Paper City Article

The Making of Our (Terribly Old School) August Cover

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:33:01 GMT

How did we take our "modern-day preppies" from concept to reality? With a lot of technical expertise, patience, photographic artistry, laughter and coffee. (Lots of coffee.) Click on "launch slideshow," above right, to see how our August cover came together...

Back to Boarding School

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:21:16 GMT

Daddy and Mummy are helping you pack their ancient Rover full of your L.L. Bean duffel bags and Granddad%26#8217;s old steamer trunk from his Deerfield days. Yes, it%26#8217;s time for the annual trek east to boarding school. Oh? You graduated eons ago? Well, whether you matriculated at Ethel Walker or Andover (or want to look like you were), here%26#8217;s everything you need to sport that rarefied style in whatever ivy-covered halls you call home.

%26nbsp;

Surely you remember The Official Preppy Handbook, the 1980s mega-seller that was required reading for the private-school set? Oh, that%26#8217;s right %26#8230; you weren%26#8217;t born in the %26#8217;80s. Catch up with the sequel, True Prep (Knopf, September 2010, $19.95), penned by the preppy original author herself, Lisa Birnbach, with Chip Kidd. They%26#8217;ve rewritten the annals of prepdom,21st-century style.

%26nbsp;

Whether you%26#8217;re wearing a pleated skirt or flat-front khakis and a blazer every day, when there%26#8217;s a chill in the air it%26#8217;s time to pull out The North Face fleece jackets. We%26#8217;re partial to the TKA 100 Glacier quarter-zip fleece. $50, at Nordstrom, REI, The Sports Authority, Sun %26amp; Ski Sports, Urban Outfitters, Whole Earth Provision Co.;%26nbsp; thenorthface.com.

%26nbsp;

Back when your parents met at Choate Rosemary Hall, no one got through a slushy New England spring without hideous (yet somehow cool) rubber-soled, heather-topped Bean boots. Now Hunter Wellie boots are de rigueur prep-school attire. Hunter%26#8217;s Carnaby Boa boots in black give Muffy a fashionable edge. $225, at Neiman Marcus, Stanley Korshak; hunter-boot.com.

%26nbsp;

Talk about old school. These Tretorn Nylite women%26#8217;s sneakers haven%26#8217;t changed a stitch in decades. Land%26#8217;s End Canvashas now revived the first luxury sports shoe ever made. $55, at landsend.com/canvas.

%26nbsp;

L.L. Bean is making the classics a little more modern in its new catalog/Web site, L.L. Bean Signature. Our fave: his Saltwash pullover made of every prep%26#8217;s favorite: 100 percent cotton %26#8212; salt-washed for maximum comfort, no less. $59, at llbeansignature.com.

%26nbsp;

Nothing whispers trust fund like a classic Cartier Tank with alligator strap ($7,850, at Cartier). On days when you want to downplay it, though, switch to a Toy Watch (from $195, at Saks Fifth Avenue; toywatchusa.com), and no one will know how much you%26#8217;ve banked. Isn%26#8217;t that really the point?

%26nbsp;

Jack Spade channels the sailing vibe with this navy awning-stripe messenger bag ($195), with room for your iPad. At jackspade.com.

%26nbsp;

Talk about taking it personally. The Queen of Cashmere weaves your initials boldly onto the sleeve of these crewneck sweaters made of soft Scottish cashmere. The fetching diamond-shaped monogram sets you apart from the machine-monogrammed crowd. $625, by special order at saksfifthavenue.com.

%26nbsp;

Since you%26#8217;ve hauled Tide to do your own laundry, don%26#8217;t chance it with Hamilton%26#8217;s custom shirts. Pack your weekend duffel with a few classic long-sleeve navy gingham shirts made with Italian double-ply fabric. The prewashed, spread-collar button-downs even have a retro slot for your pen on the chest pocket. $185 each, at Barneys New York, Pockets Menswear, Stanley Korshak; hamilton1883.com.

%26nbsp;

Rhonda Byrne (who wrote the New Age book The Secret that your stepmother is always quoting) would encourage you to envision yourself walking through the ivy-covered square of Harvard Yard. Maybe wearing crimson %26#8220;Veritas%26#8221; emblazoned on the Harvard tie around your neck will assure you%26#8217;ll get there, too. Vineyard Vines ivy ties $75 each, at vineyardvines.com.

%26nbsp;

Provider of your uniform Sperry Top-Sider Chukkas (replacing Bean%26#8217;s Blucher Mocs), J.Crew custom-colors their unisex version, natch ($125). They%26#8217;ve also secured Belstaff%26#8217;s Roadmaster jacket in waxed cotton ($695). This British fave is the very definition of rugged cool. At J.Crew; jcrew.com.

%26nbsp;

Remember those drafty dorm rooms at Exeter? Keep the chill at bay with L.L. Bean%26#8217;s striped-ticking flannel sheets. Flat or fitted $25 each, at llbean.com.

%26nbsp;

While mother wore Pappagallo, our generation sports politically correct, unisex espadrilles by Toms Shoes%26nbsp; %26#8212; the charity brand that donates shoes to a child in need with every pair purchased. From $44, at Cotton Island, Nordstrom, Stanley Korshak; toms.com.

%26nbsp;

Dressing down on the weekends? Nothing beats a classic. Levi%26#8217;s are the jeans for guys who aren%26#8217;t trying too hard. (Not to mention, the savvy girls who raid the boy%26#8217;s department and sport his.) At levis.com.

