Liza Bedazzles and Befuddles on HSN

Not that I don't love Liza with a Z, but after watching last night's rather disjointed performance on HSN, I do believe Liza might be sharing a locker with Paula Abdul in the greenroom.

I'll give her this though, at least Liza refused to tow the home shopping party line by insisting that we all stack 27 bangle bracelets on each arm. Seriously Bobbi, sometimes one really is more than enough!

Float Life's a Beach Giveaway

Queen Bea is going on a beach vacation!!! Praise the Lord and pass the plate twice! I need to get away.

Even though I can't take all you home shopping beauties with me, I'm not gonna leave you empty handed ... well, at least one of you anyway (Sorry, I'm only a Queen, not an Oprah. I can't give everyone a car!)

Float Life, a new line of affordable, chic summer essentials, is debuting tonight on QVC. Previously only an exclusive boutique brand in Southern Florida, designer Ramona Senese is bringing a collection of summer must haves like tunics, cover-ups, swimwear and accessories. Already, the brand touts celebrity fans such as Paris Hilton, Ashley Tisdale and Kristin Cavallari, and has been seen on TV shows like "The Hills" and "Desperate Housewives.".

Float Life designer Ramona Senese combines her own hand-drawn, one-of-a-kind prints and beautiful designs with luxurious textiles from around the world. The light, flowing, silk and cotton blend apparel items are easy to wear and include exquisite details such as wooden beads and patterned linings. All apparel items are made in the USA (how hard is that to find these days?)

Enter to win the Carry All Tote and Reversible Hat in the Sand color and the Jacaranda sunglasses in White/Jacaranda Sunset. Check them out below:

Float Life Napali Carry All Tote

QVC Item # A199290

$38.64

This lightweight bag is perfect for those headed to the beach or pool for the day and hates to leave anything behind. Created to fit a beach towel or even a beach blanket with ease and still have room for any guilt pleasures you want! The durable, zippered, snap out pocket is perfect for any valuables and details such as durable rope handles, faux leather trim and canvas lining in the bag itself make it a lust and a must item! Available in Sea Grape, Sand or Ocean (you are receiving it in Sand).

Float Life Reversible Napali Printed Cotton Hat

QVC Item # A199291

$24.56

This reversible printed cotton hat is perfect for keeping shady and stylish anytime in the hot sun. Available in three solid colors that reverse into a coordinating pattern, it fits easily into any bag and offers a unique alternative to a baseball cap while at the beach or out and about! Available in Sea Grape, Sand or Ocean (you are receiving it in Sand).

Float Life Jacaranda Sunglasses

QVC Item # A199287

$24.56

A summer must-have, these Jacaranda patterned sunglasses offer the best of both worlds – sun protection and beach style. Perfect for keeping a bit of laid-back-luxe throughout the year, these sunglasses provide UV 400 protection to help keep peepers safe from sun exposure yet the colorful coordinating patterns offer fun features to the side of your face! Available in Black/Jacaranda Blush, Plum/Jacaranda Jade or White/Jacaranda Sunset (you are receiving the White/Jacaranda Sunset color).

HOW TO ENTER:


Enter your name and email address below and hit submit. Seriously, that's all you have to do! You may enter up to one time per day from Tuesday June 15, 2010 through Tuesday June 22, 2010. Open to anyone at least 18 years old; however, items can only be shipped to addresses in the continental U.S. One winner will be selected at random. Odds depend on how many entries are received. Void where prohibited. Winner will be announced after Queen Bea gets back from the beach!!!!

HSN is a Cabaret with Liza Minnelli

Liza at the Sex and the City 2 premiere wearing ... ummm ... well, I'm not exactly sure what that is. Hopefully it's not something from the new HSN collection! And, in all seriousness, what's going on with her boobs? They look like Barbie boobs!

Get your Fosse hands ready, y'all! Liza Minnelli will be debuting The Liza Collection on HSN June 30 and her appearance marks the kick off the big HSN goes to Sin City 33rd Birthday Celebration.

"My life has provided me the ability to amass a wonderful wardrobe designed by fashion's brightest stars," said Liza Minnelli. "I am excited to work with HSN in launching The Liza Collection and to have the opportunity to share my favorite looks with millions of women who want to look fabulous and feel their very best."

