StyleSpy with Katrina Szish

Michelle Obama upped her burgeoning style star status last night in Denver, where she chose to wear an on-trend, yet appropriate art-print dress from It-designer Thakoon Panichgul (Kate Bosworth is a fan).

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Panichgul, of course, is pleased: “I am incredibly honored that Michelle Obama chose to wear a dress from my collection on such a historical night for her, her family and this country.”

SIDE NOTE:

While the presidential race heats up, so does the race for most-fashionable- woman-to-potentially-land-in-the-White-House.  According to a recent CNN update, John McCain has officially chosen the "Hottest Governor in America," Sarah Palin of Alaska, as his running mate.  Game on!

Whether you fancy Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan or Sean Connery as your spy guy, we all have a little Bond Girl envy in our hearts.  With that in mind, I rounded up some cool gadgets that inspire my inner Ursula for CNN.com's latest edition of "Show and Tell."

Calling all fashion-philes in New York, Paris, London, Milan, Tokyo and Hong Kong:  Take to the streets on September 6th, and you might get a free YSL totebag.

Yves Saint Laurent designer Stefano Pilati's third "Manifesto" will be widely distributed on this day (over half a million copies), but for the first time, the first 5,000 passers-by in each city will score a limited edition cotton tote designed by Pilati. 

Destined to replace the "I'm Not A Plastic Bag" grocery tote as the ultimate green-chic It-Bag (sorry, Anya), Pilati's Marxist approach to the dissemination of design turns the notion of luxury labels on its head -- an irony not lost on the designer, who chose to literally turn the YSL logo on its head.

What, you may ask, exactly is this Manifesto?  Here's your answer, straight from the press release:

"This democratic revelation of Stefano Pilati’s fashion message for Yves Saint Laurent, coupled with a traditional print campaign, continues a multidimensional platform for communication that began two seasons ago, and simultaneously forwards a legacy of broadening the world of fashion and taking it to the street."

Shame on everyone out there who considers fashion mere frippery!

The Manifesto features Naomi Campbell decked out in the new Fall/Winter collection, shot by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.  A short behind-the-scenes film and the Manifesto images will debut exclusively on ysl.com on the same day.

Here, an exclusive sneak-peek of Naomi in action...

P.S.
For those of you in NYC, please be reminded (warned?) that the international fashion community will have descended upon our fair city for New York Fashion Week...those bags are going to go FAST.  Hmmm, any guesses as to where those Manifestos will be distributed?  Perhaps near Bryant Park??

Elettra Wiedemann (face of Lancome and daughter of Isabella Rossellini) is teaming up with JustOneFrickinDay.com -- a charity whose mission is to unify and concentrate resources on a number of global charity projects -- and The Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF) in an effort to raise money for the Burundi Solar Project.  The goal is to equip a hospital in Kigutu, Burundi, one of the world's poorest countries, with sustainable solar power for the life of its existence.

The organization needs to raise $450,000 to accomplish their goal, and there are two ways YOU can help. 

First: put your energy into FASHION.  Power-house designers Chris Benz, Phillip Lim, House of Diehl, Giambattista Valli, Rag & Bone and Rogan have designed limited edition t-shirts (100 only, $60 each), available starting TODAY at JustOneFrickinDay.com.  You can also score a non-limited edition House of Diehl tee for $30.

Second: if your closet is already too full (if that's true, I'd like to meet you), you can donate one day's worth of your annual salary instead.  The website (hence the name) has a built-in calculator which determines "Just One Frickin Day" of your annual salary for donation.

More about the project:

According to JustOneFrickinDay.com: "Rampant illness and ailments include HIV/AIDS, malnutrition, malaria, measles, diarrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and an infant mortality rate that is approaching 20% [in Burundi].  The health crisis facing the southern part of the country is especially severe due to a lack of electricity.  When the sun goes down, doctors use kerosene lamps and headlights for night work, which can include emergency surgeries and child birth."

Click here to buy a limited edition t shirt, to donate and day's salary and to learn more.

