Fashion Chick NYC

Style Inspiration: Think Like Coco

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 11:57:00 +0000

Coco Chanel provided an endless amount of great quotes over the course of her lifetime, but here are three that I hope will inspire your personal style:

“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

“The most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

W.W.G.K.D.?

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:43:00 +0000

A few months ago, my husband and I were a part of a pink wedding. My husband was a groomsman and the bride asked that all the female guests wear their "favorite shade of pink." My first thoughts were, "WHAT? I'm 33! I don't wear pink dresses!" But then I thought since my husband was in the wedding, I couldn't just ignore the bride's request. So what to do... what to do??? My personal mantra when faced with a style challenge on this level is: W.W.G.K.D. or "What Would Grace Kelly Do?"

To me, Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's movies is the epitome of style. She is always chic, sophisticated, feminine and put together. She not only always looks great but it's clear that whoever put together her wardrobe thought about it. While careless chic is great for the few women who have that going, I appreciate people who think about where they're going and look their best for that particular occasion and circumstance. So take a lesson from Grace Kelly in a few of my favorite Hitchcock films and be inspired to add a little Grace (and grace!) and elegance to your wardrobe.

Rear Window

A plunging neckline and a full skirt accentuates a feminine figure.

A little black dress and pearls are always a sophisticated choice.

And if you're not into pearls, go for a big statement jewelry piece like an oversived charm bracelet.

To Catch a Thief

Why not wear a great big hat? You're fabulous enough to pull it off!

White is not just for your wedding day.

A scarf tied demurely around your neck is charming!

Dial M for Murder

You can't have too many red dresses. Don't you want all eyes on you when you enter a room?

Stop carrying so much stuff around! Downsize into a small frame bag.

Most of the pictures I used for this post came from Grace Kelly Online. And it's a good thing I found that site since I would have never been aware of the Grace Kelly Tribute going on at Sotheby's. Here are the details:

Grace, Princess of Monaco: A Tribute to the Life and Legacy of Grace Kelly
An exhibition from October 15 - 26, 2007

Place: Sotheby's - 1334 York Avenue @ 72nd Street
Time: Daily from 10AM to 5PM & Sundays from 1PM to 5PM
Free and open to the public

So if I've piqued your interest about Grace Kelly with this post, be sure to check out the exhibition!

Trends: Boots that Look Like Shoes with Socks

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 20:33:00 +0000

I was perusing the latest boots by Marc By Marc Jacobs on Zappos and I noticed the following:

These are boots that make the wearer appear to have on shoes with socks. "How peculiar?!" I thought. But this is Marc and he's known for doing odd things, so I ignored it and kept clicking.

Then I saw these by Giuseppe Zanotti on ShopBop:

And these semi-cute versions of the style by Jill Stuart:

Marc by Marc has an even fuglier version of this style:

I really can't imagine why anyone would wear these. First of all, high-heeled shoes with socks can be a difficult look to pull off in general. So why make boots that are meant to give the illusion of this look? And what does one pair them with? Other than the Jill Stuart ones, these all look far from sexy or feminine. And I suspect next year, as you're weeding through your closet for things for the Goodwill, these are going to scream WINTER 2007! and be among the first things to go. I wouldn't consider these a classic style at all. I will be passing on this trend, but if you absolutely adore any of these, click on the pictures for purchasing information.

SALE!

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 14:56:00 +0000

Looking for an excuse to go shopping? Make sure to save your money and mark you calendars to shop 7th On Sale starting November 15th. Not only will designer items be ridiculously discounted (Tory Burch Reva ballet flats for $60! Christian Louboutin pumps for $275!), 100% of the proceeds will go to AIDS/HIV education and awareness.

You can read more about the sale in the November issue of Vogue or check out this site for details about the charity.

