All stories about "Jezebel"

As the temperatures slowly climb -- and by slowly, I mean shooting up to 60 one day and then plunging down into the 30s the next -- thoughts turn to springtime and more gloriously, summer. Summer, with all its skirts, shorts and sandals. But before you even think of donning open-toed shoes, it's important to get those feets in flip-flop shape. Let's face it, no one likes to look at your scary toes while riding on the 6. And since you're on that 6 train, why not make a stop and get your toes did at one of the UES's fantastic spots for pedicure-related makeovers? Take a look at this selection, dust off those Havaianas and get thee to a nail technician. (Jill/flickr)

A few weeks ago Bravo TV debuted an all-new Real Housewives reality series starring five wealthy, New York-based housewives (one is actually a still-single wannabe housewife). There's Luann the countess, who is in some cases a real cuntess; Ramona, the 40-something who desperately wishes she was half her age; Bethenny, the self-made celebrity chef who may or may not be on the verge of a nervous breakdown; Jill, the Upper West Side Jew-by-way-of-the ghetto; and Alice Alex, whose obsessions include breeding multilingual children and rising to the highest echelons of NY society. After the jump, where they hang in the Big Apple: a LES sex shop, an elementary school, and some seriously swank restaurants.

This morning the Today Show, took a look at the latest symptom in America's sick obsession with celebrity-- fake Paparazzi parties. The Today folks weren't the first to get to this story, but their segment was extra funny because they sent their camera crews to accompany a group of Texan "newlyweds" who took pretend paparazzi along for their big night out. The women led by Kendall, a "call center administrator," had a pack of fake stalker photographers chase them through the streets of Austin. The clip includes interviews with the suburban wannabe starlets shamelessly explaining their craving for attention and shots of the bewildered reactions the group of pseudo-celebrities receives from confused bystanders.

In one of the more bizarre forms of hurting for fashion to date, Amsterdam held its annual Glamour Stiletto Run yesterday. The competition, which pitted stiletto-clad women against each other for the third year in a row, has as its prize 10,000 euros of "shopping money." (I'm trying to overlook the assumption that women would use such a large sum of money solely for shopping -- but truth be told, I'd buy the black and white lace-up Balenciaga boots for spring in a nanosecond.) The race kicked off without a hitch, except for a bit of elbowing near the start line. About 150 women raced down P.C. Hooft Street ("Amsterdam's most famed fashion street") in 3-1/2 inch or higher heels, taking the race's motto, "Shopping is Sport," to heart. Tamara Ruben, 25, of Veenendaal took first prize in the 380-yard race. What will she spend her hard earned money on? "Anything but heels." After the jump: live race coverage. [via]

After tomorrow's Project Runway finale, distressed design fans can still get their fashion fix by paying a visit to the city the show calls home. In New York, you can buy clothing made by Project Runway's designers, sign up for a class at Parsons, get fabric in the Garment District, and best of all, stalk Tim Gunn. After all, when you rewind the show on your DVR it's pretty clear that he's winking at you and coyly saying that you two crazy kids could "make it work." Don't worry, I saw it too. So, get out there, get dressed to impress, and go get your man! Or, you know, just leave Tim alone to sulk and do some fun fashionista sightseeing with a few friends.

A mirrored, well-lighted dressing room can make or break a shopping experience. And as every female who has traipsed through Nolita, Soho, and the LES stopping in every tiny vintage and designer store knows, it's a crapshoot out there. The city is rife with horrible lighting, rooms with no mirrors or hooks, and shoddy curtains that leave you exposed to every perv or judgmental shopper in the store. This goes for chain stores too, which have mass-produced their substandard dressing rooms and implemented them nationwide. That said, there are some real winners out there, and they deserve their due praise. The following guide points out the city's best dressing rooms with "skinny" mirrors and ample space -- and the worst offenders that leave you feeling ugly, sweaty, and exposed.

