The Mad Men world makes a fetish of ornamentation and deifies mysterious artifice.  For those of us who grew up in the subsequent era of Gap-sponsored khaki casualness and fast food, Mad Men represents a glamor lacking in our lives today.  Let’s bring back some of the flourishes that made the 1960s glamorous: fedoras, supper clubs, red lipstick, and much more.  My front page feature on The Huffington Post.

My front-page article about how style icon Josephine Baker became a post-war savior of the House of Dior, who really invented her deliciously scandalous string of bananas, and how she became a “guest editor” at Vogue (without the in-house editors ever knowing it).

Gazing at the glamorous finery of eras past in the Costume Institute’s new ‘American Woman’ exhibit, as usual I found myself wishing back certain flourishes and trappings, from hand-held fans to white gloves to turbans. So, I decided, why not do a special Let’s Bring Back edition, devoted to the historical fashions showcased in the show?

Tonight Vogue and the Metropolitan Museum’s Costume Institute will co-host their annual gala—this time celebrating their new exhibit “American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity.”  In this front-page feature, I celebrate fifteen of my favorite trailblazing ladies, each of whom exudes that quintessentially American sense of strength, resilient spirit, and crossed-frontiers.

Decadent Champage towers, fruit hats, three-martini lunches, and other divine culinary delectables from the past ... my latest Let’s Bring Back feature, in honor of The Huffington Post‘s brand-new Food section.

Today’s adrenaline-pumped fashion shows are a relatively recent phenomenon.  In eras past, designs were presented to clients at chic poolside presentations or at delightful little department store luncheons (Waldorf salad, rather than global outreach, was the order of the day).  In this special edition of Let’s Bring Back, I look at the fascinating evolution of the American fashion show.

While not exactly a rags-to-riches tale (since no one could ever imagine designers Brian Wolk and Claude Morais in rags, for goodness sake), the story behind the emergence of New York City-based fashion house Ruffian is evidence that the American dream is still alive and kicking.

The death of British designer Alexander McQueen makes me wonder if there simply isn’t a place in contemporary culture for his brand of theatrical creativity anymore—especially in an era in which fashion houses rely on corporate ownership to survive and thrive.  My front-page feature from The Huffington Post.

In her new book Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough, journalist Lori Gottlieb perpetuates the stereotype that the American woman is really just a brain stem attached to a ticking womb.  It’s been a long time since I wanted to jab my eyes out after reading something, but this book has me reaching for the closest pair of scissors.

While most of Salinger’s readers outgrew him upon graduating from high school, I’ve held a candle for his characters well into my thirties.  As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also come to realize that the 1950s and 60s New York City portrayed by Salinger—filled with smoky jazz clubs, jumbled classic-eight apartments, Vaudeville veterans, and “Little Shirley Beans” records—epitomizes glamour to me.

Some Hollywood stars seem to shimmer on the horizon forever, and Audrey Hepburn is one of them. Reverence for her style still runs deep, as evidenced by the recent $96,000 auction sale of a black cocktail dress she donned in 1966 film How to Steal a Million.  Now a newly-released book showcases rare cover images of the actress, and here are some of the loveliest, most amusing, and insight-giving shots.

Hopefully the recession has immunized us to blowsy marketing, and made us smarter and more thoughtful about the way that we express our holiday appreciation for our loved ones.  Last year, we ran a recession-friendly list of holiday gift suggestions. Without further ado, we present the 2009 edition. As usual, it is long on whimsy and easy on the pocketbook.

Christmas goose, ice skating parties, and fur muffs: a Let’s Bring Back list of delightful holiday-season nostalgia.

A special edition of my Let’s Bring Back column, honoring the Obamas’ first state dinner tonight.  The Kennedys touted the virtues of aspic, the Franklin Roosevelts scandalized the polite world with an all-American entrée, and George Washington gave new meaning to the phrase “no frills.”

In which Glamour magazine’s “Women of the Year”—including commedienne Amy Poehler, news anchor Katie Couric, Ambassador Susan Rice, California’s First Lady Maria Shriver, designer Diane von Furstenberg, and other luminaries—tell me about their early female role icons and mentors.