2012 is here! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

     I hope that this year will be great for all. New trend reports and new fashion news will be coming soon. I can't wait to share with you all the fun fashion and hear from you. Please feel free to send me anything you "love" that is fashion related. I may feature it on my blog. 

Merry Christmas...

To all my readers:

     I want to thank all the readers for being patient with me on my journey into the blog world. I hope all of you are having a wonderful holiday season and wish all the luck and success for the new year.

     Merry Christmas and Happy Shopping!

Yours truly,

My Style A La Mode.

It's The Night Before Christmas!

Sugar Cookies

It’s the night before Christmas and all through the house,

The smell of sugar cookies are baking;

So Santa can snack on them,

Before leaving your home.

Ok so it didn't rhyme..LOL

Try this delicious and easy recipe for sugar cookies that I got from the Food Network, Alton Brown. It is yummy and easy.

Short Bread Cookies

     Here is another fun Christmas cookie recipe that won the hearts of my co-workers last year. It is great to have children help with this one.

Happy Baking and Happy Shopping!

Short Bread Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups of all- purpose flour (a little extra for dusting)

½ cup of corn starch

¼ tea spoon of course salt

1 tea spoon of vanilla extract

1 cup of confectioner sugar

3 and ½ sticks of unsalted butter

1 hand full of Turbinado Sugar (sugar in the raw) for sprinkling on top of cookies

6 to 7 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate

Home-made Holiday Treats!

 It's Cookie Time!

      For the few that read my blog, I appologize for the lack of postings lately. With the holidays so close by, I have been busy with the usual Holiday shopping and gift wrapping.

     I hope you are all almost done with the gift buying, but should you want to continue the holiday cheer with some "holiday treats", why not bake some yourself. A plate a cookies is always welcome to any celebration and nothing says "Love" like home-made cookies.

Here is a recipe that is easy and yummy. Please enjoy!

Happy Baking and Happy Shopping!

Simple Almond Cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookie:

10 ounces (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

¾ cup of sugar

1 teaspoon of almond extract

2 cups of all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon of baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Handful of Turbinado Sugar (Sugar in the raw)

For the glaze:

1 ½ powder sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

4-5 teaspoons of water

Sliced almonds

Walking the Windows of NYC

Window Shopping!

During my travels in and out of the BIG CITY, I often forget how great and full of wonder is the city. This week I decided to take some time to be a tourist and look around MY GRAND CITY, New York.

The Holiday Hustle!

The Holiday Hustle!

Looking at the calendar, there are only 3 more weekends before Christmas and Hanukkah. So the race for the perfect gift is on and hearts are pumping.

Lady Gaga takes over Barneys

Barneys is Going Lady...”Gaga”

Looking for new and different gift items for the holidays? Take a trip to Barneys, at their Madison Ave flagship location in NYC.

November 21, Lady Gaga launched the new “Gaga’s Workshop” at Barneys, Monday night. You can take a tour of her creative holiday workshop and explore works of art, inspired and created by the world of Lady Gaga.

Harajuku Lovers "Mini" me collection at Target

Target has some “Wicked” style!

Looking for something fun and affordable for your children to wear? Go down to your local Target and check out the new Harajuku Lover collection “Mini” for children.

On November 12^th, Gwen Stefani had a launch party for her new line “Mini” inspired by her Harajuku Lovers label.

Holiday Glitz and Glam!

All that Glitters, does not have to be gold!

 Now that the holidays are approaching, it is time to think about what to wear. Whether you are going to that office party, family holiday celebration, or even a New Year’s Eve event, finding something that will make you look your best, is the key!

Broadway goes "Dark Chocolate"

Candy Coated Fashion

Think “Broadway!”… now think “Broadway dipped in Chocolate!” Now Mr. Willy Wonka would put his candy wrapper seal of approval on that!

It was the start of the 14^th annual New York City Chocolate Show. A Broadway themed show, featuring outfits and head pieces that paid tribute to NYC shows like: Les Miserables, Lion King and Phantom of the Opera, all in decadent chocolate, present by Lincoln. It was held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, on November 9^th at 6:30pm.

The NYC Chocolate show is one of the world’s largest chocolate events. Featuring cooking demos, award winning authors, culinary theater with chocolatiers and pastry chefs, you can walk around and enjoy numerous of activities and gather advice from all your chocolate professionals. The chocolate show starts November 10-13 and tickets are around $30 to attend.  For more info, visit the website: http://www.chocolateshow.com/accueil.aspx

Versace at H&M!

