black and white

Valentino Ricamo Macro Paillettes Tote, Handbag of the Day

Filed under: Handbags

The Valentino Ricamo Macro Paillettes Tote is a fabulously unusual bag with a lot of character.

You might expect to see a bag covered in colored paillettes, but that's just what makes this tote so special; the understatedness of the color palette is elegant and chic. Paillettes can sometimes appear cheap, but Valentino achieves supreme style by applying them in graduating sizes on this slouchy shape, a level of detail which looks like what it is: expensive.

Black and white dresses up or down, and this black satin lined bag is no exception. You could wear this with jeans or even a cocktail dress -- the sparkles make it evening-friendly, even at 13 1/2"H x 15 7/8"W x 7 1/2"D, a rare feat for such a large bag -- as long as you carry it low (and not over your shoulder).

The Valentino Ricamo Macro Paillettes Tote is available for pre-order from Neiman Marcus for $2,395.00.

Tags: black and white, BlackAndWhite, Handbag of the Day, HandbagOfTheDay, tote, Valentino

L.A.M.B. Melbourne Graphic Satchel, Handbag of the Day

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Handbags

The L.A.M.B. Melbourne Graphic Satchel is an edgy throwback to the 80s by one of our favorite platinum selling (and haired) celebrities, Gwen Stefani.

The Aussies do love their 80s gear, so perhaps that's why this new bag from L.A.M.B. is called "The Melbourne Graphic Satchel." We love the gritty painted bricks effect, making it look like a wall someone graffitied -- and then adorned with a logo patch.

As with most of the L.A.M.B. line, the 7 1/2"H x 13"W x 5"D bag is cruelty-free PVC. This is a perfect little satchel for denim days and nights out on the town.

The L.A.M.B. Melbourne Graphic Satchel is available from Neiman Marcus for $295.00.

Tags: black and white, BlackAndWhite, gwen stefani, GwenStefani, handbag of the day, HandbagOfTheDay, L.A.M.B.

The Fashion Statement: Stripes Have a Checkered Past

by Kristin Young (RSS feed) —

Filed under: The Fashion Statement

Several years ago, designer Andrae Gonzalo (of Project Runway fame) sent me a terrific little book on the history of stripes called The Devil's Cloth. I fished out the book recently and inside the jacket found Gonzalo's personal note: "From one zebra to another. Now you're really ready for spring 2002!" Back then, I was reporting for Women's Wear Daily and I had been talking to Gonzalo-at that time a buyer for the American Rag boutique in Los Angeles-about the chicest look of the season: stripes.

Cut to fall 2009. Little has changed. From Christian Dior Haute Couture in Paris to New York It boy Prabal Gurung, designers continue to send stripes down the runway. Whether zebra or nautical, it seems there's always demand for the clean and crisp, yin-yang pattern. A classic.

So it might shock you, as it did me, to learn that striped cloth was once a controversial religious garment not unlike the burqa today. According to the book, a few striped-clad monks called the Carmelites moved from Palestine to Paris where they were ridiculed and jeered. They were accused of greed, hypocrisy and treachery and even seen as the henchmen for the devil and the Antichrist. All because of their stripes.

The scandal got so out of hand, a Pope stepped in to ban all monks from wearing striped habits. Here's the kicker: Some 19th Century scholars believe Western Europeans had such a fit because the cloaks–probably resembling something like striped djellabas–had Asian or Middle Eastern origins.

Gallery: The Fashion Statement: Stripes

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Tags: Black and white, BlackAndWhite, Christian Dior, ChristianDior, Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture, ParisFashionWeekHauteCouture, Stripes, Zebra prints, ZebraPrints

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Milo Chesterfield

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

The black and white Marimekko print upholstery on this Milo Chesterfield sofa makes a classic design contemporary. The simple contrast makes a bold statement that would look great in a well-decorated apartment or loft. It would make a striking addition to a room that is already done in black and white and would really pop out in a room with bright, but solid, wall colors that makes minimal use of other patterns. Sale price: $3,398 (list: $3,998).

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Tags: black and white, Chesterfield, couch, decor, milo, milo Chesterfield, modern, sofa, style

Mukka Express

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Gadgets

With one of the most attractive designs of any coffee maker, the Mukka Express is very unique in performance as well. It won the Best Design Category at the 2006 housewares show last month. Mukka seems to be a play on the words "moo" and "coffee" or "cafe," indicating that this tool makes cappuccinos - but it makes them on the stove-top. Each Mukka can make two mugs of cappuccino, complete with foamy milk, as the special pressure valve is designed to steam it with little more than the touch of a button. Did we mention that it also comes in a black-and-white cow print? There is an instructional video available on the Bialetti website that details the performance of the Mukka Express, complete with product demonstration. Price: $89.

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Tags: appliance, black and white, cafe, cappuccno, coffee, coffee drinks, cow, gadget, latte, milk, moo, mukka, mukka express, silver, stove, stovetop

Black and Whites from Dean and Deluca

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

High on the list of things missed most by New Yorkers when they take up residence in another state is the Black and White Cookie. The cake-like consistency of the cookie and the smooth, sweet chocolate and vanilla icing combine to make one of the ultimate treats. As a gift for your favorite ex-New Yorker, or perhaps for yourself, consider getting a box of Dean & DeLuca's Black and Whites. Black and Whites tend to be huge, since New Yorker's like things big, but the Dean and Deluca cookies are normal sized and packed in a box that fits two dozen. The cookies are a perfect version of the New York classic - tasty as well as beautiful to look at. If you can't eat them all at once, they freeze beautifully, but if you invite a friend over to share them, you might not have any leftover. Price: $30.