Losing Weight & Feeling Great!

Hi Jennifer & friends! It's Sunday morning and I just weighed myself and I've lost 4.8 pounds since I started walking/running with my friends and I love it. Yahoo!

My daily log is looking fantastic and I can tell in my attitude and it's only been a few weeks. The weather has really helped as it's been beautiful and perfect for not making excuses to get off the couch.

I've been following a list of positive things to help jump start my health and I found it online at a Women's Health website. Here's what they suggested;

Food (I really changed my diet and actually joined weight watchers online and I count points.)
Antioxidants (5 servings a day)
In brightly colored foods like blueberries, sweet potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes and acai
Green and white tea (4 cups a day)
Red wine or Concord grape juice (1 glass a day)
Fiber (25 grams a day)
In fruits, vegetables, beans, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, "100 percent" whole grain bread and chia
Omega 3 fatty acids
In roasted or ground flax seeds, walnuts, hemp, salmon and spirolina algae
Olive oil (1 to 2 tablespoons a day)
Do not heat this delicate oil to smoking point or it will be damaged and lose its benefits

Exercise (I've been walk running almost everyday for three weeks!)
Get your heart rate up (3 times a week)
Find your target exercising heart rate: 220 - [your age] X .80
Do strength training (30 minutes a week)

Meditation (I never knew how to do this and I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I try)
Yoga, prayer or meditation (5 minutes a day)
Releases nitric oxide, which relaxes blood vessels

Sleep and Sex (I've been feeling so good lately that I'm having more fun in the bedroom :))
Sleep (7 to 8 hours a night)
Sex (2 to 3 times a week)

Vitamins (I've always took vitamins so this was not a change for me and it's easy to take them.)
Vitamin D (1,000 units a day)
Calcium (600 mg twice a day) with Magnesium (200 mg twice a day)
DHA Omega-3 (600 mg a day)
Baby aspirin (2 a day, for a total of 162 milligrams)
Multivitamin (Take half in the morning, half in the evening)
Pre-menopausal women need a multivitamin with iron and 5,000 units of vitamin A. Postmenopausal women need just 2,500 units of vitamin A.

Sarah
Dallas, TX

Going green is making me red!

Hey everyone! I've been doing some home work on this whole "going green" thing and I have to say that I'm more than a little upset. You know what I mean by going green! 'Green' was the buzz word of 2009 where everyone was supposed to be thinking about ways to save the planet and reduce our carbon footprint.

Hey listen friends, I'm all for it however there's just one problem; I can't afford to go green! Going green is expensive and very inconvenient. I don't think this green thing is working so well for average Americans.

Green hasn't worked in the fashion industry once everyone found out that all the materials are made in foreign countries that are anything but green. It hasn't worked in real estate either! All the vacant houses my boyfriend and I are looking at sit empty because they're "greener" and 30% higher than ones that are only a lighter shade of green, so to speak. If you're trying to buy a house and you're thinking of going green where you want a house that has all the 'green' stuff you want, you can't afford it.

Going green for the average girl is really all about recycling more and driving a car that gets cery good gas mileage or a hybrid. Well I do that all day long and it's my small little contribution. I want to do more but it's out of my price range.

So, I'm pissed off about the whole "go green" stuff and I want a new pair of these grey skinny jeans to calm me down. Really cute! I figure being skinny is going green in a not-eating-a lot-of-food kind of way, isn't it?

Lynn
Los Angels, CA

Gaga on Q

Hi Jennifer & friends! Q Magazine is big in the UK and on the cover is topless Lady Gaga! I really like Lady Gaga and this has shocked a lot of stuffy Brits and some locations where the magazine is sold refused show the cover unless it was wrapped in plastic.

Wrapped in plastic? For this picture? But wait! There's more!

Apparently Lady Gaga is wearing a little something "extra" in her pants during this photoshoot and, she's strapped it on for this picture. She did this to support the year long rumor that Lady Gaga is a man or at least a hermaphrodite. WHAT?

I've never heard this rumor before but apparently it's spreading like wildfire across the web. I'm on the Internet everyday and I never heard it before. What gives! Lady Gaga admits that she carries herself in a masculine way on stage and sings in a low register so she decided to take the photoshoot to the next level and kind of parody herself and create some publicity for herself. I like Lady Gaga's music and I don't think she needs to create publicity but then again, what do I know.

I'm curious to see how this "rumor" plays out.

Clare
London, England

Bra fitting that works!

Hi Jennifer & Friends! Here's a problem that I think every woman has: bra's that don't fit! Argh!

I cannot stand any of the bra's I have in my drawer! Seriously friends, I want to throw all of them in the trash. Everyday I get dressed these skimpy little things put me in a sour mood and cause me to dislike the outfit I picked out.

So I decided to do something about it. I did some research on how to fit myself to a bra and this is what I found out and I thought I would pass it along to all my friends on the blog.

First, put on a comfortable bra--(if you have any) one that doesn't minimize or boost your boobs. Then grab a measuring tape that can wrap easily around your body. Can’t find one? Use a piece of string and then measure it.

Band size:
Measure under your armpits, high on your back, and across the top of your chest, above your breasts.

How many inches do you get? If this measurement is an even number, that will be your band size. If it's an odd number, add 1 inch and that will be your band size. So if you measure 34 inches around, your band size will be 34. And if you measure 35 inches around, your band size will be 36.

Cup size
Measure loosely around the biggest part of your chest, keeping the measuring tape level and even all the way around.

Got that number? Now subtract your band measurement from your cup measurement. Each inch represents a cup size. For example, if your band measurement is 34 inches and your cup measurement is 35 inches, the difference is one inch, and your cup size is A. If your band measurement is 34 inches and your bust measurement is 37 inches, the difference is three inches, and your cup size is C.

Difference (band minus cup measurement) / Cup size
Less than 1” / AA
1” / A
2” / B
3” / C
4” / D
5” / DD

Just so you know, I did this and bought a bra at a department store and I love it. IT WORKED!

Sarah
Dallas, TX

London Fashion Week!

Hi Jennifer & Writers to the new Friends Magazine! I love it!

