Michelle Obama Named At No. 3 on Vogue's Best Dressed List for 2010

There has been much made of the fact that Blake Lively was named at the top of the Vogue Best Dressed of the Year 2010 List (yes, we are all about the lists today). If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will probably guess that we don't have too much of a problem with that. Good for her.
However, what was far more of a pleasant surprise was that First Lady, Michelle Obama, was named at number three,
So I did a bit of reflecting back on the year. Mrs O wore Alexander McQueen the week after his death as a sign of respect. She turned up just this week at an event wearing the super-brand-new trend colour, tangerine. She has pioneered the kitten heel. She has embraced the full circle skirt and the new length. As much as Mrs Obama her her own very distinct personal style - which has directly influenced the fashion world - she is also able to adopt trends as soon as they glimmer. And do it all looking like a normal woman from your neighbourhood. Accessible + fashion forward + unique personality = Vogue Best Dressed List. I like it.

Business of Fashion's Top 50 Fashion Creatives Announced

So the Business of Fashion published a preview on the list of INDUSTRIE's 50 most influential and inspirational creatives working in fashion today. And what a kerfuffle ensued. Seriously. Everyone loves a list. It is as much fun arguing with it as it is making it onto it. A list gives us a yard stick and some recognition - in someone's opinion. It does not make you creative or not. It does not state as fact, your talent. It is just a list from someone's head.
But the outrage that ensued has resulted in some hefty tail between legs and promises of public polling next time. Ha! Like that will change the resulting outcry. How I chuckled at that idea.
This list excludes Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington in favour of the French Vougittes, and includes Tony Richardson, so obviously my list of the most creative fashion people would be quite different. But for your information and entertainment, here is the top 10.
1. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot, Photographers
2. Phoebe Philo, Creative Director of Céline
3. Nicolas Ghesqiere, Creative Director of Balenciaga
4. Central St Martins Fashion School
5. Miuccia Prada
6. Tom Ford
7. Nicola Formichetti, Stylist/Creative Director of Thierry Mugler, Uniglo, Haus of Gaga
8. Riccardo Tisci, Creative Director of Givenchy
9. Emmanuelle Alt, Carine Roitfeld and Anastasia Barbieri from French Vogue
10. Joe McKenna, Stylist
Just to repeat: THIS IS NOT MY LIST. Have fun. Play nicely.

MARISA TOMEI
Robyn: Marisa Tomei has always been charmingly beautiful. But whilst I never really thought she deserved the Oscar nod for My Cousin Vinnie in her sweeter days, I definitely think it was deserved for her more mature woman role in The Wrestler. And it is this more elegant and self-aware Marisa that we see in this tangerine Westwood creation. On trend. Beautifully fitted. Still loads of personality. Gorgeous.
Marco: She whined a lot in the nineties, but I always thought she was a good actress. The real-woman-next-door kind of gal. Normal, perhaps which in itself is rare in Hollywood. The tangerine is anything but sour, in fact I think this is perfectly age appropriate and sexy all at once. She seems quite comfortable in her mid-forties while looking easily ten years younger. Dina Lohan could take cues from this one.

PRINCE WILLIAM
Marco: I've always favored Harry and his scruffy look over Williams clean cut much-like-his-dad look. Still, the royal engagement really does put old Willy in a modern day fairy-tale. And when you have such a knock-out for a fiancé then who cares about a little receding hairline? Nothing like a little blue-blood in a blue suit to show them. Beautiful tie, beautiful tailoring. This is why less is more.
Robyn: You know I am totally on board with this Royal Wedding situation, right? I mean, we had the FIFA world cup this year, next year it is all wedding and this time we can dress up. But I almost think that one of the reasons why Will must take a wife is so that she can be the ‘star’ and he can quietly do his Royal thing largely unnoticed. He seems like a sweet bloke. Let’s leave it there.

