Tinsley Mortimer

If you don't feel like being yet another Ashley Dupre, Sarah Palin, Don Draper, or Dick Fuld for Halloween this year, consider a costume that you can whip up in less than 24 hours that will no doubt impress your social-climbing friends: the New York socialite.

Throwing together a socialite costume overnight is easy. Most of what you'll need is probably already in your closet--or your friend's closet--and it has the attractiveness and comfort factor without being overtly slutty. There are three types of the species still roaming the New York social scene. Here's a five step guide to achieving each look.

Tinsley Mortimer, the Married-Into-Status Uptown Socialite

1.  read more »

As you may recall, New York's queen bee Tinsley Mortimer has been acting as "lifestyle director" for B+B Investment Group, a real estate-focused private equity fund run by Ilan Bracha. If it may have seemed unlikely that Ms. Mortimer would be willing to step foot in something so dreary as the headquarters of a real estate company (in Plum Sykes's The Debutaunte Divorce, a character based on Ms. Mortimer says, "I only dress for evening… so obviously office life doesn't work for me"), now there is proof that she totally will, provided cameras are present!

Cityfile has posted a clip from CW11's NY Residential featuring Ms. Mortimer explaining her role at the firm. Though her first official project was said to be lending her vision to a hotel and condominium project on West 57th St., it seems that she also contributed to the design of B+B's offices in Trump Tower. We're treated to a couple shots of her handiwork--a plain white couch with black pillows, black conference tables paired with black rolling chairs, a red wall. "Ilan hired me for me and all the various aspects of me, and all the various aspects that make me who I am," she says in the video. "My experience in the fashion world, in the social world here in New York, and my travels and everything. They thought that I could use that experience to help create a new creative edge for them, to sort of use my style to set the tone."

   read more »

Now that New York Fashion Week is but a distant memory, the front rows of Paris Fashion Week—which ends Oct. 5—are crowded with editors, socialites and actresses. At the Balmain show, Derek Blasberg sat alongside Milla Jovovich and Paul Anderson. French Vogue editor Carine Roitfeld and her daughter Julia Restoin-Roitfeld attended the Christian Dior Spring 2009 show, and  Tinsley Mortimer made an appearance at Christian Lacroix. Even the ubiquitous Leigh Lezark is over there posing for photos! 

(Note to Ms. Lezark: Stick to that whole black-only thing; the hot pink tutu dress is a little much.)

Click above for a slideshow of who was where (and what they wore) during Paris Fashion Week.   read more »

"Are Tinsley and Topper Mortimer getting a divorce?" Radar wondered this afternoon. In an un-bylined item, they quoted an unnamed socialite who said, "[The rumor] is definitely going around … I've heard from her friends that it's happening sooner rather than later." Apparently, "multiple pals of the Park Avenue parvenus" support the claim.

Of course, predictions of the perfect-looking-but-apparently-odd couple's demise have been popping up for a while now, so it's hard to say whether or not we should take this most recent one seriously. However, because we can't resist an excuse to discuss the flashy blonde striver and her reticent prepster, we've compiled a sampling of relevant press on the couple.  read more »

What a great week to launch a new restaurant in the Financial District!

“We’re all nervous about what’s happening with the economy, but we’ve got to charge through it,” said chef Todd English, dressed like an urban Johnny Cash in all black, as he celebrated the opening of his latest eatery, Libertine, at the Gild Hall hotel on Gold Street on Wednesday night.

“There’s no right time or wrong time to open a place like this,” added hotelier Jason Pomeranc. “It is our duty as hoteliers and restaurateurs to provide the inns and watering holes where people can celebrate their victories and mourn their losses.  read more »

“While we haven’t pulled in blockbuster ratings, we have helped create an identity for the network—or rather, an identifying show for the network,” Josh Schwartz, the 32-year-old creator of the CW network show Gossip Girl, told the Transom via phone from his office in Burbank, Calif., the other day. To New Yorkers’ alternate delight and horror, the new season of Mr. Schwartz’s show began on Monday evening with guest appearances by Tinsley Mortimer and Jay McInerney, who played Dan Humphrey’s “literary mentor.”

