New York: Surprises around EVERY corner!

On my first Saturday, October 18th, in New York City. My roommate and I wanted to shop around the city. I really wanted to see the Miu Miu store so we asked the locals where to go and they gave us 2 locations: Prince St. and W. 52nd St. Since we were not familiar with either of them we decided to go with W. 52nd St. (no specific reason). On our way to the store I started to notice that the area was not getting nicer; in fact it was starting to look more and more residential. I was thinking this wasn't the right store, but we continued walking since we figured block to block can look different.

As we were beginning to approach the street, I casually asked a young women if we were heading the correct way. She said that she was heading to the same location-- odd right?? As we approached the unmarked (no sign of Miu Miu) building we noticed a crowed... our lucky stars had us heading straight into the ONCE A YEAR Prada(and Miu Miu) SAMPLE SALE!!

Overwhelmed with joy we made our way into the building and ran to the shoes! After an hour of trying different pieces on, I settled on my very first pair of perfectly crafted satin Prada sandals with a carved pink-rose and green-stem heel!!! I of course got them for 25% of their original cost! They are fabulous! Jealous??? :) ny

Start: New York City <3

I have officially been a resident of New York City for 2 weeks!! Unfortunately I have not had the time to update everyone on my arrival so there is plenty to write about.

Within the first 24 hours of my arrival my roommate and I found the perfect flat in the Upper West Side (just 2 blocks from Central Park!) The area is ideal. There are plenty of shops and restaurants located on Broadway and the Subway station is just around the corner! In the first few days of us getting to know the area Caroline Rhea tripped me on my way out of a local diner! She apologized and I just looked at her and then realized it was her!

Upon moving in we happened to miss the note about calling the electric company; so for the first 48 hours of living in the apartment we had no electricity. This is an experience to remember and now we are fully prepared in case we ever lose power; we now have a variety of candles and several flashlights!

As soon as it was possible, we hopped on the Subway and headed to Brooklyn to visit the Ikea store where we could furnish our new apartment! After this past weekend, we have completely unpacked all of our belongings and are now settling in comfortably into our own apartment. ny

Fashion School Graduate

As a young girl, I never thought about going to a fashion school; I just knew that I wanted to write for a magazine or be an actress. I found The Art Institute of Charlotte by chance, and it was the luckiest thing that could have ever happened to me. Being a student at AICH has allowed me to explore a side of myself that has always wanted to develop. I never once took an art class throughout high school, so I never knew that I could be artistic.

The best moment for me at AICH was when I had the chance to study abroad in the Fall of 2007. I was able to live in Milan, attend Milan Fashion Week, explore fashion in Paris, and see fashion in a different light! After leaving Europe, I had a new vision of what fashion meant to me and how elaborate and extraordinary fashion really is.

But along with all the positive creativity comes some challenges. We are pushed to our limits to execute the highest level we can create. And the competition is fierce. It seems like I haven’t been able to stop and break since July 2005! Sometimes my ideas’ didn’t always work, not everyone would see things how I did, and when I thought I did my best, there was always room for improvement. But all those things made me stronger, and I could only MOVE FORWARD. That is the way the fashion industry works.

I am glad to have experienced both the positive and negative aspects of being a student. But creativity flows naturally now and innovation runs passionately throughout the entire day. I have finally come to the end of my journey; I graduate in 2 weeks! I guess not too much has changed since my first desire to write for a magazine; that is still the path I am following!ny

Versace for Obama, Obama for Versace

Italian designer, Donatella Versace is one of the most recognized fashion designers of our time. Her style direction is impeccable and influences a great deal of the population. Lately, Donatella Versace has found a bit of inspiration in the United States for her designs. Donatella Versace used Senator Barack Obama as the muse for her Spring/Summer 2009 menswear collection. Versace’s collection includes jazzy scarves instead of ties and several tailored suits with suit jackets either double lapelled or without lapels, slim polished trousers and shirts in muted shades of pale blue, lemon yellow and lavender to define her collection. ABC news mentioned that, “Versace described the Obama-dedicated style as one designed for ‘a relaxed man who doesn't need to flex muscles to show he has power’."