The Devil is in the Details

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 00:19:00 +0000

I will often come home with a new purchase and point out some obscure detail on it to my husband that makes me squeal with delight... while he gives me a blank stare. While small details in women's clothing and accessories often go over my husband's head, I'm a person who appreciates little design elements that in a mass-produced world make an item feel unique or evoke quality and artistry. Here are a few of my favorite details:

Covered buttons
Do you hear me squealing as I write this? I really have a thing for covered buttons over your garden variety, plastic uncovered ones. They feel very sophisticated and feminine in a Grace Kelly in a Hitchcock film way.

Handbags with feet
I'm sure I've said this before, but while I love my handbags, I also treat them very poorly. They get dumped on the floor in restaurants and bars... Hurled on the floor as I'm walking into my apartment after a stressful day at work... Or used as a battering ram on a crowded subway car. For this reason, bags with protective feet on the bottom are a must to keep me from scuffing the bottom portion of my purses.

Dresses with lining
You can always tell the difference between poor quality and well-made dresses when you hold them up to the sunlight. If you can see through your dress, you have a problem. This is why I love dresses with built in lining. There are certain parts of my body that I don't want to share with the general public and I appreciate designers who use materials that allow a woman to have a little modesty.

Embroidery on boots
This may sound strange but I like detailing on boots a lot. These Charles David ones with the embroidered design down the side are always a conversation piece when I wear them. This kind of detail on a boot is unexpected and it looks fresh in a sea of black and brown Fall boots.

What are your favorite details??

Model Moment: Liya Kebede

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 22:30:00 +0000

Liya Kebede is a supermodel with a mission. Born in 1978 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Liya was discovered while in school at the French Lycee by a film director who introduced her to a French modeling agent. When she finished school, Liya moved to France where her career took off.

Liya has been on the covers of Italian, Japanese, French and Spanish Vogue. She's also been featured in ads for Gap, Yves Saint-Laurent, Emanuel Ungaro and Dolce & Gabbana. She's also walked the runway for Marc Jacobs, Balenciaga, Gucci, Anna Sui and Zac Posen. In 2003, Liya was named the face of Estee Lauder cosmetics and was the first person of color to serve as their representative in the company's 57-year history. In 2007, Liya was the eleventh highest paid top model, according to Forbes.

So she's beautiful, successful... and did I mention she's also a philanthropist? In 2005, Liya was appointed as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health. She also has her own foundation dedicated to reducing maternal newborn and child mortality and improving the health of mothers and children around the globe. She sounds pretty awesome, right? Here's Liya serving you hot fashion.

We're on a Break!

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 00:45:00 +0000

Between the busy season at my job, graduate school and gearing up for a much needed vacation at the end of the month, I haven't been able to blog nearly as much as I would like. Since I can barely keep my harried life together, Fashion Chick NYC will be on hiatus until 10/20.

While I'm away, I'll leave you with these gorgeous Miu Miu pumps I've been coveting....

Mmmm.... Miu Miu.... See you on 10/20!

Too Luxe: Out of Their Minds Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 17:53:00 +0000

Apparently the people at Coach have gone and lost their minds. The above monstrosity (how about some more hardware? I think there's an inch that's free) is being sold for $20,000. $20,000!!!! I've said it before and I'll say it again until someone starts listening to me... People in the market for $20,000 bags DO NOT BUY COACH. Arghh!! And this bag's ugly sister is selling for even more. If I didn't love my new boots so much, I would retract my ode from last week. When will the folly of the overpriced handbag be over? It's ridiculous. What next? A $10,000 Le Sportsac?

I Quit This B*tch!

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 01:44:00 +0000

I'm not going to write about Emmy fashion. (Don't be alarmed. It's just sheer laziness.) But other bloggers did. Here are my favorites.

Where Has Elegance Gone?

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 00:57:00 +0000

I agree with this article 100%!

An Ode to Coach

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:39:00 +0000

A friend once asked me what my favorite brands were. I listed my usual: Marc Jacobs, Banana Republic and Rachel Pally. "Oh," she said. "I thought Coach would have been one of your favorites, too, since you have so much stuff from there." I was dumbfounded. Really? REALLY???! But she was absolutely right. I do own a lot of Coach items and interestingly I don't consider them among my favorite brands.