%26nbsp;

When the houseparent calls %26#8220;Lights out,%26#8221; dress down in Claridge + King%26#8217;s cool menswear-inspired pajama pants and boxer sets made with cozy cotton shirting. Not like you%26#8217;re trying or anything %26#8230; $62 each, at claridgeandking.com.

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Don%26#8217;t head off to Avon Old Farms or Madeira without your trusty rain gear. Hadleigh%26#8217;s bespoke umbrella takes it up a notch. Select the fabric, leather handle and dimensions of your custom parapluie, and engrave that little silver plate at its base with your initials. At Hadleigh%26#8217;s, 214.770.4743; hadleighsbespoke.com.

Back to Boarding School

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:19:55 GMT

%26nbsp;

Whether you%26#8217;re wearing a pleated skirt or flat-front khakis and a blazer every day, when there%26#8217;s a chill in the air, it%26#8217;s time to pull out The North Face fleece jackets. We%26#8217;re partial to the TKA 100 Glacier quarter-zip fleece. $50, at Gander Mountain, Nordstrom, The Sports Authority, Sun %26amp; Ski Sports, REI, Urban Outfitters, Whole Earth Provision Co.; thenorthface.com.

%26nbsp;

Back when your parents met at Choate Rosemary Hall, no one got through a slushy New England spring without hideous (yet somehow cool) rubber-soled, heather-topped Bean boots. Now Hunter Wellies are de rigueur prep-school attire. Hunter%26#8217;s Carnaby Boa boots in black give Emma a fashionable edge. $225, at Neiman Marcus; hunter-boot.com.

%26nbsp;

Talk about old school. These Tretorn Nylite women%26#8217;s sneakers haven%26#8217;t changed a stitch in decades. Land%26#8217;s End Canvas has now revived the first luxury sports shoe ever made. $55, at landsend.com/canvas.

%26nbsp;

Jack Spade channels the sailing vibe with this navy awning-stripe messenger bag ($195), with room for your iPad. At jackspade.com.

%26nbsp;

Dressing down on the weekends? Nothing beats a classic. Levi%26#8217;s %26#8212; especially 501s %26#8212; are the jeans for guys who aren%26#8217;t trying too hard. (Not to mention, the savvy girls who raid the boy%26#8217;s department and sport his.) At 310 Rosemont; levis.com.

While mother wore Pappagallo, our generation sports politically correct, unisex espadrilles by Toms Shoes%26nbsp; %26#8212; the charity brand that donates shoes to a child in need with every pair purchased. From $44, at Loop %26#8212; A Shoe %26amp; Accessory Boutique, Nordstrom%26#8217;s, The Source Board Shop; toms.com.

%26nbsp;

Remember those drafty dorm rooms at Exeter? Keep the chill at bay with L.L. Bean%26#8217;s striped-ticking flannel sheets. Flat or fitted $25 each, at llbean.com.

%26nbsp;

Old School 101

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:06:50 GMT

Lobster thermidor
Nantucket lightship basket purses
Bermuda bags
Skotch Koolers
The Printery Fair Isle cardigans
Argyle, madras, plaid, pastels
Chipped beef, crab cakes, beef stroganoff, King Ranch chicken
Pepperidge Farm Chessmen
Skippy, Triscuits, Underwood Duke%26#8217;s Mayonnaise
Embroidered whales on anything
Monogrammed everything
Choate Rosemary Hall, The Hotchkiss School, Phillips Exeter Academy
The Hockaday School, Meadowbrook School, Wesley Prep, The Da Vinci School
Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Brown
L.L., Ralph, Lilly
Goyard
Lakeside Drive
Stubbs %26amp; Wootton
Hadleigh%26#8217;s Bespoke Lifestyle
Dooney %26amp; Bourke
Steve and Eydie
Vineyard Vines
Brook Hollow Golf Club, Dallas Country Club, The Montaigne Club
Dallas Woman%26#8217;s Club
Tretorns, Weejuns, Top-Siders
Greenwich, Nantucket, Martha%26#8217;s Vineyard
Pearls
Sailing
Gatoring
Dunston%26#8217;s back room on Monday nights
Lacrosse, rugby, squash
Floral chintz
Needlepoint
The Junior League
C.Z., Babe, Jackie
F. Scott, Truman, Sargent
The two Slims
Sister Parish
Lester LaninBay rum
Eau Sauvage
Nantucket Reds
Jack Rogers Navajos
Bernardo Miamis
Barbara Hutton, Gloria Vanderbilt, Brenda FrazieR
Idlewild debs
Mystic, Waldemar, Longhorn
Black Point Beach
Point O%26#8217; Woods
The North Shore
Gant
Lacoste
Muffy, Buffy, Bitsy, Topsy
Skip, Chip, Kip, Trip
The Hampton Classic
La Plates melamine plates, monogrammed
J. Press
The Strand Book Store
The Official Preppy Handbook
Love Story, The Great Gatsby, The Graduate
Range Rovers, Land Cruisers, Grand Wagoneers
Volvo 240s
Any Mercedes-Benz, pre-1990
Pink
Green

Old School 101

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:05:02 GMT

Embrace your inner Thurston and Lovey. Live the list.

