Pink Rock Candy-Entertainment

Remember when you were just a little sprout and you would “read”, a.k.a. look at the pictures and interpret the story through the crazy drawings of one Dr. Seuss. Your parents would look at you in surprise until they realized the words you were uttering didn’t match those on the page. Then, they would help you sound out the actual text. That might just be me, but from then on I’ve been sounding out words, or for lack of a cooler term, reading. Luckily, in fashion those visual analyzing skills I acquired at an early age are put to good use, and with the book, Yves Saint Laurent: Style, it is no different.

Of course in this retrospective trip down YSL memory lane, there are words to be deciphered including a couple carefully scribed tributes by Hamish Bowles and Florence Müller, but it is the collection of sketches and photographs of stitched masterpieces from the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent collection that are the most awe-inspiring. Spanning 40 years of creative genius, this book not only showcases the finished product but the thought process behind many pieces in the YSL arsenal, via the notes scribbled on each sketch in Yves’ hand.

After setting this book on the coffee table in my living room for almost a month, I can tell you not only have I gone through it multiple times just for the sake of oohing and awing, but the book has been quite the conversation piece on multiple occasions. My favorite was when a male friend of the family was going through the book, and decided being a fashion designer would be easy. I promptly corrected him and said, “Yves just made designing look easy!”

This book coincides with a retrospective exhibit created by the Fondation Pierre Bergé–Yves Saint Laurent, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. The exhibit is currently in Montreal and will run until September 28, 2008 and will run in San Francisco from November 1, 2008 to March 1, 2009. The official release date is September 10th, 2008, but you can pre-order your version of Yves Saint Laurent: Style on Amazon.com for the sale price of $31.50.

p.s. sorry for the shody camera pictures, books are too hard to scan.

How do I say this lightly? I think Pete Wentz is trying to take over the world! I know it’s scary, but just listen. Not only is he in a multi-platinum selling band, but he has a clothing brand (which is selling at Nordstrom, online, and his store), a music label,a clothing store, a hair salon, a nightclub/bar, a book, a Jackass type movie, multiple blogs, and a legion of screaming fans. Plus, he’s now in a Walmart ad campaign (I don’t even want to talk about it!), is marrying a Simpson, and I heard through the grape vine he’s coming out with another book. What form of media hasn’t he dipped his feet in? Newspapers, and I’m not even sure about that!

Before I get a bunch of raging emails from fangirls, I have to say, I’m a fan of Mr. Wentz. I think he’s and extremely intelligent business man who is in one of the biggest bands of the recent past. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s mildly attractive, tends to be very sympathetic towards those in need, and writes lyrics/poems that make me swoon but hurt my head all at the same time. That being said, I think he’s sort of like the Sith Lord, Darth Sidious. He’s all like, “Anakin, I can teach you the true strength of you powers,” and then everyone turns into little Darth Vader clones who happen to be a bit emo.

The book that I heard from a reliable, yet disinterested source is already written and is about modern rock stardom or something. I like to say it’s Pete’s memoirs, but I haven’t actually gotten my grubby hands on the press release yet (this is all hear say, there’s my DISCLAIMER!) I‘m also not quite sure what it’s going to be titled, but if I were Pete, I would name my book Boy Bangs and Guyliner, and I would write about societies new found loathing of the emo sub-culture, which isn’t even true emo. So if you are reading this Pete, I think you should change the title of the book I heard is coming out, mine is better. I won’t even charge you for it. Okay, maybe an acknowledgment in the back saying something along the lines of, “Thanks to Chelsea Rae, the (insert endearing adjective) writer of Pink Rock Candy, for suggesting my wonderful, tongue-and-cheek title,” but that’s it!

p.s. This really has nothing to do with anything, but I had to put it out there. What would you call Pete’s book? (I’m opening Pandora’s box, I know!)

Photo Credit: Pete’s Friends Or Enemies

EDIT: The book is called Rainy Day Kids, which is a book Pete has been writing for a while. Its said to be fairly autobiographical following my whole memoir idea, and comes out October 7th, 2008. If I get my hands on it before, maybe I’ll review/give you guys all the juicy details before it comes out (that’s only if you want, I know Pete isn’t always that popular!)

Remember when you were little, and the most interesting books were the pop-up books; it was like television for smart kids who liked to read. Now, Neiman Marcus is giving us fashionistas a way to go back to the wonderful days of nap-time, coloring books, and snacks with their very own pop-up book.

The Neiman Marcus Pop Up Book was created in celebration of Neiman Marcus’ 100 year history. The story follows a “young girl’s journey through Neiman Marcus from past to present”. If the story doesn’t interest you, its always fun to see the gorgeous, movable 3-D images.

You can get your copy of the Neiman Marcus Pop Up Book for $125 on the Neiman Marcus website.

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As a girl with two younger brothers, one being very close to my age, I’ve shopped for guys since I was really young. My mom was always looking for my advice as to what was “cool” for boys my brother’s age to wear. As my brothers grew up, their taste in clothes, and my thoughts about what guys should wear began to vary. No longer was I the best source of “cool” clothes tips for my mom, but that left a void (my brothers don’t like to shop). Finally that void will be filled.

Daniel Peres, the editor-in-chief and the other great editors of Details have written a fashion book for men called the Details Men’s Style Manual. The book gives tips on everything from how to dress for work to how to pick the right pair of underwear. It also includes my favorite part from the magazine the “Rules of Style” section where different notable fashion icons like Tommy Hilfiger, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Giorgio Armani, and Michael Kors, give their 5 rules of style.

The Details Men’s Style Manual is published by Gotham Books. You can get a copy for yourself, or ladies, for your guy, at bookstores nationwide starting today, October 18th, 2007 for $30.00, but the hope this book will give to those of us who hate seeing guys in pants 8 sizes too big is priceless.