My last post about bags--I promise
So, yes, I will admit that my new bag kick has been all Bottega Veneta--my new summer bag is a knockoff of their oro cabat tote, as I detailed in this post. I've never really been a big fan of woven leather until now--for some reason, it looks really fresh yet classic to me. There's also a high level of workmanship involved, which makes the bags harder to knock off (as opposed to, say, Louis Vuitton or Balenciaga bags). So while I'm loving Bottega Veneta lately, it is a bit, well, pricey (most of their bags are over $1,000; the oro cabat is nearly $5,000). So I was happy to read about Andrea Brueckner in Daily Candy this week. Made of basket-weave leather and available in three shapes (saddle, tote, bucket) and neutral colors, her bags are like a hipper, more accessible Bottega Veneta. Her woven styles (check 'em out here) are a not-so-bad $325-$515, and as I discovered on her website, she also makes those cool ruffle bags, which are in the $300 range. Much of her line is available now at Active Endeavors, a site that fills me with pride for my native Chicago. So even though I just got my summer bag, I'm already thinking about fall...sign me up for the large hobo in tan.
Website of the week
As I've already noted, I was in Boston for Memorial Day weekend. And while I tend to rave about Jasmine Sola, there's another store I like to hit on Newbury Street (well, aside from Louis Boston), and, like Jasmine Sola, it also has two branches on Newbury Street, all on the same block. That store is Thom Brown; one branch is all trendy shoes and bags and the other has trendy clothes. The website is chock full of cheap, cheap, cheap trendy shoes, with some clothes thrown in (and even stuff for guys too). You can shop by brand or by style (there are several types of footwear to choose from, but women's apparel and accessories are a bit sparse). Footwear-wise, typical department-store brands like Chinese Laundry and Steve Madden are represented, as well as cool athletic shoes like Gola and Puma, and ultra-trendies Penny & Kenny and Seychelles. Remember Dollhouse shoes from the finale of Project Runway? Judging by this pair, they're pretty cute (and cheap!). Even though I've professed my hatred for espadrilles many times, I'm starting to change my mind, due to supercute styles like this Jeffrey Campbell wedge. These Pink Studio mules are in the so-ugly-they're-cute category (well, unofficially), but they look super-comfy. And I'm definitely ordering this Rebels wedge, an excellent Marc Jacobs knockoff (it comes in pink as well), at a super-nice price ($60 as opposed to $200). Stores like this give me hope that there are fashionable options outside of New York, although NYC will always be my #1 fashion destination. Well, for now.
As I've already noted, I was in Boston for Memorial Day weekend. And while I tend to rave about Jasmine Sola, there's another store I like to hit on Newbury Street (well, aside from Louis Boston), and, like Jasmine Sola, it also has two branches on Newbury Street, all on the same block. That store is Thom Brown; one branch is all trendy shoes and bags and the other has trendy clothes. The website is chock full of cheap, cheap, cheap trendy shoes, with some clothes thrown in (and even stuff for guys too). You can shop by brand or by style (there are several types of footwear to choose from, but women's apparel and accessories are a bit sparse). Footwear-wise, typical department-store brands like Chinese Laundry and Steve Madden are represented, as well as cool athletic shoes like Gola and Puma, and ultra-trendies Penny & Kenny and Seychelles. Remember Dollhouse shoes from the finale of Project Runway? Judging by this pair, they're pretty cute (and cheap!). Even though I've professed my hatred for espadrilles many times, I'm starting to change my mind, due to supercute styles like this Jeffrey Campbell wedge. These Pink Studio mules are in the so-ugly-they're-cute category (well, unofficially), but they look super-comfy. And I'm definitely ordering this Rebels wedge, an excellent Marc Jacobs knockoff (it comes in pink as well), at a super-nice price ($60 as opposed to $200). Stores like this give me hope that there are fashionable options outside of New York, although NYC will always be my #1 fashion destination. Well, for now.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Random notes
1. For those of you following the Great Cheryl Bag Search, I'm happy to report I've found a fun little number for summer. I bought it at Jasmine Sola, which is always my first shopping stop in Boston (where I spent the long weekend). It's a fun apple green tote that, as I later discovered, is a knockoff of Bottega Veneta's Oro Cabat tote (retail price: $4,900). Mine is obviously not leather and was a bargain $60, and since it needs to last me four months max, I think that's not such a bad deal.
2. Masstige Watch (at this point, soon to be a recurring feature at Cheryl Shops: For fans of Stella McCartney for Adidas and Y-3, bad boy Brit designer Alexander McQueen is designing a line for Puma, to debut in stores next spring. Am I excited? Hell yes.
3. Fashion musical chairs: Raf Simons is the new Jil Sander designer, Helmut Lang is pretty much kaput, and Roberto Menichetti is out at Celine.
4. In that last article, please note the second item, in which it states the most excellent store ever, Topshop, is coming to America. Well, in abbreviated form, for a trial run at indie boutique Opening Ceremony (at 35 Howard St.) in Soho. Items will be $70-$125 and will hit in August. Expect blood on the sales floor.
5. Website of the week and other goodies will be posted Thursday.
1. For those of you following the Great Cheryl Bag Search, I'm happy to report I've found a fun little number for summer. I bought it at Jasmine Sola, which is always my first shopping stop in Boston (where I spent the long weekend). It's a fun apple green tote that, as I later discovered, is a knockoff of Bottega Veneta's Oro Cabat tote (retail price: $4,900). Mine is obviously not leather and was a bargain $60, and since it needs to last me four months max, I think that's not such a bad deal.
2. Masstige Watch (at this point, soon to be a recurring feature at Cheryl Shops: For fans of Stella McCartney for Adidas and Y-3, bad boy Brit designer Alexander McQueen is designing a line for Puma, to debut in stores next spring. Am I excited? Hell yes.
3. Fashion musical chairs: Raf Simons is the new Jil Sander designer, Helmut Lang is pretty much kaput, and Roberto Menichetti is out at Celine.
4. In that last article, please note the second item, in which it states the most excellent store ever, Topshop, is coming to America. Well, in abbreviated form, for a trial run at indie boutique Opening Ceremony (at 35 Howard St.) in Soho. Items will be $70-$125 and will hit in August. Expect blood on the sales floor.
5. Website of the week and other goodies will be posted Thursday.
The (short) week in shopping
Sale of the week: Hey, ultrathin fashionistas: Balenciaga for men and women is 40% off. Sadly, that does not include bags. 6/2-6/19; 11-7, noon-5 Sun.; 542 W. 22nd St. (10th & 11th Aves.).
If you're one of the thousands of chicks who swear by Theory pants, Clothingline's got 'em (plus tops, coats, dresses and more) for 60% off. Go early and go often. 6/5-6/10; visit website for hours; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Fret not, fellas: You too can get Theory for 60%-70% off (suits are $339), with a two-day head start on the ladies. 6/3-6/10; 10-7 weekdays, 10-8 Thurs., noon-5 weekends; 520 5th Ave. (at 43rd St.).
If sheets were judged on the Michelin scale, Frette linens would get three stars. At this sale, snag 'em for up to 80% off. 6/4-6/7; 9-6:30; Warwick Hotel, 65 W. 54th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Cashmere in June? Hey, you gotta stock up sometime. So hit White + Warren for bright sweaters that are up to 60% off. 6/1-6/2; 8-6; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 3rd fl.
Get fun totes and home accessories for 50%-80% off at Hable Construction. 6/3-6/4; 11-7 Fri., 11-3 Sat.; 195 Chrystie St. (at Stanton), ste. 102B.
Not IKEA prices, but not IKEA quality either: Save up to 70% on home furnishings at Armani Casa. 6/1-6/30; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 97 Greene St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).
Ultraglam Stuart Weitzman shoes are 30%-50% off; the more you buy, the more you save. Tempting. 6/1-7/31; 625 Madison (at 58th St.), the Shops at Columbus Circle.
Artsy stuff from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Store is 25%-50% percent off. 6/2-7/4; call 800-468-7386 for store locations and hours.
For those who practice the lost art of letter-writing, old school Dempsey & Carroll stationery is at least 50% off. 6/2-6/3; 11-6:30; 136 E. 57th St. (at 3rd Ave.).
I've never heard of Phi, but if you have, they've got 2004 collection and 2005 samples in all sizes for $25-$500. 6/3-6/4; noon-6 Fri., 11-7 Sat.; 71 Greene St. (Spring & Broome Sts.).
For ridiculously expensive kids' clothes at slightly more affordable prices (up to 60% off), check out Bonpoint. 6/1-6/5; 9-7 weekdays, 10-6 weekends; 811 Madison Ave. (at 68th St.).
Reader tip: West Village tween haven Betwixt is closing; if you're a size 4 or below, jackpot for you! 245 W. 10th St. (at Hudson).
Anthropologie is having a sale with items nicely sorted by size.
Take 15% off at Bluefly when you enter code MISSEDYOU560 through 6/4.
Take 10% off your order at Target.com when you enter code TCTENJUNERYB through 6/1.
Discount codes at eFashionHouse.com: enter TAKE10 for 10% off a $100 order, TAKE15 for 15% off a $300 order or TAKE20 for 20% off a $500 order, all valid through 6/3.
Get free shipping on your $150 Saks sale order when you enter code FREEJUNE5 at checkout. If you're headed to the store, check out the bridal sample sale on the 9th floor through 6/7.
Oh, how we all love Lord & Taylor coupons!
Finally, tons of websites are having swim sales, including Bloomingdales.com, Macys.com, J.Crew, and Victoria's Secret.
Sale of the week: Hey, ultrathin fashionistas: Balenciaga for men and women is 40% off. Sadly, that does not include bags. 6/2-6/19; 11-7, noon-5 Sun.; 542 W. 22nd St. (10th & 11th Aves.).
If you're one of the thousands of chicks who swear by Theory pants, Clothingline's got 'em (plus tops, coats, dresses and more) for 60% off. Go early and go often. 6/5-6/10; visit website for hours; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Fret not, fellas: You too can get Theory for 60%-70% off (suits are $339), with a two-day head start on the ladies. 6/3-6/10; 10-7 weekdays, 10-8 Thurs., noon-5 weekends; 520 5th Ave. (at 43rd St.).
If sheets were judged on the Michelin scale, Frette linens would get three stars. At this sale, snag 'em for up to 80% off. 6/4-6/7; 9-6:30; Warwick Hotel, 65 W. 54th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Cashmere in June? Hey, you gotta stock up sometime. So hit White + Warren for bright sweaters that are up to 60% off. 6/1-6/2; 8-6; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 3rd fl.
Get fun totes and home accessories for 50%-80% off at Hable Construction. 6/3-6/4; 11-7 Fri., 11-3 Sat.; 195 Chrystie St. (at Stanton), ste. 102B.
Not IKEA prices, but not IKEA quality either: Save up to 70% on home furnishings at Armani Casa. 6/1-6/30; 11-7, noon-6 Sun.; 97 Greene St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).
Ultraglam Stuart Weitzman shoes are 30%-50% off; the more you buy, the more you save. Tempting. 6/1-7/31; 625 Madison (at 58th St.), the Shops at Columbus Circle.
Artsy stuff from the Metropolitan Museum of Art Store is 25%-50% percent off. 6/2-7/4; call 800-468-7386 for store locations and hours.
For those who practice the lost art of letter-writing, old school Dempsey & Carroll stationery is at least 50% off. 6/2-6/3; 11-6:30; 136 E. 57th St. (at 3rd Ave.).
I've never heard of Phi, but if you have, they've got 2004 collection and 2005 samples in all sizes for $25-$500. 6/3-6/4; noon-6 Fri., 11-7 Sat.; 71 Greene St. (Spring & Broome Sts.).
For ridiculously expensive kids' clothes at slightly more affordable prices (up to 60% off), check out Bonpoint. 6/1-6/5; 9-7 weekdays, 10-6 weekends; 811 Madison Ave. (at 68th St.).
Reader tip: West Village tween haven Betwixt is closing; if you're a size 4 or below, jackpot for you! 245 W. 10th St. (at Hudson).
Anthropologie is having a sale with items nicely sorted by size.
Take 15% off at Bluefly when you enter code MISSEDYOU560 through 6/4.
Take 10% off your order at Target.com when you enter code TCTENJUNERYB through 6/1.
Discount codes at eFashionHouse.com: enter TAKE10 for 10% off a $100 order, TAKE15 for 15% off a $300 order or TAKE20 for 20% off a $500 order, all valid through 6/3.
Get free shipping on your $150 Saks sale order when you enter code FREEJUNE5 at checkout. If you're headed to the store, check out the bridal sample sale on the 9th floor through 6/7.
Oh, how we all love Lord & Taylor coupons!
Finally, tons of websites are having swim sales, including Bloomingdales.com, Macys.com, J.Crew, and Victoria's Secret.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Buy it
I love Gwen Stefani as much as the next girl. Well, okay, maybe not--I think Gwen is awesome. Coincidentally, I've been in the market for a new digital camera (I bet you know where this is going), as my current one is five years old and weighs about three pounds. So when I read about the limited-edition (yes, the words "limited-edition" are a surefire way to get my pulse racing) Harajuku Lovers camera she designed for HP, well, let's just say they had me at "Harajuku." I got my camera today in the mail, and it is so cute, I can't even begin to tell you. (MW just rolled his eyes and sighed.) The camera is tiny and metallic-ish blue, and it comes with all sorts of cute accessories, like a camera strap and bag, plus an exclusive DVD, which I haven't watched yet but apparently features a video and an interview with Gwen. So while these are all excellent selling points, the camera itself kicks ass. It has a 21x zoom, all manner of shooting modes, plus it can record video and sound as well as take photos. Which is a lot more than I can say for my circa-2000 Olympus. Yes, I'm going to look like a huge dork when I whip this thing out, but, hey, if it makes me a tenth as stylish as Gwen, I'll be a happy camper. Make that snapper.
I love Gwen Stefani as much as the next girl. Well, okay, maybe not--I think Gwen is awesome. Coincidentally, I've been in the market for a new digital camera (I bet you know where this is going), as my current one is five years old and weighs about three pounds. So when I read about the limited-edition (yes, the words "limited-edition" are a surefire way to get my pulse racing) Harajuku Lovers camera she designed for HP, well, let's just say they had me at "Harajuku." I got my camera today in the mail, and it is so cute, I can't even begin to tell you. (MW just rolled his eyes and sighed.) The camera is tiny and metallic-ish blue, and it comes with all sorts of cute accessories, like a camera strap and bag, plus an exclusive DVD, which I haven't watched yet but apparently features a video and an interview with Gwen. So while these are all excellent selling points, the camera itself kicks ass. It has a 21x zoom, all manner of shooting modes, plus it can record video and sound as well as take photos. Which is a lot more than I can say for my circa-2000 Olympus. Yes, I'm going to look like a huge dork when I whip this thing out, but, hey, if it makes me a tenth as stylish as Gwen, I'll be a happy camper. Make that snapper.
Website of the week
Every summer, I buy a new bag. It's usually a somewhat cheap bag, often very colorful, that I know I'm going to use for three or four months, then stash on my purse shelf for the rest of its existence. This summer, however, I'm having a hard time finding a winner (yes, I know it's not officially summer yet--and the weather is certainly reinforcing this--but I've already switched my closets to summer clothes, so I'm in that mode already). The price is right for this Old Navy mesh tote, but I'm not too keen on the color, and the style seems alarmingly pickpocket-friendly. I absolutely love this APC shopping bag but don't really like any of the colors. And while this Renaud Pellegrino butterfly tote is right up my alley, the price ($595) is not. So while doing my research, I came across The Purse Blog, a blog devoted solely to purses. Obviously. It's written in first person by a lovely gal named Megs, and her love and devotion for bags comes across loud and clear in each post. The nice feature is that you can browse the blog's archives by style (hobos, messenger bags) or by "It" brand (Burberry, Hermes). There's also a rather amusing "fug bags" page, which is good for a laugh. So after browsing through pretty much the whole thing, my new frontrunner is this Michael Michael Kors satchel, which, coincidentally, we happen to sell on Macys.com! (Way to be familiar with your own website's merchandise, Cheryl.) I still haven't made up my mind, but when I do make a purchase, I'll let you know all about my handbag status (pardon the pun)....
Every summer, I buy a new bag. It's usually a somewhat cheap bag, often very colorful, that I know I'm going to use for three or four months, then stash on my purse shelf for the rest of its existence. This summer, however, I'm having a hard time finding a winner (yes, I know it's not officially summer yet--and the weather is certainly reinforcing this--but I've already switched my closets to summer clothes, so I'm in that mode already). The price is right for this Old Navy mesh tote, but I'm not too keen on the color, and the style seems alarmingly pickpocket-friendly. I absolutely love this APC shopping bag but don't really like any of the colors. And while this Renaud Pellegrino butterfly tote is right up my alley, the price ($595) is not. So while doing my research, I came across The Purse Blog, a blog devoted solely to purses. Obviously. It's written in first person by a lovely gal named Megs, and her love and devotion for bags comes across loud and clear in each post. The nice feature is that you can browse the blog's archives by style (hobos, messenger bags) or by "It" brand (Burberry, Hermes). There's also a rather amusing "fug bags" page, which is good for a laugh. So after browsing through pretty much the whole thing, my new frontrunner is this Michael Michael Kors satchel, which, coincidentally, we happen to sell on Macys.com! (Way to be familiar with your own website's merchandise, Cheryl.) I still haven't made up my mind, but when I do make a purchase, I'll let you know all about my handbag status (pardon the pun)....
Monday, May 23, 2005
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: Staff International is taking up to 60% off superhip brands Dsquared2, Martin Margiela, and Diesel. While not the best bargains in the world, this is often an excellent sale. 5/24-5/25; 10-7; 495 Broadway (Spring & Broome Sts.), 8th fl.
Lovely, girly Eberjey lingerie and swimwear is 50%-75% off at this sample sale. Through 5/24; 9-7; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison), ste. 610.
Gorgeous clothes by Alessandro Dell'Acqua and accessories by Borbonese are a nice 80% off. 5/25-5/26; 10-7; 149 5th Ave. (at 21st St.), 2nd fl. .,
For the pregnant chicks in the house, Cadeau has chic maternitywear for $20-$35. 5/24-5/25; 10-7; 254 Elizabeth St. (at Prince St.).
Hey, punks! Score Buddhist Punk, Religion, Rolling Stones, and Ringspun in all sizes, for men and women, for $30 and up. Cash only. Through 5/27; 10-5; 230 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 12th fl.
Fun clothing from Anni Kuan is 60% off and more (sweaters are $35) at this cash only sale. 5/26-5/27; 10-6; 242 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 11th fl.
Select bags are 30% off at LeSportsac. Through 6/5. Visit the website for store locations and hours.
Embellished tanks by Wifebeader by Laura Dahl are 20% off at this sale (buy 3 or more and get an additional 15% off). 5/26-5/27; 11-6; 135 W. 26th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), ste. 203.
