OMG! "New Moon" gear is here!

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" apparel and jewelry collection will be available online starting Oct. 1 and in Nordstrom stores on Oct. 15. Pictured: "New Moon Eternal Love" fitted boyfriend tee, $32.

Just because I never hopped on the crazy train that is "Twilight" fandom doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good vampire story. I'm more of a "True Blood" girl.

Regardless, I know a rabid niche market when I see one, and so does Nordstrom. The department store is launching an exclusive fashion and jewelry collection inspired by the upcoming film "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," which is set to debut on the big screen Nov. 20.

The collection, available online Oct. 1 and in stores Oct. 15, includes fitted screen tees, tanks, hoodies, dresses, jackets, as well necklaces, bracelets earrings and key fobs.

Also, in stores now, is the Luna Twilight beauty collection, which includes lip plumpers, lip stains and color palettes that have been created using characters from the movie, including Bella, Alice, Victoria, and Rosalie.

Luna Twilight Cosmetics Collection (from left): Mortal Glow Blushing Cream, $22. First Light Body Glow, $34. Just Bitten Staining Balm in Pink, $18. Femme Fatale Lip Gloss in Rich Burgundy, $20. ‘Rosalie’ Color Palette, $28. Gleam Metallic Mascara in Reflective Black, $22. In Nordstrom stores and online starting Oct. 1.

It's time to tie one on

My computer-savvy colleague asked me for scarf-tying guidance a few days ago, right on the heels of a question from another about scarf shapes and uses.

That's right accessory-fiends, it's time to bust out your favorite scarves! I am so very excited to see the temps dip enough to make scarves comfortable for wear in the Carolinas.

Here are a few tips if you love the look, but don't feel confidant in your ability to pull it off:

• When it comes to scarf length and size, the longer and bigger the better.
• Decide how you want your scarf to look. Long, rectangular scarves are more versatile than squares. But, squares can be easier to tie.
• The key to wearing knit scarves is the casual vibe -- when they're done right, they look effortlessly messy, which works in your favor as a newbie.
• This is less of an issue in the Carolinas (and even then, not until it gets considerably colder), but be mindful of the thickness of knit scarves. Some nubby, chunky knits don't do well when doubled or bunched around your neck.
• There's only one way to build confidence in your scarf-wearing and tying ability. Using a photo of a celeb or someone who's scarf style you'd like to bite, and practice, practice, practice. Set yourself up in front of a mirror and get busy.

What are your scarf-wearing tips? Tying silk scarves are a whole 'nother issue to tackle on a different day ...

Free Friday: Alice + Olivia bag

This weekend (Sept. 25-26) is the HIP Event at Neiman Marcus. Spend more than $500 on any full-priced women's contemporary sportswear or dress collections and you'll recieve a NM exclusive Alice + Olivia bag full of goodies, including a Marc by Marc Jacobs T-shirt and accessories from See by Chloe and Catherine Malandrino. Or, thanks to the folks at NM SouthPark, you can enter to win one of the Alice + Olivia bags on Free Friday.

• To enter, send an e-mail to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.


• Your e-mail must contain ALICE in the subject field of the e-mail. Include your name, phone number and mailing address in the text of the email.


• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.


• E-mails that meet the stated criteria will be entered into a random drawing. One entry per e-mail address, please.


• Only the winner will be contacted. Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Baby: I'm a Star?

Kellen was one of the winners in the Gap 2008 casting call.

Gap recently launched it's fourth annual Casting Call to find the new faces of the Gap Kids and babyGap lines. Click here for full contest details. Deadline for entry is Oct. 22.

The contest is open to babies (children age four and younger) and kids (ages 5-10). Winners will be featured in Gap's store windows. This year, there's a new fan favorite award, based on votes cast here. Four winners (one boy and one girl in each age category) will be decided by popular vote.

Think your darling son or daughter has what it takes to be a superstar? Here are a few kid-specific photo-taking tips from pro photographer Stefano Azario:

Get Close: Zoom in to get as close as possible to your subject’s face so it’s clearly visible. If your subject’s too far away, they’ll get lost against the background.

Show Personality: Memorable photos let your subject’s personality shine through. Avoid stiff smiles and forced poses as they can come across as artificial and generic. Instead, take your time and follow your subject as they relax in or move through an environment that’s comfortable to them. Also, avoid hats – they’re cute but we want to see faces and hair.

Watch the Background: Shoot the photo against a simple background so your subject really stands out. Don’t forget to move anything nearby that might be distracting.

Try Different Angles: Try angling the camera or shooting from different perspectives to make your photos more memorable. It’s also important to photograph kids at their eye level rather than standing over them.

Use Natural Lighting: Sunlight is much more flattering than indoor lighting. Use filtered, natural light to enhance colors and skin tones. Try not to shoot with the sun behind the camera as it will likely make the subject squint and will also cast strong shadows.

Steve Madden coming to Charlotte

You love his shoes, now meet the man behind those fabulous kicks.

