Bon Chic Bon Genre

A month ago, I flew out to LA to meet with BCBG and BCBGeneration and I was lucky enough to be there while BCBG Max Azria was kicking off it's 25th anniversary celebration. BCBG curated a full exhibit which was referred to as the Retrospective. The Retrospective looked back at each year the brand has been in existence from the first formal dress to what you just saw come down the runway this past New York Fashion Week. This exhibit was incredible and took up multiple rooms. The first picture below is a room which displayed 2 outfits per each BCBG collection since the launch of the brand. It was amazing to see the evolution of BCBG and having 50 outfits from 25 years in one room was extremely impactful. The next room was a mock red carpet set up with BCBG Atelier looks that celebrities have worn to different award shows. My favorite dress that was featured was the Pink dress that Maria Menounos wore to the Golden Globes this year. The next room was dedicated to Herve Leger - which was obviously my favorite room. The best part about the Retrospective for me, was that I got a private tour with the curator who also happens to be the Creative Director for licensing at BCBG. He was able to give me the insider scoop and little behind the scene details. For instance, Lubov Azria wanted to include a particular white Herve Leger dress in the Retrospective  and so she contributed one from her very own closet! (see picture below).


I could go on and on with more details about walking the Retrospective but overall, it gave me the smallest glimpse into how much money, time, risk, and effort it takes to build a brand with lasting power.

 

 

Grunge Plaid

I like trying outfits that are a little out of my norm and typical aesthetic. I traded in my traditional bodycon style for a more relaxed and laid back look. The best part of this outfit is that there are tons of layers to help combat this in-between weather and all of them are super affordable! I found these Joe's Jeans on mega-sale on Piperlime for $46 from $218 and even though these tattered boyfriend jeans aren't typically my style, I decided the price was totally worth a try.

There is actually a funny story behind the jeans - I wore them in Santa Monica with my sister and believe it or not managed to tear them in one of the only areas that wasn't already torn - which also happened to be in a spot that made them no longer wearable - of course. I was about to throw them out and then I discovered Denim Therapy in NYC - one of the city's hidden fashion gems. They take worn, torn, and holey denim and repair them. I dropped this pair off and 3 weeks picked them up to be as good as new! Check them out :)

Other Outfit Details: Shoes BCBGeneration, Hat BCBGeneration Fall 14 Preview, Grey Shirt WINKNYC, Plaid Shirt Urban Outfitters, Clutch Fendi, Bracelet Urban Outfitters

 

 

 

Bye Bye Snow Bunny

Facebook and all social media has been flooded with disgruntled East Coasters being fed up with mother nature and the extended polar vortex that we've endured. This post is dedicated to what I hope will be the LAST winter-wear post! Although it's been slow-moving, I am hopeful that Spring is rearing it's head around the corner and I am going to pack up my winter wardrobe and begin the season change-up. Fingers crossed for warm weather, sandals, and maxi dresses!

 Details: Vest Neiman Marcus last Call - same cut, Leather Shorts BB Dakota, Custom Made Statement Necklace Jen Hodenpyle

Dressing the Part

As materialist as fashion and clothes can appear to be at times, sometimes dressing the part can help you get through the hardest times. Sure, cuddling up in bed in sweats and ordering-in your favorite junk food is always a strong healing method. But when you're ready to come out of your cave, dressing the part can really help you get beyond whatever obstacle you are facing at the present time.

Clothes give you the freedom to express whatever you are feeling- good or bad. Whether it's a tough time or something you want to celebrate- there truly is an outfit for every occasion and what you wear sends a message. 

I shot this look 6 weeks ago or so, when I was ready to pull myself out of a funk and focus on moving forward. The sparkle sweatshirt says "I'm shining bright, but I'm relaxed" and the pop of color in the skirt says "I'm ready to take chances." On the contrary, the metal zippers and studded clutch show some edge and a little glimpse of a tougher side; paired with the heels that say "don't f%#k with me."

If this comes off a little "Girl Interrupted" meets Taylor Swift, I promise I'm not hiding chicken underneath my bed and I certainly don't intend to take guitar lessons any time soon :)

Sometimes it's best to let your outfit speak for itself.

 

Details: Sweatshirt Zara similar, Skirt Missguided similar, Clutch BCBG, Sunglasses BCBG

#NYFW

To state the obvious, I took another time out from blogging. I partially took a break due to the fact that work really took off (in a good way) and I felt like I barely had time to breathe, let alone sit down and actually compose a cohesive post.

So better late than never, I wanted to reflect on my experience during New York Fashion Week. I was fortunate enough this year to attend two shows for BCBG Max Azria and Herve Leger. Both experiences were totally different but rounded out to make for the perfect overall perspective.

For the BCBG show, I wasn't sure what to expect so I made sure I woke up early that morning to get ready and wore the brand head to toe. When I got to Lincoln Center, it was so surreal to be in the same waiting area as some of my favorite bloggers, designers, or people I watch on tv on a weekly basis. People watching - even for a short period of time, was very humbling. On one hand I was living out a dream that I had always had and on the other hand, I felt the way I did as a little girl when I discovered Santa wasn't real. It was a matter of extremes.

My seat for the show was amazing with a great view of the runway. Even though I am slightly biased, I think that the music that was picked for the show was unmatched during all of Fashion Week. The soundtrack was totally unexpected and it created an amazing energy amongst the crowd to the point where I felt like everyone couldn't help but bob their head or move along to the music.

Saturday, I got my ticket to the Herve Leger show at the last minute so it was meant for standing room only. After having one show under my belt, I realized that wardrobe to the shows is anywhere from jeans and a flannel to evening-wear and it seemed as if it wasn't as cool to dress over the top. Since I left from work with my boss, I just wore a basic black outfit with flat boots. Once we got into the show my boss and I were offered seats, but we opted for a different perspective and stood at the top row. At the last minute, someone moved blocking my view so I quickly reached into my bag and switched out my flats out for platform heels just in time for the show to start. Although that moment was so cliche "High Heels and Taxi Cabs," it made me smile and was the perfect way for me to cap off the week.