Lobster thermidor at Christie%26#8217;s Steakhouse
Nantucket lightship basket purses
Bermuda bags
Skotch Koolers
The Printery Fair Isle cardigans
Argyle, madras, plaid, pastels
Chipped beef, crab cakes, beef stroganoff, King Ranch chicken
Pepperidge Farm Chessmen
Skippy, Triscuits, Underwood Duke%26#8217;s Mayonnaise
Embroidered whales on anything
Monogrammed everything
Choate Rosemary Hall, The Hotchkiss School, Phillips Exeter Academy
Pooh Corner, St. John%26#8217;s, Kinkaid, The Fay School, River Oaks Baptist School, Episcopal High School
Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Columbia, Brown
L.L., Ralph, Lilly
Goyard
Stubbs %26amp; Wootton
Dooney %26amp; Bourke
Steve and Eydie
Vineyard Vines
Bayou Club, Houston Country Club, River Oaks Country Club, The Forest Club, The Briar Club
Tretorns, Weejuns, Top-Siders
Greenwich, Nantucket, Martha%26#8217;s Vineyard
Pearls
Sailing
Gatoring
Lacrosse, rugby, squash
Floral chintz
Needlepoint
The Junior League
C.Z., Babe, JackieF. Scott, Truman, Sargent
The two Slims
Sister Parish
Lester Lanin
Bay rum
Eau Sauvage
Nantucket Reds
Jack Rogers Navajos
Bernardo Miamis
Barbara Hutton, Gloria Vanderbilt, Brenda Frazier
Assembly, Bolero debs
Mystic, Waldemar, Longhorn
Black Point Beach
Point O%26#8217; Woods
Texas Corinthian Yacht Club, Houston Yacht Club
The North Shore
Gant
Lacoste
Muffy, Buffy, Bitsy, Topsy
Skip, Chip, Kip, Trip
The Hampton Classic
La Plates melamine plates, monogrammed
J. Press
The Strand Book Store
The Official Preppy Handbook
Love Story, The Great Gatsby, The Graduate
Range Rovers, Land Cruisers, Grand Wagoneers
Volvo 240s
Any Mercedes-Benz, pre-1990
Pink
Green

The Houston Club

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:54:29 GMT

It doesn%26#8217;t get more old school than The Houston Club. Founded in 1894, this all-boys club served as the gathering spot for the men who molded the city, from Jesse H. Jones to John Henry Kirby, William Marsh Rice, J.S. Cullinan, W.S. Farish, W.W. Fondren, Will and Mike Hogg, Ben Taub, Hugh Roy Cullen, Mayor Oscar Holcombe, Judge James A. Elkins, George Brown, M.D. Anderson, Judge Roy Hofheinz, General Maurice Hirsh, Gus Wortham, Eddy Scurlock and President George H.W. Bush, who was once club director. It may sound like we%26#8217;re reeling off street and building names, but these long-standing members, former and present, make up the oldest private membership club in Texas. And it hasn%26#8217;t changed dramatically in the past 125 years. (Except for the %26#8220;all boys%26#8221; part; those of the female persuasion were allowed into its ranks in, ahem, 1982.)

%26nbsp;

Images: The 1894 Room, circa 1970s; Barber Shop, circa 1950s %26#8211; 1960s

%26nbsp;

As it was at the turn of the last century, the HC %26#8212; modeled after a traditional British gentlemen%26#8217;s club %26#8212; remains a social and business enclave where you can meet for a drink, head-huddle on the dilemmas of the day, wheel and deal in well-appointed meeting rooms, and get a shoeshine, a haircut and a nice rye whiskey, too. Founded with just nine members, today its membership has swelled to more than 1,000, with a phalanx of powerful women club-goers. Junior members 39 and under are a growing membership who join to hear lecturers, mingle at cocktail soir%26#233;es, attend Black Tie Boxing in the Texas Room and rub ranks with the powerful.

%26nbsp;

Image: The Ed Sullivan Band%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Perched on floors eight to 10 in the Houston Club Building at 811 Rusk that was built by Jesse Jones, the HC has a rotary-dial phone in the tiny telephone nook in its 1894 Bar, although the club does have wireless access. In 1955, artist David Adickes created the mural of Houston circa 1893 that still graces the wall of the Rusk Room, a clubby meeting area where the thick walls allow confidential conversations to go no further. The Barber Shop on the eighth floor opened in the %26#8217;50s, and little has changed. The same might be said of the health club on the eighth floor, where a vintage belt massage machine (you know, the sort that shakes your hips around as you do nothing but stand still) keeps company next to newer equipment and free weights.

%26nbsp;

Images: Mimosa Room, 1957; Pete Landry at a Club 17 dance in the Men%26#8217;s Grill, 1956%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Meet at noon for lunch in the Bush Room, and you%26#8217;ll find it filled with boldfaced notables who might be mentioned in the business pages more than the social ones. This mise en sc%26#232;ne includes polite, suited waiters and wonderful, old-school country club food on a groaning buffet, such as prime rib, seafood gumbo, fried chicken and the famous bread pudding served since the %26#8217;20s %26#8212; all of which will convince you that the vibe is the same your dad, grand-dad, perhaps even great-grand dad might have enjoyed. One of the last great bastions of Houston business society, The Houston Club is, thankfully, still a powerhouse.

