“I Mean…What?!?” – Abe Gurko

You gotta love Clint Eastwood for calling it as he sees it in the December issue of  GQ, “We’re becoming more juvenile as a nation…now, we have a bunch of teenage twits.” Oh no you didn’t, Dirty Harry. To Clint’s point: You don’t have to be 79 years old to see that our childish fascination with pedestrian nobodies is why perhaps his new movie Invictus, Nelson Mandela‘s true story with the South African rugby team that helped usher the country out of apartheid, might have a challenge finding an audience. So, what better tactic than to call us all a… Read More »

By this phase of Word Fashion Week having seen two million looks from (what seems like) six thousand runways on two million models having sipped eighteen thousand glasses of champagne…phew. I am sure glad I am not a fashion editor or Anna Piaggi…which begs the question…does she still work at Italian Vogue? Anyhoo, doesn’t matter. She needs a nap. My point is: that is a lot of dresses to sift through and surely the eyes must be glazed over and I’d imagine the judgment is questionable by this point. For instance, I see plenty of blunders in such wonderful collections… Read More »

Many of you know that I love The Party’s Over, which is my reportage on events that consist of a big batch of people, that nobody knows…well…or as I like to refer to this segment, The Nobody News. Since I have been up to my eyeballs in World Fashion Week…still am…but need a little break…I thought…what better way to bring a smile to our lips than by doing the retail edition of The Party’s Over…or The Nobody News…because as you will see…both titles apply. Actually there’s a secondary theme here, which is the obligatory Saks Fifth Avenue in-store appearance party.… Read More »

Earlier this week, I proclaimed that we are in the midst of World Fashion Week. There is excitement everywhere. New York, London, yesterday we uncovered some Madrid action and not to be outdone, we have Lakme Fashion Week in India. Here are a few images that I have unearthed and glad I did.… Read More »

OK kiddies. Gather round. Uncle Abe is going to tell you a story. It’s a fairy tale…because clearly, plenty of fairies are involved in this story. It is the story known as Madrid Fashion Week. Yes, some of this story is very scary. Like a horror movie. And other parts are really funny…because scary and funny make for a good story. Now, there not much else left for me to say because this is a picture-book story. So…once upon a time…in a land far away…there was a land called Spain. Spain is known for many things, like hot Latin men,… Read More »

“Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” Somehow, that signature quote from the soap opera Days of Our Lives came to mind this morning as I was looking at the last few bits of this season’s men’s shows. It feels like time stood still this week with excitement everywhere…and yet…nowhere. It was like watching a soap opera, no? There was so much anticipation leading up to this week. Yes, Fashion’s Night Out kicked off the week with a bang but there were serious questions hovering over our heads. Was the ailing economy going to be… Read More »

Yes, the I Mean…What?!? fashion coverage is important to get out as it is news, but surely when I noticed the many style faux pas on the MTV Video Music Awards Red Carpet, I had to share this newsflash. Especially with some of the doozies I’ve noted. Part of what is so wrong with our world is that the youth centered awards shows have become a low-rent, tacky shit show. How do we expect to get back to a more genteel time, when the barometer of what is appropriate is so low? It’s why I’ve been saying, “The end of… Read More »

Wonders will never cease and change is not likely at The New York Times Sunday Styles. On several occasions I have been astonished at the out of touchness, the irrelevance, and some of the people they take to A Night Out With. It’s shoc…king! Yesterday we have three ditties that I found dubious at best. First off, there was a piece on the new Harvard Yard men’s collection. Excuse me, I reported on that over three weeks ago. Now granted, the Times Style is not a fashion rag and need not be as topical as would a fashion trade publication.… Read More »

Has your end-of-summer stomach ache started yet? Surely, you know that feeling. It started when we were kids, that huge knot in your tummy that makes you double over in physical and mental pain. The first time you experienced it was the night before starting school after a joyous, carefree summer. It hurt so bad, you pleaded with your mother to not go to school the next day. It never worked. That end-of-summer stomach ache hits like a ton of bricks, no matter how old we get. There is an I Mean..What?!? Remedy. It’s called Laughter WHILE Shopping. But you… Read More »

Don’t ask me why I am doing this entry about vintage advertising. Really? You want to know? Here’s the train of thought. I received an email about a new underwear company that ties in each purchase of underwear to a charitable organization. I know, doesn’t socially conscious underwear sound tragic? It does to me. Sure, I like helping whenever I can, but my underwear is not going to support anything but what it is designed for, if you get my drift. So, I started googling around underwear world and came upon a few vintage ads for underwear. Since we now… Read More »