Rock Shic

#568 New York Fashion Week – Ready Set Go!

Outside of the Empire Hotel, donning my newly acquired #nyfwready goodies and wearing my Abi Ferrin signature Nikki dress (which you can wear 5 ways!).  Love them.

Goodies inside the Empire Hotel suite. #eventsuite

This busy (and finally recovering mamma) took a break today and headed uptown to the Runway Ready Room, brought to you by PRIV, Yosi Samra, and GiGi New York – arguably the most delightful trifecta of yumminess. 

I must admit, it’s nice to leave my piles of paperwork and mommy duties behind for a little glamour and beauty treatment.  And what better place to do it than at the suite of the iconic Empire Hotel, right across from Lincoln Center, at the heart of all the NY Fashion week action.   (Funnily enough, yours truly was just here last week with Nuke baby at the Lincoln, as the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Tent had just gone up).

The best part?  I got my own personalized leather clutch from GiGi New York, plus a pair of Samara leather flats from Yosi Samra in neon that will so fantastically pop with my summer tan!  I can’t wait to rock these beauties for my girl-trip in Montauk next weekend!!!

Now… onwards to more avant fashion for New York Fashion week.

A touch of old-world glam inside the Empire Hotel.  Be sure to check out the rooftop bar! 

 

I went with Gigi's "All in one" bag in Kelly Green, so pretty!

So fun! The last time I had anything monogrammed was at the Louis Vuitton Champs-Élysées during Paris Fashion Week.  That was last March while I was 16 weeks pregnant, might as well be a lifetime ago!! 

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#328 A Presentation on Men’s Style by TSBmen

Yowza!  Once again, I am in total disbelief that yet another week has gone by.  Though at least this time we were treated to some nice weather over the weekend.

I am also super proud to note that this Saturday marked the official one-year anniversary of Rock Shic!!! Thanks to all of my readers for making this such an incredible and memorable year.  So much great stuff to come...

Speaking of which, I wanted to share with you a recent fashion event I hosted at the Harvard Club of NYC titled “Enhance Your Style for Spring.”  This special Arts of Fashion committee is a baby of mine, an idea I had conceptualized late last year, and I am so proud of how far we’ve come!

One of our keynote speakers was Dan Trepanier, founder of TSBmen – the Style Blogger and winner of Esquire magazine’s “Best Dressed Real Man in America”, and quite the entrepreneur and charmer!  His website, TSBmen, produces daily content on men’s fashion and how-to-styling guide, and receives roughly 1.25 million page views per month from a global audience.  In addition to Esquire magazine, Dan has also been featured in GQ, Men’s Health, The Today Show, Fox 5 News, EnRoute Magazine, Sharp Magazine, and numerous other social media blogs and websites.  Suffice to say, I really enjoyed the content  he had put together for us on men’s style, and am so pleased to share it with you.  I must admit, I am still learning the ropes of men’s fashion myself (though having male clients for my wardrobe consulting service certainly helps!).  Plus, since I’m going to have a baby boy this Summer – it’s all the *more* reason for me to be paying attention to men’s fashion!!!

So read on, and I hope you’ll enjoy TSBmen's presentation as much as I did!

His opening remark – which I enjoyed quite a bit, focuses on how celebrities such as Lebron James, among platforms via social media and on-line retailers, have literally transformed the way we view menswear.      Men's fashion, he argues, connotes power, even on TV!

Dan’s belief – style always trumps over fashion, as style can be individualized and tailored specifically for         the person, whereas fashion comes and goes!

The top 5 style essentials for men

I still can't get over the fact that these are two photos of the same person!

Women, Dan argues, shops more emotionally (and therefore tend toward quality... which I personally can't argue with). Men, on the other hand, should focus on quality, fit, and tailoring.

Again, I agree that what's most attractive of all is attitude and confidence on a guy... if you can't wear your style with swagger, then something is sure to be amiss!

Seeing Dan do what he does best.

TSBmen's top five spring essentials!

See Dan in action at the Harvard Club NYC!

Prior to the fashion event, I had a chance to go and visit TSBmen's studio backstage! Very cool indeed.