And rat hats, apparently. Allegations of racism are doggin' Fashion Week in Sao Paolo, where black models say they have trouble getting onstage. Along with the largest population of people of African descent outside of Africa itself, Brazil has a long history of prejudice and slavery. Though the South American nation is famous for exporting beautiful models around the world, black women in the country say they can't get jobs on the catwalk.

For American women, the most harrowing part of a visit to the salon is the dreaded Brazilian wax. In war-torn Baghdad, the stakes are much higher. Iraqi religious extremists have been bombing beauty parlors with ever-increasing frequency because they view well-groomed hair and nails as signs of the corrupting influence of Western culture on their country. Despite the high risk of death, women in Baghdad flock to underground stylists. For ladies in the States, refusing to shave and wax their eyebrows is revolutionary, but in Iraq, where bush is a dirty word, getting dolled up is an act of defiance.

Curls. They're either the love of your life or the bane of your existence. Whether you want to go wild, tame them or just make them go away, be careful selecting your stylist. The Shirley Temple look was cute when you were five, but it doesn't look so hot in your 20s and 30s. One bad chop (cringe) can lead to months of damage control. If you're looking for a stylist savior, check out the following establishments. Suggestions more than welcome via the comments or the tipline.

When Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen launched their own line of super-expensive T-shirts, The Row, they were simply hooking into a fashion niche that's been gaining ground in Paris for years: the designer tee. From the kookiest in graphic-led avant-garde, to elegant styles in luxe fabrics, the T-shirt is alive and well on the Paris fashion scene. Check out the following list of addresses for boutiques where the perennial basic is anything but.

The latest issue of shiny lifestyler Gotham runs a "gala season" guide to the city's chic women's shoe stores. These boutiques are way above our pay grade, but expensive shoe info wants to be free, even if the shoes aren't. So here's a map of Gotham's picks along with a few of our own. Refrain from martial use of Prada spikes if you feel some should not be included, or if you spot an omission ... just vent your ire in the comments or tipline.

One of the great things about living in New York is having access to cultural activities that represent neither the elite, nor the masses. Shopping here is a perfect example -- you can find garments at any price point, by labels that are lesser known to the rest of the country, and in atmospheric little places with bells above the doorway. Those places, however, are subject to one misfortune: the Retail Asshole. Without commissions to fight for, nor a corporate structure to be abused by, the independent (bell above the doorway) places often harbor the nastiest service in all of New York. I'm going to call out those places out because, frankly, I think we're all a little tired of the attitude (especially when the kids who have to work at Urban Outfitters do it with a smile on their face and have to fold about 6,000 more t-shirts a night).

Yes, it truly is The Most Important Movie Ever Shot in New York. The Sex and the City movie has been shooting in NYC for the past eight weeks or so, and the local citizenry have assiduously noted the wheres and whens. Our media mothership Gawker has been collecting shooting reports from readers, and even though filming seems to be wrapping up, we're happy to collate the field data in map form and with spotters' personal reminiscences intact. It should go without saying, but beware of spoilers. Though note that Chris Noth, a.k.a. Mr. Big, has darkly hinted that some scenes are fakes to throw off the press. Cheeky monkey! Construct your own narrative, real or imagined, from these SATC location shoots.

One of the joys of being a city girl is freedom from buying all your makeup under the fluorescent lights at RiteAid. (Come on, like you've never fallen prey to the allure of $1.99 Wet 'n Wild blue eyeliner . . .) Sure, you could hit up the basement of any major department store to get your fix, but for better selection with less pressure to buy everything the steely woman in the white coat puts on your face, try a store that specializes in cosmetics. You can find the nearest Sephora or Mac on your own, but here are a few other alternatives for those times when Cover Girl and Maybelline aren't doing the trick.

Shopping in Williamsburg, like shopping in most Brooklyn 'hoods, is an exercise in exploration, excavation, urban spelunking. In a neighborhood like this, known for growing its cool in the darkest corners of urban decay (your condemned parking garage is our mini mall), the best clothing stores aren't necessarily on the commercial stretches. Here are the picks for the best places to find some garb in the 'burg.

