Kim Kardashian is a frequent guest on Perez Hilton's rather infamous gossip pages, especially with her divorce drama with Kris Humphries. But it appears as if she harbors no hard feelings towards the outspoken blogger as she recently attended his big 34th birthday bash at Siren Studios in Hollywood.
While it's not exactly clear what the theme of the party was, Hilton himself channeled "Arabian Nights" with a bit of the exotic. Donning an elaborate turban, a heavily embellished sultan-like dress and shoes fit for Aladdin, partygoers had no problem locating the guest of honor. And the parrot on his shoulder was the best part.
Kim Kardashian apparently left her turban at home, though, trading it for a rather unusual black fascinator with a silver accent piece that sat atop her long, board-straight hair, which thankfully remained flour-less. However, it was the reality TV show star's dress that raised some eyebrows, but perhaps not in a good way. Daily Mail has called fashion foul on the frock, a black-and-white, figure-hugging illusion dress meant to accentuate and create curves. While it may have been a bit too much for the already voluptuous vixen, she pulled it off, finishing the ensemble with a pair of Christian Louboutins. And it certainly wasn't the evening's worst style crime.
Daily Mail may have not been impressed by Kim Kardashian's look, saying it made her appear way too "pear-shaped," but she cut a more sultry and sophisticated profile than many of the other guests in attendance. Also helping Perez Hilton blow out the candles were 90210's Shenae Grimes in a rather strange oversized red pullover and black skinny jeans and Natasha Bedingfeld in a second-skin coral dress with patent yellow (yes, yellow!) heels and a sky-high feathered headpiece. Um, weird! Jenna Jameson also wore a hat, a top hat, and not much else, with her skeleton-printed bodysuit (or maybe swimsuit!), a jacket and bare legs. Spring Breakers star Ashley Tisdale showed off her legs, too, in a pair of distressed denim hot pants, an American flag top and a pair of Minnie Mouse ears, all matched with cerulean platform booties. Weird times two! But, it's to be expected. This is a Perez Hilton party, after all.
Nevertheless, talk about an eclectic mix! For once, Kardashian seemed to be the one who dressed down—and far more tamely than the rest of the motley crew. And while she put her curves on display, Hilton has shed many of his, showing off his slim figure during the party, which benefited VH1's Save the Music Foundation.
2012年3月22日星期四
Self-hating shoes
When I was a child, my favorite game was dress-up. There I am, arrayed in my mother's cast-off finery, tottering in her high heels, the very picture of innocent, enraptured, incipient femininity. And then I grew up and started noticing that I couldn't wear high heels with any more dignity, or balance, than I could at the age of 6.
Which is a shame because the most beautiful pair of shoes I've ever owned — pointy-toed black suede heels that I bought for my oldest son's bar mitzvah — were so painful that my chief memory of the happy event was the cramps that attacked my calves during the Torah reading.
As far as I can tell, there has never been a time in the history of womankind that shoes haven't been a source of longing, envy and even lust. But not among men: Unless they're shoe designers, men don't think twice about women's shoes. No matter how much women are told that high heels elongate and enhance the shapes of our legs and add a sexy sizzle to our walks, I suspect men don't so much as notice shoes.
Go on, I dare you. Ask your brother, your buddy, your lover, your dog walker or even your husband: What do you think of my shoes? He will grunt.
Of course, the lion's share of women's shoe designers are men: the late Alexander McQueen, Versace, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Prada. The New York Times ran a feature in September on shoe designer Alejandro Ingelmo, calling his 5- and 6-inch high-heeled shoes "exquisitely crafted" and gushed and gushed and gushed. Actually, the entire press tends to go gaga over the most militantly degrading, expensive and health-endangering footwear. Then, of course, there's the king of sadistic footwear, Manolo Blahnik, whose pencil-thin, towering heels were popularized by the character Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City." Notice, however, that Blahnik wears the kind of flat-heeled, wide-toed, arch-supporting shoes that your dad wears.
Let's take a little stroll (in flats, if you please) down the byways of footwear fetishes. In the 17th century, courtiers wore slippers, while the common folk, both men and women, wore heavy black leather with low heels. During the long reign of Queen Victoria, no fashionista would be seen clad in anything less than the ultrachic balmoral front-laced, flat-soled, ankle-high boot. Sneakers, sandals and sling backs were big in the '30s; in the '60s and '70s, we wore clogs, Frye boots and flat-heeled leather hippie sandals. I was among the army of women who, in the '80s, wore running shoes to work. And while it's true that chopines, whose raised soles were designed to keep feminine feet above the muck and filth of, say, Renaissance Venice, eventually grew to soaring heights, the footwear was outlawed because so many women miscarried after falling off the platforms.