As an American who lives and works in London for the past six years I've been a fashion fan for as long as I can remember and this weeks is London's Fashion Week! I'm so excited and have been following the shows on video as much as I can and still go to work. Work always seems to get in the way.

The fashion district in London is in chaos and filled with excitement. Parties, celebrities and dignitaries are all over the night clubs and restaurants so I scheduled a few social events around this upcoming weekend with my "gallery friends" which should be great fun just being in the area.

From the the shows I've seen on video, Burberry is looking fantastic and they took a military look and made it incredible! This was the second season that Burberry — which live streamed the show in 3-D at private events worldwide — showed in London, and the front row was stacked with the likes of Kate Hudson; Claire Danes; Mary-Kate Olsen; Mia Wasikowska, the star of “Alice in Wonderland”; Nina Porter, the face of an upcoming Burberry beauty campaign, and Carolina Herrera, who’s in town to open her first CH store on Mount Street in London. Wow! Even the thigh high boots the models wore gave me the idea that I should get me a pair of those. Stunning! I've always been a fan of Burberry but not in a high fashion kind of way but this collection turned my head around and made me desperately want everything I saw.

I really thought Burberry stole the show for the day and nothing has come close to them so far and I was amazed every time a new look came out. I loved everything I saw and that never happens. I wish I had been there.

Clare
London, England

P.S.

I'm so impressed with you guys opening up your studio to other stores. What a great idea!

Alexander McQueen: The Show Will Go On

In the wake of designer Lee Alexander McQueen's tragic death, Gucci Group announced last week that they will continue on with the late designer's label. At a conference on February 17, Gucci Group CEO Robert Polet said, "We believe in the future of the brand... Lee was very proud of the people working for his company, and so am I." The eclectic British designer, if you haven't yet heard (and have been living under a rock), committed suicide two weeks ago.

McQueen graduated from the prestigious design school Central St. Martins in London and went on to design at Givenchy before founding his own labels, Alexander McQueen and McQ. He was one of the youngest designers ever to earn the title "British Designer of the Year," which he won four times, as well as "International Designer of the Year" from the CFDA. The designer thrived on the unconventional, avant-garde and theatrical: staging human chess games and projecting giant holograms of Kate Moss at runway shows and designing the infamous Alien shoes and "bumster" pants. His willingness to push boundaries earned him a reputation that transcended fashion design and established him as a true artist.

The fashion world has been up in arms about the designer and his label since hearing of his death, wondering whether the brand would live to carry on his legacy or be retired in his honor. The Alexander McQueen label has only been around for ten years and with a designer so unique, who could possibly replace him?

Scott Schumann, of the Sartorialist, said: "I was talking to a retailer yesterday who said that her McQueen business was growing faster than ever before. However, she sees no other option than to close the business of McQueen... I mean, who could possibly keep the spirit of McQueen alive? He was so unique that his replacement could never get out of that shadow."

[Right: A tribute to McQueen graces a window at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC last week.]

Others see it differently, however. Some experts say McQueen's label can probably continue, noting Christian Dior died just ten years after founding his own label. The AFP reports: "A professor of fashion, who asked not to be named, said a label needed 'a stylistic legacy, like the Chanel suit and pearls, sufficiently distinctive for it to be recognizable' in order for it to survive. He felt McQueen's 'gothic, baroque, black emotional heritage' was sufficiently intense to justify a successor continuing the label."

But who could the successor be? It remains to be seen. In the meantime, the Fall 2010 collection will still show at Paris Fashion Week, since it was essentially finished before McQueen's suicide. A tribute was also done in his memory at London Fashion Week.

Models.com rounds up some of McQueen's greatest moments here.

Mandy

Creative Director

Springs 10 hottest trends

1. CHAMBRAY- Denim takes on a feminine feel for spring with lightweight chambray on flirty dresses, as well as sexy tops and tailored blazers.

2.CHUNKY BRACELETS- Pile up bangles and tough cuffs to go with glam dresses or jeans and T-shirts.

3.DIGITAL PRINTS- Forget the florals! Prints get tech savvy this spring with bright computer graphic-inspired patterns.

4.BLEACHED-OUT DENIM- This spring it's all about the super light tie dye denim. The bleached-out look works on blue jeans, or even gray jeans.

5.MINISKIRTS- Kiss the cold good-bye in a super-short, flouncy miniskirt. Try a flirty lace option, or go bold in bright colors, just make sure it's thigh grazing and full!

6.CROPPED TOPS- Dare to bare your midriff, in a cropped top. Or use it as a layering piece if you aren't ready to expose your abs.

7.DRAWSTRING BUCKET BAGS- What would spring be without a hot new bag? This season, it's all about the roomy, 80s-inspired drawstring bucket bag.

8.NEUTRALS- Make a subtle statement this spring with soft neutrals. From girly, pearly pinks to second skin nudes, clothing and accessories tone down in color.

9.MODERN CLOGS- Inspired by high fashion versions at Chanel, the wood bottom style makes for the perfect accessory to drapey dresses and denim.

10.CLEAR JEWELS- Statement necklaces get a spring update with lightweight Lucite jewels. Try a chunky chain necklace mixed with clear teardrop gems.

Jessica Stylist/Model

Clogs are back, like it or not

Looks like clogs are the new thing for this Spring, and we can all thanks Karl Lagerfeld for introducing them again in his Spring Chanel show in Paris last September. All the models on the runway were wearing clogs paired with mini skirts and pattern tights. The 4 inch platform clogs with the slip-on shoe with a high, stacked up wood heel flatters the leg.

Will you follow this trend?

Kalyn

New York

J. LaMore Opens "Retail Photo Graphics"

MADISON, WI-- J. LaMore, LLC Opens "Retail Photo Graphics" (RPG) And Sees Strong Momentum In 2010.

J. LaMore, LLC has officially added another element to its business profile by opening up their photography and graphic design studio they started four years ago to support their website. The idea is to help small businesses who need professional photography, graphic design, copywriting, and strategic marketing.

The decision to open RPG was an easy one that was underscored by the success of the website and in particular the "lookbook" and "homepage" as well as their online Fashion Magazine all of which receive thousands of page views daily. Jlamore.com was also voted a top 100 retail website by TheFind.com in 2009 and the store has received numerous "Best of Madison" awards in the past eleven years.

