CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Droog Rag Chair

CasaSugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:00:08 PDT

The next time you find yourself in the need of new furniture, you can refrain from opening your mailbox in search of a shelter catalog or from typing a URL into your browser. That's right, you might already have the materials needed for "new" furniture sitting in your home . . . or your hamper. That is, according to Droog. The Droog Rag Chair ($5,500) is made from layers of 15 bags of unique, upcycled rags. And, if you like, they can be your own rags; you have the option of recycling your own rags to be included in the design. Now you have a use for that free Capital One T-shirt you got when you signed up for a credit card at a festival booth . . .

Did We Mention We Love Crochet? Here Are 15 Reasons That You Should, Too

Brittney Stephens — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:05:17 PDT

Most people are on the fence about crochet; it either reminds you of the easy, bohemian sensibilities of hippie-cool style icons like Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks, or it calls to mind your grandma and her mystifying obsession with doilies. Though it may have folksy connotations, crochet doesn't have to be a total blast from the past - we love how a knit dress or pair of shorts looks over a bikini for a day at the beach, and you can really never go wrong with an open-weave crocheted top either. You can also glean inspiration from the Spring 2012 runways of Rag & Bone, Jenny Packham, Valentino, and Rebecca Taylor, all of which incorporated an artful, grown-up version of crochet into their collections. Just click through to see 15 summery pieces that might just make you a crochet convert.

2011 New York Fall Fashion Week: Rag & Bone

Noria Morales — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:00:05 PST

The Rag & Bone show is massive, and it has to be considering its loyal following of editors, It girls and boys, supermodels like Erin Wasson and Jessica Stam - who watch from the front row instead of walking - and ultra cool celebs like Alexa Chung. The Thom Yorke soundtrack suggested a dark and serious show, but what ended up coming down the runway was a rather madcap hunting expedition in the Scottish Highlands. At least that's what I thought until I got the scoop from designer Marcus Wainwright after the show. There were plaid kilts, lots of leather trim, sculpted shift dresses, leg warmers, and even a varsity jacket to keep it sporty. It was a much more rugged collection than last Fall, but there were some luxurious pieces, like an ivory shearling hooded vest and a slew of fantastic leather platform boots.

Trends: Shearling, leather trim, fur sleeves, varsity jackets, '70s ski, Scottish Highland chic, Eskimo.
Colors: Ivory, brown, rust, royal blue.
Key Looks: Anything with shearling.
Accessories: Calf-length brown leather boots with canvas detailing; hooded capelets./li>
Who Would Wear It: Chic women who drive Land Rovers and drink beer after a day of skiing.

Rag & Bone Fall 2011 Runway at New York Fashion Week

FabTV — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:14:35 PST

Marked by bold colors, covetable outerwear, and eye-catching patterns like oversize tartan and stripes, Rag & Bone's Fall 2011 collection was truly a sight to behold. The front row was packed with It girls like Erin Wasson, Jessica Stam, and Alexa Chung, and the runway was ripe with directional ensembles topped off by messy side-braids. To see all the dynamic looks, watch our complete coverage now!

Fab Interview! Two Fabulous Minutes with Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone

Noria Morales — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:10:05 PST

Backstage after the Rag & Bone show, designers Marcus Wainwright and David Neville broke open bottles of Peroni, and David's children ran around avoiding the cavalry of people packing up the 35-look Fall collection that had just debuted on the runway. It felt more like an intimate family gathering than the close to one of New York's most anticipated shows, and Fab snagged an impromptu chat with Marcus.

FabSugar: Is Peroni a choice or a sponsored beer?
Marcus Wainwright: I wish it was a sponsored beer and you can publish that. I drink two beers, Peroni and Asahi, and neither of them sponsored but it would be good if they did.

FS: My takeaway from the show was that of a madcap hunting expedition in the Scottish highlands. What was the real inspiration for your show?
MW: It started with the Inuit Eskimoes and Saami in northern Sweden and Norway, balanced with '70s skiing. And a lot English fabrics, that's where the tartan came in, and Japanese and American twisted fabrics.

FS: Is there any uniform you love to see women in?
MW: Not specifically. I just think women just should wear clothes that they feel really comfortable and special in. I think girls that go wrong don't look great, when they try too hard. It's not a specific look, everyone just has their own personal style. You just need to own it.

