Richard Sylvan Selzer — better known to pop culture observers as the acerbic, list-making fashion zealot Mr. Blackwell — died Sunday of complications from an intestinal infection. He was 86. A former hustler, petty thief and model whose acting and B-grade fashion career overlapped with the infamous 10 Worst-Dressed Celebrities list he launched in 1960, Mr. Blackwell found his voice firing one-line zingers into a crowded pop culture at a time when celebrities could do little wrong. His latter-year rhymes weren't always fully functional, but some of his early jibes were as vicious as anything you'd find online today; 10 years ago he said of his commentary: "The list is and was a satirical look at the fashion flops of the year. I merely said out loud what others were whispering. ... It's not my intention to hurt the feelings of these people. It's to put down the clothing they're wearing."

Believe us, Mr. Blackwell, we can relate — as can so many of our peers and colleagues in print and online who, for better or worse, trade on his influence every day. After the jump, we mourn his passing with our own top 10 of Mr. Blackwell's withering witticisms from nearly 50 years on the scene. Rest in peace, (un)kind sir.

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There are some people who continue to be given television work despite having the personality of (to borrow a phrase from one especially witty Defamer Australia commenter) a plank of wood with eyebrows drawn on, and then there are people who bewilderingly seem never to be able to catch a television break. And then there are the TV signings that you wouldn't have thought of in a million years but that, once they exist, seem like the best idea ever. And any television idea featuring the phrases "Alex Perry" and "crazy stuff ... at weddings" in quick succession is bound to be a winner!

Sydney's king of red carpet couture is set for his close-up, after inking a deal to host his own program on Foxtel.

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It hasn't been a fantastic year for Jodhi Meares, really; if her hosting skills weren't already subject to enough fervent debate at the Vogue Forums, her no-show at the Australia's Next Top Model live finale was the last straw. So, you could forgive her for wanting to throw herself into some new projects to take her mind off things - and perhaps said mind-taking-off (or, indeed, out, i.e., of her skull and into a glass jar and replaced by an alarm clock) explains her interesting logic when it comes to describing her new gig as an interior designer for a Potts Point development...

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The nerve of rock stars these days - they get together with models, and not only do they not feature them in their video-clips (unlike the good old days of Jerry Hall and Christie Brinkley doing the rounds on MTV), now they can't even be arsed getting out of bed in time to watch their leggy charges storm the catwalk. At least, that seems to be the mood at the news.com.au/Daily Telegraph team, where they are wailing in the streets because Daniel Johns missed his girl Louise Van Der Vorst's appearance in the Alex Perry show for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (in other words, not only does he not care about his girlfriend, he doesn't care about breast cancer!):

He's happy to snuggle up to girlfriend Louise Van Der Vorst at every upmarket restaurant on Crown St, Surry Hills, but Daniel Johns does not seem so keen on mixing business with pleasure.

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After numerous "OMG TOO YOUNG" scandals in the modelling world over the past year (most recently Polish teenager - like, a fourteen year old teenager - "Jak" posing in a swimsuit in the bathtub), it seems David Jones are keen to cover their arses in advance of their Summer Collection parades. In other words, they've introduced an '18 and over' policy for their runway models.

"It is a really good thing, and terrific David Jones has gone on the front foot," Kathy Ward from Sydney-based modelling agency Chic management said last night.

"It will be a disappointment to some of the girls because they are so keen and being on the catwalk for someone like David Jones is a fantastic experience," she said.

"However it is a positive move and one that is good for the industry."

Ms Ward said she would have to inform some of her models who had already auditioned for this season's catwalk that they would no longer be eligible.

"I only found out myself yesterday and they will be let down.

"But it's a good thing. The girls have to be mature and finish school and I see nothing negative in DJ's move."

Briefly in the last flurry of post-show Australia's Next Top Model news, Melbourne girl and second runner-up Samantha Downie, who many were surprised to see booted in favour of Demelza, has already signed to Priscillas (i.e. the agency that takes on the winner) and booked her first campaign, presumably before Demelza has even had her post-party Berocca.

From the Herald Sun:

The Melbourne Uni student emerged yesterday as the dark horse of the contest after it was revealed model agent Priscilla Leighton Clarke signed her weeks before the program ended. Downie is the face of designer Gail Elliott's brand, Little Joe.

Elliott, who befriended Cindy Crawford, knows what makes a top model.

"She told me I was her favourite, and not to worry about coming third because my career was going to go just as far," Downie cooed.

You know, it's not really in our nature to give two hoots about the Miss Universe pageant - or any beauty contest, for that matter, unless it involves psychotic stage mothers and a "too young to model" controversy, or maybe one of the contestants is secretly a man - so consider this piece merely a follow-up to the piece on Miss Universe Australia Laura Dundovic's... pretty 'National Costume' dress.

Unfortunately for the hopes and dreams of the entire nation, Laura's frilled Jayson Brundson confection has failed to push her through the preliminary rounds of the Miss Universe comp, currently underway in Vietnam:

...Sadly Dundovic didn't kick any goals in the real national dress competition of the pageant yesterday.

Knocked out in the first phase of judging, she is hopeful of attracting more attention in her vibrant Jayson Brunsdon gown when voting hits the internet.

Highlights from their super-sleuthiness after the jump.

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This may come as a shock, but we have some troubling news to report: it seems that the Double Dating, Non-Eating foursome of Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and power duo Posh 'n Becks differ in one key regard. As opposed to TomKat's demure sartorial choices, from their first public motorcycle ride to their wedding attire to Katie's current desire to wear dresses with hemlines as long as possible, their British counterparts just love showing us some skin. As People reports, frosty-locked David has been confirmed to appear in yet another glossy ad campaign for Armani, in which the soccer star will continue to contort his Adonis body into poses highlighting his too-good-to-be-true physical assets. Since the new pictures coincide with recently released oddball shots taken of permanently deadpan wife Victoria Beckham for Marc Jacobs' Spring/Summer print campaign, we took a nostalgic (and arousing) look back at just how many times the Beckhams have admirably sold their bodies for bundles of cash. Enjoy the various real and fake body parts belonging to Britain's most rare creation: a real live hot couple.

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If there's one tenuous reason left to watch outdated beauty pageants like Miss Universe, it has to be the "National Costume" section, where the contestants parade out in batshit crazy formal/drag queen versions of, say, a dirndl or Canadian Mounties' uniform.

So you can imagine my disappointment - and Ken Done's! - when this year's Miss Universe Australia hopeful and Alessandra Ambrosio lookalike Laura Dundovic revealed her Jayson Brundson-designed National Costume outfit, and, er, well, here it is:

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No blog, talking head or alcoholic British songbird can compete with PETA when it comes to snark. For decades, the animal lovers have verbally beheaded countless starlets for their fur and snakeskin accessories, but only recently have their targets bitten back. After seeing a recent photo of plumper-than-usual Jessica Simpson sporting one of those so-last-season message t-shirts reading "Real Girls Eat Meat," we wondered how many of her peers have boldly set themselves up for one of PETA's trademark white powder massacres. Having called Nicole Richie "an incredible shrinking woman with the heart to match," advising Ashley Olsen that "wearing fur does add 20 pounds, but if [she] wants to fill out her frame, we suggest using a fork instead," and telling Lindsay Lohan "there's no road to recovery for the foxes who are anally electrocuted so that you can look skanky," has PETA inspired any other starlets to publicly react just as vehemently? We take a look at the ongoing battles after the jump.

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