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Before the uproar two years ago over Dutch, his quasi-fictional biography of Ronald Reagan, Edmund Morris was the acclaimed author of The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, a wise and supremely readable account of T.R.'s first 42 years that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1980. In a move that could restore his reputation among people who found his account of Reagan a hard one to swallow, Morris is ready now with his long-awaited second volume on the 26th President, Theodore Rex. This one is devoted to Teddy's energetic presidency, which ranged from trustbusting at home to peacemaking abroad.
FASHION
BIGGEST BUZZ
All the Pretty Horse Looks
It isn't customary for fashion-crazed Manhattanites to blow their trust funds trying to look as if they're experienced with baling hay. But you can't get much more horse country than the Michael Kors Fall 2001 collection, the epitome of the much discussed "equestrian look": tight, jodhpur-inspired stretch pants tucked in to knee-high boots and topped with a diamond-patterned sweater reminiscent of a jockey's uniform, or a tweed hacking jacket like the one pictured here. Manifest in capes, suede pants, scarves and handbags that beg to be thrown over a saddle, the look has found its way into the collections of DKNY, Miguel Adrover, Jill Stuart (who has added girlie frills) and, of course, Ralph Lauren, who has made a whole career out of trotting horse-set style onto the runway.
While Kors has included an imposing pair of black men's britches in his lineup, it's still anyone's guess whether males will voluntarily don pants tight enough to give Axl Rose pause. Meanwhile, women can rejoice in the freedom of movement afforded by a silhouette that is as short on short skirts as it is on the spiky bracelets, studded handbags and other hard-edged accessories that were hot five minutes ago. Clotheshorses can get in touch with their inner sportswomen in sleek, graceful wools and leathers eminently practical for a brisk pony ride down Fifth Avenue or a fox hunt in the backyard.
CRITIC'S PICK
A Designer Earns His Stripes
Forget about speed, sweat and ankle support--this year's hot sneakers earn their price tag by scoring points at the cocktail party instead of on the court. Japanese fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto has teamed up with Adidas to produce six striking athletic shoes. The "Boxing Boot," shown here, offers shin protection; the smooth, shiny "Tenet" is available with or without a kimono-inspired flower on the forefoot.
Yamamoto agreed to collaborate with Adidas last year, impressed, he says, by the functionalism of sportswear design, and by the way the brand's three-stripes motif has endured for more than 50 years. Using those stripes as his muse, he has fused his own choice of fabrics and colors to Adidas' technical expertise. The result should put a bounce in any fashionista's step.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
BIGGEST BUZZ
Rach Concerts