Sex and the City stylist, Patricia Field, just launched her latest collection of glam-rock kicks at her downtown NYC boutique and studio with an intimate Q&A in her downtown NYC studio, followed by a packed party held in her store next door.
"I draw much inspiration from my global travels to major fashion capitals including Tokyo and Sao Paulo, among the standards. On the global front, color and pop-glamour are key -- I am excited to
bring shoppers these global interpretations in my Payless summer collection. For my second collection for Payless I was inspired to continue the strong metallic theme, layering on bright colors including electric blue, sleek silver and sunny gold with sparkle and high-shine detailing,” explains Field, whose first collection was inspired by her red carpet appearance at the Oscars, after she was nominated for her work on The Devil Wears Prada. This second capsule collection is comprised of shiny blue and gold pumps, glittery ballet flats, metallic Roman-inspired flat sandals, and "sneakers" for the sexy gal (mixed-metallic 3 inch mules).
“We have been thrilled to work with Patricia, America’s style icon, to style our consumer marketing, as well as to bring her designs to shoppers nationwide with the Patricia Field for Payless collection,” says Matthew Rubel, CEO and president of Payless ShoeSource. “Payless Guest Designers (which have included Lela Rose and Abaete) like Patricia are a powerful element in our mission to democratize fashion in footwear and accessories. Patricia’s impeccable taste and exquisite sense of style is truly apparent in her summer collection, and we are excited to see the positive consumer reaction when the product hits stores this week.”
While the shoes and coordinating clutches are affordably priced in the $25 to $35 range, they're anything but cheap. “I love what Payless is doing to make fashion democratic," agrees Field, "and I am excited to be a part of that movement.
Also, be sure to check out Sharon Clott's fabulous interview with the uber-stylist for NYMag.com, and find out about "tears of fashion", what Samantha wears in every sex scene, and how Field presented the audience with a lovely Carrie-flower in the opening scene.
The Patricia Field for Payless summer capsule collection is available starting this week at Payless.com.
- Lesley Scott
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give boring boots the boot
Founded in 1947 by Bernard Rudofsky, Bernardo has a rich heritage,
which is evident in their footwear. An architect by training, Austrian native Rudofsky worked in a number of European countries before settling in Brazil and designing several high profile residences in São Paolo.
A renaissance type, his interest in design included everything from "vernacular architecture to Japanese toilets and sandal design." During the 40s, 50s & 60s, he organized tongue-wagging exhibits at the MOMA including Now I Lay Me Down to Eat - which refers to the ancient custom of dining while reclining - and provided an enlightening tour of questionable design in the activities of everyday life such as eating, sleeping & bathing. "For instance, he asks why the standard American-style toilet is effectively a septic humidifier, and why American-style bathtubs are impossible for adults to lie down in and are as a matter of routine permanently fixed two or three feet away from a septic humidifier...By contrasting current western design solutions with earlier practices, he makes our current "solutions" look open to improvement, if not outright ridiculous and arbitrary."*
After giving a series of lectures at Black Mountain College in the early 40s on subjects like How Can People Expect to Have Good Architecture When They Wear Such Clothes? (here was a man obviously ahead of his time), he and wife Berta founded Bernardo Sandals in 1947. The classic Miami sandal became an instant hit with the jetset, remained a fave of the Lilly Pulitzer crowd in the 60s & 70s, and still looks good today.
This Blondie boot combines the comfort of a ballet slipper in a chic urban boot, and is fully lined
in chocolate shearling up through the shaft. The cuff is flexible, and can remain below the knee or unfurl completely. Available at BernardoFootwear.com.
- Lesley Scott
RELATED STORIES:
Fall's best over-the-knee boots
A sexy, knee-high caramel-colored boot from Frye
(*Bernardo Rudofsky history via Wikipedia)
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fashiontribes.
According to cultural scholar Remy Saisselin: "A dress may be at some moment of its existence, a poem of form, color and motion, and that at such a privileged instant the dress may transform the wearer into a poetic apparition." With the buzz of the Spring 2008 Fashionweek upon us, Poets.org is showcasing essays & poems that explore the ways poetry and fashion intersect...from the functional to the extravagant. They are even celebrating with a limited edition tee emblazoned with And our visions, the visions of poets, the most solid announcements of any - the wisdom of the uber-fabulous Walt Whitman (for a 20% discount, at checkout use the code newsletter), or a Cynthia Rowley-designed We Real Cool tee inspired by a Gwendolyn Brooks poem.