RPG will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of J. LaMore, LLC and will focus on small locally owned businesses as well as store owners and websites nationwide who need professional marketing services at affordable prices. "We truly want to help businesses compete in these challenging times and we want to keep these services affordable so that even a one person operation can stay in the game and market themselves like a much larger company. We have the skills, the equipment, and the desire to make that happen." Says James McCarthy, Co-Owner of J. LaMore, LLC.

Prices will range from $80/month for basic services to $190/month for deluxe target marketing solutions for websites and single store operations. However, RPG can support larger projects and can photograph entire product lines for websites and stores with multiple locations. J. LaMore began to research the idea for RPG in the summer of 2009 and realized very quickly the strong demand for this service as they continued to add computer and camera equipment and software and technology essentials for a projected 'open for business' date of April 1, 2010.

RPG has completed numerous testing campaigns both locally and nationally and is already in production mode with numerous clients locally and nationwide. A website is still under construction and is several weeks away from launch.

J. LaMore has been open since 1999 and launched jlamore.com in 2006 complete with a blog, and a click-to-buy lookbook. New additions this year for the blog now listed as a magazine will be a streaming video service. For more information contact J. LaMore, LLC at 608-238-2119 or email info@jlamore.com.

How Old Do You Look?

Clean, tone, exfoliate, moisturize, erase wrinkles. This is my daily mantra, but is it really working? At 41, I feel I look pretty good. I don't have a lot of wrinkles, my skin still seems pretty firm, but how does one really know the shape of their skin?

External factors we have control over like, sun exposure, products we use, smoking and drinking all play a role in the appearance of our skin. In addition to things we can control, there's the ones we can't! Genetics. How does your mom look? Unless your habits are significantly different than hers, you can pretty much count on aging at a similar rate.

Healthy eating and choosing foods that are high in antioxidants are significant ways to boost or I should say decrease the age of your skin! Antioxidants are those chemicals in foods that give tomatoes their bright red sheen, broccoli that lush green color, and eggplant its deep purple skin. More important, they're the compounds that keep lines from creeping onto your face and cholesterol from clogging your arteries. And they take the prize when it comes to stiff-arming the aging process. These nutritional superheroes neutralize cell-damaging free radicals, which have been linked to everything from wrinkles and age spots to cancer and heart disease.

Drink one glass of red vino (preferably with a meal, so your body absorbs it more slowly) four to five days a week. Red wine—especially pinot noir—is full of flavonoids, another class of powerful antioxidants that come from the skin of red grapes. Another perfect beverage for adding antioxidants to your daily routine is green tea.

Packed with potent antioxidants called catechins, green tea may be the single best age-defying substance you can put in your mug. Sipping just one cup a day will decrease your chances of developing high blood pressure by 46 percent; drink more and you'll reduce your risk by 65 percent.

In addition to eating well and drinking red wine, I use the Obagi skin care line. It has worked extremely well for me over the years. I cleanse, tone, exfoliate, moisturize, and every other day or so use an anti-wrinkle cream called Retin-A.

According to Women's Health Magazine's "How Old Do You Look" questionnaire, the age of my skin is 31! It seems I'm doing something right! Must be the red wine.

Jennifer

Upsidedown photographer. . . . !

Hi friends, bloggers & readers. As one of the creative thinkers at J. LaMore and jlamore.com, we collaborate everyday on new ways to push the envelope in our store, as well as our website, marketing, magazine articles, fashion, design, and, well . . , just about everything.

As a photographer, I always look for new concepts and ideas and when I saw this series of photo's from photographer Brandon Voges I had to stand up and give a bravo!

Voges did an entire series of portraits while his subjects were suspended upside down. It's a simple idea but I don't think I ever heard of anyone ever doing this before.

The portraits are eerie and kind of weird but a very cool idea in lighting and concept. When the blood flows in the opposite direction the human face can take on a bizarre look and Voges took numerous photo's of the process. As you can imagine, in the beginning there probably wasn't much change to the face but towards the end, I'll bet it was painful for the subject but that's when the imagery gets be amazing. I don't know how long each subject was hanging upside down but it would be interesting to know.

The picture shown here won an International Photography Award for originality and creativity and his show of upside down faces was hanging in a gallery in St. Louis.

Cool stuff!

Jim
jlamore.com

The mixed USB . . . !

Hi friends, bloggers & readers! I know all of you MUST remember the days when you would spend hours making a mixed cassette tape for that someone special and that it somehow meant something important. Well now you can 'almost' recreate those wonderful days of yester-year and make a USB of music and give it to that someone special.

This is a really cool idea from suck.uk and a modern twist on the classic mixtape. Each “tape” comes with a USB stick that stores up to 2 hour of high quality digital music - the same amount as you get on a C120 cassette tape. That's 120 minutes of music! You then write your own title, messages and play list all over the retro gift pack just like you did in the old days.

Jim
J. LaMore

Miracle on Ice, 29 years later!!!

I was flipping through the channels yesterday, and I fell upon an interview with three of the hockey players who were on the 1980 Olympic team that beat the "unbeatable" Russians. This brought back such memories to me.

I was eleven years old, and my father and I prepared for the game by buying plenty of Baskin Robbins ice cream. My two sisters could care less, so many of my weekends were spent watching sports, sports, and more sports with my dad.

I remember the moment the US scored the winning goal, and my father and I started screaming "GOAAAALLLL"!!!!!!! My mother thought we were crazy!!

I got this feeling of nostalgia as I watched this special moment in Olympic history as well as a special moment that I shared with my father, who wanted a son desperately. He got three girly girls. Not one tomboy!! Poor Dad.

The special moments are not over as we still talk about sports every weekend and get excited to watch our favorite teams; the feeling came back when we talked about the US beating Canada yesterday!! What a great game!!

The one thing that really touched my heart watching the interview and replay of parts of this game was what one of the players said. Some people might say that it's just a sport and that it doesn't mean anything, but it's nice to remember something wonderful instead of something horrific like 9/11 or the Columbine shootings. I agree! It's nice to share a dream come true with one's own country. GO USA!!!!!!