%26nbsp;

All images courtesy of "The Houston Club and Its City: One Hundred Years" by Dorothy Knox Howe Houghton, 1994

Indian Summer

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 06:29:54 GMT

The quintessential %26#8212; and original %26#8212; American dwelling, the teepee, is a sublime guest room, party hut or dinner den. Be brave.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Turquoise eternity earrings, $68, at %26#192; Bient%26#244;t. Image: Jenny Antill

%26nbsp;

Chanel

%26nbsp;

Herm%26#232;s Pointe Madras silk scarf, $410, at Herm%26#232;s

%26nbsp;

1970s Cher Half Breed album, $9, at itunes.com

%26nbsp;

Tee Pee Motel in Wharton, Texas; double $67, teepeemotel.net

%26nbsp;

Multicolored tourmaline limited-edition necklace, price upon request, at David Yurman

%26nbsp;

J Hill%26#8217;s Hideouts, 2008, price upon request, through jhillprojects@gmail.com

%26nbsp;

1940s sterling-silver, coral and turquoise necklace, signed Dominguez, $1,950, at Past Era Antique Jewelry. Image: Jenny Antill

%26nbsp;

Wool reproduction of an early 20th-century Navajo original, $70 per square foot, at Carol Piper Rugs

%26nbsp;

John Galliano Homme

%26nbsp;

Polo Ralph Lauren

%26nbsp;

Pim Ormrod silver bracelet, $300, through silverbypim.com

%26nbsp;

Dunton Hot Springs in Dolores, Colorado; teepee summer occupancy only, price upon request, duntonhotsprings.com

%26nbsp;

Wigwam Village #6, along Historic Route 66, Holbrook, Arizona; single $52, double $58, 928.524.3048

%26nbsp;

Charles Russell%26#8217;s Indian Hunters%26#8217; Return, 1900, in %26#8220;The Masterworks of Charles M. Russell: A Retrospective of Paintings and Sculpture,%26#8221; at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, through August 29. Courtesy of Montana Historical Society, Helena, Mackay Collection

%26nbsp;

Camp Bosworth%26#8217;s Corralejo sculpture, 2007, $500 at Koelsch Gallery

%26nbsp;

Water-repellent and mildew-resistant teepee, $2,200, at Design Within Reach

%26nbsp;

Order a custom teepee like Bruce Weber%26#8217;s (shown here at his ranch) from White Buffalo Lodges, adult tents from $1,195 (poles included), whitebuffalolodges.com. Image: %26#169; Bruce Weber, "Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People"

%26nbsp;

White sapphire feather earrings by Slink, $3,300, at Sloan/Hall

%26nbsp;

1970S Navajo turquoise and sterling-silver ketoh cuff, $1,680, at Abejas

%26nbsp;

Wooden stool with brass nail-head trim, $1,150, at Carl Moore Antiques

Houston's Fashion Moment(s)

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 04:53:57 GMT

As Audi Fashion Houston shapes up its five-day run October 11 through 15 at the Wortham Center, event producer Neal Hamil (former VP of Ford Models and former president of Elite Models in NY) is at the helm, along with Audi%26#8217;s Jared Lang, bringing a roster of national fashion names to Houston: shows by Doucette Duvall, Marc Bouwer, Lauren Bush with her Lauren Pierce and FEED collections, and Cesar Galindo, as well as Houston%26#8217;s fashion houses Toni Whitaker, David Peck and Chloe Dao, with more names to come %26#8212; and many of the October 12 shows benefitting Houston Community College fashion program scholarships.

Highlights:

%26#8226; Lynn Wyatt has chosen %26#8220;a dozen or so%26#8221; of her favorite haute couture gowns to be shown at the Wortham, then they will travel to the windows at Neiman Marcus.

%26#8226; On Wednesday, October 13, Saks Fifth Avenue hosts a men%26#8217;s show with Kiton CEO Antonio Paone, where Brazil%26#8217;s male model export and Madonna%26#8217;s boy toy, Jesus Luz, will walk in the Kiton show, benefitting Legacy Community Services.

%26#8226; On Thursday, October 14, Eileen Ford (Ford Models) is honored for her contribution to beauty and fashion in %26#8220;Eileen Ford: Six Decades of Defining Beauty,%26#8221; sponsored by Neiman Marcus, at the Wortham, with a multimedia and live runway show of famous Ford faces and an appearance by Ms. Ford herself, benefitting Dress for Success.

For schedules and tickets, go to fashionhouston.net.

%26nbsp;

Images: Lynn Wyatt; photo by Jenny Antill. Honoree Eileen Ford with husband Jerry. Marc Bouwer.

There’s a WASP in the Library

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:32:50 GMT

In no particular order, here%26#8217;s our private library of books and DVDs dealing with WASPs, mayonnaise, British wit, Clubs, The Family, monograms, Triscuits %26#8230;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

Books

%26nbsp;

Living Well is the Best Revenge by Calvin Tomkins

The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and A Season in Purgatory, both by Dominick Dunne

Blood and Money by Thomas Thompson

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Tea and Sympathy by Robert Anderson

Poolside with Slim Aarons, A Place in the Sun and Once Upon a Time, all by Slim Aarons

740 Park: The Story of the World%26#8217;s Richest Apartment Building by Michael Gross

Philistines at the Hedgerow: Passion and Property in the Hamptons by Steven Gaines