Intellectual, architectural clothing by Yeohlee is 50% off. Cash only. 5/24; 8-6; 225 W. 35th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 16th fl.
If you're a gun-slinger (or just want to dress like one), hit Beretta's sale for hunting-inspired clothes at 70% off. Through 5/25; 9-6:30 Tue., 9-5 Wed.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Avenue (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.
If you're a a Ravinstyle member (meaning you get the emails and probably already know this), get 15% off Nour sunglasses (favored by Mary-Kate, Nicole, et al) through 5/27.
Take 20% off your order at former Cheryl Shops website of the week Le Train Bleu when you enter code MangeTout at checkout through 5/31.
Select spring/summer items are 50% off at BCBG stores. Visit website for locations.
Check out the Knoll sale (a whopping 44% off) at Retromodern.com through 5/29.
On that same note, save up to 50% on select items at furniture website Oriac.
Save 25%-40% at Saks' spring sale.
In honor of Steve Madden's release from prison, get free shipping at Steve Madden when you enter code FRSP0505 through 5/30.
Through 5/31, earn "orange dollars" at Vivre: Get a $25 gift certificate when you spend $200-$399, $50 when you spend $400-$599, $75 when you spend $600-$799, $100 when you spend $800-$999, and $125 when you spend $1000 and up. (Hey, no one ever said Vivre was cheap.)
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSBM at checkout through 5/24.
Save 10% on your Target.com order when you enter code TCTENMAYSPRN through 5/25.
Click here for Lord & Taylor coupons.
Sale of the week: Staff International is taking up to 60% off superhip brands Dsquared2, Martin Margiela, and Diesel. While not the best bargains in the world, this is often an excellent sale. 5/24-5/25; 10-7; 495 Broadway (Spring & Broome Sts.), 8th fl.
Lovely, girly Eberjey lingerie and swimwear is 50%-75% off at this sample sale. Through 5/24; 9-7; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison), ste. 610.
Gorgeous clothes by Alessandro Dell'Acqua and accessories by Borbonese are a nice 80% off. 5/25-5/26; 10-7; 149 5th Ave. (at 21st St.), 2nd fl. .,
For the pregnant chicks in the house, Cadeau has chic maternitywear for $20-$35. 5/24-5/25; 10-7; 254 Elizabeth St. (at Prince St.).
Hey, punks! Score Buddhist Punk, Religion, Rolling Stones, and Ringspun in all sizes, for men and women, for $30 and up. Cash only. Through 5/27; 10-5; 230 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 12th fl.
Fun clothing from Anni Kuan is 60% off and more (sweaters are $35) at this cash only sale. 5/26-5/27; 10-6; 242 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 11th fl.
Select bags are 30% off at LeSportsac. Through 6/5. Visit the website for store locations and hours.
Embellished tanks by Wifebeader by Laura Dahl are 20% off at this sale (buy 3 or more and get an additional 15% off). 5/26-5/27; 11-6; 135 W. 26th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), ste. 203.
Intellectual, architectural clothing by Yeohlee is 50% off. Cash only. 5/24; 8-6; 225 W. 35th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 16th fl.
If you're a gun-slinger (or just want to dress like one), hit Beretta's sale for hunting-inspired clothes at 70% off. Through 5/25; 9-6:30 Tue., 9-5 Wed.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Avenue (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.
If you're a a Ravinstyle member (meaning you get the emails and probably already know this), get 15% off Nour sunglasses (favored by Mary-Kate, Nicole, et al) through 5/27.
Take 20% off your order at former Cheryl Shops website of the week Le Train Bleu when you enter code MangeTout at checkout through 5/31.
Select spring/summer items are 50% off at BCBG stores. Visit website for locations.
Check out the Knoll sale (a whopping 44% off) at Retromodern.com through 5/29.
On that same note, save up to 50% on select items at furniture website Oriac.
Save 25%-40% at Saks' spring sale.
In honor of Steve Madden's release from prison, get free shipping at Steve Madden when you enter code FRSP0505 through 5/30.
Through 5/31, earn "orange dollars" at Vivre: Get a $25 gift certificate when you spend $200-$399, $50 when you spend $400-$599, $75 when you spend $600-$799, $100 when you spend $800-$999, and $125 when you spend $1000 and up. (Hey, no one ever said Vivre was cheap.)
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSBM at checkout through 5/24.
Save 10% on your Target.com order when you enter code TCTENMAYSPRN through 5/25.
Click here for Lord & Taylor coupons.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Website of the week
Recently, while browsing through one of my favorite websites, Girlshop.com, I realized that they no longer carry one of my favorite jewelry lines, Double Happiness. And I panicked. But then Google came to the rescue: Double Happiness has a very cute website, which you can shop from directly, but which also lists stores where you can buy their lovely semiprecious jewelry (amusingly enough, Girlshop is still listed there). As the line is somewhat small, shopping is quite simple: Start with top sellers, shop all 37 items, or check out the reasonably-priced, well stocked sample sale. I think this India necklace is one of the coolest ones I've ever seen, and it's on sale for $120 (it was $299)--an excellent deal. I also love this sexy serpentine Osiris necklace. And Double Happiness is still one of the best places for nicely updated chandelier earrings. You can read about the groovy ladies behind the company here, and doing so made me happy that I'll now be cutting out the middleman (i.e. Girlshop). There's nothing like getting your jewelry straight from the source.
Recently, while browsing through one of my favorite websites, Girlshop.com, I realized that they no longer carry one of my favorite jewelry lines, Double Happiness. And I panicked. But then Google came to the rescue: Double Happiness has a very cute website, which you can shop from directly, but which also lists stores where you can buy their lovely semiprecious jewelry (amusingly enough, Girlshop is still listed there). As the line is somewhat small, shopping is quite simple: Start with top sellers, shop all 37 items, or check out the reasonably-priced, well stocked sample sale. I think this India necklace is one of the coolest ones I've ever seen, and it's on sale for $120 (it was $299)--an excellent deal. I also love this sexy serpentine Osiris necklace. And Double Happiness is still one of the best places for nicely updated chandelier earrings. You can read about the groovy ladies behind the company here, and doing so made me happy that I'll now be cutting out the middleman (i.e. Girlshop). There's nothing like getting your jewelry straight from the source.
America's Next Top Model season finale recap
Well, the good news about America's Next Top Model is that Keenyah didn't win--thankfully, she was the first to go in this final episode. Since Cover Girl is an obvious sponsor (and, well, because the winner becomes a Cover Girl), the girls--Keenyah, Kahlen, and Naima--had to do a combo Cover Girl TV ad and photo shoot. Naima finally discovered her personality and kind of cheesed up the whole thing, but since she appeared human for the first time in awhile, it went over well. Kahlen was her usual understated but bubbly self, and Keenyah was, in my eyes, so obnoxiously cocky, I don't think I could look at her performance objectively. And the judges felt similarly, so they got rid of her (after an annoying commercial-break cliffhanger, at which point I almost threw the box of pizza at my TV). The final competition was pretty straightforward: a runway walkoff between Naima and Kahlen, two great strutters. Honestly, I thought it was in the bag for Kahlen--she looked fierce, her body is hot hot hot, and her walk was en fuego. I thought Naima was diva-ing it a bit too much. And while the judges agreed that Kahlen had a better body of work (as we all know, she consistently took the best photos), they were obviously more impressed with Naima's 11th-hour appearance of a personality. Which brings me to the bad news: Naima won. And, yes, I am disappointed. But I am consoling myself with the fact that many of my previous favorites who didn't win--Elyse from season 1, Shandi from season 2, and Norelle from season 3--are finding plenty of work. So while next season we'll have to deal with Naima's sure-to-be-annoying "My life as a Cover Girl" spots, hopefully we'll see Kahlen working it in countless high fashion magazines. Which is what America's Next Top Model should be doing anyway, right?
Well, the good news about America's Next Top Model is that Keenyah didn't win--thankfully, she was the first to go in this final episode. Since Cover Girl is an obvious sponsor (and, well, because the winner becomes a Cover Girl), the girls--Keenyah, Kahlen, and Naima--had to do a combo Cover Girl TV ad and photo shoot. Naima finally discovered her personality and kind of cheesed up the whole thing, but since she appeared human for the first time in awhile, it went over well. Kahlen was her usual understated but bubbly self, and Keenyah was, in my eyes, so obnoxiously cocky, I don't think I could look at her performance objectively. And the judges felt similarly, so they got rid of her (after an annoying commercial-break cliffhanger, at which point I almost threw the box of pizza at my TV). The final competition was pretty straightforward: a runway walkoff between Naima and Kahlen, two great strutters. Honestly, I thought it was in the bag for Kahlen--she looked fierce, her body is hot hot hot, and her walk was en fuego. I thought Naima was diva-ing it a bit too much. And while the judges agreed that Kahlen had a better body of work (as we all know, she consistently took the best photos), they were obviously more impressed with Naima's 11th-hour appearance of a personality. Which brings me to the bad news: Naima won. And, yes, I am disappointed. But I am consoling myself with the fact that many of my previous favorites who didn't win--Elyse from season 1, Shandi from season 2, and Norelle from season 3--are finding plenty of work. So while next season we'll have to deal with Naima's sure-to-be-annoying "My life as a Cover Girl" spots, hopefully we'll see Kahlen working it in countless high fashion magazines. Which is what America's Next Top Model should be doing anyway, right?
Monday, May 16, 2005
The week in shopping
Go early and go often to MK's favorite, Steven Alan, where goods from Botiker, Inhabit, Park Vogel, and more are up to 75% off. 5/19-5/21; 8:30-8 Thurs. & Fri., noon-7 Sat.; 87 Franklin St. (Broadway & Church Sts.).
I was a bit disappointed last time, but Denise Williamson Showroom has Sass & Bide, Doo.Ri, Ulla Johnson and more for 70% off. 5/19-5/21; 9-7:30 Thurs. & Fri., 11-6 Sat.; 119 Mercer (Prince & Spring Sts.), loft 2S.
Jeans, tees & more by celeb fave Rogan are wholesale and below. Through 5/22; 10-7 weekdays, 11-6 weekends; 91 Franklin (Broadway & Church).
Lulu Guinness handbags, Cath Kidston housewares, and Tibi clothes are from $8 for oven mitts to $150 for evening bags. 5/18-5/20; 10-5; 230 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 16th fl.
Vivienne Tam's Asian-inspired womenswear is $30-$398 at this sale. 5/18-5/20; 10-8 Wed., 10-7 Thurs., 10-6 Fri.; 550 7th Avenue (39th & 40th Sts.), 20th fl.
Excellent knitwear (and more) by Twinkle is $45 and up. 5/20-5/21; 10-8 Fri., 11-5 Sat.; 401 Washington St. (at Laight St.), ste. 4C.
Girly outerwear and underwear: Score Rebecca Taylor clothes and Leigh Bantivoglio lingerie is $10 and up (most items under $100). 5/18-5/19; 10-7; 336 W. 37th St. (8th & 9th Aves.), loft 11.
The Art Of Shop has Seven jeans, Yanuk, Sweetees, and more for 50-80% off. Cash only. Through 5/22; 11-7; 60 Grand St. (W. Broadway & Wooster).
Colette Malouf's excellent glass jewelry and hair accessories are $10 and up. 5/18-5/19; 11-8; 594 Broadway (Houston & Prince Sts.), ste. 1214.
Find shoes by BCBG, Hollywould, Marc Jacobs, and more at Anbar Shoes's summer clearance sale--all shoes are $20-$90. Through 5/28; 9-6:20 weekdays, 11-5:45 Sat., closed Sun; 60 Reade St. (Broadway & Church).
Cashmere in May? Why not? Central Park West Cashmere is a ridiculous $24-$60 for sweaters, shrugs, and cardigans. 5/18-5/20; 9-6 Wed. & Thurs., 9-5 Fri.; 234 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 5th fl.
Ten percent off is not the hugest discount, but this is the good stuff, and design snobs know Knoll's midcentury modern furniture rarely goes on sale. 5/21-5/24; 11-5 Sat., noon-6 Mon. & Tues. (closed Sun.), 76 9th Ave. (at 15th St.), 11th fl.
Delman shoes are enjoying a nice, yet pricey revival; get 'em here for $95-$195. 5/17-5/21; 10-7; 730 5th Ave. (at 56th St.), 2nd fl.
John Varvatos' understated womenswear is up to 80% off retail. 5/17-5/20; 9-8, 9-5 Fri.; 260 5th Ave. (28th & 29th Sts.).
Patti Rose has clothing and accessories from Roberto Cavalli, Prada, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and a ton more. All sizes available. 5/17-5/18; 9-7 Tue., 9-6 Wed.; 124 E. 58th St. (Park & Lex).
Still haven't bought your bikini for the summer? Head to J Rosen Showroom, where suits by Vix, Lisa Curran, Bella Brazil, and more are $48-$85; Havianas flip-flops are just $10. Cash only. Through 5/26; 8-7:30 weekdays; 250 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), ste. 510.
Indie chick Beth Bowley and Tabitha have feminine clothes for 60%-75% off ($15 and up). 5/19-5/20; 10-7 Thurs., 10-6 Fri.; 234 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.)., 5th fl.
Need fancy stuff? Womenswear by Escada and Badgley Mischka is a ridiculous $30-$495 at this sale. 5/19-5/22; 1-8 Thurs., 10-8 Fri., 10-6 Sat. & Sun.; Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).
Save 33%-50% at Neiman Marcus's May Sale.
Saks.com apparently screwed something up, so they're offering free shipping when you enter code APOLOGIES through 6/12.
Take $10 off a $75 order, $15 off a $100 order, or $25 off a $150 order at La Redoute when you enter code 1651-09376-1037 at checkout through 5/19.
Summer staples shorts, swimwear, and flip-flops are all on sale at American Eagle.
Head to the lower Fifth Avenue Club Monaco on Thursday to celebrate a book called "A Year in the Merde", have some French cheese & wine, and get 20% off regular-priced purchases. RSVP to rsvp@clubmonaco.com. 5/19; 6:30-8:30 p.m.; 160 5th Avenue.
Get a free Bad Gal mascara at Benefit when you enter code FGBG at checkout through 5/17.
Check out the new markdowns at Pottery Barn Teen.
Nine Mies van der Rohe classics are 15%-25% off for a limited time only at Design Within Reach.
Enter code TCTENEMALSAV to save 10% on your next order at Target.com through 5/18.
Clothingline has added Christopher Fischer cashmere and Alice + Olivia to its sale. Check website for details.
Go early and go often to MK's favorite, Steven Alan, where goods from Botiker, Inhabit, Park Vogel, and more are up to 75% off. 5/19-5/21; 8:30-8 Thurs. & Fri., noon-7 Sat.; 87 Franklin St. (Broadway & Church Sts.).
I was a bit disappointed last time, but Denise Williamson Showroom has Sass & Bide, Doo.Ri, Ulla Johnson and more for 70% off. 5/19-5/21; 9-7:30 Thurs. & Fri., 11-6 Sat.; 119 Mercer (Prince & Spring Sts.), loft 2S.
Jeans, tees & more by celeb fave Rogan are wholesale and below. Through 5/22; 10-7 weekdays, 11-6 weekends; 91 Franklin (Broadway & Church).
Lulu Guinness handbags, Cath Kidston housewares, and Tibi clothes are from $8 for oven mitts to $150 for evening bags. 5/18-5/20; 10-5; 230 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 16th fl.
Vivienne Tam's Asian-inspired womenswear is $30-$398 at this sale. 5/18-5/20; 10-8 Wed., 10-7 Thurs., 10-6 Fri.; 550 7th Avenue (39th & 40th Sts.), 20th fl.
Excellent knitwear (and more) by Twinkle is $45 and up. 5/20-5/21; 10-8 Fri., 11-5 Sat.; 401 Washington St. (at Laight St.), ste. 4C.
Girly outerwear and underwear: Score Rebecca Taylor clothes and Leigh Bantivoglio lingerie is $10 and up (most items under $100). 5/18-5/19; 10-7; 336 W. 37th St. (8th & 9th Aves.), loft 11.
The Art Of Shop has Seven jeans, Yanuk, Sweetees, and more for 50-80% off. Cash only. Through 5/22; 11-7; 60 Grand St. (W. Broadway & Wooster).
Colette Malouf's excellent glass jewelry and hair accessories are $10 and up. 5/18-5/19; 11-8; 594 Broadway (Houston & Prince Sts.), ste. 1214.
Find shoes by BCBG, Hollywould, Marc Jacobs, and more at Anbar Shoes's summer clearance sale--all shoes are $20-$90. Through 5/28; 9-6:20 weekdays, 11-5:45 Sat., closed Sun; 60 Reade St. (Broadway & Church).
Cashmere in May? Why not? Central Park West Cashmere is a ridiculous $24-$60 for sweaters, shrugs, and cardigans. 5/18-5/20; 9-6 Wed. & Thurs., 9-5 Fri.; 234 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 5th fl.
Ten percent off is not the hugest discount, but this is the good stuff, and design snobs know Knoll's midcentury modern furniture rarely goes on sale. 5/21-5/24; 11-5 Sat., noon-6 Mon. & Tues. (closed Sun.), 76 9th Ave. (at 15th St.), 11th fl.
Delman shoes are enjoying a nice, yet pricey revival; get 'em here for $95-$195. 5/17-5/21; 10-7; 730 5th Ave. (at 56th St.), 2nd fl.
John Varvatos' understated womenswear is up to 80% off retail. 5/17-5/20; 9-8, 9-5 Fri.; 260 5th Ave. (28th & 29th Sts.).
Patti Rose has clothing and accessories from Roberto Cavalli, Prada, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and a ton more. All sizes available. 5/17-5/18; 9-7 Tue., 9-6 Wed.; 124 E. 58th St. (Park & Lex).
Still haven't bought your bikini for the summer? Head to J Rosen Showroom, where suits by Vix, Lisa Curran, Bella Brazil, and more are $48-$85; Havianas flip-flops are just $10. Cash only. Through 5/26; 8-7:30 weekdays; 250 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), ste. 510.
Indie chick Beth Bowley and Tabitha have feminine clothes for 60%-75% off ($15 and up). 5/19-5/20; 10-7 Thurs., 10-6 Fri.; 234 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.)., 5th fl.
Need fancy stuff? Womenswear by Escada and Badgley Mischka is a ridiculous $30-$495 at this sale. 5/19-5/22; 1-8 Thurs., 10-8 Fri., 10-6 Sat. & Sun.; Altman Building, 135 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).
Save 33%-50% at Neiman Marcus's May Sale.
Saks.com apparently screwed something up, so they're offering free shipping when you enter code APOLOGIES through 6/12.
Take $10 off a $75 order, $15 off a $100 order, or $25 off a $150 order at La Redoute when you enter code 1651-09376-1037 at checkout through 5/19.
Summer staples shorts, swimwear, and flip-flops are all on sale at American Eagle.