#302 Carolina Herrera (NYFW 2013)

Happy hump day!  I should have posted these pics long ago… but between travel and work, and some upcoming travels for work – well, lets just say that I’m running a little bit out of steam!

Right before we took off for Bermuda, I went and checked out the Carolina Herrera collection at Lincoln Center during New York Fashion week.  It was full of elegance, class, and femininity, everything that I would have expected from the 74-year old Venezuelan beauty/powerhouse (hailed as “Fashion’s First Lady,” and she still looks so fab!).  True to form, there were lots of full skirts, small hour-glass figures, and beautiful movements of fabric.  As I gazed upon the bright hues of those long and flowy cocktail dresses, I couldn’t help but wonder – where would I wear this to if I had such an opportunity? 

Carolina Herrera macarons! Love.

 

#290 Concept Korea, Fall 2013

Concept Korea: Lie Sang Bong

Choiboko by Choi Bok-ho

In what little spare time I have these days, I’ve been trying to keep on top of fashion week in New York.  There is definitely a lot of information overload out there, and not necessarily always fresh.  However, I’ve been absolutely intrigued with Concept Korea (which debuted last week, pre-Nemo).

Apparently, each year, a handful of designers (five to be exact), are selected to present their work at fashion week.  I’ve been increasingly intrigued with Korean designers in general, because I find their work to be quite cutting-edge, and deviates from the norm as we know it.  I also find, quite frequently, that some of my best street styles were shot with either Korean dressers, or Korean designers. 

Out of the range of designs I saw, I would say my absolute favorites were those by Choi Bok-ho, with his sleek, black and white designs that redefines chic, and the designs of Lie Sang Bong, whose look I absolutely adore and would happily wear anyday.  

It's always nice to find Asian infulences in high-fashion, particularly when it's executed well.  One thing is for certain, I am definitely going to try to make it to the next Concept Korea show!

Lie Sang Bong Collection (Fall 2013)

The street funk of Kye by Kye Han-hee

Lie Sang Bong -- Best known for his “Hangeul” (Korean alphabet) pattern

Lie Sang Bong -- love that silhouette!

Son Jung Wa, Korea's answer to Brunello Cucinelli, perhaps?

Choiboko by Choi Bok-ho

Lie Sang Bong

Son Jung Wan -- love those cap sleeves!

Choiboko by Choi Bok-ho

Playful street fashion and dramatic graffiti couture by Kye Han-hee

#289 Eco-Fashion in the East Village

Check out my latest coverage of the activism-fashion show hosted by MoRUS (the Museum of Reclaimed Space)!  I must say, I’ve never really seen anything like it!! Such a refreshing take on Fashion Week NY!!! Read on more here!  Happy Tuesday.

#288 Glam Rock by DVF (NYFW 2013)

 “Simplicity and sexiness, that’s what people want. At a price that’s not outrageous,” Diane Von Furstenberg (1976). 

True to her own statement, DVF delivers yet again with her Fall 2013 collection at New York Fashion Week, which debuted yesterday in the aftermath of Nemo, just hours before the Grammys. 

Part resort, part Studio 54, and definitely all fab – here are some of my favorite pieces.  I am loving the saturated colors, vibrant prints, and fine detailing.  I think the pantsuits would be my favorite pieces, coupled with some fun accessories – that blinged out knapsack for instance!  (Though I must admit, I don’t quite get those futuristic glasses).

My other favorite quote by DVF: “It’s time to become a myth,” which she announced on her 40^th… what a gal!

#252 Lucky Shops New York

This morning, I was feeling pretty motivated (I had gotten up bright and early on the rare occasion, feeling massively productive).  So what to do?  Well, I bundled up for this dreary weather, and headed across the Bowery to Soho for some good old retail therapy.  In the spirit of full disclosure, I was not planning on buying anything (honest!).  You see, the fourth annual Lucky Shops New York has kicked off (as of last evening), and my goal was to scoop out all of the action for my dear readers.  I was bummed to have missed the opening night (the lovely Jennifer Hudson helped kick-off this shopping extravaganza).  However, I had tickets to the New York Philharmonic with a dear friend, and, what can I say – Rachmaninoff trumps shopping any day!

