Subscribe to RSS

Archive for the ‘Fashion Find’ Category

My Two Cents: How To Make a Sale Purchase You’ll Be Proud Of

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

 

As far as fashion retailers are concerned, Spring has sprung. But really, it hasn’t. So may as well take advantage of the final markdowns on winter merchandise while you can still get some wear out of them, right?

I have made many a bad purchase decision under the influence of deep discounts- but this is not one of them. Purchasing this Milly coat on sale in Boca last month took about, let’s see, 45 seconds from rack to register. And while often times a quick draw of the credit card like that can signal a piece that is surely to never be worn, in this case, I did good. Because I have worn it many times since, and truly believe it is timeless.

So here is my take on end-of-season sale shopping- don’t buy the basic that is *almost* perfect. There is usually a reason a clearly classic piece is on the sale rack- something in the fit or wearability is off.  Instead, look to statement pieces that resonate with your wardrobe.

In my case, I always reach for jeans or leggings and a black cami when I don’t know what to wear, then I throw a jacket of some sort on top.  I have a rack full of well-tailored blazers and easy-to-wear lady like swing coats and such. Hence it makes sense for me to scoop up a piece like this. It is bold, so not every woman across America would think to purchase it. As such, there it sat on the sale rack, sandwiched between oversized sequin sweatshirts and crazy floral print ruffle blouses.

However, it is just bold enough to freshen up my go-to uniform and therefore will forever be deemed a sale purchase I am proud of. Which is not something I can say for many of the ill-fitting black pants or white tee shirts I have excitedly hoarded at sales in the past.

Do tell- what is your best ever sale purchase?

And if you don’t mind, share your sage sale shopping tips with the rest of us, will ya? Thanks.

To Clean Out One’s Coat Closet, One Needs The Perfect Coat: Mackage

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

Over the years I have amassed a collection of mediocre cold weather gear. It isn’t that I didn’t want to throw on a perfectly chic yet still really warm coat every day, but I never seemed to be find just the one. So instead, like a girl juggling multiple so-so guys in an effort to feel fulfilled while still secretly searching for the one, I kept buying and buying, never feeling truly thrilled with what I owned.

Then, I popped into the Mackage store in Soho, and everything changed.  I am now the proud owner of the two most perfectly amazing coats I have ever seen- take a gander at the images below an try to tell me that you don’t agree.

One the left is my “wear to work, out to casual dinner or stroll around the city on the weekend” coat, otherwise known as the Kendra. Next to it is my “walk the dog, run to Flywheel, or spend the entire day doing errands in leggings but with my butt covered” coat, which Mackage has named Adali. They both have a slim, flattering fit and are so warm that I tend to sweat in them (yes, I sweat in everything so this may not be compelling news to anyone, but I sweat in them significantly).

Upon putting them in my coat closet, I promptly removed every other coat in my mediocre menagerie and donated them to New York Cares.

See? When I scout out the perfect purchase, everyone wins.

Soggy Day Style Statement: Crocs Rain Boots

Friday, December 9th, 2011

I am on a one-woman mission to enlighten you all to the merits of Crocs rain boots. Yeah, yeah I know there are fancy “designer” ones that people feel the need to shell out $100+ for- however, in my opinion, these whimsically colorful and infinitely comfortable boots are the perfect penicillin for a rainy day. Need proof? Just look at how ridiculously happy I am splashing around, sopping wet, in mine.

If you happen to fall in love with them along the way, you can pick up a pair on Joyus until January 6, specially priced at $40 for adults and $30 for kids. You can use that money you saved by not buying a fancy pair to treat yourself to a blowout- my other favorite antidote to a grey day.

Fashion Find: Elle Macpherson Intimates

Friday, October 28th, 2011

I am not going to bore you with the details of my semi-traumatic bra shopping experience last week- but I will share with you a discovery I made that was, well, unexpected: Elle Macpherson makes some damn nice bras.

