Double vision. But seriously.

Am I psychic?



No sooner had I predicted doubled-up frames than I found them staring up at me from the pages of InStyle. These are by Dolce & Gabbana. I appreciate the innovation and the restricted color palette, but I wonder if the second set of frames would be like that piece of glitter stuck to your cheek that's always in your peripheral vision? You know what I'm talking about. The worst.

I think I'll be sticking with my classic aviators, but good to know these are out there satisfying some need for someone, somewhere. (The same cannot be said for Crocs.)

Double vision.

They say two heads are better than one, but who says heads should have all the fun? Lately, some of my favorite accessories have been cropping up in pairs.



Basic pashminas are a staple for any season. But if you're tiring of the same old solids, try a mishmashed look à la Jane Aldridge in the above photo. I'm pretty sure Jane is just wearing one two-tone scarf, but a similar effect can be achieved by winding two pashminas together: simply line up the ends and wrap as you normally would. Not only does the double dose of color lend some depth to your outfit, but two times the fabric also equals two times the protection against that bitchy Chicago wind (or East Coast tempest, to keep things topical).





My watch fetish has been placed on a temporary hold due to the healing of my new tattoo (avert your eyes, Mom!), but I'm itching to give the look of doubled-up tickers a try (seen here on Andy Torres). Don't just throw on any two watches, though: keep them in the same stylistic and color families. Antique-y leather worn against futuristic plastic will leave you looking like you got dressed in the dark.

What's next? Double sunglasses? A purse on each shoulder? Maybe. For now, though, let's leave those stunts to Gaga.

McQueen has McQuit.

Designer Lee McQueen (of Alexander McQueen) was found dead today in an apparent suicide.

I often feel that celebrity deaths are blown out of proportion. Maybe it's because I don't completely buy into pop culture, but I have a hard time feeling anything beyond an initial "Wow...really?" when I hear about another "tragic" celebrity death. Of course it's difficult for the families, but no more difficult than it is for any other family going through a personal loss. If anything makes semi-public grieving a harder pill to swallow, it's the paparazzi. Not the loss itself. All human lives end with equal gravity.

For the greater population, the only thing we have the right to mourn, the only thing that gives us the right to tweet en masse about the "tragedy" of it all, is the loss of potential. That I understand. It's the unexpected yanking away of an artist who could have turned out a work with such innovation and power to inspire that we will unknowingly suffer for not having seen it come to fruition. Heath Ledger, for example. Brilliant actor at the peak of his career. Heath Ledger's death was tragic. I realize that what I'm about to say will be controversial, but: Michael Jackson? He was the King of Pop. He changed American music immeasurably. But he lived a life full of self-hatred and public controversy. He hadn't put out a record in almost a decade, and even that was negligible in its musical impact. I would never say that Michael's life wasn't worth commemorating - even celebrating - but that, at least, felt a bit more like how things were supposed to end.

Anyway. I would be lying if I said that McQueen was one of my favorite designers, but as someone who has always applauded people who take risks over people who achieve so-called "perfection" (I mean, my style icon is fictional fashion nutjob Carrie Bradshaw), I think that his loss to the artistic community is a great one. Dubbed l'enfant terrible for his outspoken nature and his theatrical, risk-embracing approach to fashion design, he consistently brought fresh perspective to an industry that largely makes its buck off of recycled ideas. What takes the tragedy of McQueen's death to a whole new level is, of course, its supposed nature. Having dealt personally with losing friends to suicide, I never find the notion of it any easier to wrap my head around.

No one should ever feel like they have no other option.



I don't follow Alexander McQueen closely enough to give comprehensive highlights of his career, but this tulle and tartan confection is always the first thing that springs to mind when I hear his name (that's the designer himself posing with Sarah Jessica Parker). It's a little out there, but without question one of the more memorable red carpet looks of the '00s. If you'd like a bit more insight into McQueen's aesthetic, watch the "Bad Romance" video: Gaga is clad almost entirely in McQueen throughout.

Rest in peace, Lee McQueen. You will be dearly missed by the fashion community. All the best to your friends and family.

Moist. Yeah, I said it.

When did "moist" become the most loathed word in the American vernacular? A mere spoken reference to the five-letter lexeme elicited literal shudders from the table of sorority girls I just ate lunch with. Personally, I think it has something to do with the fact that "moist" shares so many letters with "mayonnaise" (ew), but a quality so prized in everything from skin to baked goods should be met with a bit more geniality.

So moisture, then, for the squeamish: so important. Especially at this time of year. Ask any dermatologist how to combat premature aging and it always comes back to H2O and SPF, preferably combined into one non-greasy, adorably marketed package. Based on what I've gleaned over the years from both hearsay and experience, an ideal moisturizing routine is composed of three parts: a lightweight facial moisturizer for morning, a more sumptuous facial moisturizer for night, and a body lotion of your choosing.



For the past two years, I've started each day with Philosophy Hope In A Jar. The formula is lightweight, silky, odorless...and, unfortunately, SPF-free. Philosophy does make a version of the cult favorite with sun protection, but I wasn't a fan of my Sephora sample: the barely-there texture I love in the original had mutated into a sticky, oily, (dare I say it?) mayonnaise-y mess that separated into oil and lotion while still in the jar. Delightful. Anyway, I'm still on the market for a moisturizer with SPF, but the texture of this one is the best I've found for the quick turnaround time between moisturizer and loose powder.



At night, on the other hand, there's no need to worry about looking a little shiny; a thicker formula allows deep healing to take place while you sleep. Lancôme Absolue Premium Bx is my choice product for evening. I got it as a free sample once and quickly became hooked, probably more out of laziness than anything else...but it works. It works, people. According to the product website, Allure gave it an award, so if you don't believe me, believe them. It feels a little filmy going on, but don't mistake intense moisture therapy for grease. Your skin is more likely to overcompensate with oil production when dry, which in turn causes you to break out.

As far as I'm concerned, the face is the money. That's where you should spend your money. If your legs are dry, hair conditioner will do in a pinch; but if you do have a disposable income lying around to lavish upon those ashy, ashy elbows, here are a few of my favorite products:



Vaseline Cocoa Butter Vitalizing Gel is a recent discovery that has quickly become a staple in my post-bathing routine. It's oil-based, so if you take morning showers, proceed with caution: apply too much and you might be looking at a hefty dry-cleaning bill. If you bathe at night, resign yourself to the fact that you're going to want to spend all night rubbing your legs sensually against one another (or, if you're lucky, someone else's). The gel smells and looks like summer; rub a little on your shoulders before going out to achieve that oh-so-photogenic sun-kissed sheen. Bye-bye, rosacea!



The name of DuWop Buttercream more or less speaks for itself: this stuff literally smells like frosting. Think of it as a grown-up alternative to Warm Vanilla Sugar. The downside? The price. A bottle runs out relatively quickly, so think carefully about which days you want to smell like a cupcake.



For penny pinchers, Victoria's Secret's Amber Romance line is always a winner. Though I often don't understand their product distinctions (body butter, body lotion, body cream?), the smell is sweet without being sickly and couples nicely with woody oriental fragrances (or holds its own for a seductive night in).

But that's just me. Any other winners? Any solutions to my SPF-less-ness?

X marks the spot.

So I meant to post this for National Lady Gaga Day last Friday, but can we please talk about this Gaga spread from Out? It's from last September, but I just stumbled across it via The Cut.



















I just died. It's so artsy. It's so naked. It's so Gaga. I'm obsessed. Major props to photographer Ellen Von Unwerth and stylist Nicola Formichetti (of Haus of Gaga) for capturing this envelope-pusher with all of the shock factor her public persona demands and deserves.