But that was before the bad old days of Chinese foot-binding, a fashion that, by the 19th century, was all but a necessity if a girl wanted to find a husband in China. The idea, of course, was to make women more feminine and delicate — and to hobble them so completely that they literally couldn't go anywhere.
So it strikes me as bizarre that in the aftermath of feminism, American women, who are perhaps the most liberated women in the history of humanity, choose, of our own free wills, to cripple ourselves. Now we can barely stand at all, let alone march for our rights, in our 6-inch heels.
It's almost as if the successes of feminism to liberate women to pursue professional and academic satisfaction was so heady that we decided to hinder our own foot forward in the most literal way possible. We women talk the talk, but apparently some of us would rather not walk the walk.
Which is a shame because the most beautiful pair of shoes I've ever owned — pointy-toed black suede heels that I bought for my oldest son's bar mitzvah — were so painful that my chief memory of the happy event was the cramps that attacked my calves during the Torah reading.
As far as I can tell, there has never been a time in the history of womankind that shoes haven't been a source of longing, envy and even lust. But not among men: Unless they're shoe designers, men don't think twice about women's shoes. No matter how much women are told that high heels elongate and enhance the shapes of our legs and add a sexy sizzle to our walks, I suspect men don't so much as notice shoes.
Go on, I dare you. Ask your brother, your buddy, your lover, your dog walker or even your husband: What do you think of my shoes? He will grunt.
Of course, the lion's share of women's shoe designers are men: the late Alexander McQueen, Versace, Fendi, Salvatore Ferragamo, Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Prada. The New York Times ran a feature in September on shoe designer Alejandro Ingelmo, calling his 5- and 6-inch high-heeled shoes "exquisitely crafted" and gushed and gushed and gushed. Actually, the entire press tends to go gaga over the most militantly degrading, expensive and health-endangering footwear. Then, of course, there's the king of sadistic footwear, Manolo Blahnik, whose pencil-thin, towering heels were popularized by the character Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City." Notice, however, that Blahnik wears the kind of flat-heeled, wide-toed, arch-supporting shoes that your dad wears.
Let's take a little stroll (in flats, if you please) down the byways of footwear fetishes. In the 17th century, courtiers wore slippers, while the common folk, both men and women, wore heavy black leather with low heels. During the long reign of Queen Victoria, no fashionista would be seen clad in anything less than the ultrachic balmoral front-laced, flat-soled, ankle-high boot. Sneakers, sandals and sling backs were big in the '30s; in the '60s and '70s, we wore clogs, Frye boots and flat-heeled leather hippie sandals. I was among the army of women who, in the '80s, wore running shoes to work. And while it's true that chopines, whose raised soles were designed to keep feminine feet above the muck and filth of, say, Renaissance Venice, eventually grew to soaring heights, the footwear was outlawed because so many women miscarried after falling off the platforms.
But that was before the bad old days of Chinese foot-binding, a fashion that, by the 19th century, was all but a necessity if a girl wanted to find a husband in China. The idea, of course, was to make women more feminine and delicate — and to hobble them so completely that they literally couldn't go anywhere.
So it strikes me as bizarre that in the aftermath of feminism, American women, who are perhaps the most liberated women in the history of humanity, choose, of our own free wills, to cripple ourselves. Now we can barely stand at all, let alone march for our rights, in our 6-inch heels.
It's almost as if the successes of feminism to liberate women to pursue professional and academic satisfaction was so heady that we decided to hinder our own foot forward in the most literal way possible. We women talk the talk, but apparently some of us would rather not walk the walk.
2012年3月21日星期三
Adriana Lima Is Pregnant Again
Adriana Lima and her husband Marko Jaric are expecting their second child. Lima's Victoria's Secret colleagues Lily Aldridge and Alessandra Ambrosio are also pregnant. So many VS models are with child it wouldn't surprise us if soon they had to make special announcements when they're not pregnant. (Like women in Arizona!)
Fashionista has a report — and a list of 10 African designers to watch — from Arise Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria.
Vogue Netherlands' first issue just débuted. It features Dutch models Romee Strijd, Ymre Stiekema and Josefien Rodermans.
Here at last is a video of Tom Ford's complete fall-winter 2012 collection — which we've previously only seen being worn by Gwyneth Paltrow at the Oscars and Jennifer Lawrence at a Hunger Games premiere.
Alberta Ferretti's collection for Macy's Impulse was unveiled last night. The line skews slightly more formal than some of the other Impulse designer collections; the colorful dresses and separates will retail for $49-$119 from April 17.
