Tag Archives: fashion

A Platform for Girl Power

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Spice Girls

My inner 3rd-grade self has recently resurfaced as the platform sneaker has hit the streets once again. Back in the mid-90’s the Spice Girls were the pop-culture sensation. Every girl my age wanted to be a Spice Girl. Whether you were into being just like Baby Spice or Ginger Spice, all of us have posed in pictures with peace signs in the air—a signature pose that the band used— and we would wear clothing according to whichever Spice Girl we related to the most. Baby Spice fans would fix their hair into pigtails and wear sundresses. Scary Spice fans would wear leopard. Sporty Spice fans would wear sneakers and athletic apparel. Posh Spice fans would act mysterious and pose sexily. The stereotyping went on.

 converse-platform-sneakers-profile

It’s funny to me looking back on it now because at one point I really wanted a pair of platform sneakers; I thought it was the hottest in footwear. I’d stare at them through store windows—and admire them when I saw my girl-band heroes wear them in music videos. I’d pore through Pop magazine and clip out photos of the band and hang them on my bedroom wall.  My mom wouldn’t let me buy a pair which caused many tears and arguments. My hero Baby Spice wore them—why couldn’t I?

Babyspice

Today I see why my mom wouldn’t let me.

  1. It isn’t appropriate for a 3rd grader to wear platform shoes.
  2. They’re straight up ugly.

In hindsight as it usually works out, mom was right. My 3rd-grade self was wrong. But how was I supposed to understand? Just like how I didn’t understand the meaning behind the Spice Girl song 2-Become-1 when I was belting out the lyrics while my mom car-pooled me to YMCA cheerleading practice. Now I get it.

The Sweet Smell of Luxury

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the plaza

Since 1904, Krigler New York has been attracting celebrities and royals alike for their high end perfumes. A brand of luxury and prestige, Krigler New York is reaching into the archives to relaunch 2 of their earliest fragrances with updates for today’s men and women, Schone Linden 05 and  Hermitage Heritage 04.

Schone Linden 05

Because I love it when brands bring out new things from the archives and give it a twist—I thought this would be a fun feature.

As I take in the beautiful new perfume,  the Schöne Linden 05 scent is a delicate, feminine scent with floral notes and vanilla. I like this perfume because of the femininity—and at the same time it’s not overdone. Perfect.

Even better, this perfume is sold exclusively at The Plaza. Yes, that Plaza on 5th Avenue and 59th Street. So if you want to try out this yummy scent—head down to the exquisite landmark itself and go to their perfumery, where you’ll see this vintage perfume being displayed. And grab a mimosa at the hotel for me while you’re at it!

The Art of Picking and Choo-sing: A Love Story

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There are some encounters in a person’s life that are so memorable and close to the heart that it feels like it had occurred just yesterday, when in fact it was years ago. An encounter that makes the heart skip a beat and takes the breath away. A moment that causes a person to act quickly on major decisions. Meeting Jimmy was one of those special moments.

It was a normal day for me. I had just left the Fashion Institute of Technology after a long day of back-to-back classes. The winds switched directions and briskly pulled me towards West 26th Street into my beloved store, Buffalo Exchange. As I carefully browsed the sweater racks, and flipped through skirts of past seasons’ styles, my gaze landed upon a shelf of significance. The lights dimmed, and a spotlight-effect zeroed in on an item. Or so I imagined. Lo and behold, at eye-level and within reach sat a lovely, sophisticated pair of pointy-toed beige Jimmy Choo heels, size 6. I felt like I was reuniting with John Cusack in Serendipity.

Jimmy

I couldn’t believe it—these shoes were just too good to be true! I walked around the store, testing hypothetical paces and different speeds of walking. A quick pace to make sure I’d get to the train on time. A slow, meandering pace in the occasion I am at a museum or cocktail party. Tapped my toes with my hands on my waist to test them in the occasion someone cuts ahead of me in line. Dance moves in the event that I go clubbing. Perfect fit, and perfect stride. All in one pair. Clearly, this was a match made in heaven—sent to me from God for a small price of $42.

I snatched Jimmy and held him close to my heart. We would never part again.

The Jimmy Choo London label signifies many pivotal moments to me. Jimmy sat with me throughout important interviews. He escorted me to exclusive parties in which I met new friends that are now near and dear to me. He celebrated victories of new opportunities in my life. The brand embodies the prestige and success that I aspire to achieve. Jimmy gave me the boost of confidence that I am now a real adult. A lady taking on New York City with each stride in the fine, Italian crafted leather heels.

LOFT and Choos 085

Heels are my weakness. Being a passionate shoe-shopper, I find it one of the most important pieces a person can wear to portray their image. I would rather walk in uncomfortable heels for hours to feel sexy and confident rather than wear comfortable flats or sneakers to a party. I love the height it gives my 5’ 3” self, and the way my calves are poised when I am standing tall. To me, highly respected, powerful women are seen wearing classic heels on a regular basis.

