Azzedine Alaia

For decades, Disney has fed the princess fantasy -- Cinderella in her fluffy ball skirt and glass slippers, Minnie Mouse in her vampy red polka dots and pumps. But what would they wear today? Vivienne Westwood, Azzedine Alaia and several other European fashion designers were asked to answer that question, creating modern looks for classic characters. Their creations were modeled on the runway at an event this month celebrating the 15th anniversary of Euro Disney outside Paris.

Every pocket of affluence in this country seems to have one stellar independent designer boutique, and in Newport Beach it's A'Maree's. Over the last 35 years, the family-owned business has grown into an international fashion force, showcasing cutting-edge labels such as Celine, Balenciaga, Azzedine Alaia, Dries Van Noten and the Row. And now that it has moved to a new location at Newport Harbor, a waterfront space inviting comparisons to...

Since Michelle Obama and her kitten heels first stepped onto the national stage five years ago, the keys to her personal dress code have remained remarkably consistent. Pearls, cardigans and brooches are all components of the first lady's look. Conservative relics of an old world Washington wardrobe? Not the way Obama interprets them, always adding her own twist. Here are a few of her most influential style signatures. - Booth Moore Pearls Obama breathed new life into the most traditional of heirloom accessories by choosing updated interpretations of the classic pearl necklace, which have included the edgy (tangled strands of blue-tone pearls by L.A.-based designer Tom Binns worn with a Marchesa gown to a state dinner in March)

It's only a dozen miles from the Sunset Strip to Pasadena's Old Town, but in club culture, that's light years. Historically, the Strip would be an old-line Pasadena resident's vision of the road to hell. Clubs on the Strip tend to reflect the boulevard--garish, show biz-oriented, with lots of out-of-towners who have come looking for whatever pleasures Sunset is supposed to offer. At the opposite end of the late-night spectrum, Colorado Boulevard in Old Town is a family-oriented shopping area.

This will go down as the year the Grammy Awards red carpet went classy. No breasts? No buttocks? No problem. Whether it was intentional, in the end, the best-dressed stars did not run afoul of the much-discussed wardrobe advisory sent last week by CBS' standards and practices committee advising attendees to cover up. Thongs and sheer panels were out, the email said. So was cleavage, puffy skin (whatever that means) and "bare flesh undercurves. GRAMMYS 2013: Full coverage | Red Carpet | Video: Red carpet | Red carpet fashion And people mostly complied - within reason.

Seated with the precision of a military exercise, the audience at Jil Sander's show was scrutinizing itself for clues as to the current pecking order. Since we recognized only a few, including Azzedine Alaia, we passed the time scrutinizing clothing instead. Not surprisingly, the people who have exhorted their readers/viewers/customers/whatever to Think Pink for spring, aren't. In fact, spotting a bit of color in this crowd is like finding Waldo.

Don't call them hot pants, you'll be showing your age. Short shorts are in fashion again, after almost a 20-year hiatus. But this time they don't answer to the old name. There isn't an official new name, either. But some people call them mini-shorts. They are filling up the racks of Guess, the Gap and other junior and contemporary stores. But they have a definite place in the pricey boutiques, where the labels include Franco Moschino, Rifat Ozbek, Azzedine Alaia and Gianni Versace.

MEDFLY MEDLEY:: Hat designer Elizabeth Marcel's "Medfly" hat, at $250, has become the chic set's anti-malathion fashion statement. Dotted with Mediterranean fruit flies (as well as grasshoppers and spiders) crafted of wire wrapped with antique chenille and silk, Marcel reports it is among the bestsellers at The Hat Gallery on Melrose Avenue. Also on the anti-malathion fashion front: a T-shirt with malathion-like droplets on the shoulders and the words, "What Malathion?"