Fashion Q&A


  • Stylist Derick Chetty, left, and Fashion editor Bernadette Morra answer your fashion questions every Thursday at noon during the Naked Lunch, with a new topic each week. Send your fashion q's or style points to nakedlunch@thestar.ca.

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  • Rob Salem at fall preview
    Sunday, July 9 12:15 p.m. Welcome to the annual “TV Critic’s Fall Preview,” where the American networks and cable companies pull out all the stops to try to drum up some enthusiasm for their new season product from an increasingly haggard assemblage of major-market print press. Or, as one wag famously dubbed it, “the Bataan Death March with cocktails.” Not that I’m complaining (well, not yet anyway). There are worse ways to spend your mid-summer than three weeks in a luxury hotel with gala, star-studded parties every night. If it weren’t for the round-the-clock press conferences, interviews and screenings, and having to file copy pretty much every day (twice, now that I’m also “blogging”), this would make one helluva vacation. The “TCA tour,” as it also known (for it is hosted, not by the studios and networks, but by the 200-plus members of the Television Critics Association), has returned this year to the Ritz Carlton Huntington resort in immaculately scenic Pasadena, California, where it was housed several years in a row before the membership started shopping around for alternate accommodations. None of which really measured up to the elegant and opulent Ritz – though the retro glamour of last year’s site, the Beverly Hilton, did provide a welcome change, and a convenient proximity to L.A. restaurants and shopping (the cab trip in from Pasadena runs a good $60 bucks each way). On the other hand, there’s not a lot of time to get “off campus” for that sort of thing anyway. In fact, today’s pretty much my only day off – the press sessions don’t really get going till tomorrow, when we start in on an eclectic week of cable programming (Shannen Doherty! Mr. T!), before moving on to the networks, and PBS, and of course our annual TCA awards ceremony. All of which I will duly report on in the daily paper and, more intimately, here. I arrived last night, passed out in the middle of unpacking, and started writing, jet-lagged, at about 6 o’clock (local time) this morning, the second I got my laptop plugged into the hotel high-speed. The second I send this (and tomorrow’s column) off, I’ll get busy checking in with all my L.A. buddies. My old high-school chum, Maurice LaMarche, has some good news. The go-to voice guy in L.A. animation (Pinky and the Brain, Harvey Birdman, The Critic, etc.), he and his cast-mates have just signed their contracts for the return of the cancelled Futurama. Another cartoon star of my long acquaintance, Bill Fagerbakke, is the voice of Spongebob’s Patrick Starfish, best known in live-action as dumb guy Dauber from the sitcom Coach (the first season of which has just come out on DVD). His wife, Toronto actress Catherine McLenahan, tells me he has just opened here at the Geffen Theatre in the new Sam Sheppard play, The God of Hell. Gonna have to take a night off to catch that. Also performing in town this month, my pals The Wet Spots, a deliciously lascivious musical lounge act I wrote a cover story about in What’s On last New Year’s. Yippee – another excuse for a night off-campus. Other L.A. friends will show up here at the tour at some point. Leslie Hope has been busy back in Toronto, shooting her new CW show, Runaway, with Donnie Wahlberg. But they’ll both be here to help launch the show (one of only two new offerings on the melded network’s new lineup) in a few weeks. I gather Tom Cavanagh also has a new show, which he richly deserves after having the very promising Love Monkey yanked out from under him so abruptly last season. Nothing on the schedule yet though. I know that I will hook up with Ike Barenholtz, and his posse from Mad TV, as usual at the Fox network party, and probably continue on into the night on some debauched Entourage-like night on the L.A. comedy scene. Eric McCormack, I know, is busy on stage in New York, returning to his theatrical roots after his stellar run on Will & Grace. Biggest regret: Lucy Lawless, my TCA Awards date now two years running, is busy in Vancouver, repeatedly killing off her reincarnating character on the third season of the fabulous Battlestar Galactica. How the hell am I ever going to be able to top having Xena, Warrior Princess on my arm at this year’s awards ceremony (I wonder if Jolene Blalock is busy?)
  • A & E

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November 16, 2006

Leopard vs. plaid

Fashion editor Bernadette Morra and stylist Derick Chetty discussed leopard and plaid, two fashion classics that are back with a vengeance for fall 2006. Read their chat and send your comments to nakedlunch@thestar.ca or click on the comments link below.

Derick, your story today mentions that the leopard lover enjoys anarchy and the tartan girl worships the establishment. I'm not drawn to leopard or plaid. What does that say about me? Bernadette

Like any trend, you either love it, hate it or decide it's not for you. Those who consider themselves minimalists are probably not attracted to either prints. Derick

For those maximalists out there, is it possible to wear tartan and plaid together? Bernadette

Only the very brave! But they can certainly mix with other prints. Leopard and menswear pinstripes are a Dolce and Gabbana signature. Derick

So which camp are you in? Leopard or plaid? Bernadette

If I had to pick one, I would have to go with leopard. I'm having a leopard moment since I recently purchased a pair of YSL leopard print shoes. But I wouldn't say I'm loyal or a fervent fan of this trend. Ask me same time next year and I would probably find it too loud and tacky. Derick

This morning at my dentist's office, one of the women who works there had a pair of leopard mules on with her black trousers and a deep green, chiffony bow-tied blouse from Femme de Carriere. She looked fierce. But leopard shoes are quite out there for a guy. I can't recall - have you worn them to the office? Bernadette

I wore them once to the office - to mixed results. Again, people either loved it or hated it. Yes they are a bit much for a guy but the trend might catch on.  I first saw them at Yves Saint Laurent last season and they repeated them for fall. (Perhaps they were popular?) And by the way, Lenny Karvitz bought the same leopard print in a boot style from YSL in Milan. If anyone can wear those, it will be him! And in Milan I saw leopard print shoes for men at several other stores. So maybe, next year here in Toronto, we might just see them. But the trick is to dress them down - with jeans. And I should note: shoes are the only thing I would indulge in with this trend. Men should not wear anything else in leopard, even though Prada was selling a leopard coat this season. Okay, maybe Lenny can pull that off.  Derick

If you do tire of the leopard trend, what will you do with those shoes? And how much did they cost? Bernadette

Maybe I'll save them for the next time the trend comes around. The price I paid is irrelevant. Derick

That's the spirit! One of our readers asked for tips on how kids can wear the trend. Looking at www.lasenzagirl.com , their fashion trends section shows a young model in a leopard top and a checked skirt. This sort of mixes the two trends. Doesn't that contradict our advice not to mix? Bernadette

It works in that outfit because the leopard print is not the traditional colour but more a muted gray and the plaid skirt is a subtle pattern and is also in the gray tones. That's just the thing I hate about rules in fashion - someone always finds a way to bend the rule and make it work. Derick

November 16, 2006 at 08:01 AM |

Comments

Olga

I think your colomn is awesome!..but i think you should add more pictures on the site!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: Olga | November 16, 2006 at 09:16 AM

Belle J.

I think that you should bring Plaid back in the game. If you do, change the colour and mix it up! Have fun with the style!

Posted by: Belle J. | November 16, 2006 at 09:19 AM

Olga

I think your opinion on Plaid is very reasonable. I think you should also add more fashion tips for kids. Anyways i love your fashion tips! <333

Posted by: Olga | November 16, 2006 at 09:21 AM

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