* Hunger Games costume designer Judieanna Makovsky says that costuming Elizabeth Banks' character, Effie Trinket, was interesting because her outfits were so zany. "Her shoes are so outrageously high and uncomfortable, and she wanted that. I'm like, "Are you sure you can do the scene?" And she's like, 'Yes, I'll do it. I'll take them off in between shots. It'll be fine.' She was miserable, but she did it because she felt it was right. In the book, the fashions are so outrageous in the Capitol that they aren't meant to be actually worn." Makovsky also says she'd last about five minutes in the actual games. "I'd be at the Cornucopia, and that'd be it."
* After five years of lobbying for legislation that would offer a measure of copyright protection to clothing and accessories, to combat knock-offs that pirate designers' intellectual property, the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the American Apparel and Footwear Association are shifting their strategy. As the latest design piracy bill remains stalled in Congress, the two trade groups are pursuing other ways of raising awareness about the damage of knock-offs and other industry anti-counterfeiting initiatives.
* Anna Wintour hosted a fundraiser for senator Kirsten Gillibrand at her Sullivan Street townhouse. Wintour is consistently among the top Democratic fundraisers. Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, and Diane von Furstenberg were among the industry leaders to attend.
* Sara Blakely, the founder of the company that makes Spanx and the world's youngest female self-made billionaire, was a size 2 when she came up with her idea.
* Gucci called over 700 store managers from 47 different countries home to the Italian mothership for training and a tour of a Gucci factory.
* Stylist Jerry Stafford, who has known John Galliano since they were both club kids in London, says that he thinks it's "commendable" that the disgraced designer is still living in Paris following his conviction for a hate crime for hurling racial and anti-Semitic invective at two strangers in a café. "Galliano's an incredible guy and he's still living in Paris, which I think is commendable after all that happened to him. John Galliano is a survivor." That's one word for it.
* J. Crew, which just announced very positive fourth-quarter earnings and same-store sales, is expanding in Canada — and its Madewell brand plans to open 15 stores in the continental interior this year. Atlanta, Denver, and other unspecified Midwestern cities are on the list.
* Simon Spurr, the men's wear label where Simon Spurr no longer works, has "temporarily" stopped loaning samples and doing P.R.
* Zara's parent company Inditex announced a 12% rise in profits from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2011, to a total of $2.68 billion. Inditex opened 483 stores last year, bringing its total to 5,527 stores on five continents. The chain employs around 110,000 people worldwide.
* Old Navy recalled some children's Spider Man raincoats that had dangerous levels of lead.
Fashionista has a report — and a list of 10 African designers to watch — from Arise Fashion Week in Lagos, Nigeria.
Vogue Netherlands' first issue just débuted. It features Dutch models Romee Strijd, Ymre Stiekema and Josefien Rodermans.
Here at last is a video of Tom Ford's complete fall-winter 2012 collection — which we've previously only seen being worn by Gwyneth Paltrow at the Oscars and Jennifer Lawrence at a Hunger Games premiere.
Alberta Ferretti's collection for Macy's Impulse was unveiled last night. The line skews slightly more formal than some of the other Impulse designer collections; the colorful dresses and separates will retail for $49-$119 from April 17.
* Hunger Games costume designer Judieanna Makovsky says that costuming Elizabeth Banks' character, Effie Trinket, was interesting because her outfits were so zany. "Her shoes are so outrageously high and uncomfortable, and she wanted that. I'm like, "Are you sure you can do the scene?" And she's like, 'Yes, I'll do it. I'll take them off in between shots. It'll be fine.' She was miserable, but she did it because she felt it was right. In the book, the fashions are so outrageous in the Capitol that they aren't meant to be actually worn." Makovsky also says she'd last about five minutes in the actual games. "I'd be at the Cornucopia, and that'd be it."
* After five years of lobbying for legislation that would offer a measure of copyright protection to clothing and accessories, to combat knock-offs that pirate designers' intellectual property, the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the American Apparel and Footwear Association are shifting their strategy. As the latest design piracy bill remains stalled in Congress, the two trade groups are pursuing other ways of raising awareness about the damage of knock-offs and other industry anti-counterfeiting initiatives.
* Anna Wintour hosted a fundraiser for senator Kirsten Gillibrand at her Sullivan Street townhouse. Wintour is consistently among the top Democratic fundraisers. Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, and Diane von Furstenberg were among the industry leaders to attend.
* Sara Blakely, the founder of the company that makes Spanx and the world's youngest female self-made billionaire, was a size 2 when she came up with her idea.
* Gucci called over 700 store managers from 47 different countries home to the Italian mothership for training and a tour of a Gucci factory.
* Stylist Jerry Stafford, who has known John Galliano since they were both club kids in London, says that he thinks it's "commendable" that the disgraced designer is still living in Paris following his conviction for a hate crime for hurling racial and anti-Semitic invective at two strangers in a café. "Galliano's an incredible guy and he's still living in Paris, which I think is commendable after all that happened to him. John Galliano is a survivor." That's one word for it.
