Tag Archives: fashion

High School Reunion

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Actually, mine was a Junior High/High School reunion because I’m a product of an LA public, magnet, alternative school. My handwriting might be akin to a serial killer’s, but I’m a skilled critical thinker and free spirit.

My reunion was not in a ballroom at the airport Radisson, like they usually are. Instead we had a potluck at a big, pretty park, organized on Facebook. The last reunion we had was at my mom’s house (site of many great parties, since my mom was the original “Cool Mom”) ten years ago.

Vivien had fun with the other kids, but the only thing I didn’t like was how hard it was to look good at a park picnic.

The Upside of Pregnancy Poll

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We hear a lot about the hardship of pregnancy. Weird rashes (me), morning sickness (me, but really afternoon sickness), constant urination (me), if my husband doesn’t jump to get me something I bite his head off (me), backache (me, in the later months), waddle walk (yes, me again). But there was a lot I liked about being pregnant with Vivien and that I am getting into now with this pregnancy – or rather, there’s a lot I need to be reminded of as my girth increases (18 weeks). So tell me what you liked about being pregnant. Some sample ideas below.

Thanks, sisters!

Jenny McCarthy

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Doesn’t Jenny McCarthy look like she would smell good? I didn’t sniff when I met her last weekend, but she was as warm and charming and fun as one would expect. I did a quick interview with her for the Fashion Team. The occasion was the opening of Neiman Marcus – a new, swanky branch of the Westfield mall in Canoga Park (in the San Fernando Valley), an area of LA not known for its chic shops; they are trying to throw down with the OC and Beverly Hills. Jenny was hosting the fashion show, and I was tapped to be a judge. The contestants were real shoppers who entered themselves.

Jenny has been out front with her struggles of having an autistic son. She believes a vaccine he got caused it, and she says he is better now, due to a special diet and play therapy. I can’t weigh in on that, but I do give her a lot of praise for her candor, which I think helps parents who have a child with special needs. She told me that when her son was really bad off, she didn’t brush her teeth for 4 months. And I thought skipping showers was rough!

On a lighter note, she also said she is growing out the adorable short ‘do she has had the last couple of years. Since I am “struggling” with my own short-hair issues, I was all ears. Jenny said, “If it’s not blown out right, I look like Bonnie Hunt.” To which I said, “If my hair isn’t blown out right, I look like Dorothy Hamill.”

Let’s Talk Fall Fashion Trends

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Enough about politics and pregnancy, let’s talk fall trends. I have a tad bit of insight into this from my job co-hosting The Fashion Team on the TV Guide channel.

The Blouse To Have
With a bow or ruffle, it’s lady-like, sophisticated, and can be worn with jeans or a skirt. This blouse is part of the continued trend away from the big A-lines of last year, although on a fat day I loved those big lines.

Jewel Tones
Purple, magenta – have fun with color, saturated color. It is all about solids.

Bushy Brows
Every year there are a few trends I cannot partake in. This is one of them. I hate old pictures of me before I plucked. It may still work for Brooke Shields, but not for me.


Short Boot Shoe
Season two for these monsters. I am not a fan. Thankfully, my faves, the ballet flat, are still in.

Dr. Phil and Me

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Okay, yesterday was a crazy day in TV. A few days ago, I was contacted by the Dr. Phil show regarding my video, Helicopter Moms. They wanted to use the piece as part of their show about “Free-Range” Moms” vs. Helicopter Moms. Apparently, they have way more OCD-inclined helicopter moms.

The standard-bearer for the free-range moms was NY-based mom Lenore, who started freerangekids.com after catching flack for allowing her 9-year-old to ride the subway by himself. I told the Dr. Phil people that I try not to be a helicopter mom, that I think it’s better to be more relaxed, as that is how I was raised. They were like,”Um, yeah, maybe we will just use your vlog.”

Sensing my 15 seconds of syndicated-daytime-TV-fame slipping through my fingertips (although, I used to do some comedic commentary on Ricki Lake as the show’s token white girl – besides Ricki), I called back and said, “You know, I really want to back up the free-range mom.”

The only snag was their taping started immediately after the Fashion Team taping ended. My producers were cool: “Okay, you can miss a segment and leave 15 minutes early.” Great.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, the Dr. Phil people wanted photos of my family at home; I sent them about 9. They wanted home movies of Vivien, and I gave them that. They needed a release from my husband, so we did that, and then they CHANGED THE TIME. Now they wanted me there while the Fashion Team was still taping!

I shoot the Fashion Team (which airs Tuesday at 8 pm on the TV Guide channel – plug!) on Tuesday mornings. It’s only about 10 minutes from the Dr. Phil set. I had a knot in my stomach as I asked to leave earlier. Again, my producers were very understanding – Dr. Phil does get 10 to 20 times our audience – but I did need to shoot most of my segments.

So, on the day of the shoot, I’m all dolled up (great dress, right? I don’t even look pregnant!), thanks to the wardrobe department at TV Guide, which is one of the best parts of my job (as is the professional makeup). I am trying to be calm as the clock is ticking and our Fashion Team shoot is inching along. My co-host, Lawrence Zarian, is very sweet and says he is happy to a few segments without me. Our guest is the costume designer of “Mad Men” (AMC, Sundays at 10pm). She is new to the on-camera world and during our interview she stumbles over a word and starts to break to ask, “Can I do that again?” but before she can, Lawrence Zarian and I jump in. On the break, she says, “I thought we could stop.” I wanted to scream, “If you want to be here all day and blow my chance to be on Dr. Phil, go right ahead!” But instead I say, “It’s better to keep going since they have to stop to make each edit.” Which is true: it takes forever.