The collection will include many of Liza's signature looks--you know, the sequined suits and flowy pants. She will also be selling recreations of her personal jewelry collection.

The Liza Collection will debut at 10 p.m.–midnight EDT on June 30 at HSN and hsn.com. Retail prices for apparel will range from $29.90 for a Charmeuse Scarf to $129.90 for a Sequined Boyfriend Blazer and for jewelry from $39.95 for Silver-tone Triple Heart Pave Drop Earrings to $79.95 for a Silver-tone Pave Rose Bangle.

Liza is one of the few entertainers that has won an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, and a Grammy--where else does she have left to go but home shopping?

Isaac Mizrahi: Can't Buy Me Love!

I have been trying to figure out exactly why every time I see yet another promo on the Q for yet another appearance of Isaac Mizrahi, I let out an exasperated groan and quickly reach for the remote.

I like Isaac. I've always found his short attention span, his enthusiasm, and his willingness to stick his neck out in the fashion industry entertaining. Not to mention that his unabashed love of Quacker Factory is a refreshing change to the usual stuffy, snobby fashion designer. So why am I so annoyed by his very presence all of a sudden?

I think that I finally know what's been bugging me.

Isaac is like those people at the amusement park who shell out the big bucks to get those quick, speedy, platinum, I'm-better-than-all-you-plebs passes that send them straight to the front of the roller coaster line. You know, that line you've been waiting in for the last two and half hours with the blazing sun beating down on your neck and nary a cold drink in sight? Yeah, that line. I know they paid the extra money for the privilege, but it's still not fair.

It's not Isaac's personality, or his fashions, or even his cheesecake. It's his special straight-to-the-front-of-the-line QVC plaid pass.

Most vendors, no matter their celebrity status or designing credentials, have to at least prove themselves to the customers before getting doled out hours of dedicated air time and TSV's every other week--not to mention a custom-built studio in New York. Come on ... was that really necessary?

QVC has always been a bit of a democracy. The powers that be parade new products on the air and we the customers vote with our wallets. The more votes a vendor gets the more perks they earn. So when Bare Escentual's Leslie Blodgett, WEN's Chaz Dean, or Honora's Joel Schechter is on with another TSV, it's because the customers decided that they earned the right to be there.

On the other hand, Isaac didn't spend the time building up a loyal QVC customer base. Isaac and his entire studio just went straight to the front of the line.

And while I suppose most of Isaac's TSV's have performed moderately well, he did have one that went over like a lead cheesecake. Remember the $40 scoop-necked T-shirt? A T-shirt shouldn't have to be on easy pay--even with the embellishments.

I really do like Isaac, but just like his cheesecake, a little goes a long way.

</rant>

Congratulations Linea Ladies!

Well Linea Ladies, it seems that all those phone calls, letters, emails, message board posts, blog posts, and tweets have paid off in spades.

According to Louis' latest blog post, not only did QVC agree to bring back his entire Linea fashion line, they also agreed to start carrying a new Linea Jewelry collection, which Louis hopes to eventually expand into a full accessory line.

Are you ladies feeling drunk with power yet? :-)

This just proves that QVC does listen when your voice gets loud and your wallet snaps shut!

~

LukaStyle is Back!

Wayne, Wayne, Wayne ... oh, how I've missed thee! After his break from HSN, there has been a vacuum in the home shopping universe that can only be filled by one Mr. Wayne Scot Luas.

I caught a bit of his maiden ShopNBC presentation yesterday morning, and he did not fail to disappoint.

Best moment: Can we say "nipples?"




Check out the new line on ShopNBC.

Has Jeanne Bice Lost Touch?

We all know that Jeanne Bice is no shrinking violet. In fact, she'd take that shrinking violet, slap a duck embroidered headband on it, bedazzle it with a rainbow of sequins, and light that sucker up with fiber optics just for good measure.

Personally, I like a sassy woman who deals in bawdy humor and witty retorts. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, but it makes life--and home shopping--more interesting. So even though I'm not a Quacker, I've always loved Jeanne's eccentric personality.

Yesterday, however, she said something that even took me aback. Not because I was offended, but because her remark just seemed so insensitive and out-of-touch with the everyday lives of her customers.