Bra shopping is something I avoid like the plague. In my opinion, it is worse than jean shopping and bathing suit shopping combined. My avoidance has resulted in bras that are likely older than some of you reading this post. They have also prompted a constant barrage of comments from my husband which I will sugar-coat and summarize as essentially “You really need to go buy some new bras. Really. You do. Please. Like, now. Please?” So I did. But I wasn’t happy about it.

One of my best friends happens to work in “intimates”, as they say, and she recommended I hit up Bloomingdales. Upon stepping off the escalator, I almost hyperventilated. So many bras! Too many bras! Get me the F out of here! But I had made it this far…

When I lamented my situation (“My bras are torn and tattered, but they fit well enough and it’s not like I am going to find something that is both supportive and attractive anyway, so…”) two salespeople recommended I check out Elle Macpherson Intimates. I ignored them, assuming that I was way too savvy to go all gaga over  a lingerie line with a supermodel’s name slapped on it. A rep from the brand happened to be on the floor that day- and within seconds she had me half naked in the fitting room, oohing and ahhing over bras that not only offered great support (I am a full coverage fan myself) but were beautiful. Yep, I said it. Beautiful and bra in the same sentence.

Here is the style that I am most excited about both owning and wearing- pulled this image off BareNecessities- the Cloud Swing Underwire Bra.

Even though the finish is lace-like, it appears smooth underneath a tee-shirt. The satin detail makes the underwire construction feel like it doesn’t even exist- but one look in the mirror and your nice, lifted silhouette will remind you that it does.

Lesson learned- don’t judge a bra by the celebrity name stitched into the label.

 

The Fashion Holy Grail: A Chic Trench with a Hood

Friday, October 14th, 2011

I honestly do not understand why ANYONE would make a trench coat without a hood. Any sort of coat that could potentially be worn on even a SLIGHTLY rainy day should, by law, come with a hood. Either that, or the makers of said coat should allow me to submit my salon bills to them for reimbursement each time a perfectly good blowout is ruined by the fine mist of rain that the hood-less coat neglects to protect me from.

And I am not alone here. Every rainy day, I could not help but wax poetic about my fruitless search- and typically whoever I was lamenting to expressed the exact same frustration. Sure, there are plenty of raincoats out there with hoods- but if it is a more classic trench style you are seeking, the options are few and far between.

So, when I got an email from the very stylish Vanessa, an adorable producer I work with at E! News, embedded with a link to an item she claimed was  the answer to our  hair prayers, my online purchase was imminent.  Not to mention timely, given the recent influx of rainy days.

Thanks to the J. Crew Matinee Trench, I have never looked quite so chic on a rainy day- at least from my head to about an inch above my knees.

The cut is close to the body, the details are true to the iconic trench style, and the waist belt can be tied as tightly as you wish to create a flattering silhouette. And the gold hardware- gorgeous. Plus, they carry petite sizing, which for my 5 foot 2 frame fit perfectly- even the sleeves hit right where I want them to.

Oh- and it is now on sale for $119.99 in the light khaki- the only one to get, if you want my opinion.

The Matinee Trench easily looks like a $500+ coat. Only better. Because I bet that $500 coat wouldn’t be street smart enough to come with a hood.

In case you want to see the front view- here you go:

Flats: A Fashion Confession.

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

I have a confession to make.

Up until last week, my go-to flats were the Tory Burch Reva ballet slippers with the big Tory Burch gold medallion logo on top. Technically, I am very much aware that there there is nothing wrong with that. I mean, I adore Tory Burch. I especially adore Tory Burch shoes. But to call myself a “style expert” and wear the one pair of shoes that millions of women across the world owned, loved and moved on from probably 2 years ago, is, well, embarrassing.

To be fair- they are without a doubt the most comfortable flats I have ever owned, and they look great with everything in my closet that would ever be appropriate to wear with flats. But they are ubiquitous. Actually- they WERE ubiquitous. In like 2009. Since then, even the most hard-core Tory devotees (i.e. my mom) have “graduated” to her more subtle/less logo-tastic offerings.

