Archive for the ‘fashion’ Category

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When Bad Things Happen To Great Designers

July 28, 2010

Marc Jacobs is probably, indisputably the greatest fashion genius in our midst today. He is not only responsible for his eponymous Marc Jacobs collection, but also for the Marc by Marc Jacobs lines for men and women, and the ever exquisite Louis Vuitton collections for men and women. Not to mention the covetable shoes and handbags sold under all 3 labels. With that much to do, he deserves a tiny little slip once in awhile.

So this addition’s lapse in sartorial taste features a look from Mr. Jacobs Fall 2010 collection under his own name. What suburban housewife hasn’t seen this one on the embarrassed Mom who got caught doing morning school drop off with her coat tossed over her nightgown, hovering in the car, hoping to go unnoticed?  I mean, this can’t be a good look on anyone, can it?

BTW, we in New York CIty are not immune to bad “taking the kids to school ” looks. Since we don’t have cars, they tend to be gym clothes, no makeup and a less than fresh ponytail.

photo: style.com

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My How Time Flies!

July 20, 2010

I just realized that Indigo Jones had a birthday and I missed it!!!  Last year, on July 14,2009, we typed our first post. It’s all been a great experiment since then…writing about whatever moved us, and trying to keep up with all of you while life threw us curve balls. So, one year , 126 posts and 102 comments later, here we are.

Thanks for sharing this journey with us. Stay tuned for more food, fashion, family,fitness and  life.  It’s been a great year!

photo: Glasshouse Images

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Bed, Bugs and Beyond

July 3, 2010

Trendy retailer Abercrombie & Fitch were forced to close two Manhattan stores this week, due to a bed bug infestation.
The Hollister store in New York’s Soho area was closed for 3 days, and the South Street Seaport outpost of Abercrombie closed yesterday.

Bedbugs, it seems are nocturnal creatures, and the dark clubby environment of the shops are prime breeding ground for the insects, with lots of clothing for them to snuggle up in.

The problem is, that they are tiny and hard to detect. They travel easily in clothing and handbags, and have no qualms about making themselves at home in new locations. Like their friends head lice, it is about transmission, not cleanliness, and they are very difficult to get rid of.

Abercrombie has stated that they will take back any purchases, and quarantine them before returning them to their headquarters in Ohio. This may help them avoid further inter-company spread, but if someone brought them home, they are probably already infested. I shudder to think about the other stores and offices in the area where they might have been taken inadvertently. The possibilities of a mass outbreak in New York are unfathomable.

Should you see signs of bedbugs, call an exterminator immediately. Do not take your clothing to a friend’s home or hotel unless it has just been washed and dried at high heat and put into a sealed plastic bag immediately.

Photo: Glasshouse Images

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Posted in fashion, Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

When Bad Things Happen To Great Designers

June 12, 2010

The Louis Vuitton collection for Fall 2010 was perhaps one of the most spectacular shown. Designed by Marc Jacobs, it celebrated the woman, and her form. The silhouettes, reminiscent of the late 40′s into the 50′s were absolutely exquisite. All of them, except this one. Oh Marc, what were you thinking here? I mean, if I had a chance to walk the red carpet, the last thing I would want to wear is a skirt inspired by Little Bo Peep, and a shapeless sweater.

I guess when you turn out collections for men and women under 3 different labels, you are entitled to an error in sartorial judgement once in a while.

photo: Style.com

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When Bad Things Happen To Great Designers

May 16, 2010

Karl Lagerfeld is known for his namesake collection, as well as his work for the house of Chanel. A renowned tastemaker, with a love for the theatrical, Lagerfeld has had a profound effect on the world of fashion.
Lagerfeld showed his Fall 2010 collection on an iceberg, recreated in Paris for the show. In an oddly executed collection, featuring lots of fur and folk influences, it veered strongly into ridiculous territory. Really Karl? Who did you design this for? Yetis who lunch? Fur pants? Not exactly flattering, comfortable or practical, let alone the social- political implications of wearing fur.

We all make bad choices, but frankly, this one was a doozy!

photo: style.com

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Pretty Babies

May 15, 2010

Last week, a friend posted a query on Facebook: “ My 5th grader is mad at me because I won’t let her wear eyeliner. Am I wrong?”

At least 10 people responded immediately telling her that she was indeed, not wrong at all.  A few suggested letting her daughter wear blush, lip-gloss and a light coat of mascara as a compromise.

Today, as I was reading the New York Times ‘Thursday Styles” section, I stumbled upon an article discussing the same topic.

According to NPD Group, a consumer research company, the use of cosmetics in tween girls is up this year. Statistically, 18% of all 8-12 year olds are wearing mascara, 15% are wearing eyeliner, and 15 % are wearing lipstick.

Over 66% of the girls polled credited a family member or adult family friend with helping them acquire and apply their makeup.

While adult makeup sales are down, the use of tween and teen makeup is growing steadily.  As we question the motivation of our little Lolitas trying to appear older, it is important to note the actual health risks of cosmetic use in children.

In a recent study done by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, girls younger than age 10 with early onset of puberty had a high incidence of endocrine disruptors found in some nail polishes and cosmetics. There is also concern over skin damage caused by the chemicals in makeup, and the potential allergic reactions suffered by the overly sensitive skin of a child.

Some companies, such as Neutrogena, use different formulations in products marketed to a younger clientele, although they declined to share their proprietary technology in the article.