Like many fashion bloggers who are not fans of Coach, I discount them as a great brand because they often bring the fug. Their logo print and that horrible patchwork thing they do appeal only to the label-whoriest label-whores. They can also make their bags too busy by piling on the hardware. As a mid-luxury brand, Coach often tries to extend itself into high-luxury territory with ridiculous results. (A $7,000 bag from COACH??? Does this company know who their customer is??? Do they know who they are? Why would I buy a Coach bag when I can get an Hermes Birkin for nearly the same price??)

So you might be wondering where exactly is the "ode" part in this post. There is an area where Coach absolutely excells, and that is the everyday, functional boot. If you were unaware, they are the master of this style. Every Fall, I end up buying a new pair of Coach leather boots. Not because I need to, because their boots hold up remarkably well, but because they will have a new style that is more fabulous than the one I had last year. The quality of the leather is exquisite. The materials, the seams and the craftsmanship of the boots are impeccable. These are the boots you will wear everyday to run errands in with jeans or with your work slacks because you need a "comfy-heel" day. These aren't the boots you're going to wear when you want to look fierce, but they are the ones you can live in comfortably and still feel stylish when you leave the house. As a testament to the comfort factor of Coach boots, on a particularly busy day of hanging out with friends last year, I walked TWO MILES in my favorite pair of Coach boots without a blister or pain.

These are the "two mile" boots I bought last Fall. They still look pretty good after quite a bit of wear. Did I mention I also wore them in the rain?

I ordered the Maxene boot in black for this Fall. I just couldn't resist them! And they're available in this season's hottest color: gray.

The Weslyn boot is a charming riding style as well.

For those of you who don't find the Coach logo print as appalling as I do, try the Meadow boot.

Try this tip: Always take new boots to the cobbler to have a rubber sole added to the existing sole of the shoe. This lengthens the life of the boot and makes it more comfortable since the rubber absorbs some of the shock your feet will feel from walking on concrete sidewalks and streets.

Spring 2008 London Fashion Week: I Don't Get It

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:17:00 +0000

There is a reason I've given my blog the catch phrase: "an ordinary woman obsessed with fashion." That would be because I have no formal training and I'm not a fashion editor. For that reason, designers like Gareth Pugh get a blank face and a "Huh? What?" from me. For example, this was his opening look for his Spring 2008 London show.

I don't get it. Here are a few more looks I don't get.

The model below is wearing a stole made of white mink mice with red eyes and tails. Um... okay....

Does anybody actually wear these clothes or are these just outfits for fashion-insiders to editorialize about? Of the 15 looks he showed, this was the most wearable:

And I think I'm stretching it a bit by saying "wearable." I guess his particular role in the fashion game is to provoke and keep things interesting. Read more about Gareth Pugh's show here.

Blogging About African-Americans in Fashion

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 01:45:00 +0000

The Fashion Bomb and Cut, Sew & Blog give some really thoughtful insights on the dearth of African-Americans in the fashion industry: from the lack of influential editors to famous designers not using Black models. Check out a great post from The Fashion Bomb here about a recent forum on Blacks in Fashion. Malcolm Harris gives his take on the subject at Cut, Sew & Blog here. Definitely food for thought!

Spring 2008 New York Fashion Week: Dream Items

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:54:00 +0000

I absolutely LOVED the shoes from Tory Burch's Spring 2008 showing. I am definitely getting these adorable, gold gladiator sandals.

I will be sure to pose like this model whenever I wear them.
And this sunny yellow Marc by Marc Jacobs dress will be perfect for Spring. I love the bow detail, the silhouette and the flowery print.

Although, unlike the model, I would have to smile in such a happy dress! I guess I should start saving for my Spring 2008 purchases now....