* J. Crew, which just announced very positive fourth-quarter earnings and same-store sales, is expanding in Canada — and its Madewell brand plans to open 15 stores in the continental interior this year. Atlanta, Denver, and other unspecified Midwestern cities are on the list.
* Simon Spurr, the men's wear label where Simon Spurr no longer works, has "temporarily" stopped loaning samples and doing P.R.
* Zara's parent company Inditex announced a 12% rise in profits from fiscal 2010 to fiscal 2011, to a total of $2.68 billion. Inditex opened 483 stores last year, bringing its total to 5,527 stores on five continents. The chain employs around 110,000 people worldwide.
* Old Navy recalled some children's Spider Man raincoats that had dangerous levels of lead.
2012年3月20日星期二
10 questions for miss piggy talks kids beauty secrets and much much more
There is one blond bombshell that I have adored since I was a child. She never went to rehab, she never aged, and she never ever disappointed. She was and is still – to this day – funny, beautiful, and ever so glamorous. That blonde bombshell is none other than Miss Piggy.
Miss Piggy – and the rest of the Muppets – made their triumphant return to the big screen with the wonderful The Muppets (you can read my glowing review right here). And now you can relive it, or see it for the first time in case you missed it in the theaters, in the comfort of your own home. The Muppets is now out of DVD!
We had the chance to have an exclusive interview with the most famous pig in the world.
Do you think that you'll ever have kids?
Sure. Unless Brad and Angelina get them all first.
If so, what would you name them?
The kids or Brad and Angelina? Either way, I'd probably call them all “Sweetie!”
What advice would you have for girls who want to follow in your footsteps?
Follow your dream, believe in yourself, and if anyone gets in your way, call me and I'll show you some wicked good karate moves!
For us busy moms, what glamour advice would you have for us?
Love yourself for who you are. And If you can't do that, then may I suggest loving moi for who I am. Also, remember, you can never accessorize too much.
How do you stay so young? You haven't aged in twenty years?
It's true, isn't it! I do it by living healthy (I have a personal trainer who works out for me; hey, if I'm payin', he's sweating) and of course I've had a little work done….Well, okay, a lot of work done. Oh, all right, they just took down the scaffolding. But what the heck, why not be the best vous that vous can be, n'est ce pas!?
Where is your most favorite place in the whole wide world and why?
In my Kermie's arms….ideally while shopping for designer shoes. Why? You must be kidding!
Who are your favorite designers?
Zac Posen, Christian Louboutin, Jason Wu, Brian Atwood, Suno, Phillip Crangi and Prabal Gurung. I provide them with Inspiration…and they provide me with clothes! It's a win win!
If a celebrity were to play you in a movie, who would you want cast to play you?
Meryl Streep. Only she could do the accent right. Also, while she was on set, I'd be more than happy to keep an eye on her three Oscars.
What are the most impressive celebrities you have ever met?
So many stars have had the pleasure of working with moi and I with them, from Elton John to Ethel Merman, from Michael Caine to Bobby DeNiro. To choose one would be unfair. Let's just say, when it comes to impressive celebrities, there is no one who matches my one, my only Kermie.
What's next for Miss Piggy?
I don't know about you, but I'm ordering dessert. Hey garcon! Bring that cart over here…and two forks!
Miss Piggy – and the rest of the Muppets – made their triumphant return to the big screen with the wonderful The Muppets (you can read my glowing review right here). And now you can relive it, or see it for the first time in case you missed it in the theaters, in the comfort of your own home. The Muppets is now out of DVD!
We had the chance to have an exclusive interview with the most famous pig in the world.
Do you think that you'll ever have kids?
Sure. Unless Brad and Angelina get them all first.
If so, what would you name them?
The kids or Brad and Angelina? Either way, I'd probably call them all “Sweetie!”
What advice would you have for girls who want to follow in your footsteps?
Follow your dream, believe in yourself, and if anyone gets in your way, call me and I'll show you some wicked good karate moves!
For us busy moms, what glamour advice would you have for us?
Love yourself for who you are. And If you can't do that, then may I suggest loving moi for who I am. Also, remember, you can never accessorize too much.
How do you stay so young? You haven't aged in twenty years?
It's true, isn't it! I do it by living healthy (I have a personal trainer who works out for me; hey, if I'm payin', he's sweating) and of course I've had a little work done….Well, okay, a lot of work done. Oh, all right, they just took down the scaffolding. But what the heck, why not be the best vous that vous can be, n'est ce pas!?
Where is your most favorite place in the whole wide world and why?
In my Kermie's arms….ideally while shopping for designer shoes. Why? You must be kidding!