So… the scoop?  Well, yours truly did manage to snatch up some great finds (and gave my cc an early Holiday workout).  Most of the designer duds (Rebecca Taylor, Charlotte Ronson, Milly, Yumi Kim) were at least 60% off.  I had a field day at the Rebecca Minkoff booth, where all bags were half off – though I think the good stuff gets grabbed early (surprise surprise).  My favorite part was the editor’s closet pick, which had some lovely designs by Wren, 10 Crosby Derek Lam, Gryphon,  Lulu Frost, among others.  It was there that I got a fabulous Asos two-tone color block suede clutch for $30 bucks (steal!).  Oh yea, I might have also had a little too much fun at the Outnet pop-up (one of my of my favorite on-line shopping sites).  What can I say, we have a wedding next weekend at the St. Regis New York, so I'm on the hunt for a killer frock.  As they say... the rest was history.

Oh… and did I mention, you can get free facials (plus complimentary beauty products) from Clarisonic and makeup consultation à la Maybelline.  Just in case you need a little rest from all that conspicuous consumption exercise, there is a fully loaded bar to enjoy at your leisure (p.s. happy hour will be today from 5-7pm, and tomorrow from 3-5pm!!).  Lucky Shops New York ends tomorrow, and portions of the proceeds will go toward supporting Hurricane Sandy victims via the Lucky Fund.  

In the back of the editor's closet, I love this multi-colored Wren dress, which you can dress up or down!

This little Asos number also came home with me!

I couldn't resist these colorful cross-bodies from Rachel Roy!  It's funny, everytime I see her, I think about my encounter with her ex -- Damon Dash.

 

#248 A Sunday afternoon treat by Elizabeth Arden and Nigel Barker

A little holiday cheer brought to you by the Hsu Closet and Rock Shic!

I’ve been remarkably sedentary all weekend… with minimal writing and activities.  Call it a case of the winter blues (can it be December already?!).  However, this afternoon, a dear friend dragged me out of my apartment for a little recharge at the Elizabeth Arden Pop-up at Madison Square Park.  It was just the pick-up-me-up zinger I needed!

You see, ever since I started blogging, I had, like many of my fellow fashionistas, begged and pleaded with my SO to shoot photos for me.  “I am *not* a professional photographer!” Hubby will grunt at me every time I ask for a little snap time.  Sheesh!  What’s a girl to do sometimes?

That said – today I got the ultimate treat by being styled and photographed by the Brit professional/ photographer sensation Nigel Barker (LOVED him from America’s Next Top Model cycles… pity he’s no longer a judge).  My girlfriend and I had a blast!  And yes, I totally hammed it up for the camera, in my new wine-colored mini dress by MASC (one of the new pieces from my collaboration with Young British Designers… more on that later!).  I can barely contain myself at the best of times, never mind with somebody like Nigel guiding me. 

Oh… and did I mention that I got a personalized hand massage pre-Nigel, inside the Elizabeth Arden Recharge room, plus some make-up tips afterwards?  Heaven.  The best part? Catching up with my friend over some Earl Grey lattes at Argo right next door.  I love our girl-on-girl pow-wows, as they always get my creative juices flowing, and never seize to inspire and refresh!  Here’s to the perfect kick-off of a new week (not to mention a new month!!).  Recharge, indeed.  

Getting styled :)

Working it for Nigel!  Dress: MASC | Jacket: Helmut Lang | Necklace: Redeem (DC)

Getting some photography direction from the man himself.

Taking in some beauty tips!

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#247 Holiday Pop-up – Lion’esque Style

Killer stackable bangles are by Susan Hanover

Yesterday, I braved the sleet and hail for a slice of pop-up heaven at Lion’esque Style (inspired by the great huntress of style!) located just under the Roger Smith Hotel on 47^th and Lexington (pop-ups are so hot right now!).  I had been recently introduced to its President and Founder, Melissa Gonzalez, and had the pleasure of her hands-on tour de force overview of the entire store (which will definitely be here until the end of year so seize the moment while you can!).  