“The challenge last year was when I was telling people, ‘Oh, I have this new show on the CW,’ and they were like, ‘What’s the CW?’”

 read more »

Via Park Avenue Peerage -- Tinsley Mortimer and actress Emmy Rossum, along with Vogue, will co-host a party celebrating the release of New York Times Styles writer Tatiana Boncompagni’s new novel Gilding Lily (out on September 9th from William Morrow/Harper Collins) at the Tahari store on West Broadway. Also expected to attend are socialites Jennifer Creel, Christian Leone, and Lydia Fenet, among others. The book—the story of a suburban girl’s marriage to the scion of a Manhattan society family and subsequent struggle to re-enter the social scene after pregnancy ravages her figure and energy--is Ms. Boncompagni's first novel. It's a satirical take on her experiences in New York, both as a chronicler of social life and a participant.  read more »

Prominent socialite couple Tinsley and Topper Mortimer have been “proposed” for membership at the famously stuffy Southampton Bathing Corporation—or as it’s nicknamed, “Beach Club”—immortalized both in Tom Wolfe’s 1987 The Bonfire of the Vanities and the movie Born Rich, Jamie Johnson’s seminal journey into the pickled minds of young rich people. (“I brought three Jewish girls to the club today for lunch,” golfer Ray Floyd’s lil’ gal Christina told the camera. “Who knows? I may get kicked out tomorrow.”)

A member of the club, whose roster includes Nina Griscom, Cristina Greeven Cuomo and Muffie Potter Aston, told the Transom that a newsletter circulating there announced the young Mortimers are under review this summer. Since the Mortimer name is old hat at the club, they should presumably have no problem.

mbryan@observer.com

We might not have even noticed this item if it weren't for the handy new Cityfile blog pointing us to it, but it seems that Tinsley Mortimer has expanded her PR superpowers to promoting not only herself, but also her dentist.

According to W magazine, the socialite sent out a letter to her friends and acquaintances—in other words, all of the Upper East and West Sides—recommending her dentist, Dr. Steven Butensky.

“He so generously wants to give my friends a 25 percent discount on teeth bleaching,” she wrote. “I promise you will love him and you will love your new white smile!!”

But while her friends get a generous discount, Ms. Mortimer declined one for herself. Or at least that's what the rep for the dentist said.

Depending on which day you read the papers, rehabilitated Kirsten Dunst is chasing Into the Wild actor Emile Hirsch, or maybe Drew Barrymore's ex, Justin Long. [P6]

CNBC interviewed Tinsley Mortimer as the "socialite-turned-entrepreneur," who designs handbags, lip gloss and clothes. Apparently she's huge in Japan! [Park Avenue Peerage]

Anna Wintour has offered to "discuss her career, stories of former successful Vogue interns and give advice on how to do well in the business of journalism" with current Vogue interns. [The Cut]  read more »

New teasers are out for the upcoming season of Gossip Girl and from what we can tell, everyone is in the Hamptons, Serena seems to be dating a lifeguard, and Nate is running from someone's house in his boxers.

This afternoon, the Daily Transom rang up Peter Davis, Tinsley Mortimer's brother-in-law, to inquire about Ms. Mortimer's upcoming role on Gossip Girl. It turns out that unlike Lydia Hearst, who played a character in the show, Tinsley's role is a cameo!

So What's Tinsley's role on the show?

She's playing herself. I think it's sort of tongue-in-cheek. Tinsley lives the life these kids portray on the show only they're much younger of course.

Where was it shot?

It was at a soundstage in Brooklyn, not the Hamptons.

What was the context of the scene?

She said it was a sort of party scene, some kind of party where everyone is in all white.  read more »

Tinsley Mortimer was spotted shooting an episode of CW's Gossip Girl this morning, wearing a white dress alongside co-stars Blake Lively and Taylor Momsen.