Who are your favorite designers?
Zac Posen, Christian Louboutin, Jason Wu, Brian Atwood, Suno, Phillip Crangi and Prabal Gurung. I provide them with Inspiration…and they provide me with clothes! It's a win win!
If a celebrity were to play you in a movie, who would you want cast to play you?
Meryl Streep. Only she could do the accent right. Also, while she was on set, I'd be more than happy to keep an eye on her three Oscars.
What are the most impressive celebrities you have ever met?
So many stars have had the pleasure of working with moi and I with them, from Elton John to Ethel Merman, from Michael Caine to Bobby DeNiro. To choose one would be unfair. Let's just say, when it comes to impressive celebrities, there is no one who matches my one, my only Kermie.
What's next for Miss Piggy?
I don't know about you, but I'm ordering dessert. Hey garcon! Bring that cart over here…and two forks!
2012年3月19日星期一
Burberry turns fans' love into 'likes' as it beats Dior
Burberry has taken the lead as Facebook's highest fashion label recipient of post 'likes', surpassing previous leader, Dior.
According to market research conducted by Stylophane, just 18 posts on the British label's page in February, generated 138,537 'likes'.
Dior, which was the second most popular fashion brand, generated 118,387 for the same period.
Also in the top ten were Coach, Louis Vuitton, Armani and Dolce & Gabbana as well as the lesser-known label Yepme which made a surprise entry in the ranking.
But it is the ongoing popularity of streetwear brands like Converse which continue to surprise fashionistas. Fellow footwear brand DC Shoes also made the top ten as well as Nike Football.
It was Converse, though, that has the most popular Facebook page (rather than posts), with a mammoth 22.9million page likes. Burberry, by contrast, has just over 11million.
It shows how luxury brands are being outdone by the sportier labels when it comes to page 'likes'.
Adidas has 13.2million page likes, making it the second most popular Facebook brand. Nike Football has more than 11million and Puma has just under 7million.
Burberry's heightened Facebook presence may be thanks to the label's newest advertising campaign, starring It model Cara Delevingne and British actor Eddie Redmayne, and shot by famed celebrity snapper Mario Testino.
It has also more than doubled its activity on the site since January, when it generated just 61,000 post likes.
Burberry was also active in the lead up to London Fashion Week, which was staged mid-February.
The brand featured preparation updates for its Fall 2012 women's wear collection on Facebook, and also streamed a recording of the show.
According to market research conducted by Stylophane, just 18 posts on the British label's page in February, generated 138,537 'likes'.
Dior, which was the second most popular fashion brand, generated 118,387 for the same period.
Also in the top ten were Coach, Louis Vuitton, Armani and Dolce & Gabbana as well as the lesser-known label Yepme which made a surprise entry in the ranking.
But it is the ongoing popularity of streetwear brands like Converse which continue to surprise fashionistas. Fellow footwear brand DC Shoes also made the top ten as well as Nike Football.
It was Converse, though, that has the most popular Facebook page (rather than posts), with a mammoth 22.9million page likes. Burberry, by contrast, has just over 11million.
It shows how luxury brands are being outdone by the sportier labels when it comes to page 'likes'.
Adidas has 13.2million page likes, making it the second most popular Facebook brand. Nike Football has more than 11million and Puma has just under 7million.
Burberry's heightened Facebook presence may be thanks to the label's newest advertising campaign, starring It model Cara Delevingne and British actor Eddie Redmayne, and shot by famed celebrity snapper Mario Testino.
It has also more than doubled its activity on the site since January, when it generated just 61,000 post likes.
Burberry was also active in the lead up to London Fashion Week, which was staged mid-February.
The brand featured preparation updates for its Fall 2012 women's wear collection on Facebook, and also streamed a recording of the show.
2012年3月15日星期四
Syrian "heartache" given twist by Assad e-mails
BEIRUT/LONDON (Reuters) - "I've been a walking heartache; I've made a mess of me" - the first words of a country music lament which, it seems, Syria's president e-mailed to his wife as his army shelled the rebellious city of Homs last month.
For many Syrians, little gifts of iTunes downloads and the luxury shopping habits of his British-born wife - revealed in hacked messages published by London's Guardian newspaper on Thursday - only reinforced an image of Bashar al-Assad as an uncaring tyrant, fiddling in his palaces as their country burns.
But some who survived the bombardment of Homs detected, too, a note of justifiable anxiety from the 46-year-old head of state - for all the cynical disparagement of his own reform offers as "rubbish", the jokey sharing of a YouTube video that mocks Arab peace monitors or his taking advice from Iranian allies and others on "restoring state power ... using all possible means".
