Real Talk: Red Nailpolish

In Paris life is a lot slower, and I suddenly find I have time to do little things, like paint my nails something other than clear or cream. I've fallen into the red zone like Beyonce:
I *never* would have worn a red nail in NYC--no time to repaint! But now that I've tried it, I'm a quick convert--nothing screams sexy more than a bright red nail. Now I'm looking for even more shades to indulge in. I've got my eye on these:
1. Nars Nailpolish in Chinatown, $16. 2. Essie Nailpolish in Macks, $8. 3. Chanel Vamp Nail Polish, $20.
I'm clearly new to the colored nail thing: What are you fave red polishes?

Real Talk: Stained Leather Fix

Hey,
So last summer, I purchased a cute, functional light leather bag. It was a subdued tan, had fashionable tassles, and went with just about everything!
After a summer of parties and fun, I took a look, and my poor bag was almost embarassing to carry around:
On top of being stained by my excessive cocoa butter use, black jackets, and dirt, it also had gum on it! Don't ask me how it got there.
I really thought my bag was done for, before I spoke to a friend who told me I could get the problem fixed for a steal.
He directed me to a place called Evelyn & San...
A shoe repair shop nestled away at 400 West 83rd street and 1st avenue.
The shop itself was very unassuming...
...but when I took a closer look, I noticed all the Gucci bags, Manolo Blahnik and Louboutin heels...this place was all business!
I asked if my bag could be fixed, and the friendly Italian owner told me that with two weeks (and $75 cash), he could make it good as new. $75 seemed like a lot, but I decided to trust him...besides $75 is nothing compared to the price of buying a new bag.
Three weeks later, voila:
What do you think? The gum is definitely gone, as are most of the darker stains...it's definitely much better than it used to be! So instead of succumbing to the allure of purchasing a new tote, it seems I can carry my old purse around for yet another season. 
If you, too, have a light colored or white bag in your closet that you think is virtually unwearable...hit up your local shoe repair store. You never know. For a small fee, you may be able to rock your bag like new!
Smootches!

Fashion, News, and What Nots

*Calling all designers!

Yaz birth control wants to redesign the iconic birth control case and is looking for aspiring designers for ideas!!

Launched by Nina Garcia, the contest gives designers the chance to redesign a chic, more sophisticated birth control carrying case. Design submissions will be accepted until June 30, 2008. One lucky winner will receive a $10,000 prize to invest in his or her career dreams!! Hey, why not?

For more information, click here or here.
*Ruth la Ferla of the NYTimes...
...on the Rogan for Target/Barney's Collabo.
*Bossip has scans of Naomi Campbell...
...in next month's I-D magazine. Check out her spread here. [Bossip]
*A promo image of the new show, Stylista...
....if you haven't heard of it, it's where young hopefuls vie for a spot at Elle Mag. Must see TV!!
*Just for fun. I frickin love this song:

It's even on My Myspace page!

Real Style: Piedmont Park + Real Talk: Getting Rid of Static Cling

Hey!
So as you know, last weekend, I was chillin in the ATL. My girls and I went out to Piedmont Park...
..and came across this lovely young lady...
...who looked summer ready in a form fitting white shirt dress, gold platform Mary Janes and a colorful bag.
Simply chic!
Smootches!

Fashion, News, and What Nots

*Here's a Real Talk quickie.
Last week the weather was beautiful, so I decided to pull out one of my fave silk shirtdresses to bless the day. I steamed it up, threw it on, but was dismayed when this happened:
...that's right! SERIOUS static cling. The men were loving the look...but the cling was so bad it was almost comical (well I thought so)! No amount of tugging could stop the dress from sticking to my legs.
I asked around and one of my coworkers recommended rubbing a dryer sheet on the inside of my dress and on my legs. Voila le resultat:
...problem solved!
My colleague also told me that hairspray sprayed on the legs can work as well.
You might've already known this trick, but I was clueless!
A dryer sheet totally saved my day:)
* Pharrell talks to the International Herald Tribune about his Blason collection for Louis Vuitton. [IHT]
*In other Louis Vuitton news, the house is suing an artist for creating this image:
"Artist Nadia Plesner created this image to satirize the lack of media attention a genocide like Darfur gathers compared with the relative overexposure of skinny women with little dogs and designer bags." Read more here. [Make Fetch Happen]
*It's confirmed! The Independent reports that Vogue Italia's July issue will contain almost exclusively black models!
Regarding a possible backlash in Italy, Franca Sozzani, Italian Vogue's Editor in Chief says, "Maybe in our country it is not the best idea. But I don't care. I think it is not my problem if they don't like it – it's their problem." Amen! When oh when will American Vogue follow suit? [The Independent]
*If anyone lives in an area without access to foreign magazine editions, I'd be happy to pick up a few copies of Vogue Italia's July issue! I'll make them available in the Fashion Bomb Shop...just pay shipping and handling. If interested, e-mail me at thefashionbomb@gmail.com.
*Eva's Jenny Dayco earrings mentioned in Friday's Mail Bombs retail for $101. Purchase by calling 310-621-0680.
*Glamour Mag on Plus Sized Style. [Glamour]
*Blogger Yuli channels Mary Kate for Nylon Mag in a hot Fashion Bomb Tee:
Check her out at My It Things. And get your T here. [My It Things]

Real Talk: Shopping for Fashion Week

Hello my lovelies!
So as you probably know, New York Fashion Week starts tomorrow!