Of course she's not the first of Manhattan's "socials" to appear on the show: Lydia Hearst was in last season's finale. But then it's not Ms. Mortimer's first time filming for television: Page Six recently reported that MTV shot a reality show featuring Ms. Mortimer that was then killed because the producers thought that her life wasn't interesting enough.

Click here to see photos of Ms. Mortimer on the set.

MTV reportedly shot a reality show featuring socialite Tinsley Mortimer, but the project was killed because she just got dressed and went out to parties every day. [P6]

Kelly Cutrone responded to The Observer's commenters' questioning of her age by scanning her driver's license. She is, in fact, 42-years-old as she had told Meredith Bryan. [The Cut]

Christie Brinkley went to New York Supreme Court yesterday to ask that her divorce from Peter Cook be made public. The documents reportedly contain details about Mr. Cook trolling porn and swinger websites for young women. [Access Hollywood]

Chuck Schumer will appear on Law and Order: Criminal Intent as himself on Sunday night.  read more »

“Park Avenue is a state of mind, not a location,” said Dr. Stuart Fischer. The graying founder of the Park Avenue Diet Center, with his small, intense eyes and professional tan, looked the part of socialite-whisperer as he stood in the foyer of a fifth-floor room at Townhouse 2 at 807 Park Avenue Tuesday night, his blue shirt and tie accentuated by the blue-brown zebra striped curtains against the windows, greeting his guests.

They had come to celebrate, or to help him publicize, the launch of his book, The Park Avenue Diet.

“I decided to concentrate on people’s overall image as residents of Park Avenue do,” he told the Daily Transom as he stood near a table displaying stacks of the book.  read more »

Manhattan has gotten too expensive even for Carrie Bradshaw. Sarah Jessica Parker tells The Daily News that the outer boroughs is where it's at now for young things trying to imitate the idealized lifestyle her character once advertised. [NY Daily News]  read more »

When Park Avenue Peerage posted an item about the Young Fellows of the Frick Collection gala yesterday, the site’s commenters went a little nuts.  read more »

This morning's Page Six item theorizing that Tinsley and Topper Mortimer may not be dying to hang out together at events like the Young Fellows of the Frick Midnight Breakfast should be an incentive for you to participate in our contest!

See, we're running a bracket competition (very NCAA!) to determine who our readers think the most upstanding New York socialite is, and the voting to determine Round One winners got underway last night.

Having broken up with Jason Preston, Marc Jacobs is on the prowl and a drama queen. [P6]

France's first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy's nude portrait taken by Michel Comte in 1993 will be auctioned at Christie's on April 10th. [NY Daily News]

Is there discord in the Mortimer home? Tinsley and Topper arrive separately to the Young Fellows of the Frick Collection midnight breakfast after party last night and avoided each other while there. [P6]  read more »

On Friday, March 14, the socialites Lauren Santo Domingo and Derek Blasberg took knitwear heiress Margherita Maccapanni Missoni out for  read more »

A couple of hours into the Frick Collection’s Annual Young Fellows Ball on Thursday, March 13, socialite powerhouse Tinsley Mortimer seriously needed a break.

It had been a long week of benefits. The American Museum of Natural History on Tuesday (which Ms. Mortimer had helped chair), then the Museum of the City of New York on Wednesday, now this, which she was also co-chairing.  read more »

Tinsley Mortimer might become the next T.V. phenom. It seems the 31-year-old socialite is considering starring in her own series, a reality number with a “fashion bent.”

Even though Ms. Mortimer is toying with the notion of broadcasting her daily life, she’s not too keen on the media. In today’s WWD, Ms. Mortimer says that tabloids are filled with a bunch of lies. And though she acknowledged that she can’t really control how the public views her, she’s learned to steer clear of certain publications.  read more »

Who can claim the title of 2007’s most socially social New York society clan? In a major year-end party wrap cobbled together by Style.com, the aesthetically-inclined Web site asks—and, thank gawd, answers—that very question.