I race out to my car, texting the Dr. Phil show that I am on my way, as I was 15 minutes late already. They have a golf cart waiting for me at the studio gate. The show is ready to go, and the warm-up guy – one of the hardest and most unsung jobs in show biz – is vamping for time, making jokes and giving away Dr. Phil mugs and books. I am finally seated in the front row. The studio is so cold my teeth are chattering.

Lenore starts with the doctor telling her story. Then it goes to a super over-protective mom. I’m waiting… then there’s another over-protective mom across the aisle from me. Um, where are those pictures of my stepdaughter and Viv hand in hand? Finally Dr. Phil introduces me. He shows part of my vlog, I think it got a good response, but I am thinking, WHICH ONE OF MY MANY WITTY ANECDOTES WILL I SHARE WITH DR. PHIL? I am not sure how much give-and-take there will be. He addressed me and I blurt out in a nutshell that I came to think I needed to get over myself and be a calmer, more open mom. He asked, “Why?” So I told him why, then he turned to the A guests (those on stage) and explained the lesson I helped illustrate.

More segments, but no more of me. On a break, Dr. Phil looked down at me, smiled and nodded. I’m thinking, “Um, I have more to say, um, where’s my home movie?”

These kinds of talk shows are very well-produced, but maybe too well-produced. There’s no forum for give-and-take. But then I’m sure not everyone would be as television-savvy as I would be, and they may really blather on. Also the show became a parade of the disasters of the overly controlling mom. Though Dr. Phil did have good advice.

I don’t know when it will be on, but I will announce that here on Cool Mom, of course, when I know.

I hope I get my MiniDV back.

BOTOX

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So a while ago I said to Nikki, my executive producer of the Fashion Team, “I can’t believe this show can’t get me some free BOTOX.”  A few days later she called and asked if I was serious; there was a segment they wanted to do and I could get free BOTOX by a reputable Beverly Hills doctor who has been on Extreme Makeover (a show I always loved) on TV.  I said, “Why not?  I’m going to tell everyone anyway.”  I would never pull a Star Jones and conceal I lost half my body.  I can’t keep much of a secret. If someone compliments my outfit I can’t just say “thank you” – I have to say, “TJ Maxx, $25!”.  Maybe I’ll be classy when I grow up.

Anyway, it was done by Dr. Jon Perlman.  It felt like tiny little pricks.  Waxing is a hundred times more painful.  Not only would I do it again, I might even pay for it.

Perpetual Fashion Critique

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Look, here’s the first event we have gotten dolled up for together in a long, long time. The Poop (what a great name) had a pithy little posting about taking fashion critique shows and turning them on moms and dads. Since I do host a show where we rip on celeb fashion, I so relate. Yes, I too am often in my mommy track suit, but when it’s time to dress up, sharpen the fangs.

Daphne and Mark in NYC

I recently realized what an occupational hazard I have with this. I can’t turn off the Fashion Team brain. I am also in Star Magazine every week doing the jokes for Worst of the Week, so it’s like I can’t turn ever turn it off. Yes, I can be snarky, but I love when someone looks great.

My husband Mark Peel’s restaurant, Campanile, was recently nominated for Best Restaurant in the country for the James Beard Awards (the Oscars of dining). He lost to Gramercy Tavern, though he did win it in 2001.

Mark was fine with losing this year, and I was fine because it brought us to New York and allowed me to get dressed up with my husband. He spends five nights a week in chef’s white while I toil in my track suit, so good times. At these food events, Mark has plenty of old friends and such that he wants to talk with.  I want the free wine and food that goes with it. So I have learned to bring my best gay friend Michael with me. He is the perfect date. Mark likes him too, since then I am not saying, “Can we leave?”

Michael is fab and works in fashion so needless to say, we had a constant fashion critique going. Food people are not the toniest types, so there were some errors. Flips-flops at black tie event at the Lincoln Center, really? Two women thought that was okay. Then there are the re-used prom dresses. And, I’m sorry, but the bubble skirts need to stop.

But this year, people looked a lot better than when I went to the Beard awards in 2004, when I swear I saw nail art. There are also those who don’t have the figure of a model or the budget of one, but clearly made an effort, so good for them. By the way, Kim Cattrall co-hosted the event with Bobby Flay, and she looks great and committed like a pro to all the banal banter she was forced to say.

Now, there were about three women who we really thought looked great. And we made a point of rushing over to them and telling them, which always makes someone feel good. The last lady we championed ended up being the wife of the chef of Quince, a restaurant in San Francisco that I have heard nothing but good things about and wanna go to when I have my 36 hours of child free time in SF in August.

At midnight as the security guards were yelling, “Go home, this event is over,” to us and the other stragglers (I mentioned there was free food and drinks, right?), a sweet young man came up to me and said, “I noticed your dress earlier and I wanted to tell you how much I love it.” That made my night. He was a cooking student who was volunteering, and when I told him about Mark, he got so excited. He had written a paper about him, so I introduced them. And it proved we aren’t the only ones sizing up everybody’s fashion.