SB Flicks: The Great Gatsby

For a moment the last sunshine fell with romantic affection upon her glowing face; her voice compelled me forward breathlessly as I listened – then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret, like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The movie comes out next month, leaving you plenty of time to read (or in the case of you sexy, bookish SB readers, RE-read) the novel. Cracking its spine is like opening an exquisite package: beautiful, bright and shiny wrapping frantically tossed aside to reveal mystery, regrets, damnation. So good!!!

And the movie promises to provide some MAJOR eye and ear candy.

Leo, Carrie, Toby.

Darlings, I cannot wait!!!

SB Tunes: Bowie

This week was a good one for androgyny and music.

David Bowie (honorary SB who happens to have a penis) released the video for his new song, The Stars (Are Out Tonight), starring his doppelganger, the ethereal and bizarrely beautiful, Tilda Swinton.

Not only was this love at first sight for me, it was love at first listen. Which I cannot say about the new song of a certain other honorary SB who happens to have a penis (hint: Prince). Screw Screwdriver. It’s terrible. Brother, where ever did your sexy funk go?

This, however, sounds like vintage Bowie. Dancey and synthy with a menacing, guttural undercurrent. And the video is quite excellent – sexy and creepy, beautiful to look at and yet, slightly disturbing. So good.

My friends, the Thin White Duke has still got it. Enjoy.

SB Tunes: Natalie Bergman of Wild Belle

Since the weather in these parts seems to vacillate between deep freeze and medium freeze these days, I figured I’d feature music with a little warmth, a little sun for this week’s SB Tunes. Wild Belle is a brother sister duo who grew up in the Windy City but sound like they were weaned with sand between their toes.

Heavily influenced by reggae, jazz and soul, their collaboration comes together in a delicious warm, honey, sexy way that makes you want to hike up your sarong and do a little sashay right on over to that tiki bar for another beer and maybe, just maybe, say yes to a slow groove on the dance floor in the arms of the dashing Rasta with the easy smile and the very good shoulders. Ahem.

Natalie nails the 70′s hippy boho island chic vibe and her brother, Elliot, looks like a country gentleman. In other words, good genes. And good jeans.

Enjoy.

SB Hauntings: Flashmob Headband

Anyone who has ever shopped a day in her life understands what it is to be HAUNTED by some exquisite little thing that grows in perfection and desirability with each wretched moment after it becomes an impossibility.

We all know what it’s like to pass something up in a moment of practicality or frugality or sanity, only to have one’s thoughts stray back to said little something again and again until it becomes unbearably clear that life without said little something is simply not worth living.

There are times, of course, when one passes on something and never thinks of it again. But on rare occasions, that boot, that bag, that cuff is so kick ass, that it MUST be had. NO MATTER WHAT.

And woe to the girl who goes back for it, breathless with anticipation, clutching credit card in her sweaty little hand and finds that said little something is SOLD motherfucking OUT.

OF COURSE I didn’t by a pom pom headband for three hundred dollars. How preposterous. But it is no lie to say that I have thought about this beauty every day, at least once a day from the time I first saw it and now I would gladly pay three hundred dollars for a pom pom headband. I know. How preposterous.

And it is no lie to say that I would actually wear it – I really would. I would wear it to parties with a black tube top and black tuxedo pants and a sky high heel. I would wear it to brunch with a sundress. I would wear it out dancing with a red mini and gold boots. I would wear it with a robe to write SB posts.

The agony.

Pom poms are the new feathers. You heard it here first.

SB Tunes: Kylie Minogue

It’s with your holiday party playlists in mind that I bring you Ms. Minogue for this week’s SB Tuneage. Adorable Australian singer, songwriter, pop star, actress and breast cancer survivor, I love the fact that Minogue has always been absolutely 100 percent sartorially fearless.

High waisted cut off jean shorts? Bring ‘em. Spiral perm? Yawn. Vinyl dress? Honey, please. Hot pink space suit? Of course. Furry vest over bikini? And your issue is???? Homegirl cargos and blue eyeshadow? Yes to the YES. If you care to see what I mean, check out this slideshow.

But like any SB worth her salt, she manages to pull off the most preposterous flourishes because she wears what’s on the outside lightly. She’s fun and none of it seems too terribly serious to her, so even a frontless, legless, hooded jumpsuit seems to work.

And now, at the ripe age of 44, she looks better than ever and, dare I say, refreshingly devoid of dermatological facial monkeying. She’s gorgeous.

Can’t Get You Out of My Head. Enjoy. And pay attention to the robot dance moves. That’s how it’s done.

Previously on SB Tunes: Blondie
Previously on SB Tunes: Dolly

Flights of Fancy: Herve Leger Fur-Trim Leather Harness Vest

I’m not sure what to make of my leather fetish lately, but I suspect it has something to do with the changing weather. This little beauty would do nothing more than keep my shoulders warm, but oh MotherMaryMagdalena would I feel HOT.

It has a bondage slash equestrian slash orthopedic slash Joan of Arc vibe and I do believe this vest would be just the thing to edge up all my party dresses this winter.

$2,200.00 seems a small price to pay for that kind of posture and attitude.

The sounds of dropping jaws would be deafening.

Flights of Fancy: Tom Ford Crocodile Dress

From Tom Ford’s Fall Winter 2012 collection, this crocodile dress makes me seethe with avaricious envy. It puts me in a fever of covetous desire, a delirium of insatiable longing.