Lila

Back from the Big Apple

Last weekend, my parents and I took a trip to NYC. The trip was mostly to do research on art schools (I plan on attending in the fall), but we did get to do some sightseeing as well. Fashion Week had just started, so of course I coerced my parents into trekking over to Bryant Park to see the famous Tents.

It was quite exciting to see where all the action takes place. Though Bryant Park annually holds this world-renowned event, the park itself is not that big. So much fashion in one tiny place! I stood in front of the tents for about 20 minutes with my camera waiting to see if anyone interesting would come in or out, but alas, they did not. However, I'm still glad I got to see it since it is the last year Fashion Week will be held at Bryant Park before moving to Lincoln Center.

What else did I do while there, you ask? Visited Parsons The New School for Design and toured the campus, though they did not let us go in the fashion design building because they were in the process of taping the Project Runway finale! ... Went to see Billy Elliot on Broadway... and ate at the cutest place for brunch in Tribeca, Bubby's (so good!).

I can't wait to go back for good!

Mandy

Creative Director

Boeuf Bourguignon. . . !

It's Julia Child's "Boeuf Bourguignon" day for the LaMore/McCarthy family.

This is the first of a 'cooking get together' that a small group of food crazed wine drinkers who cook and at the appropriate time talk with the same voice inflections as Julia Childs. "Bonnn ape-teet" The cooks laugh alot will go through the Julia Childs cookbook as well as drink and eat the finished product. I have to say that it smells fantastic.

The picture on the left shows Barb McCarthy and Jennifer drinking wine and pretending to stir the "Boeuf". The picture on the right is the actual 'Boeuf' and it's made exactly from the recipe in the book.

Story continues: It's time for a glass of wine.

Jim

Cozy layers & cool looks . . !

Hi Jennifer, friends & all the new bloggers! I love all the activity!

I've been following the images and videos of NY Fashion Week and this year it seems that all you saw were the big name designers and old stand-bys company's who have managed to weave their way through the down economy. Apparently the cost of showing your goods this year didn't go down and the cost of wearing designer names didn't go down either either. I have to say that I'm a little confused.

Some of the fashions I did like were the old comfy cozy styles that look fantastic and have some functionality. They may be expensive, but at least you can wear these looks year in and year out. This look by Wiliam Rast I thought was beautiful. The scarf combined with what looks like a military style jacket, was stunning.

On a more local note the Lauren Moshi top with the Black Orchid jeans shown on the upper right is an amazing look. I love how you styled this casual but chic top with a grey skinny jean. Cute!

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

I don't need the money, . . !

I'm ashamed of myself! No really, I am! I have reached a new low and have written an article on Lindsay Lllllloooo. . . Lo. . . . Lohan. There, I could barely get it out but I said it. Whew! That was a lot of work. Why this woman is a tabloid favorite is beyond me. She's a completely talentless nobody but this little story is too much fun not to write about.

A 77 year old billionaire from Austria, Richard Lugner, was going to pay "Lilo" $150,000 for one night to escort him to the famous Vienna Opera Ball where all she had to do was walk in with him and sit through the show in a private box and sign some autographs. She would have been flown first class to and from Vienna with all expenses paid, including the ball gown, a penthouse hotel stay for two days, and limo service. Wow! Would this be classified as a 'manual labor' job?

Lugner has been doing this for since 1991 with all kinds of notable 'celebs' but it was Lugner's 16 year old daughter who suggested he choose Lohan for this years rent-a-date. So he did. Not so fast old horny one! You may be a shrewd shopping mall tycoon in Europe but now you're dealing with a real Hollywood C-list celeb here, with like, tons of Gucci baggage.

Alas! Lilo couldn't make the event because she missed the flight from LA to London. Rumor has it, and I use the word 'rumor' with as much reckless abandon as Tiger Woods walking into a sorority house, that Lilo was on a shopping spree that couldn't be interrupted. LOL! That is too damn funny! Her parents have to be proud.

Lilo also provided a list of demands for Lugner which included no alcohol anywhere she was and that he must change the date of the event, even though the date has been the same since 1936. C'mon Viagra man, it's Lindsay Lohan for God sake.

The date wasn't changed and lilo missed the event and turned down $150,000. What's a girl gotta do to make a buck these days. Damn! Times are tough!

Please don't hate me for writing about Lindsay Lohan. I promise I'll never do it again.

Jim
jlamore.com

The Animal does it again

I'm sure by now most of you know of Shaun White's epic victory at the Olympic Men's Halfpipe on Wednesday night, but I just wanted to take a minute to post about his awesomeness. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a huge, highschool-girl crush on him (I can't really explain or justify this) and have been following him since his pre-olympian days.

Shaun, who prefers the nickname "Animal" (for his likeness to the Muppet character) over "The Flying Tomato," continues to push the sport forward in unbelievable ways. Scoring a 46.3 on his first run, he sealed the gold medal, but decided to do the victory lap anyway to perform his hyped new move, the Double McTwist 1260 (English translation: 3 1/2 rotations in the air), which he killed. See the sickness below:

Shaun had been working on this trick all year in a private halfpipe built in the Rockies that sponsor Red Bull provided for him.

This great victory for US snowboarding comes after a hard year in which 3 of the sport's top athletes were seriously injured and unable to compete in this year's Olympic games. Danny Davis, Mason Aguirre and Kevin Pearce, also all members of the Burton team with White, were injured. Kevin Pearce, in particular, is a sad case because he suffered a head injury which will likely leave him unable to snowboard again. Pearce was an up-and-comer who was projected to be White's biggest competition this Olympics.

Mandy
Creative Director
J. LaMore

Brogue Shoes are everywhere!

Ladies have been wearing brogues for decades... The 30's had Marlene Dietrich, the 40's Katherine Hepburn, the 80's Annie Lennox. 2010, Every hot young celeb is wearing the brogue shoe these days. When I first came across this men's fashion inspired footwear I automatically said that I would never follow in Sienna's footsteps...I think that I have finally changed my mind. Now that I have come across magazines filled with looks involving the brogue shoe I've come to the conclusion that it's easier to walk a mile in a man's shoes than it is in a pair of Choo's.

Would you wear this look? Let me know your thoughts...