Head to the lower Fifth Avenue Club Monaco on Thursday to celebrate a book called "A Year in the Merde", have some French cheese & wine, and get 20% off regular-priced purchases. RSVP to rsvp@clubmonaco.com. 5/19; 6:30-8:30 p.m.; 160 5th Avenue.
Get a free Bad Gal mascara at Benefit when you enter code FGBG at checkout through 5/17.
Check out the new markdowns at Pottery Barn Teen.
Nine Mies van der Rohe classics are 15%-25% off for a limited time only at Design Within Reach.
Enter code TCTENEMALSAV to save 10% on your next order at Target.com through 5/18.
Clothingline has added Christopher Fischer cashmere and Alice + Olivia to its sale. Check website for details.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
STELLLLLLAAAAAA!
I had a very Stella McCartney kind of day. First, I read that Ms. McCartney has signed a deal with H&M to do a 40-piece collection for fall, much in the vein of Karl Lagerfeld's. (You can read about it here.) This is great news (to me, at least), because I really think Stella is a talented designer--she knows how young women want to dress and what looks flattering on them. (If you don't believe me, try on a pair of her pants.) And I feel like she takes a lot of shit because she rose to the top very quickly, and because, well, she's Paul McCartney's daughter. So, anyway, this is very good news.
Inspired by this bit of info, I dragged MW to the brand spanking new Adidas store on Broadway at Houston. The Stella McCartney section is right in front, so I got to work right away. I tried on pretty much everything in the collection (except the shorts--I don't do shorts) and am very happy to report that it runs large, so I took a small or medium in everything (quite the opposite of Stella's actual collection, in which I require a 42 or 44). Everything is extremely flattering, and most of what I bought, I plan to wear outside of the gym (I did, however, buy a fabulous track pant with a built-in skirt thing that I plan on rocking for my hip-hop class). The stuff is a bit on the expensive side (mostly $50-$90), but it's all very soft and feminine for workout wear, and, hey, if it takes fancy gym clothes to get you to work out, so be it. You can check out the full collection here. As for the rest of the store, they don't really carry the fashion-y Adidas stuff--it's mostly shoes and workout clothes (and no Y-3, one of my favorite lines ever). But it's worth it for the Stella. MW talked me out of getting one of the tops, but I still dropped quite a wad. And, um, I might go back later to get that tank after all. (Shh, don't tell him.) As I kept telling MW, it's all limited edition! Great excuse, right?
I had a very Stella McCartney kind of day. First, I read that Ms. McCartney has signed a deal with H&M to do a 40-piece collection for fall, much in the vein of Karl Lagerfeld's. (You can read about it here.) This is great news (to me, at least), because I really think Stella is a talented designer--she knows how young women want to dress and what looks flattering on them. (If you don't believe me, try on a pair of her pants.) And I feel like she takes a lot of shit because she rose to the top very quickly, and because, well, she's Paul McCartney's daughter. So, anyway, this is very good news.
Inspired by this bit of info, I dragged MW to the brand spanking new Adidas store on Broadway at Houston. The Stella McCartney section is right in front, so I got to work right away. I tried on pretty much everything in the collection (except the shorts--I don't do shorts) and am very happy to report that it runs large, so I took a small or medium in everything (quite the opposite of Stella's actual collection, in which I require a 42 or 44). Everything is extremely flattering, and most of what I bought, I plan to wear outside of the gym (I did, however, buy a fabulous track pant with a built-in skirt thing that I plan on rocking for my hip-hop class). The stuff is a bit on the expensive side (mostly $50-$90), but it's all very soft and feminine for workout wear, and, hey, if it takes fancy gym clothes to get you to work out, so be it. You can check out the full collection here. As for the rest of the store, they don't really carry the fashion-y Adidas stuff--it's mostly shoes and workout clothes (and no Y-3, one of my favorite lines ever). But it's worth it for the Stella. MW talked me out of getting one of the tops, but I still dropped quite a wad. And, um, I might go back later to get that tank after all. (Shh, don't tell him.) As I kept telling MW, it's all limited edition! Great excuse, right?
America's Next Top Model recap
Tonight's episode of America's Next Top Model was Dumb with a capital D. The D also stands for Dance, which is what the models had to do throughout the show. I understand, in theory, why it's important for models to know how to move--better dance skills can translate into better, more active posing. However, dressing the models up in native South African garb and forcing them to perform in front of a huge audience...well, I don't really see how that's going to help them. Naima, a professional dancer, easily won the challenge, and her reward was an extra 30 frames at the next photo shoot--a reward she didn't really need. She busted out a little strategy, choosing Keenyah to share the reward (20 extra frames), who chose to share hers with Brittany (10 extra frames). Kahlen, who usually takes really good pictures, was visibly upset and cried (more of that to come). The next day, the girls traveled to the prison where Nelson Mandela was held captive. Keenyah, who becomes more and more annoying in each episode, kept proclaiming her "blackness" and saying how she felt so comfortable being in the "mother country," and didn't even know whether Mandela is still alive (for the record, he is, as even Brittany knew). Keenyah later pitched a fit when Naima, who, by the way, is at least a quarter black, got to open Mandela's cell with a big ol' key. And when Brittany called Keenyah on it, Keenyah turned into Robo-bitch. The next day, the girls had a photo shoot, in which they had to dance and pose with three male models. Naima rocked it; Keenyah proved she can't handle a little flirting, nor does she have any sense of humor whatsoever; Brittany, when she didn't look like a drunk girl at a frat party, seemed to be doing pretty well; and Kahlen was nervous beyond belief, and it showed. The girls then tried to blow off some steam by having dinner with the male models, but they all got into a big fight and thus we all got a peek into how the girls are handling the stress of the competition: Keenyah gets cocky, Brittany picks fights, Naima withdraws, and Kahlen cries. (Maybe why this is why I relate to Kahlen so much--I'm also a crier.) I was really worried for Kahlen at judging, too, where the girls had to dance and pose (it was basically the model version of "Red Light, Green Light"). Keenyah, by some act of god, got called first, mainly because she did well at the "Red Light, Green Light" dancing bit, but also because she took a not-awful photo. Kahlen, thank god, was next, and while it was down to Naima and Brittany, both for lack of "fire", Brittany got the boot. Which I think is okay. She took good pictures, but she was a bit of a mess.
Next week is the final episode (there's a "scenes you missed" show on Tuesday), and I'm nervous. There appears to be a Cover Girl shoot (just like last year), and a final runway competition. The winner has to be Kahlen or Naima, but it's going to be awesome to see them battle it out on the runway, as they both have killer walks. I'd love to see Kahlen win, but really, as long as it's not Keenyah, I'll be happy. My fingers are crossed...
Tonight's episode of America's Next Top Model was Dumb with a capital D. The D also stands for Dance, which is what the models had to do throughout the show. I understand, in theory, why it's important for models to know how to move--better dance skills can translate into better, more active posing. However, dressing the models up in native South African garb and forcing them to perform in front of a huge audience...well, I don't really see how that's going to help them. Naima, a professional dancer, easily won the challenge, and her reward was an extra 30 frames at the next photo shoot--a reward she didn't really need. She busted out a little strategy, choosing Keenyah to share the reward (20 extra frames), who chose to share hers with Brittany (10 extra frames). Kahlen, who usually takes really good pictures, was visibly upset and cried (more of that to come). The next day, the girls traveled to the prison where Nelson Mandela was held captive. Keenyah, who becomes more and more annoying in each episode, kept proclaiming her "blackness" and saying how she felt so comfortable being in the "mother country," and didn't even know whether Mandela is still alive (for the record, he is, as even Brittany knew). Keenyah later pitched a fit when Naima, who, by the way, is at least a quarter black, got to open Mandela's cell with a big ol' key. And when Brittany called Keenyah on it, Keenyah turned into Robo-bitch. The next day, the girls had a photo shoot, in which they had to dance and pose with three male models. Naima rocked it; Keenyah proved she can't handle a little flirting, nor does she have any sense of humor whatsoever; Brittany, when she didn't look like a drunk girl at a frat party, seemed to be doing pretty well; and Kahlen was nervous beyond belief, and it showed. The girls then tried to blow off some steam by having dinner with the male models, but they all got into a big fight and thus we all got a peek into how the girls are handling the stress of the competition: Keenyah gets cocky, Brittany picks fights, Naima withdraws, and Kahlen cries. (Maybe why this is why I relate to Kahlen so much--I'm also a crier.) I was really worried for Kahlen at judging, too, where the girls had to dance and pose (it was basically the model version of "Red Light, Green Light"). Keenyah, by some act of god, got called first, mainly because she did well at the "Red Light, Green Light" dancing bit, but also because she took a not-awful photo. Kahlen, thank god, was next, and while it was down to Naima and Brittany, both for lack of "fire", Brittany got the boot. Which I think is okay. She took good pictures, but she was a bit of a mess.
Next week is the final episode (there's a "scenes you missed" show on Tuesday), and I'm nervous. There appears to be a Cover Girl shoot (just like last year), and a final runway competition. The winner has to be Kahlen or Naima, but it's going to be awesome to see them battle it out on the runway, as they both have killer walks. I'd love to see Kahlen win, but really, as long as it's not Keenyah, I'll be happy. My fingers are crossed...
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Website of the week
Ever since Nike's Air Rift sneakers (the Mary Jane-style shoe with the split toe) came out, I've wanted a pair. At first, they were sold out everywhere. Now they're not so hard to find, but most of the color combinations are gross, a problem I encounter often in sneakers. (Like a true fashionista, I tend to buy for looks rather than for function, although since I mainly use my sneakers for hip-hop class, I like a flexible sole.) So when I heard about Nike ID, I scurried right over to my computer to check it out. And I'm sorry, MW, but the site is genius. (MW hates Nike and is upset that this is my website of the week.) There are 41 items that you can customize from the color of the swoosh to the color of the sole--mostly sneakers, but there are messenger bags, watches, and golf balls too. Sneakers represented include several Shox models, Air Presto, and Air Zoom Hurache, as well as all manner of cleats for...well, whatever sport you need cleats for. The site is pretty self-explanatory: Pick the shoe (or whatever) you want, pick a color scheme inspiration (the family of colors from which you'll be shopping), then get to work customizing, which is by far the most fun I've had in awhile. Which is a sad commentary on my life, but I digress. The next best thing about the site (other than the fact that you're basically getting a custom-designed shoe) is the price, which, is only slightly higher than the regular Nike price. I was expecting at least $200, but my Air Rift is an affordable $105. The only downside to the site is that it takes 3-4 weeks for your sneakers to ship. But, hey, it takes months--and multiple fittings--for couture, so I'm not going to complain. I'm starting to get the whole sneaker craze thing now. I literally spent hours coming up with different color combinations for several pairs of shoes, but I think I found one I'm going to stick with. For now, at least.
Ever since Nike's Air Rift sneakers (the Mary Jane-style shoe with the split toe) came out, I've wanted a pair. At first, they were sold out everywhere. Now they're not so hard to find, but most of the color combinations are gross, a problem I encounter often in sneakers. (Like a true fashionista, I tend to buy for looks rather than for function, although since I mainly use my sneakers for hip-hop class, I like a flexible sole.) So when I heard about Nike ID, I scurried right over to my computer to check it out. And I'm sorry, MW, but the site is genius. (MW hates Nike and is upset that this is my website of the week.) There are 41 items that you can customize from the color of the swoosh to the color of the sole--mostly sneakers, but there are messenger bags, watches, and golf balls too. Sneakers represented include several Shox models, Air Presto, and Air Zoom Hurache, as well as all manner of cleats for...well, whatever sport you need cleats for. The site is pretty self-explanatory: Pick the shoe (or whatever) you want, pick a color scheme inspiration (the family of colors from which you'll be shopping), then get to work customizing, which is by far the most fun I've had in awhile. Which is a sad commentary on my life, but I digress. The next best thing about the site (other than the fact that you're basically getting a custom-designed shoe) is the price, which, is only slightly higher than the regular Nike price. I was expecting at least $200, but my Air Rift is an affordable $105. The only downside to the site is that it takes 3-4 weeks for your sneakers to ship. But, hey, it takes months--and multiple fittings--for couture, so I'm not going to complain. I'm starting to get the whole sneaker craze thing now. I literally spent hours coming up with different color combinations for several pairs of shoes, but I think I found one I'm going to stick with. For now, at least.
Monday, May 09, 2005
THISIT plug
Yes, it's time for me to plug THISIT.com again. (For those of you who missed the first plug, it's a Macy's-affiliated website I work on.) It's been refreshed for summer with all-new trends (check out the trend mag and the Buy IT sections), and a lot of the stuff is really cute. Did I mention how affordable it is? It's all juniors stuff, so, yes, good deals abound. And if you sign up to be a VIP, you get monthly emails written by yours truly, plus you're automatically entered in the daily giveaways (this month I believe we're giving away Curious Britney Spears--as I said, it's a teen-oriented site). Yes, the site is still a bit slow to load, but we're working on fixing that for our July refresh. So please check it out! And buy stuff too! Thanks!
Yes, it's time for me to plug THISIT.com again. (For those of you who missed the first plug, it's a Macy's-affiliated website I work on.) It's been refreshed for summer with all-new trends (check out the trend mag and the Buy IT sections), and a lot of the stuff is really cute. Did I mention how affordable it is? It's all juniors stuff, so, yes, good deals abound. And if you sign up to be a VIP, you get monthly emails written by yours truly, plus you're automatically entered in the daily giveaways (this month I believe we're giving away Curious Britney Spears--as I said, it's a teen-oriented site). Yes, the site is still a bit slow to load, but we're working on fixing that for our July refresh. So please check it out! And buy stuff too! Thanks!
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: Sharpen your claws for the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G sample sale. Clothing and accessories for men, women, and children are an affordable 80% off. 5/13-5/15; 9-6 Fri., 10-6 Sat., 11-5 Sun.; 85 Spring St. (Bway & Crosby), 2nd fl.
The Aeffe sale is kind of hit or miss, but for the expert hunters, they have Moschino, Alberta Ferretti, Gaultier, and more for men and women, for 60% off. 5/11-5/14; 10-6, 10-5 Sat.; 30 W. 56th St., (5th & 6th Aves.).
Sounds promising: the Multidesigner Sample Sale features See by Chloe, Rebecca Taylor, Tracy Reese, Theory, Rogan, and more for up to 85% off. Cash only for purchases less than $150. 5/10-5/11; 11-6; Soho Dance, 598 Broadway (at Houston), 6th fl.
Chic, sexy separates by often-overlooked French designer Barbara Bui are up to 90% off. 5/10-5/12; 115-117 Wooster St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).
I absolutely love Satya's yoga-inspired jewelry (really, it's not as cheesy as it sounds), which is sold at Anthropologie and at their store on Bleecker. At this sale, everything is up to 80% off. Cash only. 5/13-5/15; 10-7. 95 Christopher St. (at Bleecker).
Lovely Alice Roi clothes are $50-$250; get lucky and Alice herself will help you out (it happened to me once). 5/11-5/14; 9-7; The Inn at Irving Place, 56 Irving Pl. (at 17th St.).
Hey, downtown gals: Showroom Seven has Luella bags, Erickson Beamon jewelry, and more for wholesale and below. Through 5/20; 10-7 (closed Sun.); 498 7th Ave. (36th & 37th Sts.), 24th fl.
Susana Monaco's excellent knitwear is below wholesale. 5/10-5/12; 9:30-7; 263 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 5th fl.
When: 5/10-5/12; Tues.-Thurs. 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Bond 07--always an excellent place to find offbeat accessories--has goodies by YSL, Prada ($100 sunglasses!), and Selima on sale. 5/15-5/16; 10-7; 7 Bond St. (Lafayette & Broadway).
Ohhh, yes: Bras and undies by Chantelle (my everyday bra of choice), Simone Perele, Panache and Huit (all fancy French lingerie lines) are $5-$25. Cash only. 5/11-5/13; 10-6 Wed., 10-7 Thurs., 10-4 Fri.; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison Aves.), stes. 707, 710, and 1107.
It's bargain central for sexy, slinky gowns and jersey separates by Yigal Azrouel: dreses are $125-$250 while separates are a bargain $40. 5/10-5/12; 9-7, 9-6 Thurs.; 225 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 7th fl.
Aspire to ghetto fabulousness? Rachel Roy's luxe line (she's Damon Dash's wife) of beaded tops, cashmere hoodies, trenchcoats, and more is at least 50% off (think mostly below $200). 5/11-5/12; 10-7; 463 7th Ave. (35th & 36th Sts.), ste. 1600.
Score some chic French basics from Philippe Adec for $36-$182. Cash only. 5/12-5/14; 9-7, 11-5 Sat.; 213 W. 35th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 7th fl.
Love you some Italian denim? GF Ferre, Just Cavalli & D&G are up to 80% off at this sale. Credit cards only. 5/13-5/16; 9-6, 9-5 Mon.; Metropolitan Pavilion; 123 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).
Fancy a chapeau? Tracy Watts' hats are at least 50% off (now $35-$95). 5/12-5/13; 11-7; 305 W. 20th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
Find fancy sportswear by David Rodriguez for 50-90% off. 5/12-5/14; 11-7, 10-5 Sat.; 252 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), ste. 904.
MaxMara's high-end Italian suits, accessories, and sportswear are up to 70% off. 5/10-5/12; 9-6:30, 9-5 Thurs.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Avenue (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.
Take 15% off online exclusives (that includes the designer collections) at one of my faves, La Redoute when you enter coupon 1651-36985-1003 at checkout through 5/12.
Another one of my faves, Container Store is having a spring organization sale through 5/15.
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSWB at checkout through 5/10.
Get 20% off your order at Bloomingdales.com when you enter code HH3PAF through 5/11.
Enter code TCTENMASDAYS at Target.com for 10% off your order though 5/11.
Lord & Taylor coupons, of course.
Starting 5/10, Loehmann's has all manner of designer arrivals, from Catherine Malandrino to Marni. I'm so there. 7th Avenue at 16th St.
Save up to 30% at eLuxury.com's semi-annual sale.
Sale of the week: Sharpen your claws for the Dolce & Gabbana and D&G sample sale. Clothing and accessories for men, women, and children are an affordable 80% off. 5/13-5/15; 9-6 Fri., 10-6 Sat., 11-5 Sun.; 85 Spring St. (Bway & Crosby), 2nd fl.
The Aeffe sale is kind of hit or miss, but for the expert hunters, they have Moschino, Alberta Ferretti, Gaultier, and more for men and women, for 60% off. 5/11-5/14; 10-6, 10-5 Sat.; 30 W. 56th St., (5th & 6th Aves.).
Sounds promising: the Multidesigner Sample Sale features See by Chloe, Rebecca Taylor, Tracy Reese, Theory, Rogan, and more for up to 85% off. Cash only for purchases less than $150. 5/10-5/11; 11-6; Soho Dance, 598 Broadway (at Houston), 6th fl.
Chic, sexy separates by often-overlooked French designer Barbara Bui are up to 90% off. 5/10-5/12; 115-117 Wooster St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).
