100th Post and a New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! And thank you for reading A Question of Taste. We've reached our 100th post and looking back on the year since the inception of the blog well, we've had a lot to say. We've embraced the idea of the retrospective and the countdown and thus, we thought we'd shine the spotlight back on you and give you a few stats on the AQoT friends out there.

Top 10 Google Searched Topics Leading People to AQoT:

10. How to Wear Leggings (you're welcome)
9. Stina Persson
8. Reese Witherspoon Divorce
7. Nora Caliguri Wedding Dress (so randomly specific)
6. High Waisted Pants (drama)
5. Pizza With Fried Egg
4. David Bromstad (we love him too)
3. McDowell School Of Dance
2. A Question of Taste
1. Justin Bobby

Top 10 (other than U.S.) Countries Reading:
10. Hong Kong
9. Singapore
8. Philippines
7. Spain
6. France
5. Germany
4. Poland
3. Australia
2. Canada
1. United Kingdom

Thanks so much for reading and as always feel free to email us with ideas and comments. We welcome stealthily taken photos of fashion faux pas. Also if you haven't already, join our Facebook group, our friends are hot, yes they are.

New Years Resolution for 2008? AQoT t-shirts. Get ready people. Fashion-forward? Perhaps. Goes with everything? Clearly.

Counting Down: Top 10 Taste Lessons Learned in 2007

Ah the new year , once again it's time for retrospectives, for toasting with friends, for countdowns. And sure, while we generally respect and incessantly create a safe space for any top 10 or top 5 list, (see Cusack's musings in High Fidelity, a la Nick Hornby), we understand that, like plaids or pleather, there's a time and place for everything. You've got to choose your moments and whatnot. In light of that, pull up a microsuede ottoman or a smartly overstuffed Desmond Ale armchair and stay a while as we count down the top 10 lessons learned through A Question of Taste in 2007.

10. Certain trends went out of style for a reason.

The Wardrobe that Time Forgot
Jodhpurs: Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em

9. Some celebrities thrive on a LACK of spotlight.

Obscurity Looks Great on Kelly Osbourne
Unemployment Looks Great on Rachel Bilson

8. Justin Bobby is the most entertaining and ridiculous thing to come out of MTV since Puck from Real World: San Francisco (although we must provide some sort of honorable mention equivalent to Irene from Real World: Seattle and the slap heard 'round the world)

Beanie Man
The Ballad of Justin Bobby

7. Men shouldn't be afraid of a little innovation and risk-taking

The Plural of Man-Purse is Men Purse
Nixon: Less Watergate, More Watch

6. The difference between cutting edge and costume is one pop of the collar away.

Pop Goes the Collar
Deconstructed Preppy: He Said

5. Bad fashion is harmful to one's health.

DEFCON Threat Level 3: Please Step Away from the Crocs

4. Don't wear things that make you look fat

Weighing In: High Waisted Pants
Whining over Wine

3. Sometimes a good dose of crazy is exactly what one needs in life.

Crazy Looks Great on Katie Holmes
Sorry Ash But We've Already Picked Our Favorite Twin

2. Whimsical = Good
Ridiculous = Very Very Bad

Madras Madras Madras
These Kids Nowadays

1. And finally, to all the friends of AQoT out there, grab some Crostini and Prosecco as we toast to wishing you a very Happy New Year and all good things in 2008.

Remember friends, trends may come and go but a good dose of judgment and ridicule lasts forever.

We Love Complex Magazine

Well, this month, anyway.

It's kind of exciting that there's men's magazine that steers the masses towards smart, fashion-forward decisions when it comes to their purchases. Quality kitchenware? Check. High-end hygiene? Check. The best holiday beverages? Check. Nixon watch promos? Check. Pages and pages of old and new skool kicks? Check.

Of course, there's also my current favorite... Kristen Bell? CHECK.



Sure, the magazine may be a bit self-serving (Yeah, Marc Ecko, we get it, you're SO where fashion is at and all the kids love you and we should only be so lucky to take pointers from a sage like you), but at the end of the day, we're loving the direction Ecko is taking trends when it comes to men's products.

Phylicia, Lisa & Keshia KP - Cosby's Angels

I know Bets doesn't necessarily experience this day by day, but doing the corporate America thing tends to sometimes stagnate creativity. In light of that, it can be inspiring to witness any sort of reinvention, whether in the office, on the streets or anywhere in the media.

Everyone's made pretty ridiculous aesthetic moves since 1984 (I seem to remember yellow gingham overalls... but I was 5, and in no way in control of my wardrobe), but who knew that some of our favorite ladies from those days would be pulling out some really smart choices in 2007? We don't really want to judge (wait, what am I talking about, of COURSE we want to judge), but I think it must be really difficult to stay very smart and retain the positive aspects of your fashion choices, and carry them through, updating as necessary, while adding another entire dimension to it.

