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Premiering Tonight! The Agency

FabSugar — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 12:33:33 PST

Ok I admit it: I will be checking out the new model TV show "The Agency" tonight at 10:00 PM on Vh1. I am an America's Next Top Model fan (premiering next week - wahoo!), but I have a feeling this show will deliver a different, and just as drama-filled, guilty pleasure experience. Although, I am a little worried of the timing for such a show. With all the controversy over models and the body image issue, these model agents could be seen as the devil when nit picking people's looks. On the flip side, I can't wait to see the male models! Will you watch with me? We can dish about it in a chat tomorrow? You know you want to...

TV Preview: "The Agency"

BuzzSugar — Fri, 16 Feb 2007 08:00:59 PST

Want to know how long it took me to declare myself hooked on VH1's slick new modeling series "The Agency"? Thirty seconds. Thirty seconds in which an odd-looking man named Pink unceremoniously turns away more than a dozen hopefuls at an open call at the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency. One pretty young thing asks Pink what he suggests she do, and Pink responds: "Do something else."

Maybe it's because picking apart the faults of others makes me feel better - come on, you do it too - but "The Agency," which premieres Feb. 20 at 10 p.m., looks addictive. To find out why I'm already sucked in to this reality show - and to find the premiere episode online -

read more We're always told fashion is a cutthroat business, but I never realized how much of that throat-cutting comes from the models' agents. The first episode of "The Agency" has a lot of the nastiness you'd expect from a show about modeling (one teensy girl gets dubbed "doughy Chloe," while another is told to stop being hungry for sandwiches and start being hungry for fame), but there's also a whole level of psychosis among the agents that I didn't see coming. In the pilot, one hot male model can't even get his hair cut without consulting a room full of agents debating what the change could mean for his career; apparently, it takes a village to spruce up a surfer dude. The agents aren't exactly endearing; I wanted to slap Becky, one of the women's agents, by the end of the first episode. Luckily, another agent slapped her for me - but in the future, can I have less Becky and more Pink, please? But at the same time, their harshness is part of why they fascinate me. After all, you'd have to be a pretty off-kilter person to make your living, as Becky bluntly puts it, selling flesh. Also, can we talk about how the Wilhelmina owner's name is Dieter? I mean, it's pronounced "deeter," but wow. Diet-er? Most perfect name for a modeling agency guy ever. You can check out the first episode of "The Agency" on the show's Web site or download it for free from iTunes. Will you be watching along with me? Check out this clip from another upcoming episode, then let me know. Photo copyright VH1

L'Agence Debuts Accessories With Its Spring Line

Noria Morales — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 05:00:05 PST

L'Agence, the cool contemporary brand that found success with its line of perfectly draped tees and later with a complete line of chic, clean-lined separates, has expanded into accessories. Our favorite of the lot is this lace-up heel, which is a perfect mix of sexy and crisp. Bags are the classic hobo shape, some with contrasting color detail. Shoes will retail between $395-$425, while handbags will retail for $750, and will be available exclusively at Barneys. We have a few favorites from the line, just click the slideshow to see some ideal Spring looks.

Sex and the City Perfume Fakes Flood the Market

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:06:59 PST

Sex and the City isn't just popular with video bootleggers: according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's list of top seizures, it's also the most popular counterfeit perfume, WWD reports. Out of 138 commercial perfume shipments Customs intercepted for counterfeit scents, 52 contained fake SATC fragrances. And in total, the agency seized more than a million bogus bottles of the stuff last year.

Fake perfumes aren't just a problem for the company that makes them legally, either. "In addition to the economic harm," Customs said in its statement, "counterfeit perfumes are also often contaminated with unknown chemicals that can cause serious injury." There's no regulation on this stuff, and tests have found some truly heinous ingredients, from urine to known carcinogens. So when it comes to perfume, you're almost always better off biting the bullet and paying full price at the department store. Carrie wouldn't tolerate a knockoff, and neither should you.

Gas Prices Are Up! What You Can Do to Save

Emily Co — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:20:33 PST

Unrest in the Middle East and the closing of American refineries have gas prices going up, up, and away for US consumers. Analysts are predicting that the prices may continue to rise.

But don't worry, there are a number of methods to save on refueling your car. Here are some tips:

Spend to Save: Look for deals around you that will help you save on your gas. For example, you can choose to frequent wholesale stores like Costco, which will give you a little bit of cash back on Costco gas. If you're a real gas guzzler, check out this full list of gas rebate cards on CreditCards.com.
Don't Top It Off: Topping off your gas may result in a higher gas bill, because you might be paying for gas that goes back into the station's tanks after your gas tank is full, says the Environmental Protection Agency. You can also ruin your car's vapor recovery system if there is no room for the gas to expand in your tank.
Smooth Trip: Starting and stopping excessively can shorten the life of your engine, transmission, brakes, and tires. Go easy on your braking and accelerating. Remember to also turn off your engine if you know you'll be waiting for a long while. Staying put without moving means you're getting 0 miles per gallon.

For more gas-saving tips, read on.