On one side of the party divide is the Peter and Minnie Davis/Tinsley Mortimer team. (Mr. and Ms. Davis are, for those who didn’t know, Ms. Mortimer’s siblings-in-law.) On the other: Ann Dexter-Jones and her three party-hardy kids—Samantha, Mark and Charlotte.

As Style points out, it’s been quite a year for both clans: Topper and Ms. Mortimer’s wedding got a major write-up in the Times; and Ms. Davis tied the knot with Syriana director Stephen Gaghan. (What they don’t mention, however, is that 2007 was also the year society scribe Mr. Davis found true love in a certain young social, Paul Johnson-Calderon.)

Meanwhile, Mr. Ronson’s single, Stop Me, climbed to the number-two spot on the British charts—no small feat, to be sure. What’s more, Samantha Ronson was, for a while anyway, queen of the tabloids, soaking up the buzz as her friendship with Lindsay Lohan continued to heat up. And then there’s their younger sis Charlotte, who we caught up with not long ago at her Nolita boutique, where she was introducing her 2007 Resort collection. Ms. Dexter-Jones, too, told us all about her new lease on life post-divorce, loving the high-thread-count sheets at her new digs in the Bowery Hotel.

In the end, though, there can only be one winner; (as Heidi Klum might say, “You’re either in or you’re out.”) And in this case, Patrick McMullan must pick the winning bunch—“that ultimate litmus test of social visibility.” While the Dexter-Jones/Ronson squad racked up an impressive 422 photos credits on the social shutterbug’s Web site, the Davis/Mortimer clan reigns supreme. The trendy trio said "cheese" for Mr. McMullan’s lens a whopping 732 times.

Throwing a blowout, V.I.P.-laden wedding less than a month after Harvey Weinstein’s outrageous nuptials is a gutsy feat. For Vogue editor Lauren Davis, though, it’s as easy as one, two, three…million dollars. Her January 8 ceremony is going to be held in Cartagena, Colombia, the home country of her fiancé, Andrés Santo Domingo, an heir and music industrialist.

Ms. Davis’ nine bridesmaids will each be dressed by a different designer, Fashion Week Daily reports. Venezuelan-born New York socialite Fabiola Beracasa, for one, will be clad in a Vera Wang number. Tinsley Mortimer? Giambattista Valli, but of course. Coco Brandolini will wear Alberta Ferretti; Tatiana Santo can look forward to donning Derek Lam; and Amy Greenspon is to sport Proenza Schouler.

All the bridesmaids know what they’re wearing, but the design of the bride-to-be’s dress is totes hush-hush. Like the climax in some straight-to-DVD princess movie, Ms. Davis’ “dream fantasy” Nina Ricci gown, designed by Olivier Theyskens, is to remain hidden until its unveiling before the couple’s 400 guests at an evening ceremony.

Flower arrangements are being handled by Raul Avila, who oversees the Costume Institute gala at the Met. Instead of having the food flown in from Per Se or Cipriani, Ms. Davis and Mr. Santo Domingo have decided to go native with the comestibles. After the affair comes to a close, the couple will reportedly kick off their Far East-themed honeymoon in the Philippines. Fireworks and veal in Westport is très passé!

Watch out, Ernest and Calvin! There’s a new jean company in town. Considering the labyrinth of hip denim brands already out there vying to cover your quads, any newcomers better have a gimmick or two stuffed up their, um, leg. Enter Aristocrat, a line that has—no joke—gone and named one of their styles “Tinsley,” after, of course, the one-and-only Ms. Mortimer. (Like the characters in a childish prep-school manuscript, other styles were bequeathed anglophilic names like “Kent,” “Stratford” and “Windsor.”) Oh, and the jeans—which are sold at Barneys, Ron Herman and Nordstrom—are also “green,” so wearers can feel ecological, if not economical, when dropping $200 for a pair.