"He was downloading iTunes songs while his army was shelling us. His wife was buying expensive things from Amazon," one opposition activist, known only as Rami for his own safety, told Reuters from Homs, where weeks of bombardment have been followed by tales of atrocities and war crimes.
"That makes me feel sick."
An activist in Damascus who uses the cover name Abu Omar said Asma al-Assad's chatter about jewelry, bedroom furniture, fondue sets and $5,000 Christian Louboutin shoes had hardened his resolve against a 40-year-old family rule that has milked Syria's wealth for the benefit of a few: "As women and children were dying, they were writing all these silly things, he said.
"It made me realize our fight isn't just with Bashar al-Assad."
HOPE, WORRY
Others drew some hope after reading e-mails, published on the first anniversary of the uprising, that showed Syria's first couple exchanging words of concern for their situation.
"If we are strong together," she wrote, "we will overcome this together." A Qatari princess, who voiced concern for their children and told them to come out of their "state of denial", urged Asma al-Assad in January to persuade her husband to flee.
"One good thing in this is a clear sign that Assad realizes the mess he is in," said a rebel fighter for the Farouq Brigade in Homs who goes by the nom-de-guerre al-Homsi.
"But unsurprisingly, as we expected, he really doesn't seem to care how many of his people die so he can keep his throne."
In one e-mail, part of some 3,000 the London daily said it received from an opposition group and whose authenticity it had cross-checked as far as possible, Assad responds to a note from his wife saying she was at a meeting and would be back soon.
"This is the best reform any country can have that u told me where you will be," he wrote, in English. "We are going to adopt it instead of the rubbish laws of parties, elections, media...."
That was on July 6. Two weeks earlier, Assad had made a speech pledging new legislation on elections, the media, and ending the ban on any competitors to his Baath party.
There might even be clues in some of the eclectic, largely Western, musical choices made by Assad, who trained as an eye doctor in London before his brother's death thrust him forward unexpectedly to succeed his much feared father, Hafez, in 2000.
Among them was the 2011 single by country star Blake Shelton "God Gave Me You", a file of which he sent his wife on February 5, according to the Guardian, and in whose self-pitying lyrics some could choose to read a reflection on dashed hopes that Assad the son might break with his father's legacy and free up Syria.
"I've been a walking heartache/ I've made a mess of me," it runs. "The person that I've been lately/ Ain't who I wanna be.
"God gave me you for the ups and downs," goes the chorus as sung by Shelton, whose other hits include "Hillbilly Bone".
For many Syrians, little gifts of iTunes downloads and the luxury shopping habits of his British-born wife - revealed in hacked messages published by London's Guardian newspaper on Thursday - only reinforced an image of Bashar al-Assad as an uncaring tyrant, fiddling in his palaces as their country burns.
But some who survived the bombardment of Homs detected, too, a note of justifiable anxiety from the 46-year-old head of state - for all the cynical disparagement of his own reform offers as "rubbish", the jokey sharing of a YouTube video that mocks Arab peace monitors or his taking advice from Iranian allies and others on "restoring state power ... using all possible means".
"He was downloading iTunes songs while his army was shelling us. His wife was buying expensive things from Amazon," one opposition activist, known only as Rami for his own safety, told Reuters from Homs, where weeks of bombardment have been followed by tales of atrocities and war crimes.
"That makes me feel sick."
An activist in Damascus who uses the cover name Abu Omar said Asma al-Assad's chatter about jewelry, bedroom furniture, fondue sets and $5,000 Christian Louboutin shoes had hardened his resolve against a 40-year-old family rule that has milked Syria's wealth for the benefit of a few: "As women and children were dying, they were writing all these silly things, he said.
"It made me realize our fight isn't just with Bashar al-Assad."
HOPE, WORRY
Others drew some hope after reading e-mails, published on the first anniversary of the uprising, that showed Syria's first couple exchanging words of concern for their situation.
"If we are strong together," she wrote, "we will overcome this together." A Qatari princess, who voiced concern for their children and told them to come out of their "state of denial", urged Asma al-Assad in January to persuade her husband to flee.
"One good thing in this is a clear sign that Assad realizes the mess he is in," said a rebel fighter for the Farouq Brigade in Homs who goes by the nom-de-guerre al-Homsi.
"But unsurprisingly, as we expected, he really doesn't seem to care how many of his people die so he can keep his throne."
In one e-mail, part of some 3,000 the London daily said it received from an opposition group and whose authenticity it had cross-checked as far as possible, Assad responds to a note from his wife saying she was at a meeting and would be back soon.
"This is the best reform any country can have that u told me where you will be," he wrote, in English. "We are going to adopt it instead of the rubbish laws of parties, elections, media...."
That was on July 6. Two weeks earlier, Assad had made a speech pledging new legislation on elections, the media, and ending the ban on any competitors to his Baath party.