Jessica
Stylist/Model

The new face of comedy. . . !

Ok friends and bloggers, I think we've beat the Coco Rocha non story to death so lets move on to a more important topic: Chelsea Handler. Now she is my kind of humor: self deprecating, completely obnoxious, rude, crude, bitchy, and totally sassy!

She will spare no one with her criticism, including herself, and I love that. She spouts about drinking vodka, completely forgets her lines and laughs about it and will give you the "I can't believe what I just heard look" that made Johnny Carson famous, especially when she's picking on her Mexican little person sidekick, Chuey. Handler is now my favorite late night talk show comedian, by a long shot.

Here are some funny interview moments:

Katie Price: “I use the name Katie Price and Jordan – don’t ask me why.”

Chelsea Handler: “Honey, I’m not going to ask you 'why' anything. It’s your business what you want to do. You can go live with your horses and your kids and get Botox – I don’t give a shit.”

Handler is a no-holds-barred comedian and you had better be sharp and on your game if you plan on taking her on. She is quick witted and sharp as a tack. David Letterman, Jay Leno and Jon Stewart bore me to death. Chelsea will pick on celebrities in a similar way that Kathy Griffin does and take the ever boring politics out of the equation.

Here's an exchange with celebrity blogger Perez Hilton:

Perez Hilton: “In my book I mention how you’re fucking the Head of ‘E!’.”

Chelsea Handler: “First of all, we call it ‘porking’ and ‘love-making’. Second of all, that’s not a secret. But wait, what does it say about the fact that I am having sex with the Head of ‘E!’, by the way, we haven’t been having a lot of sex lately.”

Perez Hilton: “Well one of my motto's is that you’ve got to give head to get ahead.”

Chelsea Handler: “Well that’s just stupid. That’s not how you get a job. If you had a TV show, you’d know.”

Like I said, my kind of funny!

Jim
jlamore.com

The Johnny Depp debate. . . !

Hi Jennifer, Friends & Bloggers: I love the new magazine format and believe that the J. LaMore folks have taken the right step forward in doing this. It's so much better.

I hate to step away from the Coco Rocha debate that has everyone all rilled up because I loved the debate and the articles everyone has written. Very interesting!

But a couple of my "younger" co-workers and I got into a discussion about the most stylish man alive and I of course said it was Johnny Depp, much to the dismay of my younger co-workers who said he was "cute he but he dresses weird." Weird? Ok he may be a little weird but he is soooo sexy and a little eccentric but he can pull it off! I also suggested David Beckham would be a close second and all they said was Victoria was sexier than he was. What? I can't even talk to these people. Victoria isn't part of the discussion. She's super cute but not part of the discussion! Beckham is completely hot! Both of them are! :)

The reason for the discussion was that GQ Magazine voted Johnny Depp the most stylish man alive and even if they hadn't I would still have thought so. I simple think that he just has what it takes to be cool, handsome and sexy and I understand that his style is definitely his own but it works very well for him. I normally don't like longer hair on guys but for some reason it works for him. The tattoo's, the sexy girlfriend, and the money give Depp a kind of glamorous rocker kind of look.

Some of the guys my co-workers said were hot was Robert Pattinson and anyone who guy who plays a vampire. I'm in my upper thirties and I don't get it.

Oh well, I scanned the pages of GQ and decided that I'll keep the magazine in my desk drawer all to myself.

Clare
London, England.

To shock or not to shock. . . !

Hello everyone at J. LaMore and thanks for letting me in to write a few words. I follow your blog on your Twitter and Facebook and you guys do a really good job!

I'm from New York and I have to join in on the controversy of fat models and I want to add a racy advertising element to the fray as well. I'm in advertising so this is a topic I know a little something about.

I'm in complete agreement with everyone in saying that Coco Rocha isn't fat and the fashion industry should just stop trying to push the envelope of skeleton thin models. But, I believe that even the designers who didn't use her don't actually believe she's fat either. That was probably a twist on the facts and the word "fat" is far more shocking and attention grabbing for a model than any other word in the dictionary. I wasn't there, of course, so I'm only speculating.

This past summer Calvin Klein tried to "shock" everyone, when he ran this racy billboard showing half naked young woman in what appears to be a threesome (or a foursome, I guess) trying to sell some jeans. I don't know who produced this ad but it got some attention but unfortunately it didn't shock anyone. Calvin Klein is a designer who seems to have reached his lowest point in sales and some say that this is a desperate act to draw some attention back to his brand. But, Calvin Klein has been running racy ads for a long time (remember Brooke Shields)and when this billboard hit Broadway, nobody cared. Ouch!

Why is it that this ad isn't shocking and a "not fat" model is? Is this the demographic of Calvin Klein? It must be because running a national ad campaign costs millions of dollars and Calvin Klein isn't stupid. However, the oldest game in town is using sex to sell just about anything and when that doesn't shock anyone anymore you need a new marketing director. Even when you throw a sexy element into your ad it still has to have a purpose.

In closing, Coco Rocha isn't fat and calling her "fat" isn't shocking. Calvin Klein tried to be shocking and didn't shock anyone.

Back to work.

Susan
New York, NY

A Weighty Issue

The fashion industry's standards on weight have always been perceived as harsh and unfair to mainstream society. The typically skeletal standards are positively alarming to the everyday woman with regular boobs and hips. What is not usually touched on, however, is how these standards effect the models themselves.

Curves were once embraced by the fashion industry, allowing a generation of models to become "supers" because of their womanly beauty and staying power. Christy Turlington, Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford and Linda Evangelista are who they are today because they were allowed to grow into women in the fashion industry, read: grow boobs and a butt.

Today, standards have changed. Models rarely make it past the age of 25 in the industry now because the appearance of womanly curves earns girls a one way ticket on the "fat" train to Nowheresville. Coco Rocha is just another recent example of this. Many former fashion-darlings before her have been pushed out of the industry because of these impossible standards.