According to W magazine’s Editors’ Blog, the man behind the threads, Bob Bak, sent Ms. Mortimer a pair of the eponymous pants. But when folks at the fashion mag called the golden-tressed socialite to find out what she thought of them, she responded by e-mail, intimating that they must have been lost in the mail. “I think it is so sweet that he named a pair after me, and of course I am very flattered. I had no idea about this. I would love to try them!! Please tell him thank you so much!! I think it is very cute of him!!” she wrote. No word yet on whether Prince Edward received his pair in the post.  read more »

Like a mighty rainstorm over the parched Sahara, yesterday’s Page Six Magazine profile of Byrdie Bell offered sweet promise to Manhattan’s socialite landscape, which has grown decidedly athirst for new blood. And though Ms. Bell’s been around, smiling for Patrick McMullan at glittery galas for a few years now, our understanding of her was just that—rather two dimensional. Not so anymore. In just three short pages, Gawker’s soon-to-depart Joshua David Stein gives us exactly what the social doctor ordered.

Leave it to the Post to title the piece “Byrdie of Paradise,” whose pictures of the 22-year-old are attended by—what else?—exotic birds. But beside the photos, readers learn not only that Ms. Bell understands that affection is often expressed with puke, but in the lyrical styling of her musical-social boyfriend, James “Bingo” Gubelmann, too: “Bella was bored to death at South Beach/Not one celebrity spotted in days/She was tired of her mood/Lunchin’ on vegan food.” The article even goes so far as to compare the “youngest in an almost Biblical line of society jewels” to Brooke Astor, Mona von Bismarck and Lauren Hutton.  read more »

To be honest, party boi Kristian Laliberte has fallen off The Daily Transom's radar recently. In fact, we were mere millimeters from forgetting about the guy altogether. And then he sent us something so darling, so mind-blowing, it would be a crime not to share.

It seems Mr. Laliberte, a publicist of sorts, mourns the loss of Socialite Rank, the posthumous Web site that once assigned points to real socialites like Tinsley Mortimer and to other people who simply fancy their bag: Champagne, Patrick McMullan, sick shoes, ranking stuff (after college). He apparently misses the concept so much that he was able to craft a heart-pounding e-mail announcing the launch of a similar enterprise, FameGame.com.

Read the e-mail after the jump.  read more »

Sales of Virginia Living’s December issue are sure to spike, at least in this city, because Tinsley Mortimer will grace its cover. Inside the magazine, readers can find an eight-page photo spread that was shot near Richmond (Ms. Mortimer’s hometown) at the Tuckahoe Plantation—the same place her ancestor Thomas Jefferson was apparently reared. To take a gander at Ms. Mortimer in all her Southern-Gothic glamour, click on the link below.

It’s like they always say: “You can take the southern princess out of Dixie, but you can’t take Dixie out of the southern princess.”

Southern Belle [Park Ave. Peerage]

After an extensive interior renovation, the Chloé store on Madison Avenue re-opened this week. We didn’t get to go to the welcome-back Wednesday night party, co-hosted by Vogue, but Park Avenue Peerage was there and they just published their report. Their usual collection of party pictures begins with an unusually-smiley Tinsley Mortimer.

Perhaps the socialite is all-grins because earlier that day, Ms. Mortimer had hosted a luncheon for designer Samantha Thavasa (whose bags are white-hot in Japan) at the John Jacob Astor Library in the St. Regis Hotel. The socialite must really like Ms. Thavasa, because she reportedly had peonies flown in from Chile for the midday gathering.

Joining Ms. Mortimer to toast the Chloé boutique’s new look (and get a sneak-peek at three pieces from the Guggenheim’s Young Collectors Council auction) were some usual suspects: Alexis Bryan, Amanda Hearst, Margherita Missoni, Zani Gugelmann, Marina Rust Connor and Olivia Chantecaille. While the socialites checked out Chloé’s upcoming spring collection, the sounds of guest DJ Helena Christensen filled the refashioned space.

Chloe’s Council [Park Ave Peerage]

Does Tinsley Mortimer have a beef with the gays?  read more »