 

Black Swan

It's no secret that it has been absolutely FREEZING lately, so during my last shoot I got through my first two outfits and then on the verge of turning into a popsicle, my GBF/Photog suggested we shoot inside. This is traditionally a big blogger no-no because of the lack of natural lighting, especially in my tiny NYC apartment-cave, but I decided I'd take the chance and stay warm. He probably also took one look at my outfit and decided he didn't want to be an accomplice to me getting pneumonia.

The below look is my play on Black Swan. This outfit combines a few staples that I am known for: leather, a crop top, and a statement jewelry piece. The top is from Zara Similar Here. The Quilted Skater Skirt is from ASOS Similar Here. The suspender print tights are from NastyGal, along with the hand armor bracelet. All pretty affordable items that come together for a fun night out outfit.

 

 

Black and Grey and Spikes All Over

I love buying clothes that most people would pass over and finding a way to pull together an outfit that then those same people say "oh my god, I love that! Where did you get it?" I feel like it's a challenge, especially since it's outside of the box and could easily be a #fail.

I found this manly-quilted-lumberjack vest with a leather collar at Nordstrom on double sale for $30. This is a perfect example of the above since it had to be marked down twice. I'll admit, I wouldn't have bought it for much more, but I decided that I could give it a shot for the price. I paired it with a basic GAP grey T, BCBGeneration Legging to Leather Pants, Boutique9 Pumps (similar), and Juicy Couture spike necklace. What do you guys think? Is it pulled together? Or still not happening for you?

Here's to the New Year

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope everyone has enjoyed their holidays and had some quality family time. Starting with my first post in 2014, I will be showing off my favorite Christmas gift.... a new CAMERA. This means no more ghetto/pixilated iPhone pictures! I kicked off 2014 with the perfect New Years Day: a movie in bed, a blog shoot, dinner with my Gay Boyfriend and ended the day with a gym sesh.

This outfit below is an outfit that I wore out to LA on January 2nd for ten hours of BCBG meetings. It might look put together but this outfit experienced a lot: the beginning of a NYC snow storm, lost luggage in LAX, broken rental car, and endless hours in the airport due to the storm. It's amazing how a great outfit can help mask the stress and drama that we experience on a daily basis and put our best heel first.

Outfit Details: Dress Clover Canyon on sale from Saks, Boots Pour La Victoire on sale here at 6pm.com , Leather Jacket BCBGeneration found it here on sale at Amazon, Bag Rebecca Minkoff smaller version here at Zappos

 

 

 

Mad Hatter

While I was home over Thanksgiving I decided to embrace the true Fall Foliage color palette and try out this Rust Colored Wool Panama from Free People. Although I sell hats as part of my job and I love them, I hesitate and chicken out wearing them ALL THE TIME! Given that this is the most hypocritical thing, I have decided that I am going to start wearing them more. For the rest of the outfit, I had to rep my BCBGeneration "Girly Girl" Cold Weather Loop in Rosewood. The knit is super cozy and I own it in two colors. My jeans are AG which is my go-to brand for denim. I never buy them at regular retail thanks to flashsale sites but I do think they are totally worth the retail price. My leather jacket is BB Dakota. I think Forest Green is my favorite color of the season (for the moment). The best accessory of this whole outfit however, has to be my sister's puppy Milo :)

Sister Sister

I could probably stretch my LA trip out into about 5 posts but I figured I would recap you with the cliff notes version... or at least try

As I mentioned in my last post, the purpose of my trip was to attend BCBG and BCBGeneration Brand Summit meetings to discuss 2014 planning and also reiterate the different brand DNA's. Thursday we flew out and quickly went to Pour Vous - this awesome bar in downtown LA which turned out to be the perfect venue for the Generation Summit. Joyce Azria, creative director of BCBGeneration, chose the location because she wanted us to be in a setting where she thought the #GenGirl (her target customer) would hang out on a typical night in LA. This really beat the routine Thursday "work vibe." Joyce's energy and passion for the brand is truly uplifting and it was a great way to kick off the trip.

 Here is a preview of the Sp 14 line for Generation

Friday we woke up and went to the BCBG Corporate office to attend the BCBG Max Azria Summit. With 2014 being the 25th anniversary of the brand, it was amazing to hear more of the history and get a better understanding of it's incredible growth over time.

 

Here is a Preview of some BCBG looks for Spring 2014

After the summit, I went back to meet my sister and we decided to cross something off our bucket list and hike Runyon Canyon. The weather was amazing and although it was a lot steeper than we expected, the views and sister-time made it totally worth it. Tip for future hikers: Don't try to hike after Bloody Mary's.

 

Following the hike we did some retailing. One of the fun parts of my job is getting into as many stores as possible to shop the competition and offer my clients the best feedback, advice, and opportunities to improve their business.

 It was amazing getting into a Generation store and seeing the all of the product we work on merchandised in the store. This Cold Weather Gifting table looks flawless!

Had a BCBG Moment!

Friday night we went to dinner at Riva Bella on Sunset Blvd. The food was amazing!
Saturday we woke up and continued retailing and then headed to Santa Monica to go to the Pier. I looked homeless but Natalie looked absolutely adorable! 

 

Her panama hat is Collection18 - the company I work for :) , sweater is BCBG, bag is Rebecca Minkoff, Jeans are BLANK, sandals are Dolce Vita, and her necklace is from South Moon Under
 

 So much for the cliff notes version :) At least I managed it in one post.