Uliana Tikhova, a tall, thin Russian model with auburn hair who has worked for Nina Ricci and Jason Wu, skipped the Paris Fashion Week this year so that she could take her exams. She plans to be a surgeon. A surgeon. You go girl.

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Women’s Wear Daily reports that the New York City Police have shut down the “counterfeit triangle” down around Canal Street in New York City. I guess I’m glad I’m not there to witness this. I know it is a big problem for designers but I feel sad about this.

For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, Canal Street is one of the southern most cross streets in New York City. From the west, it is where you end up coming off of the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey. It marks the bottom of Soho in the center of the island, and then to the East it cuts through Chinatown, and then becomes the Manhattan Bridge, leading one over to Brooklyn, around near Fort Greene where I used to live. *Sigh*

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Right around the transition from Soho to Chinatown, there were tons and tons of little shops and tables and stands selling knock offs of bags, watches, and whatever else they could get knock offs of. Seriously, it was crazy - it was obviously knock offs - no one was fooling anybody. But honestly, if you aren’t a person who is a slave to brands, does it really matter that much? Well some would say yes it does, in the same way that it matters if you “acquire” music without buying it.

Well, today, the NYPD, lead by the City’s Commander-in-Chief, Michael Bloomberg, took decisive action, running a raid that seized more that $1M dollars worth of goods. Considering items generally cost between $5 and $40, that is a lotta goods.

I always liked the rough insanity of Canal Street. There were tons of people there, and a lot of stuff going on. It seemed like the knock offs were mostly sold to tourists, and maybe young stylish folks without the cash to actually buy a Gucci bag. Will that young person be able to now afford a real Gucci Bag, now that the knock offs are knocked off? I highly doubt it. Was it the knock offs that were driving up the prices? Not likely. No one who can actually afford designer stuff is going to buy the knock offs. It just isn’t really that believable a copy. I can’t tell you how many times I sat on the subway looking at people and being like, “that’s fake, that’s fake, that’s fake, that’s fake.” Seriously. No one is fooled. But I kind of feel, if you want to front like that, well, that’s your right as an American. Fake it ’til you make it, right?

Further south of Canal Street, you can take the Ferry to Ellis Island, and in the Ellis Island museum you can look at a display of political cartoons from the early 1900’s when Immigration was on everyone’s mind. There is a cartoon of the Fat Cats, Fathers of Industry, stopping the young immigrant from getting off the boat. And then for each fat cat, it shows his gnarly former self. Do you get it?

Puma is realeasing a “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”pack - shoes, watch, and bag. Awesome. That show was hysterical. How wonderfully daring of you, Puma Brand Sneakers.

First, the goods:

Now, the video - The intro does a good job of capturing the mood of the show. Here is the extended intro, which I’d never seen before, though it seems like there is only one extra scene:

Pretty good homage to this great television show from the 90’s. For more info, check out: EuKicks.

I was about to write about how everyone who reads Looking Fly regularly should know that I love Crossroads. But I checked - I havn’t written a post about it yet! OMG.

But what better time than now, when they are sponsoring an important charity event - a Prom Dress Donation. The idea is that if you have a Prom Dress in good or better yet great condition from the last 6 years, you can bring it to Crossroads and they will in turn get your dress (or accessories) to the Princess Project. The Princess Project takes these dresses and gives them to young women who are part of families that cannot afford the expense of a Prom Dress. Crossroads insists that the dresses be in new or nearly new condition - after all, who wants a ratty old torn prom dress?!?!?!?

Crossroads is a used and new clothing store in the San Francisco Bay area - I think there are about 7 of them sprinkled here and there. They have THE BEST used clothes around, because they only take clothes that are currently in season and in style. They also carry various new items - for example, I got My WESC hat there. The new items they have hold to the same “very cool” standard that their used stuff is held to. I might even say that it is my favorite store in San Francisco, simply because it is my way of finding really stylish clothing that is actually affordable. I got my Lucky’s there for $30!

And then the Princess Project is a great idea because it is both discrete and discreet, local, and quickly effective. Here are the reactions of some of the participants, if you want to know what they think of it.