Except me. See, I never found a pair of flats that wowed me to the point that I simply had to own them- so I figured, if it ain’t broke…

And then, I spotted these:

A friend of mine was wearing them- and when she told me a) they were comfortable and b) she got them at ZARA, I had to have them immediately. As in, I went online the second I got home and ordered a pair. And have worn them every day since.

Pointy toe flats that are COMFORTABLE? Amazing.

And on top of that, an on-trend yet timelessly sophisticated style for UNDER $70? Knock me over with a feather.

Or in this case, a flat.

Fashion Find: 2 Perfect Pairs of Jeans (That I Didn’t Need, But Had To Have)

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Regardless of actual NEED, when fall comes around, I always feel compelled to buy new jeans. True, I need them like a hole in the head. But when has that stopped me? Unfortunately, hardly ever.

This time around, I was craving a well-fitting pair of bell-bottom-esque flares, and a pair of skinnies that I could wear with flats (all 8 pairs of the J Brand 10″ Ankle Skinnies that I used to love so dearly have stretched out beyond repair).

Welcome to my over-stuffed closet, 7 for All Mankind Rachel Petite Bellbottom jeans ($169 at Piperlime) and DL1961 Emma Legging jeans ($138 at Shopbop).

Why these two pairs, you ask? Well, that’s easy- broke it down for ya below.

7 for All Mankind Rachel Petite Jeans:

  • Super dark wash that can easily be dressed up
  • Crisp lines, much more structure than any pair I currently own
  • They are cut for petite frames- and when you hem a pair of flare jeans as much as I need to in order to keep them from dragging behind me like a train, unless they are made for petites in the first place, you completely ruin the proportions

 

DL1961 Emma Legging Jeans:

  • Nice rich inky wash, that, while not terribly edgy or worn-in looking, is infinitely flattering
  • Perfect length- no hemming needed, can be slightly scrunched to work with flats and when I wear heels, nobody will question if I was waiting for the flood or some other obnoxious metaphor for “your jeans are weirdly short”
  • My experience with DL1961 has proven to me that unlike some other skinny jeans that I used to be obsessed with (ahem, J Brand) they truly hold their shape and fit so after a day of wear I don’t have to traipse around the city pulling up the waist of my pants every 3 blocks

 

Fashion Find: Century 21 Opens on the Upper West Side

Thursday, September 22nd, 2011

Funny thing about my career. See, my husband used to give me a hard time, saying the more I worked, the more money he thought would be in my bank account. In reality, it is typically the complete opposite- because I am lucky enough to be exposed to the best brands, become engrossed in tempting trends and spend hours shooting inside amazing stores. So you can’t really blame me for picking up a thing or ten for myself every now and then, right?

Case in point- my recent work with Century 21. The iconic New York destination of designer bargains opened this week on the Upper West Side (66th and Broadway, to be exact) and it is pretty freaking spectacular. Many afternoons were spent perusing the goods while we worked on styling and shooting segments- and after each visit, I would scribble down must-buy items on my beloved Post-It notes so when the registers finally started working, I could do some damage.

And damage I did. The suede swing coat in the photo above is from Leifsdottir and I adore it. Also new to my wardrobe- a cream cardigan with pearl buttons from Marc by Marc Jacobs, a Helmut Lang dress, and the list just keeps on growing with every mandatory meeting that requires a journey uptown.  You guys will seriously not believe what you can find there. Not to mention that the shopping experience is much more akin to a high end department store (great lighting, wide aisles, beautiful fixtures- there is even a personal shopping service) than a discount store.

Oh- and a fair warning in case I run into any of you up there in the coming weeks- if you come across a shrunken Viktor & Rolf pleated blazer, PAWS OFF. It is mine. All mine. I am serious. I may seem all nice and sweet (at least, if you don’t know me that well), but I have strong arms (thank you, Core Fusion) and I am not afraid to use them.