I am utterly consumed by the need to touch it. Come ON someone, can’t I just try it on? Or caress it with my palm at least? One finger? Come ON!

Curse that Rihanna who got to wear it for the Met Gala. She’s so lucky. Damn her.

I couldn’t verify the price, except for one crappy looking gossip site that said $14,000. Hmmm. Seems a pittance for this body hugging backless reptilian beauty.

Oh, the agony. The exquisite torture of this dress. Ay, cocodrilo de mi alma.

Image via Tom Ford

SB Tunes: Bananarama

It’s hot, it’s August, so I’m going to keep it simple and serve up a little Cruel Summer by the cute 80′s New Wave girl group, Bananarama.

While I do not endorse baggy overalls, I do endorse running around town with your betties, a pigmented red lip and ratty crimped hair, stealing a Mack truck, throwing banana peels at the sheriff and then inviting him and his dancin’ deputy to your rooftop dance party. All of that sounds awesome.

Put a cold beer on your forehead and enjoy Cruel Summer:

Flights of Fancy: Alexander McQueen Feather Dress

There is nothing on this earth I would rather put on my body right now than this dress. I have an ostrich feather boa and I happen to know that those feathers move with a mind of their own – like sea anemones. This dress is my boa times a million, so imagine what this dress would do when you walked.

I would opt out of the robo-granny eye shades and wear the rest of this crazy fabulous ensemble to the supermarket, where I would sashay up and down the aisles feeling the power of the plumage.

Flights of Fancy: Prada Smoking Lips Sandal

If the Prada flame sandals were Cha Cha DiGregorio, then these beautiful betties are all Rizzo. Gotta light?

Photo credit: Sea of Shoes

Flights of Fancy: Dolce and Gabbana Town Mercato Dress

I just made up the name “town mercato dress” because that’s where I’d wear the little number on the far right. (Yoohooo! Did you catch that Domenico and Stefano? Perhaps you’d like to hire SB to work in your emporium of sexiness? Your ufficio of femininity? Your bureau of bustiers? Hmmm? Sì? Sì?)

Normally, I’m not one to advocate bra-top dressing, but the retro cut of the top and the high waist of the skirt is darling. Add the vegetal print, and I’m frothy for a big straw bag, some Euros tucked into that bra top and a windy dirt road to the town market in Capri.

Perhaps I’d meet a dark Italian smoking a cigarillo on a fence on my way back and he’d carry my heavy burden and I’d kindly repay him with un pranzo lungo.

What? It could happen.

To see the 2012 collection in motion, look here.

And for more gorgeous pictures of Dolce and Gabbana’s 2012 Ad campaign by Giampaolo Sgura peep over here.

Bellissimo!

Flights of Fancy: Chloe Studded Boot

If I had an extra thirteen hundred bones lying around, I’d pick up this beautiful Chloe boot.

In white, it’s the most genius blend of moto shit-kicker and Palm Springs octogenarian.

I am feeling these for spring, although it’s probably best I don’t indulge. I’d be spoiling for a fight on bingo night, ready to throw down at the early bird buffet, coming to fisticuffs at the shuffleboard court and that’s just plain unseemly.

Flights of Fancy: Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta’s 2012 Spring Collection is beyond words. Each dress – a work of art.

I’d wear this one for my chest-heaving moment as a runaway bride. On a horse. Through the moors. In the rain.

Photo credit: Marcio Madiera/firstVIEW

Flights of Fancy: Gucci Flapper Dresses

I’ve never seen anyone do the Charleston quite like this, but I suppose it’s effective if your goal is to get the fringe a’ flappin. Not surprisingly, Gucci’s Spring Summer 2012 collection is incredibly beautiful, but it’s the beaded, Art Deco-inspired dresses that have me reaching for my cigarette holder for a smoke. In a unified palette of gold, black and white, these are frocks for serious party flappers. I would wear one of these beauties for a late night of carousing in a hidden speak-easy with a secret knock. I would drink champagne, dance with my girls and ignore all the men in their shiny wingtips and pencil mustaches. Unless one of them happened to be Jean Dujardin.

Flights of Fancy: Prada Flame Sandals

These beauties from Prada’s 2012 Spring Collection are driving me CRRRRRRAZY! Hot! Hot! Ay, Dios Mio! Caliente!

I’m having a Cha Cha DiGregorio moment and I would wear these to steal Danny Zuko away from that mealy Sandy for a hand jive done the RIGHT way.

Born to hand jive, baby.

Flights of Fancy: 3.1 Phillip Lim Leather Boxing Shorts

What are flights of fancy for, if not for fancy leather shorts? These 3.1 Phillip Lim Leather Boxing Shorts are gorgeous, albeit slightly preposterous.

In my flight of fancy, I would be prominently featured on Soul Train circa 1974, wearing these beauties with a sequined top and sky high platform ankle booties while dancing to Moon Shoes Boogieland.

SOOOOOOOUUUUULLLL TRAIN.

R.I.P. Don Cornelius

Flights of Fancy: Brian Atwood Fringe Bootie

I find it amusing that the Brian Atwood website describes this delicious shoe as Peep Toe Platform Ankle Bootie with Fringe Detail. Never mind the gross understatement, these booties make me smile.

I would feel like a fey little satyr trotting through an enchanted forest in a pair of these.