Five New Sunglasses Styles You Need to Try Now

FabSugar — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:20:05 PDT

The sun is starting to peek out, which means it's time to get your hands on some shiny new eyewear. From Olsen-worthy circular sunglasses to Katy Perry-inspired printed frames, and a clear pair that are a favorite of Kristen Stewart's, we have the top five styles you need to scoop up now. Watch our video to see them all and let us know which pair you'll be sporting for Spring.

7 Days, 7 Ways: How Celebs Bring on the Brights

Brittney Stephens — Tue, 15 May 2012 03:30:06 PDT

Nothing livens up your day better than a bright, vibrant pop of color - and whether you stick to simple shades or go full-on neon, it's a fun, cool look that works perfectly for Spring. The trend hit big on the runways at DKNY, Diane von Furstenberg, and Rag & Bone among others, and it continually proves to be a fresh, easy way to shake up your current wardrobe. We're showing you how to wear brights for seven days in seven ways, gleaning some inspiration from the chic styling capabilities of Dasha Zhukova, Solange Knowles, Nina Dobrev, and more. Click through now for their style-setting examples, then shop our editors' picks to get the looks for yourself.

The Rise of Weight Watchers in the 1960s

Annie Scudder — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:00:42 PDT

This week on Mad Men's "Dark Shadows" episode, Weight Watchers serves as a type of therapy for Betty Francis, who can definitely use it. Boredom, jealousy, and insecurity dominate Betty's life as a 1960s housewife on her second marriage, and she's turned to bags of Bugles to pass the time. Now determined to lose the weight, the former model turns to a new diet plan gaining popularity with women like her, Weight Watchers. Considering Betty's mother-in-law already tried to push diet pills on her, which contained amphetamines at the time, the group meetings are the responsible approach to weight loss for Betty Francis.

If you think Weight Watchers was a phenomenon of the '80s or remember Duchess Sara Ferguson as its spokeswoman in the '90s, you may have been surprised to see Betty attending meetings way back in the '60s. Jean Nidetch, the founder of Weight Watchers, got the idea for the weight-loss method after struggling herself to lose and keep off weight with diets and pills. Jean, who had weighed as much as 214 pounds, lost 20 with a diet prescribed by the New York City Board of Health, but couldn't keep it off. So in 1961, she decided to hold meetings with other women facing the same issues with weight at her home in Queens, NY. By Oct. 1962, she had lost 72 pounds.

Thanks to her success, Jean's meetings took off, and she went from having them every week to multiple times a day. She soon recruited other group leaders, like the one we saw running Betty Francis's meetings, who had previously lost weight with the program and continued to keep it off. In 1963, Jean and her husband Marty incorporated the business, and by 1965, they exported the franchises to Canada, Puerto Rico, Great Britain, and Israel, with 102 in total. Changes would come in the '70s, with a psychologist coming on and exercise being introduced, and in 1978 the company was purchased for $100 million by another brand featured this season on Mad Men: H.J. Heinz.

In 2010, Weight Watcher's founder published her autobiography, The Jean Nidetch Story: An Autobiography, which came after her 1972 book The Story of Weight Watchers. The autobiography is described as the story of Jean's "personal struggles, rags-to-riches rise, and sunny, can-do attitude." If only Betty had a hint of a sunny disposition. Instead, her all-consuming jealousy is casting dark shadows.

Photo courtesy of AMC

3 Ways to Wear Bright Denim For Every Occasion

FabSugar — Fri, 04 May 2012 03:30:07 PDT

Colored denim is definitely the jean du jour, so for today's Ways to Wear, we styled a pair of bright yellow Rag & Bone jeans three chic ways. We've spotted colored denim on some of our favorite style setters, like Rachel Bilson and Zoe Saldana, and seen this vibrant canary hue grace the runways at Proenza Schouler and Jason Wu - now we're heading to Barneys New York in Beverly Hills to try out the trend for ourselves. Whether you're looking for the perfect transitional outfit or feeling daring enough to try bright on bright, we hope these outfits inspire you to scoop up some colored denim for your own look now.

What We're Sweet On: Shiny, Smooth, Long Hair

Annie Tomlin — Wed, 02 May 2012 12:26:00 PDT

If your hair flows below your shoulders, it's only a matter of time before split ends pop up. At a certain point, months (or years!) of heat styling tend to leave the ends looking rough and ragged. Enter Kerastase's Cristalliste Lumiere Liquide ($42), an incredibly light hair serum designed for long locks. The featherweight formula doesn't weigh strands down, and if you like floral scents, you'll appreciate the light perfume effect. Add a few drops to dry hair, and you'll be rewarded with sleek, shiny strands - and unruly ends are immediately tamed. Talk about a smooth move.