Social Crimes by Jane Stanton Hitchcock

The Importance of Being Kennedy by Laurie Graham

Losing Mum and Pup: A Memoir by Christopher Buckley

Capote: A Biography by Gerald Clarke

Truman Capote by George Plimpton

Wry Martinis by Christopher Buckley

This Side of Paradise, The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night, all by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Genuine Authentic: The Real Life of Ralph Lauren by Michael Gross

Family Fortunes by Louis Auchincloss

Everybody Was So Young: Gerald and Sara Murphy: A Lost Generation by Amanda Vaill

Happy Times by Brendan Gill and Jerome Zerbe

Happy Times by Lee Radziwell

Answered Prayers by Truman Capote

Edie: American Girl by Jean Stein and George Plimpton

The Way We Lived Then by Dominick Dunne

Oh The Glory of It All by Sean Wilsey

Cheerful Money: Me, My Family, and the Last Days of Wasp Splendor by Ted Friend

True Prep: It%26#8217;s a Whole New Old World by Lisa Birnbach and Chip Kidd, available September

Take Ivy by Shosoke Ishizu, et al., available August 31

Class: A Guide Through the American Class System by Paul Fussell

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark

The Official Preppy Handbook, edited by Lisa Birnbach%26nbsp;

%26nbsp;

A Bit of British

%26nbsp;

Chatsworth: the House, Round and About Chatsworth and Counting My Chickens %26#8230;: and Other Home Thoughts, all by the Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, n%26#233;e Deborah Mitford

Anything by P.G. Wodehouse

E. F. Benson%26#8217;s Mapp %26amp; Lucia books

A Much Married Man by Nicholas Coleridge

Hons %26amp; Rebes by Jessica Mitford

The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate, both by Nancy Mitford

The Glass of Fashion by Cecil Beaton

All the Cecil Beaton diaries

Mr. Classic by Jeremy Hackett

%26nbsp;

DVDs

%26nbsp;

Reversal of Fortune

Trading Places

The Ice Storm

The War of the Roses

The Graduate

Ordinary People (WASP-a-palooza!)

Dead Poets Society

The Talented Mr. Ripley

The Philadelphia Story

Sabrina (the 1995 remake)

Grey Gardens

Barcelona

All Nick and Nora movies

Annie Hall (Woody Allen)

Interiors (Woody Allen)

On Golden Pond

Metropolitan

%26nbsp;

Blogs

%26nbsp;

Wasp101.blogspot.com

Tickledpinkandgreen.com

Summerisaverb.blogspot.com

Pinkwashingtoniette.blogspot.com

Peakofchic.com

Inside the Shoe Closets of Lynn McBee and Anne Stodghill

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:17:43 GMT

Hundreds of Stiletto Strut supporters will slip on a pair of heels and march around Neiman Marcus Downtown on Thursday, April 29, all to benefit the American Heart Association. We peeked inside strut co-chairs Lynn McBee and Anne Stodghill's enviable shoe wardrobes and discovered two very different chaussure collections. McBee's wardrobe is classic elegance %26#8212; well-loved riding boots, medium-heel Manolos, and ever a nod to vintage. Risk-taking sums up Stodghill, who stocks her closet with bright colors, unusual designers and dozens of custom-made Chuck Taylors.%26#160;%26#160; %26#160;

%26#160;

Tell us about the shoes in your portrait.

Lynn McBee:%26#160;Yellow suede Christian Louboutins. I wore these to a fun luncheon where Paulina Porizkova was the speaker.

Anne Stodghill:%26#160;Sequined high tops that were purchased at Harrod's in London. I wear them to all Dallas Mavericks playoff games for good luck. During the 2006 NBA Finals, I was so superstitious that I wore them every day. %26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

Fondest shoe memory?

LM:%26#160;I was beyond happy when I got my first pair of YoYos back in the '80s.

AS: My husband often takes me to New York for Valentine's weekend. This year, he noticed a really great pair of shoes on a girl at The Four Seasons' bar. When I went to Bergdorf Goodman the next day, those shoes were the first pair that I saw%26#8230;mirror mosaic pumps by Giuseppe Zanotti for Thakoon. I feel like I'm channeling an '80s glam rockstar. %26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

If you could raid one Dallasite's shoe closet whose would it be?

LM: My friend Mersina Stubbs has wonderful shoes %26#8212; lots of classics, some trendy and many elegant.

AS: Stacey McCord. She is the most elegant person I know. %26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

If you were a pair of shoes, what would you be?

LM: That's easy. I would be a Saucony running shoe %26#8212; always comfortable.

AS:%26#160;I'm a pointy-toed stiletto. They are sassy, fun and powerful.

%26#160;

Your most memorable shoe purchase?

LM:%26#160;It would be a tie between my 1980s riding boots and YoYos!

AS:%26#160;I once had a boss who gave me 'shoe bonuses' for winning cases. With one such 'bonus' I purchased a pair of Claudio Merazzi high-heel sandals in Monte Carlo that have multi-colored feather tassels on them. They are so outrageous%26#8230; %26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

Which shoes will you be wearing to this year's Stiletto Strut?

LM: To be determined%26#8230;

AS:%26#160;The Fortitia high-heel sandal by Christian Louboutin. It has patent leather straps with a dramatic ruffle of black silk with black lace. %26#160;%26#160;

%26#160;

Favorite pair of shoes?

LM:%26#160;Black suede Manolo Blahnik boots. I love them and have worn them to death. Deno's has resoled them at least twice. They have carried me many great places.

