Ugly

Suddenly, it's looking pretty good

"Ugly Betty," a TV show about an awkward young woman fighting for her professional survival in the unforgiving world of high fashion, is one of the most watched new series of the season.

The Uglydolls, homespun monster toys with stubby limbs, missing eyes and names such as Ice Bat, are showing up in the company of A-list celebrities.

A teenager with green skin and bad hair has taken the theater world by storm as the heroine of the subversive Oz remake, "Wicked."

Even high fashion, having survived its initial shock at Marc Jacobs' "lumpenly ugly" fall 2005 collection, is showcasing military boots with $3,000 cocktail dresses.

Hey, is it just us?

Or is Ugly suddenly looking pretty good? "There's definitely something going on out there," says David Horvath, co-creator of the Uglydolls, who says he gets fan letters from people who see his frumpy, asymmetrical monsters as an alternative to mainstream beauty culture.

"I think a lot of the fashion dolls and a lot of the magazines that are there for kids and teenagers and even adults, if you take it for what it really is, an advertisement or a promotion, it's fine," he says.

"But I think when you get too into it and try to change yourself so you can look like that or act like that, it's a breath of fresh air to have something come along that tells you, `You're totally fine the way you are. In fact, you're beautiful the way you are.' "

I also want a hatbox, although I don't know what I'd ever do with it.

Start wearing hats!

Briggs and Riley. Pretty much this one, but I think an earlier version.

It's ok...I welcome him back...with open arms.

I hope you see what love means to him.

It can't be that hard to get matching luggage if one wanted; every time I go to a department store discounter like Loehmann's or TJ Maxx they're overflowing with the stuff.

How are you?

I am surprisingly tired today. Like feel like I've been beaten up. It's odd, but not esp. distressing. I will undoubtedly take a nap soon. And maybe hem some pajamas.

I also want a hatbox, although I don't know what I'd ever do with it.

Put love letters and photographs and then store it in the closet.

Okay, not quite that piece of luggage. Can't find it on their site. But it's about that size, and wheeled like a normal upright.

I'm stoked too, Kat. I'll call you after brunch.

Timberlake+Duran Duran=?.

It's ok...I welcome him back...with open arms.

Hey, you know. Anyway you want it? That's the way you need it.

Natter 49: Revenge of Journey

Start wearing hats!

I do wear hats, silly goose. But I would never put one in a hatbox when I travel. I want a complete set of luggage with a big steamer trunk and a hat box and the whole shebang that I could take with me on my Atlantic crossing on the QE2. And I want some porters.

Huh. Does that make me the Marie Claire woman? Do I have to start reading it now, because I think I've never read an issue of that magazine. Heck, I hardly ever even see it on the stands. Didn't they work with Marie Claire in the early days of ANTM, or am I just totally making that up?