donna is consistent with what I like: clothes that women can wear,” said stylist Patricia Field, famous for her work on the “Sex and the City” TV shows and movies. “Women designers wear women’s clothes and they get it. Donna has a perfect balance between fantasy and reality.”

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show. AP PHOTO

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show. AP PHOTO

The fantasy at the fashion show in Karan’s downtown studio space was having enough places to wear the jersey wrap dresses, especially the blush-colored, off-shoulder number that was a little reminiscent of old-school Halston.

There were everyday clothes too, especially for a woman who gets dressed up for the office, but they weren’t mundane. A wrap-style skirt suit, for example, is something we should see more of. For play, a crisp white halter dress was practically an invitation for a vacation.

The eveningwear was the weakest part of the collection. There was nothing wrong with the draped gowns attached with delicate spaghetti straps, but you just didn’t get the same feeling that you were seeing something special.

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show. AP PHOTO

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Donna Karan spring 2010 runway show in New York. AP PHOTO

Elie Tahair spring 2010 runway show in New York.(AP PHOTO)

Here’s a  Fashion Wire Daily report on the Elie Tahari spring 2010 show.

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If you really want to get a handle on what American women might be wearing next spring then a good place to start is with Elie Tahari, whose latest crisp and clean collection suggested that practical elegance will be a fashion buzz term of 2010.

Tahari has never been a super directional designer, but when it comes to interpreting affordable chic, he has an extremely good track record. His latest ideas were largely inspired by North Africa, so Saharan hues dominated in this collection, presented in his mid town Manhattan headquarters on Thursday, the first official day of the eight-day New York runway season.

“I was seeing Morocco, its desert colors, its romance,” Tahari explained to FWD as a swarm of retailers and editors swung by to see the presentation. Unveiled on a sandy colored catwalk, the collection was all about natty American sportswear, with lots of cool, clever and approachable looks that did not demand too much nerve for women to wear.

His best ideas were low-slung trousers, cut with forgiving curves but never too much attitude, great little linen shorts paired with super light boucle bolero jackets, and jodhpur style pants with fabric belts, shown with crisp cotton tanks. Finished with lots of gold, in liquid looking tunics or splashed on to T-shirts and ruffle shirts, and complimented with cork high heels and purses, this was a smooth statement of plausible style.

Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)

Tahari also showed men’s looks in this collection, and though not as strong as his women’s ideas, there were plenty of hip new looks. Men’s wear designers have been conjuring up sporty nylon bomber jackets with semi-transparent fabrics for q couple of seasons without, however, really convincing that many men to actual wear them. Tahari, however, sent out a series of off-on-a-date and on-to-the-nightclub looks that will win plenty of fans among downtown gents.

“We’ve been working hard to respond to the market, either by reducing our price points or creating clothes in colors like sand and beige that will be longer wearing,” added Tahari, who expects this collection to retail in 300 locations.

Giving the people what they want is sometimes derided in fashion circles as being predictable, but in the current climate it seems to make lots of sense, especially, as was the case in this show, the clothes flatter and fall with an admirably jaunty aplomb.

Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)

Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)

Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)

Elie Tahari spring runway show in New York. (AP PHOTO)

Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.

Guys, get read to show some color for spring. John Bartlett dipped into his box of crayons and came up with oranges, blues, pinksand greens for his Claiborne by John Bartlett collection.

Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.

Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.

Claiborne by John Bartlett for spring 2010.

Jon Gosselin and one of his daughters

Tim Gunn, fashion mentor on “Project Runway”

Tim Gunn of “Project Runway” fame is not a big fan of Jon Gosselin’s style.

The father of eight commits the biggest crime against fashion for men: Not wearing the proper size, Gunn told Us magazine.

 ”In his case, everything is too big. It is what I refer to as the slobification of America. If you want to dress to feel as though you never got out of bed, then don’t get out of bed.”

He didn’t shoot down Kate, Jon’s ex. He told Us he’s ”accepting” of her famous asymmetrical hairdo. “If that’s the way she wants to present herself, then she’s doing a good job.”