I certainly don't begrudge Jeanne's success. She's earned it. But has she forgotten what it's like to live pay check to pay check, hoping and praying that you have enough to cover the bills and the unexpected expenses? Can she relate to the constant fears that all us working folk have every single day that we're gonna get a pink slip or the whole company will tank? It's scary out there. Especially right now.

During the presentation for her Quacker Factory Coral Reef Short Sleeve Cardigan (click link to watch QVC video), she talked about how important color is this season. That much is true. Historically, the worse the economy gets, the bolder the colors get. But I think Jeanne might have taken it a bit too far this time.

Here's a transcript of what she said (emphasis mine). Antonella made small interjections throughout, but I left those out.

"Guys, this is the summer you're gonna want color, color, color, color. They say as the world is trying to pound us down, the way women retaliate, they put on color. And they just wear the brighter the color, the better we feel. I know it! You can not listen to what they're ... you know ... they're talking about 'oh, I've been downsized.' If I hear one more person say, 'Oh my husband's been downsized. He's 55, what is he gonna do?' My dream did not come true til I was 60 years old. So ... you know ... wear bright colors. Don't let the newscasters get you down. Really ... think about it people. It's all in our head. It's what we make it. Wear bright colors and stand up for yourself and say look at me."

I'm just guessing, but if your husband just got laid off, you probably aren't interested in spending $46.14 plus $5.97 S&H for a sweater, no matter how bright the color is.

What do you think? Was it just an inspirational sales spiel gone awry or has Jeanne lost touch?

Is HSN Dropping Kim Parrish?

I'm starting to get worried about Kim Parrish, former QVC host and current clothing designer.

Why? Well, I'm seeing signs in the stars that have me concerned.

First, take a quick look at the Kim Parrish Collection page on HSN. I see less than thirty items, most of which are on clearance.

But, I thought maybe, just maybe, HSN hasn't gotten around to uploading Kim's new items. So I check the schedule. According to Kim's website, she is scheduled to be on April 15th & May 5th (that's good, right?) ... at 4am (oh no! that's not so good).

But this could all be coincidence and I could just be over-thinking the situation. But then I remembered, just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!

That's when I found this recently posted Kim Parrish demo reel complete with full bio:



So is she on her way out the door? Are her clothes too normal for HSN? Does she need to add more Bedazzled gold lame Spandex with fuchsia leopard print accents? Check out this post to see the look HSN is shooting for these days.

Grand Slam to Grand Glam

As reported by Queen Bea last year, Serena Williams--who was just voted WTA player of the year again--will soon be rolling out a new jewelry, fashion, and accessory line at HSN--Signature Statement.

Although the Serena Williams page is up on HSN, none of her products are listed yet. However, Serena just posted a You Tube video showing off her new wares. Check it out:




I'm pretty sure that if you flip over those earrings that Serena's wearing and look closely on the back, you'll see my name written somewhere. Love! Love! Love! You know how I like to rock the big diva earrings. As usual, not a fan of the heart stuff ... Queen Bea is heartless, y'all!

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to see Serena play in a charity tennis tournament with Andy Roddick. She was amazing as usual and even a little funny too. I'm not a tennis player, but Mr. Queen Bea is, and he was very impressed. Plus, my son managed to snag a tennis ball!

Check out the new Serena collection April 30th!

Huh?

Between the infamous Banana Bunkers, the Zebra pants, and all the Patricia Field sex and the streetwalker wear, I can't help but wonder if Peg Bundy is the head buyer at HSN.

Now we have leopard harem pants with a big waistband that pulls up over your boobs. Wow. Words escape.

There must be a fashionable place that exists somewhere between Old Granny City and Slutsville.

QVC Bans Garment Measurements

QVC decided to no longer give garment measurements on air. Oh well. You didn't want your clothes to fit anyway, right?

According to Dan McDermott on the QVC's "At Your Service" blog. they decided to quit giving garment measurements because the most frequently stated reason for an apparel return was "the fit." QVC believes that using only the body dimensions sizing chart will help customers more accurately choose the correct size.

