Banana Republic’s “Mad Men” Cocktail Party – LiveBlog from Toronto

Mad Men is back, and a little earlier than usual: the new season starts on AMC April 7, but Banana Republic is unveiling their new MM-inspired collection tonight at 5PM, EST. As Mad Men is one of my favourite TV shows (you know I can’t resist a continuing drama), I’ve been counting down to the premiere!

The collection first debuted in 2010, so the collaboration has obviously been a successful venture for Mad Men and Banana. This year, Canadian model Coco Rocha is the face…and what can I say, she looks pretty fabulous:

Janie Bryant , the Costume Designer for Mad Men, once again provided input on the collection. I think her involvement allows the brand to look and feel authentic, both with regards to characters various styles and era – from photos, this collection looks more mod-inspired than in previous years as the show now takes place in the mid-to-late 1960’s.

I’ll be swinging by Eaton Centre’s event tonight to check out the collection, have a “cocktail” and try something new: liveblog the event! Join me here at 5:45PM EST: http://www.scribblelive.com/Event/Banana_Republic_-_Torontos_Mad_Men_Cocktail_Party

“I heard there was a Beyoncé concert at some football game”

Super Bowl halftime shows leave a lot to be desired. There’s only so much you can do in 12 minutes, but like every loyal follower on the Holiest Day of Sports, I jump on the bandwagon.

I didn’t expect Beyoncé to top Madonna’s masterpiece, but I suspected the Destiny’s Child reunion might bring it close. And I’ve been a fan of Beyoncé, in some capacity, for most of my life.

Overall, I thought Beyoncé put on one crazy performance. I sometimes wonder if she’s even human. The energy was palpable, and what can I say – Sasha Fierce showed up and slayed it. As for my comments on the actual halftime show, I would say it was good. Not great. My reasons are nothing to do with Beyoncé, but on some questionable production choices.

Top 10 things from the 80’s I think I grew up with, but actually didn’t

The 80’s were awesome. So awesome, in fact, I was robbed of the chance to really live them. Here are the Top 10 things from the 80’s I think I grew up with….but actually didn’t, in no particular order.

1. Prince’s Purple Rain

The entire franchise of Purple Rain has a special place in my memory bank. I would like nothing more than to go to a Prince concert and belt out Purple Rain, acting like I totally lined up and went to the movie. The soundtrack to Purple Rain is all sorts of amazing, and is revered as a classic amongst most pop culture enthusiasts. We can’t forget Prince’s posse in the movie: I recall an episode of MTV Cribs featuring Carmen Electra, where she cited that Apollonia was her neighbour (absolutely worth watching, particularly as I link where Apollonia randomly shows up in a very odd outfit) – I excitedly mentioned that to my mom, who seemed a little weirded out that I even knew who Apollonia was. Then, of course, there’s Sheila E. Apparently, she’s out there singin’ still.

The movie also airs about once a month on some music-oriented or re-run channel, so unless you live under a rock, it’s pretty hard to miss.

2. Janet Jackson’s RHYTHM NATION

As a massive Janet Jackson fan, I pretty much know all her songs by heart. I can attribute most of that knowledge to my mom’s Design of a Decade tape, released in 1996. At the time, I obviously didn’t realize such jams as “What Has He Done For You Lately” and “Nasty” were from the 80’s – it was just good music! Fun fact: Paula Abdul, her bff at the time, was the mastermind behind Janet’s famous choreography: