Fall 2010, Fast Fashion, The Shows and Your Wardrobe

Okay, I was wrong about the weather. While it was rainy and cold here in Cali last week, it is just gorgeous here now. I guess we all spend so much time talking about the weather because it really does make a difference to our psyche. That's why everyone seems to be in a better mood out here–no grumpy sales clerks or deli managers.

It's been snowing in New York and I bet the folks at the Bryant Park fashion shows are slugging it out in the name of all that is chic. There's an article in the WSJ today about designers showing "more wearable" clothes on the runways; good for commerce, not so good for art.

Another article talks about labels trying to circumvent "fast fashion" chain stores from getting knock-off designer looks on their racks before the "real thing" hits the stores. What bugs me is this promotes a false sense of urgency to purchase ASAP–7 months early, in fact. I believe in careful curating of your wardrobe; really thinking about purchases ahead of time, analyzing what will extend or "add to" your wardrobe direction and considering how purchase will enhance a style you want to flirt with.

My advice: Check out the fall shows via the internet. It's fun. Take stock of what you're wearing right now–this winter. Are some pieces wall flowers? Are some getting too much play? Do classics need replacing? Is there something you're dying for? Now, plan for fall and next winter. It's a buyers market as they say in real estate. No need for stupid impulse buys. Trends can be had in almost any price range and designing your wardrobe should be both fun and serious business!

Going back to Cali!

It's mid-winter break for the kids and we'll be spending the week in the O.C. Sadly, the TV show isn't terribly off-base in their depiction of the "Housewives Of," BUT that isn't the whole story. There is so much more to So. Cal than botoxed babes! We plan to do our favorite things:

• Escape this NY cold

• Kids will do Disney, I'm taking a pass on that (perhaps a spa day at Spa Gregorie's with my Mom?)

• Peruse South Coast Plaza, a mall equal to Madison Avenue

• Eat lots of Mexican Food

• Dinner with Travel Gals, Brigitte and Jody– see my story on our trip to Temecula. We'll be planning another.

• Laguna, for yoga on the beach, gilato and seaside shopping.

• Huntington Beach, another food/shop spot (yes, we eat a lot) BJ's Pizookie, that's a pizza/cookie. Can't go back to NY without downing one of those.

• My Mom's pizza. Too bad I don't have a link for that because it's fantastic.

What to wear? Something warm. Yes, it is cold in Cali now. And comfortable. This does not mean Uggs to me, but it seems to for the rest of the world. And Hip. I just turned another year older. I'm hip, dammit.

Paul Frank - Going Back to Cali

When I was about 14 I had a yellow cruiser. This is a low speed, high style bike. Meant for cruising a beach boardwalk, the bike's fat comfortable seat and easy-to-reach handle bars give you a mellow, lay back ride. Walking into The Paul Frank Store in Nolita, NYC brought me back to my cruiser days. It was weird to be in this store on Mulberry street because I associate the brand with all that is California. The label began in a garage in Huntington Beach, CA, very near Irvine, where I grew up. Paul Frank's poppy graphics just make you want to hang five or ten; toes over skateboard, or surfboard, or how about fingers around a La Sirena taco or margarita! The designs are for all ages, although tweens and teens probably feel a little more at ease sporting that silly (but cool) monkey.

I'm planning a Style Tour to Nolita in early spring and I may try to fit The Paul Frank Store into our itinerary. It will still be cold and it might be a great way to dive into sunny California (if even for a moment)!

Can you tell I'm already tired of winter...?

SmartWool; Happy and Warm

Practical fashion–sometimes it’s hard to come by. While staying with friends at Stratton Mt. over MLK weekend, I ran across an “outdoor” clothing brand called SmartWool. The company is over ten years old but it was new to me. Jan, my host, was wearing some SmartWool Cindy Lu Who type striped leggings and socks. They were turquoise and grey and I thought they were terrifically fun, funny and fashionable. Jan is an ubber workout maven. She does multiple triathlon races and strenuous outdoor vacations–she knows good gear. She also hails from the fashion industry and as a creative director she appreciates good design.

When I checked out their site, SmartWool says it was, “born on the simple belief: keeping feet comfortable on the slopes.” My feet are always cold. I need these socks! Apparently lots of thought, study and experimenting went in to developing “smart wool.” Wool, that is soft, cozy and warm. Anyone who has kids will know how whiny they can get wearing itchy wool. (That goes for adults too, of course.) I like the happy patterns and colors they have. The fit looked great and the testimonial, Jan’s and others said SmartWool gets the job done; You stay warm and look cool at the same time.

White House I Black Market, Cheerful Spring Video

This is so very happy. The styling and photography is outstanding, the casting perfect, the music amusing. You will smile. Enjoy.

How much is too much?

Recently I was hired to be the stylist commenting on Hue hosiery's Facebook page. I'm looking forward to talking about legwear fashion and keeping fans informed on what is happening with Hue. We plan to have give-aways, product announcements, designer updates and easy, chatty conversation about style, fashion, and in particular, legwear.

In doing the research about what is being said "out there" in web land about Hue, I feel like I'm maneuvering through a jungle of information. How much is too much? With the gazillion web sites and blogs commenting on fashion, how do you know if you're getting to the quality writing and reporting? I ran across the site, Alltop, that simply catalogs what they decided are "the best of," but that is very objective, isn't it? Honestly, I tend to fall back on the established reporting generated through trusted newspapers and periodicals. Perhaps I'm old fashioned (I'm sure no stylist should ever admit that!) but with few exceptions, there is a lot of what I call "clutter blogs" out there, messy, busy, confusing. Ironic, since fashion is suppose to be about good taste! I would say this is less so with travel blogs, but to be fair I haven't spent quite as much time researching. Don't get me wrong though, I'm still checking in with some favorite travel and style blogs. I think it is a matter of archiving and driving to what works for you, it takes time, but the internet has something for everyone!

Stratton Mountain Just Got Cooler

It’s always fun to see a celebrity when you’re out and about. Suddenly your grocery store gets way cooler, the restaurant you’re at becomes “the place to be” or that boutique you popped into is now tres fab. This past weekend we were skiing at Stratton Mountain and we saw Nina Garcia. She’s the savvy judge on Project Runway, formerly on Bravo, now it’s on Lifetime. Credit for spotting her in the base lodge amongst the throngs, goes to Jan Liverance, a Project Runway devotee, my friend, and Creative Director of At Peace Media. Jan and I managed to rubber neck in Nina’s direction in an effort to fully check her out unobtrusively, well sort of… My daughter kept staring trying to figure out whom I was whispering/mouthing about almost ruining our cover.

Nina was sporting (and I know you care) a mat silver Bogner jacket with black stretch pants that, we think, tucked into her boots. It’s silly but of course Stratton Mountain and skiing Vermont became that much cooler after seeing Nina! Jan has been skiiing at Stratton since the early 80s when the Stratton Mountain Boys, aka, the Austrian ski instructors, provided live musical entertainment on weekends in the bar of the base lounge! Jan and her partner were great guides to this rather large size (by east coast standards) mountain. Having a guide to “introduce” you to the mountain alleviates the stress you feel in trying to navigate your way through what could potentially be very scary terrain, terrifying yourself and your family!

I’m told that Martin Luther King weekend is the busiest ski weekend of the winter. Stratton was packed but its high speed, multi seat lifts did the job of moving the crowd up the mountain fairly quickly. While there were a few bottlenecks as runs converged, several times during the weekend we found ourselves alone on a run. If they remake the song, “These are a few of my favorite things,” to “These are a few of my favorite things–skiing,” being alone (with your group) on a run should be in the chorus. The rest of the song should about the romance of winter recreating at its best; the great outdoors, plenty of snow, comfortable temperature, beautiful views, sounds of swishing and laughter and sipping hot cocoa.