"The insights into clothing that I came across while reading made a lasting impression," muses Stan Tymorek, a fashion copywriter and creative director, discussing the diverse approaches to clothing in poems by Thom Gunn, Anne Carson, and Charles Simic. "This much is true: you cannot deny the power of the shoe," explains Meghan Cleary, author of The Perfect Fit: What Your Shoes Say about You, and host of Shoe Therapy on the Home Shopping Network, musing on poems dedicated to shoes, - including Red Slippers by Amy Lowell, My Shoes by Charles Simic, The Broken Sandal by Denise Levertov, and Honor Moore's New Shoes & Red Shoes - along with her thoughts on how poetry demonstrates the grandeur and power of a great pair of shoes.
To impress fellow literary-minded fashionistas, take fun Poets' Fashion Quiz! Who said:
a) "...I had just gone hog-wild and bought myself a pair or thirty-dollar shoes—French, with buckles, very something-or-other and possibly a mistake."
b) "I'm sorry, I can't go east now, in spite of your generous invitation. Reasons: 1. People will like me the better if they don't meet me; I have nothing to say to anyone and don't really like to listen, and can't bear to answer questions. 2. I haven't owned a hat since 1918, nor worn one since 1912."
c) "When anyone speaks of a knit dress, I think of the cumbrous, knap-sack-like rolls of hammock-like yarn that people stuff into knitting-bags in the subway, before hastily getting out, and this delicate zephyr of a thing stirs us to the soul."
d) "...I was wearing a horrible (yet somehow magnificent!) ancient baggy overcoat that my father gave me years ago, a coat which (before I retired it formally some months ago) possessed that weird old-fashioned virtue of resisting all fraying of elbows, sleeves, collar, etc."
e) "And sometimes when I arrived on a cold winter evening dressed in a conventional way, I would be greeted by 'Elizabeth, silk stockings!' as if I were reckless or prone to suicide."
f) "I shall now crawl into my pyjamas + be meditative, if I can."
Quiz Answers: a) Amy Clampitt, May 1966; b) Robinson Jeffers, March 27, 1927; c) Marianne Moore, August, 1943; d) James Wright, March or April, 1965; e) Elizabeth Bishop on Marianne Moore, written between 1969 and 1979; f) Wallace Stevens, December 31, 1900.
Find some cultural justification for your incurable fashion habit at Poets.org.
- Lesley Scott
fashiontribes.
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Jackie O shows how to travel in style (photo: BrownsFashion.com)
A cruise is a great excuse to show off your flair on the road. Some fun, flirty frocks, a new bathsuit (or three), a coverup that heads straight from the pool or beach to cocktails, some colorful accessories, and off you go. The reward for overpacking is that you leave lots of room to bring home some fun new fashion finds.
Some great items for a cruise capsule wardrobe:
For more hints & ideas on packing light but stylishly for the road, CLICK HERE for our other recent post on packing lightly but with maximum travel chic.
- Lesley Scott
fashiontribes.
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FASHION:
SHOES, BAGS & ACCESSORIES:
BEAUTY:
LIFESTYLE:
- Lesley Scott
fashiontribes.
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Sienna Miller tells it like it is.
The fact that Sienna Miller was photographed walking her doggies in this groovy Humane Society hoodie emblazoned with Club Sandwiches Not Seals - which contributes to the fight against the Canadian seal hunt - pretty much ensures her status on the top of the Fashion It-Girl foodchain in our book.
Why not take a fashion tip from Ms. Miller & support businesses that help rather than harm our fab four-legged friends with these clothes, accessories & accoutrements that make it easy & chic to support animal rights causes:
- Help save the baby seals & abolish the cruel Canadian seal hunt forever with a Humane Society hoodie from HSUS.com.
- Let an adorable baby chick on this I am Not a Nugget messenger bag remind people that chickens are more than the sum of their parts. At PetaCatalog.org.