There might even be clues in some of the eclectic, largely Western, musical choices made by Assad, who trained as an eye doctor in London before his brother's death thrust him forward unexpectedly to succeed his much feared father, Hafez, in 2000.
Among them was the 2011 single by country star Blake Shelton "God Gave Me You", a file of which he sent his wife on February 5, according to the Guardian, and in whose self-pitying lyrics some could choose to read a reflection on dashed hopes that Assad the son might break with his father's legacy and free up Syria.
"I've been a walking heartache/ I've made a mess of me," it runs. "The person that I've been lately/ Ain't who I wanna be.
"God gave me you for the ups and downs," goes the chorus as sung by Shelton, whose other hits include "Hillbilly Bone".
2012年3月13日星期二
She's back - in black!
Brooke Mueller stuns in a snugly-fitting ensemble on a ladies night out
She recently completed a two-month rehabilitation treatment, and it shows.
Brooke Mueller looked radiant last night as she stepped out for a ladies dinner at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills.
Charlie Sheen's ex-wife looked simply stunning in a chic, all-black ensemble.
She showed off her slimmer shape in a draped top over snugly fitting leggings.
The 34-year-old real estate agent turned actress added height to her frame with a sexy pair of strappy Christian Louboutin heels.
She accessorised with a matching leather clutch and studded belt.
Her make-up was perfect and skin glowing as she stepped out for dinner with a girlfriend.
It's a far cry from how Mueller looked prior to her stay at Utah's Cirque Lodge.
She entered the facility in December, shortly after being arrested in Colorado for cocaine possession.
After two months as an in-patient, she recently moved to an out-patient program in order to begin her transition back to normal life.
It is the longest she has ever stayed in treatment.
Since she left the treatment centre in February, she has been very low-key, spending time with friends and twin sons Bob and Max.
The boys turn three this week.
She and Sheen, 46, share custody of their children.
She recently completed a two-month rehabilitation treatment, and it shows.
Brooke Mueller looked radiant last night as she stepped out for a ladies dinner at Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills.
Charlie Sheen's ex-wife looked simply stunning in a chic, all-black ensemble.
She showed off her slimmer shape in a draped top over snugly fitting leggings.
The 34-year-old real estate agent turned actress added height to her frame with a sexy pair of strappy Christian Louboutin heels.
She accessorised with a matching leather clutch and studded belt.
Her make-up was perfect and skin glowing as she stepped out for dinner with a girlfriend.
It's a far cry from how Mueller looked prior to her stay at Utah's Cirque Lodge.
She entered the facility in December, shortly after being arrested in Colorado for cocaine possession.
After two months as an in-patient, she recently moved to an out-patient program in order to begin her transition back to normal life.
It is the longest she has ever stayed in treatment.
Since she left the treatment centre in February, she has been very low-key, spending time with friends and twin sons Bob and Max.
The boys turn three this week.
She and Sheen, 46, share custody of their children.
2012年3月12日星期一
2012 retro wave of the essential shoes stylish toe cap shoes "by the favorabl
Style toe cap shoes "Cap-toe shoes (open Maputo shoes), gets its name from a hat (cap) on the toes (toe)," the characteristics of open Maputo shoes born with the toe of a bright , stylish upgrades, stunning effect.
Echoes one by one throughout the 20th century vintage style resurgence, Cap-toe shoes (open Maputo shoes) Following the wide-brimmed fedora hat, briefcase, cat's eye sunglasses became the essential shoes for the same swagger out to the streets, not only The big brands competing to launch this on the toes of the baby, the brightest star regarded as a good heart.
It now appears that the shoe's appearance last autumn and winter, Miu Miu and Giuseppe Zanotti flat open Maputo, just for this to toe with the extra layer of skin shoes wrapped up in the irresistible force of the spring and summer a shiny silver "warm". No one would expect this to "toe and a cute hat retro shoes at large, the cover of darkness, just enter the March rebound, through a variety of airy cream color and a range of feminine style in all The big brand campaign, declared their 2012 spring and summer of the popular "sovereignty".
Just as Coco Chanel from the men's design draws inspiration for fashion design, the original design of the "open the Maputo shoes" (Cap-toe shoes) draw from traditional men's footwear technology, but in this variety of vivid colors color Akira get people confused the spring, the return to open the Maputo shoes must have to "do as the Romans do" consciousness, must join the ranks of the Top Women shoes, become more gentle and stylish.
So all kinds of grace and elegance of the slip-on style (for example, do not tie sandals) to replace the original men's lace, In addition to the Feige kind of strong build and women with the style of the original wrap the foot to neutral and fitness, and general performance women do not mind revealing a beautiful instep curve and lengthen the leg line now! If you must be reflected in the performance of bright pink color, "The Way", to create a lighthearted retro look that Emilio Pucci T-beam section, and Christian Louboutin loafers section is definitely achieve the ultimate from shape to color.
