Thank You, Madame de Pompadour.

Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson - more commonly known as Madame de Pompadour - was Louis XV of France's favourite mistress. So preferred in fact, Madame de P. was given her very own title of marquise as a means to be presented at court, as well as an ornate apartment at Versailles in which she decked out in the Rococo style, full of gilt, mahogany and all things porcelain. History may remember this mistress for her love of Voltaire, eye for interiors and lasting relationship with the King, but if we dig deeper into the books written in her name, we will discover one crucial aspect often left behind. That is that Madame de Pompadour is noted to be the first woman to have formally worn black and white together in public. Versailles was witness to many groundbreaking events, although this one could possibly be the most significant. Musette honours Jeanne-Antoinette's fashion forwardness by highlighting a few of the best black and white collaborations we've seen of late. It makes you think, where would we be without her?

Threeasfour Fall 2008
Billowing black and fresh white.

Chanel Spring 2009
Karl Lagerfeld assembles the two immaculately.

Rag & Bone Pre Fall 2009
A white tee gets spruced up with a pair of chic black pants.

Rodarte Spring 2009
Gothicism lightens up.

Herve Leger by Max Azria Fall 2008
Bandage black, tight white.

Balmain Spring 2008
Black and white goes bohemian.

Lanvin Spring 2009
The colour combo turns into a Katherine Hepburn sighting of sorts.

Oscar de la Renta Pre Fall 2009
A formal take on the two.

Musette Invites You

What: An Aquarian Exposition presented by Woodstock Music & Art Fair
When: August 15th - 17th, 1969
Where: Max Yazgur's farm, Bethel, New York - 43 miles southwest of Woodstock, New York


I'm going on down to Yasgur's farm
I'm going to join in a rock & roll band
I'm going to camp out on the land
I'm going to try an get my soul free

We are stardust
We are golden
And we've got to get ourselves
Back to the garden

-Joni Mitchell Woodstock 1970

Hot Child In The City

Although many of us are persevering through the relentless chill of winter, we mustn't forget those lucky Southern Hemisphere dwellers who are soaking up the sun regardless. Musette reckons, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em and selects a few precious summer essentials to make the sea, sand and sunset parties feel that much more magical.

Water Baby - crochet swimsuit by Lover

loverthelabel.com

Handle The Jandal - The Biarritz sandal by Yves Saint Laurent

ysl.com

Cover It Up - Melissa Obadash kaftan
net-a-porter.com

Laying Luxurious - Grey Pinwheel beach towel by Hermes
hermes.com

Cool & Calm - Lancome's Soliel Icy Tubes with SPF 8
lancome-usa.com

Tote Time - Lanvin Papillote Shopper

barneys.com

Baby It's Cold Outside

For those of us battling out the cold conditions in the Northern Hemisphere, we're all too familiar with the dry skin, goosebumps and general discomfort that comes with winter's bitter chill. Shakes & shivers aside, the icy months do happen to have some major bonuses - take snowflakes, tea breaks, cashmere and snow boots for instance. Musette rounds up some key items that will see you through winter quite wonderfully.

Hand In Glove - elbow length merino gloves by Marc Jacobs
marcjacobs.com

Bye Bye Dry - Kiehls Ultimate Strength Hand Salve
kiehls.com

Teetotaler - Marco Polo black tea from Mariage Freres
mariagefreres.com

Layer Love - thermal undergarments from American Apparelstore.americanapparel.net

Bootiful - the classic snow boot from LL Bean
llbean.com

Jump Around - Stella McCartney all-in-one cashmere jumpsuit
mytheresa.com

Rug Up - Pendleton 'Motor Robe Throw' blanket
pendleton-usa.com

They Said It! Musette's Year in Quotes

Whether they made us laugh, cringe or somehow do both, Musette highlights some of the best spoken word 2008 was witness to.

DERELICTE!

"The people with the best style for me are the people that are the poorest. Like, when I go down to Venice beach and I see the homeless, like, I'm like, 'Oh my God, they're pulling out, like, crazy looks and they, like, pulled shit out of like garbage cans.'"

-Model Erin Wasson makes us go WHAAAA?!!!

MUSINGS OF A MISSONI

"It's a place where you can be busy all the time without ever doing anything."

-Margherita Missoni on her (charmed) life in Manhattan.

...And how would the year possibly have been the same without that beautiful Sarah Palin backlash?

CUE: MATT DAMON

"It's like a really bad Disney movie. The hockey mom from Alaska and she's the president and it's like she's facing down Vladimir Putin and using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink and it's absurd...I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago because she's going to have the nuclear codes."

-He's always been easy on the eye, but now Musette hearts Matt for life.

CUE: BRIGITTE BARDOT

"I know dogs well and I can assure you that no pitbull, no dog, nor any other animal is as dangerous as you are."

-BB recites a scathing letter she composed for the Vice President hopeful.

STERLING ADVICE

"Wear underwear! Wear your panties."

-We always new Mary-Kate was smart but her thoughts on how young Hollywood should stay out of trouble is really rather brilliant.

INSIGHTFUL...

"We're always looking for answers. Some people are looking for it in a socialite maybe. But you know, it just depresses me: Some girl named Peaches who lives in the Bronx…looks at this world and says, 'Oh wow.' And I would never want to give off something that is an illusion, because you hurt people that way. And they're already struggling so much—the people."