The Marc Jacobs Controversy

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 00:02:00 +0000

Suzy Menkes rips Marc Jacobs a new one in her review of his Spring 2008 show.

Marc threatens to move his show to Paris where he would be appreciated more.

Diane von Furstenberg attempts to smooth the whole controversy over.

How will it end???

Three Times Makes it a Trend: The Death of Necklaces?

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:27:00 +0000

As I've been looking through red carpet and various celebrity photos from my favorite gossip blogs, I've been noticing more and more that starlets are choosing to not wear necklaces with their formal wear. It's become more about statement earrings and bracelets and leaving necks bare. Here are three examples from the 2007 VMAs.

Rihanna

Beyonce

Alicia Keys

And the trend continues with three celebrities at the Heroes Pre-Emmy Party:

Ali Larter

Kristen Bell and Hayden Panettiere

Will bare necks be all the rage at tonight's Emmy awards? I think so!

Picture source Picture source

Spring 2008 NY Fashion Week: De La Renta Designs for the Life I Wish I Lived

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 13:21:00 +0000

I live a jeans-appropriate existence. The fact is, for the majority of my day-to-day activities, jeans would be okay to wear or be the expected style choice. My job is fairly casual with its dress code. And New York city has become increasingly more casual with jeans worn at events that used to require formalwear such as going to the opera. "Dressing up" is often considered dark wash jeans.

But the fact is, I'm a woman who loves dresses. I am actually much more comfortable in a dress than jeans. And if I could wear an A-line dress with a slim fitting bodice that poufs out from the waist everyday, I would be a very happy camper. So in my dream life, I'm a "lady who lunches." This dream woman lunches at fabulous restaurants during the day with her lovely girlfriends and attends charity balls in the evening... And, of course, her wardrobe for this life is exclusively Oscar de la Renta.

He started his show with beautiful suits like this one. (Very appropriate for a smart lunch with the girls, right?)Next, came some gorgeous ethnic print dresses that would be perfect to pack for that upcoming vacation in South Africa.

Oscar showed some lovely solid-colored dresses. In my imaginary life, I would wear these to the various dinner parties I had to attend and be the most chic woman in the room.

And finally, what's a girl to wear to that formal gala or red-carpet event? Oscar has that covered, too.

In my opinion, I think his show embodied everything Fashion Week is meant to be: gorgeous, aspirational, stylish and feminine.

Spring 2008 NY Fashion Week: What's Missing?

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 01:53:00 +0000

What's missing from the Spring 2008 ready-to-wear shows? Models of color.

Thanks, Cinnamon!

Spring 2008 NY Fashion Week: Making Sense of Marc

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 01:22:00 +0000

I worship at the altar of Marc Jacobs. I make no bones about it. I agree that he is a genius and doesn't just design lines but moves fashion in a new direction almost every season. I want to BE that funky, hip, luxurious downtown girl (with a few of my own grown-up touches) that his clothes represent. I buy into it wholeheartedly. But his Spring 2008 namesake collection confounds me.

The Bad

The "silly-string guipure gown"

Marc's been quoted as saying he "loves a blouse that's dumb." Well, this dress with it's awkward top and strange strings hanging from is dumb.

The tan shoe was billed as the "too-small pump"and the hot pink and green shoe is what I will call "the accident waiting to happen." The too-small pump seems a little more wearable than the shoe with the heel protruding from the foot bed but both are not knocking my socks off.

Even Worse

I don't understand what's going on here. I'm not going to try.

All of these layers for SPRING??? Even the model looks frightened.

The Interesting

Trompe l'oeil Underwear

Underwear as Outerwear

Marc's usage of underwear as part of the outerwear of the ensemble was an interesting theme, although I feel like I may have seen this explored before.

The Good

I love the looks above for a simple reason: They're pretty. There are no gimmicks, no tricks and they don't need to be explained. And isn't that what most of us really want? The chance to wear a pretty outfit and feel good in it.