I absolutely love Satya's yoga-inspired jewelry (really, it's not as cheesy as it sounds), which is sold at Anthropologie and at their store on Bleecker. At this sale, everything is up to 80% off. Cash only. 5/13-5/15; 10-7. 95 Christopher St. (at Bleecker).
Lovely Alice Roi clothes are $50-$250; get lucky and Alice herself will help you out (it happened to me once). 5/11-5/14; 9-7; The Inn at Irving Place, 56 Irving Pl. (at 17th St.).
Hey, downtown gals: Showroom Seven has Luella bags, Erickson Beamon jewelry, and more for wholesale and below. Through 5/20; 10-7 (closed Sun.); 498 7th Ave. (36th & 37th Sts.), 24th fl.
Susana Monaco's excellent knitwear is below wholesale. 5/10-5/12; 9:30-7; 263 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 5th fl.
When: 5/10-5/12; Tues.-Thurs. 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Bond 07--always an excellent place to find offbeat accessories--has goodies by YSL, Prada ($100 sunglasses!), and Selima on sale. 5/15-5/16; 10-7; 7 Bond St. (Lafayette & Broadway).
Ohhh, yes: Bras and undies by Chantelle (my everyday bra of choice), Simone Perele, Panache and Huit (all fancy French lingerie lines) are $5-$25. Cash only. 5/11-5/13; 10-6 Wed., 10-7 Thurs., 10-4 Fri.; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison Aves.), stes. 707, 710, and 1107.
It's bargain central for sexy, slinky gowns and jersey separates by Yigal Azrouel: dreses are $125-$250 while separates are a bargain $40. 5/10-5/12; 9-7, 9-6 Thurs.; 225 W. 39th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 7th fl.
Aspire to ghetto fabulousness? Rachel Roy's luxe line (she's Damon Dash's wife) of beaded tops, cashmere hoodies, trenchcoats, and more is at least 50% off (think mostly below $200). 5/11-5/12; 10-7; 463 7th Ave. (35th & 36th Sts.), ste. 1600.
Score some chic French basics from Philippe Adec for $36-$182. Cash only. 5/12-5/14; 9-7, 11-5 Sat.; 213 W. 35th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 7th fl.
Love you some Italian denim? GF Ferre, Just Cavalli & D&G are up to 80% off at this sale. Credit cards only. 5/13-5/16; 9-6, 9-5 Mon.; Metropolitan Pavilion; 123 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).
Fancy a chapeau? Tracy Watts' hats are at least 50% off (now $35-$95). 5/12-5/13; 11-7; 305 W. 20th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
Find fancy sportswear by David Rodriguez for 50-90% off. 5/12-5/14; 11-7, 10-5 Sat.; 252 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), ste. 904.
MaxMara's high-end Italian suits, accessories, and sportswear are up to 70% off. 5/10-5/12; 9-6:30, 9-5 Thurs.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Avenue (at 40th St.), 2nd fl.
Take 15% off online exclusives (that includes the designer collections) at one of my faves, La Redoute when you enter coupon 1651-36985-1003 at checkout through 5/12.
Another one of my faves, Container Store is having a spring organization sale through 5/15.
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSWB at checkout through 5/10.
Get 20% off your order at Bloomingdales.com when you enter code HH3PAF through 5/11.
Enter code TCTENMASDAYS at Target.com for 10% off your order though 5/11.
Lord & Taylor coupons, of course.
Starting 5/10, Loehmann's has all manner of designer arrivals, from Catherine Malandrino to Marni. I'm so there. 7th Avenue at 16th St.
Save up to 30% at eLuxury.com's semi-annual sale.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
The Costume Institute Gala
So, Monday was the huge, huge, event-of-the-year Costume Institute Gala at the Met, and clearly no one cares, because I can't find single photos to link to. Or maybe no one cares because the fashions were so lackluster. Pretty much everyone who was wearing Chanel (this year's theme) looked amazing, except Nicole Kidman, who seriously creeps me out (her gown was ill-fitting and unflattering). You can see photos here in slideshow format; here are my, as People magazine used to call 'em, "Picks and Pans."
Fabulous
Selma Blair: Gorgeous dress. Chanel, of course. If Selma Blair keeps at it, she could be our generation's Audrey Hepburn. Although she needs to stand up straight. Girlfriend looks like she's got a broken back.
Vanessa Paradis: Again, in Chanel. And I'm guessing she bought it herself. Everytime she shows up anywhere, she just looks so chic and French. Coco would be proud.
Amanda Peet: Of course I have to give a nod to the Marc Jacobs dress, which in itself gives a nod to classic Chanel with its slim silhoutte but flattering shape. She could lose the headband (flapper overkill), but I'm not going to complain too much.
The Olsen Twins: So, yeah, I love the Olsens and am very upset that I haven't seen either of them in the flesh. Nevertheless, Ashely rocked a gold empire-waist Oscar de la Renta, while Mary Kate chose a very sweet (and, eerily, Karen Carpenter-ish) long-sleeved white lace job. Adorable and age-appropriate, both.
Plum Sykes: Yes, I know everyone hates her and thinks she's a massive bitch, but damn, the girl's got great taste in dresses. Her Alexander McQueen gown was gorgeous beyond words.
Not bad
Elle Macpherson: This is for her hair, more than for her dress, but the bright yellow satin strapless gown was quite fetching. The hair, though...why doesn't my hair look like this? Everyday?
Jennifer Connelly: The only actress with the guts to wear something by Balenciaga--other than the motorcycle handbag--in public. It's kind of a mess, but kind of cool too.
Karolina Kurkova: While I probably wouldn't wear Viktor & Rolf, I admire their extreme quirkiness. Her "I Love You" dress was a bit out there, but, hey, you gotta love it.
Naomi Watts: For someone whose ex recently knocked up someone 10 years younger than her, Naomi looks pretty damn good. The ruffles are kind of out of control, but the hair is great and she looks hot anyway.
Catalina Sandino Moreno: The dress is not spectacular, but it's flattering, and I love this gal, in all of her curvy glory (she's from Maria Full of Grace for those of you who haven't seen it--and you should). Great hair too.
Gross
Allegra and Donatella Versace: Yes, I know Donatella's in and out of rehab like most people are in and out of the bathroom, but hello, your daughter has a severe eating disorder! I know she writes your paychecks now, but next time you go to Cirque Lodge, Donatella, bring Allegra with you!
Dr. Lisa Airan: Vogue loves to quote her about all things Botox, but she looks like she took a wrong turn in the East 70s. Honey, the church is on Park Avenue and you're late for your wedding.
Lil' Kim: I don't get it. Somehow, she manages to make Marc Jacobs look trashy.
Emmy Rossum: My god, girl, get yourself some self-tanner. Pale skin plus pale dress equals Emmy the Friendly Ghost.
Natalia Vodianova: Since she's a model, whom I've seen in Calvin Klein ads, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt, that she is, in fact, a thin person. However, in this tent of a dress, you'd never know it. Imagine what this would look like on a size-10 woman.
Hot guys (a category that needs no further explanation)
Tom Ford
Viktor & Rolf
Andre 3000
Jake Gyllenhaal
Johnny Knoxville (Jessica, I get it)
So, Monday was the huge, huge, event-of-the-year Costume Institute Gala at the Met, and clearly no one cares, because I can't find single photos to link to. Or maybe no one cares because the fashions were so lackluster. Pretty much everyone who was wearing Chanel (this year's theme) looked amazing, except Nicole Kidman, who seriously creeps me out (her gown was ill-fitting and unflattering). You can see photos here in slideshow format; here are my, as People magazine used to call 'em, "Picks and Pans."
Fabulous
Selma Blair: Gorgeous dress. Chanel, of course. If Selma Blair keeps at it, she could be our generation's Audrey Hepburn. Although she needs to stand up straight. Girlfriend looks like she's got a broken back.
Vanessa Paradis: Again, in Chanel. And I'm guessing she bought it herself. Everytime she shows up anywhere, she just looks so chic and French. Coco would be proud.
Amanda Peet: Of course I have to give a nod to the Marc Jacobs dress, which in itself gives a nod to classic Chanel with its slim silhoutte but flattering shape. She could lose the headband (flapper overkill), but I'm not going to complain too much.
The Olsen Twins: So, yeah, I love the Olsens and am very upset that I haven't seen either of them in the flesh. Nevertheless, Ashely rocked a gold empire-waist Oscar de la Renta, while Mary Kate chose a very sweet (and, eerily, Karen Carpenter-ish) long-sleeved white lace job. Adorable and age-appropriate, both.
Plum Sykes: Yes, I know everyone hates her and thinks she's a massive bitch, but damn, the girl's got great taste in dresses. Her Alexander McQueen gown was gorgeous beyond words.
Not bad
Elle Macpherson: This is for her hair, more than for her dress, but the bright yellow satin strapless gown was quite fetching. The hair, though...why doesn't my hair look like this? Everyday?
Jennifer Connelly: The only actress with the guts to wear something by Balenciaga--other than the motorcycle handbag--in public. It's kind of a mess, but kind of cool too.
Karolina Kurkova: While I probably wouldn't wear Viktor & Rolf, I admire their extreme quirkiness. Her "I Love You" dress was a bit out there, but, hey, you gotta love it.
Naomi Watts: For someone whose ex recently knocked up someone 10 years younger than her, Naomi looks pretty damn good. The ruffles are kind of out of control, but the hair is great and she looks hot anyway.
Catalina Sandino Moreno: The dress is not spectacular, but it's flattering, and I love this gal, in all of her curvy glory (she's from Maria Full of Grace for those of you who haven't seen it--and you should). Great hair too.
Gross
Allegra and Donatella Versace: Yes, I know Donatella's in and out of rehab like most people are in and out of the bathroom, but hello, your daughter has a severe eating disorder! I know she writes your paychecks now, but next time you go to Cirque Lodge, Donatella, bring Allegra with you!
Dr. Lisa Airan: Vogue loves to quote her about all things Botox, but she looks like she took a wrong turn in the East 70s. Honey, the church is on Park Avenue and you're late for your wedding.
Lil' Kim: I don't get it. Somehow, she manages to make Marc Jacobs look trashy.
Emmy Rossum: My god, girl, get yourself some self-tanner. Pale skin plus pale dress equals Emmy the Friendly Ghost.
Natalia Vodianova: Since she's a model, whom I've seen in Calvin Klein ads, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt, that she is, in fact, a thin person. However, in this tent of a dress, you'd never know it. Imagine what this would look like on a size-10 woman.
Hot guys (a category that needs no further explanation)
Tom Ford
Viktor & Rolf
Andre 3000
Jake Gyllenhaal
Johnny Knoxville (Jessica, I get it)
America's Next Top Model recap
I've been a good girl this season and not reading the message boards, so I have no idea who's going to win America's Next Top Model, and I'm finding that I'm enjoying the show a lot more. (Granted, last season I had to reassure myself that Yack-Yack wouldn't win. And thankfully she didn't.) This week's episode, for example, totally kept me guessing. I thought Keenyah was totally a goner this week, but she completely stunned me by winning the go-see contest. (Her prize was to attend an industry dinner party with a friend, and she brought good-time-gal Brittany, who got wasted and wouldn't let Keenyah get a word in edgewise. Ha!) Naima, who's obviously a fan favorite, winning the Cover Girl of the Week contest every week, came across as a complete flake, which kind of turned me off. The girls then had a photo shoot where they had to "kloof" to their location (not to be confused with "crunk" or "krump"), or as you and I would call it, wade through a bunch of streams and crap. With the aid of the stylists, the girls had to use stuff from nature to create their wardrobe (i.e. branches, mud, leaves, etc.). I don't know how environmentally responsible it was for everyone to destroy wildlife as such, but snaps to brittany, who just rolled around in the mud to create her look (the result: a totally hot photo). Everyone but Kahlen and Brittany took a somewhat mediocre photo--Naima apparently can't photograph from the front--as we found out at judging. And to turn the tables--oh, snap!--Tyra made the girls judge each other's photos. Keenyah had nothing good to say about anyone, Brittany thought everything was "Great! Really cool!", Christina's comments had no emotion behind them whatsoever, but Naima and Kahlen both gave very insightful commentary. The girls were then asked who they thought might win, and who deserved to go home; Kahlen and Keenyah were the high vote-getters in the former category, Christina in the latter. So...Christina went home, although it was down to her and Brittany in the final two (the judges were upset that Brittany apparently hasn't learned anything about "the industry" as reflected by her dumbass critiques). Christina indeed photographed well, but she had zero personality, which normally wouldn't matter for a lot of models, but as I've said before, this is America's Next Top Model--a whole different ballgame.
So, who's going to win? I have a theory. You know the photo they show at the end, where they remove a girl each week? They always remove 'em from the front. As of now, Keenyah and Kahlen are in the foreground and Naima and Brittany are in the background. Hmm...Personally, I am rooting for Kahlen, but she reminds me of Shandi (both a good and a bad thing), who, as we know, suffered from confidence issues. So I'm hoping Kahlen doesn't befall a similar fate. But as I said before, I'm not reading the message boards, because I want to be surprised.
Next week, the models learn how to dance (always amusing), Keenyah's ego goes out of control, and the girls have a photo shoot with a male model. Tee hee.
I've been a good girl this season and not reading the message boards, so I have no idea who's going to win America's Next Top Model, and I'm finding that I'm enjoying the show a lot more. (Granted, last season I had to reassure myself that Yack-Yack wouldn't win. And thankfully she didn't.) This week's episode, for example, totally kept me guessing. I thought Keenyah was totally a goner this week, but she completely stunned me by winning the go-see contest. (Her prize was to attend an industry dinner party with a friend, and she brought good-time-gal Brittany, who got wasted and wouldn't let Keenyah get a word in edgewise. Ha!) Naima, who's obviously a fan favorite, winning the Cover Girl of the Week contest every week, came across as a complete flake, which kind of turned me off. The girls then had a photo shoot where they had to "kloof" to their location (not to be confused with "crunk" or "krump"), or as you and I would call it, wade through a bunch of streams and crap. With the aid of the stylists, the girls had to use stuff from nature to create their wardrobe (i.e. branches, mud, leaves, etc.). I don't know how environmentally responsible it was for everyone to destroy wildlife as such, but snaps to brittany, who just rolled around in the mud to create her look (the result: a totally hot photo). Everyone but Kahlen and Brittany took a somewhat mediocre photo--Naima apparently can't photograph from the front--as we found out at judging. And to turn the tables--oh, snap!--Tyra made the girls judge each other's photos. Keenyah had nothing good to say about anyone, Brittany thought everything was "Great! Really cool!", Christina's comments had no emotion behind them whatsoever, but Naima and Kahlen both gave very insightful commentary. The girls were then asked who they thought might win, and who deserved to go home; Kahlen and Keenyah were the high vote-getters in the former category, Christina in the latter. So...Christina went home, although it was down to her and Brittany in the final two (the judges were upset that Brittany apparently hasn't learned anything about "the industry" as reflected by her dumbass critiques). Christina indeed photographed well, but she had zero personality, which normally wouldn't matter for a lot of models, but as I've said before, this is America's Next Top Model--a whole different ballgame.
So, who's going to win? I have a theory. You know the photo they show at the end, where they remove a girl each week? They always remove 'em from the front. As of now, Keenyah and Kahlen are in the foreground and Naima and Brittany are in the background. Hmm...Personally, I am rooting for Kahlen, but she reminds me of Shandi (both a good and a bad thing), who, as we know, suffered from confidence issues. So I'm hoping Kahlen doesn't befall a similar fate. But as I said before, I'm not reading the message boards, because I want to be surprised.
Next week, the models learn how to dance (always amusing), Keenyah's ego goes out of control, and the girls have a photo shoot with a male model. Tee hee.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Website of the week
As you all know, I love a good bargain. One of my favorite places in the city to bargain-shop is Loehmann's, probably due to its proximity to my apartment, but I always manage to find great stuff there. So I was delighted to hear that Loehmann's has a partnership with Smart Bargains, so now you can shop Loehmann's excellent deals online. Smart Bargains, however, is a huge site, very similar to Overstock.com, with everything from electronics to Prada bags. You can seach or browse by category, but just a warning--the site has a ton of stuff, so just browsing can be kind of intimidating. Some interesting finds: I love Sonia Rykiel perfume and can't seem to find it anywhere...until now (a lot of hard-to-find and discontinued fragrances are available here); check out this recent-season Marc Jacobs bag (everyone from Louis Vuitton to Kate Spade is also represented, handbag-wise); predictably, I love this Prada butterfly trick from last season; I absolutely love this half-price Tod's boot; and this Frette sheet set, at $500, is quite the bargain (original price: $1200) and puts my Dwell sheets to shame. Plus, everything ships for a flat rate of $6.95, with no-hassle returns. So shopping at Smart Bargains might not be as satisfying as shopping at an actual discount store, but it's far more pleasant than sifting through the clearance racks.
As you all know, I love a good bargain. One of my favorite places in the city to bargain-shop is Loehmann's, probably due to its proximity to my apartment, but I always manage to find great stuff there. So I was delighted to hear that Loehmann's has a partnership with Smart Bargains, so now you can shop Loehmann's excellent deals online. Smart Bargains, however, is a huge site, very similar to Overstock.com, with everything from electronics to Prada bags. You can seach or browse by category, but just a warning--the site has a ton of stuff, so just browsing can be kind of intimidating. Some interesting finds: I love Sonia Rykiel perfume and can't seem to find it anywhere...until now (a lot of hard-to-find and discontinued fragrances are available here); check out this recent-season Marc Jacobs bag (everyone from Louis Vuitton to Kate Spade is also represented, handbag-wise); predictably, I love this Prada butterfly trick from last season; I absolutely love this half-price Tod's boot; and this Frette sheet set, at $500, is quite the bargain (original price: $1200) and puts my Dwell sheets to shame. Plus, everything ships for a flat rate of $6.95, with no-hassle returns. So shopping at Smart Bargains might not be as satisfying as shopping at an actual discount store, but it's far more pleasant than sifting through the clearance racks.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Random notes
1) Cheryl Shops now has over 100,000 hits! I realize that's the number of hits Gawker gets in, like, a matter of hours, but I'm quite proud of it. So thanks for reading!
2) Tonight is the famed Costume Institute Ball at the Met; since, fashion-wise, this is like the East Coast Oscars, I'll be critiquing the looks on display later in the week. To tide you over, here's Amy Larocca's excellent article, on the preparation for the event, from this week's New York magazine.
1) Cheryl Shops now has over 100,000 hits! I realize that's the number of hits Gawker gets in, like, a matter of hours, but I'm quite proud of it. So thanks for reading!
2) Tonight is the famed Costume Institute Ball at the Met; since, fashion-wise, this is like the East Coast Oscars, I'll be critiquing the looks on display later in the week. To tide you over, here's Amy Larocca's excellent article, on the preparation for the event, from this week's New York magazine.
