Shake It Up Baby!

Do as the Studio 54er's did by dancing the week away. Dress the part in bold colours, (it doesn't get much more smokin' than red & black) and shapes that free you up to twist and shout. Brave the dance floor in a pair of teetering stilettos or fearless platforms, camouflaging each tumble as a customized part of your routine. Twirl, shimmy, shake, laugh and love.

Musette presents three looks ripe and ready for you to party in.

Every time you move like that I gotta get down and pray...



Dress: Marc Jacobs - Shoes: YSL

Don't you know that dress of yours was made out of fiberglass...


Dress: Anna Sui - Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Every time you move like that I gotta go to Sunday mass...



Dress: Preen - Shoes: Balmain

Musette Moons Over Marisa Tomei

Whether you watched her play Mickey Rourke's stripper friend in The Wrestler or the two-timing Gina Hanson in last year's Before The Devil Knows You're Dead, you will be familiar with the fact that Marisa Tomei has a flawless figure. Toned, tan, and not one bit fake, this actress has no qualms about taking it all off for a good role. That being said, what Ms. Tomei deserves the most praise for is her refreshingly sophisticated sense of style. For her most recent public appearances this sexy star chose items that were modest, unique and unexpected. While opting for a lace blouse and long skirt that worked beautifully for The Globes, Marisa favoured witchcraft sans broom in the full black dress she wore to an inaugural ball. For films she has kept it no secret that her body is out of this world, but the best thing about Marisa Tomei is that come party time she lets fashion take center stage.

At the Creative Coalition's Inaugural Ball


At the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards

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.