Fashion Find: Elizabeth McKay Blouse, And Why It Is Good To Stay Friends with Ex-Boyfriends

Monday, July 18th, 2011


 

For the most part, I remain friendly with my ex-boyfriends. Especially with people you date for years, it only makes sense, right? I mean, how can you go from being so close with someone to pretending they don’t exist, or worse yet, are the devil incarnate? Not really my style. Which has turned out to be a good thing, especially because my ex from college ended up marrying a girl who has a great fashion line that, as a result, I was introduced to- Elizabeth McKay.

Elizabeth McKay designs have a very classic American sportswear feel to them, but the fits are modern. Timeless but also timely, if you will. What I have come to realize is that there are items that can fit seamlessly into many closets- even if your style aesthetic isn’t necessarily classic or preppy. Personally, one of my favorite things to do is take items from brands that seem very much made for one type of girl and mix them up in a completely different way.

My ex (okay, I will use his name since the term ex is getting overused here and starting to sound nasty), Ted, sent me the Elizabeth Ruffled Blouse as  a thank you for referring my makeup artist to them for a recent shoot (I know, you don’t need all the background but I have never been terribly concise) and it is becoming a fast favorite.

I have worn it with distressed denim and pointy-toe heels to toughen it up, and most recently paired it with a bright blue pants from ASOS (which I will write about at another time because I just ordered 3 more pairs in new colors, they are the best) and a major red lip (more to come on that in the near future as well- great new lipstick find to tell you about.) And of course, my go-to J. Crew skinny metallic belt.

Even my husband, who tends to get a little cranky when my mom waxes poetic about the Ted years (even though she ADORES Brian, to be honest sometimes I think she loves Brian more than me, which would make sense since he is a much nicer person), can’t deny that this is a very needed addition to my wardrobe. It fills the “classic white button down” closet quota without being, well, a classic white button down.

So, lesson learned here, ladies? Stay friends with your exes, and don’t judge a fashion brand by its, well, branding. Because in both cases, you just never know.

 

 

Fashion Find: Me? Sophisticated? With This LBD, Perhaps.

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

I didn’t intend to buy a black dress when I went to Saks with my mom last week. I didn’t particularly need one. But sometimes, when you come across a piece that you just know, instinctually, is going to take your look up a notch, you just have to fork over the credit card. This Josie Natori dress is one such piece.

To be honest, I had no clue Josie Natori did ready-to-wear. I happened to be on the floor at Saks I don’t normally go to (when shopping with  mom, I veer from my usual direct route to the 5th floor) and saw this dress draped on a mannequin. The epitome of a very overused fashion phrase  ”simple, but sophisticated”. And since I don’t do sleeveless unless forced, the sleeve factor was a huge motivator to get undressed and try the damn thing on.

‘Twas love at first site. Lightweight fabric that is perfect for travel, and I know for sure that with the right mix of accessories, I can get tons of mileage out of this dress- be it a cocktail party, a work event, a tv segment or a date night with my husband. One of these days I will do a post showing it in a few different scenarios, as soon as I have the occasions to get creative. (Beyond the Lululemon pants and Hanes V-neck tees that have become my uniform as of late- shhh….)

Oh- and the day after this purchase, I went to a press preview for Josie Natori’s intimates and loungewear collection for Target, coming out later this year. Josie Natori was there, wearing none other than my new dress in a beautifully shocking shade of pink.  Which I am still jealous of. Anyway- we bonded instantly (she couldn’t be sweeter, by the way) and she let me in on two secrets:

1) She originally designed the dress in pink AND black, but Saks only wanted black (playing it safe, I guess) so the one she was wearing was actually her sample- the only one of it’s kind.

2) Her Fall collection features the same silhouette, in cashmere. I will certainly be buying it.

The dress is $395 (which for a dress with such timeless style is really a good price), you can check it out here.

If you don’t mind, leave a comment about your LBD of choice- if you happen to be able to find a link to it online, include that as well- so I can check it out.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Featured Video