Steve Madden, the man behind the genre-crossing shoe line, will be at Belk SouthPark on 2-3:30p Saturday, Sept. 26, along with BET VJ Julissa Bermudez. There will be giveaways, trend talk and free T-shirts, among other goodies. The party will be on the third floor in the ladies shoe department.

This should come as no surprise, but I have adored his shoes since the mid 1990s, when I was a recent college grad and obsessed with a pair of Spice Girls-esque fat-heeled, platform, ruby-red patent loafers. (Cut me some fashion slack -- that was the look then!)

I still have my suede, wooden-heeled platform Maddens I wore on my first trip to Italy ages ago, and I love them just as much as I do the rad slouchy, buckled-laden biker boots I picked up at the Madden store in Charleston a few seasons ago.

Other happenin' events on the horizon:

ALCHIMIE FOREVER EVENT: Ada Polla, founder and creator of Alchimie Forever skincare, will be on hand 11a-4p Thursday, Sept. 24 and Friday, Sept. 25 for beauty events at Jeffre Scott Apothecary locations in Piper Glen and Myers Park. Both days, there will be complimentary mini facials and a gift with purchase of more than $75.

WAXMAMA LAUNCH PARTY: Celebrate the launch of the daily e-magazine Waxmama.com with a party at 6p Thursday, Sept. 24, at Therapy Marketplace and Café. The first 50 guests will get a free goodie bag. Entry is free, but guests are asked to add their names to a guest list by emailing their party information to info@waxMAMA.com.

FEVER EXTRAVAGANZA: The hair and fashion show starts at 6p Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Blake Hotel. Complimentary hors d'oeuvres and performances by Calvin Richardson and Beverly. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. A portion of the proceeds will benefit RAIN. Tickets and details: Fresh Kutts on The Blvd, 204 West Blvd., 704.347.1891.

Get Brief for charity

Round up you friends and mark Oct. 23 on the calendar -- this promises to be quite an event. It's time for Brief! A Fete for Fashion Benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Dreamed up by the fabulous Dan Mauney, the event will feature male models wearing underwear (and other lounge wear) from Diesel, Theory, Hugo Boss, Armani, 2Xist, Calvin Klein and Hanes, among others.

The party starts at 7 p.m., the show begins at 8:30 p.m. Oct. 23 at Extravaganza, 1610 N. Tryon St. Tickets go on sale Sept .21 and are $200, $50 and $25. For tickets or more information, click here.

Cystic Fibrosis is a life-threatening genetic disease that affects the lungs and digestive systems of approximately 30,000 children and adults in the United States. More than 10 million Americans are symptomless carriers of the defective cystic fibrosis gene. The disease occurs in one of every 3,900 live births and about 1,000 new cases of CF are diagnosed each year.

Free Friday: T3 Featherweight Dryer

To celebrate its five-year anniversary, T3 has offered up a Featherweight hairdryer, valued at $200.

• To enter, send an e-mail to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.
• Your e-mail must contain T3 in the subject field of the e-mail. Include your name, phone number and mailing address in the text of the email.
• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.
• E-mails that meet the stated criteria will be entered into a random drawing. One entry per e-mail address, please.
• Only the winner will be contacted. Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Are you open to a peep-toe?

MICHAEL Michael Kors Jamesport bootie

I've been fixated on boots since writing about them in a recent Style section.

But, to tell you the truth, it doesn't take an assignment to make me obsess about shoes, particularly boots. If you were privy to the incessant internal dialogue I have pondering the heel width, height and design elements of footwear, you might think I need help.

The latest source of shoe-specific debate I've been waging with myself was sparked by an honest question from my mom: What's up with peep-toe boots? Her take, based in a Midwestern reality that involves lots of snow, is that they simply aren't practical or even cute.

I love the peep-toe on pumps and even now on boots. It's an unexpected twist on a classic silhouette that adds a bit of edge. And, in places like Charlotte, it's a great seasonal transition shoe.

Without tights, peep-toe boots can work with skirts, leggings and dresses. Once it gets a bit cooler, adding contrasting tights (bright colors are popular, like electric blue and hot pink) will kick up the attitude of your look.

What do you think about the peep-toe boot? A favorite brand or style?

Free Friday: Boots products

This week's giveaway is Boots Original Cold Cream and Boots Original Skin Tonic.

• To enter, send an e-mail to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.
• Your e-mail must contain BOOTS in the subject field of the e-mail. Include your name, phone number and mailing address in the text of the email.
• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.
• E-mails that meet the stated criteria will be entered into a random drawing. One entry per e-mail address, please.
• Only the winner will be contacted. Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Kristin Davis, Belk end relationship

"Sex and the City" star (and S.C. native) Kristin Davis and Belk have parted ways, according to New York Magazine.

The Kristin Davis Collection was expansive, and included jewelry, accessories, shoes, intimates and clothing. The line was scheduled to be part of the Style 360 event at New York Fashion Week, but word came from event organizers late last week the fashion show had been cancelled.