Phylicia Rashad
She's the classic, older woman with a strong presence, just like then, but really has defined a very specific perspective. Claire Huxtable epitomized the archetypical strong working woman. The idea was renegade in the 1980s and only a woman with enough presence to impart strength in the mere raise of an eyebrow could pull it off without coming off as "hard" in any way.

Then:

Now:



Lisa Bonet
Denise Huxtable was always the controversial one on the show. Not entirely buying into Cosby's strict education precepts, she ended up kicked out of the dynasty after her first season on A Different World. Luckily, exit Bonet didn't deprive us of years of Dwayne Wayne, Whitley Gilbert and Jaleesa and that show also thrived for years after her departure. Bonet was always cute but we think she came into her own in the Lenny Kravitz years and peaked in her appearance in the John Cusack film "High Fidelity."

Then:



Now:


Keshia Knight-Pulliam
She went from annoying, only barely cute little girl who was SEVERELY upstaged by the casting of little Olivia to the show, to an arguably drop-dead beautiful woman. I think we all had that moment of whoa is that Keshia KP? while watching the video of Chingy's "One Call Away."

Then:



Now:


Bravo Cosby's Angels, way to keep it together through the decades. We have much to learn from you.

We Love Prosecco

The Italians have it right: sparkling wine that comes from a tap. There's nothing like a little bubbly-on-the-go. As the New Year (and Phat Tony's Birthday) approaches we reflect on one of our favorite drinks, prosecco. What is prosecco you ask? Quite simply, it's Italian Champagne. Champagne being sparkling wine grown in the Champagne region of France and made using the "Methode Champenoise." Specifically, prosecco originates from grapes grown in the Veneto region of Italy, and was the original ingredient in the famous Bellini cocktails. We love it because it's tasty. We prefer drier sparkling wines and prosecco fits the bill perfectly and accompanies a wide range of our favorite foods such as Pane Frattau and Crostini. Another feature of this particular drink is its affordability. We have yet to taste a bottle we didn't like and most often a good bottle comes in the $9-16 range. Drink up friends, party like it's 1999, and enjoy the New Year.

Weighing In: Sequins

What comes to mind when we think of sequins? Vegas showgirls, the circus, our tap dancing costumes at McDowell School of Dance perhaps. What does not come to mind? Sneakers. Anyone who knows me knows that my all-stars and I have had a long term exclusive relationship going for some time now. However, not even I would deign to wear the be-sequined versions that started cropping up this year.


Do these shoes not just scream "show choir?" I mean...not that there's anything wrong with that...I'm just saying, there's a time and a place for everything.

And by the way, that time/place is never on TRL.

In order to lead a civilized and fashionable life there must be rules regulations and for sequins, they start off similarly to our rules on plaid. Shirts and dresses only please, any sort of sequined bottom will make you look dangerously like one of those monkeys that play the cymbals. Secondly, we must restrict our use of sequins to the evening hours (this should be un peu obvious n'est ce pas?). Thirdly, and this one is a bit more subtle, a sequined garment must be sequined all over like these few courtesy of I Am Fashion.


Otherwise you run the risk of appearing as if you and your BeDazzler have spent one too many lonely nights together.

Whining Over Wine: Episode One

There's Nothing I Hate More Than Skin Tight Jeans

B: There's nothing I hate more than skin tight jeans. I mean, it's not something that you'd think you'd need to say... It's sort of obvious that it would look bad, right, but somehow, you keep running into it.

PH: I have issues with the comfort level of the thing. I mean, maybe I'm not the average guy on the street, but tight tight tight jeans screams hell no to me.

B: And for girls, how do you look at yourself in a dressing room mirror, where you already look fatter than what you are, and you say these skinny jeans are a good idea.

PH: Sometimes, those mirrors are there to give you perspective when we aren't in the room. But let's face it.. we don't want to be there, anyway.

B: I think this goes for clingy fabrics. in general... when you put clothes on your body, you shouldn't be able to see the rolls. I mean, everyone has some fat or whatever, and you know, we're okay with it, but the clothes on your body, make no mistake, are meant to camoflauge. Do people not understand this? Otherwise, we'd just be walking around naked all day.

PH: We all have that lady we work with. Babe, your clothes don't fit. And you know, they never did. My bad.

Designer, Don't Fail Me Now

The holiday season can be rife with disappointments. That one present that symbolized just how little your (insert close friend or relative here) really knew you. The box of chocolates that looked amazing but was secretly filled with cherry liqueur. 'Tis also the season of finding oneself horribly disappointed by the resort collection of your favorite designer coming right off the heels of a brilliant fall.