I do understand where they're coming from. Any woman who has gone clothing shopping even one time knows that you can't go by size on the label. Every designer and manufacturer has their own idea of what a size 8 is. Then you have to toss in vanity sizing, non-number sizing that lumps groups of sizes together (S/M/L), body type (you know, apple, pear, hourglass), style, fabrication, and how you prefer your clothes to fit, how big your butt looks in it, how well it hides your stomach ... well, needless to say, getting the right fit is more akin to alchemy than science.

QVC claims that all their vendors will adhere to their new sizing chart. But come on! We all know that's not ever gonna happen. The issue is far too complex.

I will use myself as a prime example. I'm usually a 12/14 and I'm short ... ahem ... I mean I'm petite. However, I am also a pear (big badonkadonk, little waist). Different sizes, designers, materials, styles all fit me differently. Some just plain do not work no matter what size I try. In QVC's chart I would be either a medium (12) or a large (14). And guess what? I won't know how to determine which one to order because they won't give me any garment specifications.

In theory, the body measurement sizing chart is a great idea. All clothing lines in every store should be so simple. But women's bodies are not simple. And a woman's perception about her body is more complicated still.

The intricacies of the national budget ain't got nothin' on trying to find a decent fitting pair of jeans!

Louis Dell'Olio's New Fashion Statement

Louis Dell'Olio has a brand new fashion accessory--a cast on his arm!

Did he have a tragic accident in the design room involving a bobbin and a zipper? Perhaps he got into a bar room brawl with Pam McCoy over a leather jacket?

Unfortunately, the reality is quite sad.

According to Louis Dell'Olio's QVC blog, after learning that his 3-year-old Scottie, Ellie, had Lymphoma, a treatable cancer of the lymph nodes, shortly before Christmas, he started chemo treatments right away.

"On Christmas Eve morning [8am], Jac and I were going to take Ellie for her 2nd treatment. I took the trash out to the bin and was coming back into the house through the rear kitchen door, when I slipped on the ice and fell! YES, I heard a crack! I broke my left shoulder! Am I glad 08 is over! Ellie has now had 5 chemo treatments and her cancer is in remission, we and her vet are thrilled....Hurray! I am in a sling, but healing well. The next time you see me on the Q, I'll still be wearing the sling....but I'm fine....thank goodness it was my left shoulder....so I can still sketch."

Thoughts and prayers to both Ellie and Louis.

Suzanne Somers Getting Shut Out?

HSN vendor-of-all-trades, Suzanne Somers, seems to be slowly getting shut out of HSN. She certainly hasn't been getting the air time or good time slots she once did.

Take a quick look at the Suzanne Somers Fashion page on HSN. I count about ten pieces of clothing, most of which are on clearance.

What's going on? Is HSN dropping her fashion line?

This just makes the recent slight with the gold mesh necklace seem more suspicious.

Some customers claim her quality has suffered over the years. Maybe she's not selling like she used to. Maybe she has a high return rate or bad product reviews. Or maybe HSN is trying to get away from the "Thigh Master" image.

For all you Suzanne fans, she has a great new website up and running. You can order an autographed copy of her new book, Breakthrough, about health and bio-identical hormone replacement and read the first chapter free. All her products are for sale (or will be soon) and there is even a community forum section under construction.

Whatever your opinion of Suzanne--and, trust me, everyone has one!--she has created an empire with the notoriety that she got off a silly little sitcom in the Seventies. How many other actors have had so much success parlaying a little bit of fame?

BTW, it's California Gold Rush Day on the Q today. You might want to check out Queen Bea's take on all those fruity tooty colors of gold ... and it's just getting worse!

Eight Dollar Bill Alert

Everything's bigger in Texas ... except the price tag on home shopping fashions. $8 Fashion Outlet stores are popping up all over. And guess what they sell? Fashion items from the Q and HSN. And guess how much they cost? 80% of everything at the $8 Store, costs, you guessed it, $8.

Now why can't QVC and HSN sell them for $8? Or maybe just lower their prices a little. If they're going to give such good deals to all these outlet places, why not give good prices to loyal customers? I simply do not understand.

Have an online bargain bin or a special secret sale for loyal customers. I know that they are always trying to get new customers, but it might also be smart to reward the people that keep you in business!

Check out the video here. You'll recognize many of the items and labels.