Gemma Ward, an Australian model whom you may recognize by face before name, recently befell a similar, possibly worse, fate than Coco. Gemma, known for her "alien doll" face, was the youngest model to ever appear on the cover of Vogue at 16. She was also listed by Forbes as the 11th highest-paid model in 2008. Yet, she quit modeling in November this year. Why? Because some pictures surfaced of Gemma sporting a fuller figure than the industry remembered her for and they lashed out on blogs. Gemma had also been dealing with grief over the death of Heath Ledger, whom she was reportedly dating at the time of his death.

Dutch model Lara Stone has also struggled with weight, being known as a token "curvier" model in the industry, usually only booking gigs when they called for curves. Lara was featured in a Vogue article recently discussing the troubles she has had being called "fat" by stylists who are used to fitting size 00's when going to castings. Lara has been lucky of late. Something about her has caught the industry's eye and she has been popping up more and more. However, the recent victory does not seem to have come without a lot of struggle.

Coco Rocha has been everywhere the past 2 years. She was shot to modeling fame after opening the Jean Paul Gaultier couture show a few years ago doing an Irish jig (She grew up Irish dancing). She was even kept exclusively under wraps by Vogue, not allowed to shoot anything else, until an issue was released with her sporting new red locks a year ago... and now she's not being booked for any shows? It's ridiculous. [PS- I follow Coco on facebook and she seems to be a very intelligent, funny girl!]

Following in Coco's footsteps in American model Karlie Kloss, now just 17. If you are familiar with Vogue, you know that she has a rising star, frequently appearing in their editorials and ads. But are her days numbered? When she turns 18 and the butt appears, will she turn into a has-been like Gemma?

If these models, among the top in the industry today, cannot comply with the industry's skewed views, something must be wrong. There is a difference between becoming a woman and getting fat. Should the industry really end a girl's career just as it is beginning? Can we allow ourselves a new generation of "supers"? I'd like to see it.

Mandy

Creative Director

J. LaMore

Jessica Simpson to add watches to fashion empire

Jessica Simpson is adding watches to her fashion empire :) I'll have to admit that I have a pair of Jessica Simpson shoes and I really like them!

This is what Jess had to say about her upcoming watch collection...

"Creating and inspiring the collection is very near to my heart- my mom and I work on this collectively and its a passion for the both of us. It is a joy to be able to create a line that is affordable and fashionable. Collecting watches, both new and vintage, has been a hobby of mine for some time so adding watches to the collection was a natural extension."

The massive 35 piece collection for both women and men will range from $60 - $250 and expected to launch this Fall.

Kalyn

New York

Coco Rocha. . . Fabulous

Hi Friends & bloggers! I was very amused by the article on Coco Rocha being too fat to walk a runwayy so I did a little research of my own and I completely agree, she is gorgeous and hardly fat. Here's an interview she gave Joy Sewing yesterday for the Houston Chronical. I hope it's ok that I posted it for all the J. LaMore readers.

Rocha, 21, talked to us about her work and her plans for her own clothing line, Rococo.

“I want to be taken seriously for this fashion line,” she said by phone. “It's not just a licensing thing. If it flops, I'll continue work on it until it's a success.”

Q: What runway shows do you enjoy walking in?

A: Zac Posen, Rag & Bone, Gaultier. I like ones in which the designer lets me show my personality. You feel far better in the clothes when you're allowed to be yourself.

Q: What New York shows will you walk in?

A: I don't do many any more. Some designers don't want the bigger or the more expensive girls.

Q: You're actually considered big, seriously?

A: In this industry, you will always be either too big or too small. I realize it's not necessary to please everyone.

Q: At nearly 5 feet 10 inches tall, how much do you weigh?

A: 125.

Q: Do you feel pressured to lose weight?

A: When I started at 15, I worked in Singapore and lost 10 pounds. I went from 118 to 108. Then I was asked to lose more weight because the “anorexic look” was in. I started to panic about eating certain foods. Finally, I had to calm down and realize I just needed to be healthy.

Q: You're an advocate for promoting healthier body images in the industry. What does that mean?

A: I get a lot of e-mails from young girls saying they need to lose weight to look like us. So it's important I go to schools and talk with girls and get them to realize that what they see on the covers of the magazines isn't always what is seems.

Q: What would surprise people to know about New York Fashion Week?

A: People forget most of the models are young girls. They are babies who are being influenced by anyone and everything.

So if someone says to them, “You're not our look,” they take it so hard.

They want to know how they can change.

It's a lot of pressure on their tiny shoulders that they don't need.

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Your new model

Hi Jennifer and Jim. It's Lila. I LOVE your new model. I love her unconventional look and that hair!!! When was the last time you saw a model with naturally curly hair like that? Andie McDowell???? I love that she is thin but looks healthy. She looks great in the Black Orchid jeans. See you guys soon!! Love, Lila.

It's New York Fashion Week. . . ,

and guess what? There's a scandal! Not a Tiger Woods kind of sex scandal but a real bona-fide stop the presses scandal. Canadian super model Coco Rocha was declared "too fat" to work some of the runway shows. Oh no! Bless her heart!

She's a hulking size 4 and got rejected by some of the big name designers! LOL! OMG!

The picture above looks like a "WTF" shot doesn't it?

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water this happens. First you had the image altering scandal not too long ago and then the anorexic scandal which apparently never ends and now a size 4 is just to damn fat to walk a runway. Do you think the runway floor itself had to be reinforced underneath? Like with braces or something? Hey New York, you can send her our way. J. LaMore will photograph her ALL DAY LONG!

Ok, that was kind of snobby on my part but it was called for. Rocha is 5'10" and 115 pounds. I know the runway model size today is a "0" and a size 4 is huge by any New York comparison but I think if you saw some of the fashions I strongly doubt one single person could tell if the model was a 2, 4, or a 6. Fashion shows like these are kind of silly because hardly a single design you see on the runway makes it to a store or is available to buy. They're just putting on a talent show, so to speak. Granted the shows are fascinating and fun but not very realistic. I'm a fashion photographer so I can pick on our industry if I want.

I also smell a rat here with this scandal because it seems to me that the elite and snooty designers at the show are trying to steal some press and create a scandal where one doesn't exist. Coco Rocha is stunningly beautiful at age 21 and has been doing this for some time. She did become an outspoken person for industry reform as she often tells the story of making herself sick trying to lose the weight for a show but she looks amazing even at a size 4.

