Blog Posts by The Frisky

French VogueThere was a very special decade called the '90s when body piercings really meant something to angsty teens struggling to take a stand and establish themselves as edgy, independent, and most of all "unique" individuals. Nose rings were an especially popular way to show the world that you were a totally badass Adult-with-a-capital-A, yet didn't trust anyone over the age of say, 24. Those teenagers grew up and got Real Jobs and eventually ditched the ironworks, which is why we caught a wave of nostalgia when we spotted supermodel Iris Strubegger rocking a rather major septum piercing in this month's (what else?) French Vogue.

Our friends over at Fashionista also noticed that Tasha Tilberg was featured in her signature nose ring over at i-D last month, and we have to wonder if we'll see this look come back on the scene big-time. (For the record, we seem to remember Miley Cyrus showing off a new nose piercing last month. Can we trace this trend back to her? Nah, doubt it.) In related news,

I heart words and communication. This includes emails, text messages, Gchat, Blackberry Messenger, iChat-the works. I am a sucker for a well-crafted email or a witty text message. My motto: The way to my heart is through my brain. That's why I thought Joe could be Mr. Perfect for me. Joe and I met one night at a work gala. I had already put away an entire bottle of wine when I almost knocked him over on the dance floor.

"Do you like to dance, beautiful girl who almost stepped on my foot?" he asked.

"Only when I'm drunk. When I'm sober, I dance like Elaine from 'Seinfeld.'" I replied.

It was a rainy October night and Joe offered to escort me to the subway when the event ended, impressed that I could: a.) still walk and b.) do it in 3-inch heels. "Email me," I slurred, handing him my business card, "I loooove emails."

The next day at work, the misery of my hangover was interrupted when Joe sent me a long, witty, intellectually stimulating email, complete with

iStockphotoHere at The Frisky, we love our beauty products. Discovering a magical moisturizer that makes one's skin smoother than a baby's bottom is akin to Christmas morning giddiness. That's why when a beauty product fails to live up to its exalted claims, we're more like depressed kittens. Rather than sulk and skulk, we've found an antidote: Cosmedicine is sponsoring the "Protest Beauty BS" video contest . The gist is that you create a video which spoofs an "unrealistic or misleading skincare advertisement." (Contenders are, however, prohibited from using any real false products. Legal reasons?) Contestants can upload their videos beginning August 4th until September 14th. As if you need any incentive, there's also a cash prize of … $5,000! Inspired by this most brilliant challenge, we put on our Nancy Drew hats and did a thorough investigation into beauty and skincare products that claim to do the miraculous but seem to leave you with zilch. Click on to journey through the murky waters of the

Vogue.com

Lady mags got you down? If so, you've got something in common with notorious Daily Mail columnist Liz Jones. Ms. Jones, who recently caused a stir with her confessional forays into " anorexia journalism ," has recently moved on from eating disorders and is now focusing on a semi-related topic: fashion magazines, publications where she once thrived as a staffer, which she now calls "patronizing, fake and pointless." So it seems I have something in common with Jones, too. I grew up loving fashion magazines and spent most of my career working for them. And it's been awhile now since I've become relatively dissatisfied with their sketchy intentions. I guess you could call it a love/hate relationship.

It's no secret that they continue to use scare mongering as a selling tactic-the fear that you'll get too fat if you don't try the diet they're featuring, you won't look your best if you don't buy the clothes and makeup they're highlighting (as a thinly veiled attempt to support their

WikiHow

Apparently animal prints are all the rage (once again) and we're fully in support of that. But while trends like wide leg jeans and black patent are pretty difficult to screw up, animal print has always been a hellishly tricky little devil. For example, every single time this look comes 'round again, someone decides it's a good idea to wear something that's say, pink and zebra print all-in-one. Never okay. And the dude above clearly completely misconstrued the spirit of the look entirely, choosing to turn himself into a cheetah rather than add some tasteful animal accents to his outfit. And it only gets worse…

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-- Lily Quateman for The Frisky

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The Daily News
Have you ever come across those sites or Google Ads for deeply discounted designer goods that make your heart swell? All of a sudden, you've come across the world's best secret, where you can buy a buttery leather Chanel tote for less than the cost of a steak dinner. Most of the time, these scams are pretty evident, but every now and then, some deals slip through the cracks and actually seem legit. Becoming convinced and shelling out cash for what you think is a bargain, however, can have more serious repercussions than you think.

A recent investigation by the Daily News regarding Louboutin heels advertised for only $155 (at retail they're more like $500-$3000), found not only that the shoes were structurally unstable, but that fakes like these come from factories that exploit child labor:

Jon and Kate Gosselin announced their split less than a month ago, and Jon certainly didn't waste any time getting with a new girl. Meanwhile, Kate continues to wear her wedding band. Is Jon cruel for moving on so fast, or is Kate just slow at accepting the fact that her marriage is over? This got us thinking about our rules for rebounding the right way.

REBOUND RULE #1
Don't ever rebound with someone who you know is interested in something more serious. That's just mean.

REBOUND RULE #2
Don't rebound with someone you would actually like to date. In rare cases, a rebound can turn into relationship, but most of the time the other person knows their place and likes it there.

REBOUND RULE #3
Don't rebound with any exes unless you know without a shadow of a doubt that both you and he are 1000 percent over each other. We do not advocate getting back together with any exes, ever. Unless your ex-boyfriend is named Ryan Gosling and your name is Rachel McAdams

Topshop

Everyone's favorite new shopping mecca (well, for us Americans anyhow), Topshop, has released images from its Autumn/Winter '09 lookbook. So far, we're loving the collection that's pulling some brave styling moves (combining animal and flower prints; pairing bra-tops with blazers for an evening look), as well as bold structures and forms (baggy harem-meets-equestrian pants; multicolored fringe dresses). Overall, the line communicates different style adventures-depending on how you wear them-ranging from updated 80s to Euro-chic. In other words, it's eclectic. And ya know what, we love it!

We also got a look at designer Emma Cook's Topshop capsule collection, set to hit U.K stores near the end of the month (...and we hope online for us! Please?).

After the jump, check out more looks and please weigh in: Do you adore or is it too crazy cuckoo?