Shopping in Brooklyn can be a little overwhelming if you don't know your way around. It's difficult to know where to go when commercial strips are more low-key than in Manhattan, making it hard to recognize a shopping opportunity when you see it. Cobble Hill is a perfect example of a neighborhood that's gained its popularity from quaint charm and sophisticated sensibility, and with great popularity comes great style. Here are a few of my best picks for independent clothing stores in the Hill.

You can't change your man. Try as you might, in the end you have to accept his flaws and shortcomings. However, you do not have to accept his wardrobe. Though men struggle to change their lyin', cheatin', and messy ways, most don't have a problem with dressing better with a little guidance. If your paramour wears the same ripped jeans-old T-shirt-grungy sneakers combo every day, turn on the Tim Gunn diva inside you and buy him -- or take him to buy -- a solid fashionable foundation. The following stores present good shopping 101 for men, and none are too intimidating nor too expensive. More suggestions welcome in the comments or via tips.

You know how it goes. You wake up on Saturday morning full of momentum, ready to shop until your wallet is empty. Today, you're feeling particularly adventurous, ready to try on something in color or style you've never worn before -- and maybe even buy it. But then you realize you're in Shirlington, miles away from the hip boutiques of Washington DC, and your brain starts coming up with excuses: "It'll be such a hassle to get into the city," "There's no parking," and "I don't know where the good store are." The next thing you know, you're wandering the halls of Pentagon City Mall, lost in a sea of Banana Republics and Aldos. Lame. While we can't build a new Metro line or create extra parking, we can provide a foolproof shopping guide with a guarantee you'll find something hip, something original, something you would never find at Ann Taylor. If you want to make a night of it, head over the Rock N' Roll Hotel on Saturday, October 20 for Stylistics, a showcase of DC designers, and stay for the dance party.

Oh, 3rd Street. It's home to some of LA's most fashionable restaurants, a veritable petting zoo of celebrities, and then there's the shopping. Where else in Los Angeles could a store called "Polkadots & Moonbeams" thrive without being edged out by Gaps and J Crews? I assembled a crack team of shopping experts to seek out the coolest little boutiques on the street-all walk-in-closet tiny, all either non-chain or very-limited-chain, and all within about five feet of one another, so you can abuse your AmEx to your heart's content without any undue exertion. Hey, it beats getting trampled by tourists and Juicy Couture-clad mommies at The Grove.

For every pale-faced Parisian growing fainter with every step toward winter, there is a St. Tropez-tanned counterpart, whose sunkissed disposition is not the leftover result of a glamorous vacation, but one of the city's many tanning salons. Catering to the vanity of TV presenters, presidents, and men and women on the prowl, Paris tanning parlors and beauty institutes offer everything from spray-on tans to a range of UV sun bed options for the frustrated sunworshipper. Whether you're looking for a douche auto-bronzante or a bronzage en cabine, here are your best bets for catching some artificial rays in a city where the sun cannot be relied upon to shine.

The world's most revered shoe designer Manolo Blahnik came to London in 1971, where he started making shoes for Ossie Clark. The rest is history. International shoe porn purveyors Jimmy Choo and Gina are also based here; but there are plenty of other shoe designers making waves who haven't been name-dropped in Sex and the City. London's wealth and variety of design talent is in many ways thanks to the breeding incubators of Central St. Martins and the Royal College of Art. But where shoe design is concerned, the highly respected Cordwainers College produces all but a few of the best. It's the combination of crazy beautiful ideas with the best materials and production that makes these designers stand out. The quality is high and the prices frightening -- even more so due to the strong British pound. Yes, we are potentially talking about the thousand-dollar shoe. The silver lining comes in the form of frequent sample sales (check websites) and diffusion lines for British high street retailers, where you can bag some shoe sculpture for around £50. We've also thoughtfully provided the addresses of some shoe emporiums that won't break the bank, but still have interesting, desirable shoes.