So it seems like H&M is riding the fashionable coat tails of other mass market stores. In select H&M Stores, starting November 19^th, you will be able to purchase special pieces from the Versace Line. That is right; H&M has decided to step into the same shoes as their predecessors Target and Khols, by featuring a line of affordable items specially designed by Versace.

Hey Alice, Welcome to the TEA PARTY!

Tea for Two!

When Alice sat down at the table to have tea with the Mad Hatter, she never thought the experience would be so chaotic. Little girls often love to “play tea.” When some women get together to chat, some of us will enjoy “tea”. Whatever the situation and however you enjoy it, TEA is a part of most societies.

Bryant Park: the garment center's place to play

Fashion at Bryant Park

Located right in the garment center of New York City, Bryant Park was the center for fashion designer’s runway shows since 1994. Attendees of these events were through invitation only, which made them exclusive to the fashion industry, celebrities and news reporters. Designers would showcase their latest creations in the white tents of Bryant Park. In Fall, 2009, many of the designers decided not to show collections in Bryant Park, due to high financial costs. Innovative and technological advancements were created that made the Bryant Park fashion shows to be obsolete and costly, in comparison. Online sites developed by designers, as well as iPhone applications made it cheaper and more efficient to share collections and designs with the world.

Halloween In Style !

Happy Halloween!

With the endless number of the choices of Halloween costumes in your local store, it can be quite overwhelming to choose “who to be” this season. I find the most inspirational costumes can come from characters of movies. For the most popular movies, you will be able to buy a “ready-to wear” costume. For some obscure characters and movies, you will need to have a little imagination and some creativity.

Fighting Breast Cancer with Fashion!

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month

According to the American Cancer Society, your risks of developing breast cancer increases as you get older. About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45, while about 2 of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older. For women in the U.S. the breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer. Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in American women. About 30% of cancers in women are breast cancer. (American Cancer) For more information on Breast cancer go to: http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/index?ssSourceSiteId=null

This month I am sure you have heard people participating in walks and runs for the cure, but don’t forget a lot of companies out there are offering products to purchase, in which they will donate a portion of the proceeds to breast cancer research.

So how can fashion help fight cancer?

Walk up and down the aisles of your grocery or department store and you will be able to see various products in pink that promise if you buy them, money will be donated to research the cure for breast cancer. I have found items like nail polish, lotions, jewelry, umbrellas, make up, tee shirts etc. that will donate to the research. In my photo above, you will see some of these items and the places you can buy them.

Here are some of the other ways you can fashionably fight breast cancer:

• My company participates in “Denim Day” every year. Each person donates $5 and they are given have the opportunity to dress down in jeans for the day. This is a day we can show off our Denim Fashions!
• Other ways I have seen fund raising was with beauty treatments. I subscribe to PrettyCity.com and this month they featured deals in NYC (and other cities) spa deals for $31 for the 31 days in October. It is just another way to pamper yourself for a good cause.
• I personally know someone who sells Lia Sophia jewelry and recently held a jewelry party to raise funds for cancer research. There was a variety of fun & fashionable jewelry to buy and she donated her earnings for cancer research.

I would like to take a moment, to talk about one of my favorite designers, Betsey Johnson. Not only had she helped raise money for the cure with her fashion shows, but she, herself is a survivor of breast cancer.

In 2000, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a lumpectomy. She has been cancer free since and continues to fight cancer with her fund raisers for research. By creating one of a kind outfits, for auction or holding special fashion shows, the money raised gets donated for the cause. Betsey Johnson is now 68 years old and she is still turning cart wheels down her runway.

This October, the insignia, “I’m a survivor!” is proudly printed on an oversized Betsey Babe tote, knit hat and gloves, socks and paired with pink ribbons for a cheerful charm bracelet. Another especially sweet awareness product launching this October is the Betsey Johnson Serendipity Sundae at Serendipity 3 in NYC. A portion of the proceeds of this signature breast cancer (and of course, Betsey!) pink treat, as well as all the awareness merchandise, will go to two of Betsey’s beloved charities: the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, and the center where Betsey herself was treated, the Weill Cornell Breast Center of the Iris Cantor Women’s Health Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Betsey also showed her support by holding a Breast Cancer Awareness Event at her Soho boutique on October 7th from 5-7pm. (Betsey Johnson Website)

So remember ladies, always go for your routine check ups and in order to stay fashionable, try to buy fun products that will help send funds towards breast cancer research.