Today, Jimmy and I remain in a steady relationship and are moving forward one step at a time in conquering the New York fashion world.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s : The Double Life

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Today I watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s and it really got me thinking. More than half a century later, New York women are still the exact same. It’s no surprise that it was recently on Broadway—it’s incredibly relatable. Don’t we all have a Lulu May turned Holly Golightly alter ego in some capacity?

Spoken from a background of being born and raised in small-town America, in a place where wooden posts are standard at the local Wal-Mart for the Amish to park their horse and buggy. No exaggerations here. I’m a southern girl, moved on to the big city. I jumped on the opportunity to move to New York City years ago to conquer my fashion dreams. Dreaming of big city lights, glamour, and a lifestyle like those on TV. Coming from a suburban, country lifestyle– Golightly did the exact same as many of us did.

A lot of New Yorkers are not actually from the city itself. It’s a city for dreamers with big ambitions and full of those with “I can do anything” attitudes; all of which are a necessity to make it here. Really—it’s a large community of NYC imports from all over the country and world. Holly Golightly is a dreamer. A dreamer of glamour, money, and a luxurious lifestyle. She goes through painstaking relationships in search of money that would support her dream lifestyle, which comes with its own ups and downs. She hides her country background with a socialite persona. Big parties, big hair, fabulous attire, rubbing elbows with rich society people, all while having very little belongings to her own name. Running away from being tied down by a relationship, but also looking for a relationship. A classic catch-22.

At some point, I imagined that being me. At one point in my life, I was living out of a storage unit in the depths of Chelsea, when 4 kind girls took me in at their Harlem apartment. I lived the big NYC life despite the lack of funds. Parties with infamous auto-tune artist T-Pain, VIP fashion week parties and fashion shows while networking with big fashion executives. Would anyone have known I was living a double life? Of course not. I was being myself, true to my personality—without letting people know my income. Would anyone have known I was sharing a bed in Harlem with the girls that took me in? If you dress the part—who’s going to question it? Ms. Golightly made it work, and so did I. The champagne before breakfast mentality—a fabulous, lush lifestyle idealized by us dreamers. You want it—you make it happen for yourself and jump over the obstacles thrown at you with a hop in your perfectly polished high-heeled step.

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Ms. Golightly reflects on her “rats” and “super rats” she’s dated. Sternly kicking crazy men out of her apartment on a regular basis, she was no stranger to dating. Living in the land of the most single people per capita, there are more than 200,000 more single women than single men living in the city today. Call it a “repercussionless dating” mentality, but men treat dating like it’s nothing to them, as there are many other fish in the sea. As a result, women have been lowering their expectations and generally giving men the upper hand. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode when Elaine is dating a man and tries to have the upper hand throughout the episode. Over time I think the ups and downs of dating get to all of us, creating a numb, and maybe even jaded mentality to it—with high hopes of finding the right one. Or better, snagging them from another state and bringing them here. The New York “imported men,” as I call them. Women gaze at their couple-friends that have men they met in other states than New York. “Oh, it’s because they’re not from here,” we all sigh.

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Dating scene or not, we all reflect a bit of the Holly Golightly ideals and lifestyle. A poor girl aspiring for the luxe lifestyle we want out of the big apple. To what extent will we go? Money to “go to the powder room?” Probably not. But in our own ways, we side step these morals we came into the city with and look the other direction to make it happen. Unless you live here yourself—it’s difficult to understand what hurdles are jumped to continue living here. We all need a Paul to whisk us off our feet.

We are living the American dream, aren’t we?

Let’s Shop Vintage Thursdays in Manhattan

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A Continuation of Throwback Thursday Vintage Stores in Manhattan. I LOVE these places.

L Train Vintage

L Train Vintage

Enter hipster paradise: a large assortment of jorts (jeans cut into shorts—in case you weren’t aware of this garment) and old school, worn in tees. Long, bohemian skirts grazed the ankles of most customers. Clientele browsed the racks with serious looks on their faces. L Train Vintage stays true to their geographical reputation of being casual and hipster-esque. The sales associates leave you alone to explore through the ruins that hang on the walls. To shop here you must be mentally prepared to have patience and an open mind—as most of this stuff is funky even for the most hip. The Breakfast Club cast members would frequent this store if it were still the 80’s.

Neighborhood: East Village

Location:  204 1st Avenue, between East 12th and East 13th Streets

Online: www.LTrainVintage.com

Let’s Shop Vintage Manhattan– Throwback Thursday

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In all “Throwback Thursday” spirit, I figured my love for vintage stores could come in handy. A haven for both shoppers with big wallets and thrifty budgets—Manhattan is a treasure hunt for vintage fashionistas at many locations. Whether you’re looking for more commercial, mainstream looks or a hipster vibe, each shop creates its own atmosphere and draws different customers to search the serendipitous depths of the stocked shelves. I took the liberty to hunt through these stores for you and report my findings so you can get a head start on your quest for vintage finds.

