Blog #9: 'Tis the Season (almost?)

I have always had an affinity for the Christmas season: some might even use the term obsession as opposed to affinity.  Now, I'm not about to complain, but I have an inkling feeling that the Christmas season is creeping ever-so-close to encroaching on the Halloween season.  KMart in Penn Station proudly displayed their Christmas trees well before Halloween (around October 25th, if memory serves).

Now that it is officially my Christmas season (post November 1st), I have begun my hunt for the perfect Christmas decorations to decorate my small dorm room.  Thankfully, a lot of stores have started catching up with mine and KMart's excitement.

I had to visit a Crate and Barrel for a Home Products class this past weekend, and was pleasantly surprised when I found that their main displays have switched from autumnal hues to metallic holiday shades of gray.

Even the neighborhood of NoHo is in the spirit!

What are your favorite designers/retailers doing this year for the Holiday Season?

There are, of course, the ones like Ralph Lauren that produce entire Holiday lines seen here.
Victoria's Secret puts on a Christmas Fashion Show.


Neiman Marcus released their annual Holiday book, and according to WWD, for the second consecutive year over half of the items are priced under $250. There are always luxurious items featured inside as well ($4,500 Tory Burch tricycle anyone?) You can read the full article from October 6th's edition of Women's Wear Daily here.

Are your favorite retailers doing anything creative and festive this year?

Blog #8: Concerts are the New Catwalk

Have you ever wanted to emulate your favorite singer or band? Sure, you have. Everyone has.

The costumes that musicians wear on stage have become more and more important to their fans overall concert experience. Ever since the 1980s, pop stars of the world have dictated fashion, and have made their choice in clothing essential to their persona.

It all started with the queen, Madonna. Unafraid to take risks - both fashionable and musical - Madonna ruled as the Queen Bee in the 1980's. Girls across the world wanted to mimic her eclectic personal style.

(via Google Images)

(via Google images)

Just look at the way her fans imitate her style in the video below:


Today, the same epidemic is sweeping the nation in the form of Lady Gaga.  Her style is equally as outlandish and provocative as Madonna's was in the 1980s.  Her outfits are constantly adapted and worked into mainstream fashions.

(via Google images)
Her use of leopard harks back to my post about leopard, and she is right on trend with her lingerie, though she takes it farther than most.

(via Google images)
Which celebrity style do you emulate?  Do you think fashion rules the concert stage, or is it really all about the music?

Blog #7. What's in that Vintage Trunk?

While scoping out some non-traditional fashion shows for my previous blog entry, here, I stumbled upon another form of fashion show, the trunk show. In a trunk show, designers bring their products to an outside location - usually a retailer - to sell directly to their consumer at an intimate gathering. The truck show is increasing in prominence in the fashion industry because of the designer's proximity to their ultimate consumer. The designer can get orders for their products at the trunk show, where they generally do not at a traditional fashion show.

I found this video on YouTube showing a Christian Louboutin trunk show held in Neiman Marcus in 2008.


I love the way Trunk Shows are so intimate. It feels more than an exclusive party than a fashion presentation. I would feel more comfortable purchasing the product this way, especially after a few drinks and delicious food!

Only a lucky few are invited to trunk shows. I have yet to get an invite; have you?

Blog #6. A Horse of a Different Color.

This week I was challenged to find a fashion show that was not a typical runway.  Easier said than done, but I finally found one!  Christian Cota did a fashion presentation in lieu of a typical runway show for his Fall 2009 collection in February 2009.  The models were dressed in Cota's designs, and stood on platforms for fashion industry insiders to examine.

I really like the way Cota chose to show his collection.  Runways are starting to feel stale to me because they have been done season after season, year after year.  It's time to shake things up a little bit!

Check out the Cota's fashion presentation here.



What do you think? Do you want to see more fashion shows presented this way, or are you a fan of the typical runway show?

Blog #5. Plenty of Room for the Blues.

 Last week, I blogged about the color electric blue and how popular I think it will be next fall. I've started to see it now, especially in the home furnishings area:

(Jonathan Adler Chair Fabric via jonathanadler.com)

(Behr Blue Room Inspiration via behr.com)

Next year, I expect to see the color in a lot more clothing and accessories.  Because the color is so bold, it needs to be paired with analogous colors that we consumers are more accustomed to seeing in the fall, i.e. plum and hunter green, and with monochromatic neutrals, i.e. navy.

(StyleSight, F/W '11)

But with such a statement color, I bet you're wondering how it will translate into future seasons. The bold electric blue will turn into a more teal blue for the summer, mimicking the colors of the ocean.

Don't be afraid of this color; dive right into it!

Blog #4. Shock Like an Electric Eel.

As many of us have seen, the runways are starting to finally show some COLOR again, indicating that the designers are finally ready to help break the country out of this economic funk; they are finally tired of reflecting the poor economic times in their collections.  I couldn't agree more.  Who wants to put on a dull gray or taupe dress when they could put on a brightly colored dress to lift their spirits?

According to Donegar Creative Services and Fashion Snoops, fashion forecasting services, bright blue is going to be a major color for the upcoming seasons (Spring '11 and Fall '11/'12).

Even though I enjoy color, I'm not sure how ready I am to give up my neutrals in favor of a wardrobe that looks like a Crayola Crayon Box.  I plan on introducing some of the more wild colors in my make-up.  My favorite feature to enhance is my eyes, so I will buy electric blue liner.

Don't know how to correctly apply eye-liner? Just watch this tutorial video courtesy of Expert Village, a YouTube based company that provides an answer to almost anything.



How will you wear your color?

Blog #3. Oh, you fancy, huh?

The streets of New York City are the best place to capture street style because anything goes! If you want to wear sequin bike shorts, a black bodycon skirt, a gray tunic, and black van sneakers, you can! (I spotted a girl at FIT wearing this exact outfit today; unfortunately I couldn't whip my camera out fast enough). One of my favorite aspects of Street Style in New York City is that you only need to travel a few blocks to be able to see drastically different style; the Lower West Side is very different from the proper ladies on the Upper East Side.

There are a few prominent Street Style bloggers operating today, the most famous being Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist out of New York. He photographs random, fashionable people all over the world. He is one of the pioneers of fashion blogs.

I spotted this girl chatting with a group of friends outside The Fashion Institute of Technology on September 20, 2010.

Cardigan, Unknown Swedish brand.
Dress, H&M.
Tights, H&M.
Metallic oxfords, Urban Outfitters. (my favorite part!)
Bag, Vintage.

Note how comfortable she looks for a day of classes. I photographed her because this is exactly the way I would wear the same pieces. Dresses are my uniform year-round, and her great patterned tights made this light dress Fall-appropriate.

Even though it has become more commonplace in New York to be photographed for great street style, it is always flattering. This girl was very happy to have her picture taken.