Quickies: Michael Phelps Sports Illustrated Cover, Tom Ford does soap on a rope, and more

Dear God what happened to Michael Phelp's face on the cover of Sports Illustrated? Yowzers! [SI. com]

Tom Ford makes soap on a rope. It's $18, smells like his fragrance Tom Ford Man, and, yes, we're sure he'd be fine with you re-enacting a prison shower scene with it (check out the version he staged for Out for inspiration). [Haute Concept]

The Harry Winston boutique in Paris was robbed of $100 million worth of jewelry. The two men disguised as women were in and out in 15 minutes and are suspected to have been connected to someone inside. They knew secret hiding places for expensive jewels and called employees by name. It turns out this kind of stuff does actually happen outside of an Ocean's Eleven movie. [CNN]

New Yorkers, listen up: everyone's favorite vintage store, Housing Works, is selling vintage YSL. They're hosting a cocktail party on Thursday, December 11th at their 23rd Street store featuring over 500 pieces of Yves Saint Laurent for purchase. So sip a cocktail and blow some cash. [Fashionista]

The RNC actually spent $180,000 on the Palin family wardrobe. Money well spent as far as we're concerned. [Politico]

-- SETH PLATTNER