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: So, it's not really cashmere weather anymore, but you can always stock up for next year at TSE's sale, where their luxurious sweaters (for men, women, and kids) are $50-$300. 5/3-5/7; 10-7, 11-7 Sat.; 102 Wooster (Prince & Spring Sts.).
Attention, shoe fiends: Goodies from Cynthia Rowley, nancynancy, and Nancy Geist are $80 and up at this cash-only sale. Through 5/6; noon-7; 307 7th Ave. (at 27th St.), ste. 2307.
Jill Platner's low-key, minimalist sterling-silver and gold jewelry is 10%-50% off. 5/6-5/8; noon-7; 113 Crosby St. (Houston & Prince Sts.).
For dogs and their owners (or however that saying goes), Kwigy-bo and Ella Dish luxe dog accessories are $10 and up. 5/3-5/5; 10-7 Tue., noon-7 Wed. & Thurs.; 501 7th Ave. (at 37th St.), ste. 508.
Area's linens are on sale for $4 (placemats) to $150 (sheet sets). 5/4-5/5; 10-7; 180 Varick St. (at King St.), ste. 936.
Getting married? RM Designs/Reva Mivasagar has lovely designs for up to 80% off. Call 212-372-2804 to make an appointment. 5/6-5/14; noon-6 (closed Sun.); 10 W. 18th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 4th fl.
Again, getting married? Thread makes the most flattering, really "You can wear 'em again" bridesmaid dresses; at this sale, they're 50% off. 5/3; 10-7; 26 W. 17th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), ste. 301.
Meryl Waitz has all sorts of stuff--from vintage jewelry to bath items--for 65% off. Cash only. 5/5-5/6; 10-7; 264 Canal St. (at Broadway), ste. 6E.
Oprah fave Armand Diradourian cashmeres are 60% off. Cash only. 5/5-5/14; 160 5th Ave. (at 20th St.), ste. 901.
For the dudes, To Boot New York has stylin' men’s shoes for 50%-80% Cash only (a big theme this week!). 5/6-5/8; 8:30-6:30 Fri., 10-6 Sat., noon-5 Sun.; 603 Washington St. (at Morton St.).
This shit is bananas: Chery Shops fave Girlshop is offering Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. line for 15% off through 5/5.
Get 20% off your purchase at the lower Fifth Avenue Club Monaco Thursday from 6:30-8:30. 5/5; 160 5th Avenue.
Save up to 65% at Pottery Barn Teen's online sale.
Get a deluxe sample of NARSskin Brightening Serum with your $75 order from Narscosmetics.com through 5/15.
Save up to 30% on Juicy Couture, Belle by Sigerson Morrison, and more at Bop's online sale.
Woo-hoo for Lord & Taylor coupons!
Save 10% on your Target.com order when you enter code TCTENMAYDAYS through 5/4.
Get free shipping on rugs through the entire month of May at Oriac Design.
Brooches are 40% off at Saks, plus get a free rush shipping upgrade when you enter code RUSHMOM5 through 5/3.
Save 25%-40% on select swimwear at Victoria's Secret.
Check out the May specials at BeautyHabit.com.
Sale of the week: So, it's not really cashmere weather anymore, but you can always stock up for next year at TSE's sale, where their luxurious sweaters (for men, women, and kids) are $50-$300. 5/3-5/7; 10-7, 11-7 Sat.; 102 Wooster (Prince & Spring Sts.).
Attention, shoe fiends: Goodies from Cynthia Rowley, nancynancy, and Nancy Geist are $80 and up at this cash-only sale. Through 5/6; noon-7; 307 7th Ave. (at 27th St.), ste. 2307.
Jill Platner's low-key, minimalist sterling-silver and gold jewelry is 10%-50% off. 5/6-5/8; noon-7; 113 Crosby St. (Houston & Prince Sts.).
For dogs and their owners (or however that saying goes), Kwigy-bo and Ella Dish luxe dog accessories are $10 and up. 5/3-5/5; 10-7 Tue., noon-7 Wed. & Thurs.; 501 7th Ave. (at 37th St.), ste. 508.
Area's linens are on sale for $4 (placemats) to $150 (sheet sets). 5/4-5/5; 10-7; 180 Varick St. (at King St.), ste. 936.
Getting married? RM Designs/Reva Mivasagar has lovely designs for up to 80% off. Call 212-372-2804 to make an appointment. 5/6-5/14; noon-6 (closed Sun.); 10 W. 18th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 4th fl.
Again, getting married? Thread makes the most flattering, really "You can wear 'em again" bridesmaid dresses; at this sale, they're 50% off. 5/3; 10-7; 26 W. 17th St. (5th & 6th Aves.), ste. 301.
Meryl Waitz has all sorts of stuff--from vintage jewelry to bath items--for 65% off. Cash only. 5/5-5/6; 10-7; 264 Canal St. (at Broadway), ste. 6E.
Oprah fave Armand Diradourian cashmeres are 60% off. Cash only. 5/5-5/14; 160 5th Ave. (at 20th St.), ste. 901.
For the dudes, To Boot New York has stylin' men’s shoes for 50%-80% Cash only (a big theme this week!). 5/6-5/8; 8:30-6:30 Fri., 10-6 Sat., noon-5 Sun.; 603 Washington St. (at Morton St.).
This shit is bananas: Chery Shops fave Girlshop is offering Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. line for 15% off through 5/5.
Get 20% off your purchase at the lower Fifth Avenue Club Monaco Thursday from 6:30-8:30. 5/5; 160 5th Avenue.
Save up to 65% at Pottery Barn Teen's online sale.
Get a deluxe sample of NARSskin Brightening Serum with your $75 order from Narscosmetics.com through 5/15.
Save up to 30% on Juicy Couture, Belle by Sigerson Morrison, and more at Bop's online sale.
Woo-hoo for Lord & Taylor coupons!
Save 10% on your Target.com order when you enter code TCTENMAYDAYS through 5/4.
Get free shipping on rugs through the entire month of May at Oriac Design.
Brooches are 40% off at Saks, plus get a free rush shipping upgrade when you enter code RUSHMOM5 through 5/3.
Save 25%-40% on select swimwear at Victoria's Secret.
Check out the May specials at BeautyHabit.com.
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
America's Next Top Model recap
This week's episode of America's Next Top Model went off with nary a bitchfight or a crying tantrum--a first for the show, I think. The episode started with the girls meeting up with Ms. Jay for a lesson on how to pose like an animal (Cue Austin Powers: "You're a tiger! Grr, baby, grr!") with...live animals! Kahlen got completely grossed out by the drooling bear, so it was quite amusing to see her feed it a marshmallow out of her teeth. The girls were then tested on what they learned; Brittany, who I thought was going a bit over the top, won. Enter Tyra, who told the girls they'd put their skills to the test at a photo shoot...in South Africa! I thought taking the girls to Tokyo last season was a bit of a stretch, but South Africa? Come on! Why not London or--gasp!--New York? Before you know it, Tyra will be taking the girls to Honduras. Hey, it's where most of your clothes are made! Honduras is the Next Fashion Capital of the World! Anyway, the girls were greeted with a safari, then a tribal dance from natives and an appearance by Tyra, touting the importance of the South African fashion scene. (Hmm, isn't this where they sent Adrianne Curry, ANTM's first-seaon winner who couldn't get work in the U.S.--or Europe for that matter?) Brittany's prize for winning the competition was sleeping indoors in (bug-infested) luxury, while the other three girls pitched a tent--literally--outside. The following day brought a photo shoot in which the girls had to pose like an animal for Lubriderm. Cue more crazy makeup. Most of the girls did a kickass job, although Keenyah was pissed that she had to be the elephant. (Throughout the episode, the girls, and Keenyah herself, alluded to her 12-pound weight gain. Yikes.) At judging, there was an impromptu "emotion" posing test, which Kahlen (now officially my favorite) nailed. Kahlen was called first; Keenyah and Michelle were the last two. And while Tyra gave Keenyah a lecture about the exorbitant amount of retouching her photo required (um, hello, Tyra, your gut is bigger than mine--I saw the jiggle action when you were jumping around with those African dudes), Michelle's lack of confidence was the final nail in her proverbial coffin, and she went home. I thought Michelle, in general, made a pretty kickass model (she photographed incredibly well), but, yes, she was a bit of a mess.
Next week, the girls get competitive during go-sees!
This week's episode of America's Next Top Model went off with nary a bitchfight or a crying tantrum--a first for the show, I think. The episode started with the girls meeting up with Ms. Jay for a lesson on how to pose like an animal (Cue Austin Powers: "You're a tiger! Grr, baby, grr!") with...live animals! Kahlen got completely grossed out by the drooling bear, so it was quite amusing to see her feed it a marshmallow out of her teeth. The girls were then tested on what they learned; Brittany, who I thought was going a bit over the top, won. Enter Tyra, who told the girls they'd put their skills to the test at a photo shoot...in South Africa! I thought taking the girls to Tokyo last season was a bit of a stretch, but South Africa? Come on! Why not London or--gasp!--New York? Before you know it, Tyra will be taking the girls to Honduras. Hey, it's where most of your clothes are made! Honduras is the Next Fashion Capital of the World! Anyway, the girls were greeted with a safari, then a tribal dance from natives and an appearance by Tyra, touting the importance of the South African fashion scene. (Hmm, isn't this where they sent Adrianne Curry, ANTM's first-seaon winner who couldn't get work in the U.S.--or Europe for that matter?) Brittany's prize for winning the competition was sleeping indoors in (bug-infested) luxury, while the other three girls pitched a tent--literally--outside. The following day brought a photo shoot in which the girls had to pose like an animal for Lubriderm. Cue more crazy makeup. Most of the girls did a kickass job, although Keenyah was pissed that she had to be the elephant. (Throughout the episode, the girls, and Keenyah herself, alluded to her 12-pound weight gain. Yikes.) At judging, there was an impromptu "emotion" posing test, which Kahlen (now officially my favorite) nailed. Kahlen was called first; Keenyah and Michelle were the last two. And while Tyra gave Keenyah a lecture about the exorbitant amount of retouching her photo required (um, hello, Tyra, your gut is bigger than mine--I saw the jiggle action when you were jumping around with those African dudes), Michelle's lack of confidence was the final nail in her proverbial coffin, and she went home. I thought Michelle, in general, made a pretty kickass model (she photographed incredibly well), but, yes, she was a bit of a mess.
Next week, the girls get competitive during go-sees!
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
The Cheryl Shops Mother's Day Gift Guide
Yikes, Mother's Day is upon us! So without further ado, here are some gift suggestions for the hardest woman in the world to shop for.
For the foodie mom: The French market Garden Kit requires a green thumb and a vermin-free backyard, but imagine how psyched your mom would be to grow fresh mesclun, chives, leeks and more in her backyard--thus bypassing the greenmarket or the long, long lines at Whole Foods. (Note: This item is currently backordered but will hopefully be back up in time for the big day.)
For the jet-setting mom: Whether she's a business traveler or on the Palm Beach-Gstaad-St. Tropez-Aspen circuit, she can make herself feel more at home with this surprisingly reasonable Burberry folding frame. The bright turquoise color will liven up any Holiday Inn.
For the "French women don't get fat" mom: My mom would kill me if I bought her this Vosges hot chocolate set, but if yours appreciates the finer things in life (and has a fast metabolism), well, there's nothing better than $80 worth of hot chocolate.
For the mod mom: With this Pucci neck scarf, Mom can relive her '60s go-go glory days. She'll love the trip down memory lane, and you'll love borrowing it.
For the mom with incredibly good taste (a.k.a. a gift I wouldn't mind receiving myself): According to my mom, my style is too "modern." But if that's your mom's bag, she'll love this sleek Jonathan Adler jewelry box. Bonus--it matches his signature glassware!
For the put-together mom: Compacts are something that's kind of lost on this generation; my grandmother collected Estee Lauder compacts and rotated 'em. This Moroccan Mosaic Tile compact will keep the tradition going.
For the mom who's stuck on Renuzit: My pal MT introduced me to the diffuser. It's basically a jar of aromatic oil, and you stick wooden sticks in it, and they diffuse the scent throughout your room. Longer-lasting than a candle, classier than Glade Plug-Ins.
For the mom with incredibly good taste, #2: Yes, I'm a sucker for stuff with butterfiles, but these butterfly pajamas look incredibly comfortable, and you can get the monogrammed for mom (and so you can't steal 'em).
For the trendy mom: The bohemian look is in for spring, and as much as your mom might want to rock it, the tiered peasant skirts and crocheted tops will make her look like she's trying too hard. So give her this turquoise necklace, currently on sale, for a funky but age-appropriate look.
For the gadget-savvy mom: Well, not to totally generalize, but that heading is a bit of an oxymoron. But you can help mom feel hip with the very easy-to-use iPod Shuffle. Just make sure she doesn't try to recreate the ads and dance in public.
Yikes, Mother's Day is upon us! So without further ado, here are some gift suggestions for the hardest woman in the world to shop for.
For the foodie mom: The French market Garden Kit requires a green thumb and a vermin-free backyard, but imagine how psyched your mom would be to grow fresh mesclun, chives, leeks and more in her backyard--thus bypassing the greenmarket or the long, long lines at Whole Foods. (Note: This item is currently backordered but will hopefully be back up in time for the big day.)
For the jet-setting mom: Whether she's a business traveler or on the Palm Beach-Gstaad-St. Tropez-Aspen circuit, she can make herself feel more at home with this surprisingly reasonable Burberry folding frame. The bright turquoise color will liven up any Holiday Inn.
For the "French women don't get fat" mom: My mom would kill me if I bought her this Vosges hot chocolate set, but if yours appreciates the finer things in life (and has a fast metabolism), well, there's nothing better than $80 worth of hot chocolate.
For the mod mom: With this Pucci neck scarf, Mom can relive her '60s go-go glory days. She'll love the trip down memory lane, and you'll love borrowing it.
For the mom with incredibly good taste (a.k.a. a gift I wouldn't mind receiving myself): According to my mom, my style is too "modern." But if that's your mom's bag, she'll love this sleek Jonathan Adler jewelry box. Bonus--it matches his signature glassware!
For the put-together mom: Compacts are something that's kind of lost on this generation; my grandmother collected Estee Lauder compacts and rotated 'em. This Moroccan Mosaic Tile compact will keep the tradition going.
For the mom who's stuck on Renuzit: My pal MT introduced me to the diffuser. It's basically a jar of aromatic oil, and you stick wooden sticks in it, and they diffuse the scent throughout your room. Longer-lasting than a candle, classier than Glade Plug-Ins.
For the mom with incredibly good taste, #2: Yes, I'm a sucker for stuff with butterfiles, but these butterfly pajamas look incredibly comfortable, and you can get the monogrammed for mom (and so you can't steal 'em).
For the trendy mom: The bohemian look is in for spring, and as much as your mom might want to rock it, the tiered peasant skirts and crocheted tops will make her look like she's trying too hard. So give her this turquoise necklace, currently on sale, for a funky but age-appropriate look.
For the gadget-savvy mom: Well, not to totally generalize, but that heading is a bit of an oxymoron. But you can help mom feel hip with the very easy-to-use iPod Shuffle. Just make sure she doesn't try to recreate the ads and dance in public.
Website of the week
The ol' saying might be "April showers bring May flowers," but I've always found that it tends to rain more in May. Since that month is swiftly approaching and I accidentally left my umbrella in Grandma Bea's apartment last weekend, I'm in the market for a new one. Now, I'm always tempted to buy a nice umbrella from, say, Lulu Guinness or Burberry, but I always end up with a $3 street umbrella or, if I feel like a splurge, a $5 job from Duane Reade. I also go through approximately four a year, so maybe investing in a nice umbrella would be worth it. Tray6 has a small but focused selection: five colors, four styles (not all styles come in all colors, however), and all are $48. Yes, that's a bit more than my usual $3 street umbrella, but these puppies feature fiberglass rib frames with strong wind resistance, a black rubber-coated ergonomic handle, and a durable auto-open mechanism. When opened, the umbrella is a hair-protecting 40 inches in diameter, and although the 32" height won't fit in your purse, the styles are so cute, you'll look totally chic carrying it around. The site is flash, so I can't link directly to any style, but my favorite is the garden print, in spring-friendly green. Shipping is $8 and items arrive in 4-10 days--so if you order now, your chic new umbrella will be here just in time for those May showers.
The ol' saying might be "April showers bring May flowers," but I've always found that it tends to rain more in May. Since that month is swiftly approaching and I accidentally left my umbrella in Grandma Bea's apartment last weekend, I'm in the market for a new one. Now, I'm always tempted to buy a nice umbrella from, say, Lulu Guinness or Burberry, but I always end up with a $3 street umbrella or, if I feel like a splurge, a $5 job from Duane Reade. I also go through approximately four a year, so maybe investing in a nice umbrella would be worth it. Tray6 has a small but focused selection: five colors, four styles (not all styles come in all colors, however), and all are $48. Yes, that's a bit more than my usual $3 street umbrella, but these puppies feature fiberglass rib frames with strong wind resistance, a black rubber-coated ergonomic handle, and a durable auto-open mechanism. When opened, the umbrella is a hair-protecting 40 inches in diameter, and although the 32" height won't fit in your purse, the styles are so cute, you'll look totally chic carrying it around. The site is flash, so I can't link directly to any style, but my favorite is the garden print, in spring-friendly green. Shipping is $8 and items arrive in 4-10 days--so if you order now, your chic new umbrella will be here just in time for those May showers.
Monday, April 25, 2005
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: If you're a working girl (which I'm assuming most of us are), you can't beat Chaiken for sophisticated, stylish basics. Here, get 'em for up to 70% off. 4/26-4/27; 8-8 Tue., 8-11:30 a.m. Wed.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), 4th fl.
While you're in the neighborhood, you might as well stop by the Kate Spade sale, however do so at your own risk--i once spent three hours waiting in line to get in. Still, prices are an enticing wholesale and below. 4/26-4/28; 9-6, 9-6 Thurs.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), ground floor.
When you've outgrown your Hanes Her Way, upgrade to Araks' lovely cotton underthings; at this sale, they're up to 90% off ($5 and up). 4/27-4/29; 9-7; 121 E. 12th St. (2nd & 3rd Aves.), buzzer 6I.
Because my lovely washing machine shredded my beloved 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets last weekend, I'll be hitting Dwell for a new set of sheets in a fun graphic print. Hey, they're 60% off! 4/28-5/8; 11-7; 60 Grand St. (at Wooster St.).
Shelly Steffee is one of those intimidating-looking stores that has a total of, like, four dresses hanging in it, but her clothes are gorgeous and at this sale, they're up to 90% off. Through 4/26; noon-9; 34 Gansevoort St. (9th Ave. & Hudson St.).
'Cause we all need a huge-ass tote to haul our junk around in, there's Tote Le Monde where all manner of bags are $20-$130. Cash only. 4/27-4/29; 11-7, 9-3 Fri.; 251 W. 30th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), ste 11 FW.