In short: Go to Crossroads. Donate your Prom Dresses. Be Fabulous.

For those of you who were confused, here is a handy article on how to tuck your jeans into your boots.

Everybody is doing this these days so you better get practicing. Our friends at La Fashionistas have some advice too.

Basically, don’t do it with any kind of jeans except skinny jeans beacuse otherwise you will look like a hot air baloon.

The purple from the 80’s is one of the shining stars of that decade. Rising highly above other trends such as two-way bangs, crack, and cuffing your jeans, that lovely shade of purple, so bright and hopeful, but at the same time so edgy and bold, is happily welcomed back. When I was in high school, during the 90’s, the hot color was boring forest green. I truely feel that I lost out.

The website 80’s Purple (http://80spurple.com) is a clothing site where you can find very cool brands such as freshjive, freepeople, and paper, denim and cloth. Their brands, in fact, can be seen on a graphic on their front page. Seriously, though, the best thing about their site is their design. I can’t even explain it but just go there right now and mouse around. It is so cool.

Interestingly, I just noticed a link for eyewear. Men’s clothes, women’s clothes, and eyewear. I love it. And in fact, my sunglasses just broke. Sweet!

Ladies - is your full closet plus your empty wallet bringing you down? Get rid of the old, bring in the new with the 142nd Diva Eve Clothing Swap.

The event is $20 if you pre-register, and for that amount, you can exchange your old but yet still cool and clean clothes for someone else’s. You also get yummy snacks and spa treatments, and a night of mingling with other fashioable but frugel women. All clothes not taken go to La Casa De Las Madres, an anti-domestic violence group in San Francisco.

Guys, you can go for the first bit - the cocktail/spa portion from 7pm on - but the clothing swap is women only, in a separate room.

So, in addition to getting a sack of new-to-you clothes and a belly full of delicious treats, you get a tax write off and the feeling of doing good for your community. Fashion Conscious Ladies, what else do you need?

I think I am going to go - though honestly, I am kind of embarassed by the clothes I have right now, even for a swap. But maybe I’m just looking at them with weary eyes.

Moosejaw is an outdoor apparel website - a really good one - you can always find good deals and their site is quite well designed. It is the little details that matter - easy to sort items, cute extra content that gives the site a personal feel - like your buddy is running it.  They also have a little outlet site called The Lowdown. Everything there is on sale, and a lot of it is very cool. Besides checking out their sales all at once, you can sign up for a daily email so that each day you can see an item which has been marked down at least 60%. Today’s item was a pretty cool pair of men’s pants:

Analog Men’s Boundary Pant (Fall 2007)

I found an article on the Associated Press that I wanted to share with you all, on the subject of changing the average size of clothing for women.

Quoting from this article,

The project is Spain’s latest effort to fight the perception that thin equals beautiful — a belief widely blamed for encouraging eating disorders.

Spain, a long time fashion leader, is seeking to make clothes for Real Women. Supported by the Fashion Ministry of Spain, the movement is intended to promote healthy body images for women, by targeting one of the strongest roots of the problem. Clothing chains have agreed to participate in the size standardizing, stores have agreed to stop using mannequins below size 8 US (size 38 EU), and the government sponsored a high tech study on over 10,000 women. The study used lasers tocreate 3D maps the participants’ bodies. This allows a designer to get an idea of the real tendencies of women’s bodies.

I congratulate Spain for taking the lead on this issue. From ultra thin models who clearly are experiencing eating difficulties to women like me who have NO difficulty eating, but difficulty finding clothes to fit, this is a move that will help to make clothes and people FIT! I feel like I am somewhat of an average sized woman but trying on some of these clothes, you’d think I was the sister of Andre the Giant.

I look forward to seeing clothes from Spain that will ahve 3 measurements - bust, waist, hips, and for those measurements to extend as far as the measurements I have.

I was looking for a jacket to buy for my boyfriend today. I found these two at FCUK (French Connection UK) that I like. Either is most likely too expensive for my broke a**, but I like them anyway. I can’t decide which one I like better, but I am leaning toward the sprintz.

1. The Parker: (today’s price: $248):

2. The Sprintz - my current favorite (today’s price: $189)

Which do you like?