In many ways, I find Melissa inspiring, as she had spent years of her life on Wall Street pitching investment deals and sales, and has since then successfully forayed into the e-commerce, beauty, and fashion space.  (This savvy chica bid adieu to the financial world post Lehman and Bear Stearns, and I don't blame her!).  On many levels, I definitely identified with her, and was further encouraged to learn the many ways Melissa had leveraged her finance skillset into the world of emerging fashion.

Lion’esque is both a fashion and lifestyle brand, and sells a wide variety of goods, from of-the-moment accessories & cocktail dresses, to beauty products, books, and kitchenware (color spatulas, anyone?).  What I like the most about Melissa is her depth of knowledge for each and every one of her designers, and the unique stories she told for each one.  It is clear that this fashionista possesses both a serious business sense and discerning taste.  The best part?  The items she carry in her store can be high-fashion but also affordable, so that every maxinista can look fab this holiday season without straying from his/her budget.  You can’t beat that!

Oooh… and did I mention, the kick-off for the store opening is tomorrow evening (November 29th, 2012), from 6-8pm (details below), and it should be an awesome opportunity to check out the goodies!  So if you’re in the neighborhood, I highly recommend that you swing by and snag some of her awesome stuff either for yourself, or as holiday gifts.  In my case, I scored a fabulous laptop bag (functional and fun!) by Zara Terez – even hubby approved.

Fabulous art-deco earrings by Egotique (a brand from Milan)

Cape by Sandra Baquero

Another stunning piece by Sandra Baquero!

Another killer clutch by Zara Terez!

I heart these cuffs by Heather Belle -- not bad for twenty bones!

Lion'esque also carries a number of lifestyle books hand-selected by Melissa

Psss -- fellas! These colorful spatulas are a complete hit right now. Hint: they make fantastic stocking stuffers.  

This geometric, color-pop laptop bag by Zara Terez came home with me! Love.

#246 A New Venture with Young British Designers

‘Tis the season to be stylish!  I’m super excited to tell you about Rock Shic’s newest collaboration with Young British Designers, recently ranked amongst the Top 50 Fashion Insiders of the UK. 

As you know, I love artsy and edgy fashion, and I am all for supporting independent emerging designers, some of whom have been featured on Rock Shic.  I believe that the fresh eye, creativity, and sharp awareness these folks bring to both the fashion and art space is what ultimately drives this ever-evolving and competitive industry.  Maybe it’s the artist-daughter spirit in me, but I’ve always had a strong penchant for small boutiques over large department stores. 

In any case, this is Rock Shic’s first international collaboration to date, as it features a broad and unique spectrum of various designers – Jasper Garvida, Felicity Brown, Kinder Aggugini, Eudon Choi, and Jean Theo, to list a few (all Brits, of course!).  Fitting too – as hubby was also born in England.  As a matter of fact, I’ve always looked upon the UK quite fondly… I’m not sure what it is (certainly not the weather!).  There is just something so fundamentally chic and gritty about the pulse of the country, which definitely sets it apart from its European counterparts.  I believe this teaser video from @YBDfashion says it all!

Over the years, I’ve also seen many good friends and colleagues relocate to London, partially due to the weakening U.S. market, and partly because… well it’s just so-darn convenient for the adventurous, jet-setting crowd!  Ryanair, anyone?  There’s also a part of me that secretly believes that one day, hubby and I will retire back in the UK (though he is still lobbying pretty hard for New Zealand).

At any rate, look for more features on Young British Designers from Rock Shic to come! And Happy Wednesday & Rockefeller Tree Lighting!            

Me atop the London Eye -- visit here for more tips on my travel & packing style!

At the British Museum (2010), which has a special place in my heart, as that's also where daddy's work is collected!

A crisp, cool morning in London... wearing my Xmas colours.  

These are some of my personal favs from London -- I look a bit bleary-eyed, as we've literarlly just landed. Hubby had to keep waking me up while we rode the tube!

202 Cafe in Notting Hill, one of my favorite spots!!  The French toast with maple syrup and bacon is a signature dish.

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