We've already had our say regarding Balenciaga but unfortunately, we have been wounded yet again. We fell off our chairs raving about the Fall 2007 Prada collection. We loved the color, the freaky texture, just about everything about it. And then there was this:


What in the name of all things Laura Ingalls Wilder is going on with the florals this season? Yes, florals are touted as the "next big thing" for spring and yes, Prada's use is at the very least fairly sophisticated (if in a high-school English teacher sort of way). However, lets not make excuses here, is the deafening tones of the Native American flautist trio playing My Heart Will Go On in the subway station marginally better than the ramblings of the errant crackhead? Certainly, but is it the stuff of brilliance and great art? Surely not. Fancying ourselves as having our thumbs on the pulse of the everyman, we judge a great collection by the speed at which it appears on the shelves of Forever 21. We're not predicting the appearance of ankle length floral skirts anytime soon.

Brevity is the Soul of Wit...

... and sometimes one has to speak fewer words to get a point across in the first place. Let's try it out here.

Holidays have socially-inherent color schemes by which, unless requested by the host or hostess, you are not required to abide when attending a holiday soiree. Even more to the point? Red does not automatically look good on just everyone... and if you're not sure about your own jaunts into the land of cherry, tomato and ruby, don't put on that oversized red puffy sweater!



There is no holiday festive enough to excuse our bleeding eyes.

Many thanks from the establishment, and to those for whom this applies, "Merry Christmas, everyone!"

Spiced Cider - Please Sir, May I Have Some More?

Nowadays, it seems that no holiday party is complete without a certain item that, ironically, may only aid in not remembering the evening at all.

Greg Best and a recent issue of GQ provided what we found to be an amazingly flavored, wildly successful holiday beverage. What follows is the recipe, which we advise to drink happily, but afterwards, drive responsibly (Drunk driving? SO tacky.)...

Sinful Cider (serves 30-35)

Ingredients: 2-3 cinnamon sticks, a few whole cloves, a few peppercorns, 1 bottle (750 mL) small-batch bourbon, such as Maker's Mark or Wathen's, 1.5 gallons apple cider, 1/4 bottle angostura bitters, 1 pint heavy whipping cream, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1.5 teaspoons brown sugar

Drop cinnamon sticks, cloves, and peppercorns in the bottle of bourbon. Leave to steep for a couple of weeks (one week minimum). (Phat Tony NB: Since I wanted to maximize the flavors of the cinnamon, cloves and peppercorn in the beverage and I only had one week to steep the ingredients in the bourbon, I just threw another two cinnamon sticks, and a few more cloves and peppercorns in there... it worked perfectly.) On the day of the party, strain spirits and set aside. Pour apple cider and angostura bitters into a large stock pot. Place on stove and heat. While cider is heating, whip cream, then fold in ground cinnamon and brown sugar. When cider is hot, turn off heat and add the bourbon. Serve cider from the pot, still on the stove. Keep bowl of whipped cream on the counter and let guests help themselves.

Thanks again to Greg Best and GQ, and Happy Holidays to everyone from your Aesthetes at AQoT!

We Love the Deschanels

We'd like to take this opportunity to sing the praises of two actresses whose quirky attitudes and classic looks add an essential ingredient to any project on which they endeavor.

Emily Deschanel features, other than in a host of bit roles in movies such as Spider Man 2 (how could we ever forget the role of Annoyed Office Front Desk Girl - although we're not sure that was her official title - when she held the pizza delivery boy, the tragically heroic Peter Parker, to the "Delivery within 30 minutes or the pizzas are FREE!" rule), as the lead character in "Bones," a show that to some may only be just another police investigation show, but to the Aesthetes, is a paragon of wit and mystery, unrivaled by the likes of CSI or NCIS (although Bets does have a certain affinity for NUMB3RS). In "Bones," Emily's character of "Temperence Brennan" not only dallies in the standard forensic drama fare, but also wades in an existential hodgepodge of the socially awkward and socially inappropriate.  Loving that it's believable, even when she looks like this (I guess we'll have to believe that in order for that awkwardness to come from someplace honest, she clearly couldn't have peaked in high school):



And then there was Zooey.  Zooey has arguably spent a great deal more time in the public eye, regardless of the artsy-weirdness, yet commercially successfulness (see The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, circa 2005) of her repertoire.  Most recently seen in SciFi's Tin Man, we might not even care that neither her emotional state nor her vocal intonations waiver from one role to the next... we just love that she is who she is... although sure, the woven chainmail-esque top might need a touch of tailoring...