Under-the-radar label Abaeté has glamorously feminine clothes (think sexed-up Mayle); at the sale, they're 50% off. 4/28-4/30; 11-5:30; 560 Broadway (Prince & Houston Sts.), ste. 306.
Malia Mills' excellent-fitting (and pricey) swimwear is a much more doable $20-$80. 4/27-4/29; noon-7; 253 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 16th fl.
Need new glasses? Union Square Optical, preferred optitian of my boss TC, has frames by Gucci, Cutler & Gross, and more for 50% off. Through 5/7; 10-7, 10-6 Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 9 W. 14th St. (5th & 6th Aves.).
Get a new bag at Perlina for $49-$190 (that's up to 70% off). Through 4/29; 9-6; 10 W. 33rd St. (5th & 6th Aves.), ste. 210.
Enter code APRSAVE at checkout at Victoria's Secret through 4/27 for $15 off a $100 order, $30 off a $150 order, or $75 off a $250 order.
Enter code momsday at checkout through 5/1 for free shipping at Stila, and get a free sample of major lash mascara or Midnight Bloom fragrance!
Save up to 25% at eLuxury.com's pre-spring sale.
Save up to 50% at Pottery Barn's Online Sale.
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSMD through 4/26.
Save 10% at Target when you enter code TCSPRNGPRVWS through 4/27.
Save 10% on your order at eFashionHouse.com when you enter code LOVE through 5/2.
Through Tuesday, Gloss.com has a lovely offer, wherein you receive a free clutch and 5 samples with a $75 purchase, plus get free shipping when you enter code BESTSP.
Sale of the week: If you're a working girl (which I'm assuming most of us are), you can't beat Chaiken for sophisticated, stylish basics. Here, get 'em for up to 70% off. 4/26-4/27; 8-8 Tue., 8-11:30 a.m. Wed.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 123 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), 4th fl.
While you're in the neighborhood, you might as well stop by the Kate Spade sale, however do so at your own risk--i once spent three hours waiting in line to get in. Still, prices are an enticing wholesale and below. 4/26-4/28; 9-6, 9-6 Thurs.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.), ground floor.
When you've outgrown your Hanes Her Way, upgrade to Araks' lovely cotton underthings; at this sale, they're up to 90% off ($5 and up). 4/27-4/29; 9-7; 121 E. 12th St. (2nd & 3rd Aves.), buzzer 6I.
Because my lovely washing machine shredded my beloved 400-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets last weekend, I'll be hitting Dwell for a new set of sheets in a fun graphic print. Hey, they're 60% off! 4/28-5/8; 11-7; 60 Grand St. (at Wooster St.).
Shelly Steffee is one of those intimidating-looking stores that has a total of, like, four dresses hanging in it, but her clothes are gorgeous and at this sale, they're up to 90% off. Through 4/26; noon-9; 34 Gansevoort St. (9th Ave. & Hudson St.).
'Cause we all need a huge-ass tote to haul our junk around in, there's Tote Le Monde where all manner of bags are $20-$130. Cash only. 4/27-4/29; 11-7, 9-3 Fri.; 251 W. 30th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), ste 11 FW.
Under-the-radar label Abaeté has glamorously feminine clothes (think sexed-up Mayle); at the sale, they're 50% off. 4/28-4/30; 11-5:30; 560 Broadway (Prince & Houston Sts.), ste. 306.
Malia Mills' excellent-fitting (and pricey) swimwear is a much more doable $20-$80. 4/27-4/29; noon-7; 253 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 16th fl.
Need new glasses? Union Square Optical, preferred optitian of my boss TC, has frames by Gucci, Cutler & Gross, and more for 50% off. Through 5/7; 10-7, 10-6 Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 9 W. 14th St. (5th & 6th Aves.).
Get a new bag at Perlina for $49-$190 (that's up to 70% off). Through 4/29; 9-6; 10 W. 33rd St. (5th & 6th Aves.), ste. 210.
Enter code APRSAVE at checkout at Victoria's Secret through 4/27 for $15 off a $100 order, $30 off a $150 order, or $75 off a $250 order.
Enter code momsday at checkout through 5/1 for free shipping at Stila, and get a free sample of major lash mascara or Midnight Bloom fragrance!
Save up to 25% at eLuxury.com's pre-spring sale.
Save up to 50% at Pottery Barn's Online Sale.
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSMD through 4/26.
Save 10% at Target when you enter code TCSPRNGPRVWS through 4/27.
Save 10% on your order at eFashionHouse.com when you enter code LOVE through 5/2.
Through Tuesday, Gloss.com has a lovely offer, wherein you receive a free clutch and 5 samples with a $75 purchase, plus get free shipping when you enter code BESTSP.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
America's Next Top Model recap
After going batshit crazy on last week's episode of America's Next Top Model, Tyra started out this week's show by doing some major damage control. Like, "Hey, y'all. I'm not really Crazy McLoonypants, but Tiffany just disappointed me, you know?" The girls nodded nervously. Moving forward, the girls met with some blonde fembot from Entertainment Tonight who taught them how to deal with the media (this included an incredibly amusing segment of Christina interviewing Tatiana, in which both girls said the word "actually" 8 times in about 15 seconds; a buzzer went off each time it was uttered). The girls then put their skills to the test by interviewing rapper/actress/designer/Gwen Stefani buddy Eve; Christina managed not to say "actually" enough to win the challenge but won the lamest prize ever--her interview will actually air on ET. Big whip. I'd rather have a yellow diamond necklace. The girls then went clubbing in L.A., and Michelle busted a move on the dance floor in a bid to work on her confidence. I'd say she's making strides. Sadly, when the girls came home, Kahlen received a voicemail saying that one of her high school friends had died. So it was in incredibly bad taste the next day when the girls had to pose as one of the seven deadly sins. In a graveyard. In a coffin. In a grave. Kahlen understandably freaked out, but pulled her shit together and turned out the best photo of the bunch, channeling her anger as "wrath." At judging, the girls were subjected to another kooky test from the judges--a mock press conference--and Tyra managed not to yell at anyone (thankfully). Tatiana and her small, scrunchy face got the boot in the end for not being very "media-friendly." Which is kind of a dumb reason if you're going to be a plain ol' model, but I suppose it's different being America's Next Top Model. Either way, I am not too upset about Tatiana leaving, as I found her quite annoying.
Next week: Michelle cries some more, and Keenyah chows down. Also, the girls go "somewhere exotic," which I'm guessing is not New York and I'm hoping is not Tokyo.
After going batshit crazy on last week's episode of America's Next Top Model, Tyra started out this week's show by doing some major damage control. Like, "Hey, y'all. I'm not really Crazy McLoonypants, but Tiffany just disappointed me, you know?" The girls nodded nervously. Moving forward, the girls met with some blonde fembot from Entertainment Tonight who taught them how to deal with the media (this included an incredibly amusing segment of Christina interviewing Tatiana, in which both girls said the word "actually" 8 times in about 15 seconds; a buzzer went off each time it was uttered). The girls then put their skills to the test by interviewing rapper/actress/designer/Gwen Stefani buddy Eve; Christina managed not to say "actually" enough to win the challenge but won the lamest prize ever--her interview will actually air on ET. Big whip. I'd rather have a yellow diamond necklace. The girls then went clubbing in L.A., and Michelle busted a move on the dance floor in a bid to work on her confidence. I'd say she's making strides. Sadly, when the girls came home, Kahlen received a voicemail saying that one of her high school friends had died. So it was in incredibly bad taste the next day when the girls had to pose as one of the seven deadly sins. In a graveyard. In a coffin. In a grave. Kahlen understandably freaked out, but pulled her shit together and turned out the best photo of the bunch, channeling her anger as "wrath." At judging, the girls were subjected to another kooky test from the judges--a mock press conference--and Tyra managed not to yell at anyone (thankfully). Tatiana and her small, scrunchy face got the boot in the end for not being very "media-friendly." Which is kind of a dumb reason if you're going to be a plain ol' model, but I suppose it's different being America's Next Top Model. Either way, I am not too upset about Tatiana leaving, as I found her quite annoying.
Next week: Michelle cries some more, and Keenyah chows down. Also, the girls go "somewhere exotic," which I'm guessing is not New York and I'm hoping is not Tokyo.
Website of the week
I have a rather unhealthy habit. Before you get the wrong idea, I'll gladly tell you my bad habit is US Weekly, to which I have a subscription. I love reading about celebrities' feuds (Paris is pissed off at Nicole for some reason!), looking at pictures of celebrities picking up their dry cleaning, and reading about where celebrities shop. I'm particularly interested in the latter (well, duh), and Satine seems to be one of the newer favorites (aside from old standbys Intuition and Kitson). So I was quite happy to discover that Satine has a website--and a supercool one at that. Browsing the website almost makes me want to shop at the actual store, even though it's in L.A. and I'm sure the salesgirls would ignore me 'cause I'm not Nicole Kidman. So on that note, the website is organized simply: You can shop by category--accessories, bags, clothing, jewelry, shoes, and swimwear--or check out the special features along the top, such as "items we idolize" and "just arrived." There's an awesome mix of merch--everything from Lanvin accessories and Alexander McQueen shoes (both pricey, as you'd expect) to Minnetonka moccasins, Irregular Choice shoes, and affordable clothing by McGinn and Jill Stuart--it's enough to make you think that maybe the salesgirls might not be so snobby after all. Some of my favorites: I must have this bright green Sass & Bide dress, which is the most affordable Sass & Bide piece I've ever seen; all the cool kids are wearing short-sleeved blazers, and I think I want one too; they've got the Meli-Melo denim trouser that every fashion mag has been fawning over; I love this slightly-extravagant-but-not-terribly expensive Lanvin bracelet; and while there are countless shoes that pique my interest, this Johanna Ho flat is the most interesting; well, okay, except for this very comfortable-looking Rebecca Taylor wedge. Items ship next day via UPS or FedEx, and the return policy is a bit stringent, but with all this cool stuff, why the hell would you want to return it anyway? You can also read about the owners, who sound so cool, you can almost picture yourself hanging out with them at the store. Well, almost--you might have to elbow Lindsay Lohan out of the way first.
I have a rather unhealthy habit. Before you get the wrong idea, I'll gladly tell you my bad habit is US Weekly, to which I have a subscription. I love reading about celebrities' feuds (Paris is pissed off at Nicole for some reason!), looking at pictures of celebrities picking up their dry cleaning, and reading about where celebrities shop. I'm particularly interested in the latter (well, duh), and Satine seems to be one of the newer favorites (aside from old standbys Intuition and Kitson). So I was quite happy to discover that Satine has a website--and a supercool one at that. Browsing the website almost makes me want to shop at the actual store, even though it's in L.A. and I'm sure the salesgirls would ignore me 'cause I'm not Nicole Kidman. So on that note, the website is organized simply: You can shop by category--accessories, bags, clothing, jewelry, shoes, and swimwear--or check out the special features along the top, such as "items we idolize" and "just arrived." There's an awesome mix of merch--everything from Lanvin accessories and Alexander McQueen shoes (both pricey, as you'd expect) to Minnetonka moccasins, Irregular Choice shoes, and affordable clothing by McGinn and Jill Stuart--it's enough to make you think that maybe the salesgirls might not be so snobby after all. Some of my favorites: I must have this bright green Sass & Bide dress, which is the most affordable Sass & Bide piece I've ever seen; all the cool kids are wearing short-sleeved blazers, and I think I want one too; they've got the Meli-Melo denim trouser that every fashion mag has been fawning over; I love this slightly-extravagant-but-not-terribly expensive Lanvin bracelet; and while there are countless shoes that pique my interest, this Johanna Ho flat is the most interesting; well, okay, except for this very comfortable-looking Rebecca Taylor wedge. Items ship next day via UPS or FedEx, and the return policy is a bit stringent, but with all this cool stuff, why the hell would you want to return it anyway? You can also read about the owners, who sound so cool, you can almost picture yourself hanging out with them at the store. Well, almost--you might have to elbow Lindsay Lohan out of the way first.
Monday, April 18, 2005
My shopping weekend
In between visitors, vacations, doing my taxes, and, um, trying not to spend money, I felt like I hadn't done much shopping recently. So there's nothing like a little sunshine and 70-degree weather to draw me out to the stores. Saturday, MW and I took the bus to IKEA and, surprisingly enough, barely had to wait to get on (I think the key is to leave before noon). MW got some furniture for his new apartment; I got a wok, a new paper lamp, and some frames for my stewardess pictures. (Little-known fact about me: I love stewardesses--not "flight attendants," as they're called today, but stewardesses from the glory days of travel in the '60s and '70s.) Then while MW was off to cover a basketball game, I took a stroll to Soho. I went to Tower Records and bought some CDs (for the record, the Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs, and the Faint), then I went to Sephora to buy more conditioner, but I was so sidetracked by the discovery of the Paul & Joe makeup line (yes, I know I've been living under a rock, makeup-wise, as my coworker AW has pointed out to me multiple times), I forgot to buy conditioner. But I did buy $60 worth of Paul & Joe makeup--a multi-function gloss, a lip gloss, and eyeshadow.
Sunday MW and I hit the new Bo Concept store on 18th Street in Chelsea, which kicks ass. (It's a bit more expensive than IKEA, or even West Elm, but not as bad as you'd think. And the furniture is very well made, and you don't have to put it together yourself.) MW had some gift certificates to blow at Best Buy, but a dude selling jeans on a table outside caught my attention--he had Joe's, Paper Denim & Cloth, Seven, and Citizens of Humanity for $40-$50 and True Religion jeans for $70. I promptly bought a pair of the latter (yes, they're real)--this style, which normally costs $172. So even though the logo patch on the back waistband is upside down (which I didn't realize until I got home), I am quite happy with my purchase. Seriously, girls, they make you look like a rock star with long, skinny legs. (In fact, the more I think about them, the more I want to go try them on again!) So if you're looking for bargain jeans, I highly recommend this guy outside Best Buy. Tell 'em tax refund girl sent you.
In between visitors, vacations, doing my taxes, and, um, trying not to spend money, I felt like I hadn't done much shopping recently. So there's nothing like a little sunshine and 70-degree weather to draw me out to the stores. Saturday, MW and I took the bus to IKEA and, surprisingly enough, barely had to wait to get on (I think the key is to leave before noon). MW got some furniture for his new apartment; I got a wok, a new paper lamp, and some frames for my stewardess pictures. (Little-known fact about me: I love stewardesses--not "flight attendants," as they're called today, but stewardesses from the glory days of travel in the '60s and '70s.) Then while MW was off to cover a basketball game, I took a stroll to Soho. I went to Tower Records and bought some CDs (for the record, the Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs, and the Faint), then I went to Sephora to buy more conditioner, but I was so sidetracked by the discovery of the Paul & Joe makeup line (yes, I know I've been living under a rock, makeup-wise, as my coworker AW has pointed out to me multiple times), I forgot to buy conditioner. But I did buy $60 worth of Paul & Joe makeup--a multi-function gloss, a lip gloss, and eyeshadow.
Sunday MW and I hit the new Bo Concept store on 18th Street in Chelsea, which kicks ass. (It's a bit more expensive than IKEA, or even West Elm, but not as bad as you'd think. And the furniture is very well made, and you don't have to put it together yourself.) MW had some gift certificates to blow at Best Buy, but a dude selling jeans on a table outside caught my attention--he had Joe's, Paper Denim & Cloth, Seven, and Citizens of Humanity for $40-$50 and True Religion jeans for $70. I promptly bought a pair of the latter (yes, they're real)--this style, which normally costs $172. So even though the logo patch on the back waistband is upside down (which I didn't realize until I got home), I am quite happy with my purchase. Seriously, girls, they make you look like a rock star with long, skinny legs. (In fact, the more I think about them, the more I want to go try them on again!) So if you're looking for bargain jeans, I highly recommend this guy outside Best Buy. Tell 'em tax refund girl sent you.
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: I'm a huge fan of the Manhattan Vintage Clothing and Antique Textile Show, as are Donna Karan, Cynthia Rowley, Betsey Johnson, and Claire Danes, all of whom I've seen there. Admission is $20, but worth it. 4/22-4/23; 1-8 Fri., 11-6 Sat.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).
Cool East Village lingerie boutique Azaleas has clothes, lingerie, and swimwear from Felina, Vix, and more for 30%-70% off. 4/20-4/24; 1-8, noon-8 Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 223 E. 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.).
Get pants, sweaters nd more for $60-$90 (that's up to 75% off) Alice + Olivia's sale. 4/21-4/23; 9-6; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 2nd fl.
The last Hanro sale reportedly sucked, but if you're persistent and want to try again, this sale promises their signature cotton lingerie, pajamas and robes for a bargain. Cash and checks only. Through 4/20; 8-6; 40 E. 34th St. (at Madison Ave.), room 819.
Lola's pricey, funky hats are up to 70% off--quite the deal. Cash only. Through 4/20; 10-7; 535 8th Ave. (at 36th St.), 20th fl.
Home accessories from D.I.G.S. are up to 90% off. 4/20-4/24; noon-7, noon-5 Sun.; 115 Wooster (at Prince St.), 2nd fl.
This week, Clothingline has, among others, Free People. Check out the website for a preview. Through 4/22; 10-6, 10-7 Tue. & Thurs.; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.,), 2nd fl.
Cynthia Gale artsy sterling-silver is a bargain $20-$100. Cash only. Through 4/22; 10-6; 8 E. 36th St. (5th & Madison Aves.), 3rd fl.
Save up to 75% at RevolveClothing.com's sale.
Save up to 40% at American Eagle's clearance sale.
Receive a free "I See Beauty" water bottle and fancy-schmancy samples with your $50 beauty purchase at Nordstrom.com.
Of course, Lord & Taylor coupons.
Get a free BeneTint lip balm with your $50 purchase at Benefit when you enter code FGLB at checkout through 4/19.
Save 10% on your Target order when you enter code TCAPRLSHWRST through 4/20.
This week at Loehmann's, take an additional 10% off every pair of designer shoes. Also, good news: Loehmann's is now accepting Amex.
Sale of the week: I'm a huge fan of the Manhattan Vintage Clothing and Antique Textile Show, as are Donna Karan, Cynthia Rowley, Betsey Johnson, and Claire Danes, all of whom I've seen there. Admission is $20, but worth it. 4/22-4/23; 1-8 Fri., 11-6 Sat.; Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. (6th & 7th Aves.).
Cool East Village lingerie boutique Azaleas has clothes, lingerie, and swimwear from Felina, Vix, and more for 30%-70% off. 4/20-4/24; 1-8, noon-8 Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 223 E. 10th St. (at 2nd Ave.).
Get pants, sweaters nd more for $60-$90 (that's up to 75% off) Alice + Olivia's sale. 4/21-4/23; 9-6; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 2nd fl.
The last Hanro sale reportedly sucked, but if you're persistent and want to try again, this sale promises their signature cotton lingerie, pajamas and robes for a bargain. Cash and checks only. Through 4/20; 8-6; 40 E. 34th St. (at Madison Ave.), room 819.