Celebrate the last days of summer by treating yourself to a brilliant bargain.  I've been eyeing these Hollywould raffia sandals all season, and even though Labor Day is a week away, the price is definitely right...they're $80 (final sale, all sizes available, SALE ENDS SUNDAY) marked down from $245! 




I'm already fantasizing about what sandy beach to wear them on this winter...

CHECK OUT INSTYLE.COM'S ULTIMATE SHOE GUIDE TO GET GEARED UP FOR FALL.  SEE EDITOR'S PICKS AND CELEB FAVORITES!

...well, not exactly.   While Jamaicans everywhere are celebrating their country's track and field triumphs at the Bird's Nest in Beijing, I am celebrating Sophie Eyssautier, a French native who left behind a successful design career in Paris to move to Jamaica.  And, if I had a gold medal to bestow upon the best Jamaican-based design talent, it would go to Eyssautier.

At the urging of friends, Eyssautier opened Sophie's Callaloo Butik in Negril in 2002.  The label, called Callaloo (named after Eyssautier's favorite green, leafy Jamaican vegetable),

includes clothing and accessories for women and children (sundress above) as well as housewares, and is sold in a handful of Jamaican boutiques (although Noisette in Brooklyn occasionally carries a few pieces).

I got my first peek at Callaloo in the exquisitiely-curated boutique at Rockhouse Hotel (everyone from Bob Dylan to Nanette Lepore has checked in), and quickly learned of the label's success as items sold out on a daily basis.

As quoted in a local Jamaican magazine, Eyssautier says, "It is most important that my creations are made entirely in Jamaica.  I was tired of looking on labels only to find they were made in faraway countries."

 Each piece from the Callaloo collection is handcrafted, whether a beaded T shirt, printed bag, tank top with quirky embroidery (surprisingly Marni-esque), a madras infant onesie, or a flowing cotton dress perfect for Caribbean days and nights.

Best of all, indulging in a few pieces won't cramp your travel budget.  Bags cost about $30 or less, dresses max out at $60.  Prices go down from there.

Hungry for some Callaloo?
Check out www.callalloo-jam.com for more details.

Most of you have probably seen the Gap's hot fall ad campaign (launched August 12th) featuring enviable stylemakers such as Liv Tyler, Marchesa's Georgina Chapman (left) and DJ Leigh Lezark (right; j'adore her hair).

Shot by Mikael Jansson, the edgy black and white images showcase the first complete collection by head designer Patrick Robinson (LOVE him!) and celebrate the label's emphasis on mixing classic pieces to create your own personal style.  (See what our pals at Fab Sugar have to say about it).

BUT what you probably haven't seen are these behind-the-scenes outtakes...and that's because they're exclusive to In Style!

ENJOY!

Liv Tyler had her locks chopped at the shoot....

...but clearly had nothing to be scared of.  FAB!

Liv gets sexy and snuggly in Gap's boyfriend cardigan...

And then looks rad in plaid...

Here's the shot that made the final cut:

TALK TO ME! 

Are you edgy, dramatic, minimal, sexy OR...?  How would you describe YOUR personal style?  

No, of course I haven't abandoned you, dear Style Spy readers, but I am in the midst of an adventurous getaway in Negril, Jamaica. 

Am holed up in the glorious Rockhouse Hotel with my own thatched-roof hut atop ancient volcanic rock cliffs overlooking the Caribbean...

...with front row seats for brilliant sunsets.

The hotel, spa (one of the best I've visited -- ask for Joy OR Joyce) and incredible views have been decadent (shopping secrets coming later), while jumping off said cliffs, scuba diving and snorkeling with stone fish (the most venomous of all species), moray eels and barracudas has provided the requisite danger necessary for any exciting escape.

Check back for insider tips on the best local haunts, sailboat charters, local design talent and more.

Kisses, postcards, wish you were here..

XX
K

PS
just got an email alert from a PR company which jolted me back to reality...and made chuckle.  I was notified that a particular pregnant celeb chose to wear A Pea In the Pod maternity wear to a recent Scientology Gala.