Happy Shopping

"Targeting" the Trends of High Fashion

Fashion Forward at Target

So you find yourself walking down the aisles of Target, gathering your supplies of cleaning products, low costing food items, toiletries, and make up, but what about fashion? Ok, so you may pick up a pack of socks, some tee shirts, or maybe some leggings. And when you are looking for the latest trends or the hottest shoes, you don’t think to yourself “Let me go to Target.” These days, Target’s name is now being associated with affordable high end fashion. Starting with Isaac Mizrahi a few years back, and Liberty of London last year. This year’s “Missoni phenomenon” has proven that Target is not just for gym clothes anymore.

On September 8^th, Target opened up a pop up store in Manhattan featuring the long awaited Missoni brand. It was a sneak preview for their official launch at Target, during the 3^rd Annual Fashion Night Out. Products at the pop up stores sold out in a matter of hours. Even though it was scheduled to be open for the rest of the weekend, the doors were closed the very next day to the public. I know, I tried to go in and look around. For those that may not know the name Missoni, is a brand that is known for their signature zig zag patterns, associated with high end fashion that is featured in stores like Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

If you went into Target September 13^th, you would know that the Missoni line was officially launched in stores. That day, starting at Midnight, eager fashionistas were on line, trying to buy up what they could of the highly regarded Missoni line. So much interest in this line existed, that is made the  Target website crashed several times that day. People went into the stores early morning, racing and battling over the highly desirable Missoni products, featured at Target. They had sweaters, dresses, accessories, rugs, plates, bowls, mugs, and home furnishings. Anyone that came in for those items had to compete with other customers to the rights to obtain their objects of desire.

So what is next in the world of Target? I read that WWD announced that Jason Wu would be their next “head designer” showcased at Target. Nothing has been officially announced, but as far as I have read in the rumor trail, Jason Wu will be coming to a Target near you, this February 2012.

Who is Jason Wu? Well, Michelle Obama knows him well. He designed her dress to the inaugural ball.

Born in Taiwan, Wu moved to Canada at the age of nine. He learned to sew by creating doll clothes and later was a freelancer for a company called Integrity Toys, at the age of 16. He graduated from the Parson School of Design and later became an intern for Narciso Rodriguez.  (Wikipedia)

A quote from Jason Wu states: "The exciting thing about this limited edition collection of affordable women’s wear and accessories is that it allows me to reach a wider audience and bring my designs to people who may not have been able to purchase them before."  (Women’s Wear Daily)

So if Jason Wu’s collection turns out to be as exciting as Missoni, I think you may need to sleep outside the front door of Target to get your dose of Wu.

Happy Shopping!

Don't FALL behind on Fashion Trends!

Fall Trends

                I am sure you have already perused the stores to see what exciting things are here for the fall season.  Maybe you have seen some trends emerge from among all the stores. Most stores like Neiman Marcus, Nordstroms, Lord  & Taylor, Bloomingdales, and Macy’s have items featured on their web sites.

Some of the main trends that you can get from most of these stores are the following:

1.       Faux Furs- whether it is a trim on a cardigan or as an entire garment, such as a coat, faux fur has a definite representation in every store you step into. You will also see the importance of fur in your shoe department. So you can go out and be the snow bunny that you are and look stylish.

2.       Animal – Not only do you see it as a faux animal skin product like a shoe or a handbag, but animal prints are all over the place. You will find dresses, tops and skirts with an animal print. So you can see no actual animals were harmed for the sake of fashion. Ha ha!

3.       Color blocking- If you are not sure what that is, it is just garments that will display sections of color (usually about 3 or more) pieced together to form a pattern. It is sort of like patchwork. You will see them on sweaters, dresses, bags, and shoes. This season I have seen really bright colors blocked with dark neutral greys and blacks.

4.       Shine- From evening wear to simple cardigans and tops, you will see some type of shine. The shine can take form as fabrics or embellished fabrics. You will see a lot of sequined tops or metallic fabric tops/dresses.

5.       Ponchos and Capes- You will see this trend mostly with sweaters and outerwear. There are a lot of voluminous tops now and it is so you can pair it with jeggings, skinny jeans or leggings.

6.       Bow Blouses- This a trend featured on Nordstrom’s website, but you will also encounter it in other department stores. They are not the traditional bow blouse because of the new styling and sophisticated prints. They are not just for school teacher and secretaries anymore.