After a rough round with popular throughout the autumn and winter, the shrill "murder with" kicking foot Chuochu a transparent hole in the extreme pointed shoes type can also take advantage of open the Maputo shoes Dongfeng back. Think about it, two hundred percent of the pointed tip of the elegant foot lines, feminine, with the collision, to create a blooming color storm, and then play a leading role by season's toe and the shoe body color, red hit black, purple and hit the blue, light yellow and hit the light green. open Maputo the SHOES head of a small piece of leather stitching is simply born with a chic decorative talent, no matter with sober clothes or body to comply with the color geometric school, the entire look can rely on a pair of shoes on Wynn wonder from Louis Vuitton to the Yves Saint Laurent, the major brands have launched a new design of the open Maputo shoes, color blooming, water, feminine lace decoration and bow, 12cm high-heeled, open Maputo shoes are all capable of controlling. This does not only spring, Hollywood stars can not wait to show off the baby on the toe!
The most difficult to control the ultimate fashionable total in the last. Like gold jewelry wearing bad subtlety open Maputo shoes hottest - and most people tangled fashionable Achilles heel is, or going to conquer this spring and a unique metallic toe. Purer body, occasional metal or sequins details echoes make the toe, compact and trousers that touch of metallic chic. Last Tips: open Maputo shoes literal translation is "toe cap shoes, if it is real metal toe, your toe Do not be surprised to encounter the" Steps to the Plate "wronged.
Echoes one by one throughout the 20th century vintage style resurgence, Cap-toe shoes (open Maputo shoes) Following the wide-brimmed fedora hat, briefcase, cat's eye sunglasses became the essential shoes for the same swagger out to the streets, not only The big brands competing to launch this on the toes of the baby, the brightest star regarded as a good heart.
It now appears that the shoe's appearance last autumn and winter, Miu Miu and Giuseppe Zanotti flat open Maputo, just for this to toe with the extra layer of skin shoes wrapped up in the irresistible force of the spring and summer a shiny silver "warm". No one would expect this to "toe and a cute hat retro shoes at large, the cover of darkness, just enter the March rebound, through a variety of airy cream color and a range of feminine style in all The big brand campaign, declared their 2012 spring and summer of the popular "sovereignty".
Just as Coco Chanel from the men's design draws inspiration for fashion design, the original design of the "open the Maputo shoes" (Cap-toe shoes) draw from traditional men's footwear technology, but in this variety of vivid colors color Akira get people confused the spring, the return to open the Maputo shoes must have to "do as the Romans do" consciousness, must join the ranks of the Top Women shoes, become more gentle and stylish.
So all kinds of grace and elegance of the slip-on style (for example, do not tie sandals) to replace the original men's lace, In addition to the Feige kind of strong build and women with the style of the original wrap the foot to neutral and fitness, and general performance women do not mind revealing a beautiful instep curve and lengthen the leg line now! If you must be reflected in the performance of bright pink color, "The Way", to create a lighthearted retro look that Emilio Pucci T-beam section, and Christian Louboutin loafers section is definitely achieve the ultimate from shape to color.
After a rough round with popular throughout the autumn and winter, the shrill "murder with" kicking foot Chuochu a transparent hole in the extreme pointed shoes type can also take advantage of open the Maputo shoes Dongfeng back. Think about it, two hundred percent of the pointed tip of the elegant foot lines, feminine, with the collision, to create a blooming color storm, and then play a leading role by season's toe and the shoe body color, red hit black, purple and hit the blue, light yellow and hit the light green. open Maputo the SHOES head of a small piece of leather stitching is simply born with a chic decorative talent, no matter with sober clothes or body to comply with the color geometric school, the entire look can rely on a pair of shoes on Wynn wonder from Louis Vuitton to the Yves Saint Laurent, the major brands have launched a new design of the open Maputo shoes, color blooming, water, feminine lace decoration and bow, 12cm high-heeled, open Maputo shoes are all capable of controlling. This does not only spring, Hollywood stars can not wait to show off the baby on the toe!
The most difficult to control the ultimate fashionable total in the last. Like gold jewelry wearing bad subtlety open Maputo shoes hottest - and most people tangled fashionable Achilles heel is, or going to conquer this spring and a unique metallic toe. Purer body, occasional metal or sequins details echoes make the toe, compact and trousers that touch of metallic chic. Last Tips: open Maputo shoes literal translation is "toe cap shoes, if it is real metal toe, your toe Do not be surprised to encounter the" Steps to the Plate "wronged.
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