Serena Williams Plays Doubles with HSN

According to an interview in h magazine, Serena Williams will be serving up fashions for HSN soon with her new Signature Statement line. She also plans on adding jewelry, bags, and bedding, but I'm not sure if that's for HSN or her high end Aneres line.

Is Pamela McCoy a Copycat?

Louis Dell'Olio, designer of the Linea fashion line on QVC, is in his own words "livid!"

Why?

Well, it seems as though a certain host/designer at ShopNBC has stolen his design.

Take a look at this Linea jacket from the front:

From the back:

And close up:

Now let's move onto Exhibit B, shall we?

Once again, take a look at this particular Pamela McCoy jacket from the front:


From the back:


And close up:



So, what do you think?


Here's what Louis had to say about it on his QVC blog:

To my amazement and DISGUST....I saw MY JACKET, copied to a "T" by Ms. Pamela McCoy. Let me assure you, the design is MINE and she copied it. I was under the impression Ms. McCoy was a host....at best a host/stylist....not a designer. My jacket was first introduced Oct. of 07 in black and red. It was reordered and we introduced "Purple" as the new color this year. This particular jacket, A74432, was part of a series of what I called my "Leather and Stud" embellished suede jackets, [A14945, A1284, A37843]. .....I CAN TELL YOU WHERE Ms. McCoy got her idea from.....shame on her! If you should ever run into that lady again you can proudly tell her she got ripped off.....You have the original...she has the copy.....and she paid $48 more for it to boot!.....Monday morning I will have a conversation with my manufacturer and my buyer at QVC to see if anything can be done about this blatant copy. Unfortunately, in this country, there are no laws against it. I am on the board of directors of the CFDA [Council of Fashion Designers of America], and we are having meetings right now, in Congress, on copy rite laws protecting clothing and accessory design. I thank you for bringing this to my attention and be assured you have the ORIGINAL!


Louis Dell'Olio was so upset by the stolen design that he had his lawyer write a letter to the CEO of ShopNBC to complain about the design infringement. Unfortunately for Mr. Dell'Olio, ShopNBC is on the verge of total anarchy and collapse, so they probably don't care very much about a jacket. Plus, their CEO gets all kinds of scathing letters. This is just another one to throw onto the pile.


So far, here's what's come of the letter to newly-crowned ShopNBC CEO, Mr. Buck:

A last word on the Pamela McCoy incident. As I mentioned, my lawyer sent a letter, on my behalf, to the CEO of Shop NBC. We received no response..........their silence.......speaks volumns.


In case you didn't already know, Louis Dell'Olio knows a thing or two about the fashion industry. According to the Council of Fashion Designers of America:

Louis Dell'Olio attended Parsons School of Design, and from there moved on to work as a major designer at Anne Klein for nearly 20 years, receiving numerous prestigious industry awards including an induction into the COTY Hall of Fame in 1984. In 1995, Mr. Dell'Olio became a consultant to Marzotto USA to assist in the design and merchandising of its Accento bridge collection of women's apparel. Also in 1995, in a position unprecedented in the fashion industry, Mr. Dell'Olio was engaged by a joint venture among Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, and Holt Renfrew as design director for a unique designer collection of women's apparel. Since 1995, Mr. Dell'Olio has been designing a line of furs and shearlings under his own label for the Le Gar Company, which retails in Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Marshall Fields, Neiman Marcus, and boutiques across the country. He also designs women's and men's shoes and men's suits. In 2000, he entered into an agreement with QVC to design an exclusive line of sportswear under the label LINE A by Louis Dell'Olio, which was so successful during its first year that Mr. Dell'Olio won QVC's prestigious Q Star Award for Product Concept of the Year.

Shopping Around ... Of No Relation

Doesn't this actress, Camilla Belle, look like she could be Lisa Robertson's little sister? Maybe it's just the eyebrows. I don't know. (Thanks to MK for the tip!)

A little much-needed perspective … the QVC layoff story as seen through the eyes of the local paper of the lucky city getting to add 200 new QVC jobs. At least someone will be employed and happy.

A great story about a mother who will soon be getting her shot to sell her product, My Little Weatherbuddy, on the Q.

Here’s a stylist’s take on Dennis Basso … it involves real fur costs, bikini models, and pot. Oh, and she likes the fake fur he sells on the Q. I would never buy real fur, so that's good to know.

