Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Favorite Looks from New York Fashion Week- Spring 2011 Collections

These are the looks I would stomp the streets in next spring...
Rachel Roy





Tracy Reese

Sophie Theallet

Prabal Gurung

Jenny Packham

Jason Wu

Diane von Furstenburg


Catherine Malandrino

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Less is More-Freeing myself from fashion,Embracing Style



Growing up, back to school shopping was simultaneously an excitement and a frustration. I began with a huge list of items I wanted, ended up fighting with my Mom in the store and left with maybe one or two items, much to my chagrin.

Once, I began to have my independence ( a driver's license, wheels, and some MONEY!) I began to collect clothing items galore! In college I prided my self with never repeating an outfit and after undergrad and grad school, out on my own in the fashion capitol of the world, I began to be known for choosing a shoe sale over groceries.

Inspired by Jean Chatzky's Today show experiment of eliminating her wardrobe to only 6 items for thirty days I decided I might be better off with less. Nina Garcia, fashion editor at Marie Claire and author is always mentioning how much she abhors the overloaded American girl's closet. So I began the purge. And I kept going and going and going.

Last Wednesday, I decided that I should make a list of how many items I minimally need per season. For instance, 7 summer dresses, 5 t-shirts, 2 slacks, etc. And then all the rest, no matter how cute or where I got it or how inexpensive or expensive it was, I sent off to the Goodwill. About 6 large bags worth. At first I was a little nervous, but I realized that I've been making much more conscious and better choices ever since. I FEEL more fashionable than ever and I get dressed so much faster. Even amidst a shopping fast (yes, this is third or fourth one so far, nothing except dire necessity until January) I'm feeling pretty good. I feel like I got a whole new fall wardrobe without buying not one new item. Mainly because I couldn't see everything that I had and now I'm challenging myself to make new combinations. On Sunday I wore, blazer which I hadn't worn since probably 2008, black cigarette slacks, and a pair of shoes that I've had since 2006 and got so many compliments. Probably because they've never seen me wear slacks. Why? Because I forgot that I even OWNED slacks!!!! Sure, the other day I wished I had a fuschia, strong shouldered cropped blazer but my tan one I got for $5 back in 2002 gives pretty much the same affect. In the words of Coco Chanel, "Fashion fades, style is eternal."