Fashion

A decade after singling out the Spice Girls as fashion atrocities, Mr. Blackwell put just one of them -- Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham -- at the top of his 48th annual worst-dressed list. The acid-tongued critic, who was designing dresses for the rich and famous when he originated the list in 1960, skewered entertainment's biggest stars in the latest compilation of fashion follies released Tuesday. Insisting it's all in fun to encourage fashion consciousness, Blackwell heaped venom on Beckham.

THE red carpet at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards threw into sharp relief just how safe female musicians are required to play it these days. The steady stream of jewel-toned gowns, softly waved tresses and unremarkable diamond baubles was eerily similar to the red carpet scene at the Screen Actors Guild Awards a few weeks ago. Since when did pop and rock stars start dressing like actresses?

The exposed metal studs, the shopping-cart-sculpture-cum-display-stand and the fashion house executives from Paris were all in place. The hipster-chic customers picked their way past trash bins in an alley leading to the Hernando's Hideaway-style entrance. Perfume bottles and brightly colored wallets were artfully arrayed and ready for sale. The only things missing from the launch of Comme des Garcons' first "guerrilla store" in the United States were the clothes. They were stuck in U.S.

Hitchcock once called actors cattle. Herd mentality certainly ruled the Oscar red carpet, with most actresses choosing one-shouldered gowns in black or red. The coif du jour? A rain-resistant ponytail -- spotted on Cameron Diaz, Anne Hathaway, Saoirse Ronan and Miley Cyrus. AMY RYAN First look: The nominee for "Gone Baby Gone" made no cannonball splash in a one-shouldered, navy Calvin Klein gown and a bun better suited to a Denny's waitress.

Maybe it was the lusty mannequins in its stores, the massage oil on its shelves or the overabundance of cleavage on the glittery runway of its annual TV fashion show. But this week, Victoria's Secret Chief Executive Sharen J. Turney acknowledged that the chain had gotten "too sexy." Is such a thing even possible? "We have moved off of our brand heritage," she said in a conference call with analysts. "We use the word 'sexy' a lot and really have forgotten the ultra-feminine."

Illustrator Ruben Toledo, with his pencil-thin mustache and wide-legged trousers, and women's wear designer Isabel Toledo, with her cinched waists and bolero jackets, are the Fred and Ginger of the fashion world. (Isabel's line is at Nordstrom, Barneys New York and a smattering of top shops internationally.) This spring, the couple is off to Germany to oversee printing of "Fashionation," Ruben's book of artwork that will be published by Karl Lagerfeld's imprint, Edition 7L. But first, they'll come west from their New York home as they do most years to mentor students at Otis College of Art and Design.

Tracey Ullman fans might find it hard to believe, but in her two-plus decades on TV, the master impersonator has rarely ventured into the world of celebrities. That changes March 30, when "Tracey Ullman's State of the Union" premieres on Showtime. On the new weekly series, the 48-year-old British-born comedian is fearless with her portrayals of the famous, moving breezily from Laurie David to David Beckham. To help perfect her Arianna Huffington impression, Ullman listens to "Left, Right & Center" on KCRW.

Christian Louboutin: A listing of fashion events in Sunday's Image section gave the incorrect day for a personal appearance by shoe designer Christian Louboutin. He will be at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills from 2 to 6 p.m. today.

CARRIES AND Samanthas, meet the Jemainiacs and Breterosexuals. Die-hard fans of two cult HBO series -- "Sex and the City" and "Flight of the Conchords" -- came out in force last weekend. First, throngs of "Sex"-starved viewers donned their finest and headed to the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood to usher the beloved urban fairy tale to the big screen at 12:15 a.m. Friday. Then, on Friday and Sunday nights, a more raggedy crowd hit the Orpheum Theatre in downtown L.A., to see Bret McKenzie and Jemaine Clement, the quirky musical comedy duo behind "Flight of the Conchords."