So kudos to the Deschanels... we simultaneously love and are bewildered by how you can be as quirky as you are, yet retain the luminous glow your apparently flawless genetic structure provides. We hope you show no signs of stopping as we ring in 2008!

We Love Wall Decals: v 2.0

We love wall decals, no matter what the backlash in the general design community may be, we think they are practical and fun. We've noticed that some new and improved options have popped up recently.

We saw mirrored wall decals at Apartment Therapy: Europe and thought they looked light and airy if a bit feminine. (We'd try these on a chocolate brown or other dark colored wall to create balance).




Then we noticed 3D wall decals by Wallter:



And finally, the uber-kitchy and seasonally appropriate christmas tree decals which, we're sure, will not impart the same level of appropriate holiday cheer as Phat Tony's genuine faux tree but are nonetheless available for purchase here:

C is for Cookie

Who could resist a good batch of cookies? Certainly not us we wholeheartedly assure you. We thought, befitting to the holiday spirit, that we might just share two of our favorite recipes.

The first is a crispy chocolate chocolate chip called "Korova Cookies" from a cookbook specializing in Parisian pastries. We find them just a bit more sophisticated than the classic chocolate chip and the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon cappuccino.

The second, a classic ginger molasses variety, is from a friend's mother we'll refer to as Mrs. Jetson and that we have taken the liberty to half because we think the quantities she suggested were meant to feed her entire small midwestern town.

Korova Cookies

1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cups Dutch process cocoa (or just unsweetened cocoa)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tbsp unsalted butter (room temperature)
2/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chip-size bits

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together. Cream the butter either by hand or in the mixer and then add both sugars and vanilla and beat for another minute or two. Mix in the dry ingredients only until incorporated and the dough is crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate. Try not to handle the dough too much once the flour is mixed in.

Turn the dough out onto a smooth work surface, divide in half and, working with one half at a time, shape the dough into a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and chill them for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 and on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper bake one sheet at a time for 12 minutes. Please note: These cookies are drier than most which is part of their novelty. Don't worry if they look like they aren't done when you remove them from the oven and make sure to cool them on a wire rack until they are close to room temperature.

Ginger Molasses

Cream:
1/2 lb butter
1/4 tbsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 medium sized eggs
3/8 cup molasses (add 1/4 cup water)

Sift:
3 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tbsp baking soda
1/2 tbsp cinnamon
3/4 tbsp ground cloves
1/2 tbsp ground ginger

Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls, roll the balls in some sugar (just sprinkle some on a plate) think of it like salting a margarita glass...except...not really. Bake at 350 for about 13-15 minutes and enjoy.

Weighing in: Ethno-scarves

The pseudo-ethnic print scarf has taken over...Manhattan at least. Can anyone confirm or deny its use in other locations, we're curious? Regardless, whether we like it or not, it's this year's pashmina and it looks like it's going to be around at least for a season. We knew something was up when the Keffiyeh was the new hot item this summer and we've struggled with the concept of women running around the city wearing what has looked to us, rather like a babushka. We've changed our minds recently having seen it worn the right way exactly twice. Once by a very stylish close friend.


And once by our favorite twin.


We're not even going to bother enumerating the rules this time. We just leave you with the notion that if you're wondering if the word babushka applies to you...step away from the scarf. Thank you.

Dear Stylist: Brit Brit Edition

Dear Stylist,

Exactly how many printed hoodies does 100 million dollars buy one?






Just checking.

Yours truly,

The Aesthetes

The Wardrobe That Time Forgot

We know we're not the only ones to notice a particular emerging trend and certainly not the first to comment, but we've come to the point where we can't quite leave the issue alone. Has anyone else wondered what spurred the return of the long belted cardigan? Remember these?


Perhaps you or someone you know even owned one back when a Democrat ruled the White House and Cher "BE-lieved in life after love, after love, after love, after love..." I mean, sure, they were comfy...but stylish? Maybe in that "I grew up in Long Island but go to college in the Midwest" sort of way. And by "that," we mean not stylish at all. And by "not stylish at all," we mean not worthy of a comeback after spending 3 years or less in the back of our closets (Good call, Tracy... Ms. Talbots, if you're nasty). Quality nostalgia and/or whimsy do not happen that quickly see: Sex and the City movie for reference.

When we started seeing these garments out and about again recently we thought, surely this is a bad flashback come to haunt us and these people just completed the mother of all closet reorganizations and have trotted out one final nostalgic (sic) item before the Salvation Army is due to pick up the wardrobe that time forgot.

We thought that right up until we were paging through last month's French Vogue and we came across A WHOLE SPREAD ON THE LONG BELTED CARDIGAN (dubbed "cardi" via Tracy). This trend, we're afraid, may be back and in serious danger of swallowing Ellen Pompeo alive.