But lets be fair here, Rocha has walked several shows at New York Fashion Week and scheduled to walk a few more so I'm a little confused by her saying she can't get work. She's all over the place. I think it's a two headed rat I smell.

Jim
Jlamore.com

I need to be motivated. . . !

Hi Jennifer & Everyone! Getting motivated to workout has always been difficult for me and I see the new 'Mag' format of the friends blog is starting to talk about working out to get into shape for spring and summer. I live in Dallas, TX and I should be working out all year long. Unlike my northern friends, I don't have a weather excuse. Our winters are easy compared to the Midwest and the east coast. I've never lived in that kind of winter.

So why does this happen to me every year? Why is it that I cannot stay motivated to workout without stopping and starting over and over again.

Here's a clue to some of my problems. Researchers have said that 50% of women who start a workout program do so for all the wrong reasons. Someone like a husband, boyfriend, or mother-in-law may have said that you need to lose weight or a doctor told you to slim down. These are motivational killers. If you want to reach your goals you have to do it because you want to not because someone said you should. Another study showed that women who work out to "feel" good are far more successful than those who workout to "look" good. Hmmm! That study sounded just like me.

I haven't even put my tenny shoes on and I already feel like quiting. I gained 12 pounds over the past holidays and I hate it. I gain 12 pounds every holiday season and then kill myself to drop the weight and then I stop after I lose it. Oh c'mon! I love to exercise when I'm in shape but hate it when I'm not. What's that all about!

So, for everyone who's been in this situation here's what I've done in the past to drop the weight: I call my friends! I set up the schedule and some reachable goals to start walking with my friends and I'll try to make it fun for everyone. I read it here that Lynn from LA runs with her friends on the weekends and I completely connected with that and that's what I'm going to do as well.

Three out of four friends I called are in. I looked online and found a 5k charity run six weeks out! That's one goal I feel I can reach. And, I did the unthinkable; I signed myself up already. If I sign up and pay the small entry fee I will do it. Those are the things that motivate me. A small little 'commitment' entry fee! I know the J. LaMore people are supporters of Weight Watcher's and I'm thinking about signing up. I've never done a program like that before so I'm a little hesitant.

Anyway, writing about doing something is important for me and this has helped a great deal. I'm excited to get started now and when I jumped on the dreaded scale, I didn't freak out and get depressed. It is what it is and now I'm motivated. It took me a month to muster up enough courage to get on the scale. Seriously, how sick is that!

Sarah
Dallas, TX

(That new model in the previous "casting call" article looks amazing by the way! OMG! I hate her. It makes me feel better to say that. :))

Speaking of App's . . !

Hi Friends & Bloggers! As a guest writer for the new friends 'magazine' I'm excited to be able to write and express myself in a fun and informative way, especially on just about any topic I can think of! I lost some weight and feel great so weight loss is something I know about.

So I decided to write about food! I love food and sometimes food loves me too much that I can't fit into my 'skinny' jeans like these anymore. That's sucks! Is there anything worse than reaching for your favorite jeans only to discover you can't button them! Your past life wearing them will flash before your eyes.

Spring is right around the corner and that means fun and lighter clothing choices to make when going to work or anywhere for that matter. If you want to lose some weight now is the time to start. I found that if you don't keep track of calories it's really hard to lose weight. You have to write down everything you eat to win.

If you're trying to lose weight you want to make better choices when you go out to eat and that's a hard thing to do. But if you have an iPhone you download an app that will help you make better food decisions. When you’re looking at a menu at a restaurant, you never know what type of fat and calories are in a dish. You can guess, but really, you don’t know unless the restaurant provides that information.

It’s a little easier when you’re picking food out at the grocery store because you can see the nutrition information on the package. Still, it takes time to look at the nutrition labels on every loaf of bread or on each can of soup.

The folks from Men’s Health who brought you Eat This, Not That are trying to make it easier for iPhone users to make better food choices with their Eat This, Not That app ($4.99).

I also think that if you buy this kind of app it should have all the important nutritional information I need to help me lose weight. Fortunately, this one is full of useful information and it's pretty cheap at $4.99. Here’s what you’ll get with it.

Restaurant information from all the fast food chains. Super market information containing all the important information you need to buy the best foods. Calorie Logger is cool. If you ever joined Weight Watchers in the past you can keep track of calories and mark them as 'points'. As a former Weight Watcher member, I found this very helpful and worth the $4.99 price tag. I carry my phone with me all the time but could never keep track of my points tracker. Problem solved!
You can also have a Swap choice to replace new found items that are healthier choices than previous entries you made.

I placed the link here to buy the app if you're so inclined. I'm not a big app person but I own this app and I love it.

Thank you for reading and I hope to write again next week.

Grace
Minneapolis, MN

Love the Black Orchid Jeans!

Good morning Jennifer & Friends: It's so early in LA right now and I can't sleep so what better way to relax then to write

I love all the new Black Orchid jeans you just got in but I can only afford one pair at this time so I have a tough choice between three really great style. So, . . . . !

I choose this pair! I love the dark smokey grey color and the stressed areas add a nice touch because they show up in a white colored thread and not so ripped that it looks like I need a new pair. The rips are just right.

I have solid black jeans and many pairs of light and dark jeans but I don't have this color. Super cute!

On a side note! The model pictured below is completely gorgeous! Seriously Jennifer, I live in Los Angeles where it seems that everyone is beautiful but they all look the same. But the women you find in Wisconsin seem real and unique and she doesn't look like anyone I've ever seen before. I would kill for that hair! Anyway, I thought you would like to know that.

Lynn
Los Angeles, CA

Casting Calls. . . !

Hi Friends & Bloggers! As part of the new magazine format that we have changed to, one of the interesting parts of that change is the behind the scenes workings of jlamore.com and all the effort that goes into it. One important part of who we are is the look and feel from the models and talent that we have the opportunity of working with and it's very important to us because these women will represent us to the world.

We recently had a "casting call" for model talent that we need for our newly arriving spring fashions and we will also photograph these women for the lookbook, homepages, mailers, brochures and a long list of other marketing material we send out, so there's a process that goes into this.