Lola's pricey, funky hats are up to 70% off--quite the deal. Cash only. Through 4/20; 10-7; 535 8th Ave. (at 36th St.), 20th fl.
Home accessories from D.I.G.S. are up to 90% off. 4/20-4/24; noon-7, noon-5 Sun.; 115 Wooster (at Prince St.), 2nd fl.
This week, Clothingline has, among others, Free People. Check out the website for a preview. Through 4/22; 10-6, 10-7 Tue. & Thurs.; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.,), 2nd fl.
Cynthia Gale artsy sterling-silver is a bargain $20-$100. Cash only. Through 4/22; 10-6; 8 E. 36th St. (5th & Madison Aves.), 3rd fl.
Save up to 75% at RevolveClothing.com's sale.
Save up to 40% at American Eagle's clearance sale.
Receive a free "I See Beauty" water bottle and fancy-schmancy samples with your $50 beauty purchase at Nordstrom.com.
Of course, Lord & Taylor coupons.
Get a free BeneTint lip balm with your $50 purchase at Benefit when you enter code FGLB at checkout through 4/19.
Save 10% on your Target order when you enter code TCAPRLSHWRST through 4/20.
This week at Loehmann's, take an additional 10% off every pair of designer shoes. Also, good news: Loehmann's is now accepting Amex.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
America's Next Top Model recap
Quite possibly the most ridiculous America's Next Top Model episode ever aired tonight. Seriously, it kept getting more and more bizarre. First the girls had an acting lesson (oh yes, the acting episode--always one of my least favorites) from a weird old man, then the next day, they had to perform their scene with some hot actor I'd never heard of but Tiffany sure had, as she could barely compose herself in his presence. In the scene, the girls had to adopt a Cockney accent and dress like poor street urchins, complete with blacked-out tooth. Michelle the wrestler, who claimed to have four years of acting experience, couldn't produce an accent to save her life, most of the girls forgot and/or stumbled on their lines, and Tiffany came up with a Scarlett O'Hara-style Southern Belle accent (and a floral bonnet to match). Naima, who pretty much wins everything nowadays, won, and she, Michelle, and Tatiana received diamonds worth $10k collectively (Naima--smart girl--took the yellow diamond). Bizarre, but not bad. The girls then had a photo shoot for Wonderbra, in which they had to pose sexily with a hot male model and pretend to have a pillow fight amidst a fan and blowing feathers. Brittany, predictably, rocked the shoot, as did Michelle, and everyone else pretty much sucked. At judging, the girls had to read from a teleprompter, and they all stumbled on the words "magenta" and "chartreuse,"as well as on the names of Christian Lacroix, Issey Miyake, Karl Lagerfeld, and Hermes. Now, I realize I'm a bit of a freak having known how to pronounce all of these since the age of four, but don't you think if these girls were at all interested in being models, that they'd know at least some designers' (or models'--they all butchered Giselle Bunchen and Karolina Kurkova too) names? During judging, the panel remarked that they noticed a certain lack of enthusiasm. No shit! So Tyra got medieval and--oh, the shock!--sent both Tiffany and Rebecca home, Tiffany due to lack of drive, Rebecca due to lack of progress. We then got to see Tiffany and Rebecca say goodbye to everyone, and while Rebecca was crying and visibly upset, Tiffany was laughing and joking around. This clearly did not sit well with Tyra, who called the girls back in front of her, praising Rebecca for being upset (what?!) and yelling at Tiffany for repressing her emotions. Tiffany responded to defend herself, saying that she was upset but she was tired, etc., and wouldn't let Tyra get a word in edgewise, which is the cardinal sin of America's Next Top Model. You. Do. Not. Dominate. Tyra's. Face. Time. Tyra railed on Tiffany for reasons I still can't quite understand, but the gist of it was that all the judges really believed in her, but Tiffany clearly didn't believe in herself and thus let everyone down. Or, Tiffany made for really good television and the producers were pissed that she had to leave. Phew. I hope someone gave Tyra a nice, big Xanax after that one. Let's hope next week's episode is somewhat back to normal. I don't know if I can handle Psycho Tyra.
Next week: The often amusing PR episode, and something weird involving Kahlen and a cemetary. Oh boy.
Quite possibly the most ridiculous America's Next Top Model episode ever aired tonight. Seriously, it kept getting more and more bizarre. First the girls had an acting lesson (oh yes, the acting episode--always one of my least favorites) from a weird old man, then the next day, they had to perform their scene with some hot actor I'd never heard of but Tiffany sure had, as she could barely compose herself in his presence. In the scene, the girls had to adopt a Cockney accent and dress like poor street urchins, complete with blacked-out tooth. Michelle the wrestler, who claimed to have four years of acting experience, couldn't produce an accent to save her life, most of the girls forgot and/or stumbled on their lines, and Tiffany came up with a Scarlett O'Hara-style Southern Belle accent (and a floral bonnet to match). Naima, who pretty much wins everything nowadays, won, and she, Michelle, and Tatiana received diamonds worth $10k collectively (Naima--smart girl--took the yellow diamond). Bizarre, but not bad. The girls then had a photo shoot for Wonderbra, in which they had to pose sexily with a hot male model and pretend to have a pillow fight amidst a fan and blowing feathers. Brittany, predictably, rocked the shoot, as did Michelle, and everyone else pretty much sucked. At judging, the girls had to read from a teleprompter, and they all stumbled on the words "magenta" and "chartreuse,"as well as on the names of Christian Lacroix, Issey Miyake, Karl Lagerfeld, and Hermes. Now, I realize I'm a bit of a freak having known how to pronounce all of these since the age of four, but don't you think if these girls were at all interested in being models, that they'd know at least some designers' (or models'--they all butchered Giselle Bunchen and Karolina Kurkova too) names? During judging, the panel remarked that they noticed a certain lack of enthusiasm. No shit! So Tyra got medieval and--oh, the shock!--sent both Tiffany and Rebecca home, Tiffany due to lack of drive, Rebecca due to lack of progress. We then got to see Tiffany and Rebecca say goodbye to everyone, and while Rebecca was crying and visibly upset, Tiffany was laughing and joking around. This clearly did not sit well with Tyra, who called the girls back in front of her, praising Rebecca for being upset (what?!) and yelling at Tiffany for repressing her emotions. Tiffany responded to defend herself, saying that she was upset but she was tired, etc., and wouldn't let Tyra get a word in edgewise, which is the cardinal sin of America's Next Top Model. You. Do. Not. Dominate. Tyra's. Face. Time. Tyra railed on Tiffany for reasons I still can't quite understand, but the gist of it was that all the judges really believed in her, but Tiffany clearly didn't believe in herself and thus let everyone down. Or, Tiffany made for really good television and the producers were pissed that she had to leave. Phew. I hope someone gave Tyra a nice, big Xanax after that one. Let's hope next week's episode is somewhat back to normal. I don't know if I can handle Psycho Tyra.
Next week: The often amusing PR episode, and something weird involving Kahlen and a cemetary. Oh boy.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Random notes
1. My apologies to anyone who went to the Juicy Couture sale last week at Find Outlet. It, in a word, sucked. Supremely.
2. A special shout-out to Stephanie, who sold me a lovely vintage Sarah Coventry necklace at her trunk show today. I love it!
3. Big news: After a year away, Tom Ford is returning to fashion...sort of. He and Domenico De Sole have reteamed to form a Tom Ford luxury brand, and they've already signed deals to develop a fragrance with Estee Lauder and a line of eyewear with the Marcolin Group of Italy--kind of a backwards move, since usually clothing comes first, then a fragrance, and licensing, and so on. But whatever. Tom Ford insists he's still trying to have a career as a film director, so god knows how this whole luxury brand thing is going to work, but either way, I think it will be great to have Tom back.
1. My apologies to anyone who went to the Juicy Couture sale last week at Find Outlet. It, in a word, sucked. Supremely.
2. A special shout-out to Stephanie, who sold me a lovely vintage Sarah Coventry necklace at her trunk show today. I love it!
3. Big news: After a year away, Tom Ford is returning to fashion...sort of. He and Domenico De Sole have reteamed to form a Tom Ford luxury brand, and they've already signed deals to develop a fragrance with Estee Lauder and a line of eyewear with the Marcolin Group of Italy--kind of a backwards move, since usually clothing comes first, then a fragrance, and licensing, and so on. But whatever. Tom Ford insists he's still trying to have a career as a film director, so god knows how this whole luxury brand thing is going to work, but either way, I think it will be great to have Tom back.
Cheryl shops...Girlshop
On Saturday, MK and I decided to hit the newly opened Girlshop store in the Meatpacking District, as we are both big fans of the website. The store is, well, girly. It's bright and colorful, and seemingly everything is sparkly, which is never a bad thing, in my opinion. What is a bad thing is that everything in the store is in the low-to-mid three figures--they've gotta pay that Meatpacking District rent somehow, and selling $35 iPod cases, as cool as they are, isn't going to do it. So the selection is heavy on LaRok, Lotta, and Lisa Levine, but there's no Yochi, Meredith Straus, or FarylRobin (i.e. Girlshop's more affordable brands) to be found. There's a rather small selection of jewelry, as well as tiny corners devoted to Girlshop's sister sites Totshop and Guyshop. But there's little in the way of shoes or lingerie--two of my favorite categories on Girlshop (my favorite, of course, is the jewelry). So while the store is fun to browse--and it's probably great if you've got $500 or $600 to blow--I think I'm going to stick with the website.
On Saturday, MK and I decided to hit the newly opened Girlshop store in the Meatpacking District, as we are both big fans of the website. The store is, well, girly. It's bright and colorful, and seemingly everything is sparkly, which is never a bad thing, in my opinion. What is a bad thing is that everything in the store is in the low-to-mid three figures--they've gotta pay that Meatpacking District rent somehow, and selling $35 iPod cases, as cool as they are, isn't going to do it. So the selection is heavy on LaRok, Lotta, and Lisa Levine, but there's no Yochi, Meredith Straus, or FarylRobin (i.e. Girlshop's more affordable brands) to be found. There's a rather small selection of jewelry, as well as tiny corners devoted to Girlshop's sister sites Totshop and Guyshop. But there's little in the way of shoes or lingerie--two of my favorite categories on Girlshop (my favorite, of course, is the jewelry). So while the store is fun to browse--and it's probably great if you've got $500 or $600 to blow--I think I'm going to stick with the website.
Website of the week
On Sunday, I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and walk down to P&S in Tribeca to get some cheapie yarn. But while I love P&S, that's not the website of the week. Next door, I came across a super-cool--if somewhat shady--furniture store, White. It's super-cool because the warehouse-like store is filled, floor to ceiling, with midcentury modern reproduction furniture, but slightly shady because the key word is "reproduction"--what they carry is basically knockoffs of furniture by Knoll, Herman Miller, Vitra, etc. Now, while I won't carry a Louis Vuitton knockoff, strangely enough, I have no problem putting, say, a knockoff Le Corbusier chaise in my apartment--especially when a leather version here is $475 (the "real" one is $1500 at Design Within Reach). The zippy website has everything I saw in the store (with the exception of the Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Chair and ottoman, which, oddly enough, didn't have a price tag in the store anyway), but I can't link to anything directly due to its flash setup. Still, midcentury moden enthusiasts, take a look and marvel at the ridiculously affordable prices: A Saarinen armchair for $200, an Eames lounge chair for $275, a Noguchi coffee table for $455, an arco lamp for $250, and so on. So it's not the "real thing," but at these prices, who the hell cares? Do your friends crawl under the table to look for the Knoll sticker? That's what I thought. White's motto is "bringing design to the masses"--certainly a more vaild motto than, oh, "Design Within Reach," don't you think?
On Sunday, I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and walk down to P&S in Tribeca to get some cheapie yarn. But while I love P&S, that's not the website of the week. Next door, I came across a super-cool--if somewhat shady--furniture store, White. It's super-cool because the warehouse-like store is filled, floor to ceiling, with midcentury modern reproduction furniture, but slightly shady because the key word is "reproduction"--what they carry is basically knockoffs of furniture by Knoll, Herman Miller, Vitra, etc. Now, while I won't carry a Louis Vuitton knockoff, strangely enough, I have no problem putting, say, a knockoff Le Corbusier chaise in my apartment--especially when a leather version here is $475 (the "real" one is $1500 at Design Within Reach). The zippy website has everything I saw in the store (with the exception of the Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Chair and ottoman, which, oddly enough, didn't have a price tag in the store anyway), but I can't link to anything directly due to its flash setup. Still, midcentury moden enthusiasts, take a look and marvel at the ridiculously affordable prices: A Saarinen armchair for $200, an Eames lounge chair for $275, a Noguchi coffee table for $455, an arco lamp for $250, and so on. So it's not the "real thing," but at these prices, who the hell cares? Do your friends crawl under the table to look for the Knoll sticker? That's what I thought. White's motto is "bringing design to the masses"--certainly a more vaild motto than, oh, "Design Within Reach," don't you think?
Monday, April 11, 2005
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: Who doesn't love Betsey Johnson? At her sale, find her feminine, boho women's clothes for a whopping 80% off (her famous dresses are a mere $45). 4/14-4/16; 11-8 Thurs., 11-5 Fri., 10-5 Sat.; 263 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).
For some sexy underthings, check out Aubade's sale, where bras, panties, and more are up to 70% off. Cash and checks only. 4/13-4/15; 11-7 Wed., 11-6 Thurs,., 11-5 Fri.; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison Aves.), ste. 607.
The slightly avant-garde but very wearable Zero Maria Cornejo's womenswear is 60% off and more. Through 4/17; 12:30-7:30; 12:30-6:30 weekends; 225 Mott (at Prince St.).
Supercool vintage store Psyche's Tears has vintage goodies on sale for 15% off. 4/16; noon-8; 240 W. 15th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).
Roberta Chiarella's sparkly jewelry is $50 and under (usually it's $50-$500). Cash only. 4/13; 10-7; Affinia Hotel, 155 E. 50th St. (Lex & 3rd Ave.).
Super-stylish Paul Stuart men’s and women’s clothes are up to 80% off ($50-$500) at his sample sale. 4/12-4/15; 9-6:30, 9-5 Fri.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Avenue (at 40th St.), 2nd floor.
One of my favoritely named stores (if that made any sense) DisRespectacles has Blinde sunglasses for $75 and up. 4/14-4/17; 11-7; 11-6 Sat., noon-5 Sun.; 117 W. Broadway (at Duane St.).
Need shoes? Ralph Lauren footwear for men and women is $10-$300 at this sale. Through 4/14; 10-4:30; 120 E. 56th St. (Park & Lex Aves.), 2nd fl.
Need a glitzy minaudiere? Check out Judith Leiber's sale, where they're a veritable bargain at $450-$3,000. 4/13-4/14; 9-5; 20 W. 33rd St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Loyal Cheryl Shops reader Stephanie is the proprietoress of M. Hale vintage and estate jewelry, and she's having a trunk show on Tuesday, with everything for $30-$220 (check out details on the website). I'm going, so come and stalk me! 4/12; 6-8 p.m.; Turks & Frogs, 323 W. 11th St. (Greenwich & Washington Sts.).
Meet designer Tracy Reese at Bergdorf's this Saturday from 2-5 on the 5th floor. (Cocktails and a DJ will also be present).
In honor of their new Hi Neighbor mask, get free shipping at Benefit through 4/12 when you enter code FSHN at checkout.
Get 10% off your order at Target.com when you enter code TCTENPCTFERU through 4/13.
Get 10% off at eFashionHouse.com when you enter code 10offEFH through 4/15.
And we can't forget Lord & Taylor coupons.
Sale of the week: Who doesn't love Betsey Johnson? At her sale, find her feminine, boho women's clothes for a whopping 80% off (her famous dresses are a mere $45). 4/14-4/16; 11-8 Thurs., 11-5 Fri., 10-5 Sat.; 263 W. 38th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).
For some sexy underthings, check out Aubade's sale, where bras, panties, and more are up to 70% off. Cash and checks only. 4/13-4/15; 11-7 Wed., 11-6 Thurs,., 11-5 Fri.; 40 E. 34th St. (Park & Madison Aves.), ste. 607.
The slightly avant-garde but very wearable Zero Maria Cornejo's womenswear is 60% off and more. Through 4/17; 12:30-7:30; 12:30-6:30 weekends; 225 Mott (at Prince St.).
Supercool vintage store Psyche's Tears has vintage goodies on sale for 15% off. 4/16; noon-8; 240 W. 15th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).
Roberta Chiarella's sparkly jewelry is $50 and under (usually it's $50-$500). Cash only. 4/13; 10-7; Affinia Hotel, 155 E. 50th St. (Lex & 3rd Ave.).
Super-stylish Paul Stuart men’s and women’s clothes are up to 80% off ($50-$500) at his sample sale. 4/12-4/15; 9-6:30, 9-5 Fri.; Parsons School of Design, 560 7th Avenue (at 40th St.), 2nd floor.
One of my favoritely named stores (if that made any sense) DisRespectacles has Blinde sunglasses for $75 and up. 4/14-4/17; 11-7; 11-6 Sat., noon-5 Sun.; 117 W. Broadway (at Duane St.).
Need shoes? Ralph Lauren footwear for men and women is $10-$300 at this sale. Through 4/14; 10-4:30; 120 E. 56th St. (Park & Lex Aves.), 2nd fl.
Need a glitzy minaudiere? Check out Judith Leiber's sale, where they're a veritable bargain at $450-$3,000. 4/13-4/14; 9-5; 20 W. 33rd St. (5th & 6th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Loyal Cheryl Shops reader Stephanie is the proprietoress of M. Hale vintage and estate jewelry, and she's having a trunk show on Tuesday, with everything for $30-$220 (check out details on the website). I'm going, so come and stalk me! 4/12; 6-8 p.m.; Turks & Frogs, 323 W. 11th St. (Greenwich & Washington Sts.).
Meet designer Tracy Reese at Bergdorf's this Saturday from 2-5 on the 5th floor. (Cocktails and a DJ will also be present).
In honor of their new Hi Neighbor mask, get free shipping at Benefit through 4/12 when you enter code FSHN at checkout.
Get 10% off your order at Target.com when you enter code TCTENPCTFERU through 4/13.
Get 10% off at eFashionHouse.com when you enter code 10offEFH through 4/15.
And we can't forget Lord & Taylor coupons.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Weekend shopping
Since I wasn't here to do Monday's Week in Shopping, here are some great-sounding sales to check out this weekend.
Find Outlet's Chelsea store has Juicy Couture for men, women, and kids for 50%-80% off. Is Juicy Couture over? Who cares? I'm so there. Through 4/10; noon-7; 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
While you're in the neighborhood, Portico's Chelsea Market store has linens and bath and home accessories for up to 70% off. Through 5/15; 10-7, noon-6 Sun.; 75 9th Ave. (15th & 16th Sts.).