Link Time: Beyoncé Steps Out After Baby, Peep Karen Walker For Anthropologie, and More

FabSugar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:33:16 PST

Beyoncé steps out after baby (and looks better than ever!) - PopSugar
Did Vogue charge Madonna for using its logo during the Super Bowl? - Styleite
John Galliano emerges in London - The Cut
CFDA designers assess their impact for a new exhibit - The Daily Beast
14 ways to keep your hands toasty - Stylelist
Halston is making yet another comeback - FashionIndie
Eddie Borgo taps Cecilia Dean for his latest ad campaign - Style.com
Karl Lagerfeld calls Adele "a little too fat" - HuffPost Style
Will a Muslim modeling agency work? - The Frisky
Louis Vuitton has plenty of love for Valentine's Day - Purse Blog
Get a first look at Karen Walker for Anthropologie - College Fashion

Brazilian Blowout Agrees to Up Its Safety Warnings in CA

Jaime Richards — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:43:02 PST

The formulas will be the same, but change is already in progress for manufacturer GIB's controversial Brazilian Blowout and Acai Professional Smoothing Solution. Last November, California brought a lawsuit against the company for making misleading claims about the safety of the products, specifically the levels of formaldehyde contained within, but now the parties have come to an agreement. "This settlement requires the company to disclose any hazard so that Californians can make more informed decisions," California Attorney General Kamala Harris's office said in a statement.

As a part of the deal, the makers of Brazilian Blowout have agreed to label the aforementioned product with hazard warnings (a process which they have already started), and will also provide salons with pamphlets containing safety precaution information. See more of the outcome when you read more.

Rachel Weisz Latest Star to Get Banned by the ASA

Jaime Richards — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:20:00 PST

What do Julia Roberts, Christy Turlington, and Twiggy have in common? They've all been the subjects of the UK's tougher-than-nails Advertising Standards Authority. And now, Rachel Weisz is a member of the exclusive group, as earlier today the ASA banned an ad featuring the star because it "misleadingly exaggerated the performance of the product [L'Oréal's Revitalift Repair 10]."

According to the regulatory agency, the magazine advertisement had "been altered in a way that substantially changed her complexion to make it appear smoother and more even." Not surprisingly, L'Oréal was disappointed with the ruling.

While the beauty brand admits to shooting Rachel with soft focus, low resolution, and plenty of lighting, it still stands behind its ad. "We believe that the image in the advertisement is a true representation of Rachel Weisz," a representative said in a statement. "The product claims are based on extensive scientific research which proved that the product improves 10 different signs of skin aging." It's a slap on the wrist for L'Oréal, but do you think the postproduction was taken too far?

Uh Oh! Watch Out For These 12 IRS Audit Red Flags

Kiplinger — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:06:09 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart Kiplinger story here on Savvy!

The IRS audits only slightly more than 1% of all individual tax returns annually. The agency doesn't have enough personnel and resources to examine each and every tax return filed during a year. So the odds are pretty low that your return will be picked for review. And, of course, the only reason filers should worry about an audit is if they are fudging on their taxes.

However, the chances of being audited or otherwise hearing from the IRS increase depending upon various factors, including your income level, whether you omitted income, the types of deductions or losses you claimed, the business in which you're engaged and whether you own foreign assets. Math errors may draw IRS inquiry, but they'll rarely lead to a full-blown exam. Although there's no sure way to avoid an IRS audit, you should be aware of red flags that could increase your chances of drawing unwanted attention from the IRS.

1. Making too much money

Although the overall individual audit rate is about 1.11%, the odds increase dramatically for higher-income filers. IRS statistics show that people with incomes of $200,000 or higher had an audit rate of 3.93%, or one out of slightly more than every 25 returns. Report $1 million or more of income? There's a one-in-eight chance your return will be audited. The audit rate drops significantly for filers making less than $200,000: Only 1.02% of such returns were audited during 2011, and the vast majority of these exams were conducted by mail. We're not saying you should try to make less money - everyone wants to be a millionaire. Just understand that the more income shown on your return, the more likely it is that you'll be hearing from the IRS.

Read on for more red flags.

Barbara Walters and Oprah Winfrey Reportedly Bidding for Pippa

Annie Scudder — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 09:55:00 PST

A picture of Pippa Middleton might be worth a thousand words, but after plenty of pictures of the younger Middleton, we're ready to hear her speak! Considering we've never so much as heard a peep from Pippa, reports that her first full-length interview is the subject of a bidding war doesn't come as a surprise.

Oprah is said to be "pulling out all the stops" to get Pippa on OWN. Meanwhile, Barbara Walters and ABC are hoping to trade six figures for a chat with Pippa, although Barbara denied that ABC pays for interviews. Not be left out, NBC is also making its own bid for her to sit down with Matt Lauer. It's likely that any money would be handed over in the form of a charity donation. But how likely is it that Pippa will break her silence? It will probably happen eventually, since she's already signed on to write a book about party planning and her publisher, Penguin, will want to arrange promotion that includes TV appearances.

Just last week, photo agencies received letters from Pippa's legal team, reading: "It is extremely intimidating to our client to have to face a group of unknown men outside her home and office who pursue her both day and night." So if she does grant an interview, I suspect she'll focus on her professional pursuits, rather than her personal life and royal relations. TV insiders seem to think she's worth the money, but would you tune in? And if so, who do you hope gets the deal?