AS:%26#160;Purple satin platform sandals by Brian Atwood that were given to me by a friend for my 40th birthday. They are atrociously high and ridiculously comfortable. Every time I wear them I am reminded of my birthday party.

%26#160;

Most unusual shoe in your closet?

LM: A Prada round-toe pump, with lime green heel, pink lizard toe and bamboo-like fabric in all other parts.

AS: A pair of Bruno Frisoni patent leather stiletto pumps that have grommets around them. What makes them unusual is the pink teddy bear head that snaps on to the shoe over any two of the grommets. I call them my Bad Teddy shoes because he runs around the shoes at various angles and has been known to disappear at parties.

%26#160;

Anything surprising inside your shoe closet?

LM:%26#160;No. I'm very organized to lots of shoe boxes and shoe bags all lined up neatly.

AS: The bright colors and utter lack of practicality.

%26#160;

Where do you get your heels fixed?

LM:%26#160;Deno's in Highland Park Village %26#8212; they work miracles!

AS:%26#160;Cobblestone at Mockingbird and Central.

She's With the Band

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:39:38 GMT

This month, the rock %26#8217;n%26#8217; roll biopic The Runaways opens, based on Joan Jett%26#8217;s groundbreaking all-girl %26#8217;70s rock band. We%26#8217;re obsessed with the classic beauty of lead singer Cherie Currie, played by Dakota Fanning in the movie, kicked up with raw rock style. Ch...ch...ch...ch...cherry bomb!

Photography Gray Scott. Styling Cameron Cooper. Fashion Editor Kate Allen Stukenberg. Hair Anthony Campbell for Atelier Management, New York. Makeup Quinn Murphy. Model Alina for Code Model Management, New York. Photo Assistant Craig LaCourt. Fashion Assistant Abraham Lopez.

Amped Up (above): Versace embroidered dress, price upon request, and shoes, both at the Versace boutique. Bangles Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz, Rachel Leigh. Earrings and ring Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz. Hairbands Rachel Leigh.

Star Power (below): Gucci viscose cr%26#234;pe strapped gown with harness $4,700, at the Gucci boutique. Star resin bracelet by Noir, other bracelets Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz and Giles %26amp; Bros. Earrings Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz.

Jewelry availability: Atelier Minyon at Neiman Marcus, atelierminyon.com. Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz at ben-amun.com. Rachel Leigh at %26#192; Bient%26#244;t. Giles %26amp; Bros. at Neiman Marcus. Noir at noirjewelry.com. Miriam Salat at Neiman Marcus.

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A Perfect Ten Years at Forty Five Ten

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:15:03 GMT

Seems like yesterday when the twin Venini glass chandeliers were hung, Gwyneth stopped in, and Marc Jacobs handbags lined the shelves. Ten years have passed since the venerable Forty Five Ten opened its elegant wood-and-glass doors fronting McKinney Avenue, which only boutique regulars know to push instead of pull. Just like the entrance doors, owners Brian Bolke and Shelly Musselman know how to surprise their customers and keep them guessing %26#8212; with ingeniously edited labels curated and merchandized like works of art. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this fashion and home mecca, PaperCity asked 10 Forty Five Ten aficionados to effuse on why they love %26#8212; or what they love from %26#8212; our anniversary girl. Click on the slide show to see their answers.

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Forty Five Ten's Anniversary Editions
Ten designers have created exclusive anniversary items that are for sale at Forty Five Ten during the month of April. The proceeds from these editions benefit amfAR and the Dallas Museum of Art by way of Two x Two %26#8212;%26nbsp;a fitting way for the designers to laud owners Brian Bolke and Shelly Musselman for faithfully carrying their wares.%26nbsp;

ONE Forty Five Ten turquoise alligator clutch from Proenza Schouler, $7,985.
ONE nickel-plated champagne bucket from Dallas iron artisan Jan Barboglio, in partnership with Dom P%26#233;rignon, $1,995.
FOUR signature chiffon Nanda tops in nude with black embroidery from Koi, $630 each.
FOUR sets of ten Project [Red] candles from Diptyque, $695 each.
FIVE necklaces of chain on tulle from Doo.Ri, featured on the Spring 2010 runway, $645 each.
FIVE unique evil-eye bracelets with geodes from Kimberly McDonald, $995 to $9,995.
TEN dip-dyed cotton short-sleeve shirts from Scott Sternberg of Band of Outsiders,%26nbsp; $250 each.
TEN patterned scarves from Yigal Azrouel, $350 each.
TEN pairs of shoes from Narciso Rodriguez, featured on his Spring 2010 runway (available only at Forty Five Ten), $795 each.
TEN pieces from the Artisanal %26#8220;Haute Couture%26#8221; archive by Maison Martin Margiela, available by special order, pricing upon request.%26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp; %26nbsp;%26nbsp;%26nbsp;

She's With the Band

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:25:49 GMT

Jewelry availability: Atelier Minyon at Neiman Marcus, atelierminyon.com. Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz at ben-amun.com. Rachel Leigh at L%26#8217;Image, W Hotels. Giles %26amp; Bros. at Intermix. Noir at noirjewelry.com. Miriam Salat at Neiman Marcus.%26nbsp;

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Click on "launch slideshow," above, to see more fashion.