A model has to have "the look" for us to choose them and the look can mean so many different things. There is a minimum criteria for height and weight but the face is really important. The face sets the tone that everything else follows. We're not interested in large implants or tattoos and piercings but we are interested in a great face!

During the casting calls appointments are made and a schedule is set and when the model arrives there's a little bit of setup and instructions but for the most part we're off and running. We shoot the model in two of our outfits and spend very little time with hair and makeup as we want to see what she looks like as if she was having a normal regular day.

Round one! We turn on the music in the studio and try to get them to move and be as comfortable in front of the camera as possible and we shoot about 500 images. Once the first round of images are shot, she will change her outfit as we look at the first set of images and offer a critique to the model about what we see. "Too stiff!" "Too scared!" "Too flat with no expression!" "Don't round your shoulders!" We show them every picture and mark the ones we like and skip past the ones we don't! When round two ends they usually improve a great deal.

Being a model is hard work and looking like a "model" in front of a backdrop in a cold studio is even harder but a model has to have thick skin and self confidence because it's an industry that's extremely critical of how you look, but, when you find one that has the "look" you know it from the first frame.

We also surprise a lot of people about how advanced we are with the studio lighting, professional camera equipment, and the overall set up with computers and software. Some models think they're just going to stand in front of a wall and we snap a few pictures of them with a little point & shoot camera. The jlamore.com studio is 1000 sq ft., and we're growing out of it.

The model pictured here is Alex and she has the "look" if anyone does. We did nothing to her hair and nothing to her makeup and no computer touch up. This picture shows the tag still on the Black Orchid jeans and part of her bra is showing. She walked in the door looking like this, and, she happens to be one of the nicest people you will ever meet. We used Alex for our Facebook page just from the casting call test shoot. You don't see that very often! Click the image to see it big and then let me know if we should use her as a fashion model.

Jim
jlamore.com

P.S.
This image is copyright protected and any use w/o permission is prohibited.

The Millionaire Matchmaker

OK, so I am totally hooked on the Bravo show "Millionaire Matchmaker". I'm not quite sure why. I'm happily married, but I still can't stop watching it. I think that Patti Stanger, the CEO of the company, really has some valid points when it comes to dating and relationships.

Most of the millionaires are men, and when I'm watching it, I can't believe what I hear sometimes from these guys. I am thinking that if I were single, I would never, ever date most of these guys, and I'm not surprised that they have not found love. And many of them are just plain cocky. UGHGHH!!! One guy actually asked a woman that he just must met how hot she thought he was. I would never go out with a guy like that, no matter how good-looking or rich. Another guy urinated during their date. Are you kidding me???? This other guy took his date to a "junk haul". I would just die.

Well, this is very entertaining, but at the same time, Patti really knows what she's talking about. She said that "men are like microwaves". They heat up in 5 seconds. They see a girl, and they want to be with her physically. Women are not so much like a microwave, but take some time to heat up slowly. I believe that.

I love that she's so honest and open and ruthless. It's sheer entertainment.

Lila.

Dating: There's an App for that...

If you're an iPhone user your dating life just got a little easier. I found three dating apps that will help you out in the dating world.

The first one is Date Check: This app runs for approximately $40 but, may be worth it :) With the name, phone number, or email address of your potential date, Date Check scours public records- from Face book to home owner fillings to sex offenders data basis to confirm that the guy you're going on a date with isn't wanted in three states!

The second application is Skout, which is free! Input your location and a basic profile (age, status, photos,) and this application locates other singles in your vicinity from other Skout users. You can also chat with a prospect before deciding to meet up :)

Thirdly is the Fake Calls application which happens to be my favorite! This app is 99 cents per use. Simply set up a time for your phone to ring and from whom the call will come from. Answer the call if you need to exit the date making up an excuse, or ignore the call if the date is going well.

Three very clever applications to help all the single ladies out there just in time for Valentines Day!

Jessica
Stylist/Model

New format! No ads . . !

Hello friends & bloggers: Yes! Yes! Yes! Jlamore.com is changing the format of the blog to a new magazine style format which means I have to actually write more articles and answer questions. Ok! I can do that! This is a change that's cool and I love it! As the blog administrator, let's open up this baby and see where it takes us.

"No! . . . No! . . . No!" This is a collective answer from Jennifer and me to all the people and businesses who ask jlamore.com to sell advertising on the friends blog. I would put up a banner that said "no advertisers" if it didn't look so much like an advertisement for not selling ads.

After saying all of this, however, I would love to do an article on cool ads that people remember and how they get to become an ad. That's fun stuff and very interesting because it takes months to create an ad that last for just a few seconds.

I get emails every week from people asking me to place their banner ads on our site and everyone of them ask me by way of email. Not one call or a letter, just a chincy stinking little email! How lame and lazy is that. How did these people get my email address anyway? If they called I would still say "no" but at least I would respect the effort.

We don't sell ads because it would ruin the integrity of the blog and cheapen the site all together. Having all kinds of ads on the site is not who we are. In addition, I really don't like "private" sites that sell ads with blinking banners and ads that slide from the side of your screen to stare right at you and then your forced to click the "X" to get rid of it. Ugh! Do those people hate their readers? They must because after that happens I click to get rid of the site all together and will never come back, but that's just me and I'm easily annoyed by those things. Have you ever been on InStyle.com? I removed the link for fear that you would hate me later on.

We love our readers and writers and the last thing we want to do is annoy any of them. I understand why people want us to have their ads running on the site. The friends blog is popular! It took us four years to get to this level and for me it's not worth the risk of upsetting even one reader.

I'm going to try very hard to give you the best Internet experience you can have when you visit our site. The new content format will make the site even more intelligent, informative, fun and interesting for you to read. In the future, we want to add video to the blog as well as have a reporter type feel with writer assignments that can take you in all sorts of different directions. Not just fashion but lifestyles too!

So, if you want to be a writer for the new "friends magazine" let me know. We would love to have you. Having great writing skills is a plus but if you want to express yourself in a wide open forum, this is the place for you. Personally, I think it would be great to have a writer from Vancouver reporting on the Olympics. Anyone in Vancouver interested?

Jim
jlamore.com

Yes! I'm the geek in the back room! In the dark! All alone! Like a mushroom!