- Don a pin made from pig-latin, reclaimed magazines & catalogs, and mounted on scraps of plastic destined for the landfill. SnootyJewelry.com
- Avoid supporting animal research altogether by giving a miss to animal- and animal-derived ingredients with this handy guide available from Amazon.com.
- Wear your cause on your sleeve (so to speak) by "adopting" a primate & donating to the Animal Protection Institute - where more than 400 nonhuman promates have been rescued from abusive situations in labs, zoos & bad owners, and finally have a second chance at a more natural life.
- Lesley Scott
fashiontribes.
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Donatella Versace, inimitable empress of luxury (photo: Matthias Vriens)
Glam Shopping Beat by Lesley Scott:
The Versace name is synonymous with over-the-top glitz and glam of
the kitschy-yet-fabulous sort. And the current face of the brand,
Donatella Versace, knows how to live large (or, at least, be
photographed extensively in the act). In the upcoming July issue of Details, she shares her top 10
tips for looking good, wearing cologne, shaving, the perfect summer
getaway luggage, and which celebs have the best style.
- the always stylish Kanye West
- goin' my way? a Versace-designed Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 Roadster
- facial hair done right, courtesy of the Killers
- Versace luggage
- The Dreamer cologne by Versace
Enjoy the Style Wisdom of Donatella Versace:
The three biggest fashion mistakes are cheap suits, shoes, and shirts. Spend your money on something good. (suits: Paul Smith)- Some men look great unshaven; others just look like they forgot to shave. Beards and mustaches work if they're distinctive - think earthy & rock 'n roll like the Kings of Leon or The Killers. (photo: James Dimmock via ew.com)
- "I just designed the livery for a Lamborghini and I’m told this machine is a real object of male desire. But true luxury is about the best of everything. Don’t cut back on the little things—great coffee, a good novel, a wonderful aftershave." (Lamborghini photo: driversdrive.com)
- "For luggage, I use big Versace suitcases. I always overpack, but my advice to men is to pack a capsule wardrobe: a few suits, a pair of casual trousers, and then tops and accessories for changes—ties, belts, watches, shoes." (suitcase: Versace.com)
- "In my opinion, men who have greatstyle include Lou Reed (downtown–New York chic), Jude Law (London chic), Alain Delon (French chic), Marcello Mastroianni (Italian chic), Rupert Everett (English-public-school chic), and Kanye West (modern, cool chic)." (photo: vipglamour.net)
- "When buying a gift for your wife, do your research. Find out what she wants by subtle interrogation, or ask her friends."
As you get older, go for an elegant and understated look. "But [older men] have the advantage that they can do the rugged thing—think of Sam Shepard in denim. I find older men more attractive than boys. I need a man who can teach me a thing or two." (photo: IMDB.com)
"I don’t like jeans—I love them. I like slim-cut jeans, and at the moment I like them dark and clean, like tailored trousers." (Theory slim jeans available at NeimanMarcus.com)- Scent is very important. Strong fragrances suit some men, while citrus types suit others. "I like my men to smell fresh and woody, but also like a man." (Versace The Dreamer cologne - Sephora.com)
- "When it comes to dress, there are more rules in America than in Europe. Dress is more of a social indicator—except in L.A., where you don’t know if the guy in the T-shirt and combat trousers in the hotel lobby is the busboy or a studio executive. That’s pretty refreshing."
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One of the best ways to support what you believe in is with your wallet. However, buying shapeless, elastic-waist hemp pants or dowdy, unattractive footwear in the name of saving the earth is completely out of the question. Fortunately, a growing number of design students in the world's top fashion schools are beginning to seriously tackle the problem of how to make eco-chic synonymous with high fashion. There is also a handful of earth-minded companies that are also style conscious, making it easy to maintain one's fashion dignity while being a friend to the earth.
This year, rock eco-chic versions of the season's must-have's: a maxi-dress, colorful bracelets & oversized tote:
Natural hemp & eucalyptus Goddess patio dress - DisciplesOfPlanetaryEcology.com
100% organic cotton Inspiration sweater - perfect for a post-sunset summer evening. Available at UndertheCanopy.com.
Customizable shoes with soles crafted from recycled rubber tires, eco-friendly woods & glues; the uppers are whatever ribbon or trim suits your ensemble or mood. Available in three heel heights from Mohop.com.
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