Beyond the Pyramids

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:21:35 GMT

Photography Gray Scott. Styling Cameron Cooper. Hair Ryan Cotton for Jed Root, New York. Makeup Quinn Murphy. Model Garima Parnami for Muse Models, New York. Photo assistant Craig LaCourt. Fashion assistant Abraham Lopez.

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Style Mirage

Fendi tulle-and-silk evening dress $4,550, and shoes $690, both at Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus. Necklace Kenneth Jay Lane. Snake cuff bracelet and wood bangle bracelet Atelier Minyon. Earrings Rachel Leigh. Ring Kenneth Jay Lane.

Jewelry availability: Atelier Minyon at Neiman Marcus, atelierminyon.com. Rachel Leigh at L%26#8217;Image, W Hotels. Giles %26amp; Brother at Intermix. Elizabeth Locke at Neiman Marcus, William Noble Fine Jewels. Sally Sohn at Neiman Marcus, Stanley Korshak. Kenneth Jay Lane at Neiman Marcus. Yossi Harari at Stanley Korshak. Lee Angel at Neiman Marcus. Miriam Salat at Neiman Marcus.%26nbsp;

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For more fashion images, click on 'launch slideshow' above.

Beyond the Pyramids

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 12:09:05 GMT

Fendi tulle-and-silk evening dress $4,550, and shoes $690, both at the Fendi boutique, Neiman Marcus. Fendi shoes $690, at the Fendi boutique. Necklace Kenneth Jay Lane. Snake cuff bracelet and wood bangle bracelet Atelier Minyon. Earrings Rachel Leigh. Ring Kenneth Jay Lane.

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Jewelry availability: Atelier Minyon at Neiman Marcus, atelierminyon.com. Rachel Leigh at %26#192; Bient%26#244;t. Giles %26amp; Brother at Neiman Marcus. Elizabeth Locke at Neiman Marcus. Sally Sohn at Neiman Marcus. Kenneth Jay Lane at %26#192; Bient%26#244;t, Tootsies. Yossi Harari at Judith Ann Jewels. Lee Angel at Neiman Marcus. Miriam Salat at Neiman Marcus.

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For more fashion images, click on 'launch slideshow' above.

Inside the Head of Annise Parker

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:45:49 GMT

She served Houston for more than 11 years on the city council, then as Houston%26#8217;s controller. Now Annise Parker makes history as she steps into the biggest job in local politics. But our new mayor is more than a humble civil servant and devoted mother of two adopted children. This Montrose resident, who has a passion for restoring historical properties (such as the one she resides in), also takes in orphan orchids and nurses prickly cacti, reads voraciously and has a fondness for the great outdoors %26#8212; especially desert climes. Laurann Claridge sits down with Miz Parker to learn what lies on the other side of that calm, cool and collected persona.%26nbsp;

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Credit: Jenny Antill

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What's on your nightstand?
These are the two things I%26#8217;m reading right now, a little bit at a time. Leadership on the Line: Staying Alive Through the Dangers of Leading by Ronald Heifetz and Martin Linsky (to help me focus on my duties at the mayor%26#8217;s office) and Touch: Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World by Pastor Rudy Rasmus. He%26#8217;s the pastor of St. John%26#8217;s Church downtown. Personally, I%26#8217;m a science fiction reader. The last great book I read was by Elizabeth Moon, who is another Rice University grad. It was a series of short stories. I%26#8217;m drawn to work like that, where I don%26#8217;t have to follow a plot line.

Reading is fundamental:
We%26#8217;re bibliophiles. Both of us (partner Kathy Hubbard and I) have serious book addictions. We have books all over the house and bookcases everywhere filled with all different kinds of books. We%26#8217;re omnivorous readers.

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Credit: Jenny Antill%26nbsp;

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Restaurants you haunt?
For comfort food, it%26#8217;s Niko Niko%26#8217;s, Rivas and Sorrento Ristorante for a white-tablecloth experience. I love Spanish Flower for Mexican food, and I%26#8217;m a big Goode Co. Barbeque fan. And Frenchy%26#8217;s fried chicken %26#8212; I%26#8217;ll drive across town for it!

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Image: Lafayette 148 at Tootsies

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Describe your style.

I am very tailored. Because of the needs of the campaign and the office, I had to invest in expanding my wardrobe. I sat down with the staff of Tootsies. I%26#8217;m hard to fit, so we worked with a good tailor. I don%26#8217;t wear skirts very much, mostly pants. I went to a couple of trunk shows at Tootsies and picked out separates to create several complete outfits. I gravitate to Lafayette 148.

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Shopping weakness?

I%26#8217;ve always been a consignment and resale shopper. You can find wonderful things and bring them to your tailor. The Blue Bird Circle Resale Shop is within walking distance of my house.

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Image: Tumi

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Fashion versus style:

I am not particularly fashion conscious. I%26#8217;m very picky about my clothes, but I don%26#8217;t follow fashion. I try to dress appropriately for the occasion. I don%26#8217;t carry a purse; I haven%26#8217;t in years. I carry a briefcase. And I do not wear high heels. I%26#8217;m into comfortable shoes.

What room do you spend the most time in?
My living room. We%26#8217;ve been in the house two years, so it%26#8217;s still a work in process, but that%26#8217;s where we go to curl up and read on the couch.