-Arden Wohl makes the peoples' eyes roll.

OH! BAMA

"To name my greatest strength, perhaps it would be my humility. Greatest weakness, it's possible I'm a little too awesome."

-Barack Obama does have a knack for sarcasm but on this one we may have to genuinely agree.

PRESIDENTIAL MINX

"When I have my photo taken, I don't say 'cheese.' I say 'sex'"

-Carla Bruni lets us in on the secret behind that sultry pout.

Another Musette Best Dressed List

Minnie Mortimer-Gaghan: This Social Keeps Things Separate
Tinsley's sister in-law sure knows how to stick out among a sea of socialites. Minnie, who is married to academy award winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan, designs her own line of luxe, beachy basics which are already flying off the racks. Minnie's keen eye for American resort wear is made even more breathtaking due to her eternally tan, killer bod. Step aside Tory Burch, there is another social in town fit for fashion's history books.

Anouk Lepere: Jefferson Hack's Better Half
Magazine mogul Jefferson Hack really knows how to pick 'em! First there was Kate and now there is Anouk - the coolest thing to step off the runway since Natalia Vodianova. With the best haircut in town and a fashion forward taste that always has her finishing first, we're expecting to see much more from the very lovely Ms. Lepere.

Dasha Zhukova: Refined & Ready To Go
They say money can't buy you class, but something makes us think that Dasha Zhukova knew how to dress way before her billionaire beau stepped onto the scene. So it helps that she is cute as a button, but this art dealer always knows how to play her fashion cards right by opting for immaculate, elegant items. American Vogue named her one of last years best-dressed and Musette can't help but agree.

Amy Adams: Crimson-Haired Cutie-Pie
Amy Adams has a knack for embodying old Hollywood glamor in the most effortless way. She may not be an outrageous trendsetter but the way in which AA always knows how to keep it classic deserves some major fashion credit. Each award show gown has seen her transformed into a 50's screen siren so with the countdown to the Oscars in full swing, we can't wait to see what four-star frock Amy will go for this time.

Behati Prinsloo: Queen of Downtown Cool
Plaid shirt? Check. Hat? Check. Designer handbag? Check. Rock Tee? Check. Campaigns and runway shows booked? Check, check. Behati Prinsloo is a vivid example of exactly what an up and coming supermodel is supposed to look like. She may be a Victoria's Secret angel now but this goddess of grunge won't seem to clean up her fashion act for anyone. Next up, we predict a muso boyfriend and some sort of involvement in an indie band but good gosh won't she look great along the way.

Musette Imitates Art

Whether they were dominated by pretty prints, delicate drapery or bold colours, something about this Spring'09 season made us motivated to hit the floors of the world's best galleries and museums.

Monet Water Lilies 1908


Lanvin is Lovely Like Lilies
Vivid pops of colour and hand-stitched floral detailing made one of Monet's most famous paintings feel like only an outfit away. Silk shimmered like oil paint while flowers floated down the Lanvin catwalk like true works of art.

Morris Louis Delta Theta 1961


Victor & Rolf's Striped Sister
Fashion's most avant-garde design duo took us back to the 60's - namely to the work of abstract expressionist Morris Louis and his iconic painted stripes. Shalom Harlow rocked Victor & Rolf's runway in a medley of wild shapes, patterns and textures. Most memorable? The striped garments that seemed to mimic our very favourite Louis painting.

Mourning Athena circa 450 BC


Yigal Azrouel Goes Greek Goddess
An array of goddess gowns dominated the Spring collections but Musette favoured Yigal Azrouel's floor length, light pink number the most. Visions of the Parthenon's relief sculpture of Athena sprung to mind as we were reminded that femininity is always at it's best when gracefully draped.

Roy Lichtenstein In The Car 1963


Christopher Kane's It
He may have looked to Planet of the Apes and Raquel Welch for inspiration but Musette thought mainly of the king of Pop Art, Roy Lichtenstein, when viewing Christopher Kane's wild looks. Primary colours, animal prints and circular shapes resembled comic melodrama in the coolest possible way.

Musette's How To: Love the Earth, Tip 6.

Super-Duper Sustainability: Shop Chanel Everyday


How many shopping bags have you chucked out over the years? I bet the number ain't pretty, but here's something that really is - Chanel's brand new leather shopping tote. This simple and chic carry bag mimics the very ones carried out by customers from Chanel shops everywhere but can be used over, over and over again. Just say no to those pesky, plastic throwaway bags and slip your latest purchase into this one of a kind carry-all. OK so the bag might be a bit of an investment (think $1500 range!) but since when did loving the earth come with a price tag?

Musette Look of the Week

Maggie Gyllenhaal in Lanvin at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards


Each star was sparkling bright on Sunday night as the Hollywood Foreign Press celebrated with it's 66th Golden Globe Awards ceremony. Kate Winslet won for Best Supporting Actress only to come back for seconds when the Best Actress category was announced, while Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto looked unbelievably beautiful in Christian Lacroix. So, in the spirit of giving out awards, Musette proudly names the always radiant Maggie Gyllenhaal as the night's best dressed by far. Miss Maggie stole the show in a belted, blue animal-print dress that went down to the floor while sporting hair and makeup that proved equally above par. To top off such an impeccable look this lovely lady brought that million dollar smile along for good measure.

x Musette 4 Maggie x