Cute story of a 100-yr old woman named Beatrice Patten that loves to shop at HSN. Her secret for longevity? Reducing stress!

Rami Kashou, another Project Runway alum, is working on line for HSN. What a rebel. Doesn’t he know that all the cool Project Runway kids are at the Q?

Mark Cross is set to relaunch on QVC. I’m sure I’m supposed to know who this is, but I honestly have no idea.

FYI: If you're even considering getting those crab cakes on QVC today, you really need to read this first. Somethin' smells fishy with those Maryland-style crab cakes!

Runway to the Q

The guys at Project RunGay decided that Laura Bennett needed her gays for support to get through her QVC show the other night. They also managed to get some great behind-the-scenes pics while they were there. I just love getting a look backstage!

Here's Laura posing with hostess extraordinaire, Lisa Robertson. By the looks of the two of them, I'm guessing that piling on lots of long necklaces is the trend now. Am I right? I'll have to break out my Vogue to make sure. Not that I can pull off the look anyway. Every time I attempt it, I just manage to look like a chubby white girl Mr. T! Ugh!




Glammed-up Laura with Chloe Dao, another great Project Runway alum. As we all know, the path to QVC runs straight through Project Runway!




And, just in case you've never seen it, this is the Q's lobby. It's ... ummm ... red. Really red.



Be sure to check out the Project RunGay blog for all the dirt, y'all!

An "Uplifting" Story

So let's just say that maybe you've had a baby or two and maybe you've gained and lost little weight over the years ... or maybe gravity is just working its merciless magic. Whatever the reason, if you have to untuck your boobs from your waistband, roll 'em up, and stuff them in a sturdy, straight jacket excuse for a bra, you know the road to perky bazoombas is hazardous.

Supportive bras are ugly, the straps dig into your shoulders, you get hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable. So how can we comfortably hoist up the girls without looking like an old school marm?

Kathy Baker thinks she has the answer. And her story showcases the best of home shopping.



Here's her story from the Orlando Sentinel:

Five years ago, [Kathy] Baker shared your problem. Then she figured out a solution. She calls it the Bralief Bra Clip. Here's her story:"My breasts were too heavy. I was a J cup," says Baker, 36, a former computer engineer. "To get some lift, I was using string and safety pins to hold my bra straps together in the back. Then I woke up one morning with this idea. I could see it clearly in my mind's eye. It made so much sense."What she envisioned was a strong, adjustable, elastic clasp that could be used to pull the bra straps together in the back, which raised the cups in front.

She scoured fabric shops for the right elastic and designed her own plastic clasp. Then, in 2004, she hit the trade shows."The response was overwhelming," she says.She opened her first plant in Fort Lauderdale in January 2005, and a second one in Kissimmee in July this year. She has three full-time employees and hires extras during crunch times."I've been on QVC three times, and we sold out each time," she says.The original purpose of the Bralief was to lift the breasts of full-figured women, she says. "But by default, it also keeps the straps from falling off the shoulders, so it works for all women."The bra clip sells for $9.95. It can be ordered at bralief.com or by calling 1-866-428-5150. And by the end of the month, it should be in some local stores.

Home shopping can take a smart lady with a great idea and turn her into a successful entrepreneur by giving her a chance to talk directly to her customers. This is where home shopping gets it right.

A Rumor with a "View"

So, the rumor is that Elisabeth Hasselbeck will be doing some sort of Dialogue fashion line for QVC this Spring. And--just like with Rosie--feathers are ruffled! How dare she bring a fashion line! Who does she think she is, anyway? She's an idiot! I hate listening to her on The View!

Whatever.

Just like I said with Rosie, people need to get over themselves.

I will say that "The View" is doing themselves a huge disservice by not having a right-leaning/conservative/Republican woman on the panel who can can actually articulate her perspective coherently. I know I prefer to hear an intelligent--even heated--discussion of the issues from different perspectives. I don't like to hear someone scream talking points and cry when asked for any facts or evidence to back them up.

But this has nothing to do with whether or not Elisabeth can put together a fashion line of some sort. I look forward to seeing what she does.




And as for the other rampant rumor that people keep emailing me about: No, I do not know if Patti is really leaving at the end of the month or not.

I promise, as soon as I know anything that I will let you know!!!