It was just about a year ago that I spoke with Davis in Charlotte as she readied to celebrate the launch of her line with a fashion show at the Blake Hotel.

The fall 2009 collection will be the last available in stores.

What do you think of the announcement? Of the line? I never got around to buying anything from it, but did lust after a few pairs of shoes.

Charlotte's got style

Fashionable events continue to bust out all over Charlotte. Here's a few more:

Fashion's Night Out

Neiman Marcus at SouthPark and Lotus boutique on East Boulevard will be participating in Thursday's global celebration.

All 40 Neiman Marcus stores across the country are participating in the initiative to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence and infuse the industry's economy. From 6:30-10 p.m. the Charlotte store will host fashion presentations, trunk shows, beauty makeovers, caricature artists, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and more. The exclusive Fashion’s Night Out T-shirt will be available for sale during the event -- 40 percent of the proceeds will benefit the National Sept. 11 Memorial & Museum.

At Lotus, from 7-11p there will be music and drinks and the first 20 people through the door will receive Lotus gift certificates. Morgan Fogarty is scheduled to cover the event live for Fox News Charlotte.

Accoutrement

Potion and Bella Ropa boutiques for a night of high fashion and fab beauty products at Accoutrement, 7-9 p.m. Sept. 24 at Birkdale Village in Huntersville. The style experts will use models to showcase the latest in fall fashion and beauty, including jewelry from Genia of Silver Girl Designs.

Free Friday: EcoTools set

After a brief hiatus (a girl has to use her vacation time or lose it!), Free Friday is back. Thanks to the faithful who let me know I was missed. Or, at least the chance for free stuff was missed. Anywho, this week's prize is a pouch of Ecotools beauty products, including body wash, body lotion, intensive hand cream and body mist.

• To enter, send an e-mail to style@charlotteobserver.com. Entries sent/posted elsewhere will not be considered.
• Your e-mail must contain ECOTOOLS in the subject field of the e-mail. Include your name, phone number and mailing address in the text of the email.
• Entries must be received by 4 p.m. Friday. Entries sent after the deadline will not be considered.
• E-mails that meet the stated criteria will be entered into a random drawing. One entry per e-mail address, please.
• Only the winner will be contacted. Please do not post your answers and contact information in the comments section on the blog.

Project Runway: Three strikes

Ra'mon! Ra'mon! So glad you ditched that Catwoman suit!

Well, well. Apparently the inability to sew isn't exclusive to Fashion Show designers.

Mitchell finally got was was coming to him for his inability to focus, design, and oh yeah, SEW. First it was the smocking, then the horrid maternity shorts that could easily accommodate a person in each of the legs. Then, he admitted to the camera he chose Ra'Mon as a partner because he expected to be carried through the challenge.

Oh honey, no. If you're going to rock a cocky bravado, please, please have the skills to back it up.

For all the drama that was promised, I was thought it was pretty standard Project Runway fare: lippy designers not wanting to share or collaborate with others. Qristyl and Epperson nagged each other like an old married couple. As much as I want to like Qristyl's work, I am not feeling anything she's done thus far.

And, with each passing week, I'm feeling more confident that Ra'Mon might be the winner, especially since he's showing at New York Fashion Week. I'll be checking out his show (as well as the shows of fellow PR alums Christian Siriano and Malan Breton) during the semi-annual festival of fashion which starts Sept. 10.

Thoughts? Have you been watching "Models of the Runway?" What's your take on that show?

GIVEAWAY! Love Project Runway? Prove it by rockin this American Apparel black hoodie T with an embroidered PR logo. To enter, send an email with RUNWAY in the subject field to style@charlotteobserver.com. Email must include full name, mailing address and phone number. One entry per email address, please. Only the winner will be contacted.

"Real" women cause a stir. Really?

Seems people can't get enough of Lizzie Miller and her "real" belly.

Glamour Magazine ran photo of "plus sized" Lizzie in the September issue and has sent the latest wave of body honesty and adoration through the fashion world. Lizzie -- who is a size 12-14, certainly not plus-size by realistic, American standards -- was featured on morning talk shows, explaining her pooch.

Photo by Walter Chin, Glamour magazine

Now, the New York Post is reporting Lizzie and a band of fellow non-size-two models were seen shooting pics (including buzzed about model/author Crystal Renn) -- gasp -- in the nude in New York recently, supposedly for an upcoming Glamour spread.

I am always on board for honest, truthful discussion of body image and the reality of the American female form, but I am conflicted about this Lizzie/Glamour situation. In much the same way I was when Anna Wintour dressed Adele for the Grammys or the Gossip lead singer Beth Ditto was the darling of Paris Fashion Week.

Is the intent honest or a grab for headlines? Is it more fetishisizing of larger women? Is mainstream fashion really ready to embrace "real" bodies?

Thoughts?