Dannii Minogue Covers Marie Claire UK January 2011

So everyone from book club has been a bit busy recently. It's that time of year. I have things on every night. Vicky is flying between the States and UK and has the boys and David to look after. Alexa is also trying to do the transatlantic thing and has her new show on in the UK GonzoWithAlexa. And Dannii is hard at work with her boys on the X-Factor. And looking stunning every week. Twice a week.
How she managed to fit in this shoot with the UK Marie Claire I really don't know. But just look how utterly divine she is. Baby Ethan is clearly good for her.
This is what I call a role model. The fact that she is an Aussie and not a South African is a detail. She might as well be.
PS: Can I just mention that Dannii has been on the UK cover of Glamour twice this year, InStyle once and now MC. Doing quite well I would say.
PPS: No, I am not deranged. I am well aware that my book club is a fantasy one. But fantasy football is allowed so so is fantasy book club. Who would be in yours?
PPPS: Yes she is wearing Victoria Beckham on the cover. One of the dresses Vicky leant her.

The Other Royal Wedding-in-Waiting: Charlene Wittstock Dazzles in Armani

Yikes guys. It seems we have forgotten that there is another Royal Wedding next year. And this time it's personal.
Our very own Olympic swimmer, Charlene Wittstock, is set to marry Prince Albert of Monaco on July 2nd 2011. So even when Wills and Kate are all done and dusted on 29th April, we will still have a big occasion to dress up for. Yay! How exciting.
This week has seen the Monaco National Day's celebrations, where onse Charlene very cleverly chose to wear a Giorgio Armani Privé silk suit with a small two-tone jacquard pattern in cognac and tobacco. note the masculine lapels and soft peplum of the jacket that off-set the broad swimmers shoulders. She was exceptionally well received by both the media and the subjects of Monaco which is good to hear.
Apparently Charlene plans to launch into humanitarian work after her wedding. Prince Albert was quoted as saying the following about his future bride,

"[she has a] great sense of humour and insatiable curiosity. Charlene has a very strong personality and I have no doubt of her desire to get involved in things alongside me. She is already committed to humanitarian causes such as the Born Free Foundation, the Special Olympics and the Nelson Mandela Foundation and wants to intensify her involvement in lots of other areas."

Yet another wonderful South African, stylish on the inside and outside.
PS: Charlene is not the first Saffa that Prince Albert has dated, of course. He also went out with model Heather Mann. I remember this because she was at school with me. A long time ago.

Nicole Ritchie and StyleGuideCT: Sunglasses Mindreaders

I have been wearing glasses since I was eight years old. You all know by now that I am a speccy. What you may not know is that my glasses are also a part of my identity, a mask against the world and a cunning disguise as to my true age.
If you buy the January issue of O Magazine (out just before Christmas), you can read an explanation of all these things and also get to see how easy it is to choose the right glasses frames (specs or sunnies) for your own face.
And then last night I read this from designer Nicole Ritchie, “When I wear sunglasses, it’s because I don’t wear makeup. I don’t know how to do makeup — it’s just not a part of my life. That being said, sometimes you need to put something on your face, and that’s why I tend to wear bigger frames. So I almost think of sunglasses as masks to just cover it up.” Dude has been reading my mind! Or an early copy of O Magazine! Who knew she and I were so alike?

Burberry is Social Networking King. Christopher Bailey Says Thanks.

Yesterday Burberry reached three million facebook fans. Not only is this a staggering amount, but it is also the first time a luxury goods brand has been able to break this ceiling. What is more interesting is that it took Burberry a single year to reach one million fans, another six months to reach two million fans and just one month to reach three million. Exponential growth indeed.
Burberry Chief Creative Officer Christopher Bailey put his designing skills to the test yesterday and designed this note to thank the Burberry Facebook fans for their devotion.
Now we all know that it is not NUMBERS but INFLUENCE that count in social media. We have read the reports by Harvard, Gartner and whom ever else. And we agree. But still. This is luxury fashion. It is a niche of a niche market. I think we can celebrate this particular number. And the good manners to say thank you.