Models are Funny When They Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 12:15:00 +0000

Those amazing Fug Girls put together a compilation of the top 5 runway falls which you can check out here. I think this may be just the little pick-me-up you'll need on this rainy New York day...

Spring 2008 NY Fashion Week: Make Me Understand Vera Wang

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Tue, 11 Sep 2007 11:52:00 +0000

While it's hard to tell in the picture, these are drop-crotch satin shorts.

DROP-CROTCH SATIN SHORTS, I SAY!!!

I was watching Full Frontal Fashion yesterday night and the commentator said that Vera Wang views these as a modern take on the cargo short. WHAT? These look more like a modern take on the MC Hammer pant. Unfortunately, the pictures do not do full justice to how uncomplimentary and unforgiving these shorts are. The back view looks like the model is wearing a droopy diaper. I don't know who can pull these off since they're not really working on these 6 foot tall, 110 pound models. I am not amused.

And remember what I've been saying about the death of volume?
Oy vey, Vera.... And this dress just looks like the model has a goiter growing out of the side of her thigh.

Who looks good wrapped in all this excessive, shiny fabric? Boo, Vera Wang...

Model Moment: Du Juan

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 23:49:00 +0000

As I was looking through photos of the Spring 2008 Ready-to-Wear shows, I couldn't help but notice that model Du Juan seemed to be everywhere. So far I've spotted her working the runways of Derek Lam, Diane von Furstenberg, 3.1 Phillip Lim, J. Mendel, Badgeley Mischka... and the list goes on. In a sea of blonde, white models, Du Juan truly stands out.

Born in 1987 in Shanghai, China, Du trained at the Shanghai Academy of Dance until she grew too tall to find a partner. She was Miss China in 2003 and made her runway debut in Spring 2006 walking for major designers such as Valentino and Jean-Paul Gaultier. She has been responsible for several "firsts" as an Asian model with such wide appeal. She is the first Asian to be on the cover of French Vogue and she was the cover model of the premier issue of Vogue China. In addition to her runway work, Du has also been featured in ads for Swarovksi, Gap, Louis Vuitton and Yves Saint Laurent.

Here is Du serving you hot fashion:

Source Source Source

Wurk, B*tch!: America Ferrara

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:23:00 +0000

Snaps in a "z" formation go to America Ferrara for her dress, shoes, hair and makeup at the 2007 Creative Arts Emmys. I have one word for her total look: FLAWLESS!

WURK B*TCH!

Spring 2008 NY Fashion Week: I Enjoy Being a Girl!

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 19:28:00 +0000

As I looked through the runway pictures for Thakoon, Tracy Reese and Catherine Malandrino, I was reminded of one of my favorite show tunes: I Enjoy Being a Girl! The looks were feminine and girly, and celebrated a woman's curves. No more trapeze, tents and empire-waist dresses. It was all about cinched waists and shorter hemlines. (Bye maxi-dresses!) In particular, I adored almost everything from Catherine Malandrino's show. She used several feminine touches including lots of pink, colorful prints and ruffles.

I also noticed that quite a few of the shows have been featuring an asymetrical, single shoulder dress but I liked Catherine Malandrino's take on this style the best. If you want to get an early start on this trend, try this version from Banana Republic.

Here are some of my favorite looks.

Thakoon

Tracy Reese

Catherine Malandrino

Spring 2008 NY Fashion Week: Proenza Schouler

noreply@blogger.com (Fashion Chick NYC) — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 18:53:00 +0000

Proenza Schouler interprets Spring 2008 in a manner that is usually saved for Fall collections: military! Their collection was full of military themes, vests, oversized-metallic buttons and lots of usage of khaki and navy colors. And similar to many other designers who have shown this week, there were a few beautiful metallic dresses. The collection was particularly interesting to me since so many aspects of it seemed menswear inspired and Proenza Schouler was known for its exagerated bustier styles.

This is actually the first show I've seen so far that has me truly excited because the looks seemed so unexpected for Spring. Here are my favorites.