As I watch my own daughter teeter on the cusp of being a baby and an adolescent simultaneously, I struggle with keeping her innocence and letting her be her own person. I have found that my instincts are my best guide.  Knowing that there are potential health risks involved will help me make an informed decision when the situation arises.

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When Bad Things Happen To Great Designers

May 7, 2010

Even some of the best fashion designers in the world have off moments. Today we premiere a new feature about the occasional lapses in sartorial judgment by some of the best in the business.

Reed Krakoff, the creative genius behind the renaissance of Coach, and a Ralph Lauren /Tommy Hilfiger alumni, premiered his first collection under his own label for Fall 2010.

Here we see his suspendered fur pouches shown over a simple sweater and trouser. Really Reed? Really? I mean, what woman wants to have straps pulled across her bust and 2 large poufs of fur accentuating her hips?

photo: style.com

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Shop Your Closet

March 16, 2010

The international Fall fashion weeks have just wrapped up and they are filled with great wardrobe update ideas that you can implement now.
As the recession has forced many of us to shop our closets, it seems that old clothes sometimes resemble, well, old clothes. But this fashion week showed us lots of great ideas to rework the items we have into the ones we will covet next year.

Case in point:

Dolce & Gabbana showed great cardigans, wrapped to the side and secured with a brooch or kilt pin. Almost any old cardigan will do, as long as it is not too long. Simply wrap it instead of buttoning it, and use a decorative pin to hold it in place.

We mentioned in a previous post that socks with sandals were a big trend for Spring.

The Fall collections were filled with almost every major (and not so major) designer showing socks with pumps, or maryjanes. We have taken out some old shoes and recycled them into fabulosity with just the addition of a simple black trouser sock.

Ferragamo showed a beautiful 1970’s inspired collection featuring shorts and cable sweaters, with a big shawl thrown over it all. We took some of our out of date wool pants, cut and hemmed them and turned them into the shorts of our dreams. Worn with tights, boots and a chunky sweater with a jacket or wool wrap on top, we are rocking a new look on an old budget.

Ah, Marc! We admit that the proportions of the Marc Jacobs collection initially struck us as a tad matronly. But after several looks, reviews and a grueling week of reporting on fashion week trends, we started to see it’s beauty. Taking an old Mui Mui skirt that hits below the knee, a belted turtleneck and a knee length coat, we recreated the look with a proportion that emulated his and suited our just under 5’5’ body to a tee. We wore it with the requisite heels and socks, and felt like a million bucks!

There are so many great trends emerging that can be achieved with more ingenuity than investment. Find a look you love and see how creative you can be in pulling together an outfit that is fresh and fashionable without buying anything new.

photos: Style.com

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Someone’s In The Kitchen With Jonesie

March 11, 2010

Someone’s in the kitchen with Jonesie and I LIKE it!! I love to cook, and our large open kitchen is a hub for many of our friends to congregate, and reap the benefits of my passion.

Lately, I have been working like crazy, and juggling all of the other things that life tosses at us. Ok, I admit it….. I am tired!!!
This week, I had the great privilege to have a gentleman or two cook me dinner.
Sunday, Alex made a gourmet feast of roasted beet salad, wild mushroom risotto, Swiss chard and braised beef. On Friday evening, as I raced out of work at 8 pm (unfinished, I might add) he was in my kitchen, roasting whole Red Snapper on a bed of potatoes with a salad and carrot, apple and cumin scented soup.

Sunday rolled around again, and I had a strategy meeting with people from out of town.
And what do you know, lucky me, Peter came by and made a German meal of roasted pork, cabbage with caraway seeds and potato dumplings the size of softballs!

Cooking is something I do, to make delicious and (usually) healthy choices, and the act of preparing food can be very creative and even relaxing for me. Feeding my family and friends is something I do to nurture and appreciate them. But did I mention how TIRED I am lately?
It was such a rare and wonderful experience to be on the receiving end of someone else’s hospitality in my own home.

Thank you Alex and Peter, for feeding my body and my soul.

photo: Glasshouse Images

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Y-3 ‘s Prisoner of Love

February 15, 2010

Sunday marked not only Valentine’s Day, but also day 4 of New York Fashion Week. We are attending a few shows in person, and enjoying the rest (hundreds of them!) via computer screen in the comfort of the office.

Last night, we attended the Y-3 show, a collaboration between renowned Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, and active wear giant, Addidas.

Yohji never fails to produce a spectacle, and last night was no different. The standing room only show began with a laser light show, and a parade of models sporting layers of modern, yet casual pieces. The theme was a bit dour, with prison stripes and tee shirt graphics counting days of incarceration, with text such as “33 Years with You” and “23 Years in Prison- 20 = Y-3”, all to a remix of Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover.”

Although the “prisoner of love” concept was a bit downbeat, the items were pure fun, with great capes, easy dresses, and the “it” pant of the year, the low crotch trouser, done for both sexes in comfy knit. In true Yohji Yamamoto style, the clothes displayed an asymmetry, unique sense of proportion, and in some cases, beautiful origami-esque draping, all with an active twist.

The finale featured a group of models wearing colorful coats, who dropped them at the end of the runway, revealing; yup, you guessed it: prison stripes! After, Yohji walked the runway, and knocked out a male model in a faux kickboxing match, and was subsequently taken down by a female model.

Yamamoto’s business has been battered around a bit in the recent economy, and last night, Yamamoto did what he has been essentially been doing all year; after getting knocked down, he picked himself up, and waved to the crowd as he triumphantly walked off stage.

All in all, interesting clothes, great theatre, and a lesson in resiliency. It’s all in a day’s work!

photos courtesy of style.com

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