Besides the main department stores, you will also find these fun trends in Marshall’s, Annie Sez, Loehmenn’s, and TJ Maxx. So don’t get discouraged if you see the high end stores with those high end prices. And there are plenty of other stores not mentioned that will probably have some version of these items like Payless or Charlette Russe.

As you shop the stores, keep in mind of what trends you really want to your fall wardrobe.  Now you can go out there, like a pro.

Happy Shopping!

Closet Wars...

What is in your closet?

Every season, we struggle with the “changing of the closet”. Whether it is changing from spring to fall or winter to spring, the burden of making sure we have the right pieces in our wardrobe is always a challenge.

For this up coming winter, here are 10 key items that I think will benefit you to add to your personal fashion collection:

1. A Crisp white blouse. This item should be able to be worn with pants, jackets, skirts. It is the piece that you should be able to wear on your interview or wear with some jeans and pumps. A white blouse is perfect for all office dress codes.
2. A black jacket. No, not one that is apart of a 2 piece suit. A black blazer. One that you can wear with a pencil skirt in the office or once that you can throw on with a pair a jeans and some funky jewelry. Make sure it fit well and not tight. Also the fit should be to your body type. You don’t want to wear something “over-sized” that will make you look frumpy.
3. A nice well fitted trench coat or rain coat. During that transition time of fall, we tend to get a lot of rain. It especially feels like that this season in NY. I feel it a staple in any girl’s closet. It is a timeless piece that will always be in season.
4. Rain Boot are also a must. Something to go with your trench coat. I like the bright colored ones, myself, but if you are feeling like a “Shy Violet”, then there are many available in more neutral colors. The great thing now, since they have been a trend in the market, you can get them at almost any price. From $20 to $80. They are perfect for those large puddles.
5. A Basic Dress Coat. I find more double breasted and single breasted or single breasted wool coat in a neutral color to be the most timeless. As long as you keep them in good condition, you should be able to keep it in your wardrobe for years.
6. Tall Black and Chocolate Brown boots. Something comfortable but with a little “pizzazz” in them. You should have a heel but not too high. They should be versatile to most things in your closet. These two colors will work will both dressy and casual. Also short booties are great too to have in the closet in neutral colors.
7. A simple, well fitted black v-neck cardigan. Why, because sometimes you get cold and it will go with most basic things.
8. Warm tights or leggings. Right now, sweaters are still coming in tunic length and here are a lot of long tunic length tops and ponchos. Leggings are great to keep you warm and balance out the voluminous tops.
9. A large neutral color hand bag. Something you can carry comfortably and keep EVERYTHING you need. I personally carry a lot: like e-reader, wallet, ipod, sketch book, pens, paper, phone charger, phone, keys. You never know what you will need on your way back from the office.
10. A beautiful pashmina. Not only do they look pretty, but I find they are great in a pinch when you are feeling chilly. I carry one in my “big bag” for when I am cold on the train ride home. This helps in the summer too, when the A/C is really cold.

 These are just a few simple items that will be the foundation to your fashion collection. Mixing them with fun pieces that are trending, will make you a fashionista.

Happy Shopping!

My Style "A la Mode"

Style a la Mode

I want to take the time to introduce myself and the purpose of the blog.

For over 11 years now, I have been working in the fashion industry performing various jobs, in design. I decided a new way to be creative was to create a blog. My intension is not just to report about trends and give you my “expert” advice. I don’t claim to be an expert nor do I think should tell anyone how to dress. I want to write about things from a unique perspective.

Some of the articles I plan on writing may deal with combining food and fashion. Others may involve taking a look into a designer’s life. What ever the topic, I want it to be informative and fun.

Why “Style A La Mode” as my title? Well, the phrase “a la mode” is a French phrase for “in the fashion” and often times when we use this phrase; we just want some type of food with ice cream. Believe it or not, other than fashion, FOOD is a huge past time for me. So the idea of mixing the two in some capacity excites me.

Let me be your magazine, of sorts. You will still get the “ins and outs” of fashion, but I plan on delivering it with a bit of “tongue in cheek” style. So please don’t roll your eyes when I use clichés or corny dialogue. I promise that each article will have some useful and fun information. You just learned what “a la mode” means, didn’t you?

I also welcome comments and suggestions on stories I can cover for the readers. So please challenge me on my journey into the blog world. And if you enjoy the fun fact and fashion information you receive, PLEASE tell your friends to follow me. A few minutes of your day, means a lot to my ego. Thank you for reading today.