New York Vintage

New York Vintage

Walk into a dimly lit, small space filled to the brim with designer goods and you know you’re at New York Vintage. You’ll feel like a little girl playing dress up when looking at these pieces—the options are endless and some museum-worthy. Fabulous names from the past and present—think Chanel, Balenciaga, Norman Norell, and Dolce and Gabana—filled the clothing racks. Big brimmed hats, dazzling jewels, and tiny shoes stood out amongst the clothes. The associates were super friendly and knowledgeable about the clothing. For a vintage-seeker, this store is a dream-come true! Nothing is mainstream or bottom line. Every piece is hand-selected and stored with care to browse.  Featured in many magazine photo shoots, prestigious store windows at flagship stores in NYC—New York Vintage is the ultimate high-end store to discover hard-to-find pieces from names of the past. This store is for big budgets—not the thrifty shopper. Rachel Zoe’s version of heaven.

Neighborhood: Chelsea

Location:  117 West 25th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues

Online: www.NewYorkVintage.com

Victorian Chic

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 victorian

Early 19th Century Boot

victorian now

A Fashion Institute of Technology student modeling Victorian-style boots in 2013

When Queen Victoria took reign in 1837, the lace-up boots were the hottest item in footwear. By the 1850’s the trend had evolved to suit both men and women—and almost 200 years later today it is still seen stomping down the streets. Amazing how some trends stick around as classics!

The Key to My Sole– Louboutin at Saks

louboutin

The red sole has been an iconic symbol on the tip-toes of celebrities and fashionistas alike—parading the streets with such sex appeal for glamorous women. Christian Louboutin knows how to make shoes that make a woman feel sexy—and it’s no surprise that Saks is opening a Christian Louboutin ‘salon’ at their stores now.

From the streets of Paris, to my very own New York City backyard—this video is fantastic—enjoy!

Put Your Best Foot Forward on Monday with Manolo Blahnik

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A Foot in the Fashion Industry: Manolo Blahnik on Lifestyle and Inspirations

“Young man, do things. Do accessories. Do shoes,” the legendary Diana Vreeland advised a young Manolo Blahnik in 1971.

sjp manolo

 Such advice couldn’t have been greater to a creative artist like Manolo Blahnik. He had been going through a more confused time in his life, unsure of what creative direction to move in—and this advice sealed the deal. Anxiously, he moved forward and pursued the shoe-design field and created an entire fashion empire that did not exist before—adding couturier techniques and detail to ready-to-wear, high fashion footwear. Let’s take a peek into the artist’s views and muses.

Black Blahnik Red Blahnik Pink Blahnik

How did Blahnik become a shoe designer? “It was one of those accidents of life. I could just as well have been a milliner or fashion designer,” he said.  Diana Vreeland encouraged him to work on his footwear designs and to make it a reality—which in turn, created a new shoe empire that had never existed before he hit the scene. She told him to dump the costume design path, and to “concentrate on the funny little things on the feet.” And so he did just that.

Techniques behind designing shoes: “I’m not an intellectual,” he confesses, “but I am a voracious observer of people’s movements and attitudes in the past and now. I’m very curious and I belong to that group of people who use what they observe and let it come out through what they do.” Blahnik loves the past, reminiscent and idiosyncratic English style—which is why he claims London as his home base.

His fabulous clientele: “I design for confident women who know what they want.” When creating each individual shoe, Blahnik creates an imaginary scenario of what type of woman would wear the particular shoe. Whether it be a society woman in France that attends charity balls, or a woman that hosts dinner parties for her family on her back porch—he has each scenario dreamed up for the potential buyer.

Fashion mentor: “My aunt acted as a daily fashion mentor. I was so impressed by the way she carried herself.” She taught him how to hold himself as a sophisticated individual, and the ideals of elegance.

Favorite museum: Prado in Madrid

Energy source: Spoons full of sugar, literally. On a mere 4-5 hours of sleep a night on average, Blahnik is not much for food. He’ll open up a bag of sugar and get the energy needed to design such sweet, delicious shoe creations.

Practicality versus whimsicality: “Once in a while I try to design a shoe with an eye to practicality rather than beauty. It is always a failure. Then I do a whimsy, follow my instinct, and make a slipper of silk scraps and crocodile scales—and it sells.”

View of New York City: “I’m always happy in New York because I’m a medieval person and it is a totally medieval city. People live in towers and they come down to fight—for food, for carriages, to sell their wares.”

Well, isn’t that the truth?

Street Style: Chelsea Blues

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Effortless Chic

I ran into this girl in Chelsea and loved her effortless look. The blue velvet heels. The blueberry tights. The over-sized scarf, and of course a fur to top it all off. As if this whole look isn’t cute enough, her puppy was the perfect accessory for this chilly day in Chelsea.

Love!