After a Fashion
Big feet, freedom hairdressers, and the Oscars
By Stephen MacMillan Moser, Fri., March 4, 2005
OSCAR-RAMA: Preshow on E! is definitely a problem these days – almost enough to wish Joan Rivers were back, though not quite. We like Kathy Griffin, but the routine of the hideous Star Jones interviewing all the celebs while Kathy performs lame schtick from above did not work at all. Rumor says that there's been plenty of grumbling about how poorly Star handled the Grammys – putting all the focus on herself, yammering about her god-awful wedding, and even making sure her new husband was lurking around in many shots. But it was an especially gruesome Oscar moment when Star had the camera zoom in on her Chopard jewelry; you could see it was designed to hide some very unpleasant scarring on Star's cleavage. Kathy should have done the interviewing and sent Star home to work on her diction. We bestowed Beyoncé with the award for "Best Earrings," though the breastplate of diamonds looked absolutely bulletproof. She beat out Virginia Madsen's diamond pendulums and Halle's diamond spears. "Best Hair" was tough – Scarlett Johansson's wispy 'do was very pretty; we really liked Penélope Cruz's beehive (even though it dwarfed her); Gwyneth's tresses were beautiful (she looked really pretty all the way around this time) – but we think that overall, Salma Hayek mowed 'em all down. "Best Dress" is tough – Gwyneth's was gorgeous, Renée Zellweger's was stunning (but the jury's still out on her new dark hair and whether her make-up worked with it), Emmy Rossum's dress was lovely, Catalina whats-'er-name was gorgeous, but our award goes to Cate Blanchett, who understands glamour like few others. On the downside, Laura Linney and Drew Barrymore have been expelled from the academy for relying too heavily on stylists who evidently led them down a garden path.
BACK TO SCHOOL: Sat., March 5: UT goes all out with Explore UT – an all-day event open to the public that features a myriad of free hands-on activities, performances, demonstrations, and lectures in more than 300 programs, including a full day of fashion-oriented events, among so many other great things to see and do. For complete information, see www.utexas.edu/events/exploreut.
FRENCH (HAIR)DRESSING: To me, the best thing that's come from France, besides the couture, is a hairdresser named Thibault de Monterno – but you can call him T-Bo for short. Yes, yes, we know what a bad rap the French have gotten in the last couple of years, thanks to you-know-who, but don't even think of calling him a Freedom Hairdresser. He's French and that's one of the best things about him. That and his haircuts. Said one eager client, "I'm a fool for a frog – never seen a bad haircut in France yet." T-Bo doesn't live in Austin, but he is married to an Austin girl in New York, and he became acquainted with Austin while visiting her family. Working out of New York's posh Pashah salon, and formerly with Frederic Fekkai for many years. T-Bo now makes an appearance here regularly (about every three months), booking a few days of appointments and has developed a dedicated following. I made an appointment with him to see what all the fuss was about. And now I know. Though he's fairly pricey (haircuts are $125), the man is a true god of haircutting. For info and appointments, send an e-mail to: [email protected].
SOCIAL DIARY: We certainly are in the midst of post-holiday fervor that promises to continue until it morphs into spring fever. We just saw Barbara Chisholm's knock-out performance in her fab one-woman show Blown Sideways Through Life, written by Claudia Shear and directed by Dave Steakley, at Zach Scott, and also attended the theatre's rockin' Red Hot & Soul fundraiser at the Austin Music Hall – great food, go-go dancers, music, and a wonderful auction make this event grow larger every year and is one of the most fun charity events of the year. The Texas Film Hall of Fame and many SXSW delights, of course, are on our plate; the stars will be out in force here in Austin, and we should have tantalizing gossip coming right up.
BIG IS BETTER I can certainly attest to the fine customer service at www.bigshoes.com. This Austin-based business has been online since 1998 offering men's sizes 13 and up, and recently opened their first retail store in the Market District, Big Shoes, at 830 W. Third #1148 (391-9014). I looked into them since I too wear a hard size to find. Despite not having what I was looking for, they utilized their vast resources to help me out. My pleasant experience is hardly an isolated incident; their Web site is loaded with similar testimonials. Big Shoes is another example of former tech execs spinning their creativity into another kind of gold – and another example of the excellent retailing in Austin.