Keep walking down 9th Avenue to Boucher; their lovely, feminine jewelry is 15 %-35% off. Through 4/10; noon-8, noon-6 Sun.; 9 9th Ave. (13th & Little West 12th Sts.).
Haven't had enough? Bop over to Washinton Street, where twin home stores Auto and MoveLab are having a semi-annual sale, featuring goodies from Missoni, Dwell, Eugenia Kim and more for up to 80% off. Through 4/10; 11-7 Fri., noon-7 Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 803 and 805 Washington St. (at Horatio St.).
Thinking about fall? Head to the Madison Avenue Barneys on Saturday to pre-order from the fall 2005 Marc by Marc Jacobs collection. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres too! 4/9; 2-6 p.m.
Click here to see April specials at BeautyHabit.com.
Yippee for Lord & Taylor coupons.
Receive a $25 gift certificate when you spend $100 in the Beauty Level at Bergdorf's through 4/9.
It's a new month, so that means new designers at the shop at style.com: Nicholas K, Tracey Ross, Gabriela Artigas, and Alex Gaines.
Get a free sample of major lash mascara or midnight bloom fragrance with any order at Stila through 5/1.
Make a purchase from Diane von Furstenberg's spring 2005 collection at Saks.com and get a free silk eye mask (great for jet-setting) when you enter code DVFGIFT5 at checkout through 4/11.
Since I wasn't here to do Monday's Week in Shopping, here are some great-sounding sales to check out this weekend.
Find Outlet's Chelsea store has Juicy Couture for men, women, and kids for 50%-80% off. Is Juicy Couture over? Who cares? I'm so there. Through 4/10; noon-7; 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
While you're in the neighborhood, Portico's Chelsea Market store has linens and bath and home accessories for up to 70% off. Through 5/15; 10-7, noon-6 Sun.; 75 9th Ave. (15th & 16th Sts.).
Keep walking down 9th Avenue to Boucher; their lovely, feminine jewelry is 15 %-35% off. Through 4/10; noon-8, noon-6 Sun.; 9 9th Ave. (13th & Little West 12th Sts.).
Haven't had enough? Bop over to Washinton Street, where twin home stores Auto and MoveLab are having a semi-annual sale, featuring goodies from Missoni, Dwell, Eugenia Kim and more for up to 80% off. Through 4/10; 11-7 Fri., noon-7 Sat., noon-6 Sun.; 803 and 805 Washington St. (at Horatio St.).
Thinking about fall? Head to the Madison Avenue Barneys on Saturday to pre-order from the fall 2005 Marc by Marc Jacobs collection. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres too! 4/9; 2-6 p.m.
Click here to see April specials at BeautyHabit.com.
Yippee for Lord & Taylor coupons.
Receive a $25 gift certificate when you spend $100 in the Beauty Level at Bergdorf's through 4/9.
It's a new month, so that means new designers at the shop at style.com: Nicholas K, Tracey Ross, Gabriela Artigas, and Alex Gaines.
Get a free sample of major lash mascara or midnight bloom fragrance with any order at Stila through 5/1.
Make a purchase from Diane von Furstenberg's spring 2005 collection at Saks.com and get a free silk eye mask (great for jet-setting) when you enter code DVFGIFT5 at checkout through 4/11.
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
America's Next Top Model recap
I'm back from Florida, with a nice sunburn and a belly full o' fish, just in time for tonight's America's Next Top Model. Which was kind of a bizarre episode. First the girls were brought to a mystery office where they had to sign away their lives (tee-hee, a taste of what's to come!)...which was a "lesson" on "reading the contract" (something, which, obviously, models can't do for themselves). The true "lesson"? Hire a good lawyer. The girls then treated themselves to a fancy dinner, where Brittany got wasted and danced on top of the table while all the other girls passed judgment. (They never could've made it in the Golden Era of the Supermodels, where coke & champagne reigned.) The girls then had to hobnob at an industry party for Cover Girl; Tiffany and Michelle withdrew while Lluvy and Kahlen rocked, although Keenyah made the best impression, winning a night at a fancy hotel suite (she was allowed to bring a friend, so she chose good-time-gal Brittany, who's pretty much a sure thing). Then the next morning, while Keenyah and Brittany had breakfast in bed, frolicked in the surf, and had deep-tissue massages, the rest of the girls were driven out into the middle of the desert, where they were met by Mr. Jay, who was wearing his most bizarre outfit to date--kind of "Michael Jackson goes to a gay cowboy bar." Anyway, because there's no such thing as a "normal" shoot, the girls had to pose with a truck and/or a gas pump while being sprayed with a hose and blown on by a high-powered fan. Which was pretty amusing to watch. Kahlen, Brittany, and Christina nailed the shoot while Tiffany and the super-relaxed Keenyah...well, did not really nail it. At all. And while I thought Michelle was going to get the boot, the producers clearly think she makes for good television (and I think when she's focused, she takes a damn good photo too). It came down to Rebecca (who's too "safe" and "pretty") and Lluvy at the end, but, sadly, Lluvy took another bad photo and thus got the boot. I am sad about this, because Lluvy is so cool and different but approachable. I don't know if modeling is the right career for her; maybe she can try acting?
Speaking of which, next week is the ever-fun "acting lesson" episode, the girls have a photo shoot with a boy!, and Tyra appears to get pissed (as in mad, not as in drunk).
I'm back from Florida, with a nice sunburn and a belly full o' fish, just in time for tonight's America's Next Top Model. Which was kind of a bizarre episode. First the girls were brought to a mystery office where they had to sign away their lives (tee-hee, a taste of what's to come!)...which was a "lesson" on "reading the contract" (something, which, obviously, models can't do for themselves). The true "lesson"? Hire a good lawyer. The girls then treated themselves to a fancy dinner, where Brittany got wasted and danced on top of the table while all the other girls passed judgment. (They never could've made it in the Golden Era of the Supermodels, where coke & champagne reigned.) The girls then had to hobnob at an industry party for Cover Girl; Tiffany and Michelle withdrew while Lluvy and Kahlen rocked, although Keenyah made the best impression, winning a night at a fancy hotel suite (she was allowed to bring a friend, so she chose good-time-gal Brittany, who's pretty much a sure thing). Then the next morning, while Keenyah and Brittany had breakfast in bed, frolicked in the surf, and had deep-tissue massages, the rest of the girls were driven out into the middle of the desert, where they were met by Mr. Jay, who was wearing his most bizarre outfit to date--kind of "Michael Jackson goes to a gay cowboy bar." Anyway, because there's no such thing as a "normal" shoot, the girls had to pose with a truck and/or a gas pump while being sprayed with a hose and blown on by a high-powered fan. Which was pretty amusing to watch. Kahlen, Brittany, and Christina nailed the shoot while Tiffany and the super-relaxed Keenyah...well, did not really nail it. At all. And while I thought Michelle was going to get the boot, the producers clearly think she makes for good television (and I think when she's focused, she takes a damn good photo too). It came down to Rebecca (who's too "safe" and "pretty") and Lluvy at the end, but, sadly, Lluvy took another bad photo and thus got the boot. I am sad about this, because Lluvy is so cool and different but approachable. I don't know if modeling is the right career for her; maybe she can try acting?
Speaking of which, next week is the ever-fun "acting lesson" episode, the girls have a photo shoot with a boy!, and Tyra appears to get pissed (as in mad, not as in drunk).
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
America's Next Top Model recap
Because I'm staying over at MW's house tonight, I had the pleasure of watching America's Next Top Model on his 43-inch high-definition TV. Which was actually quite convenient, because tonight's episode was all about makeup, and because I got to see Michelle's flesh-eating bacteria in great detail! So, yeah, Michelle the wrestler got all these scabs on her puss and proceeded to totally freak out about them. The girls were giving her a hard time because, well, they looked pretty gross, and because dumb Noelle made everyone paranoid that it was contagious and they were all going to catch it and die. (The shots of Lluvy shivering and freaking out were priceless.) And, honestly, if I were in a competition to be a model and I had big gross scabs all over my face, I'd probably be a mess too. The makeup artists, who, amusingly, were worried that Michelle had leprosy, sent her to a dermatologist, who confirmed that while Michelle does indeed have a bacterial infection, it is neither life-threatening nor contagious, and it is easily treatable. Whew! As for the rest of the episode, in between bouts of "learning" how to apply "natural" makeup from Mr. Jay (sarcasm because he didn't really appear to be teaching them anything), applying "haute couture" makeup (Naima won) and a cool photo shoot in which all the girls were transformed via makeup into another race, Noelle did a hell of a lot of complaining about how she misses her son. Like, Michelle has flesh-eating bacteria: "Oh, I would just die if my son had flesh-eating bacteria." The girls learn what haute couture is: "I don't have time to learn this stuff because my son turns off the TV every three seconds." The girls have to hold a kid while posing at the photo shoot: "I just miss my son so much!" Noelle, dude, we get the picture! So while it was down to Lluvy (who took another bad-to-mediocre photo) and Noelle, apparently Tyra is tired of hearing her complain as well, because Noelle was sent packing. This is good news for Lluvy, but, yikes, she needs to get it together, so as to not become this season's Ann (pretty girl, pretty bad photos).
Next week, Michelle freaks out some more, and Brittany gets wasted. More comparisons of the latter to (former coke fiend) Janice Dickinson are sure to follow.
Because I'm staying over at MW's house tonight, I had the pleasure of watching America's Next Top Model on his 43-inch high-definition TV. Which was actually quite convenient, because tonight's episode was all about makeup, and because I got to see Michelle's flesh-eating bacteria in great detail! So, yeah, Michelle the wrestler got all these scabs on her puss and proceeded to totally freak out about them. The girls were giving her a hard time because, well, they looked pretty gross, and because dumb Noelle made everyone paranoid that it was contagious and they were all going to catch it and die. (The shots of Lluvy shivering and freaking out were priceless.) And, honestly, if I were in a competition to be a model and I had big gross scabs all over my face, I'd probably be a mess too. The makeup artists, who, amusingly, were worried that Michelle had leprosy, sent her to a dermatologist, who confirmed that while Michelle does indeed have a bacterial infection, it is neither life-threatening nor contagious, and it is easily treatable. Whew! As for the rest of the episode, in between bouts of "learning" how to apply "natural" makeup from Mr. Jay (sarcasm because he didn't really appear to be teaching them anything), applying "haute couture" makeup (Naima won) and a cool photo shoot in which all the girls were transformed via makeup into another race, Noelle did a hell of a lot of complaining about how she misses her son. Like, Michelle has flesh-eating bacteria: "Oh, I would just die if my son had flesh-eating bacteria." The girls learn what haute couture is: "I don't have time to learn this stuff because my son turns off the TV every three seconds." The girls have to hold a kid while posing at the photo shoot: "I just miss my son so much!" Noelle, dude, we get the picture! So while it was down to Lluvy (who took another bad-to-mediocre photo) and Noelle, apparently Tyra is tired of hearing her complain as well, because Noelle was sent packing. This is good news for Lluvy, but, yikes, she needs to get it together, so as to not become this season's Ann (pretty girl, pretty bad photos).
Next week, Michelle freaks out some more, and Brittany gets wasted. More comparisons of the latter to (former coke fiend) Janice Dickinson are sure to follow.
Monday, March 28, 2005
In praise of the pricey haircut
As some of you might know, my dear hairdresser of four years, Paul, moved to Los Angeles last October, and I was very distraught about it. After much research, I went to Space salon in Soho and spent close to $300 on a very bland, boring haircut and slightly orange, very fake-looking highlights. Clearly I wasn't going back there. Earlier this month, my hair started to get shaggy, and I started to get nervous. Then I read a really silly story in US Weekly about how you can go to fancy salons and get a cut with a junior stylist for about a third (or less) of what the salon's top stylists charge. One of the salons mentioned was Sally Hershberger Downtown, home of the $600 haircut. Now, I remembered, back when I worked at Maxim that when we had a smokin' hot Gina Gershon on the cover, someone from Sally Hershberger did her hair, which was shaggy and totally sexy. So I thought, "Hey, what can I lose?" and I made an appointment for last Thursday. The salon is quite lovely--minimal decor, flattering lighting, very serene--not at all the usual loud, bustling salon environment. And everyone there was totally nice to me, which I was not expecting at all. My stylist, it turns out, is Sally's assistant, and he cut me a totally sexy, wash-and-wear shag (yes, I don't even have to blow it out--a first for me) that I absolutely love. Seriously, words cannot describe how happy I am with this haircut. It was $150 with tip, which, I know, is a bit ridiculous, but to me, it's worth it, especially after the trauma of my last salon visit. Two funny things: 1) I sat next to Jane Krakowski, of Ally McBeal fame, and tried to eavesdrop, but she kept her conversation confined to her hair; and 2) the salon exclusively uses John Frieda products (Frizz Ease, Sheer Blonde, et al.) which are sold at drugstores nationwide--so no more dropping an extra $60 on styling products whenever you get your hair done. My next challenge? Scrounging up $250 for highlights.
As some of you might know, my dear hairdresser of four years, Paul, moved to Los Angeles last October, and I was very distraught about it. After much research, I went to Space salon in Soho and spent close to $300 on a very bland, boring haircut and slightly orange, very fake-looking highlights. Clearly I wasn't going back there. Earlier this month, my hair started to get shaggy, and I started to get nervous. Then I read a really silly story in US Weekly about how you can go to fancy salons and get a cut with a junior stylist for about a third (or less) of what the salon's top stylists charge. One of the salons mentioned was Sally Hershberger Downtown, home of the $600 haircut. Now, I remembered, back when I worked at Maxim that when we had a smokin' hot Gina Gershon on the cover, someone from Sally Hershberger did her hair, which was shaggy and totally sexy. So I thought, "Hey, what can I lose?" and I made an appointment for last Thursday. The salon is quite lovely--minimal decor, flattering lighting, very serene--not at all the usual loud, bustling salon environment. And everyone there was totally nice to me, which I was not expecting at all. My stylist, it turns out, is Sally's assistant, and he cut me a totally sexy, wash-and-wear shag (yes, I don't even have to blow it out--a first for me) that I absolutely love. Seriously, words cannot describe how happy I am with this haircut. It was $150 with tip, which, I know, is a bit ridiculous, but to me, it's worth it, especially after the trauma of my last salon visit. Two funny things: 1) I sat next to Jane Krakowski, of Ally McBeal fame, and tried to eavesdrop, but she kept her conversation confined to her hair; and 2) the salon exclusively uses John Frieda products (Frizz Ease, Sheer Blonde, et al.) which are sold at drugstores nationwide--so no more dropping an extra $60 on styling products whenever you get your hair done. My next challenge? Scrounging up $250 for highlights.
The week in shopping
Sale of the week: Considering spring is right around the corner, you probably don't need any cashmere. Or do you? White + Warren has cashmere cardigans for $85, cotton sweaters for $50, and T-shirts 2 for $40--and if all else fails, you can always stock up for next year. 3/30-3/31; 8-6; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 3rd fl.
Everything at the Bluefly store is now $100 or less. Through 4/22; noon-8, noon-6 Sun., closed Mon.; 102 Wooster St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).
The excellent Find Outlet is having a Spring-A-Thon Sale, featuring Julie Brown, Alex and Ani, June, and more. 3/31-4/3; noon-7; 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSGS at checkout through 3/30.
Clothingline has a new spring sale with Nike footwear & apparel, Milly, Tracy Reese/Plenty, Mari Dade, Stacie Bass, and more. Through 4/1; 10-6; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Here are coupons for Lord & Taylor's not-so-private Private Sale. I'll be there Wednesday after work for a last-minute swimsuit hunt.
Get boho jewelry at Echo of the Dreamer's sale, where semiprecious artisan jewelry is up to 85% off. 3/31-4/2; 11-7, noon-5 Sat.; 242 W. 30th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).
A very exciting development: One of my favorite websites, Girlshop has opened a real-life store in the Meatpacking District, and I will deliver a full report as soon as I can. 819 Washington St. (Little West 12th & Gansevoort Sts.).
Starting Tuesday, Loehmann's is having an early spring clearance. Now, I stopped at Loehmann's on my way home from work last Friday, and let me tell you, I saw some good deals. I got a Juicy Couture denim mini for $15, and I saw Capital Tailors pants for $40, cute Juicy pleated skirts for $25, Theory tops for $35 and Earl Jeans for $30. Of course, you have to dig through the clearance racks, but if you're in the mood for it, it's worth the effort.
Spring styles are up to 40% off at Gap.com.
Bluefly misses me, and they can miss you too. Enter code MISSEDYOU375 at checkout through 4/9 to save 15%.
All gifts at RedEnvelope.com are 15% off through 3/31.
Get free shipping on all sale items at OriacDesign.com through 4/10.
Sale of the week: Considering spring is right around the corner, you probably don't need any cashmere. Or do you? White + Warren has cashmere cardigans for $85, cotton sweaters for $50, and T-shirts 2 for $40--and if all else fails, you can always stock up for next year. 3/30-3/31; 8-6; 80 W. 40th St. (at 6th Ave.), 3rd fl.
Everything at the Bluefly store is now $100 or less. Through 4/22; noon-8, noon-6 Sun., closed Mon.; 102 Wooster St. (Prince & Spring Sts.).
The excellent Find Outlet is having a Spring-A-Thon Sale, featuring Julie Brown, Alex and Ani, June, and more. 3/31-4/3; noon-7; 361 W. 17th St. (8th & 9th Aves.).
Get free shipping at Benefit when you enter code FSGS at checkout through 3/30.
Clothingline has a new spring sale with Nike footwear & apparel, Milly, Tracy Reese/Plenty, Mari Dade, Stacie Bass, and more. Through 4/1; 10-6; 261 W. 36th St. (7th & 8th Aves.), 2nd fl.
Here are coupons for Lord & Taylor's not-so-private Private Sale. I'll be there Wednesday after work for a last-minute swimsuit hunt.
Get boho jewelry at Echo of the Dreamer's sale, where semiprecious artisan jewelry is up to 85% off. 3/31-4/2; 11-7, noon-5 Sat.; 242 W. 30th St. (7th & 8th Aves.).
A very exciting development: One of my favorite websites, Girlshop has opened a real-life store in the Meatpacking District, and I will deliver a full report as soon as I can. 819 Washington St. (Little West 12th & Gansevoort Sts.).
Starting Tuesday, Loehmann's is having an early spring clearance. Now, I stopped at Loehmann's on my way home from work last Friday, and let me tell you, I saw some good deals. I got a Juicy Couture denim mini for $15, and I saw Capital Tailors pants for $40, cute Juicy pleated skirts for $25, Theory tops for $35 and Earl Jeans for $30. Of course, you have to dig through the clearance racks, but if you're in the mood for it, it's worth the effort.
Spring styles are up to 40% off at Gap.com.
Bluefly misses me, and they can miss you too. Enter code MISSEDYOU375 at checkout through 4/9 to save 15%.
All gifts at RedEnvelope.com are 15% off through 3/31.
Get free shipping on all sale items at OriacDesign.com through 4/10.
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