Fashionistas from all over the country will convene to view the Fall 2008 collections of designers from Diane von Furstenberg to Herve Leger. It's an exciting time for the Fashion Bomb, as I'll be in the house delivering Real Style, pictures, and interviews.

Even though I swore to temper shopping in the New Year, I knew I just had to get a few special somethings for the occasion.

Keeping my budgetary concerns in mind, I figured $200 was a low, yet reasonable amount to go shopping. I told myself I'd try to find items below $100 each (per my New Years resolution), and truly be a budget fashionista.

With my vision of how fashion week attendees should look....

...I set out last Saturday to find a few diamonds in the rough.

I started local, walking down Flatbush Avenue until I hit one of my favorite boutiques, Harriet's Alter Ego (293 Flatbush Avenue between St. Marks and Prospect Place)...

I was informed that the rack in the back...

...held items for $30.

My eyes immediately settled on this vintage Chanel inspired tweed jacket...
...with a great stand up collar and a short style that was mildly reminiscent of Victoria Beckham's jacket from the Roland Mouret show.
I tried it on...
...and it was a little tight, but for $30, it was definitely a steal! I reasoned I could perhaps get it let out at my trusty tailor. If anything, I'd wear it unbuttoned over a sleeveless dress for shows, then gift it to one of my grubby sisters!
Running tally: $30.
I had a meeting in the city, so I raced off to the East Village where I wandered into a French Connection (700 Broadway at West 4th Street)...
...I was lured in by their promise of 60% off their fashionable wares.

I grabbed *way* too much stuff, and made my way into the dressing room. Turns out all the items were an extra 50% off their sale prices, so dresses normally $200 were marked down to $60-$70--definitely within my budget!
I tried on this wine colored number...
...and though I thought it could maybe work with tights, I felt it was too short and night clubby for an aspiring fashion editor like myself.
This sweater dress was only $70 (marked down from $200)...
...and with a white collared shirt underneath, it could look smart, professional and appropriate. I liked it a lot, but still wasn't convinced.
Then I tried on a wild card, a winter white coat with a stunning fur collar ( I thought for sure it was misplaced on the sale rack). Still, I tried it on.....and was sold! As a sidenote, a little bit of fur is the rule, not the exception for editors. Take Andre Leon Talley, par example...
...fur is just an accent, but it's there. I looked at the tag on my winter white wonder and realized it was only $140 (marked down from $378). Not under $100, but a deal nonetheless, and within my overall $200 budget. It was mine.
Running tally: $170.
With only $30 left, I figured I couldn't really get much. Shoes of quality were out of the option, as were most bags. Walking around 5th Avenue the following day, I came upon Zara (659 Fifth Avenue at 54th street)...
... the perfect place to find affordable yet chic clothes. They advertised a 50% off sale, so I stopped in...
...and it turns out they, too, were slashing everything. I quickly found a rack full of editor-esque dresses for only $30!
I tried on a few...
...but was unimpressed until I tried this one on...
... a slate gray cowl neck sheath, also reminiscent of Madame Beckham. The dress was a little big, but with a belt...
... it worked! And if anything, I could get it tailored in time for the big week!
I ran to the register with my $30, and that's all she wrote!
Total: $200.
So let's review: I purchased a tweed jacket, sheath dress, and a knee-length wool coat for only $200. And the colors are neutral, so they'll fit seamlessly into my wardrobe.
Here's to fashion on a budget!
Now, on to the tents...
Smootches!

Fashion, News, and What Nots

*FYI: I visited my tailor, and it turns out the jacket could not be let out, but the dress could be taken in...for $35! Ok so tailoring costs more than the dress, but I'm sure that that $65 will probably look like $300! And lesson learned: it's easier to take things in than to let them out. If you must buy the wrong size, make sure it's too big, not too small.
*On my fashion plate tomorrow: BCBG Max Azria, Erin Fetherston and Baby Phat! Stay tuned for updates:)
*Fashion Bomb Friend Tia Williams...
... is featured in a New York Times article on Beauty Bloggers! If you haven't yet, check out her dope blog, Shake your Beauty. It's all about makeup for brown skinned babes! Think 'The Beauty Bomb.'
*Another newspaper looks at the absence of color on the runway. [Newsday]
*According to Ruth La Ferla, fashion will harken back to the 50’s and 60’s in Fall shows:
A quote, “Fashion is supposed to be about change,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail analyst with NPD Group, a market research firm, “[Once a standard bearer of the vanguard], fashion has become the most conservative of all industries.” [NYTimes]