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What do you amass?
I%26#8217;m something of a collector. This is where the nerd comes out. I have a collection of adding machines and Comptometers. I probably have about 15 of them. I also have a collection of turtles. Ceramic turtles, figurines of all sorts %26#8230; I probably have 50 to 60.

Do friends bring you turtles?
It started when I was in high school, so it%26#8217;s been going on for years. When you go to Rice, you tend to accumulate owls, but I%26#8217;ve gradually given away all my owls and been given turtles.

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Image: Dominic Walsh in "Sleeping Beauty"; Credit: Amitava Sarkar, Photography InSight

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Dance fan?
We used to have season tickets to the Houston Ballet before I was elected to public office. Now we go as my schedule allows. Our favorite performing art is dance. We absolutely love it all, from Dominic Walsh and Sandra Organ to Dance Salad and Stanton Welch with the Houston Ballet.

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Image: Big Bend

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Ideal getaway?
My favorite place in the world is Big Bend %26#8230; I like to hike, I like to camp, I have all the backpacking gear. Unfortunately, for the last 20 years I%26#8217;ve been sharing my life with someone who believes camping is staying at a Holiday Inn.

Play time?
If I had the time, I would spend it exploring more artistic endeavors. I do read and write a lot of poetry. I like craft and have taken art-welding classes. I%26#8217;d like to do more of that.

Image: Jenny Antill

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What's on your iPod?
I have pretty eclectic tastes in music. I like folk and Celtic music, new age stuff to mellow out and a lot of country western. I%26#8217;m a huge Patsy Cline fan. I have a lot of Willie Nelson, too. Even old pop like Kris Kristofferson and Neil Diamond.

What single word best describes you?
Centered. I know my own mind. I know who I am, and I know generally where I want to go.

Do you seek spirutal guidance or something outside yourself to keep you in that realm?
I have to have quiet time.

What subject would you like to learn more about?

The problem for me is that I%26#8217;m the ultimate generalist. I will spend hours researching the care and feeding of orchids and then do that for a while. The same with cactus. I catalog them all, too, detailing how long they lived, what color their blooms are. The adding machines %26#8230;%26nbsp;It%26#8217;s not that I just want to collect addingmachines. [I want to] take them apart to see how they work.

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Green thumb?
I have orchids here at work, because they require more attention, but I%26#8217;ve been a member of the Houston Cactus %26amp; Succulent Society for 25 years or so. I have a container garden full of them. The orchids come to work, and the cactus stays home.

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Do you collect art?

Not particularly. I was on the board of the Contemporary Arts Museum for two terms. I collect what I like %26#8212; not as a collector, per se. I think art should be about something you want to look at. I prefer very tactile objects, like small sculptures.

Tell me about your fondness for fountain pens.
I went all the way through college writing with fountain pens. The roller balls weren%26#8217;t common then. These pens were my grandmother%26#8217;s, and these mechanical pencils belonged to my grandfather. But this Parker pen is my favorite. It was an anniversary present from Kathy to celebrate our first year together 18 years ago.

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Credit: Jenny Antill

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What makes you laugh?
Just about everything. I laugh easily. I find the world very interesting. I%26#8217;m fairly mellow. I think people are born with their thermostat set. I think I%26#8217;m pretty even, more so as I get older.

In what way are you the most humble?

I%26#8217;m so grateful that for the last 12 years I%26#8217;ve enjoyed going to work everyday. I feel blessed to be able to come to a job that I love. Even though council member and controller were completely different jobs, they both allowed me to serve the city in different ways. The mayor%26#8217;s office combines the best aspects of both.

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Image: Laurann Claridge right, interviews Annise Parker in her office. Credit: Jenny Antill

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What do you want to be most remembered for?
I want to be a great mayor for Houston. I don%26#8217;t much care that I%26#8217;m remembered that way, but I want to know I did my very best. I%26#8217;m very internally motivated. I want to know I%26#8217;ve accomplished things for Houston. While I appreciate acknowledgment from the outside, I want to know I did what I needed to.

Prêt-à-Por-Tea

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:09:06 GMT

Blue Moon
Ralph Lauren beaded Nadia dress $6,000, at the Ralph Lauren boutique. Bracelets Rachel Leigh, Miriam Salat and Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz. Earrings Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz. Teapot, at left, by Mottahedah at Bering%26#8217;s, Events.

Jewelry availability: Ben-Amun by Isaac Manevitz at ben-amun.com; Kara by Kara Ross at kararossny.com, saks.com; Lee Angel at Neiman Marcus; Vera Wang at Neiman Marcus. Miriam Salat at miriamsalat.com; Noir at noirjewelry.com; Rachel Leigh at %26#192; Bient%26#244;t.

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Click Slideshow for more.

Prêt-à-Por-Tea

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:08:16 GMT

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Curiouser and Curiouser

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:16:47 GMT

Curiouser and Curiouser

Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:25:06 GMT

That sly Lewis Carroll. His classic tales, "Alice%26#8217;s Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There," have been reinvented by master movie director Tim Burton, who will take filmgoers next March on a dark, gothic adventure where queens are good and bad, both red and white, and bellow on a whim, %26#8220;Off with their heads!%26#8221; It%26#8217;s a cinematic take only Burton could create, with a simply mad Mad Hatter and all manner of potions that tempt Alice to indulge in a sweet bite, then a wee drop and grow then shrink monstrously in size.

Won%26#8217;t you follow us down the rabbit hole, too? Just launch the slide show to get started.