Forgettable Fashion Accessory: Handerpants

Highlighting some of the season's best fashion accessories is a joy without which we might not be able to go on, but once in a great while an accessory is brought to light which merits being brought to the front of the class simply because of how bad it is. There have been some especially appalling examples of questionable accessories in the headlines in recent years, from the horrors of wearable blankets to all manner of baby bag contraptions that have tried –and failed-- tirelessly to make the necessity of caring around diapers somehow chic. Sometimes the very best regrettable accessories are born out of such apparent necessity, and there's nothing like the blast of cold winter weather to bring out the worst in accessory design. Shopping for hats, scarves, and gloves each year as the temperature drops is a pleasure for most fashionistas, and many may have noticed trends surrounding fingerless gloves. Often as cozy and comfortable as the originals, fingerless gloves supposedly allow for a greater range of motion and ability with the fingertips (say, typing an iPhone message on the go) while still essentially keeping the hands warm. The trend certainly has its critics, many of whom question the wisdom of keeping the most cold-vulnerable parts of the hands uncovered. But we think the pool of critics will likely get a significant boost thanks to the launch of Handerpants. The name may be horrifying, but there's something worse to come: these fingerless gloves are exactly what you're fearing. Tighty whities for the hands.



We're not sure precisely who the product managers had in mind when they began marketing these duds of winter fashion wonder, but we're pretty sure that the target audience wasn't particularly intended to have any back issues of Vogue. Crafted in cotton (arguably the only redeeming quality of the pieces), the Handerpants are sewn and seamed to resemble the plainest of boy-underpants, complete with a mundane elastic band that wraps around the wrists and proudly displays the name of the tacky product (just in case anyone missed the idea upon seeing the Handerpants themselves). Probably incapable of providing much of any warmth to the hands, these fingerless gloves may well be one of the most useless as well as the most objectionable fashion accessories we've seen on the market in quite some time.
It's hard to go wrong with a pair of quality cashmere or leather gloves for cold weather woes, and there are scores of other spot-on winter accessories that can brighten up any season. From the appeal of seasonal costume jewellery in the shape of Santa's hat or an elegant snowflake to pieces that incorporate both the distinctive color palette and cheer of the holidays into their design, fashion accessories perfect for gift-giving and splurging for the self can be found in abundance. We hope you're treated right this season and that Handerpants are safely kept limited to your computer screen!

Fashion Bloopers: Now Starring Robert Downey Jr.

Sometimes there's nothing quite as enjoyable as taking in the beauty of a particular star bedecked in an imaginative fashion confection, and many a fashionista's wall or mirror has been taped up with a picture of a celebrity who unmistakably got their fashion moment just right. But it's not always the case that stars nail the fashion challenge; sometimes, in fact, they very seriously flop. It may be somewhat incongruous to snicker at the unfortunate fashion choices of the very celebrities that on good days, but if gossip rags are any indication, it's certainly a past time. There are ample opportunities in the entertainment industry for stars to fall flat in a big way; from red carpet events coast to coast, ball gowns and suits make plenty of daring appearances throughout the year. But not all fashion mistakes are made in front of the brightest spotlights. Sometimes, they can be as simple as a walk in the park....



...A walk in the park is what Robert Downey, Jr. might have had in mind when he dressed for a London dinner last week, accompanied by his wife and famed British filmmaker Guy Ritchie. Ostensibly celebrating the then-imminent release of his new Sherlock Holmes flick, Downey Jr. sat down for what was likely a lovely meal –dressed in less than lovely duds. The most striking element of the star's questionable ensemble, a piece that has made its way onto the eager front pages of plenty of publications, was a powder blue affair that might have been the world's first glimpse of an unhappy marriage between a top hat and a fisherman's cap, trimmed in a darker blue ribbon that just might have been crafted of velvet. Crowning the actor in what looked to be part old maid bonnet and part rummage sale disgrace, the hat would have seemed entirely out of character were it not for the awkwardly baggy pants the star wore atop shoes that could have definitely used a good scrubbing.
By contrast, Downey Jr's wife looked perfectly chic and groomed, and seemingly unaware of her husband's bizarre outfit, a trait which may make her the most forgiving woman in show business. Of course, this doesn't mark the worst case of celebrity dressing the world has ever seen –a few of Cher's Bob Mackie moments, for instance, come to mind--, but the world of gossip has made certain that it will earn its place among the hallowed halls of stars who stepped out in something utterly ghastly. In the world of men's fashion accessories, it can sometimes seem like being adventurous is especially risky. But when men shop with costume jewellery retailers and accessory houses with a reputation for getting trends just right (like Janeo's raised-ridge leather belt, for instance), expressing oneself doesn't have to involve showing up in the bad fashion headlines bedecked in items that couldn't flatter a fish.

Lindsay Lohan Makes Major Fashion Failure

Amidst all the gossip and gushing about great new designs and exciting collections, there's a fair amount of scandal to be found at a given Paris Fashion Week event, as most devotees of the traditional show are well aware. This year, the award for the most talked about, and perhaps most vehemently criticized (as in, ever, period) aspect of the show undeniably goes to Lindsay Lohan's fashion flop at luxury design house Ungaro. Red flags went up across the industry nearly a month before the event when the news of Lohan's involvement with the traditionally high-fashion firm was released. Critics wondered what the design company must have been thinking, while others suggested that the move was an affront to the professionals who spent their careers involved in serious design work. The offense? Ungaro hired Lohan to consult on the new collection as an assistant to its newly-commissioned head designer, Estrella Archs.



There are a number of theories as to why Ungaro may have made its controversial move, but a number of gossipers have noted that asking a celebrity to endorse a brand is fairly common in the fashion world. Of course, design houses usually restrict the arrangement to the realm of putting on a pretty face; celebrities might feature prominently in advertisement campaigns, or might make a testimonial or branding contribution through a signature or the lending of their name. But ask a celebrity -–especially one as hotly contested as Lindsay Lohan-- to actually do the design work, and mouths are likely to drop open.
That's precisely what happened at the showing of the latest Ungaro collection at Paris Fashion Week, but the astonishment was clearly not leaning towards the positive. Critics had a veritable field day with the bright and “gaudy” designs on parade, describing the collection as lacking invention and breaking the rules of form and color -–but in a decidedly bad way. While some industry rags attempted to maintain a sense of sympathy for Lohan, the mood online and in print since the event has been distinctly vicious, something that has spawned the occasional commentator to suggest that the failed campaign may signal a change in direction for fashion houses that have been taking advantage of celebrity involvement.
It may be the case that Ungaro was simply looking to safeguard its name and assets during an especially turbulent economy, but if this is true, it would appear that the design studio, which has typically catered to high-end fashionistas and those with a deep purse and an even deeper appetite for couture, has effectively caused its own worst nightmare. While glowing reviews about other shows at Paris Fashion Week highlight the insight and talents of Ungaro's friends and competitors, the label itself is likely to hear nothing but incredulity for the time being. Frankly, we're just glad that Lohan kept her designing “prowess” out of the field of costume jewellery -–there aren't any flops or faux pas here.