Real Talk: Frayed Jeans

Hey!
So one of my friends recently suggested a inject a bit more of my ‘real life’ into the blog. If you were here in the beginning, you might remember that all I did back then was take you shopping with me!
Well, I recently had a situation to which, I think, a lot of you curvy girls can relate: My absolute favorite pair of Seven Jeans (purchased at Saks for $187) had sprouted two gaping frays at the thighs, similar to this:
...it was tragic! No other jeans fit me like my Sevens, and I didn’t really feel like shelling out another $200 for a new, potentially inferior pair!
Granted, I probably shouldn’t have been teaching my little sister a dance to Flo Rida’s “Low” in my jeans, but I still felt that they had a bit of life left in them.
I asked my mom, who is an expert seamstress and dressmaker (and who has worked the stuff out of hems, buttons, and the like), and she delivered a sad verdict, “They can’t be fixed, throw them away!”
Not to be deterred, I went to my local dry cleaner...
...to see if there was any hope.
They looked at the damage, and unfazed, said it could be done in a week for $15.
I returned later to pick them up, and Voila...
...I couldn’t believe it! Minus a slightly lighter color, there was little sign of the prior fray. My friend and I were flabbergasted. I looked and saw they placed a very serious looking patch inside...
Long story short, my jeans were (almost) as good as new!
So if your favorite pair of jeans has been relegated to the ‘weekend’ pile, or if you’ve lost hope, know that there is a solution:
Just throw in a $15 patch and keep it moving!
Hope that helped someone out there...
Smootches!

Fashion, News and What Nots

*I've had tailor success before! Click here to read about how my tailor helped fix a puckering jacket.
*Don't have this problem? Here's an early mail bomb for ya:
Reader Mataya loved Mel B's dress in this picture. She says, " I was wondering where to find the Dress that Mel B is wearing?"
Mel B is wearing this Roberto Cavalli creation...
...from his Spring 2008 collection.

Get a similar look with the following sequined showstoppers:

Top Row: Aqua Colorblock Sequin Dress, $187.50, www.bloomingdales.com; Marc Bouwer Glamit! Mini Dress, $356.90, www.saks.com.

Bottom Row: Carmen Marc Valvo Sequin Keyhole Dress, $514, www.saks.com; Snowball Dress, $230, www.fcuk.com.
*Know a great tailor in your area? Leave a comment and share the wealth!
*No more Isaac Mizrahi for Target.
*Deal of the Day:
...Retro Shawl Collar Stitched Jacket, $78, www.shopplasticland.com.

Let me Upgrade You

"Partner let me upgrade you/Audemars Piguet you/Switch your neck ties to purple labels/Upgrade you/I can/Can I/ Upgrade you/ Partner let me upgrade you/Partner let me upgrade you/ Flip a new page/Introduce you to some new things and/Upgrade you/I can/Can I/Upgrade you."--Beyonce feat Jay-Z "Upgrade You."

So I've been talking to lots of fashion experts and wardrobe consultants lately, who have all stressed the importance of clothes fitting correctly. If you think about it, sizes are totally arbitrary...there's really no way that every piece of clothing in a store fits your unique body perfectly (i.e. nips in at the waist, fits over your bust, etc). All experts suggested investing in alterations and tailoring.

I have two J.Crew tweed 'jackets' that I have different issues with.

I bought this hot herringbone coat from J.Crew about 3 months ago:



I bought it when it was a little warmer, so when I wore it unbottoned with t-shirts it fit just fine. But as the fall chills set in, the bulky sweaters I wore under the closed jacket made the buttons pucker up like so:


It didn't fit the way it should ( You see how the buttons close nicely on the model)? I probably should have bought the size up and tailored it, but I liked how this one fit across the waist.

I decided I needed to get a hook and eye to close the gaps.
I went to a corporate tailor around my job...

...who said it would only cost $6 to add a few snaps. Cool.

When I went in to actually get the jacket tailored, she said that the hook and eyes would close the gap, but that the jacket would still be too tight. In order for the jacket to fit properly, I'd need to have the shoulders and arms let out...a process that would cost $40.
This is how the tailor tailored my jacket:


It definitely fits better across the bust. My sister said that it was, "Definitely an improvement." And with her validation, all is right in the world. I went to Splendid Tailors in the Rockefeller Center Concourse (tel: 212-218-2947), but they have locations throughout the city. Google them for a store near you.

I also bought this herringbone J.Crew coat last year (I clearly have a problem buying wool jackets from J.Crew but I promise I'll stop!):


This one fits across the bust, but doesn't fit in the waist. To take it in, I think I might try a tailor with a reputation.

I found an old article of New York Magazine that sang the praises of this guy Guillermo Molina located at 237 West 37th Street bet 7th and 8th (his website is www.guillermocouture.com). I plan on going to his shop to see about his prices. If he's too expensive, I might try my tailor in Brooklyn who does a great job fixing straps and hemming pants. Name: Golden Touch Cleaners located at 326 Flatbush Avenue (right next to the B,Q to 7th Avenue) Tel: (718) 638-9182.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Smootches!
For those of you outside of New York, know that a tailor can totally upgrade your look. Clinton Kelly once said in an interview that the people who look like they have effortless style usually put in a lot of effort--meaning they take the time to get alterations. He also stressed the importance of clothes simply fitting correctly. Try your neighbordhood tailor or ask some impeccably dressed person if they use a tailor. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Photo Credit