Luxist.com mentioned that, “The woman who once said she wanted to dress Hillary Clinton in more feminine outfits and less pantsuits’ has turned her attention to Barack Obama.” Obama mentioned before that he only has four pairs of shoes and five suits; this may have influenced Versace’s interest!ny

Fashion avant Fashion

The life of one of fashion’s most beloved designers is hitting the big-screen, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel , in the upcoming French film Coco avant Chanel (translates Coco Before Chanel). Her story is being recreated to celebrate her unforgettable influence in fashion and tell the story of a woman determined to succeed through her desires and experiences before she was even famous. The best part about this film is for us fashion gurus… we get our complete fashion-fixation while Karl Lagerfeld reproduces some of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s original costumes and accessories!! [sigh]

Filming will begin in September in Paris, France. The French film is expected to release in 2009 from Warner Bros. Entertainment. The movie stars young French actress Audrey Tautou as the young Coco. Audrey Tautou is mostly recognized in the U.S. for her role in The Da Vinci Code as Agent Sophie. Audrey also will be the face of Chanel No. 5 in upcoming campaigns and the new commercial. Nicole Kidman was the previous spokes model.

Audrey Tautou told VOGUE.com, “I'm very happy with the script because it is about her youth and the elements which tell us what she would become and why her style is what it is today," she also commented that “It gave me the freedom to be between the image of what people think about her [Chanel] but also her before her success."

I personally will be the first inline when this film hits theaters!ny

Good Vibrations!

Ladies, technology has now moved a step closer to our cosmetic bags! Estee Lauder has just introduced the very first, world-wide, vibrating mascara wand! No longer will we have to struggle in-front of the mirror because we can now make each and every one of our tiny lashes separate perfectly with maximum-volume, and length and curl that touches the ceiling. “ESTÉE LAUDER REINVENTS MASCARA. Now, you can have everything you ever dreamed of for your lashes—all from one mascara. It's the world's first "turbo-charged" motion mascara with a vibrating brush. An innovation of design and engineering. Auto-powered, patent pending*, and precision-engineered to achieve lash effects you never thought possible” (Estee Lauder Corporate Site).

Not only does this mascara give you the perfect lash look, but it also has the most fabulously-stylish tube! This mascara is now available as an exclusive to the counters at Saks 5th Avenue. But come December it will be available nationwide! The new Estee Lauder Turbolash All Effects Motion Mascara comes to a pretty penny though, $30.00. But who can put a price on perfection???ny

Fashion Essentials

No matter what anyone tells you, looks are the first impression you make on someone else. What you are wearing and how you present yourself makes the biggest impact on the person you are meeting. Whether it be for an interview, a date, or just a social event how you dress and present yourself is important. Personality and skill are too, but they just uphold your first impression. To make sure you are always presented in the best way possible, every woman's wardrobe should consist of 5 pieces. No matter who you are, what you do, where you live, or what your goals are these 5 pieces make any wardrobe.

1 You MUST own a pair of black pants. Black pants go with pretty much everything and can be used professionally or casually. Choose a fabric that is flattering and does not cling to the body. Don’t worry about the size ladies, every pant fits different. There is nothing worse than seeing a woman with tight black pants. If you’re not sure about the fit ask another person in the dressing room. They should be honest!



2 Along with black pants you should have a black blazer; preferably a fitted style. This blazer can compliment pants, jeans, a dress, or even a skirt.

3 A white tank is always an important staple for a woman's wardrobe. They can go under any top to disguise a see-through shirt or even by itself to allow for unique accessories to be seen!

4 Fitted jeans!! Not only should a woman have one pair of perfect jeans, she should probably have at least 5! Jeans have made their way into the top 5 essential pieces just within the past few years. They have been embellished, re-designed, and dyed to look trendy and fashionable! And they match everything dressy and casual.



5 The final MOST essential item should be every woman's favorite item... the little black dress. :) [sigh] So many styles, so many cuts, so many ways to accessorize! You can never go wrong with a little black dress!ny